The four-part series on Pluto is now available for free download. The 24-page Ebook puts Pluto’s expressions in context, and lays out a clear path to make this energy a powerful ally. During this empowering process you will also build a solid foundation for life-changing magic. I hope you find it useful and, in the end, empowered and uplifted!
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The final part of this series outlines the best practices for our personal power and puts forth the argument that the integration of Pluto energy is not only a worthy pursuit, but a necessary step for our collective evolution.
Pluto is the gatekeeper between the consensus reality and its transmutations. When we step over the threshold of materialism and experience continuous magic and synchronicity, the shift of perspective is no less monumental than our first baby steps. Needless to say, this new framework ushers in a fundamentally different worldview and a new way of living.
PERSONAL POWER VS. DESTRUCTION
A person knowing the power of the word, becomes very careful of his conversation. … Through his spoken word, man is continually making laws for himself.
Florence Scoval Shinn
A PRIMER OF MAGIC AND MANIFESTATION
In manifestation, the individual mentally simulates a specific state (such as love, abundance, or health) to attract a desired outcome. In contrast, magicians exert mental power (through prayers or spells) to alter their physical reality while invoking the supernatural. Magic sanctioned by organized religions are labeled as miracles.
Present-day practitioners often commingle magic and manifestation. Successful application of either skill requires strong mental discipline and new rules of conduct.
The criteria of successful manifestation are: focus, clarity, unified intentions, and childlike faith. Willy-nilly wishes and muddled intentions lead to unintended consequences, which range from comical to ironic to unfortunate.
While people with less intensity and focus can haphazardly utter harmful words and remain unscathed, we can’t afford to be thoughtless and negligent. Our words can heal and harm. Keeping that in mind, pure intents and painstaking consideration become an ongoing responsibility and the price of our personal power.
There’s no room for hypocrisy in the spiritual world. Our thoughts interact with our reality and create counterforce whenever they are deployed. Therefore, we receive what we ask for ourselves and others. Magic doesn’t pick winner and losers; it responds to our intentions literally and maintains an eternal, simple consistency. If we want peace, we can’t wage wars, no matter how justified our causes. Consuming and sponsoring violent entertainment also nullifies our intentions. Based on the same logic,if we demand justice and equality, we can’t expect preferential treatments of any kind –because we’ll end up with neither. This is a tough pill to swallow. The reason why consistent success in magic and manifestation is rare is because of our internal conflicts.
Since magic both projects and counteracts, we should always aim for the highest principles and seek mutual benefit in our practice, whether it’s for ourselves, our loved ones, or our worst enemies. This principle provides a sound rationale for unconditional love, because that is the only way we will survive each other. Incidentally, pray that our enemies will take their own medicine and learn their lessons is an effective way to stop them in their tracks – provided that we’re willing to do the same.
When we blurt out words like “I wish,” “I swear,” “never,” “always,” and declarations such as “whatever it takes,” “I’ll do anything”, most of us can’t fathom what it will take to fulfill our desires, and the how it will impact our future. This is why our requests should be as general and open-ended as possible to prevent the inevitable blindsides. It is not possible to fill in every detail in our planning and visualization.Pray for abundance and happiness instead of specific material possessions, social status, or love from a special person. Contrary to mainstream teachings, specificityleaves more room for surprises, and tends to materialize in literal and unexpected ways.
In order to sustain the energy needed for our task, it is detrimental to discuss our projects before their fruition. This is one of the reasons Pluto and its power are associated with secrecy.
Although secular success can and does occur, channeling this power for Ego agendas is like funneling the Amazon River through a paper straw. It is destructive, let alone a reprehensible waste. When we use Ego to control this tremendous energy, we get in the way of the powerful flow and waste opportunities for great achievements.
THE ETHICS OF PRAYER
It is often said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions; the same can be said of presumptuous prayers. Essentially, short of following the exact prayer requests, the best we can do is praying in an empowering and open-ended way, wishing our loved ones to be provided with all they need and be protected on their journeys. Anything beyond that can impose limitations, as honorable as our intentions may be. We don’t know what is best for another person, and we should accept this fact with compassion and humility.
