written July 1997

This article contains the following 5 sections:

Introduction
Pluto in Cancer: 1914 - 1938
Pluto in Leo: 1939 - 1958
Pluto in Virgo: 1958 - 1972
Pluto in Libra: 1972 - 1983
Conclusion

Since its discovery, 67 years ago at the time of writing, Pluto has moved only through a third of its orbit. Its associations with death and destruction, followed by rebirth, have had the benefit of astrological testing through only five signs of the zodiac.

Pluto

For those who are not familiar with how newly discovered planets acquire an astrological meaning, a common explanation is that the emergence into our consciousness of a new planet resonates with the issues of the day. The themes of those times, especially on a collective level, as for example in social and political life, reflect and contain the meaning of the newly discovered planet.

In the case of Pluto for example, at the time of its discovery Nazism was sweeping Europe, the atomic bomb was being developed, and the foundations were being laid for modern psychology. Thus Pluto came to represent extremism, control of the masses, the release of destructive energy, death and destruction, the exploration of how the psyche functions, and associated issues.

Because the orbit of Pluto is about 250 years, it will average 21 years in a sign, although its highly elliptical orbit means that there is a big variation in the number of years it spends in any one sign. Its cycle embraces whole generations and the repressed material that each carries with it. Its domain is, after all the shadow, the unconscious, what we do not want to see, or simply cannot acknowledge. Pluto has to do with taboos and the unmentionable - whatever that may be in a given society.

Because we are so close in time to these recent passages of Pluto from Cancer, the sign in which it was discovered, to Scorpio, which it has just left, it is possible that we may miss the significance of how its energy has manifested in these signs.

Because a newly discovered planet’s qualities are deduced by observation of collective trends at different levels of life over a long period of time - the longer the better for perspective, and the shorter the better for detail; a review of the themes corresponding with Pluto’s movement through the five zodiacal signs may at least stimulate thinking about the meaning of this important planet.

This is in no way meant to be a comprehensive review - just a cursory glance at some of the outstanding facts. The underlying assumption is that the well-publicised issues of the day should in some obvious or literal way reflect the character of each of the 5 signs through which Pluto passes.

As Pluto is associated with bringing to the surface our repressed collective garbage, so it is also associated with the therapies that evolved at the time to deal with this eruption of toxic material from the collective unconscious. The quality of this energy is shown by the sign of the zodiac in which Pluto is placed.

Pluto in Cancer: 1914 - 1938
Cancer has to do with issues relating to home, women and family, mothering and nurturing. Issues of the motherland or the fatherland are also relevant in a political sense. Patriotism for one’s home country is strong in this sign.

In 1914 Britain passed the Home Rule Bill for Ireland, and the first brassiere was patented by Mary Phelps Jacob in the USA. The glyph for Cancer is a simple representation of the breasts.

1914 was also the beginning of the 1st World War, fuelled by issues concerning the occupation of the fatherland or motherland. This was the time when many suffered upheaval in their home countries and had to re-establish themselves in a new country. The Ottoman Empire collapsed and new nations were born.

On the 8 Feb 1915 The Birth of a Nation, an epic film about the history of the USA was released by D. W. Griffiths. On the 18 March the British government appealed for women to take jobs in trade, industry and agriculture, to assist in the war effort.

In 1916 the first birth control clinic was established in the US. Women’s suffrage was established in Canada in 1917. In 1920 the League of Nations was established.

In 1931, one year after its discovery, the movie Count Dracula was released. Pluto’s association with terror manifested in the popular culture.

During Pluto’s stay in the zodiacal sign of Cancer, we witnessed a big rise of the incidence of cancer. It became a major health issue for the first time. I think that Pluto has a close association with cancer, and have observed how often an important Pluto transit to a natal planet correlates with the discovery of the disease.

The sign of Cancer is closely associated with issues related to motherhood and home-making. During Pluto’s reign of Cancer, changes were made in the home with the introduction of sliced bread, and the mass marketing of dishwashers. Infant health, and the virtues of motherhood were strongly emphasised.

Nestles produced lactogen for mass consumption. Feeding formulas became available on a large scale. The immediate benefit was a reduction in infant mortality - those mothers previously unable to breastfeed or experiencing difficulties in breastfeeding, a situation that put the infant in the high risk category, were now able to feed their babies with relative ease.

Never before in human history has there been any alteration in the way mothers fed their children - human milk could now be replaced by something mass produced.

Pluto in Leo 1939 - 1958
Leo is associated with creativity and self-expression. It is exuberant, self centred, and seeks praise and acclaim.

Pluto’s movement into a new sign again coincided with the beginning of a World War. During this time two empires collapsed - the British and French.

The entertainment industry went through huge growth. TV, a powerful tool of persuasion, began to be mass marketed. There was a renaissance in popular music. The Pleasure Principle and Be Here Now were popular alternative slogans.

Those born through this period have often been referred to as The Me Generation, more interested in finding their own sense of identity than attending the needs of others.

The zodiacal sign Leo also carries with it a larger-than-life image. This generation born while Pluto passed through this sign was also much larger than those before and after, and has been termed The Baby Boomer Generation, the product of a population explosion following the return of soldiers after World War Two.

Self-expression and self-discovery are keywords associated with this generation. Self-development became an industry in its own right.

