Big Energies Part 1: Pluto Retrograde in Capricorn ⋆ Summer 2023
Pluto is the last planet of our solar system, at least for now. It takes approximately 240 years to make one complete orbit around the Sun. The slower a planet moves, the longer it takes to move through a sign. Its energy is intensely focused on the themes of that sign and effects are noticeable on both a macro as well as a personal level. The farther from the Sun a planet is, the more influence it has on a macro level. World events reflect the focus of the planet.
Pluto's focus is on power and security. Pluto brings up control issues. It shows how we wield our power and how we respond to the power of others. One manifestation of this theme is to attempt to control conditions. If a situation is controllable, the reasoning goes, it can't cause harm. It is not a threat to security. Ultimately, this strategy is ineffective. There are too many variables. Life becomes a repetitive cycle of trying to manage everything, which is unmanageable. And yet, how many of us have this as the default setting, spending inordinate amounts of time anticipating all the ways something could go sideways and developing contingency plans to handle it? How many lists are created, projects coordinated, "what ifs" investigated, all in the name of feeling less vulnerable?
Pluto reveals what is unsustainable, usually by forcing things out of the shadows. Shady dealings, manipulations, and corruption are exposed when Pluto comes around. Pluto shows "the ugly" of whatever it is affecting. The purpose of Pluto is to bring transformation on a deep level - a caterpillar to butterfly level.
At first glance, that sounds like a pretty good proposition. Who wouldn't choose butterfly over caterpillar? Well, maybe the caterpillar for one. The one experiencing the transformation is likely to be the most resistant towards it. And yet, caterpillars undertake the transformative process on their own. They are not forced into it; there is no need to convince them. Time of being a caterpillar is done. It is time for the next phase.
The next phase requires trust in and commitment to the transformative process. It's doubtful that caterpillars enter the cocoon knowing what they will become on the other side. They just know staying a caterpillar is not working for them. They move into the process of transformation.
Capricorn deals with social standing and reputation; how we want to be seen in the world. Capricorn is a practical, strategic sign. It is willing to play the long game. It expects to put in the work in order to reap the rewards. It values the effort that goes into reaching goals as much as it does the rewards, especially the material expression of prestige.
Since Pluto moved into Capricorn in 2008, it has been revealing the unsustainable aspects of the ways we do business in both private and public arenas on both a personal and global level. The ugly side of the institutions that make the rules we are playing by is being exposed. We are being shown where there has been corruption of their original purpose. Events and actions that have been deliberately hidden or "spun" to maintain an illusion are coming to light. This is not about conspiracy theories. This is prevailing energetic expression which has become increasingly unbalanced. The path to regaining balance often goes through extreme swings until situations settle back to the middle way.
In astrology, each sign's expression builds on the previous one. Sagittarius is the sign prior to Capricorn and deals with beliefs and philosophy. Capricorn adds structure (it's an earth sign) that brings these guiding beliefs into real world situations. Institutions are created to demonstrate the agreed upon beliefs. Capricorn is all about those large institutions around which we structure our lives - business, education, government, for example.
It is notable that the last time Pluto moved through Capricorn was in the 1770s. The birth chart of the USA has Pluto in late Capricorn, so we are experiencing our Pluto return. This amplifies the effects of this time on a macro level, but the macro is composed of the micro. No one is getting a pass here. Questions of power and control are showing up in all areas of life, calling us to recognize ineffective patterns in our lives. The purpose is to initiate transformation of what is not sustainable.
Of course, we can respond by choosing to ignore or rationalize what is being shown with ever increasing clarity. We can try harder to control the situations and relationships that are unraveling, in other words, double down. Or, we can go into caterpillar mode. This mode is about empowerment. Rather than externally focused "power over", transformation realizes internally focused power. This is a new paradigm. There are few models.
What does being empowered look like to you? How would your life be different? How would an empowered you respond to the challenges that are coming up?
At its core, the question is how you manage your energy. Your energy follows your attention. What are you "paying" attention to? We think thousands of thoughts every day, most of them repetitive. Are you focused on your priorities or are you being hijacked by the needs of others? Obviously there are situations that require another's needs be addressed, like parenting small children. That does not make the question irrelevant. If you are parenting small children, the hope is the act of parenting them well is a priority.
Is your energy being directed to your priorities or is it being hijacked? How are you demonstrating your value and your values? Are you assuming responsibility for your choices and their outcomes? Are you in "if only" fantasyland, waiting for someone to change or something to happen which will save you? That is not empowerment.
Interestingly, as Pluto spends the summer in the late degrees of Capricorn, it will square the April 20 eclipse point of 29 degrees Aries. That eclipse was a powerful New Moon on many levels, not the least of which is it happened at the last degree of Aries. The 29th degree of any sign means it is time to complete a cycle and get ready to move to the next one. Aries is the "I am" principle of the zodiac. The first sign, it focuses on the self. Aries is about self expression, showing up for yourself as yourself.
April's eclipse has been asking each of us to stop doing those things we do that are no longer aligned with our best version of ourselves. Until the next set of eclipses in October, opportunities will continue to present themselves to recognize where changes in behavior are needed.
For most of the summer, Pluto will challenge the eclipse point and amplify the discomfort of being out of synch with your best self. That is how squares operate; they cause so much frustration that they force a change in order to alleviate the tension. Aries energy shows up authentically, openly and honestly. It is not especially concerned about others or their opinions. For Aries, it's all about me. The question is "who is this me?"
Capricorn energy demands we show up as our best self. The self that is dialed into our destiny. Capricorn is how we want to be seen in the world - wise, capable, confident, worthy, kind...how does your best self show up? What is getting in the way of showing up that way consistently? That is the function of the square to the eclipse point in Aries. Those two energies are in conflict and are making it clear that something needs to change.
What aspects of yourself have you outgrown? What behaviors are no longer aligned with the vision you have for yourself? What are the patterns that you habitually fall into that you now recognize as generating undesired outcomes? They will be presenting themselves all summer long, offering opportunities to amend your responses.
The purpose is to show you the path to uplevel to a more empowered version of yourself, more aligned with who you know yourself to be when you are centered, grounded, and acting from your highest perspective. It's a process. It will not happen overnight. It is consistently making choices and decisions from the viewpoint of your best self and showing up as that best self in all situations.
This summer is giving each of us the chance to slow down and become deliberate about what we are taking in and putting out into the world. It is an opportunity to transform into our best selves. It's time.
“Change can be hard. It requires no extra effort to settle for the same old thing. Auto-pilot keeps us locked into past patterns. But transforming your life? That requires courage, commitment, and effort. It’s tempting to stay camped in the zone of That’s-Just-How-It-Is. But to get to the really good stuff in life, you have to be willing to become an explorer and adventurer.” ~John Mark Green