Here are some guidelines for powerful prayers:
Wish no harm. When we wish harm on others, we inflict harm upon ourselves.
Whatever we wish for others, we must be willing and ready to receive the same for ourselves. This is not moral rhetoric; it is an immediate, practical concern. The willingness to share the same outcome (and accept the same standard) multiplies the power of our prayers. It also forces us to articulate word-by-word and contemplate our real intents.
We should not assume that we know what is in another’s best interest, even in simple matters such as health, healing, or happiness. Some wounds are the evidence of injustice; some pains are the remembrance of lost loves. Some people don’t heal because their illness is central to their identity and serves an important function for their current situation. What we regard as happiness can be the other person’s hell.
To circumvent unintentional harm, a request for the benefit of all parties is necessary for all our invocations.
When in doubt, ask directly what prayer is needed. If it aligns with our value, we can honor the request and provide our support. If not, we can pray that they continue to have all they need for their chosen path. When we act on assumption and pass judgement in our prayers, we may end up doing more harm than good.
WHY MAGIC FAILS
Magic works when we have faith that it works. Failure and experimentation is part of the learning process. What we perceive as failures are indications that more mindful practice and self-discovery is needed. Here are some of the possible reasons why we don’t achieve the intended results:
Broken promises: When we set a goal or make a promise to ourselves or others, it creates an energy debt that demands repayment. When a promise remains unfulfilled or forgotten, and another is set to contradict it, these two forces work against each other and create obstacles.
Unclear intentions: This is the most common reason why magic and manifestation don’t work. For example, the desire for wealth, success and love is rarely the bottom line. In most cases, it is other underlying needs such as self-love that needs addressing. If we don’t get to the bottom of our desires, the intention is unfocused and weak.
Hidden contradictions: If we want to be loved but don’t believe we are lovable, we can expect to put in extra effort to build up self-love and worthiness. If we were taught that money is evil, sex is taboo, and hard work trumps efficiency, the ingrained dogma will impede our progress. It takes continuous self-reflection and observation to uncover the attitudes, prejudices and scripts that run in our family and culture. What was associated with pain and pleasure? What caused tension, conflicts, and taboo? What was good? What was evil? Awareness of these deep-rooted beliefs and conscious effort to rebuild our belief system can help release these unhelpful beliefs.
Selfishness and separateness: Unlike the scenes in fantasy novels and movies, magic does not project in one single direction. All magic backfires in the long run. To account for this counteractive force, it is necessary to turn all our prayers and spells into blessing that benefit all parties. If we can’t accept and leverage this principle, our power will continue to be limited.
Faulty construct, mis-wording or critical omissions: If our prayer or visualization is self-contradictory, mis-worded, or missing key ideas, it will not work as intended. A common conflict is wanting freedom on the one hand, and more obligation on the other, such as more committed personal relationships, more debt for purchases, greater responsibilities at work, etc.
Undesired and unintended consequences: Often, when we let out our pleas in the midst of an emotional outburst, we are too worked up to craft a well-rounded and thoughtful prayer. (In terms of emotions, desperation is particularly harmful.) As a result, inadequate considerations lead to unpredictable and undesired outcomes. For example, the answer to our plea for financial gain may materialize as inheritance (death of a loved one), insurance payout (personal injury/property damage/lawsuit), or any other situation where the price we payexceeds the benefits.
Interference and obstacles: An environment of abuse, violence, and gaslighting (where our sense of reality is manipulated to instill doubt about our sanity or mental capacity) is not conducive to the steady application of magic. Needless to say, we need to remove ourselves from abusive situations – whether they’re familial, professional, religious, or spiritual.
Impatience: Magic takes time – from seconds to years – to materialize, it does not always unfold according to our schedule. While we consider the delay as a failure, it is more likely that we have placed too many constrains in our request, or there is hidden resistance from within or without.
Energydrain and distractions: Self-doubt is a non-starter for magic and manifestation; doubts from detractors are just as counterproductive. This is why mystics and occultists observe silence and secrecy – not because they’re up to no good. Doubts leak the vital energy in the vessel; distractions obfuscatethe focus needed for any serious work.When our conviction, focus and energy are compromised, our magic is ineffective.
