Not long before this blog post was scheduled to post, the Aries Sun squared Pluto in Capricorn (exact at 11:05 pm EDT). Pluto being Pluto, the effects of this square began prior to yesterday and will continue to unfold beyond today, along with another developing (if separating) square. The overarching theme is: first address what is necessary.
Pluto, “the irresistible force,” is working its way through Capricorn for the long haul, tilling the rather set and packed earth of that sign.
Tilling is a necessary part of preparing the ground for planting and new growth. But depending on whether you’re feeling like the farmer, the plow blade or the earth itself, the process might feel anywhere from liberating to invigorating and purposeful to traumatic.
It’s an apt theme for Northern Hemisphere spring, and it’s accentuated by the theme of new, resurrected, redeemed life present in yesterday’s Easter holiday for those who observe it.
Most of us, however, can’t expect any boulders to be miraculously rolled away for us. Usually that sort of thing takes some effort; when that effort — or the unknown world beyond it — feels intimidating and overwhelming, it can be all too easy to start rationalizing the coziness of the tomb.
Sun square Pluto could translate into a deep inner confrontation for those not quite up to the ‘necessary’ part of “addressing what is necessary.”
If that’s the case, this transit could feel like some kind of enforced change; you might feel like the untilled earth being split and uprooted. Pluto could also represent an invisible force spurring change — something rolling away that boulder, leaving you blinking in the bright light, ready or not.
The ground of Capricorn in this case may represent taking apart some structure that binds one to the past. For those who spent Sunday with their family, this could translate into a question: is this what you want to be invested in? For some, family holidays — whether religious or not — provide a comforting touchstone with tradition, kinship and celebration. For others (or perhaps for those same people mentioned first, just at different times) these occasions throw into stark contrast their present values, goals and sense of self with shapes, patterns and relationships that no longer fit.
In that light, Sun-Pluto becomes a call to be fully in the moment of one’s life, even if cutting off from nostalgia is a little lonely for a while. It’s stepping out of the close, comfortable tomb/womb that has held you, and stepping into the light. Even if that light is unfamiliar, and you’re not entirely sure who you might meet along the road that stretches out before you — or, perhaps, who you should seek out.
Which brings me to the other square exact and unfolding now: Jupiter in Gemini square Chiron in Pisces. Philip Sedgwick had some interesting things to say about this square in his free newsletter yesterday (called the “Sky Scraping E-zine,” which you can sign up for here):
Jupiter absolved Chiron’s pain. But to be set free from anguish, Chiron had to enter the underworld. For a person pushing life around, this means, get down and do the work. Does it hurt to exercise? Depends on what kind of shape a body is in. Is it painful to engage in a high-aura aerobic workout of the soul? Doesn’t matter. Here’s the pattern to get on with it.
The essence of the pattern is to contain, cleanse and consecrate any feelings of “not enough” and transform them into solid attributes. That’s Chiron’s wound. He perceived that he wasn’t loveable enough to be claimed by his parents. He wasn’t valid enough to be born properly on Mount Olympus. But he wasn’t handsome enough to meet his mother’s expectations. Did that stop him? No. Chiron went out and learned from the masters in all fields of study. They welcomed the dedicated, thirsty-for-knowledge student. Thus, he became renowned for his knowledge and widely sought for his healing abilities.
Even when Chiron fell into a most extreme “wrong place, wrong time” situation at the cave of Pholus when the centaurs attempted to plunder Pholus’ cave to steal sacred wine and he was wounded, still he was not doomed. But it’s important to note that Chiron suffered a life of unending pain until he realized he could approach Jupiter for relief.
One day, the feeling of “I’ve had it with this…” takes over. So a body begins to work out. An ego seeks out psychological fortification to lead to soul-based confidence. Every personal liability is transformed into an attribute. And those with a chakra seeming to be firing one cylinder short, get rewired and amped. This is when one approaches Jupiter for relief. Anything that feels internally retrograde must redirect.
Sure, but how?
Use Jupiter, since he’s in the mix.
