The Shadows of Aquarius: Pluto’s Revelations
If you’ve been following the astrological news, you most likely have heard that Pluto is finally in Aquarius. The planet of transformation first entered Aquarius back in March of 2023 and was dancing between Capricorn and Aquarius until November of this year where it will remain in the sign of the Water Bearer until 2044! That’s two decades that we will have to wrestle with this powerful transit so let’s learn what it can do and what it has done to best understand its implications.
Pluto reveals the shadow side of the sign it is in. This dwarf planet doesn’t do this because it has a morbid fascination, but it does this to shed light on what we have been avoiding. It is up to us to decide what we do with what has surfaced. We either dare to face the truth so that we can heal and transform or we allow our wounds to keep us trapped in repeating the same pattern and going deeper into the darker side of the sign Pluto is in. Pluto isn’t inherently good or bad. Its job is just to reveal our shadow. It’s up to us to decide what we do with that information.
To understand what we can expect from Pluto in Aquarius, let’s explore what this icy, tiny planet has done in the last handful of signs it has transited through.
Pluto in Libra from 1971 to 1984
When Pluto transited through Libra, it revealed the shadow side of marriage. Libra seeks harmony. Harmony between sounds, shapes, colors, frequencies, and people. This is why Libra is associated with love and relationships. But when Pluto transited through the sign of the Scales, we got to see the dark side of being in a union–manipulation and control. Prior to this time period, you just stuck it out with your partner because “Til death do us part,” but as Pluto entered Libra, divorce rates increased. People left their marriages because they felt something was missing. Although people broke vows that were made on public altars, the higher response to this transit was that people realized they could leave a relationship if they were unhappy.
Pluto in Scorpio from 1983 to 1995
When Pluto transited through Scorpio, it revealed the shadow side of sex. Scorpio wants to experience depth and one of the main strategies for Scorpio to cultivate this aim is to partake in one of the most emotionally vulnerable acts a human can do–sex. But what happens when there’s recklessness in having too much and unprotected sex? Sexually transmitted diseases. During this time period, the AIDS epidemic emerged and society was forced to face the uncomfortable truths about sexuality. The higher response to this transit, however, was that people started talking about their mortality, and hopefully, that helped them release trivial matters and focus on what truly matters in this world. This also increased the awareness of sexual and mental health.
Pluto in Sagittarius from 1995 to 2008
When Pluto transited through Sagittarius, it revealed the shadow side of belief systems. Sagittarius wants to cultivate faith and meaning. One of the ways it does that is by forming its own belief systems. And what is a universal belief system? Religion. During this time period, we saw the coming to light of priests sexually abusing children. We also saw the rise of terrorist attacks, like 9/11, that were horrendous acts based on religious beliefs. Religion isn’t inherently bad, however. This line by H. Richard Niebuhr, an American theologian, captures what religion does, “Religion makes good people better and bad people worse.” The higher response of Pluto in Sagittarius transformed our worldly perspective. Instead of blindly listening to religious, educational, or political figures, humanity started taking matters into their own hands by searching for knowledge themselves. Pluto in Sagittarius transformed the way humanity interacted and connected with one another with the rise of the internet and more accessible budget airlines.
Pluto in Capricorn from 2008 to 2023
When Pluto transited through Capricorn, it revealed the shadow side of authority, power, and control. Capricorn wants to work hard and accomplish difficult tasks to enhance its dignity and wisdom. However, when Pluto came through the sign of the Sea Goat, Pluto exposed the corruption and greed entrenched in governments, corporations, and financial systems. We saw the 2008 economic recession where the government bailed out the banks. We also saw Edward Snowden, an American former NSA intelligence contractor, and whistleblower, who leaked classified documents revealing the existence of global surveillance programs. The higher response to Pluto in Capricorn was transforming the way humanity approached working. Because of the lockdowns, companies woke up to the idea that people don’t have to physically come into the office and their employees can work from home.
Pluto in Aquarius from 2023 to 2044
So, what can we expect with Pluto in Aquarius? Well, Aquarius’ evolutionary goal is to cultivate individuality–to be able to become one’s true self. And once we are comfortable in our skin, Aquarius wants you to also help others do the same. It sounds paradoxical, but Aquarius represents the individual and the group. It wants to help you and humanity. But in order to align ourselves to our authentic path, to help others, and to support Mother Earth, we’re going to have to face the shadow side of Aquarius. As Pluto navigates through Aquarius these next two decades, we’re going to have to confront how we can ignore our hearts and feel alienated.