This was also the time of the development of the atomic bomb - the power of the sun (Leo is ruled by the sun) was unleashed as a deadly weapon of mass estruction. Never before in known human history had such awesome power been manipulated. It was first used to bring Japan to its knees and bring World War Two to a close.

In 1946 Benjamin Spock’s Common Sense Book of Baby Care was published in the US, suggesting to mothers that they allow for self expression for their children - again revolutionary stuff from an historical perspective regarding the rearing of children.

Pluto in Virgo 1958 - 1972
Virgo has to do with discrimination, especially as it affects areas such as diet, digestion and health. It also has to do with efficiency and categorisation, purity and analysis, scholasticism and service orientated activities. Virgo is particulary concerned with seperating the ‘wheat from the chaff’, in the sense of eliminating impurites; and places a high value on natural remedies.

In 1958 a link was established between thalidomide given to pregnant women and severe birth defects.

In regard to health the importance of allergies was recognised as diseases of assimilation became apparent. More public awareness concerning impurities in food was highlighted. The first supermarkets appeared offering a self service of neatly categorised foods. Compulsory labelling was introduced.

There was a quiet revolution in our eating habits - canned and preserved foods became very common, with many varieties to choose from. The way humans consumed and prepared food was undergoing a transformation. This is a very literal manifestation of Pluto in the sign of Virgo.

In 1959 the 1st Xerox copier was introduced. In May 1960 the US Food and Drug Administration approved the contraceptive pill for general use, echoing Pluto’s association with death and birth. In 1961 the first Weight Watchers group was established in the USA.

The ‘flower power’ and ‘back to nature’ movements and the rediscovery of natural medicine were also features of this era. These themes all have an association with Virgo. The health food movement flowered during Pluto’s stay in Virgo, as did the power of labour unions, conservation and anti-nuclear movements

Pluto in Libra 1972 -1983
Libra has to do with relationships, marriage and associated issues such as negotiation and world peace. It also is associated with beauty and the arts. Balance peace and harmony are strong Libran preferences.

In terms of personal health Libra is associated with the kidneys. This was the era of kidney transplants and kidney diseases - often related to the excessive consumption of Bex powders. This was the time of encounter groups and spawned a host of new therapies centred on group interaction - such a close association with the accepted astrological meaning of Pluto in Libra!

During this time the traditional respect given to the ancient institution of marriage went through an upheaval, with many opting for de facto and less permanent relationships. This radical departure from the past, together with the collective dream of freedom and the morality of openness, combined to make this a most remarkable time in our recent history.

There are no other recorded times in human history when the institution of marriage was openly questioned by so many. The divorce rate broke new records. In 1971 divorce was permitted by consent after 2 years separation in the US. Equal opportunity laws were passed in the US.

In 1974 the US space probe sent back the first close up pictures of Venus, the ruler of Libra.

At the same time we witnessed a significant growth in the communication industry and the implementation of computers in industry.

In 1981 the fairytale wedding of Diana and Charles was televised to 700 million people worldwide. This was a very Libran event that created a powerful impact on many people.

Pluto in Scorpio 1983 -1995
In 1983/84 Pluto entered the sign of Scorpio, the sign representing intimacy, death and rebirth, and the unconscious mind. During this time we witnessed the rise of the re-birthing movement and other therapies focused upon the release of toxic unconscious material.

Revelations concerning sexual and other abuses of power became a common theme in the daily press. AIDS erupted from the deep dark Congo, resulting from the mixing of semen and blood during sexual contact, frequently during homosexual acts. Diseases related to genital activity are associated with Scorpio in traditional astrology(1). From 1984 until 1995 the criminal underworld was slowly growing in power, mainly through the drug trade. Scorpio also has a strong association with the underworld.

While the physical disease of this time was AIDS, the therapies that evolved in response to the new Scorpio theme had to do with making contact with deep hidden past (toxic emotional material), and moving through this pain in order to bring about transformation and self empowerment. The rebirthing movement began in 1983 - such a literal manifestation of Pluto in Scorpio.

Scorpio is associated with the water triplicity, and in particular with water in the form of ice. In 1983 we saw the first birth from a frozen embryo in Melbourne. In 1985 genetic engineering was discovered in Britain. Scientists had unravelled the mysteries of reproduction, and were learning to revolutionise human reproduction and in so doing were bypassing the need for sexual intercourse. This is a monumental turning point in human history. The possibilities for altering the physical attributes of the human race became a tantalising possibility.

Conclusion
Has the transit of Pluto through the signs since its discovery had a special significance in terms of its power to transform? I think so.

We have seen that in Cancer the feeding and nurture of children was revolutionised as never before with the introduction of feeding formulas, homelands went a major upheaval through World War One. In Leo free expression and self development were highlighted. In Virgo our eating habits were transformed, and we became very aware of impunities. Nature became idealised. In Libra the structure of acceptable relationships changed within a generation - de facto and casual relationships were now tolerated.

And during Pluto’s transit Scorpio, nature’s secret DNA code was unravelled, and with the aid of genetic engineering we now have the tools with which to alter the very nature our physical being. The full significance of these developments may not be appreciated for some time.

Footnote 1: Dr. J. Lee Lehman, Ph.D.. The Book of Rulerships. Whitford Press. USA 1992