Have you hugged, kissed, or thanked your Pluto today?
The Hated Pluto
Pluto is undoubtedly the most-hated body in astrology; it is also the most mysterious and controversial. The mystery of Pluto lies in its formidable power to simultaneously polarize and unite the opposites, and in a crushing forward motion, fundamentally reconstructs these elements into a new reality. People regard Pluto as ruthless and destructive, but they’re missing half the story. Pluto is alchemy. It purifies, condenses, and by demanding the utmost from everything it touches, brings upon metamorphosis. Pluto is also the outermost and slowest planet whose generational-defining cycle is observable during a human life time.
The Must-Love Pluto
Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.
C.G. Jung
So why should anyone love Pluto?
Because this incredible force is within all of us, and the misunderstanding –or worse –outsourcing of its function is a serious disservice and disempowerment to ourselves.
Pluto is not nice or pleasant, quite the contrary. Its ill repute –dark, intense, controlling, and destructive –routinely leads to the shunning of its manifestation and embodiment. Out of fear and misunderstanding, people deny and reject their personal Pluto in droves, as if ignoring their inner darkness will protect their virtue.
It’s well known in astrology that any unintegrated or neglected planet is a problematic planet. Denying the expressions of a celestial energy within ourselves is not unlike locking ourselves out of parts of our homes. Cobwebs gather in the dark corners, and the stale energy becomes dysfunctional. The “stuck” energy then releases in unexpected ways, wreaking havoc in our lives.
We either deal with Pluto on our terms, or on someone else’s. An alienated personal Pluto, like an unsecured weapon, is particularly troublesome. When we disown this power and refuse responsibility, we allow the power-to-be to coerce us into living in their construct and abide by their rules –be it psychological, social or spiritual. When we go along with the crowd to fit in, to “make it,” we hand over our personal power and our values waver. Drifting farther and farther from our essence and principles, we consent to powerlessness and become victims of circumstances. The awareness and integration of Pluto energy is the first step of psychic self-defense and essential psychological survival skill.
Darkness And Night Visions
Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people.
C. G. Jung
Darkness is not inherently evil. In this secluded sanctuary our attention turns inward, our minds connect with the deep and the intangible. Our inner vision comes to life and we are cognizant of the undercurrents. This is where the spiritual struggles are fought and won.
Our Pluto work can only take place in darkness and isolation. Might as well –since there is no glamour in scrubbing off layers and layers of the old self until we’re red and raw. It’s painful, messy, and mostly likely, embarrassing to our egos.
In the process of reduction, unify, and transform, something precious –things we thought had defined who we are and our purpose in life –will be taken from us. The loss Pluto inflicted is often mistaken as threats to our survival. It triggers a tsunami of fear, despair, and trauma, as we put on the fight of our lives. In the best-case scenario, we accept our loss with stoic resignation. Most of the time, though, it brings on such pain that it feels as if our hearts are ripped out and put through the grinder.
When we thought we’ve had enough, Pluto will surely demand more. Finally, we are driven over the edge, diving head-first into the abyss in complete nakedness and vulnerability. During the slow-motion free fall, the magic happens: we rediscover the central truths of our lives. Who we are, why we are, how we’re supposed to live, all become crystal clear in its luminescence. This rediscovering of Self is Pluto’s ultimate gift.
Ego The Clown
In reality the ego is like the clown in the circus, who is always putting in his oar to make the audience think that whatever happens is his doing.
Sigmund Freud
Ego is a collection of behavioral patterns we developed to better fit in the society. This departure from personal truths allows smooth social interactions, which promises improved access to wealth, power, and stability. The compromise comes with a price, however: as we increasingly grow tired of the constant tension between what we know to be true and how we’re expected to think and behave, we’re tempted to abandon our truths and let the social facade take over.
As soon as we conflate our ego with the Self, we’re subject to Pluto transits that turn this shaky composite into crumbles and force us to confront and re-consolidate the core of our existence. Only by separating our ego and true Self can we bypass human’s common downfalls and recurring trauma.
Once the Ego is dropped, we’re one step closer to mastering our Pluto and become an active co-creator of our lives. While we are in this world, we’re no longer beholden to this world. Our social facade is treated as a party costume and nothing more. We become a fractal of the Infinite, powerful and limitless.
The Beleaguered Hero
The dark night of the soul comes just before revelation.
Joseph Campbell
Human history is filled with cases of ego-driven, off-the-rail Pluto incarnates committing humanity’s worst atrocities and were met with equally gruesome ends. In timeless mythologies, heroes who enjoyed a grand mission send-off invariably encountered hardship and calamities that obliterated their confidence and prospect of victory. As they made the last ditch effort to face their fate in utter desperation and delirium, the fabled treasure presents itself in rarefied aura and transformed the seekers with its magic powers.
The untold story of Pluto is hidden in the legends of heroes. There’s no middle ground when seeking Pluto’s treasures, because the idea of losing and detaching from one’s ego in the process is too extreme for most people. On the other hand, since Pluto transits are always grueling, we might as well make them count. The more fearful and judgmental we are of its energy, the more we’ll be caught unprepared and traumatized. If we can maintain compassion for ourselves –or even keep some dark sense of humor when our layers are peeling off, we’re surely winners.
…anyone who attempts to do both, to adjust to his group and at the same time pursue his individual goal, becomes neurotic.
C. G. Jung
One thing is certain: when we love our Pluto, we are learning to harness this unstoppable energy to propel our path on and upward. It’s a straight and simple path once we get the clinging and the moderation (another word for control) out of the way. Attempting to ease this learning curve only delays and complicates it. The fear of “losing face” guarantees a drawn-out process rife with power struggles. More of that in part 2. (To be continued)
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