If you read my last piece then we will both agree, it had a bleak tone. That is natural astrology, or astrology unvarnished, which is different from new age astrology. Part of the conundrum of the evolutionary ideals of contemporary stellar mechanics is that it must, in some quarters at least, always have a positive tone. This is nonsense, because it ignores the missing component: you. A positive outcome cannot be guaranteed, but your approach to the prevailing conditions will greatly facilitate an increased likelihood of one. What this means in miniature, is that the bleakness of Saturn Pluto is accurate, but you have it in your power to work positively with the energetic signature, even so. This ought to be obvious, since we can control very little. 
Esoterically, we can control nothing beyond our own responses to reality. Once we have stepped up to this appreciation, part of its gift, is that we can attempt to see reality from a number of perspectives, ranging from entirely unconscious, to fully aware. I say ‘attempt’ advisedly because it is not a matter of choice, rather, it is a personal interaction with our own unconsciousness, such that we can only have intention toward greater self-mastery, not mastery itself. It becomes, if you like, a practice. And because we live in a world teeming with individuals struggling with the same conditions and the same unconsciousness, and very often, no intention toward awakening, we must swim within the current of that collective unconsciousness, even if we reject it on its own terms. We might look on with amazement at the spectacle of those who are flailing in the same treacherous current, but we can do nothing about it. The esoteric cipher of Hades is to self-mastery. The fully self-aware human is entirely self-possessed, and, in this regard, they might be a point of stillness in the midst of the maelstrom. This does not lend them external authority, but their inner authority increases their weight in the world. They become like a rock around which the current must flow. In this sense then, it is possible to see that inner mastery does affect outer-mastery and this is the key to awakening.
Here then is the great opportunity of the Saturn-Pluto signature. It is not to change the nature of reality, but in the process of changing oneself via the intention and self-focus of the adept, to become an expression of fortitude and consideration that reality must take account of.
So, when I have said that ‘to fight is to win’ this is the extrapolation of that idea. To fight means to strive, through your intention, to be awake. To make that commitment is to be an adept of the mystery. But it is not mysterious! It is only a mystery because so few grasp it. And so few grasp it because they live in a state of reactivity, whereby most of their energies are expended in a simplistic pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain. This method of living has the advantage of being easy to grasp and it seems judicious, but in truth it is guaranteed to bring only unhappiness. This is simply because one can only live in perpetual anxiety by following such a method. If matters do not resolve to your satisfaction, then life goes badly. Rather have no expectations of life and all will be as it is, and you cannot be disappointed. At this, your only responsibility is to do your best, since you cannot be responsible for the results of your effort and they matter little.
Indeed, if you follow this thread, you will quickly appreciate that your only responsibility to your own soul is to be awake. Everything else are mere baubles and ornaments.
Here then are a few practises that are naturally in alignment with Saturn and Pluto. You can follow these principles in your own work as an adept. Your only requirement is to have the intention to awaken. When you make this decision, reality will begin to adjust and align to support your increasingly conscious objectives.
I. Take responsibility for your inner work.
This means that you should make it your conscious objective to be awake as much as you are able. One way to do this is to become the observer of the world, rather than an unconscious participant. Take a small step back and watch the spectacle. With practise, you will enjoy the spectacle within, as much as the spectacle without!
II. Work at depth.
We live in a world which endorses the glib and the fleeting. Shiny baubles might distract for a short while until the next shiny bauble comes into view, but these are by their nature distractions, not passions. We can bring this ethos to bear in even the most inconsequential of endeavours. We can do the dishes well if we so choose. Try to cultivate a habit of working at depth, even in small ways.
III. Practise kindness.
To be kind is to be tolerant, and these are in short supply where Saturn and Pluto combine. The unconscious exposition of Chronos and Hades is to judge rather than to understand. Conscious kindness is an act of awakening under such blind edicts.
IV. Be aware of alchemy.
Consider the alchemical intention of this combination, literally the transformation of base matter (Saturn’s metal is lead). This is the true esoteric opportunity whereby working with depth transmutes the dense and base material of Saturn into inner light (gold). This meditation provides insight. Dedication and effort are transmuted into freedom.
V. Reframe your difficulty.
As Dante said, “There is no greater sorrow, Than to recall a happy time, When miserable.” The same principle works in reverse, so we can employ this dynamic to develop a greater sense of gratitude. In a world of hardships, it is easy to appreciate our blessings.
VI. Practise abstention.
Cravings are one of the primary manifestations of unconsciousness. Denying yourself, even in a small but conscious way is an act of symbolic awakening. It is as though you strengthen a nascent quality that gives sensory awareness of the totality of your own unconsciousness. That is to say, if you forgo one bad habit, you develop a resistance to all bad habits. This is a homoeopathy of the soul.
VII. Commit to your awakening.
This most of all! Make the conscious decision to be an adept, a student of the mystery. The chances are you are already an adept! But it is also probable that you have not formally acknowledged your commitment to your own self-knowing. Doing so is a powerful magickal device. It is making a compact with your own soul which, via the catalyst of intention, will accelerate your spiritual development beyond its current serendipitous pace. You are taking the power into yourself, rather than being dependent on the signs and markers outside of yourself. You are getting serious about your own transformation, and thus it is an act of enlightened consciousness.
The hard work of Saturn-Pluto, means getting serious about our compulsions, working at depth, becoming conscious, taking responsibility for ourselves, learning self-control making a commitment to personal development and transformation, and ultimately, becoming a student of the hidden world. Be the adept you already are! Blessings.
Leave a Reply