Pluto Moves into Aquarius Part 2

How this may impact you, and a history lesson

"History is never dead. It crawls its way into our present and shapes our future."
- J.U. Scribe, from Roman Identity (The Legend #2)

Last week, I summarized Aquarius energy, and this week, I offer insight into the synthesis of energies: Pluto plus Aquarius. As Pluto greatly impacts world history, I thought it would be useful to summarize the episode of The Astrology Podcast I mentioned last week, as there are consistent threads of themes which have built upon one another across the Pluto in Aquarius periods (~250 years apart). This episode was thoroughly researched (it is 4 hours long), covering 674 BCE to present, so you do not simply have to take my word that Pluto changing signs from Capricorn to Aquarius is a big deal. History will speak for itself.

First, I will put aside the global and historical impacts, and discuss personal impacts, because depending on your birth chart, you may have already been feeling the influence of Pluto changing signs.

How Pluto's Movements Impact Your Birth Chart

Remember, Pluto transforms. Intensely. Especially if Pluto is making a significant transit to a planet in your chart, or to your Ascendant or Midheaven. As a teacher explained with regard to major transits, Pluto approaches you from the Underworld, and will keep you on a meat hook until you agree to give up something you think you cannot live without. What follows is an uncomfortable waiting period once the negotiation is over until you are free to rise up in your transformed state.

As Pluto has been making a square to my Ascendant, I have experienced the Pluto ride firsthand. As you will see in the Pluto in Aquarius in history segment, Pluto cycles build upon one another to continue the evolution via transformation. I did a little research and noticed that Pluto made a conjunction to my Ascendant, going back and forth over this area from the time I was 11 years old to 13 years old. During this time, I was bullied due to my biracial identity, and soon after I discovered alcohol as a way to solve my feelings of low self worth and identity confusion. To sum up this transformation, it was from innocent child to traumatized teen. I gave up my innocence and gained self-sufficiency and an understanding that the world was not always kind (a necessary shock to my Leo Sun-shine).

In an echo, Pluto started forming a square to my Ascendant in early 2021. At that time, I had a relapse from sobriety and was again struggling with fitting into the identity I found myself in. In the time Pluto has been going back and forth over an exact square to my Ascendant, I have given up not only alcohol for good, but my contrived identity as well. Pluto seeks absolute truth, and often the only way to arrive is through absolute vulnerability. To sum up this transformation, I gave up alcohol as a secret crutch, as well as my need for external approval. What I gained in return was self-trust and the ability to protect myself and thrive rather than have to numb and force myself to do things that do not feel aligned. Externally, my career and the people I surround myself with have transformed my day-to-day existence completely.

Pluto moves so slowly, these major transits take a few years. Because Pluto aspected my Ascendant, the transformation had to involve my very identity, as the Ascendant can represent your very decision to be here. Mine may have been extra dramatic because Pluto is my chart ruler (as modern ruler of Scorpio) and I have Jupiter exactly conjunct my Ascendant (and Jupiter expands everything). Even so, I transformed in degrees, initially resisting when it was super uncomfortable to be so vulnerable.

If, for example, Pluto is aspecting your Midheaven, it would impact your public persona, your vocation, or status (all things related to the Midheaven). With aspects to natal planets, you would consider the area of life that planet manages in your life. For example, if Pluto is aspecting your natal Venus, possibly a significant relationship or your personal finances will transform. Note that transits can light up your chart like a Christmas tree, because they impact not only the planet Pluto aspects, but any planets or angles in aspect to the initial aspected planet, like dominoes.

You can also expect the house(s) where Aquarius sits in your chart to transform over the next 19 years. Think back from 2008 to present about which aspect of self or life has transformed most or where you have given up something you previously thought you couldn’t live without, and it will likely be where the sign of Capricorn resides in your chart, where Pluto has transited over the last 16 years. For a refresher on what the houses signify, you can review my previous podcast episodes/Substack posts on houses, as well as refer to the free reference tool I created. 

Pluto in Aquarius Throughout History

What follows is from The Astrology Podcast, hosted by Chris Brennan with guest Nick Dagan Best from the episode: Pluto in Aquarius in History (1.13.24)

Themes seen through periods of Pluto in Aquarius, including the ingresses in 2023 and 2024.

• The power of technology, knowledge, and information.

• Utilization of technological advances for power and control.

• Vast repositories of information under control of centralized authorities.

