Pluto corresponds to the force in life which purges toxins out of our system.  It can be simply the process of elimination or something more serious like poison in our body in which a detoxification is necessary.  We cannot control this force.  If we eat something toxic, our bodies will purge it out of our system through diarrhea or vomiting.  It is not a pleasant experience.  Pluto transiting through a sign does the same thing.  It affects the masses and global issues, and goes beyond just the personal.  We undergo a “healing crisis” globally, as toxins come out of the system.

Whatever sign Pluto moves through, the symbolism of that sign becomes the focus of its task. This is the force for change, death/rebirth and regeneration.  Pluto, Lord of the Underworld carries out the task of bringing what has been hidden or toxic into the light where it can be seen, and exposed to fresh air.  It also exposes latent resources, like buried precious gems brought to the surface.  Since we live in a world of opposites, it’s always a mixture.  The positive and negative expresses itself simultaneously, light and shadow.

Pluto has been in the sign of Sagittarius from 1994 – November 2008.  Sagittarius is the archetype of religion and belief systems, philosophy, and foreign cultures. It is a knowing inside of us, that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Its negative expression can show up as a “missionary complex”, which tries to convince and convert others to our own beliefs and perception, being moralistic rather than allowing for each person to find the path to the Truth.  It can also be seen when we are dispensing justice according to our beliefs, and morally justifying it; i.e. ethnic cleansing, religious wars.

Its positive expression is seen when we open to new perceptions, learn from foreign cultures, see life as an adventure and take the risk to get more. It is optimism, believing that things can get better, hope, exploring new ideas, and opening up to new experiences and growth.  Philanthropy is also associated with Sagittarius. During the Renaissance Pluto was in the sign of Sagittarius from 1503-1516, an extraordinary time of new discoveries and perceptions through science, art and exploration.  Simultaneously, the Inquisition was imposing its limiting beliefs with an all powerful church repressing those who saw the world differently. During the present sojourn of Pluto in Sagittarius, 1994-2008 there has again been a surge in the expansion of consciousness.  Science and spirituality began to merge as quantum physics revealed the power of our thoughts and the connectedness of life.  We began to see a much larger picture of ourselves as the Hubble space telescope opened our eyes to galaxies without end.

The mid-ninety’s brought the personal computer and worldwide web into our homes, connecting us as a global community.  It also gave us access to information.  The Internet was a gift to the world, free of charge thanks to its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee.  He did not patent it.  A true visionary he said, “Hope in life comes from the interconnections among all the people in the world.  We believe that is we all work for what we think individually is good, then we as a whole will achieve more power, more understanding, more harmony as we continue our journey.”  Hope and philanthropy are associated with Sagittarius. 

This month Pluto will leave the sign of Sagittarius and enter Capricorn through 2024.  It is the sign of government, structures, systems, authority and the material world.  What will this tremendous force for change bring to the world during the next 16 years? 

PLUTO IN SAGITTARIUS, A RECAP

THE USA CHART AND CYCLE 1994 - 2008

Just as we each have a natal birth chart, so do countries.  Our country was formed the day we declared our independence from England, July 4, 1776.  We were birthed out of a revolution. Times of radical change do not emerge out of nothing.  There are real events preceding them which bring a destabilization of the status quo.  Critical mass is finally reached and movements become energized.  The events leading up to the American Revolution involved the colonists being taxed without representation and due to rising costs, money was being printed to the point of rampant inflation affecting everyone.  The economic situation put pressure on the colonists leading to protests and the Declaration of Rights and Grievances in 1765.  In it the colonists declared that they were equal to British colonists, who were afforded preferential treatment.

All of life is cyclic, and astrology is the study of planetary cycles.  An astrological look at the birth-chart of the U.S.A. shows us when certain life cycles occur as our country evolves and grows. It can help us understand where we, the people of this country are at within these cycles.  The timing of personal cycles in our lives such as the infamous “terrible twos” or “mid-life crisis” gives us a framework in which to place ourselves, so we know it is a natural unfolding as we grow and mature. The same is true with a country. 

Currently the U.S. is a cycle of growth that began in November 1994.  There was an election at that time in which the Republicans took over the House. The new Speaker Newt Gingrich, began his Contract with America which was endorsed by Conservatives who were dissatisfied with Clinton’s actions.  These actions included a failed attempt at universal health care and gun control.  It was a historic event, a watershed moment when Republicans took control of the Congress, the first time since 1954.  Whatever happens when the beginning of a cycle is initiated continues until it runs its course. The new energy expresses at times with lots of outward driving energy and at other times it moves inward.  It is similar to planting a seed, it incubates and finally sprouts, the seed continues to grow and bear fruit, and eventually it goes back to seed.  The beginning of this current cycle in the U.S. began in 1994 and began developing, eventually reaching a marker in the middle of 2001. The Democrats took over majority rule of the senate at that time, which was a major upset. The Republicans in Congress were a big problem, feuding with the Democrats. This was the time that the news was reporting problems between John McCain and President Bush, and McCain began moving in a more independent direction.   Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was in Europe drumming up the issue of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and N. Korea.  He said Nato must evolve to meet the WMD threat. The benchmark moment of 9/11 occurred 3 months later, changing America and the world.

As the theme for his second term, President Bush introduced his vision for the country and declared “the ownership society”.  This was a re-engineering the world for the convenience of corporations.  The World Trade Organization was used to promote this. The market would be driving every aspect of life, the idea being to make everything private and protect personal property. 

In 2008 we now come to a culmination of the cycle.  The new beginning or seed begun in 1994 has reached maximum growth.  It has born its fruit, for better or worse.  We reap what we have sown.  Depending upon the type of seed and the care and nurturing of it (or neglect) the results may or may not be desirable, but it does produce a crop or an outcome.  We cannot go back and change what was begun in 1994,  the harvest has come this year.  What is important is that we recognize that this is harvest time and the peak of the cycle.  Some may be discontent with the harvest and wait for it to get better, but it has achieved its result. What was growing and surging forward these past 14 years gave its product.  That which has not been reaped now can be left behind.  It is now time to begin to examine the crop and re-evaluate, to extract the most from what has been harvested.  Use what has been learned or gained and share that knowledge with the country.  If the first 14 years could be likened to growing grapes, then the next 14 years can be likened to making the wine which may or may not be of good quality. The election of 2008 did not give the desired results to the Republicans.  The dye is cast.

Feelings had been growing among millions of Americans leading to a movement.  Those in the movement chose hope and rejected fear.  The desire for a more inclusive society and unification prevailed. In a divine sense this cycle’s purpose is to overcome forces of inertia or destruction with the efforts of individuals.  So what will the next 14 years be like for the U.S.?  It will take the lessons learned through the experiences from 1994 to 2008 and re-evaluate, making necessary changes to the structure.  The skills already available can be put to use in a new way. The enchantment with Barak Obama must be followed by each person taking action to create the world we want to live in.  As the Hopi prophesy says “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for”.  This will not happen overnight.  Look towards the year 2024 to be the end of this current cycle, and the country begins anew.