Sedgwick goes on to outline a simple exercise involving listing any current, limiting beliefs you’d like to ‘allow’ yourself to be wrong about, then burning the list, casting away the ashes and making up a new list of empowering replacement beliefs for the ones you have just given yourself permission to release. You can find the full description, which includes more information about using Jupiter’s cycle to move the process forward, on his website under the “Sky Scraping” tab in the left margin.
Whether you see yourself as a centaur entreating the ruler of the gods for assistance; as someone entombed and waiting for the stone to be moved; as the earth being tilled; or the plow and the farmer making it all happen, one thing is clear this week: it’s time to get down to some work.
First, address what is necessary. Whether that necessity seems to come from within or without, start from where you are. These are not overnight issues we’re talking about, and you have time to get the stone rolling, to loosen the earth (or your limbs, or your psychic posture), to break the process down into what you’d like to release and then what you’d like to receive and grow.
Thank you Amanda for your share on the relationship of Jupiter and Chiron who might give rise at the end of a social injury? Uranus and Chiron will help us a see more clearly by a release 😉
Amanda, it sounds like getting down to the nitty gritty of transformation. I am (not anymore) amazed and consistently delighted at how right on your readings are for what going on right now with me.
I have a whole lot of necessary going on right now. Today I stopped my self before I started by spilling water in to my sweater pocket — the pocket that held my phone. My workday was mostly getting my phone dried out. It works fine. So tomorrow, It is all about the necessary.
These aspects feel supportive to me, all the way down to showing me ways my old habits and beliefs find a way to shut me down.
Thanks everyone. I hope you all have an amazing week under the squares!
Amanda – I’m sure I’ve said words to this effect before, but there are days when PW posts speak so directly – so literally – to my immediate situation that it’s either freaky or fabulous. Like today. I’m in the middle of moving to a new apartment an hour away, it’s taking forever for various reasons, it’s the end of an era, and today – it being a holiday here and a very rainy day at that – I simply gave up, preferring (make that needing) a day to cocoon in the tomb I’m leaving. The new situations less than ideal, but the move really for the better. Great post. I just wish I weren’t living it so, so literally! Traumatic, definitely traumatic, slogging through mud…
So Sarah… there *is* something about all these 11s. Yesterday’s numerology 3/31/13 took us to 11 as well – so that might have cue’d up the shot to some extent.
I woke up with an odd, stuffy heartcenter mewling, so came to PW to see if I could pick up any clues about its celestials. BK’s notation of Nessus/Moon conj. hit the spot for me. Thar she blows…! Well then, out comes the whalesong CD (we don’t use harpoons anymore).
Amanda, here in the central part of the US, Mars/Venus conjunct happens one minute till midnight Saturday. Last minute of the last day of the week. Curious placement in time, almost — what is that phrase again?– oh yeah: eleventh hour. That.
And I think you have totally nailed the Sun/Pluto energy, btw. Moon/Pluto aspects can be a snarly mess, but at least with the Sun there’s some impetus to *do* something.
Carry on, bellas …
One of the ways I’ve been working directly with this (since Feb) was seeing a sex therapist. This was actually at the suggestion of my Reiki Master! But she couldn’t refer me, so I had to figure out this next step of my healing on my own. One of the things I was repeatedly told was how I failed to realize how I held myself back from expressing my desires by thinking I was not able to express them with someone physically. That I was too much in my head. Well, I sought to change that. I understood my emotional needs; I understood my energetic needs; I understood my fears; I understood my visceral desires. But no one was going to give me what I wanted unless I went after it. And it’s so hard getting past all those voices, particularly the ones that are hurt or looking for love. This past month presented so many opportunities to work on several layers either at once or sequentially. My whole natal chart is on fire and parts of my (psychic) body are burning off, one minute in pain, the other in absolute empowering joy. So, yes, just like Sarah, I feel lots of things falling apart/off/away – but I’m gonna f**king* high-five myself as soon as I grow another arm!!!! For now, I’m a torso…….
