(Astrobutterfly.com)
On October 11th, 2024, Pluto goes direct at 29° Capricorn.
The countdown has started! These are officially the last 5 weeks of Pluto in Capricorn. And what powerful weeks these will be.
A stationary planet is at its most potent energy, AND the station happens at the anaretic degree (29), AND Pluto is involved in a T-square with planets in Libra (Sun, Mercury, Moon) and Cancer (Mars).
Pluto in Capricorn will have its last say, and we’re going to remember it. It’s going to be a memorable culmination.
Pluto in Capricorn: A Mundane Recap
Marking the end of an era, we bid farewell to Pluto in Capricorn – a journey that began in 2008.
Pluto is the planet of power and transformation. Capricorn is systems and hierarchies. Here are some of the trends and changes Pluto in Capricorn has driven at a mundane level:
- Big Corporations and Big Government: Power has been concentrated at the top, with large institutions and entities growing in influence.
- Hidden Power Structures: Capricorn’s love of hierarchy has facilitated Pluto’s creation of hidden networks where influence is wielded by those in high places.
- Centralization at the Top: On the positive side, centralization has improved efficiencies and resilience in major systems. However, it has also created ‘too big to fail’ entities, which raises concerns around accountability and ethical governance.
Pluto in Capricorn On A Personal Level
Pluto in Capricorn has taught us about endurance and resilience. When you combine Pluto (power, transformation) with Capricorn (ambition, endurance, and discipline), you get a combination that is incredibly solid and resilient.
It’s like the process of forming a diamond – pressure, intensity, and time eventually shape something unbreakable.
In one specific area of your chart (the house where you have Capricorn), Pluto has restructured that sector from the ground up – first, by intensifying fears or control issues, then, by surrendering outdated approaches, and ultimately by cultivating resilience and inner strength.
For example, if Pluto transited your 6th house, it initially intensified any imbalances or fears surrounding control over health, routines, or daily responsibilities. But just like a diamond formed under pressure, as time passed, you have eventually gained a full understanding of what truly serves your well-being.
The process may have been challenging, but ultimately, it strengthened your ability to handle pressure and find a more harmonious mind-body balance.
If you have planets or angles in the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), then you’ve had firsthand experience of Pluto’s transformative process – shedding the old and embracing change, just like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.
You’re now a different person, and things will never be the same again.
Neptune, Uranus, And Pluto In Capricorn
Truth be told, Capricorns had it quite rough in the last decades.
Over the past few decades, all the outer planets – Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – have each transited the sign. Outer planets tend to bring about long-lasting changes that are beyond our conscious control.
Because they move slowly, it’s rare for a single sign to host multiple outer planets in such a short span of time. Most signs are ‘spared’ of outer planets’ trials and tribulations.
That has NOT been the case with Capricorn. Beginning with Uranus and Neptune in the ’80s and ’90s, and then Pluto from 2008 onward, Capricorns have been under a continuous transformational process pretty much since 1984, when Neptune entered the sign.
And by “Capricorn,” we aren’t referring just to Capricorn Suns. While those with personal planets in Capricorn have experienced these energies directly, we all have Capricorn somewhere in our natal chart. Each of us experienced these changes in some specific area of our life.
However soon, very soon, the Capricorn area of our life will be done and dusted.
Capricorn, Hierarchies, And The Climb To The Top
In the past 4 decades, Neptune, Uranus, and then Pluto have taught us essential Capricorn themes like discipline, ambition, structure, and hierarchy.
The term “patriarchal structures” has been widely discussed in recent decades. In Capricorn’s context – a feminine sign – it doesn’t necessarily refer to gender but rather to hierarchical systems where there are designated roles, customs, and expectations.
In these Capricorn frameworks, everyone has a pre-assigned role. The world operates according to a set structure, making it difficult to break free from this ‘script.’
In this Capricorn model, the only way to succeed is to get to the top. In the past decades, Capricorn’s emphasis on competition and individual achievement has been a default societal value.
According to Capricorn, there is an inherent hierarchy – a vertical axis of sorts. There is a top, there is a bottom, and one’s success or achievement is measured by their relative position on this scale compared to others.
On the positive side, this drive has created a motivation to excel and reach one’s highest potential. But on the downside, it has hindered true comfort and authentic connections.
In a competitive environment where everyone fights for the same resources, it’s challenging to trust and rely on another human being. The winner takes it all – according to Pluto in Capricorn.
The Capricorn influence – first shaped by Uranus and Neptune, and later by Pluto – has reinforced the pressure to achieve. Even people who aren’t naturally competitive have been impacted by this Capricornian drive.
Not ‘succeeding’ according to these standards has led to feelings of inadequacy or a pervasive sense of failure for not reaching one’s potential. According to Capricorn, nothing is ‘good enough’ as there’s always room for improvement.
Pluto in Capricorn Vs. Pluto In Aquarius
This will now change.
Pluto is leaving Capricorn for the rest of our lifetime, signaling the end of an era defined by relentless striving and the pressure to constantly climb higher.
Going forward, as all the outer planets have finished their journey through the sign, the Capricorn approach will no longer be the default, go-to model. Capricorn themes will no longer dominate our collective focus.
Once Pluto moves into Aquarius for good, we’ll face new challenges. The way the world functions, societal values, and the direction we pursue fundamentally change.
How is Aquarius different from Capricorn?
If Capricorn is the “hierarchical model”, Aquarius is the “network model”. Aquarius embodies the ideal of a connected society where everyone has a voice and no one is excluded.
The coming Aquarian Era will bring more democratization but also an increased risk of alienation. The shadow side of Aquarius’ idealism lies in its potential detachment from the practicalities of our 3D world.
There may be a temptation to escape into alternate realities – whether through AI, social media, collective causes, or personal imagination – as a way to cope with the pain of not living up to these Aquarian ideals.
Pluto is the planet of complete and utter transformation. Pluto’s role is to radically change all the themes and energies associated with a sign.
Pluto in Aquarius doesn’t mean that the world will suddenly become more democratic, or that drones and AI-operated robots will be our everyday reality.
Just as Pluto in Capricorn exposed the flaws within hierarchical structures and authority, Pluto in Aquarius will unearth the darker aspects of idealism, social inclusion, democracy, and technology.
It’s only by confronting these shadow elements that we can truly grow and unlock the full potential of Aquarius’ energy.
Pluto Goes Direct At 29° Capricorn – Now What?
The way we transition from Capricorn to Aquarius is very important.
How do we take the hard-won diamonds of Capricorn and elevate them into a more subtle, ethereal Aquarian energy?
Here’s how we DON’T want to approach the shift from Capricorn to Aquarius: with an attitude of “I can’t wait for Capricorn to be over. Pluto in Aquarius will be amazing!”
No transit is inherently better than another. Pluto in Aquarius won’t save us from necessary inner work or instantly grant us a higher consciousness.
All the important work – all the Pluto work – takes time to fully integrate and transform us.
As Pluto completes its journey through Capricorn, it’s important to be grateful for the experiences we’ve had and recognize the gifts we’ve gained along the way.
These final 5 weeks invite us to a retrospective of the last 16 years of Pluto in Capricorn.
Before stepping into the Aquarian era, take some time to reflect on how far you’ve come and what Pluto lessons you’ve learned.
While the agenda might shift from Capricorn’s themes of structure and hierarchy to Aquarius’ focus on community and innovation, the Plutonic resilience and wisdom you’ve gained are here to stay, helping you navigate this new chapter of your life.
A BRAVE AND STARTLING TRUTH