Beloved Wild

Today, around 10:20 am EST, Pluto after weeks of slowing down, Pluto appeared to begin to move backwards though the zodiac wheel- beginning its retrograde motion. Pluto is the planet of extremely concentrated power and expresses its energy by bringing death and causing endings to anything that no longer has creative power and requiring a release of related psychological and behavioral patterns. This death triggers a metamorphosis or transformation – people, places and things can disappear often dramatically, AND people, places or things that were hidden, lost or forgotten can be reappear, be found or remembered. Typically, Pluto’s transformative process isn’t immediately visible or tangible, but during its retrograde journey, we develop awareness of the endings and changes and can even feel them internally as they are happening.

Pluto has been currently transiting the sign of sidereal Capricorn since February 2020 (remember those times?) and will remain in sidereal Capricorn until March 2039. Pluto in sidereal Cparicorn brings destruction and endings to organized power structures and systems. Capricorn places achievement, efficiency and status above all else, and is willing to suppress emotions and be the scapegoat, taking on more than their fair share of work to get ahead. During Pluto’s transit of sidereal Capricorn, there will a dramatic end to this approach to power. Capricorn also represents the past and tradition. Pluto transiting Capricorn can be a period of destruction of traditions, particularly those that no longer serve their intended purpose.

So what does Pluto Retrograde mean for us now? First, this Pluto retrograde period, and an increased awareness of issues with power, authority, tradition may not be noticeable to everyone. Please note that just because you didn’t notice it, it doesn’t mean the transformation isn’t happening beneath the surface. You are more likely to be aware of and sensitive to the effects of Pluto’s renovations in your life if you have Pluto on an angle in your natal chart – on the 1st, 4th, 7th or 10th house cusp and/or if you have planets in cardinal (Capricorn, Cancer, Aries, Libra) signs between 2-14 degrees. You may also notice subtle shifts in your personal power if you have planets in Virgo or Taurys between 2-14 degrees.

What to expect:

-Awareness of mass suffering or the experience of suffering yourself.

-An increased awareness of expansion or loss of personal and collective power.

-Awareness of your role in “entanglements” – power struggles or obsessive and manipulative relationship dynamics, particularly those that are exploitative and make someone else money.

-Economic depression, difficulty meeting your basic needs

-People, places and things may disappear and/or return to your life or reappear seemingly out of the blue (it is more likely to be some combination of both).

How to navigate the intensity of Pluto retrograde:

-It may seem like everything is happening all at once, but it’s been there all along, just below the surface. Pluto transits are slow, with Pluto retrograde occurs every year; You’ll have lots of time to sort through what this means and how to rebuild, but the ending is inevitable.

-Listen to what your body is telling you – honor and take care of your basic needs. Whatever status, success, or power you hope to gain by denying yourself won’t last and there will be consequences for over-extending your capacity.

-If you have more than you need, share what you have and stop hoarding resources. Whether it is money or love – GIVE!

-(Re)claim your power: Reflect on how you are using your power. What power has been awarded to you by others or your higher power? Do you acknowledge this power? Are you just helping yourself with this power or are you also helping others? Are you giving away your power by failing to act decisively or be accountable for what you have done?

-Acknowledge your feelings and face the dark side of what comes up. Remember, you can’t hide from this. If you feel yourself getting overtaken by the changes or the intensity of it all, seek guidance from a therapist or spiritual worker who is comfortable with the depths of Pluto’s power (Therapists specializing in trauma, bereavement or grief work, death doulas, spiritual workers who work with entities overseeing death, cemeteries, the underworld, transformation, sex – both for pleasure & reproduction)

If you’re looking for guidance on what Pluto retrograde brings for you and how to navigate this energy, book a reading with me.