April 25th – Pluto Turns Retrograde and the Capricon Satellitium
This year’s Pluto retrograde period, from April 25th - October 4th, is a fairly significant event. Pluto is a part of the Capricorn satellitium, which is heavily pressuring the structures of order and control in our lives. Immediately after Pluto joined Saturn in sidereal Capricorn this pressure intensified. It increased to the point that some quite significant structures maintaining order cracked and crumbled. Business operations, governmental systems, social norms, and life aspirations were swiftly and dramatically changed as we helplessly watched.
Due to the position of the most recent new moon, results of the Aries lunar cycle will be most visible in the reorganization of Capricorn motifs (power, control, work ethic, authority, purpose/direction, material structure and order). See the April 2020 Aries New Moon Forecast post for more information about the theme of the current lunar cycle. Global action from April-May will likely be as swift, divergent, and possibly controversial as the changes that were delivered by the Capricorn satellitium. Trust, there is much more to what this satellitium will bring! Great transformation is scheduled to continue over the next couple of years.
Pluto is considered the higher octave of Mars. Like Mars, Pluto is powerful and explosive. As the modern ruler of Scorpio, Pluto is King of our subconscious, fears, shadow side, hidden things, and the occult. Pluto penetrates deep, to illuminate hidden aspects of the sign, house, and planet(s) it transits. Similar to the energy preceding a volcanic eruption it churns undetected beneath the surface. Then suddenly erupts with a force so powerful that what was once deeply hidden is thrust to the surface – transforming everything. A more graceful analogy is the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The end result yields less destruction than a volcanic eruption, but the process of transformation is just as dramatic.
A caterpillar is completely liquefied during the time it is entombed in its chrysalis. And the newly ‘reborn’ butterfly must face the struggle of its life to break free of this interment before it can soar! With Pluto conjunct Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, the hidden aspects of these planets and the houses they rule in your chart will also be transformed. Given these conditions, it’s quite likely the current Plutonian transformative power will reach apocalyptic proportions. Pluto is the first planet of the Capricorn satellitium to turn retrograde. Jupiter and Saturn will turn retrograde in the weeks following the May 7th full moon. More to come about these planets and their involvement in the Capricorn satellitium as they turn retrograde in mid-May.
When a planet turns retrograde its energy and all it represents becomes more prominent in our consciousness. Meaning the deep transformation of the material order and control in our lives will intensify because we will become more focused on it. Ironically, this may feel like less of an upheaval because the increased awareness of loss of order and control will compel us to focus on making changes to try to reestablish order and control. You could think of it as transformation in response to transformation. Attempting to revert to some version of what we knew in the past is the most likely scenario. Hence, why this Pluto retrograde period may feel less disruptive than what we experienced over the past couple of months.
But when something has been transformed like a caterpillar to a butterfly can it return to squirming around on its belly and munching on foliage? Or during its transformative process, what would be the end result of cutting open its chrysalis with the hope of returning it to its former state? During a volcanic eruption can nature continue as if ash, toxic gases, fire, and molten lava isn’t covering everything? And after, how many moons (months) does it take for trees that once stood hundreds of meters high to regrow to those same heights? How will you choose to respond to transformation while we are in its haze? Will you cling to what has passed or are you clearing space for an unknown future?
Can you sit honestly with what was once hidden, but is now being brought to the surface? No matter how difficult or unpleasant it is? Can you discern what structures of order and control in your life need to be released, turned to ash, or dissolved so you can smoothly transform into a phoenix and soar instead of struggling into your future? If you’re unsure consult the wisest teacher, your inner self. If you need help use your spiritual practice as a tool to connect with your inner divinity. And if you need some assistance or are in search of a practice schedule a one-on-one erudition wellness session. I recommend an astrology consultation if you would like insight into what aspects of your life will be most affected.
As Pluto turns retrograde, we will be more aware of the forgotten or suppressed sediment at the depths of our subconscious as they are brought to the surface. The need to examine what lies at the foundation (aka ‘core beliefs’ in modern psychology) of the material structures that order and control our lives; and transform those beliefs which no longer support our journey will be paramount to preparing for what is to come. The ultimate test of the quality of our restructuring in response to the transformation we are experiencing will arrive when Pluto and the other planets in the Capricorn satellitium turn direct this fall. More on this in the coming months.
