Pluto may be the smallest and most distant of all the major planets in astrology, but don’t underestimate its seismic power. This tiny but mighty celestial body is responsible for some of this year’s most life-changing astrology—as it’s embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime transition into the sign of Aquarius on 23 March 2023. That’s why understanding how Pluto in Aquarius will affect your zodiac sign is such a big deal! The cosmic story that begins this month will continue to unfold and evolve over the next twenty years, revealing deep truths and catalysing massive shifts on both a personal and collective level.
Named for the Greek god of the underworld, Pluto in astrology symbolises depth, intensity and mystery, as well as the great cycles of death and rebirth or creation and destruction. This transformational planet has the power to completely metamorphose us from caterpillars to butterflies, bringing alchemy and profound change. On the other hand, it can also be a harbinger of dark obsessions and Machiavellian power struggles.That’s the thing about Pluto—it works in extremes and draws in intensity like the eye of a storm. It represents all that’s clandestinely shrouded beneath the surface, as well as the evidence that eventually comes bubbling up above ground.
Discovered in 1930 – right between what is now known as the ‘interwar’ period between two World Wars, Pluto was endowed with the qualities of that time in history – destruction, followed by irrevocable metamorphosis. It’s no secret that over this time, the world was changed, and in some ways, for the better. It took a global crisis for the old and outworn systems to be purged and new, better systems to emerge. This is the essence of Pluto’s cosmic effects. However, before positive, new roots can take hold, the old deadwood has to be expelled – sometimes with great force.
As the furthest planet from the Sun in astrology, Pluto is often referred to as a transpersonal or generational planet—as its distant presence is thought to shape things over a longer period of time and have a more notable influence over society at large. In the forward-thinking air sign Aquarius, we’re likely to see Pluto’s transformative power alter the landscape when it comes to matters of technology, innovation and the way we envision the future. Aquarius is the sign that rules groups and community, so we can expect lots of changes and revelations within the greater collective, too. Pluto will only spend a few months of 2023 in Aquarius, but it’ll give us a taste for the energy that’s yet to come, as whatever happens during this sneak peek may foreshadow some of the shifts that lie ahead.
Astrological events like Mercury retrogrades, lunations, and zodiac sign seasons tend to occur frequently. But because Pluto is so far away from the Sun, it moves through the zodiac much more slowly. As a result, each generation tends to be bound together by having the same Pluto sign. Most millennials, for instance, have their Pluto in intense Scorpio; Gen Zers have it in rebellious Sagittarius. So it's a big deal that Pluto is entering a new zodiac sign, Aquarius, on 23 March— the first time it's made a move since 2008.
Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008, slowly but surely destroying and transforming the way the world does business and of course, the economy. Traditions and structures – traits of Capricorn – have crumbled, to be replaced with newer, better ones. But it’s been a journey to get there. With Pluto moving into the airy sign of Aquarius, it’s time to destroy and change old ideals and visions and to dream a different future. This sign rules community, friendship, technology and the idea of freedom, just to name a few.
The last time that Pluto was in the sign of the Aquarius, it was during the French Revolution, whose cry was ‘Equality, Liberty and Fraternity’. Thus, we can collectively expect a major change in terms of where the power lies. With Pluto in Aquarius, power belongs to the people, where it rightly belongs - though not before a purgative process happens. Societal rot is likely to be revealed, and it’ll be important to question our relationship to things like technology, social media and other connecting platforms during these few months and beyond.
Pluto in Aquarius will represent the beginning of a communal and technological revolution that will unfold over the next few decades. With the planet of destruction moving through the sign of the Water Bearer, there will be a call to seek liberation through radically unconventional means. Pluto in Aquarius is the cosmic dawn of a new age.
PLUTO IN AQUARIUS | THEN
When considering astrological cycles, it's useful to turn toward history to gauge where the cosmos may have left off the last time a transit was in action. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius was from 1778 to 1798. This incredible, if unpredictable, period represented the beginning of immense societal changes and technological advancements. Some notable moments from this historical period include the discovery of Uranus in 1781, the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791, the beginning of the Reign of Terror in 1793, and the invention of the cotton gin in 1793. Of course, the new Pluto-in-Aquarius cycle won't follow the exact same playbook — but it may bring back elements from this time frame that will allow us to make the most of technological and societal revolutions.
Going another 248 years back in time, Pluto’s previous stint in Aquarius (1532 to 1553) bore witness to the Protestant Reformation challenging the Catholic Church’s authority. This was when Martin Luther’s 1517 thesis of complaint against the church was translated and distributed throughout Europe. Word spread quickly thanks to the printing press and increased literacy. People who were previously afraid to speak out against the power and corruption of the church created their own system of worship and belief led by the likes of Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox. With Pluto in Aquarius the ultimate consequences of these revolutionary forces were dramatic and far reaching. Aquarius is the sign of the revolutionary and the visionary — and, in and of itself, is not about war nor destruction. But, we see that in times when Pluto has implemented the Aquarian vision of equality and freedom, many societies indeed experienced war and destruction.
In 1775, just a few years before Pluto last entered Aquarius the American Revolution commenced and it continued throughout this turbulent cycle. The American War of Independence ended in 1783 and the United States refused to accept any more convicts from England.
Pluto as the agent of death and rebirth also brought radical social change to places like Russia. Catherine the Great came to power in 1762 when Pluto was in Capricorn. She orchestrated a coup against her husband Peter III and claimed power. Catherine became a passionate advocate for education, the arts and human rights. She ruled Russia until 1796 throughout Pluto’s entire sojourn in Aquarius.
