Pluto In Capricorn | Unveiling Hidden Truths
As Pluto makes its final journey through Capricorn from September 1st to November 19th of this year, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. And no, I’m not talking about the US Election, this is about Pluto in Capricorn and the astrological impact this has had on us since 2008. Named after the Roman god of the underworld, Pluto governs the hidden forces that shape our lives and the world around us. Its influence is profound, touching everything that lies beneath the surface and demanding that we face the truths we often avoid.
In mythology, Pluto (known as Hades in Greek mythology) ruled over the underworld, a realm where souls journeyed after death and where hidden treasures were kept. As the god of the underworld, Pluto’s domain was one of darkness and unseen riches, symbolizing both the end and the beginning of cycles. His energy is about destruction and rebirth, revealing the hidden aspects of life that must be transformed.
In astrology, Pluto embodies these themes of death and rebirth, power, and transformation. It represents the shadow side of our psyche—the unconscious forces that drive us, our deepest fears, our hidden desires, and the parts of ourselves that we often keep buried. Pluto’s energy is not gentle; it’s about stripping away the superficial to reveal the core truths. This planet’s slow, intense transits through the zodiac have the power to dismantle and rebuild, bringing deep, irreversible change.
Pluto takes about 15 to 20 years to move through each zodiac sign, making its transits long-lasting and impactful. Unlike the faster-moving planets that influence daily life, Pluto’s movements bring about generational changes, affecting society at large and marking significant periods of transformation. When Pluto transits a sign, it amplifies the themes of that sign, forcing a confrontation with the hidden and the repressed, ultimately leading to profound shifts.
When Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008, it signaled the start of a period focused on restructuring power, authority, and societal structures. Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, is an earth sign associated with discipline, responsibility, ambition, and the structures that support society, such as governments, corporations, and institutions. Capricorn’s symbol, the Sea Goat—a mythical creature with the head of a goat and the tail of a fish—captures the duality of this sign: the grounded ambition of the goat and the deep, emotional wisdom of the fish.
Pluto’s transit through Capricorn has been about exposing the flaws and weaknesses in these structures. Much like Pluto’s mythological role as the ruler of the underworld, this transit has forced us to dig deep, uncovering corruption, inefficiency, and outdated practices that have been hidden beneath the surface. It has revealed the unsustainable foundations of our institutions and called for a rebuilding based on integrity, transparency, and truth.
During this period, we have witnessed significant events that align with these themes—financial crises, political upheavals, and a growing awareness of systemic corruption and inequality. Pluto in Capricorn has been about tearing down what no longer works and making way for new, more sustainable structures.
As Pluto approaches the 29th degree of Capricorn, known in astrology as the anaretic degree, we reach a critical point in its transit. The anaretic degree is often called the “degree of fate” or the “karmic degree” because it represents a culmination and a point of no return. It is where the energy of the sign is most intense, and where we are asked to make final, decisive changes.
With Pluto at the anaretic degree of Capricorn, we are experiencing the last, most potent push for transformation. This is a time to confront the most entrenched aspects of our lives and society—those that are resistant to change yet no longer serve our highest good. It’s a period of crisis but also of great opportunity, where we are challenged to let go of old structures and beliefs and make way for new growth.
Pluto’s retrograde cycles are a crucial aspect of its journey through Capricorn. Approximately once a year, Pluto appears to move backward from our perspective on Earth. This retrograde motion is not merely a pause but an invitation to revisit, review, and reassess. It provides a necessary opportunity to integrate the lessons of Pluto’s transit more deeply.
Most recently, Pluto entered Aquarius in March 2023, hinting at the new themes and transformations that lie ahead. However, on September 1, 2024, Pluto retrograded back into Capricorn. This re-entry into Capricorn during its retrograde phase is a final call to ensure that the changes we’ve made are not superficial but are grounded in integrity and aligned with a higher purpose. It’s about revisiting the work we’ve done, making any necessary adjustments, and solidifying the transformations that have been in progress since 2008.
Personal and Collective Transformation: Embracing the Underworld Journey
On a personal level, Pluto’s return to Capricorn invites us to examine our own relationship with power, authority, and responsibility. It’s a call to confront the shadows within ourselves—the fears, desires, and patterns that have been holding us back. This is not just about external changes but about a deep, internal shift, where we are encouraged to integrate the hidden aspects of our psyche and emerge stronger and more authentic.
For those with personal planets or angles in the last degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn), this period may feel particularly intense. It’s an opportunity to complete long-standing transformational processes, to resolve unfinished business, and to see our past in a new light. Pluto’s influence here is about finalizing the work we have been doing for years, understanding its deeper meaning, and embracing the growth that comes from it.
Collectively, Pluto’s final transit through Capricorn challenges us to rethink how we build our societies and what values guide us. It’s a call to rebuild our systems on a foundation of truth, sustainability, and equity. As Pluto prepares to enter Aquarius, we are on the brink of a new era—one focused on innovation, progress, and collective consciousness. But first, we must ensure that the structures we leave behind are ones that reflect our highest ideals and most authentic selves.
As Pluto transitions into Aquarius on November 19, 2024, we enter a new chapter, one that promises innovation, reform, and a shift towards a more collective, inclusive way of being. However, the final months of Pluto in Capricorn are crucial. They are about clearing the decks, finishing the work that began in 2008, and preparing ourselves for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Pluto’s journey through Capricorn has been a profound lesson in transformation, asking us to face our shadows and emerge stronger and more aligned with our true selves. As we move through these final months, let us do so with courage, honesty, and a commitment to building a world that reflects our highest ideals and deepest truths. In embracing this journey, we honor the mythological Pluto’s role as both the destroyer and the creator, understanding that the end of one cycle is always the beginning of another.
Pluto in Capricorn has taught us that true power comes not from control or domination but from the willingness to confront the truth, to dismantle what no longer serves, and to rebuild on a foundation of integrity. As we prepare for Pluto’s entry into Aquarius, may we carry these lessons forward, ready to embrace a future that honors both the depth of the underworld and the heights of human potential.