Pluto in Aquarius: a long and reformative transit

The long-awaited moment in world Astrology has finally arrived: the entry of Pluto in Aquarius, which began its movement in 2023, but it is in 2024 that the transition truly takes effect. The celestial body permanently moves into the Aquarius sign and will remain in this sign for the next two decades!

After this, when it shifts to Pisces, it will only return to Aquarius after about 200 years. Thus, this is a unique phase for all living generations, as the last time Pluto transited Aquarius was in the 18th century.

But first, let's briefly understand what Pluto is, why it is considered a “transpersonal” celestial body, and why all this matters.

In fact, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in Astrology are considered transpersonal celestial bodies, as they exert influence not only on an individual level but also on the collective. This is because, being farther from the Sun, they have long cycles that usually do not complete within our lifetime. Therefore, their meanings are linked to the evolutionary paths for generations throughout our history.

Being beyond Saturn, they could only be observed due to technological advances in astronomy from the 18th century.

The moment each of these planets was discovered says a lot about what they represent for Astrology, and by examining the past, we can get a glimpse of what this next period of Pluto in Aquarius holds for us. Indeed, just like in its previous passage through this sign, we experienced moments of deep political, social, and economic instability, stemming from something that had been unfolding in society for years.

 

Pluto was first sighted in 1930 when a young man decided to follow calculations made by the amateur astronomer Percival Lowell, years after his death. The suspicion was then confirmed, and the ninth planet of the solar system was discovered, now considered a dwarf planet by astronomy, which does not affect Astrology in any way.

The name Pluto refers to the god of the dead and the depths, and was suggested by an 11-year-old girl who liked Roman mythology. It was also used in another scientific discovery — that of the element plutonium — and in popular culture with Disney's character Pluto.

What Does Pluto in Aquarius Mean

With its current passage through Aquarius, Pluto seems to be embodying a similar type of influence as in the past, although presently interacting with different contexts and events, given the world's significantly different social configuration from that earlier period. Today, technology has a substantial impact on our daily lives, making it a crucial focal point, especially when the sign of Aquarius is involved.

From January 20th, 2024, Pluto returns to Aquarius after some recent back-and-forth, briefly revisiting Capricorn one last time between September 1st and November 19th. On that date, it definitively enters Aquarius and will remain there until January 19th, 2044.

We will reflect on some insights and ideas about how we, as global citizens, can continue to express our individuality, virtues, and subjectivities in this new phase of our civilization. The goal is to create a collective environment that is prosperous, fair, abundant, and healthy, filled with beauty, learning from mistakes and successes, but above all, free, brimming with possibilities and opportunities.

In the characterology of Aquarius, freedom and fraternity are sacred things (sealed, perpetual, immutable). Since it has Saturn as its traditional ruler (there is a certain affinity with the sign's essence), the factors of reality, responsibility, and discipline are also applied to the context.

However, freedom without responsibility is like an elevator without a counterweight, or a hot air balloon without a pilot. In other words, we must constantly strive for freedom, but our compass must always be calibrated, or else the destination can become uncertain, and the path dangerous.

At the current moment, Pluto is one of the most crucial astrological components interacting with the modern world due to its transition to a new sign. We are entering a new virtuous cycle for the next 20 years, one that we are already immersed in, as astrology unfolds gradually.

Even before the transition moment, we have been within the orb (sphere of influence) of Pluto in Aquarius for quite some time. However, it is from this year onward that this new phase officially begins, as Pluto will no longer return to Capricorn for a considerable period.

When Pluto enters a new sign, it transforms the values, themes and operational mode of that sign. Understanding the natural sequence of this cycle will help us grasp the current passage, put things into perspective, and assume ownership of the process of change.

In astrology, Pluto is associated with profound transformation, death, rebirth, energetic matrices, and power dynamics. On a personal level, especially when it forms conjunctions with luminaries or angles in our natal chart, the effects of this celestial body guide us through intense processes of transformation, delving into the depths of our psyche.

This process can be divided into several stages within the cycle to facilitate an update in our journey of individuation and maturity.

The type of transformation that Pluto generates is profound and typically spans about 20 years, both on a personal level and in global astrology. Although the effects of Pluto are beyond our control, understanding the cycle of changes helps us flow with the universe rather than resist it.

The last time Pluto transited Aquarius was in 1797, a period when the world was vastly different from today, particularly in terms of technology. For all the generations currently alive, this will be an entirely new adventure, as the last time this transpersonal celestial body completed this cycle, none of us were here. Only historical records remain, undeniably showing that it was a dynamic and transformative period in society.

What is the Influence of Pluto?

