Pluto is a most challenging energy in the lives of the majority of us. It is the agent of death, whether this is the death of desire (Pluto in Scorpio), the death of our attachment to form (Pluto in Taurus), or the total death and surrender of the lower self as it merges with and offers its life to the Soul (Pluto in Pisces). The Earth and the focus of our life on the material plane of existence through our physical body and its senses, represents the exact polarity to Pluto. It is through the physical world that our attachments to our desires are the greatest and our emotional illusions are the strongest. These attachments, these desires, and these illusions crystallize within the structure of our personality and the three bodies (vehicles) of its expression: the physical, emotional, and mental.


Pluto is a First Ray planet. As such, it is very connected to the destructive powers in the Cosmos. Pluto is Shiva, Lord of Death and Yama, King of the Underworld. Yet Pluto is not merciless, in fact, he is a much kinder and more benevolent Being than many of us imagine. The First Ray is known as the Ray of Will/Power. But our solar system is a Second Ray organism and as such, expresses Love/Wisdom as its primary quality and essence. Thus the First Ray in our solar system is the Will-to-Love and the Power of Wisdom! The Second Ray always gives a person another chance, another "go" at life, still another incarnation in which to work towards the perfection of Self. Thus, we have inherent in the nature of Pluto and death and destruction a very important element--regeneration, resurrection, reincarnation. Pluto says in effect: "I will wipe you out and destroy you but only so that you have another, better chance at Love and Wisdom. My process may not be the kindest but the results of this process will bring you closer to the Doors of Heaven." Pluto may bring change and temporary darkness but it can never destroy consciousness! On the contrary, the work of Pluto and the First Ray is to free the individual so that he or she may become more closely in touch with the consciousness aspect of life--the Soul. Thus Pluto, in spite of his reputation, is not such a bad guy after all!


The breaking down and detachment from forms, especially on physical and emotional levels, is very painful for most of us earthlings. Indeed, the process of detachment from the glamour of the personality is very much at the core of the Path of Discipleship, a Path that in its very core nature is ruled by the sign Scorpio and thus intimately connected with the energies of Pluto. It is Pluto that brings one to the realization that "I am the resurrection and the Life:" But this birthing and rebirthing process is not an easy one and we usually resist and fear it fiercely.


In order to go through each trial and test, in order to keep one's feet firmly planted on the Path, the pathwalker needs to develop Spiritual Will. This requires the incorporation of the First Ray as a conscious instrument of our lives. Will/Power comes as a result of engaging in the proper battles for Light and losing those personality-centered battles which are not essential to the life of the soul. This comes about through the experiences learned upon the "battlefield"! Thus Pluto is the personality-centered co-ruler of Scorpio, as it serves to bring about the many deaths and transformations (which I like to call our "minicarnations"), associated with this sign and the Path in general.


Aspects between Pluto and the other planets in the natal chart are very significant as they point to life situations that are very much characterized by the need to transform and refine the energies of the other planets involved. The natal house position of Pluto reveals where a person is most likely to receive the most intense lessons of transformation and regeneration (7th house through relationships, 9th house through higher studies and travel, 10th house through career, etc.). The house that Pluto rules exoterically (Scorpio cusp house) tells us what area of one's life needs this transformational process the most (Scorpio rising people take note!). The house that Pluto rules esoterically (Pisces house cusp), tells us where the redemptive life situations that lead to a greater fusion of the lower and higher selves may be found.[1]


Pluto and the Sun: The combination of these First and Second Ray planets allow for the constant renewal and regeneration of Love/Wisdom. The regular cyclic nature of the crises of reorientation teaches a person about the Right Use of Will. The conjunction is most powerful in this respect, no other aspect gives such wonderful (and powerfully intense!) opportunities for the shaping of the will by the power of love. The sextile and trine (hereafter referred to as the "+ aspects") makes the realization of the true intent of these crises easier to see and to bear. The square and the opposition ("- aspects"), exact a greater price for such realizations. Those areas of the personality which require regeneration and transformation are far more entrenched karmically (especially when in the fixed signs) and are thus harder to uproot and regenerate. In all instances, Pluto/Sun aspects give a strong catalystic quality to one's life but the question remains: Is the urge for will/power oriented towards the goals of the personality or the soul?


