Pluto in Tropical Capricorn
28: A Return to the U.S. Pluto Degree
1st Pass-
February/March 2022
2nd Pass
(Retrograde)- June/July/August 2022
3rd Pass- December/January
2022/2023
Sidereal Pluto Return-
February 22, 2024
~Fool’s Tower~
by
Felina Lune Kavi
(written
for the 7 squares of Uranus-Pluto, 2012 – 2015)
Freed
from old burdens,
bindings
break down.
False
ideas and bad patterns fall,
bricks
and all, to the ground.
What
was this prison I built tall and stately?
Who
was I then, and who am I lately?
Ruins
of humans where nature once grew…
Learn
from the past and create something new.
Pluto as a Metamorphic Process
Pluto, discovered 92 years ago
by Clyde Tombaugh in Flagstaff, Arizona, is the planet of Collective
Metamorphosis. Essentially, Pluto transits
are processes of development that span many years in the lives of Earthlings. Such metamorphosis is transpersonal in
nature, though it can feel very personal depending on the planets or angles Pluto aspects in your natal chart.
A Pluto transit can also
incline a whole nation into dramatic transformation. While no human lifespan reaches its own Pluto
Return (Pluto has a 247.686 year orbit), nations or empires can reach that
point. Rome went through 2 Pluto Returns
before it fell. England has gone through
3 such transformations. And this is the
1st for the United States.
Because of Pluto’s distance
from Earth, these returns are best understood in an arc of years that spans 10
degrees on either side of the exact conjunction (though, truly, we are in the
thick of it now…from 2020 through 2024).
So, from 2017 to 2028…the U.S. is going through the Pluto process of metamorphic
crisis, challenging our country toward a renaissance if we can rid ourselves of
some of our systemic, underlying toxicity.
We could even feel the first
rumblings of our social, economic, and political structures breaking down when
Pluto first entered Saturn’s earth sign of Capricorn in 2008. And our elders/ancestors felt the long,
grueling strain of the half-return (when Pluto was in Cancer) during the Dust
Bowl and the Great Depression. At each
turn of its cycle, Pluto challenges us to ‘live through this crisis and thrive
through renewal’.
Pluto deals with the sometimes
very dark truths lurking below the surface of our awareness…often the secrets
we’d rather keep hidden so they won’t destroy us (or our reputation). Of course, many times it destroys us from the
inside out when we hide the truth. So as
our country goes through its Pluto Return Rite of Passage, the tight control
that has kept our nation’s dirty secrets mostly guarded (usually through
cover-ups, scapegoating, deflections, or carefully timed and planned distractions)
are spilling forth from apertures in the dark underbelly of all our structures. Even when our attention is directed outside
our borders to vilify others, it can’t stop the shadows from leaking out here.
Pluto and the Wars for Wealth
and Resources
Large-scale power plays to
assume or regain control are often a theme during these times. In the closing square of our 1st
Pluto cycle (when Pluto was in Libra), NATO’s Able Archer war scare of 1983
brought the Cold War dangerously close to full-blown nuclear war. Able Archer was an exercise that simulated
nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The
Soviets genuinely feared that this was a prelude to an actual U.S. first
strike, and prepared to preempt it.
Fast forward to recent news,
and preemptive measures between Russia and U.S./NATO have once again fanned the
flames of war. On February 21st,
Russia recognized the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk
People’s Republic as independent states (on the eastern border of
Ukraine). On the 22nd, Biden
said he believes Russia’s latest deployment into these areas foreshadows a
larger war and announced new sanctions that would target two Kremlin-backed
banks and restrict Russia’s government from trading its debt on Western finance
markets. Biden also promised to impose
sanctions on Russia’s elite and their families, as well as authorize the
deployment of troops and equipment to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (three
former Soviet republics that are now members of NATO). And since the 24th, Ukraine is now
under full-blown attack from Russian forces invading from the South, East, and
North. Putin has made it clear that
there would be ‘catastrophic consequences’ if Western leaders intervened to
help Ukraine, which poses the threat of Russia using its substantial nuclear arsenal. At the moment, it appears that Ukraine is
left to fight alone in this battle although they are seriously outmatched.
Where all of this is heading
and how much more involved the U.S. will become, we (the people) really don’t
know. Under the Pluto Effect, there are
always much deeper motivations and plans at work that are hidden from the
public and left out of corporate media coverage…long-running power dynamics
that lead to consequences that intensify situations and impose both economic
and psychological damage on the people of the countries involved.
What this particular part of
the discussion should be about is what the people of the Ukraine want and need,
without being influenced by the desires of superpowers outside (and now also
invading) their borders. However, this
whole piece is to focus on the U.S. Pluto Return. So it’s important to note that as far as the escalation
of this conflict goes…the U.S. desires for domination of wealth and resources has
played an equally significant role to Russia’s same desires. And, sadly, the Ukrainian
people have been caught in the middle of this long-standing tug-o-war.