Ignoring Our Hearts
Whether it’s from watching television or scrolling through social media, humans are seeing more tragedies happening around the world more than ever. What we have to do as a global community is to not allow the killing and taking advantage of innocent people to become the norm. If we’re seeing tragedies happen, we have to do our part to prevent or stop these horrendous acts. If we start to think, “Well, it’s happening on the other side of the globe,” or “It’s not my problem,” then we’re in big trouble. When we start to ignore our hearts, that’s when we know the dark side of Pluto in Aquarius is winning. Remember, the planets don’t dictate what frequency of its transit will prevail. Transits only inform us of what things will look like if we’re lazy and scared–the shadow side–or if we’re courageous and decisive–the higher path.
The shadow side of ignoring our hearts shows up in two ways. First, it shows up by emotionally dissociating from what’s happening and having this kind of blase attitude of life. Essentially, it’s not caring about the outer reality if it's not impacting you. This is where we get to see the infamous, lower-frequency archetype of Aquarius, the icy, cold-blooded Grinch. We’ve seen these characters throughout history, but we have to be very careful that they don’t pick up steam during these next 20 years. The only way to prevent a Grinch from getting all the power is to stand up to them, question their authority, and not succumb to their pressures; which are Aquarius’ superpower.
The second way is that you ignore the path that your heart wants to take. Now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to transcend familial and societal programming and pursue what we want out of life. Because we have the internet, we can learn whatever we want and be exposed to different ideas, ones that might speak to our hearts more than the ones we grew up with.
What’s going on in our solar system is just a reflection of what’s happening here on Earth. So it is no surprise that we are currently seeing a massive wave of people leaving the corporate world and going down the road less traveled. Pluto in Aquarius definitely has something to do with this, but I’m not saying to dip out of your job and throw up the peace sign to your boss. What I am saying is that we all have something that lights us up, that makes us feel alive. Whatever that thing is, honor it. You don’t have to open up your own business or be a freelancer; unless that is truly what you want. It’s about living a life that is authentic to you. If you’re working at a place solely because of outside influence or because it pays well but you’re terribly miserable, then you’re allowing the shadow side of Pluto in Aquarius to win.
If you’re waking up and feeling like “Same shit, different toilet,” then it’s time to do something about it. I love this line from author, James Clear in Atomic Habits, “A very small shift in direction can lead to a very meaningful change in destination.” So it doesn’t have to be something drastic where you quit your job and go to India to figure out your destiny. It’s about taking small steps toward that thing that lights you up. It could be signing up for a class, buying that book, or watching YouTube videos that teach you the thing you want to do. And if you were like me, who didn’t know what he wanted to do, then be curious and try everything; hang out with interesting people, go to events, go absorb what this world has to offer you, and cultivate a sense of wonder. Just take a look at the video below. If you don’t explore, then you will never find out. Whatever that action is, just take a small step forward, because if nothing changes, nothing changes, and we’re back to square one: disconnecting from our hearts.
Feeling Alienated
Even though the world keeps getting smaller through technological advancements, there’s pressure being put on us to identify with particular groups. There are questions like, “Are you Republican or Democrat? Do you believe in a higher power or are you an atheist? Do you use the Placidus house system or the whole sign house system?” Being human means that you naturally tend to resonate with particular people who share similar ideals, beliefs, or interests. In other words, you’re going to be part of groups! Being in a group, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate everybody else. Whether it’s broadcast media, social media, or the internet, it feels like the general message is, that if people aren’t on your team, then the world is against you. This is the type of thinking that Pluto triggers Aquarius’ shadow side.
What we’re going to have to be mindful of is that you don’t see someone as a category. People have different opinions than you and instead of tearing them down, can you learn to listen? You still might not agree with their perspective, but being able to hear someone out is a step in the right direction to be able to recognize that what we all have in common is our humanity. We’re all trying our best to live our lives. Because mostly what I’m seeing in the current zeitgeist is if someone doesn’t agree with their view, then one automatically goes on the offensive to try and shut them down. We need to learn AND celebrate the fact that we all have our unique tastes, opinions, and styles. If God brushed us all with the same color, then the world would be bland. We need people to be themselves, but we also need to respect each other’s choices–-as long as they’re not hurting anyone or preventing others from pursuing a healthy, happy life.
The Antidote
Earlier I said that Aquarius represents the individual and the collective. So, in order to transform ourselves in the next 20 years, the medicine we need to take is to lead a life that is authentic to us while also honoring the unique paths of others. In order to make the most of this, we’re going to confront how we can be selfish as groups and can also turn our backs on the sufferings of others. Ideally, this can wake us up to realize that the real groups we’re up against are those who are trying to control our freedoms and our ability to be able to support ourselves. Can we unite as a global community and look out for each other where we share resources, honor everyone’s differences, and have the opportunity to pursue a life of freedom, health, and happiness? That’s what we’re up against for the next two decades.