Pluto/Moon: The past, one's "biological karma" comes under scrutiny when Pluto is in contact with the Moon. Will/Power comes in contact with the need for greater harmony (Luna's Fourth Ray quality) through one's urge to nurture and protect. But is it the lower self that we are seeking to preserve and sustain or are we working to bring the nourishment of the soul into the life of the personality? Detachment from non-regenerative, emotional habit patterns must be achieved so that a greater fluidity between the soul and the personality is possible, situations made much easier with the (+) aspects between these two planets. Pluto/Moon aspects tell us that there has to be a break from the past or at the very least, in the case of the (+) aspects, that the past must be made into a flexible and useful tool for the purposes of the higher life. The (-) aspects and the conjunction (hereafter written as "c"), will evoke fear and resistance each time a break with the past is required. Sometimes, such breaks have to be done under rather ruthless, emotional conditions. When functioning on the level of the soul, all Pluto/Moon aspects bring a certain degree of magnetic healing power into one's life. The (-) aspects when functioning on the level of the personality however, magnetize the life force into difficult emotional situations that must be healed.


Pluto/Mercury: A powerful combination that seeks to create transformations in the mind so that the mental vehicle may be more receptive to the unfolding of the Path. Pluto will function to destroy those ideas in the personality that need to be regenerated so that the mind works on increasingly more collective levels. The lessons here have to do with detachment from personality-centered opinions and ways of thinking. The (-) aspects, especially in the fixed signs, can create mental fixations and obsessions--mental blocks that have been firmly crystallized in past incarnations and which definitely inhibit the fluid passage of mental energy from the higher to the lower mind. The (+) aspects, show that the possibility for this interplay and interchange of mental substance is much more easily available and that the First Ray and Fourth Ray energies are blending in order to produce a more harmonious mental expression. All aspects of Pluto and Mercury give a powerful mental force, one which is very capable of changing other people's ideas. In the case of a personality-centered person, this will be for manipulative purposes: "Think as I think and then you will do as I want you to do." On the soul level, these aspects create opportunities to break down thoughts on those collective, social levels that inhibit the evolution of humanity in general.


Pluto/Venus: The opportunity is present to break down all patterns of relationship that prevent the greater unifying possibilities of Venus' light. The Fifth Ray combines with the First in order to produce possibilities for the Law of Right Human Relations to evolve and enter into the collective consciousness. This can be done through the refinement and right use of economic and social resources. The (-) aspects acting on the level of the personality give rise to selfishness and material and often sexual abuse. But these same (-) aspects working out in the life of soul-centered individual, indicates the potential to bring resolution into some very disturbing relationship challenges. In this respect, the magnetic power inherent in any Pluto/Venus combination results in the ability to sustain the tensions that always arise during the course of any facet of transformative and regenerational work. The (+) aspects give one a propensity for finding hidden values within the substance of relationship. In more esoteric terms, this allows one to impregnate one's relationships (whether to people or to matter) with greater spiritual, creative possibilities.


Pluto/Earth: The ability to uncover hidden resources on the material plane for spiritual purposes is available to a soul-centered person with this combination of planetary influences. Pluto/Earth combinations also permit the intensification and focus of Will/Power in order to accomplish one's dharma-- one's spiritual responsibilities in the present incarnation. The (+) aspects allow for the elimination or transformation of the lower forces of the personality which stand in the Way. The (c) or (-) aspects can create a conflict in the use of the will (First Ray of Pluto) upon the mind (Third Ray of the Earth) to create the correct forms for one's spiritual work. This usually manifests in one of two ways: either as a distinct urge to manipulate earthly resources for personal gains or as a block in the ability to shape the things of the Earth for the purposes of the soul.