PLUTO IN AQUARIUS | ΝΟW
To understand Pluto in Aquarius, let’s remind ourselves what Pluto and Aquarius stand for. Pluto is the last planet in our solar system, the ‘final frontier’ of reality as we know it. Pluto is perhaps the most mysterious planet, because it holds the key to the unknown, to what’s on “the other side”. Common keywords associated with Pluto are: power, depth, transformation, crisis, surrender, resilience, the big natural cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. Pluto is the higher octave of Mars. Mars is the planet of personal will; when we take action and assert ourselves, that’s Mars. When you go to the grocery store, you act from your Mars. No one can tell you not to go to the grocery store. You go there when you want to. But if the council decides to close down the grocery store and build a warehouse for Amazon, there’s not much you can do. Of course, you can try to fight the council or sign petitions, but the council is a force greater than yourself, it is the sum of personal interests of multiple individuals. Similarly, Pluto is the collective dimension of Mars, so it is the sum of all the wills of all the individuals, it is the life force itself.
Pluto is the power of nature. When our personal will (Mars) is aligned with the collective will (Pluto) all is fine… but when it’s not, this ‘collective will’ will simply crush our personal will.
Indeed, when Pluto strikes, we often feel we have no say and that we are at the mercy of powers greater than ourselves.
With Pluto, the secret is not to put up a stronger fight, since this is a battle we cannot win – but to surrender, and trust in the workings of the universe.
At the same time, Pluto doesn’t like wimps. So if you think that doing nothing and ‘going with the flow’ is a good way to keep Pluto happy, think again. Pluto wants you to get stronger and to put up a fight if necessary… but Pluto also wants you to know when to call it quits.
Pluto is a Mars that is more strategic, thinks long term, and understands how society works. Politicians, businesspeople, strategists, psychologists oftentimes have a strong Pluto in their chart, and it is exactly their ability to channel the raw force of Mars into long-term, complex projects that makes them successful.
Pluto’s role is to keep the engine of the universe going, by eliminating what can no longer sustain life. If something is rotten, Pluto will eliminate it, to leave space for healthy growth.
Knowing what’s rotten is a good thing. If your tooth rots, you go to the dentist and fix the problem… and save your other teeth. If you want your tree to grow healthy, you trim the dead branches.
At a personal level, Pluto helps you eliminate what’s no longer working in your life, helping you build resilience and true personal power – a personal power based on a deep understanding of yourself and the world around you.
At a society level, Pluto will eliminate what’s corrupted and rotten, so that society can grow stronger and be more equipped to withstand difficult conditions.
Pluto in Aquarius – Society, Systems, Infrastructure
Aquarius rules all the systems, routes, and multiple, complex networks and infrastructure. Since we are in the process of migrating into the Age Of Aquarius, we have already noticed Aquarius’ archetype embedding itself into all of the aspects of our lives.
The movement of Pluto into Aquarius is set to have a significant impact on technology, space exploration, scientific progress, and society. This shift will usher in a new era of connectivity, prompting us to explore ways to engage with our neighbours and local communities.
On a broader scale, we may find ourselves drawn to humanitarian pursuits that align with our personal values and goals. Additionally, this astrological event may signify a major leap forward in our efforts to revolutionise modern science and space exploration. Look for increased discussions around moon colonisation and other planetary missions, as well as significant changes in the way we utilise technology and science.
Our decisions will be driven more and more from the bottom up. We are no longer sold vacation packages. Now we check Tripadvisor to learn other people’s experiences. We select our accommodation based on Airbnb’s feedback, and feedback systems used by companies like Airbnb and Uber discourage fraud and encourage ‘good behaviour’.
These platforms are not perfect, but they have definitely solved some of the problems of the previous systems, and now, most of us can’t imagine our lives without them.
All the big companies that have become successful in the last few decades have Aquarius qualities. Amazon, Google, Facebook, Airbnb, and Uber, are all platforms that facilitate the exchange of goods and information, that bring together demand and supply.
None of these companies produce anything palpable, yet they create value by offering an infrastructure to make information and services exchange more transparent, creating value in the process.
Of course, many of these companies are now also known for shady business practices, and this is something that Pluto in Aquarius will likely correct. Still, these are good examples to illustrate how society has, and will continue to shape under the new Aquarian operating model.
As AI continues to advance, we can expect to see a growing presence of robots in our daily lives, maybe even more than self-driving cars and automated servers in restaurants.
So, what will Pluto’s transit into Aquarius be like for me?
Pluto in Aquarius is bound to be a revolutionary time. It would be silly, if not downright offensive, to claim that we will see world peace bloom by the end of this transit, though only good things can come from taking action to make movements, whether slight or major, in that direction. One can hope that we will see as many of us as possible striving for the Aquarian ideals of equality and community and working together to build a better, fairer society.
On a more personal level, Pluto can bring transformation, evolution, revelation. Perhaps this means the death of something in your life and the birth of something (or someone!) completely new, or bringing forward something long hidden. If you think back to a time in your life of irreversible change, it is almost certain Pluto (or possibly Neptune or Uranus) were active in your chart. For now, though, I have a small hint for you: Pay attention to what happens for you personally during the week before March 23, 2023, and throughout the week after. During this time, it will echo some of the ways that you, personally, will experience Pluto’s transit in Aquarius.