😉
be — thanks for filling in some of those nuances! yes, i thought it interesting to see the lack of exact major planet aspects for most of the week. and then on sunday, we also get venus conjunct mars.
we’ll be taking that up in another daily astrology post, for sure. i have a feeling the universe is offering a little breathing room to do all this tilling and boulder-moving for a reason. 🙂
We’re feeling it everywhere ladies; here in the USA there are (today) 6 signs holding some astrological symbol at their 27th degree which aspects the Sibly USA Moon (27 Aquarius) symbol of the country’s “people” and their emotions, and the USA Pluto (27 Capricorn) symbol of the country’s power and ability to transform. Transiting Nessus (poisonous, deceipt, rape, etc.) conjuncts the Moon, ugh; transiting Panacea (cures and provides solutions to problems) in Aries squares the country’s Pluto but sextiles her Moon, yay; Eros (passion) in Pisces sextiles the US Pluto, while Logos (identity) in Virgo trines the natal Pluto and is quincunx (adjusts) the natal Moon.
In Taurus, transiting centaur Asbolus intuits, motivates and sniffs out trouble in his trine to natal Pluto but causes grief for the people as he squares natal Moon. Finally the Galactic Core in Sagittarius who hardly moves at all, is sextile the U.S. Moon in Aquarius providing that sense of sureness (as in Sarah’s connection to her core). Whether you as an American identify with The People or The Power, we are all – together – in the throes of birthing something new and better. Push!
be
Well, it’s been shit here. I have five natal planets on or around 11 degrees, and it feels like things are falling apart everywhere. Looking for a dash of humour but it is hard to find any – this has been par for the course for the past 7 years, and the rage of self-pity is building. My saving grace: a connection to my core that is withstanding all.
As similes go, this one is excellent Amanda. So is Phil’s and I’m so grateful that you have included a link so we can all receive his newsletter. I’ve found some supporting evidence that these two aspects are further linked around the Zodiac today. Have you noticed that after this morning’s Sun trine Jupiter, there will be no more (exact) major planet aspects until early Sunday morning except for Pluto sextile Chiron? This might be part of the overall plan of the Universe; you know, giving us mortals an opportunity to experience the lesser (in size only) planets effects on a personal level.
Like the sun-god Apollo who, at 12 Gemini (conjunct Jupiter), echoes the Sun’s square to Pluto, and Industria at 12 Capricorn (conjunct Pluto) emphasizes the work of tilling the earth.
This one really intrigues me. At 11 Taurus is Lachesis who symbolizes how long the life (thread) of something will be along with Phaethon (mortal son of Apollo) at 12 Taurus who symbolizes recklessness. They are opposite a trio of water-related bodies; TNOs Deucalion at 12 Scorpio who along with his wife, survived the Great Flood and were then given the power to re-create mankind, Ceto at 13 Scorpio symbol of something fearful hidden in the water, and Uranian Point Poseidon, great god of the sea, at 10 Scorpio. They all surround Saturn who could be the container of the three, or vice versa, those smaller objects could be re-shaping Saturn in a Scorpio (emotional) process. They all in turn aspect the greater planets of Pluto, Sun, Chiron and Jupiter. We have these 5+ days to clearly channel the weaker signals that continue the same transformative meme but from different signs (and houses) that Sun (consciousness), Pluto (transform), Jupiter (increase understanding) and Chiron (end suffering) have been broadcasting. What do you think?
Hang in there Paola!
be
PS. Thanks for the great piece.
Well. Two weeks of Sivananda yoga boot camp far, far away, by a warm ocean, is perfectly timed on so many levels. Completely out of my comfort zone. (Insert wide eyes and inside-voice scream.)
All the Aries action is in my 9th house, and natal Saturn is pretty pleased. No small feat! That dude is never happy. He’s also exactly sandwiched by the Jupiter/Chiron square.
(T-Jupiter sextile natal Jupiter/Asc, exact, can’t be hurting this “trip,” either.)
Not often I KNOW that I am making exactly the right moves… Even if I don’t know where the hell I’ll end up.
Can’ believe that: 5am for me is exactly 11pm EDT!!!
Thank you Amanda. Very useful. And yes – stepping out of the tomb/womb and getting down to some work: that’s exactly how it feels. Actually, I woke up at 5am due to some physical pain that is so nasty that I can’t stay in bed: I jumped and danced near the bed and held acupressure points… to move energy.