THE SUN-PLUTO CONJUNCTION IN EARTHY CAPRICORN

Digging in the Dirt

THE SUN-PLUTO CONJUNCTION IN EARTHY CAPRICORN

Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 5:37 am PST

The Sun and Pluto Conjoined at 9 degrees Capricorn






Although I wasn't able to piece together enough time on this holiday week to write about yesterday morning's extraordinary Full Moon, I wanted to share a bit about it after the fact, along with an essay on tomorrow's important Sun-Pluto conjunction. For one of the central characteristics of this Full Moon opposition to the Sun was its powerful intersection with Pluto — the Sun falling just two degrees from conjunction, both in formidable Capricorn.

Looking at the chart for this lunation, we immediately see there's more: a grand trine in water signs involving Saturn in Scorpio, Chiron in Pisces, and the Cancer Full Moon. Considered an auspicious configuration, the Grand Trine is somewhat rare, formed by three planets linked in perfect "trine harmony." Together they construct an equilateral triangle around which the planetary energies circulate with ease — and when a Grand Trine falls in water, as this one, the energies flow in deep feeling, sympathy, compassion, and powerful intuition.

This was no ordinary Grand Trine, however, for a fourth planet — in this case two, that potent Sun-Pluto conjunction — transforms the triangle into a much more complex and dynamic pattern, a kite. And an emotionally-charged Full Moon kite no less, sporting a grand trine in the Moon's own element of water, with a Full Moon blazing strong in Cancer, the sign it rules! Yowza!

A kite formation is a dynamic balance between the easy-flowing energy of the Grand Trine, and the more challenging energy of the opposition. The kite adds important motivation, a stimulus for action, the “itch” to change that is lacking in the Grand Trine. The point of the kite indicates the direction or focus of the combined energies, which is the Sun-Pluto conjunction....



Digging in the Dirt

THE SUN-PLUTO CONJUNCTION
Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 5:37 am PST
Sun and Pluto Conjoined at 9 degrees Capricorn

Tomorrow, at the end of a long winter's night here in Pacific time, the mighty, life-giving Sun will conjoin deepest darkest Pluto, the planet that astrologically represents the chthonic, underlying, sometimes devastating forces of Mother Nature. Profound change, death, rebirth, power issues of survival, the use and abuse of resources, sexual power, all things hidden and taboo — everything buried deep in the vast underground circuits of the psyche are associated with this small and distant, but nevertheless powerful, dwarf planet. And all of these Pluto-related themes of life are currently being stirred up right now, illuminated by the central, vital Sun in formidable "take no prisoners" Capricorn.

The Sun in astrology is a central symbol and represents our individuality — what makes you you. Vital and fundamental, the Sun also symbolizes what is of primary importance to us, what we feel most strongly about, where we are compelled to pour our heart and soul. Associated with the ego, and its less desirable aspects of pride, arrogance, vanity, narcissism and self-centeredness; more positively, the Sun also represents our life purpose, authentic self-expression, one's unique creative drive, self-esteem and personal illumination. The Sun is the act of shining your own special light out into the world.

The Sun in astrology is a central symbol and represents our individuality — what makes you you. Vital and fundamental, the Sun also represents what is of primary importance to us, what we feel most strongly about, where we are compelled to pour our heart and soul. Associated with the ego, and its less desirable aspects of pride, arrogance, vanity, narcissism and self-centeredness; more positively, the Sun also represents our life purpose, authentic self-expression, one's unique creative drive, self-esteem and personal illumination. The Sun is the act of shining your own special light out into the world.

When the Sun and Pluto conjoin, especially in earthy, Saturn-ruled, "get real" Capricorn, unresolved issues related to the Sun and what it represents are churned up, which can be quite ugly and unpleasant, struggles we would prefer to forget, or have forgotten, aspects of ourselves we deny, qualities we only see in others and tend to find repulsive and unacceptable.

When the giver of life, our central star, joins forces with the Lord of the Underworld, God of the Realm of the Dead, deep, ancient wounds from the far murky past can re-emerge. Problems we thought we had resolved long ago can spring back up, difficulties that tend to "snag us" return. Ancient struggles wind their way back through the long, dark labyrinth of our memory banks by this intense, "reverse gravity motion" of Sun-Pluto and break the surface of our lives.   


All of these Plutonic workings are being illuminated right now in various ways, especially so this year with this one falling so close to the emotional high tide of the month, the Full Moon, falling in intensely emotional, self-protective Cancer.

How powerfully this Full Moon/Sun-Pluto conjunction breaks shore depends on how strongly the joining of these two astrological forces interfaces with your natal chart. Perhaps strange dreams are intruding, disturbing your personal universe, revealing imbalances you need to address more honestly or perhaps, with the Sun involved, more creatively. With Pluto, the truth shall set you free, but first it will undoubtedly irritate, repulse, or scare the living daylights out of you. But Pluto is also ironically the God of Riches, and it is just this Plutonian raw material, if we are strong enough to mine it, that provides the very juices — vital energy and power — we need to propel us further and more deeply INTO life. Now's not the time to ignore what's coming up in life, especially the darker, more disturbing "stuff."

One of my favorite astrologers, Alice O. Howell, sums up the Plutonian function quite well, the best assessment I have come across. This is from her insightful book, Jungian Archetypes in Astrology:

It is possible that Pluto rules the "personal unconscious" of the collective, and that we have to deal with and integrate the cumulative crimes of hate, fear, anger, greed, and the abuse of power, of nature and of sexuality perpetrated throughout history. These are our collective complexes and, like an international debt, each of us carries a share. Pluto's process is severe. It teaches that there is a difference between nature's laws and the ego's moral laws. Cosmic law is absolute, and nature stronger than we are. But we forget. As Jung has pointed out, our greatest enemy is ourselves. The retribution is implacable. We must learn or suffer the consequences."

— Alice O. Howell


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