Tips for Surviving Pluto Transits

My heart goes out to anyone with personal planets and even transpersonal planets in the cardinal signs (Libra, Capricorn, Aries, and Cancer) and especially those who were born during the first week of their sign, (the 22nd -29th of a month).  The bad news is you can't avoid squares, oppositions or conjunctions with transiting Pluto and transiting Uranus at this time.  Uranus moves into Taurus in 2019, finally giving relief to people with planets in cardinal signs, but Pluto doesn't move into Aquarius until 2024.  The good news is that both Uranus and Pluto bring much needed transformation to the planet and to individuals with these configurations.

The most challenging planetary aspects/transits are when Pluto squares, opposes or conjuncts the natal Sun, Moon, or Rising sign, in this case they would be placed in either Capricorn, Cancer, Aries or Libra.  The Pluto transit last three years and when the orb is exact, a person can feel as if they have been plunged into hell, or that hell has broken loose in their lives.  How Pluto's energy plays out has to do with the house it's transiting in and any aspects it has with both natal and other transiting planets.  The sky is active and planets are constantly on the move.  And even when you know the house or houses involved with the transit, it's still impossible to predict what sort of drama will play out because Pluto is ruled by Scorpio which deals with the hidden and those things kept far down in our subconscious.  This planet is primal and impulsive.

A few years ago, astronomers and astrologers demoted Pluto from planet to asteroid.  It's as if they didn't want to deal with the chaos and mess Pluto brings to the planet (earth) and I guess they thought they could just sweep Pluto under the carpet; pretend that it wasn't there.  However, if you're going through a Pluto transit, you know that it's impossible to sweep Pluto, much less anything under a rug and pretend it isn't there.  Cleanliness is not one of Pluto's greatest assets.  Think of the analogy of a clogged sewer system and all the muck that comes up, (smells bad too) in order to fix the clog.  Well, there's a lot of muck we buried in our subconscious, mostly during our childhood when we didn't have the wherewithal to handle those emotions at that time.

I think for women, we had to hide certain emotions, such as rage, especially with my generation and older generations that weren't seen as ladylike.  We were expected to play the role of nice girl, and take care of other people's needs, while stuffing our own.  Ever wonder why so many women have weight problems?  We were told to look nice and play this role, be seen, but not heard, yeah, even with my generation (I was born in the 1960s).  So much for women's liberation.  Well, now Pluto is helping us to get in touch with our true feminine power which at this point resembles an outraged Kali. See, our parents should have just let us throw that tantrum at age two instead of letting the rage build and build into volcanic activity.  With Pluto lurking around in the subconscious this rage now comes up for healing and clearing.  Denying it's there won't help and in fact, we can no longer deny that it's there. 

Men going through a Pluto transit also have to deal with stuffing their emotions, mainly grief and sometimes inner rage that is tearing them apart.  Telling boys that they can't cry when they're hurt either emotionally or physically, is asking for trouble down the road.  If a man doesn't learn how to express all of his emotions, then he represses too many of them.  This could lead to escapism, violent behavior (to hide his vulnerability), or cold detachment (such as the bachelor who uses women, but feels nothing for them).  Remember, Pluto and Scorpio has a tendency or a weakness of appearing icy cold.  And ice kings didn't start out as cold and unfeeling reptilians.

So here comes Pluto to unblock, unlock, release, transform and transmute patterns, beliefs, emotions, and all that crap we cling to.  We need to do this housecleaning anyway, but Pluto transits are painful and we do experience great loss and I liken a Pluto transit to a long and drawn out initiation.  Think of the bat totems and initiations of Meso-America/Latin America where the initiates are taken into a dark cave filled with bats.  Or think about the totem animals of Panther/Jaguar or Vulture, which is about purging everything that never worked and no longer worked.  Pluto knocks out the guard rails or any defenses we have secured into place.  We are left standing naked feeling vulnerable and exposed.  We find ourselves stripped of everything we thought we needed to survive.  Think of all those families who lost their homes and lived in cars, if they had a car to live in.  Think of all the people who recently divorced.  Think of people who have lost their health and their lives under Pluto transits.  And I'm not saying this to frighten anyone.  Courage is needed now.

Practicing gentleness with our selves and self-love are crucial ingredients to reaching the other side of a Pluto transit.  Eating healthy, going with the flow and letting go of anything that comes up now that needs release.  Finding a life coach or therapist to work with (who understands astrology) can relieve the tension and fear that surface.  Take flower essences such as the Bach Flower Remedies (Rescue Remedy) comes to mind.  Take a yoga, meditation or Tai Chi class.  Change your diet and eliminate all unhealthy foods, give up alcohol, sugar and caffeine which will just agitate you now.  If you have an addiction, de-tox and get professional help.  Get a medical check up especially with the parts of the body ruled by Scorpio (sexual organs, colon).  Don't go through these transits alone.  It's crucial that you find support, especially when you experience losses.

While I support positive thinking and feeling joy, when a person is experiencing a challenging Pluto transit (square, opposition, conjunction), it's time to clean house (the subconscious).  Those issues you buried deep inside come up now for you to transmute and release.  But don't make the mistake of holding on to these old hurts and go over them like a groove in a record.  When the issues come up, deal with them, and be done with them.  Don't re-dramatize your situation (Scorpio loves drama), but don't deny your issues or your shadows now.  The key word is transmute energy.  And by transmuting energy, you actually find your authentic self.  You reclaim your power and like Persephone you rise back up the earth as a changed magical being.  And if you're Capricorn, it will be another 240 years before Pluto transits in Capricorn again.

In fact, as you go through the Pluto transits read and re-read the Persephone myth, while focusing on the arrival of spring.  I'm thinking of the words of Michel LeGrand's song, "You must Believe in Spring".  And if you want to consult with an astrologer who is currently experiencing multiple Pluto transits, I'm available in Bellingham, Washington.  Visit my website http://metaphysics4everydayliving.wordpress.com