A WORD OF CAUTION
Not everyone who attains this power is spiritually advanced and benevolent. Some have arrived at this stage due to extraordinary talent, or a boost from supernatural powers. They are fast-tracked with their egos intact and may very well choose to exercise their power for selfish gain, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Still, some of them simply backpedaled from their hard-earned progress and become corrupt and abusive.
Power is seductive –to those possessing it and those desiring it– and spiritual abuse is real. To recognize and combat such betrayals of trust – whether in educational, spiritual, family, or therapeutic settings – we should always be discerning and trust our inner guidance. In short, no one should attempt to disempower another, and no amount of rationalization or authority can replace our inner truth. Disengage at the first sign of:
Involuntary isolation (cut-off from one’s support network)
Exclusivity (as in claiming to be the only way)
Disempowerment
Gaslighting and energy vampirism (creating emotional distress in others and feeding off their fear, anger, confusion, and hopelessness).
There is no room for imposed control and deprivation on our path to freedom and power. A better way will present itself once we let go of what doesn’t align with our truth.
ABS/EUTELSAT (2015). Original from Official SpaceX Photos. Digitally enhanced by Rawpixel. Public Domain.
EPILOGUE: THE TRANSFORMER VS. THE TRANSFORMED
When we choose to embrace and integrate Pluto, we become the agents of change instead of being wiped out by our disowned shadows. Looking beyond personal and tribal survival, our primary task now is the ongoing discovery of our capabilities and the ways to serve the causes that align with our Self.
At this point, Pluto is no longer a fearsome force but a loyal and unwavering ally. His energy is the secret ingredient of our magic and the cornerstone of our new reality. The pure, intense, and sustaining power propels us to new heights.
With deliberate thoughts and emotions, we project and shape our reality. In this dimension, space and time are fluid and collapsible. We exist in the eternal now, merging into synchronicity and direct knowledge. Our existence, purpose and power are self-evident.
The ebb and flow of human drama takes on a cinematic quality as we observe the universal themes rippling rhythmically throughout epochs, dynasties, and generations. Our present space and time is but one plot line among the countless stories in the infinite theater.
Our destiny is updated with each new insight; our capacity expands with the refinement of our minds. Our words are spells. We grow silent and contemplative because our world has become inexplicable.
Helplessness and victimhood melt away. We gain a new appreciation for our life experience and accept responsibilities for all our actions. We are at peace with everyone’s path and free will, and see duality and dichotomy as polarization by warring groups.
We have arrived at the threshold between ego-bondage and world-building power, ready to break out of the materialistic prison and burst into limitless creation.
We are here because the survival of humanity calls for an upgrade of our collective reality: from one of exclusive privileges and mutual destruction to one of parallel and diverse coexistence. Human progress by exploitation and domination is running into a dead end. As long as our civilization is stuck on the scarcity mindset and continues to fight over the control and distribution of limited resources, we will eventually self-destruct.
Just beyond the fear-based strife, innumerable individual realities have been built by those who traded Ego agendas for a constant state of synchronicity and reality creation. When most us make this shift, human civilization can transition from competitive consumption to multifarious creation. Our future is magic. Loving, embracing, and mastering our Pluto is one sure path to magical realities and power for boundless creation.
Pluto in action: Spectrum and trajectories of Pluto expressions. v.2. Click to enlarge.
The third part of this series continues to map out the paradoxical path to personal power and the threshold of creative reality. In the post-elimination stage, Pluto emerges as a tireless champion of our non-Ego pursues, carrying us through generation cycles and human drama without fail.
The unio mentalis, then, in psychological as well as alchemical language, means knowledge of oneself.
In contradistinction to the modern prejudice that self-knowledge is nothing but a knowledge of the ego, the alchemists regarded the self as a substance incommensurable [not parallel] with the ego, hidden in the body, and identical with the image of God.
After sober introspection and steadfast perseverance, we rise up to meet Pluto’s imposing energy. From now on, we are no longer passive subjects of Pluto’s purging, but active participants in this process.