Pluto/Mars: As one can easily imagine, the blending of the esoteric and exoteric rulers of Scoprio leads to a very powerful set of aspects. When on the soul level, the (+) contacts between these two bodies allow for a distinct sense of devotion (Mars and the Sixth Ray) to the battles necessary for the transformation of the lower self. Depending on the level of soul develiopment, this can extend itself into fighting for the highest good of humanity and the conscious sacrifice of the desires of the personality in the process. Such battles can only lead to the spiritual growth of the "Spiritual Warrior". When active from the level of the personality and especially when in the (-) aspects, there is a tendency to stimulate the will to overpower others and allign them to the will of the personality. A dangerous plan and proceedure! Even when manifesting from the level of the soul, the (-) aspects point to the need to fight the "right battle" as much energy can be dissipated or locked up in either in wars within the nature of the lower self, or in the desire to create transformation in situations that greatly resist being transformed. The spiritual possibilities of the (c) are very great as it intensifies the urge to fuse the lower and higher selves so that the energies of the solar plexus come under the direct influence of the crown chakra. Few people are capable nowadays of living up to this potential, but it is there for those who seek it.


Pluto/Jupiter: Strong combinations of these planets indicate a person who will strive to birth, transform, and expand upon the spiritual concepts in people's minds and hearts. When in the (-) in the life of a soul-centered individual, this will be done rather forcefully through the conscious destruction of previously established patters of belief. In a personality-centered person, there will be the urge to replace other people's beliefs with one's own no matter what the cost. The (c) indicates a deep pool of resources stored in the Higher Mind, ready for release into the affairs of the present incarnation. The (+) aspects embody all the positive qualities mentioned above but the experienes communicating and sharing one's higher visions are much easier to exteriorize.


Pluto/Saturn: The primary function of this combination is to destroy those mental blocks and barriers that inhibit the construction of the form for soul expression in the outer life. This is the efects that the First Ray has when combined with the Third Ray as expressed through Saturn. We should keep in mind that the Third Ray rules the abstract mind and as "energy follows thought", manifestation on the Earth (the other Third Ray planet) will occur in accordance to how we use the combination of First and Third Ray energies in our life. The (-) aspects reveal tensions in release or resistance to this important destructive process. The (+) aspects allow for the ease of release as well as the regeneration of these inhibiting structures. The (c) is very intense as it holds the seeds for what must be built or rebuilt in the future. During the entire intial phase of reconstruction in Europe and Asia after World War II, Saturn and Pluto were conjoined in Leo


Pluto/Uranus: Those individual born during the last (c) of these planets (August 1962-June 1969 in the sign Virgo) are very much involved in the dynamic creation of new forms of technological inventions for the advancement of society. Yet in their own lives there is an incredible restlessness in order to seek perfection in the use of their own creative tools. Pluto/Uranus combines the energies of the First and Seventh Rays. This leads to what one could call "innovative synthesis", using the tools, products, processes, and inventions already available to us but in ways which innovate, refine, and expand their usefulness. The (+) aspects represent the urge to transform previous social structures and archetypes into new social patterns while the (-) aspects reveal a life in which large scale social conflicts will play an important role in one's spiritual evolution and soul purpose (especially if Libra is an important influence in the life). Social reformation is a facet of all Pluto/Uranus aspects.


Pluto/Neptune: The only major aspect between these two planets to take place in this century is the sextile which appears in the horoscopes of the great majority of people born between 1943 and 1998. This combination produces an harmonious link between the Rays of Will/Power and Devotion. As Pluto sextile Neptune adds to the healing and transformational orientation of humanity, we can say that in the lives of soul-centered individuals, Pluto/Neptune manifests as the Will-to-Serve.





Alan Oken offers a complete line of astrological services plus a wide assortment of metaphysical and astrological lectures and workshops on cassette tape. His books, including "Soul-Centered Astrology" are also available. To contact Alan Oken and to obtain a free catalog of his products and services, please write to: P.O. Box 5574, Santa Fe NM 87502 or e-mail: alanoken@worldnet.att.net