The mutual vilification of
Western Superpowers and Eastern Superpowers, as well as the front of the Savior
Archetype to justify interventions from both sides, is a very old game. In our country, corporate media propagandists
paint the picture like Russia is the only one to blame for what is happening. To be sure, the Russian military responses to
the threats of an encroaching West are of open, blatant blame. But little is mentioned in our country of the
U.S. strategies, aided by the International Monetary Fund, that seek to open
Ukrainian markets to foreign investors so that giant, multinational
corporations can control their economy.
Pressed to integrate with the
Western economy, a previous Ukrainian president (Yanukovych) decided in 2013
to restart economic negotiations with Russia instead. Months later, he was ousted in the Maidan
Revolution which was supported by the U.S. through the National Endowment for
Democracy (which is dedicated to installing and defending U.S. friendly regimes
worldwide).
There is much more to all of
this, but the point is that neither of the superpowers most heavily involved in
Ukrainian affairs truly care about the Ukrainian people. The U.S. government, just like the Russian government, is only concerned
with their own economic and power advancements.
What is likely is that these
are just the beginning stages of a war with a long game that U.S. and its
allies are already prepared to fight. Perhaps they're giving some time to
ensure that Putin looks like the sole aggressor so that the West can bank on that savior role? But big as this all is
right now, it is really only one part of what the U.S. will be embroiled in
during these Pluto Return times.
Pluto in the 2nd
House of the U.S. Birth Chart
What we can glean from the
Astrology of the U.S. birth chart is that much of this Pluto process we’re in (and
have been in) has a lot to do with a large-scale metamorphosis in our traditional
structures around money, resources, and values (Capricorn Pluto Retrograde in
the 2nd House). What comes to
pass through the Pluto Return of a nation is that key components of its
foundation must die to be restructured or reformed.
Though much of the structure
of our U.S. government was modeled after the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois
Confederacy) Great Law of Peace, powerkeeping was more important than
peacekeeping to the white, male landowners/slaveowners who made up the
government in those days. For example,
the Haudenosaunee were matrilineal…but women were left out of the vote at the
founding of the U.S. government (and for a long time after). So, one of the great pillars of the earliest
American democracy…the Council of Grandmothers (Clan Mothers)…was conveniently
left out of the white man’s version of democracy that has carried us through a
whole Pluto cycle since. And, of course,
slavery went against the very foundation of the Great Law of Peace…but that was
conveniently overlooked as well.
Inequality and slavery are woven into our original foundation, even with
constitutional amendments added later. Both
are systemic, and tearing us apart from the inside out. As such, it is something we must keep
revisiting and addressing until we can fully release the toxicity of it…something
that a Pluto Return process inclines us to do.
Pluto Opposing U.S. Mercury
Also prominent in the U.S.
chart is Mercury Retrograde in 8th House Cancer opposite our Pluto
Retrograde in 2nd House Capricorn.
The two retrogrades signify that these planets promise some revision and
‘clean-up work’ for our nation to do over time.
The opposition indicates that there is tension between these energies in
our foundation, and that a balance between them is necessary to maintain. The houses where these planets reside show
the areas of life where this revision and maintenance is needed (2nd=
House of Resources/Values/Money/Possessions, and 8th= House of
Shared Resources/Inheritance/Power Dynamics).
And while the U.S. Pluto has to do with our deeper (often hidden)
motivations, the dark underbelly of our societal foundations, and the soul
crises that urge us to transform…the U.S. Mercury has to do with how we think,
communicate, and engage in commerce.
If we, as a nation, were on
the higher end of the spectrum of how this opposition could present itself…we
might find more value in the sustainability of renewable resources (Pluto/2nd
House/Capricorn) and balance this with thoughtful, caring commerce practices that
share such resources amongst the many families that make up the voice of our
people (Mercury/8th House/ Cancer).
However, we seem to have some more retrograde revision to do in that
respect.
The current transformation brought
on by Pluto revisiting this Mercury-Pluto opposition of the U.S. is emphasizing
a strain on resources and commerce as well as media control and thought control
through propaganda. It challenges the
voice of the people to stop bickering amongst ourselves and re-establish our common bonds (Mercury in Cancer) so that we can be heard in our full power,
demanding real change (Pluto in Capricorn) for the generations of descendants
who will follow us.
Can we, the people, reach such
consensus in what needs to change so our country can be rebirthed in these
years? The Haudenosaunee structure advised
continued communication with each other in Council until consensus was reached…as
unanimous consensus amongst everyone in the confederacy (not just distinguished
members, and not just men) was central to their decision-making process. And their ideas of democracy are just as
integral to U.S. foundations as the moral lack from what was left out of our own
version of their constitution.
Not just Pluto, but also Neptune
This Pluto effect on the U.S. is
also joined by Pisces Neptune’s opposition with the U.S. natal Neptune in
Virgo. Neptune is the planet of
Collective Mystification, and a myriad of deception and smoke-and-mirrors
tactics are part of the way this whole time period is being handled on a large
scale. The only thing definite in this
time is a national resistance to the necessary transformation that must occur
through such Pluto crises…and we’ve already been witnessing what the last
strong-arm grasps of control to failing systems looks like in our country.