One of the few straightforward applications of Pluto’s energy is the chipping away at our Ego, fallacies, conditioning, and internal conflicts. Disengage from activities and relations that stray from our values, eliminate everything untrue, unproductive, and dysfunctional. We are the sculptor and the statue. The more we lose, the more powerful we become. Refine, re-define, repeat until lightness and clarity emerge.
The removing of the ‘tangles’ is a process of liberation from our complexes and illusions and from the way in which we identify with the roles we play in life, with the masks within us and with our idols, etc. It is a ‘release’ according to the etymology of the word, a liberation and awakening of hidden potential.
Roberto Assagioli
This is an exhilarating and stressful time. Shame and guilt from all directions will attack with a vengeance. While shame is purely social coercion, guilt can indicate a strong conscience. However, without identifying and repairing the damage, this unresolved remorse is nothing but moral posturing. It will take time and determination to process these deep-seated feelings. Proceed with kindness and compassion, yet remain steadfast and resolute.
We are not called upon to step out onto the square and shout out the truth, to say out loud what we think—this is scary, we are not ready. But let us at least refuse to say what we do notthink!
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Pluto delivers the ultimate test for personal truth and responsibility. Its extremes separate the wheat from the chaff, no half-measures allowed. If we’re not in charge of our agenda and in peace with our conscience, guilt and shame will continue to drag us down, eventually leading to numbness, self-destruction, and abuse. If we compromise, we inevitably become victims of our cowardice or others’.
It has often been said that power corrupts. But it is perhaps equally important to realize that weakness, too, corrupts. Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many. Hatred, malice, rudeness, intolerance, and suspicion are the faults of weakness.
Eric Hoffer
Competitive victimhood and revenge are self-defeating yet common misuses of Pluto energy. From personal relationships to geopolitics, the one-upmanship of pain and suffering supposedly bestows moral high ground, perpetuate control mechanisms, and aggravate power struggles. It is quite plain that any decent person or group will not wish their agony upon their worst enemies, let alone exact revenge in the name of justice. Nevertheless, this tactic has worked extremely well in the current political and social climate. We can spot these victim-turned-perpetrators at a glance and distance ourselves from their self-righteousness.
[V]ictimism is an ideology of the ego. But perhaps ideology is too strong a term; victimism can be seen as a generalized cultural impulse to deny personal responsibility and to obsess on the grievances of the insatiable self.
If we keep chipping away at the untruths, sooner or later we will carve out a vast inner space. Coined the “existential vacuum”, Viktor Frankl warned of the danger of losing our bearings:
No instinct tells him what he has to do, and no tradition tells him what he ought to do; sometimes he does not even know what he wishes to do. Instead, he either wishes to do what other people do (conformism) or he does what other people wish him to do (totalitarianism).
Despite Frankl and the existentialists’ warnings, this void is not inherently grim and dangerous. Although many have succumbed to depression and nihilism in this space, it is the desperation for attachments –to a concept, thing, person, group, ideology, philosophy, or deity – that brought on the unbearable pain. If our life purpose and self-worth are cultivated from the prize of ego trips and others’ assurances, this emptiness is the end of the road indeed.
One must find the source within one’s own Self, one must possess it. Everything else was seeking — a detour, an error.
Hermann Hesse
In contrast, Eastern philosophy regards the first-hand experience of Emptiness as a milestone of spiritual growth and maturity. In the Emptiness, dichotomy dissolves and mental anguish ends. In true Pluto fashion, we push one step further and make this open space the foundation of power and the home stage of our creative reality.
Emptiness is the ground of everything. Thanks to emptiness, everything is possible. … Emptiness is quite an optimistic concept.
Thich Nhat Hanh
All we have to do here is to focus and observe the coming and going on our mental stage. Let go of judgment and assumption; abandon the search for certainty and directions. Life will keep coming at us. By staying true to our Self in everything we do, a new identity will emerge. Instead of titles and roles, it will reflect our natal Pluto placement and represent our deepest truth, which we must uphold and defend.
