Pluto is alive and well in America. Despite astronomers downgrading the planet by taking away its name and assigning it a number, Pluto’s influence (the dark side of the subconscious) remains clear in events occurring here and across the globe.
Carl Jung believed astrology was a good example of synchronicity. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines synchronicity as: the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality. Astrologers use synchronicity to explain why astrology works: the kind of astrological patterns in the sky reflecting the kind of patterns on earth as observed in humans, animals, and nations.
The Pope’s recent public relations problem is linked in my mind to the astronomers’ attempt to dump Pluto from our planetary pantheon. As these particular astronomers’ do not want to consciously face what Pluto represents, which is the dark side of the subconscious, neither does the Pope, who inadvertently allowed the whole world to see his real thoughts about Islam.
Freud believed that slips of the tongue reveal subconscious thoughts. The Pope’s Mercury(communications) conjunct Uranus(unpredictable, iconoclastic) square Mars (impulsivity, aggression) in blabbermouth Gemini certainly let the cat out of the bag. Right now the transiting Pluto is conjunct his MC, which is the most visible point in the horoscope, and represents his public standing. Subconsciously, the Pope is afraid of Islam. In fact, Opus Dei, the secret lay organization, which is in control of the Church right now, believes that the biggest threat to the Church is the Islamic faith.
Another indication that Pluto is still prominent is the issue of torture that is being presently highlighted in the Bush administration. Bush and Cheney like the idea of torture and I have a feeling that if allowed to do it would enjoy it just like Saddam Hussein did when he was still in power. All are tainted and motivated by primitive Pluto energy. Bush has Pluto in his First House of personality conjunct Mercury. Cheney has Pluto in a stressful square aspect to Jupiter and Saturn, and an opposition aspect to his Sun. And Hussein has Pluto in his first house, like Bush, but square Venus and opposing Jupiter. Both Cheney and Hussein have Pluto in stressful aspect to Jupiter, which expands the dark side and makes it blacker.
I said that Bush and Cheney like the idea of torture, deep down. What motivates a man (it’s usually a man) to enjoying hurting another human being or animal? Those that feel powerless and worthless sometimes assume a sadistic nature and enjoy inflicting pain. Bush’s deep feelings of worthlessness are indicated by his Sun (ego) in the 12th House of secret vulnerabilities. Cheney’s feelings of inadequacy stem from his Sun square Saturn. Both have compensated for these inadequacy feelings by using a Sun square Jupiter aspect to inflate their feelings of importance. Bush thinks God has chosen him; Cheney just thinks he is superior.
Another recent ominous change in the world of astronomy other than the demotion of Pluto is the promotion of the dwarf planet, originally named Zena by its discoverer, into a 10th planet named Eris.
This is troubling because Eris, the most distant object discovered in our Solar System, out beyond Neptune and Pluto, is the Greek goddess of discord. Unlike Pluto who has some redeeming social value after the energy is transformed, Eris represents only strife.
According to Ryan Tuccinardi, “She is Aries constant companion and follows him everywhere. Eris is sinister and mean, and her greatest joy is to make trouble. She has a golden apple that is so bright and shiny everybody wants to have it. When she throws it among friends, their friendship comes to a rapid end. When she throws it among enemies, war breaks out, for the golden apple of Eris is the Apple of Discord. She did this once during the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, and this act brought about the Trojan War.
In Homer’s Iliad, Book 4 she is described as: “Strife whose wrath is relentless, she is the sister and companion of murderous Aries, she who is only a little thing at the first, but thereafter grows until she strides on the earth with her head striking heaven. She then hurled down bitterness equally between both sides as she walked through the onslaught making men’s pain heavier.”
Interestingly enough, Eris is presently in the sign of Aries and has been there full time since 1926. It may have something to do with the brutality in the 20th century and the so far murderous 21st century. You can find an Eris Ephemeris at www.astro.com.
Eris must have something to do with torture. Is the naming of a planet after a destructive goddess a description of what we’re presently experiencing as well a harbinger of things to come in our solar system, on our earth? Heaven help us.
Bush has Eris in his 9th house of foreign countries. She’s certainly been an influence in Iraq. Eris is opposing his Neptune, which indicates that he is deluded (Neptune) about her influence. He thinks he’s bringing democracy and freedom to Iraq; instead, he’s brought despair and discord. Bush is afraid that the influence of discordant Eris will catch up with him should the Democrats take control of Congress. He wants to insulate himself from being charged with war crimes by getting the Republican Congress to relax the Geneva Convention standards on torture.
Ominously, Cheney has Eris conjunct his South node in Aries in his 8th house of death. While Cheney is supposed to move in the direction of balance and diplomacy with his North Node in Libra, he has chosen to take the negative path towards war, discord, and death.
The Pope also has destructive Eris prominent in his birth chart. It’s part of the foot in the mouth complex—Mercury conjunct Uranus and square Mars in Gemini. He’s created discord between Moslems and Christians.
Apparently, though, the Pope is trying to transform his Pluto aspect by attempting to reconcile with the Muslims. He’ll be meeting with Muslim envoys to try to repair relations after his foot in mouth, Eris remark. If I were to give him advice, I’d suggest that he candidly discuss Christian violence, which has just occurred in Indonesia in retaliation for the Muslim demonstrations and violence after the Pope’s comments about Muhammad. He can also discuss the violence between the Orthodox Christian Serbs and the Roman Catholic Croatians, as well as the Bosnian Moslems. He must address all violence in religion, not just in Islam and set up working relationships with Moslems who are willing to speak out against violence in their faith. With Pluto in Sagittarius we’ve been watching the dark side of religion erupt, primarily in monotheistic religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The Pope, if he wants to sow harmony rather than discord, should squarely face this Pluto influence.
We can’t say that Bush or Cheney, are trying to resolve their Pluto or Eris aspects. They are both being run by the dark side of the subconscious. Freud believed that the task of civilization was to make the subconscious conscious. The resolution of primitive Pluto energy is to shine the light on it and it can be transformed into a great force for good. Neither the president nor vice president appears to be willing to face the truth about themselves and transform their primitive Pluto or destructive Eris energy.
