Pluto – together with Saturn – is the most dreaded planet in astrology. In fact, Pluto is even more dreaded than Saturn. 

With Saturn, you know where you stand. You may not like it, but at least you’re able to do something about it. You may have to work hard for it, but whatever Saturn throws at you is not undoable. But Pluto is different. When Pluto hits, we’re totally out of our league.

If visible planets – from Sun to Saturn – are within our control, the invisible planets – Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – are beyond our control. 

The biggest mistake we can make in astrology is to assume there’s nothing we can do about the personal planets – and thus, miss opportunities for growth and self-actualization – and assume that we can control the outer planets – and set ourselves up for unnecessary heartaches, delays and difficulties. 

We can’t control Pluto. Pluto always wins, no matter how strong and powerful you are. Even more so if you’re powerful and decide to put up a fight.

Yes, Pluto is the planet of power, but it is not the planet of personal power. Pluto is the life force itself, and whoever stands against it, whoever has a different agenda, will be defeated.

True Pluto power is in constant transformation. In constant change. When we cling to the past, Pluto is merciless. When we don’t want to let go, Pluto will make us let go. Pluto will do whatever it takes so that life energy keeps flowing, keeps on moving. 

Writing about Pluto is difficult, because when an astrologer analyzes a planet, we want to share some “secrets” which people can use to their advantage when they have a difficult transit for example. But any attempt to ‘outsmart’ Pluto will backfire. 

That’s why the first thing to consider when dealing with Pluto is…

Trust

When, despite your very best efforts, things go wrong, when life smacks you in the face and shows you that your will alone is not enough, the secret is not to put up a stronger fight – but to let go, and trust that the universe has a bigger plan for you.

Of course, it’s easier said than done. When tragedy strikes, it’s very difficult to see the silver lining.

But in the darkest of nights, when nothing seems to make sense, that’s exactly when we need the trust more. 

But there is a fine line between trust and…

Truth

Trusting that the Universe has a better plan for you doesn’t mean you should give up trying. It doesn’t mean you should stop questioning ‘reality’.

Pluto digs and digs until there’s nothing left to dig, and asks us to do the same. If you take everything at face value, if you let other people or circumstances manipulate you, Pluto will “strike” as an unforeseen event which you will call fate. Thankfully, Pluto always leaves traces.

If you’ve read my previous article about Saturn, you will remember the episode I told you about at the Berlin art gallery. I went to an exhibition called “One on One” where people had an intimate experience with individual artworks (only one person at the time was allowed in each of the exhibition rooms).

There was one particularly long queue in front of a big room. I remember queuing for more than half an hour. Finally, my turn. I hung the “don’t disturb” sign on the outside of the door and went inside.

Inside was a huge space, as large as a small stadium. There was not much in there apart from some sand, some plastic palm trees, and a few grass dunes.

A beach theme. I said to myself, “this is it?” “it’s quite pretty, but where is the art?”.

Then I thought I’m not “art aware” enough to get to the deeper meaning. I almost gave up and decided to leave the room. In fact, I noticed that people in front of me didn’t seem to spend more than 30 seconds in this room.

Just before leaving, I thought I’d give it a last try and decided to take a tour around the room. I felt guilty, as I knew there was a huge queue, and I was keeping people waiting. I did it anyway.

I walked through the sand and finally got to the other side of the room, where there was a beachgrass dune. I looked behind and … total shock. Behind it, hidden from the view, there were 3 (plastic, of course) dead bodies. Corpses decomposing in an otherwise beautiful scenery. Quite an ugly scene.

I was profoundly disturbed. Who would have thought? It finally got to me what the “art” was about, and what kind of questions it was designed to raise. 

The type of truth Pluto seeks is always uncomfortable. But if you want to live in reality, and not in a movie plot, you must keep on searching. You must keep on digging even when everyone tells you you’re crazy.

You must doubt your own sanity and dig even deeper. Because there is always something hidden from sight.

And even if this truth might be disturbing, it’s part of reality. And unless we find and embrace this truth, we’ll always live in a half-reality.   

Transformation

Finally, Pluto doesn’t bring crises and insurmountable problems to make us suffer. Pluto’s role is to keep the engine of the universe going, and to eliminate what can no longer sustain life.

And that’s everything – from outdated values, false beliefs, redundant thinking patterns, to dirty sheets, clogged closets, and yes, decomposing bodies.

However, beyond the material, beyond the outdated, beyond the rotten layers, there is life. There is pure energy. And energy knows no destruction. This is what Pluto is truly about.

Pluto does not destroy life – it cannot. It destroys what’s stagnating, what can no longer sustain life. And the process of shedding the old skin, of eliminating what’s no longer needed is called “trans-formation”.

Pluto does not bring endings. Just like the white flag that shows up in the Tarot “Death” card, Pluto brings new beginnings. New beginnings that are more apt and effective to sustain life. 

This is part II of the Saturn-Pluto saga. Learn more about Saturn here: Saturn – Rings, Rules, Responsibility

Read about Pluto’s transit in Aquarius 2023-2044

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