PLUTONIC TRANSFORMATION, JULY 2007

[This is the first in a multi-part series by noted astrologer Boots Hart on Pluto's transition early next year into the sign of Capricorn. If this outer-planet powerhouse fascinates you, you can also check the Daykeeper archives, especially Maya and Jessica Murray's work, for more on Pluto transits.—Ed.]

Back in January of 1996, Pluto (or more properly, Pluto/Charon) moved into Sagittarius, fire’s climactic sign. Being last in the visionary triumvirate, Sagittarius is the most worldly of fire signs, meaning it operates best through external situations and applications where it can invite and empower theoretical discussion and discovery.

Fortunately, Pluto is now poised to move on into Capricorn— an earth sign. Earth symbolizes reality: everything one can touch, feel or prove. Symbolic of intense, transformative energy, Pluto’s passage through Sagittarius has paralleled vast advances in technology, media, law and medicine. Unfortunately, with this came some Sagittarian dark sides, including stints of dogmatic obstinacy about what’s right to do, say or even contemplate. Driven by the Plutonic capacity for obsession, Sagittarian extremes manifested as fanaticism and fanatical lacks of willingness to understand loss of self or the inherent wisdom in allowing others to think or act differently. We’ve seen it in religion, social stratification, body image, politics, radio—everywhere.

Fortunately, Pluto is now poised to move on into Capricorn—an earth sign. Earth symbolizes reality: everything one can touch, feel or prove. Pluto moves into Capricorn as of January 2008, and after retrograding, commits to a full-time passage of this most worldly earth sign in late November, 2008.

During the ensuing 15-year transit, we can expect major shifts of governments and governmental methods, goals and responsibility. The same will be seen in business—corporate and personal. Views on marriage will change, as will attitudes towards duty to self and others. Health systems are likely to need and undergo vast re-evaluations and reorganizations, and we can expect serious attention and arguments to arise over the state of Planet Earth.

Pluto in Capricorn also raises the possibility of genocides, wholesale plundering or loss of resources and health concerns. Pandemics and questions of mental/neurological/emotional health loom large. Issues having to do with food availability, supply chain issues, security, cost, quality control and nutritional values/necessities will all need dealing with. Initially, government and corporations will be asked to "fix things," but in the end, individuals will need to find personal and societal answers.

Levels of hype and rhetoric will drop and track records will come to count for more than they do now. The current emphasis on appearance and fame will evolve, leading to increased rewards for individual quality on anyone’s part.

The value of discarded disciplines will be resurrected, inspected, revamped (if necessary) and put back into action. Being purely “PC” will vanish in favor of what supports lasting, productive order—physical, mental and societal. This is not to say kindness will vanish, but a realistic understanding of consequence will temper all. Pluto’s passages arouse energies no person controls, try as they may—and many do try, often with frenetic, volatile passion.

We are likely to hear more doubts, more people being afraid of inability to compete, win, cope—even survive—but stories on same will move from being dramas to real efforts to understand and deal with underlying problems.

By the time Pluto completes its transit of Capricorn, education and success in all things will be more about ability and results than slick appearance and the ability to pass tests—but getting there will be a challenge. Pluto’s passages arouse energies no person controls, try as they may—and many do try, often with frenetic, volatile passion. Through such moments, we will all come to question society, ourselves and traditional attitudes which are no longer functional.

Where Pluto is concerned, working through processes as consciously and unemotionally as possible wins—eventually. But letting go of desire for control comes first. For some, remembering that the "other guy" doesn’t have control either may be comforting, for in recognizing no one has the upper hand often lies the motivation to discard "win/lose" dynamics in favor of bonding and banding together to make a better world— which in the end is what Pluto in Capricorn is all about.

This picture of neither party having control is in fact a perfect metaphysical-astronomical translation of Pluto and it’s "moon" Charon being a true binary unit: both orbit a single center of gravity which lies between them. So life reflects the cosmos.

In short, greater knowledge of self and existence lie ahead. That it will be founded in fact is something to count on, in every sense. We truly stand on the brink of a new and earthier age, so welcome to the future.

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