Our accustomed reality will rip, crack and peel; a new reality will reveal itself –first in flashes, then in streams. In this powerful state, synchronicity and magic abound. It may seem to the outsiders that we’re losing our grip to the reality, we’re not. We’re transitioning to the next level, and there are many more. Dismiss doubts from people inexperienced with alternative realities; ground ourselves through the nature and our body so we can plug into the materialistic reality at will.
True faith is by nature intuitive; it perceives the reality of what is not evident, not manifested, and accepts it. …Faith leading to a sense of certainty requires primarily faith in oneself, that is in the real Self, in what we are essentially.
Roberto Assagioli
Finding and maintaining faith in this state of flux is another paradox we face. Without faith we’re cut off from the higher power; without connecting to a higher power, we have no ground of faith. Faith is a conscious choice, and it takes intention and dedication to build one anew. By all means –meditation, prayer, divination, synchronicity, art, or nature –investigate and establish a constant connection with the Infinite, the Universe, The Supreme Consciousness, God –as we understand it, because no more advance can be made until we develop a personal religion and see ourselves as droplets of the infinity with unfettered, direct access –without intermediaries.
My reason will still not understand why I pray, but I shall still pray, and my life, my whole life, independently of anything that may happen to me, is every moment of it no longer meaningless as it was before, but has an unquestionable meaning of goodness with which I have the power to invest it.
Leo Tolstoy
On the other end of the spectrum, Pluto’s destruction proceeds in due course. Advanced neurosis, violence, domination, and exploitation are predictable devolution of those choosing fear and anger over growth. Since Pluto tends to go all the way, it makes a compelling argument for harnessing Pluto’s unrelenting energy and continuing our striving upward.
I have had to experience so much stupidity, so many vices, so much error, so much nausea, disillusionment and sorrow, just in order to become a child again and begin anew. I had to experience despair, I had to sink to the greatest mental depths, to thoughts of suicide, in order to experience grace.
Hermann Hesse
Pluto’s force works both ways; it strengthens and destroys with the same intensity. When applied constructively to love, dedication, and courage, extraordinary miracles happen. Applied destructively, Pluto exacerbates debasement and its subsequent purgation.
To path to master our Pluto is the path to self-mastery. First, we rein in all haphazard mental processes and communications. Investigate and clarify our intentions, eliminate internal conflicts and self-sabotage. Train our attention to achieve laser-sharp focus as well as all-encompassing perspective. Discover the power of silence and deploy our time, energy, attention, and personal data with awareness and purpose.
Next, we detach from drama. Our emotional reactions –for the most part –are shaped in the past and constantly lagging behind the present. Instead of going with our reflexes, let the emotions wash over and only respond in manners that aligns and fortifies our missions. From the highest love to the strongest condemnation, deliberated release and withholding of emotion is Pluto’s domain. With self-awareness and discipline, we can be free from emotional manipulation and use our emotions to effect our environment at will.
The will is not merely assertive, aggressive, and controlling. There is the accepting will, yielding will, the dedicated will. You might say that there is a feminine polarity to the will – the willing surrender, the joyful acceptance of the other functions of the personality.
Roberto Assagioli
Self-mastery is often associated with a strong will. The secret of a strong will is that it has little to do with strength, stamina, or control. Rather, it is about a conviction and dedication so complete that it leaves no room for doubts and limitation. We achieve Self-mastery when our personal objectives are incorporated by the transpersonal, and the Self –the center of our consciousness that straddles the material and spiritual planes –are under the directive of the higher consciousness.
If we are diligent, we will live in unshakable faith and trust that everything happening to us is a beneficial learning experience. Knowing that we are nothing but one indestructible facet of the Infinity, we have nothing left to fear. Our preoccupations will naturally rise above the self-preservation; personal wants will yield to universal concerns. New talents will likely surface and change the course of our lives.
The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the world’s ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
Atiśa as quoted by Walter Taminang
Rising from shattered Ego and illusions, our unified Self is the key to Pluto’s inexhaustible power. Moving forward, our endeavors will be propelled by the same unstoppable force that shapes the arc of history and civilization. This is the beginning of magic and miracles.
