Intro to Pluto in Astrology

Let's do a mini dive into the realm of Pluto this week! Per usual, this is not an exhaustive all-out list of everything this planet (or should I say dwarf planet...) represents in modern astro circles. But this will be a pretty good introduction to the planet overall with some bite-size info for you to enjoy.

So, let's jump right in!

Pluto's Meaning in Astrology

Here are some key takeaways to note for both the placement of pluto in your natal chart and for things you may experience when undergoing a significant Pluto transit (i.e. pluto is making a tight aspect to another planet in your natal chart, or Pluto is transiting through an important sign/house in your natal chart).

1. Pluto demands that we confront our ENTIRE being. Sometimes this means looking at shadow parts of our nature or past that we are repressing or denying and have not integrated into our psyche. Other times this means seeing our true potential and power which we may have been denying or have been afraid to see in ourselves. 
2. Pluto demands that we transcend our ego by releasing attachments to people, careers, things, etc. which we have come to overidentify with.
3. Pluto brings out extreme tendencies in the collective that are relevant to or associated with the zodiac sign that it is transiting through. This leads to major societal transformation.
4. On a personal note, Pluto ushers in major crises, transformation and regeneration in the topics of the associated house it is transiting through (moving in real-time) in your individual natal chart.
5. Both Pluto transits and Pluto in the birth chart may show where we are learning lessons about obsession, control, power, and empowerment.

If you need a reminder of what the houses represent in astrology, checkout the post below and scroll down to find a short list with some basic topics for each house. You'll want to check your individual birth chart to see what house Pluto is located in. Then reflect on how these Plutonian themes have been part of a bigger life story in the activities of the associated house.

Ascendant Ruler in the Houses

Instructions on how to find your ascendant ruler in your birth chart and why it’s relevant!

Astrology With DestinyDestiny Rogers

If you have a more intermediate understanding of astrology and transiting planets, then you can look to where Pluto is transiting now and do the same thing! You'll want to check the house that aligns with the sign of Aquarius in your birth chart. (Although, those themes will be much harder to see at this point in time. You might gain a deeper understanding of Pluto by looking to the house where the zodiac sign of Capricorn is located and reflecting on the transformation of those associated house activities over the last 20 years.)

This post will be helpful as you do that:

What are astrological transits and horoscopes?

Astrologers have specific tools in their cosmic toolbox that enable them to make general predictions about important themes that come up in your life during certain periods.

Astrology With DestinyDestiny Rogers

If you need a copy of your astrological birth chart, feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will be happy to provide you with one.

One of my favorite myths I've come across in my astrological studies is the story of Hercules and the Hydra. I've summarized the main points for you below. If you're interested in how I was introduced to this story, then a great book for you to check out is "The Gods of Change" by Howard Sasportas. Although, I am sure there are other versions of this myth floating around out there...(that's usually what happens through generations of story-telling, isn't it?) Even so, a different version of this myth will contain the same overarching theme or lesson.

The Myth of Hercules & the Hydra

While performing 12 tasks (called labours) on a hero’s journey of sorts, Hercules is assigned the slaying of a creature with 9 heads. His teacher advised him that we conquer such beasts through kneeling & surrender, not force. The Hydra lives in a dark cave that never sees the light of day. Hercules must work to lure her out of the cave as the hydra is always in hiding. The Hydra is not bothered enough to appear from the cave with Hercules's standard arrows but only appears after Hercules has shot flaming arrows inside of it. 

Now Hercules must battle the Hydra in the swamplands next to the cave where she lives. The scenery of this myth is relevant to the lessons it teaches us about Pluto.

Like the Hydra, Pluto issues can often live in the darkness of our minds (the unconscious), rarely surfacing into the light or our everyday mental spaces (our conscious realities).

The Hydra is in her home base in the dark, swampy, muddy waters near her cave. She has the advantage here just as our beastly issues (the monsters inside of us) have the advantage in their home courts (the muddy waters of our unconscious minds). It’s yucky there… why would we want to visit it often? 

Hercules begins fighting the Hydra in the traditional way he would any other monster, his standard weaponry of choice, his club. But he realizes his club is no match for the Hydra, each time he cuts off one of her heads, three more appear in its place. Remembering what his teacher said, Hercules kneels down in the swamp, essentially surrendering to the dirty, swampy waters that they Hydra loves. He hoists the Hydra up so that she may be immersed in light and she loses her power. This part of the myth symbolizes that our Plutonian issues only have power when they are submerged in the darkness of our unconscious mind. After the Hydra has lost her power, Hercules can sever each head just as we can only beat our Pluto issues in the light of conscious awareness. The concept of surrender or kneeling is important in this myth as we must not only reveal our Pluto issues to the light of our awareness, but we must also have some form of acceptance for them and then work through them intentionally.