The Lord of the Underworld retrogrades

Pluto is the planet of change and transformation and is often referred to by astrologers as ‘The Lord of the Underworld.” If you are experiencing a Pluto transit you can expect significant change in your life in whatever part of your chart Pluto is aspecting. In mythology Pluto took Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres to the underworld to be his wife.

Pluto turns stationary retrograde April 25, and will remain in its retrograde position until October 4, when it turns direct again at 22 degrees of Capricorn.  Pluto retrogrades every year and is in fact retrograde nearly half of the time.

Pluto’s retrograde is typically significant and will especially be the case this year as it is conjunct Jupiter and both plants will be squared by Mercury in Aries.

Jupiter conjunct Pluto deals with extremes of all types and increases whatever it touches. This transit can have fanatical overtones.  We have seen this play out in the collective with Covid-19 which appears to have reached a peak during Jupiter’s last conjunction with Pluto the last week of March and the days after. As Mercury squares both Jupiter and Pluto we can expect to hear more news, or previously unknown information may be revealed at this time. On the world stage this can relate to medicine, foreign entities, the financial markets, bailouts and of course Covid-19. This will be a heavy few days news wise. We can expect the mood to be argumentative and prone to power struggles and those who try to push their agenda on others. This will be a few days of major revelations and information coming to light.

Pluto in the US Natal chart

In the US chart, Pluto turns retrograde conjunct Mercury in the US 8^th house of death, and international finance.  Mercury rules communication and the written word along with young people. Pluto has been conjunct Mercury (in the US chart) since late February when it became apparent Covid-19 was a going to be a major pandemic with loss of life affecting the young and the old. While Pluto’s retrograde will eventually move off the US Mercury and the mood will lighten up some, this heavy aspect will return once again to 24 degrees in late December 2020, and it will make several more passes in 2021. Many changes will occur between now and then and the ramification of this energy will be with us for some time to come.

Mercury square Pluto

Mercury square transiting Pluto is an obsessive transit prone to over-thinking matters or trying to figure something out. It can be good for getting to the bottom of some answer you are searching for but it can also lend itself toward arguments, and obsessive thinking that may be difficult to let go of until this transit passes.

On a personal level you can find out new information. Mercury square Jupiter is typically pleasant but things may be blown out of proportion, whether positive or negative. This would manifest as a pleasant transit if Pluto was not in the mix.

Cardinal planets at 23-25 degrees

Pluto retrograde is a significant shift if you have Cardinal planets-Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn at 23-25 degrees. If so significant changes can occur at this time, depending on what else is in your chart. If you are experiencing a Pluto transit something significant is changing in your life and the retrograde period is typically the most trying.

Many issues relating to joint monies and investments, partnerships and sex will begin to be internalized during this period allowing us to look at things from a different viewpoint. Pluto is about making deep change that goes beneath the surface. One way of looking at Pluto’s retrograde is destruction of that which is no longer working, which will now become obvious. Pluto wants to uncover things and bring them from the darkness or hidden realm and into the light so positive change may occur.

Power struggles and delving beneath the surface

Issues involving power or power structures may appear to lose steam during this time, but they are not really going away, they are just going underneath the surface, where activity is still occurring that can be significant when Pluto turns direct again. In a sense we are backing up, to reconsider ideas and new information.

When Pluto turns direct again long term power issues will surface again both in our personal lives and the world. But, as Pluto retrogrades we have the opportunity to look at things from a different perspective and effect a transformative change.