Part 2 and 3 of this series aim to survey and organize Pluto’s expressions and plot a precise course of personal power through integrating and harnessing this formidable energy.
The path to bypass Pluto’s destruction is made of counterintuitive steps, which makes the process all the more enigmatic and this information consequential. Regarding people who cling to their Egos and those opting for projecting their inner darkness, the diagram below also outlines their trajectories. Fortunately, they don’t all reach the extreme, as the middle-range options turn out to be effective coping mechanisms. This working model should not be taken as the author’s final word on this subject.
The main obstacles of personal evolution via Pluto arises from several deep-rooted misconceptions:
We have internalized the doctrine that our success –as defined by the society –determines our worth and meanings. Most people believe that beyond social recognition there is only grim and endless wasteland, this is far from the truth.
We were taught that darkness is inherently evil and should be cast out. In fact, our inner darkness is a reservoir of power; only those intending to disempower us would instruct us to distant ourselves from this inexhaustible resource. When we disown our darkness and project it onto others, we’re distracted from looking inward and arriving at self-knowledge.
Most of us assume that powerful people are on TV making announcements and living glamorous lives. The opposite is true: great powers work behind the scene and stay out of the spotlight.
With that in mind, let’s survey the dramatic landscape of Pluto’s expressions (click image to enlarge):
Pluto in action: Spectrum and trajectories of Pluto expressions
Active Vs. Passive Participation
Pluto’s energy is dark, intense, and all-consuming. Those demanding “positive vibes only” will likely get overwhelmed and pass on the opportunities to confront their darkness and access Pluto’s power.
We ignore Pluto at our own peril. Besides dreading Pluto transits, there is another way: actively participating in this supercharged period, working with this energy, and integrate its highest expressions.
Pluto’s placement in our natal charts indicates the nucleus of our Self and our deepest truth. Once we get in touch with Pluto’s primary areas of concern (as indicated by its natal and transit houses), and how it functions (in relation to other points in the natal chart), we can begin the process of harnessing this unstoppable force to propel our personal evolution.
(If you’re in the midst of difficult Pluto transits, please refer to this article for coping strategies. If you’re concerned about harming yourself or others, please immediately seek help via your local or national crisis hotline.)
The option to detach from one’s ego is as attractive as a dimly lit alley next to a red-carpet reception. It appears unappealing and lackluster in contrast to the bright lights and glitter. Nonetheless, this is the entrance to our Pluto work – the passageway to bypass most of humanity’s follies brought on by the insatiable Ego.
Instead of cultivating our Egos and dedicating our lives to their missions, we recognize the Ego for what it is: a brittle and ephemeral product of social conditioning. This prosthetic personality, however intricate and elegant, is nothing but socially-sanctioned role-playing that interferes with our evolution toward the infinite Self and personal power. The less we identify with this costume, the sooner we can get down to the business of metamorphosis.
Opportunity Vs. Threat
Crises are harbingers of evolution.
Bruce Lipton
Pluto is a gift for personal evolution, but few of us would recognize this during our early encounters. Most of us immediately felt threatened and under attack. We believed that our existence hinged upon returning to the established order, unaware that this Sisyphean labor was out of sync with our personal growth.
Suppressing Pluto’s transformative power is a losing proposition. Any astrologer who studies Pluto’s cycle knows this: The more we resist the change, the more violent and unpredictable the transit, and the longer the trail of wreckage. Still, growth and change can be too frightening and too humiliating for some, simply because it is inconceivable for them to admit that the existing condition has become unacceptable.
How we perceive these crises has a direct impact on their outcomes. As history will attest, the ends and means to assert control during the cyclical rise and fall have resulted in untold calamities on all levels and magnitudes. At this juncture, we have two options: evolve or prolong the status quo. Since the status quo has never held up in history, it is really no contest.
Letting Go Vs. Control
Ego feeds on other’s attention and recognition. It strives to glorify itself and is terrified of losing control. Winning and success give our Egos incredible highs, and it goes without saying that many people are trapped in endless ego trips. Even the fight against Ego strengthens its grip on our consciousness.
