Outer planet transits: Christmas or crisis?

Surveying the aftermath of the Pluto transit...
Surveying the aftermath of the Pluto transit…

Transits are no big mystery. Even an arc or progression is simply a transit writ large on the life story and the transit itself, regardless of magnitude, is simply an opportunity to experience an ongoing evolution of nativity. Put another way, a transit is only an opportunity for experience, one that you weren’t born with, and one that you will handle no doubt, with reference to the placement of those transiting energies in your own astrology. This means, fundamentally that if you have a Mars Pluto square, then difficult transits of Mars to Pluto will not be nearly so brutal for you as they would for the person who has no Mars Pluto contact in their astrology, simply because you have experience. By the same token, the individual who has transformed Plutonic themes in their life has really been such grist for the mill that they can actually weather Hades’ worst excesses, if not with aplomb, then at least with a measure of dignity. In the case of Pluto, or indeed any of the outer planets, transits are astoundingly profound providing the native is alive to them and any measure of evolvement is enormously beneficial in living through them. Awareness, particularly self-awareness, is invaluable in this study.

Let us consider the three principles: Uranus, which shatters the crystallised forms, Neptune which dissolves and nebulises and Pluto which intensifies unto death; these are all very fundamental principles, difficult to examine and analyse; very often it is weeks or months later before we can see with any clarity what has happened. However, there is a common thread to all of these principles, they operate in very different ways of course, but fundamentally, they all promote change and growth, or they will damage you in the process.

Uranus first. Here is the principle of crystallisation, Uranus makes brittle and shiny, it is like a bright shell in quality and it is tied up in that sense with ego-formation, since it governs individuation, a crucial component of the ego; thus when we are different we are set apart. The impetus of Uranus then is to individuate, and we set off on that path and reach a point where we think “aha! Now I am a person of quality and difference, others will notice me, I shall stop here because I’m all done.” But Uranus won’t have that, because individuation evolves, our difference of yesterday loses its shine today, so we are forced through some shattering process to reinvent our individuality, to reassess and reconfigure. That is Uranus.

Now Neptune who does almost the opposite of Uranus and dissolves rather than crystallises; he takes away structure and forces us to confront the numinous and actually to find the value in it. We need to learn to respond to that small sense of value here, it is no good to say that we will create things of greatness, because where Neptune is configured we have to give up, let go and trust in a higher and less tangible Universe. Neptune speaks to the lilies of the field and not kings in high castles, so if you are able to work with that then you have a chance, otherwise, just watch it all slip away…

And finally, the toughest of the lot, the lord of darkness. Pluto is the most powerful and implacable impetus of them all, although I have a mind to Orcus right now which is at the very least interesting. Pluto says, “you know that one aspect of your life that is the most resistant to change? Well, brace yourself, because I’m going to kick the crap out of it until you give it up.” There’s no subtlety to Pluto, even if it is very, very deep. Inexorably, without mercy or respite, Hades destroys the concepts, values, beliefs and structures of our world until they are dust.

Very quickly though you will see this outer planet theme. They all do more or less the same job albeit utilising markedly differing approaches. At the end of a tough transit of any of Uranus, Neptune or Pluto, we are left with a new paradigm to contemplate. If the cycle is complete and we have worked with it, then we will undoubtedly be in some sense enriched by the experience and even if that enrichment feels like a dubious gift, it is still a thing of value.

Now, nowhere is this more true than a transit to any of the four major angles of the nativity. A transit of Pluto to the Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven or Imum Coeli is so markedly powerful and affective that it simply cannot be placed in the same context of a house transit or even a planetary contact. This is an understanding that is borne out time and again. Indeed, as I write this Pluto is stationary and peregrine on the IC of my own astrology calling for a radical transformation of those issues relating to family, roots, childhood and so forth. My deepest origins are being made over. It will be the same for any contact of any of the outers by mundane transit to any of the angles, or by progression or arc as well, more so in fact. Progressions of Pluto by arc to the angles will have a once in a lifetime effect, and there is usually great upheaval in that especially since the natural inclination is to resist. You cannot resist that force, it will kill you in the attempt.

Now on the one hand, you ought to be rightly nervous about these kinds of applications, because they are never going to be easy, but on the other, when you are an astrologer you cannot really say that you didn’t see it coming. I was well aware that I have this incredible transformational opportunity looming in my life for quite some time and please note the language I employ here. I understand in theory more or less exactly how these contacts ought to work, I understand esoterically (if you like) what they are calling for and why they are calling for it, so I do not have the excuse of confusion and non-preparation. That is the lot of the astrologer. Fundamentally, for the ill-prepared however, the immediacy and upheaval of a major outer-planet transit to one of the angles will inevitably have this flavour of crisis to it. If you cannot see the destination point then absolutely it will have all the appearance of a leap in the darkness, thus it becomes risky, ill-prepared, poorly conceived and just a little irrational. If on the other hand you see the necessity for transformation then it becomes a different creature altogether, it is nothing more than a catalyst for evolution; something the adept welcomes and (respectfully) embraces. Whether the transit is from Uranus, Neptune or Pluto too, is hardly relevant except to determine something of the manner of the transformational push: the point is the impetus to change, not the manner of it, even if subjectively some transformations are going to be less painful than others. Uranus for example is scarily abrupt, quick and sudden, while Pluto takes his time, grinding everything down to the smallest granules…

As an astrologer, outer planet transits to the angles are a no-brainer. They will be felt, they will be major and they will alter the landscape irreversibly, but once it is all done with, you will be closer to yourself than ever before, and that is how the system was designed to work.