Pluto is the slowest planet in the solar system, and its influence in astrology is felt more sporadically over the years, decades, and generations.

The celestial body takes approximately 248 years to complete a full orbit around the Zodiac. Due to its eccentric orbit, which includes a retrograde period of about 5 months each year, the number of years it spends in each sign can vary considerably.

Pluto's mythology is accompanied by a mysterious, sometimes even ominous aura, portraying a figure feared by its subjects. It evokes ideas unknown and too perilous for the human consciousness.

In Astrology, Pluto's characteristic is also shrouded in deep-seated matters, impulses of power, and control in interpretation.

In personal astrology, depending on the configuration of the chart, Pluto can repress feelings, desires, and wishes, making the individual more controlling or magnetic, for instance. However, these are processes that often occur almost unconsciously.

Porém, apesar de significar assuntos como a morte e transformação, ele também reflete a vida, mais especificamente o renascimento e as conexões mais profundas.

Despite symbolizing themes such as death and transformation, Pluto also mirrors life, specifically rebirth and profound connections. In Egyptian mythology, Pluto is represented by Anubis, a deity aiding us in our passage to eternal life.

On a global astrological scale, this celestial body corresponds to a force capable of influencing significant and monumental events, imprinting a unique identity on eras.

Taking historical aspects into account and using Pluto's entry into Capricorn in 2008 as a reference, this recent passage that is coming to a close lasted approximately 16 years.

In 2020, Pluto played a prominent role in the changes that began here, forming part of the triple conjunction with Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn. A conjunction between Saturn and Pluto is one of the most impactful and transformative astrological events in all generations, with visible consequences unfolding at each new aspect within this cycle.

It's noticeable that since this last conjunction in January 2020, things have been relatively unusual, if not surreal or somewhat chaotic.

Other themes of Pluto in Astrology are related to governments, financial systems, large-scale international organizations, forms of energy (including nuclear), discoveries and uses of fuels, and currency.

Pluto filters, purifies, enhances, deconstructs, and transforms the themes of the zodiac sign it passes through, adapting them to the times until its next passage.

It's not possible to control the changes that arise from Pluto's influence. Therefore, the ideal approach is to maintain harmony between individual and collective desires, skillfully reconciling them. Doing so ensures tangible and lasting benefits. Otherwise, Pluto is relentless, allowing no room for anything to overshadow the necessary alterations it must bring about during its transits.

With each step, Pluto takes in this transition, it completely transforms its themes and familiarizes us with the patterns of Aquarius. By the end of this transition, we will undoubtedly be more attuned to resonate with its new direction, especially if we seek to uplift the luminous side of Aquarian energy while tempering its excesses, particularly its inherent radicalism.

An important observation here is the shift from an Earth sign to an Air sign. Moving from a focus on material aspects to one highlighting ideas, intellectual capital, the mental realm, and the very notions of originality and freedom, Pluto promises substantial appreciation of these matters in the coming years.

 

All transits involving Pluto carry great expectations, as they often bring about collective transformations, although not always calmly. Consequently, many astrologers anticipate with a certain eagerness the onset of this next cycle, given that Pluto's last passage through Aquarius occurred in the distant 18th century.

During that period, this transition brought significant upheaval and reorganization of ideas, behaviors, and laws.

Reflecting on past lessons, it was no coincidence that Pluto's last transit through Aquarius witnessed the French Revolution, as well as the American Revolution and Independence, the promulgation of human rights, and other impactful global events.

 

Indeed, the late 18th century saw the world in turmoil, marked by numerous rebellions. This was a time when many heads rolled in France with the fall of the Bastille, as the people felt their rulers were too distant from their ideas and needs at the time.

If the changes proposed by various cycles and transits of transpersonal planets have been shattering global paradigms since 2019, Pluto (along with an upcoming Saturn-Neptune cycle) seals the agreement, endorsing the idea of upheaval during this period.

Pluto's influence compels certain things to adjust at any cost, even if it results in events practically beyond control.

However, don't perceive Pluto as the villain of the story or as merely an agent of chaos. Astrology doesn't operate in terms of right or wrong, good or bad. While transiting through a sign with such egalitarian and futuristic characteristics as Aquarius, Pluto might influence us to adopt a more supportive, fraternal, sincere, and conscious behavior, fostering unity.

Often, changes aren't universally embraced, but humanity is likely to emerge victorious in the end, even if it's challenging to perceive such triumph during a transitional process.

Moreover, the generation born during this period will likely be responsible for significant changes later on, given their strong connection with Pluto in Aquarius imprinted on their birth charts.