If compliments are not forthcoming, negative attention is better than no attention at all. To satisfy Ego’s desires, time and energy are directed toward manipulation and control. This is where most people first encountered the personified Pluto –from within or without. Power struggles during Pluto transits are so prevalent that it becomes the standard interpretation of these periods.
During a power struggle, our reaction inadvertently works as the counter-force that solidifies the opposition. Not only do we acknowledge our opponent’s standpoint, the more we fight back, the more we reinforce their positions. The longer we engage, the more we become just like them. When we recognize the situation and disengage from this contest, we dismantle their platform and become free to direct our attention and efforts elsewhere.
From personal relationships to politics, the more we can untangle from power struggles, the better chance we have at defeating the abuse of power and be free.
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing oneself is wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering oneself is power.
I saw that the entity I had taken to be “me” was really a fabrication. My true nature, I realized, was much more real, both uglier and more beautiful than I could have imagined.
Thich Nhat Hanh
After the initial encounter, we get to choose whether to integrate or reject Pluto’s qualities.
Few of us –even among the most stouthearted and dedicated –would expect that in order to integrate Pluto’s energy, we need to scrap the long-held ideas about who and what we are. For some, re-examining these ideas and exploring the uncharted territory within –not knowing what they might find –is unthinkable. Instead of deep introspection, they cast off the undesirable qualities onto chosen scapegoats, who are then prosecuted and sacrificed to release the inner tension of their perpetrators.
Those able to contain this energy face yet another common pitfall. It is all too common for high achievers to conflate their Ego with the Self, and use the internalized Pluto for self-destruction. In their erroneous beliefs, accolades and success are the sole indicators of self-worth; failure to meet arbitrary expectations equals a worthless existence. Deceived and betrayed by their Egos, they self-exile in the lifeless terrain of despair, guilt, and shame. Unbeknownst to them, life begins when they stop impressing people who are preoccupied with their own agenda.
The insatiable goals to acquire more, succeed conspicuously, and be as attractive as possible lead us to objectify one another, and even ourselves. When people see themselves as little more than their attractive bodies, jobs, or bank accounts, it brings great suffering… in search of a positive internal answer to the question Am I successful yet? We become cardboard cutouts of real people.
Arthur Brooks
The boundary between Egocide and self-destruction is tenuous. We will most certainly drift erratically before coming to this conclusion: The only responsible way to handle this energy is to recognize our own fallacies and take on the cleansing storm with a brave face. Even then, the poor-me drama and passive aggression can still be used to serve the Ego. Until we rein in the histrionics, our Egos will continue to dominate and the Pluto work remains unattended.
Shaking off others’ expectations is terrifying and freeing. False starts as well as enormous guilt and anxiety are to be expected. Notwithstanding, we are not our own person until we make conscious choices and take full responsibility for how we carry ourselves –in the ways we intend to, instead of the way we are expected to.
Humility Vs. fear
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Since Pluto transits can be excruciating at times, it’s only natural that we want to shield ourselves from harm. If we can’t ease the pain, some of us would feel hopeless, some grow anxious, while others try to alleviate their pain and powerlessness by projecting their anger and hatred onto others. The displaced loathing and obsession with control negate self-reflection altogether.
Instead of riding the emotional roller coaster (another common Pluto theme), this stage calls for perseverance and humility. It goes against our instincts, yet everyone who owed their personal growth to agonizing Pluto transits shares this view: This is the time to take a deep dive under the barrage of emotions, experience with full awareness, and observe subtle fundamental changes within ourselves.This beautiful stillness is a preview of what life could be when we love, tame and master our Pluto.
No matter how painful the experience, mindful engagement sets us apart from the would-be victims and perpetrators. Honesty, acceptance, and unconditional love for ourselves will sustain us during this grueling process. Without self-honesty and commitment to personal growth, compromise and corruption set in. It should become apparent, at this stage, that Pluto’s notoriety is the byproduct of our feeble attempts to thwart this unrelenting force of nature.
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.
Image by KELLEPICS from Pixabay
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)
Brave New Real 
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