April 25th, 2020 …

is when Pluto, the lord of the underworld and transformation (crushing ego-death) appears to move backwards. It’s energies, which are already inward-oriented, will move further into the darkness of the collective unconscious, bringing to the surface issues of power, abuse and scandal. This destruction will relate to our leaders, our spiritual beliefs, our institutions and structures. The very things that we put our faith in will be destroyed, leaving people without the crutch they need to cope.

Pluto, the moment it goes into retrograde, squares Mercury in Aries, in the late degree. This is a time when we have the courage and strength to tell other people what our boundaries are. We’re wanting to understand what is really going on. There are hidden spiritual forces behind the conditions of this world. There are hidden authorities that we do not know, nor should we trust.

This creates a violent crisis and immense power struggle among the restless and disgruntled youth (idealistic 11th house Mars in Aquarius) and the authorities. It’s a time when we should watch our thoughts closely and be cautious of how we communicate to others. It’s a time for what could be potentially violent communications with people. What we say might be very cutting and sharp.

Mercury is all about how we interpret and understand the world around us. It’s also our ability to relate to the world. It rules over young people, students, educators, airwaves and astrologers – traditionally, that is. Uranus is also a ruler of astrologers.

Pluto destroys and transforms what it touches, uninterested in the superficial aspects of life, but concerned totally with the soul, the very essence of spirit. Relationships with friends and colleagues will be strained, tested and tempered. If someone isn’t “real” or authentic, they will have to go away.

We are called to go into the underworld, face the uncertainty and out-dated beliefs that keep us in bondage, and discover a new creative path to follow through life. Sun and Uranus is in the 9th house from Pluto, Jupiter and Saturn. This is where we discover a sudden shocking revelation with regards to our values and our relationship to the physical world. It’s also time for us to step into greater service to others, helping to secure their needs and comforts. It shows that there is the potential for great material prosperity from a hidden place, but only if we face the thing we are running from.

Uranus and the Sun are both polar opposites, yet they are conjoined in a sign that weakens their potency and potential. Normally, the Sun is focused on higher ideals, sacrificing personal pleasure for the greater good of the kingdom. It’s our ability to feel inspired purpose and be consistent through the difficulties of life. Pluto in the 9th sign from the Sun knocks our inspired faith of course and forces us to wake up. From Pluto’s domain, Venus and Moon are in the 6th house, showing an unexpected block in how we feel about our personal value and how free (air element) we feel in relationships.

Uranus, on the other hand, is focused on breaking past limitations and prejudices, embracing a higher creative intelligence to shake up the system and serve humanity. He is like Prometheus bringing the first flame to humans down from Mount Olympus. He lives for others, impersonal and universal. This is completely different than the Sun: personal power, individuality and vision.

Uranus transits beyond Saturn, the lord of karma. Yet, it still orbits closer than Neptune, which represents energies inaccessible to most of humanity, far and beyond the creative mental ingenious of Uranus. Beyond them all, of course, is the cold, distant and powerful dwarf planet Pluto. Furthest from the Sun, which illuminates and makes us aware, he is the things we run from, giving him an occasionally worse wrap than the dreaded malefic, Saturn.

Pluto retrograde is closest to the black hole of the zodiac: the South Node, Ketu.

There will be dark lessons of the past, the long distant and archaic past, that will resurface into our consciousness. We will have to talk about it and actually try to understand it (Mercury). We will have to use our intellect to cut through the misinformation and lies about who is truly in charge. Pluto sitting at the very end of the nodal axis shows that the ultimate power and authority is hidden from view. It is far from the peoples’ awareness. In fact, the thing that is foremost on the public’s mind is Venus close to the north node. It’s all about physical comforts, food, pleasure and relationships — very little to do with the criminal underworld that is nestled within our institutions.

Pluto is calling us to think about our identity in this world and the wounds we have endured to our self-confidence. There is great power held within. There will be people who come into our life and push our buttons, likely figures from a past (this life or another), challenging us and pushing us out of comfort.

This Pluto retrograde will demand that we encounter the inner-guide or guru, because the external leaders cannot be trusted or relied upon right now. This is a good time for an inner-journey.