Recently, astronomers downgraded Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet. This has raised questions about its astrological significance.
There’s the science of astrology and the art of astrology. The science is working out the positions of the various heavenly bodies. The art is working out the meaning. Astronomers focus on the science component while astrologers work on the art.
One of my favourite discussions on this matter is between Sir Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley, the ‘discoverer’ of Halley’s Comet. Halley is said to have made disparaging remarks about astrology to which Newton’s reputed reply was “I have studied these things. You have not.”
So, let us now return to our astrological discussion of the meaning of Pluto.
In ancient mythology, Pluto was the god of the underworld and so associated with the dead.
This view may be supported when we look at global events which occurred at the same time as Pluto’s changing signs.
Here are a couple of examples: in 1914 Pluto entered the sign of Cancer (start of World War 1). In 1939 Pluto moved into Leo (start of World War 2), in 2008, the day Pluto entered the sign of Capricorn was the day of the Mumbai terrorist attacks. This obviously needs a lot more exploration than just these few examples but that discussion is beyond the scope of this post.
Rather than its association with death and destruction, I like to think of Pluto in terms of a seed. When you plant a seed nothing seems to happen for quite a long time. However, when we look underground we see there’s lots going on. The seed absorbs moisture, its biochemistry changes dramatically, it starts sending up shoots and has roots going down. At some point we’ll find that where there was once just bare ground there’s now a strong and healthy plant growing.
That’s how Pluto works in our lives. While there’s little happening on the surface, the area in our chart in which Pluto is active will have a lot of activity going on beneath the surface. For example a person with Pluto in the third house may tend to be secretive and uncommunicative (since the third house is associated with communication) but they will be strong and analytical thinkers since thinking is an internal process. The challenge for this person is finding ways to share their thought processes as they may appear erratic and impulsive to others (who don’t see the inner workings of that person’s mind).
Returning to our idea of the seed… in the transformation of the seed into the plant the seed ceases to exist – you can’t find the original seed that the tree you’re sitting under grew from. Similarly, a person develops from the combination of sperm and ovum. Once joined and turning into a person you can’t separate these components into their original parts. Thus, the seed, which contains the potential for anything the plant may ultimately become has ‘died’ in the process of giving birth to a new entity.
Similarly, even our most basic functions utilise the Pluto energy. When we eat, the food is broken down into its basic units to be absorbed into the body as its building blocks for muscles, nerves and every other element we need to live.
From this, we see that Pluto represents not just death and destruction but the life/death cycle. Out of the ‘death’ of one thing comes the birth of something else and that new thing couldn’t have come about without the end of the old one.
So, instead of being afraid of Pluto’s destructive influence (as many people are) we should see it as a way to show us the seeds of what can be.
To find out how Pluto works in your life have a look at Aviel’s Soul Pathfinder session and our Soul Navigator program. We’d love to share this journey of discovery with you.