Ah, but Neptune isn’t simply
about making everything confusing or deceptive.
It just tends to be how big government works with Neptunian energy. It’s also that which blends seemingly
disparate parts into a whole…the notion that All is One…and is essentially a
creative and spiritual process supporting this Pluto metamorphosis we’ve been
moving through. Neptune energy may not
have a lot of definition in our more rational ways of viewing ourselves or the
world, but it invites us to connect with the ineffable to dream new ways into
being.
The whole combination of the
U.S. Pluto Return with the U.S. Neptune opposition can be seen in one of my
favorite processes of transformation…the metamorphosis from Caterpillar to
Butterfly. I mention it often in my
writings, as it is an apt metaphor for the kind of changes the outer planets
incline in our world. Like Pluto, the
whole process of that dramatic change is guided by Natural Law. The Caterpillar grows and grows as an avid
consumer of leaves…until it cannot consume anymore. Then it dances into its Chrysalis stage and
dissolves…nothing left of the Caterpillar structure but an indistinguishable
pool of goo, really.
Does the Caterpillar fight it? Oh yes, with every cell that identifies as
Caterpillar. But, as Natural Law goes,
the process is a must.
And then, after what appears
to be certain death (Pluto)…the imaginal cells (Neptune) take over and create
the new structure we call Butterfly. The
being is transformed from a pudgy, crawling consumer of convenience into a
lightened, winged nectar-sipper with a seemingly impossible journey ahead. Once fully-formed, the Butterfly breaks free
of the Chrysalis of Transformation, strengthens its new wings, then flies from
everything it previously knew…taking in the sweetness of life as a new being
with renewed purpose.
If we can remember this metaphor
throughout this whole process our country is going through, it may help us along
our way.
Why Are We Expressing Such Aggressive
Resistance?
There is another key component
to this process. The U.S. Mars in 7th
House Gemini is in a dynamic square with Neptune and a bi-quintile with
Pluto. It is the square aspect to both
transiting Neptune in Pisces and the U.S. natal Neptune in Virgo where we are
feeling the most stress. This pattern
puts our Mars at the apex of a T-square between the Neptune opposition, making
it very hard for us (and our government) to imagine what the ‘imaginal cells’
can actually do for us. A stressed-out
Mars going through massive changes can become extremely aggressive in fighting
against whatever arises to challenge us toward change.
In the 7th House,
the House of Others/Partnerships (sometimes even ‘Open Enemies’), we may be
inclined toward aggressive fighting with anyone who appears as ‘Other’…reacting
in ways that further separate ourselves from ‘the villain’ who threatens our American
existence. It may appear to be an
outsider, or even someone close who has differing views…but remember, this
process is as internal as it is in the chrysalis. These fights with ‘others’ that play out
through this process are really us at war with ourselves (the Caterpillar
fighting the Butterfly, hoping to avoid Death).
But the Mars-Pluto bi-quintile
(a 5th Harmonic aspect of 144 degrees) promises an advantage through
resourcefulness. Such a highly active
Mars is motivated toward necessary action, so we it's likely we will ultimately do what needs
to be done to transform…even if the first stages of it continue to bring about
heated conflict, destruction, and death.
I wish I could say it could be
a peaceful unfolding toward renaissance…but the very nature of Pluto dynamics brings
us into our Underworld to become through crisis. At some point within the next few years, our
country will have to surrender to necessary changes.
Pluto in Capricorn 28
Sabian Symbol: ‘A large aviary’
Spoonbills at Omaha Zoo's 4-acre Aviary
The symbol of the U.S. Pluto
evokes imagery of a large community of birds of many types, shapes, colors, and
preferences…all living together in relative (and very communicative)
harmony. As such, learning the
transformative value of community and common welfare is integral to the collective
soul urge of our country’s Pluto degree.
The U.S. people inherently
feel community as being able to express and network their individuality in ways
that support the group (U.S. Moon in 3rd House Aquarius). There is a subtle opportunity to integrate
this into our transformation, as the U.S. Moon is in a semi-sextile (30
degrees) with the U.S. Pluto.
It is our diversity, not our
sameness, that allows us to thrive through the many crises of dramatic
change. But there is also a necessary
understanding in this to be reached…that every individual contribution affects
the whole. In communing with each other
to bring about some much-needed change in our country (because the U.S. metamorphosis
will come from US), we need not manipulate or coerce each other toward
sameness. We must, instead, uplift each
other in our diversity and show our government that we can, and will, work
together to achieve the truest and deepest meaning of ‘United States’.
Love and Gratitude,
Felina Lune Kavi
P.S. If you have any planets, angles, or other
significant points in your natal chart on or near the 28th degree of
Capricorn (as I do with my Midheaven), this U.S. Pluto Return may have very
personally transformative lessons for you (even if you are not from the
U.S.). If you have something in the last
degrees of the other Cardinal signs (Cancer, Aries, or Libra), you’ve likely been
feeling the push for dramatic change too.
