Named for the maiden snatching, shadow dwelling god of the underworld, small but mighty planet Pluto moves into Aquarius for the first time in two and a half centuries on March 23, 2023.
Petit but potent, Pluto was discovered in 1930. As the final planet in our solar system, Pluto is rightly linked to endings and downfall. As master of ceremonies for death, Pluto teaches us that destruction is the wheel grease of creation, and the rot rich compost for progress.
Apropos of this, Pluto is the planetary ruler of the fixed water sign Scorpio, associated with transformational trauma, shadow work, mind control, power struggles and other people’s money.
As the planet furthest from the sun, Pluto’s orbit is an arduously long one, with the planet changing signs once every twelve to thirty years
When does Pluto enter Aquarius?
As master of ceremonies for death, Pluto teaches us that destruction is the wheel grease of creation, and the rot rich compost for progress.
Pluto has been kicking it in Capricorn since 2008 and after it moves into Aquarius on March 23 it will return to the sign of the sea goat for a reunion tour in June before settling into the domain of the water bearer on January 21, 2024 for the long haul and a two decade stint. Pluto’s three month dip into Aquarius this spring will give us a preview of the themes and shifts we can expect from the dark lord moving forward. As established, Pluto’s roll is slow, which translates to its influence informing an era and inevitably defining an entire generation.
As brilliant astrologer David Odyssey observes, “the Boomers were born with Pluto in Leo (1939–1958), which saw the rise of deified world leaders, and the elevated ideal of so-called American “greatness;” Pluto in Libra (1971–1983) brought forth Gen X, who sought to tear down the Libran ideal of suburban stucco bliss; millennials came alive during Pluto’s transit through Scorpio (1983–1995), a period in which AIDS unleashed conservative cruelty and activist revolution, VHS pornography changed sex forever, and atomic terror thawed to new possibilities of liberation. Of course, Gen Z could only be born to Pluto in Sagittarius (1995–2009), and will reckon for years to come with the sign’s extreme ideals, spiritual curiosity, and conspiratorial thinking.”
What will the be the effects of Pluto in Aquarius on the generation it governs and the world at large?
Pluto in Aquarius
Much like Saturn and newborn vampires, just because Pluto is devastating does not mean it is nefarious. When it comes to Pluto, destruction is only wrought in the name of evolution and often the planet “tests” the mettle of its children in order to cast out what holds them back. In terms of cinematic archetypes, Pluto is professor Snape whose brutal methods belie benevolent intentions.
The last time planet Pluto marched through Aquarius was 1778-1798, a span of years that saw the French, American, Haitian and Industrial revolutions as well as the Age of Enlightenment, which in true Aquarian form, favored reason over reaction and abstraction over intimacy. Inventions from this era include the hot air balloon, sewing machine, small pox vaccine and the parachute.
The last go round of Pluto in Aquarius included the dismantling of social hierarchies, resistance to the powers that be, the revaluation of labor, violent responses to economic disparity, and the wild application of the imagination leading to technological breath throughs, themes that will no doubt resurface when Pluto returns to the visionary vapors of Aquarius. The structures of old and the perches of the elite will be eyed with fresh contempt and the ‘good for a few of us’ modality of capitalism will no longer suffice.
In the future focused, feeling deficient sign of Aquarius, Pluto’s slash and burn path will be interesting to behold. There is a utopian leaning to the Aquarius archetype, because Aquarius is a fixed sign its definition of progress is rigid and though it operates with the greater good in mind it does so without concern for approach or the consensus of the people it hopes to benefit.
Since Aquarius rules electricity and technology, we may see developments in the arena of renewable (a Plutonian theme) energy and more among us questioning how tech can benefit all rather than pad the pockets of a few. With Pluto at the helm and Aquarius in the lead, there’s a fated, “Fight Club,” new world order energy to this transit. It’s revolution with little regard for nuance and an agenda aimed at progress at all costs.
In conclusion, here are the words of Scorpio sage, the mono named, wig wearing Voltaire, “It is not more surprising to be born twice than once; everything in nature is resurrection.” Welcome to our second coming, may we all burn bright with hope for what will rise and no fear of the dark.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
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