When Pluto, planet of death, transformation and rebirth was discovered in February 1930 in the sign of Cancer, the Western world was in upheaval. The Wall Street financial crash had ruined millions of people and fascism was on the rise in Europe. Scientists were in the early stages of developing the atom bomb and people felt their very survival was under threat. The principle of Pluto is that something infinitesimally small can have an effect out of all proportion to its size.
As Pluto moves through each of the zodiac signs, it challenges the status quo in the area of life relating to that sign, ruthlessly removing outmoded beliefs, systems or institutions. On the 26th of January, 2008, Pluto moved into earth sign Capricorn after twelve years in fire sign Sagittarius and will remain there until 2024. Pluto’s transit through Sagittarius has brought us the Internet and information revolution, international terrorism, the concept of the global village and an awareness of worldwide environmental issues.
Capricorn rules business, work, government, authority and institutions. So what changes do we need to make in these areas of life over the coming decade?The war on terrorism, drugs and immigration has provided an unprecedented opportunity for authorities to remove human rights and freedoms and impose strict controls. National security has become the new mantra - airport searches; ID checks; imprisonment without charge; deportation; travel restrictions and the list goes on. Corporations are imposing ever more unrealistic targets and working conditions on their employees. Many fear further repression and a police state.
I believe there will be a backlash and rebellion against all this control as Pluto moves through Capricorn, with people refusing to conform, leaving the system and insisting on the ethical use of power. Scandals and corruption in government and large corporations will come to light and the reputation of many of our cherished institutions will be tarnished. In fact many old forms of government and ways of doing business are likely to disappear altogether.Those who have been in positions of power and used it wisely will have the opportunity for further success or promotion, while those who have misused power will meet their downfall. We can also expect that an international cross-cultural elite of extremely rich and powerful people will wield enormous influence, with much of this action taking place behind closed doors.
Astrologer Adrian Duncan believes the Shanghai World Financial Center, due for completion in 2008, is a quintessential symbol of the move of Pluto into Capricorn. The design of the super tower mirrors the glyph for Pluto with a circle cradled into a curved V form rising up through its 95 storeys. Duncan believes the Shanghai building also symbolizes the shift of economic power from the West to the East, with the destruction of the New York World Trade Center paving the way. The exporting of jobs from Western countries to Asia has empowered our Eastern neighbors and could easily signify the beginning of the end for life in the West, as we know it.By the time Pluto enters Aquarius in 2023-24, humanitarian concerns will be firmly on the agenda. The doctrine of survival of the fittest will give way to a leveling process. Perhaps we could we create a better, more peaceful world over the next decade by taking personal responsibility and showing that we need fewer rules and regulations from the outside world. As long as we continue to project responsibility onto authorities, the police state will rise to the occasion to provide the discipline we unconsciously desire, keeping us in constant fear and taking away our human rights.