When Pluto enters Aquarius

Aquarius adopts one of its mottos as the impetus for understanding other points of view, perspectives, and experiences, permeated by freedom, so we can be whoever we want, with all our authenticity (or eccentricity), regardless of the surrounding environment. And to be this way, we need to strive to be respected and accepted naturally.

 

However, caution is required, as Aquarius also possesses a character of stubbornness, radicalism, and inflexibility. After all, we are talking about a fixed sign that can influence ideas with a certain duality, being liberating yet authoritarian, as seen in the government of Robespierre, for example, who, after the fall of the French monarchy, sent thousands of political dissidents to the guillotine.

The sign of Aquarius is ruled by two planets: Uranus and Saturn. The former is aligned with Aquarian irreverence, seeking novelty and guided by visionary, libertarian, and authentic ideals, where everyone can be free in their true form. The latter, known as the “Lord of Time,” is connected to patience, organization, and concern for the future.

In this case, Aquarian revolutions are movements that require time to understand their real significance. Taking the French Revolution as an example, it was only 10 years after its onset that political stability and economic development were achieved when Napoleon Bonaparte staged the coup of 18 Brumaire. This initiated the Napoleonic era, a controversial political regime that brought progress to the country.

Even then, it took decades to fully comprehend what this meant, as Enlightenment ideals inspired numerous other revolutions in the following century, leading to the independence of various American colonies and the establishment of the republican system in many nations. Time is needed to grasp the future envisioned by a period with the strong influence of Aquarius.

What are the predictions for Pluto in Aquarius?

The transit of Pluto in Aquarius, which we are currently experiencing in 2024 and will last until 2044, suggests that we are immersed in another era of profound transformation. Systems in the fields of science and technology, as well as finance and energy sources, may be reconstructed with a more rational, algorithmic, collective, and futuristic approach, especially in the realms of artificial intelligence and discoveries related to outer space.

It is possible that in this next phase of the world, we will witness significant advancements in robotics, genetics, and especially artificial intelligence. In fact, as we observe the things that have already become available to us and are being put into practical use, it will be challenging to imagine something that will not be possible in the next two decades.

The feeling is that there will be no limits to technology and artificial intelligence, and everything will be possible as space exploration knocks at our doors.

 

Artificial intelligence has emerged as one of the main symbols of the early stages of Pluto's transit through Aquarius, making a significant contribution to this correspondence in Astrology.

Moreover, there is a significant emphasis on the potential collective benefit that machines and technology will provide for the improvement of our quality of life. Certain jobs and functions will be performed by robots and other machines, allowing humans to have more time to live rather than just survive.

Furthermore, it is possible that within this period, commercial space travel may become more popular, including the possibility of accommodations in Earth's orbit. Perhaps, in the next 20 years, we might be surprised by the revelation of intelligent and advanced alien life forms… who knows?

Other Pluto transits over the past two centuries

Jan/1900 to Sep/1912 - Gemini
Sep/1912 to Oct/1912 - Cancer
Oct/1912 to Jul/1913 - Gemini
Jul/1913 to Dec/1913 - Cancer
Dec/1913 to May/1914 - Gemini
May/1914 to Oct/1937 - Cancer
Oct/1937 to Nov/1937 - Leo
Nov/1937 to Aug/1938 - Cancer
Aug/1938 to Feb/1939 - Leo
Feb/1939 to Jun/1939 - Cancer
Jun/1939 to Oct/1956 - Leo
Oct/1956 to Jan/1957 - Virgo
Jan/1957 to Aug/1957 - Leo
Aug/1957 to Apr/1958 - Virgo
Apr/1958 to Jun/1958 - Leo
Jun/1958 to Oct/1971 - Virgo
Oct/1971 to Apr/1972 - Libra
Apr/1972 to Jul/1972 - Virgo
Jul/1972 to Nov/1983 - Libra
Nov/1983 to May/1984 - Scorpio
May/1984 to Aug/1984 - Libra
Aug/1984 to Jan/1995 - Scorpio
Jan/1995 to Apr/1995 - Sagittarius
Apr/1995 to Nov/1995 - Scorpio
Nov/1995 to Jan/2008 - Sagittarius
Jan/2008 to Jun/2008 - Capricorn
Jun/2008 to Nov/2008 - Sagittarius
Nov/2008 to Mar/2023 - Capricorn
Mar/2023 to May/2023 - Aquarius
May/2023 to Jan/2024 - Capricorn
Jan/2024 to Sep/2024 - Aquarius
Sep/2024 to Nov/2024 - Capricorn
Nov/2024 to Jan/2044 - Aquarius