So don’t fight it.

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14 thoughts on “Outer planet transits: Christmas or crisis?

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  1. This piece is awesome and quite germaine for me with Pluto, having just turned Direct, now crossing my MC for the third and last time, and right on top of it as I write this. I am still not sure what it is all about, I feel that there still must be more than I have seen so far, but I am certainly changing lots of things, and then just watching, asking for messages from the Divine, and receiving same.

  2. Well, our houses are reversed in that case Alison, so I have more than a passing interest in your Pluto transit. You have MC at 28.31 Sag right? NN is stationary there too, looks like you’re assimilating now and that has to be very profound. I would guess it’s out of your hands, destiny has a part to play. And the MC ruler, Ju con. Ur in Cancer says that you will find your vocation abroad.
    Wow, your houses are an exact reversal of mine, 27 Pi/Vi Asc. I have 27 Vi/Pi Asc.
    Cool.

  3. I ahve just changed country (from South America back to my native Ireland, a change I never planned to make), changed lifestyle (I lived in a commune for 25 years, now going it alone) changed element (used to live in the Andes, now in a boat on the sea) changed many modes of being (was useless at making a home, now love doing it). It took me a while to spot what planetary movement in my chart symbolised all this radical change, then finally noticed, solar arc pluto going over the IC. I’ve done a few thousand charts in my time and always noticed the the transit of Pluto to the IC is possibly the biggest transit there is, hadn’t reckoned on the progression though. But now I respect it. I would be interested in others opinions of whether the secondary progressions are similiar to transits in their power and strength to change everything? Thank you for your writings, Chirotic.
    Anne

    1. Thanks Anne, I concur.
      Pluto is conjunct my IC today (at 14:27), it’s the 5th pass for me, and the final one. My Moon is at the midpoint of the MC/Asc, so it’s a crazy transit for me: Pl conjunct IC, square Asc, Ssq Moon, no wonder my life has been utterly bonkers for the last year.

      Solar Arc directions to the angles are astoundingly profound and always correspond to major life events; it’s so accurate that you can rectify with sincere confidence on the basis of it. Secondary Progressions I believe are also relevant, but of course, aside from Sun and Moon, (and maybe Mercury/Venus) the day for a year system becomes too slow for meaningful analysis.

  4. a much belated thank you for this.

    timely, i think, to become interested in astrology (well, more interested) in time to settle in for pluto moving through my 7th house. a literal death that coincided with pluto exactly conjunct my descendant seems to have been the catalyst-bomb for relationship upheaval and subsequent deep digging to initiate house-cleaning.

    and a segue of sorts as pluto will soon enough be trining my moon (conjunct pluto) and sextiling my sun (conjunct neptune) as it pulls and pushes me into my 50’s.

    wheeee.

    1. Well Bob, that won’t be remotely easy, I salute your resolve.
      Plus you have a Chiron return imminent, and that’s quite an opportunity for a committed seeker 🙂

  5. Thanks so much for your insights. I love the precision of your language! This phrase especially – Pluto crossing an angle says “I’m going to kick the crap out of it until you give it up”…..I had this experience when Pluto crossed my AC a few years ago.

    Natally i have Pluto in the 10th in tight square to the AC, & I also have Facies exactly conjunct AC.

    First my partner was killed & died without a will. Then a business contact in a powerful position took advantage of this, & set me up in a nasty legal situation. He then used insider trading to gain 3 million worth of my assets, including my cherished house. At the end i couldn’t even get my belongings or animals out. My reputation was unfairly trashed in the media. I ended up completely broke & homeless. Then my much loved brother was killed….
    I can only thank the gods that Pluto can only transit my AC once! Your description of Pluto intensifying the pressure in a relentless grinding motion until something breaks or dies is very very accurate!
    The experience however has radically changed the way i view the world, has given me the time to study astrology seriously & made me much more aware of myself….

  6. Hello and thank-you for this article. The outer planet conjunctions of 2020 ie: Pluto/Saturn, and Pluto/Jupiter fall within a degree of my descendant at 22*53 Capricorn. The Saturn/jupiter conjunction of december that year also falls exactly opposite my saturn – also within a degree, AND Uranus conjuncts my Midheaven 3 times that year also. So I have been keenly reading as much as I can regarding outer planet transits to angles as I feel BIG changes are afoot!!! I better practice my duck and roll, or just hold on tight & welcome whatever comes!!!

  7. Such a wonderful post ! I’m coming towards the end of the simultaneous transit of Pluto across my DSC with a tight square to my 10th house natal moon, while Neptune is transiting my MC. I am so grateful that a few years ago I decided to take my astrology studies seriously (when uranus entered taurus/11th house) because the understanding it has given me has allowed me to hang onto my sanity, dignity and sense of humour through a period of profound emotional and social isolation, and a lack of life purpose. As I reach the end of this transit my view of the world, life and myself has shifted radically, and it feels like a total upgrade! I no longer need to rely on my old coping mechanisms, or the support of others because I feel content exactly how and where I am, and I feel at home in my own skin. The external things that were ‘taken’ from me are starting to return in newer and healthier forms that I can connect with on a much deeper level. In many ways it has been a wonderful experience by I’m VERY relieved this is a once in a lifetime experience !!!

    1. That sounds fantastic, astrology is a very useful tool for developing some dignity in the face of life’s assaults!

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