• How developments of technology can shape society in different ways (paper, gunpowder, printing press, cotton gin).

• Technological transfer from foreign cultures has transformative impact on society, politics, power.

• What it means to be alien/foreign. Recognition of sentience in non-humans, discovery of life outside of Earth.

• Foundations are set for something which grows in future Pluto in Aquarius periods.

• Scientists creating for the love of science or curiosity, but not considering the ethics which arise as a result.

• Refining of scientific method.

• Shifts in intellectual and societal trends, what is acceptable and what is not.

• Espionage.

• Utilization and attitudes on astrology.

• Tensions between autocracy and democracy.

• Tensions with globalization/trade.

• Themes which include China’s role in history.

• Cataclysmic events which cause major shift in social trends.

• Uprisings to power.

• Aviation, flight.

• Augmentation of human abilities.

• Line in time forming, pre-AI and post-AI influenced documents, etc.

• Government controlling flow of information and/or technology, e.g. institutionalized censorship or monopolies on tech until it cannot be suppressed any longer (the truth will come out eventually).

• Innovations mature, e.g, drones.

• Uranus in Gemini (ingress is July 7, 2025) will create synergy for Pluto in Aquarius agenda, will intensify with the trine forming.

674-647 BCE 

• As state supported endeavor, 10 colleges of astrologers set up around Mesopotamia, and their observations were compiled. They recognized the value as a technology to be used to plan state affairs, and also the impact (advantage to the state) of restricting it from the general population.

430-404 BCE

• Natal astrology was developed as a technology to forecast how an individual’s life will unfold, versus for mundane events. The oldest birth chart is dated 4/29/410, with Pluto at 24° Aquarius.

• Persian empire took over Mesopotamia, and the Persian rulers may not have put as much emphasis on imperial use of astrology, perhaps enabling a democratization of this technology.

• Ephemerides were developed.

185-160 BCE

• Hellenistic astrology developed, which became basis of Western astrology.

  • 4 fold system of planets, signs, houses, aspects was innovated.

• Paper was invented. Oldest paper fragment from China dates to 179-141 BCE.

• Increased connections between China and western cultures.

• Silk Road came shortly after this period.

60 - 85 CE

• Romans became aware of true nature of silk, that Chinese were maintaining a monopoly of silk worms.

• 70% of Rome burned in 64 CE, 2 days after a lunar eclipse, also a Mars Neptune conjunction. Suspicions that Nero started the fire so he could rebuild the city to his preference.

• Jewish revolt against Roman Empire, which led to the diaspora and dissemination of Judaism. (Also a Pluto - Uranus conjunction). 

305-329 CE

• Constantine becomes head of Roman Empire after civil war following his father’s death. (Also, 2 days prior to solar eclipse.)

• In 313 CE, Constantine legalizes Christianity (Edict of Milan issued via letters to various governors).

• 1st council of Nicaea 325 CE (Jupiter, Pluto, Uranus in Aquarius). Established Christian Orthodox beliefs and those outside of beliefs.

• Decided where city of Constantinople would be built.

• Attitudes and laws began turning against astrology as Christianity took hold. Not long after this, it became illegal to practice astrology.

550-574 CE

• Byzantine based Roman Emperor Justinian sends spies to steal silk worms from China. Silk was extremely valuable commodity, and the Roman Empire wanted to have an advantage over its rival Persia.

• State run monopoly on silk production set up in Roman Empire.

795-819 CE

• Paper moves from China to Arabic and Islamic Empires, enabling books and libraries.

• House of Wisdom (texts being translated into Arabic from other languages) founded in Baghdad. Led to science, culture, intellectual activities.

• Charlemagne named first Holy Roman Emperor, crowned by Pope Leo X. Alliance between secular and religious powers to dominate populations initiated.

• First confirmed reference to gunpowder in a Chinese text in 808 CE.

1041-1063 CE

• Paper starts production in Europe (1056 CE in Spain).

• Centralized production of gunpowder for Chinese military.

• Soon after this period (1076) China forbade the sale of salt peter (used to make gunpowder) to foreigners.

1286-1308 CE

• Innovations in paper production in Italy.

• Just before this time period, recipes for gunpowder appear in Europe.

• Guns, cannons came into wide use in China, changed strategies for war, who has power.

• Mongol empire peaked.

• Marco Polo travels the silk road and records of travels are published.

• Francis Bacon’s work established as basis for the scientific method.

1532-1553 CE

• Spread of the printing press (invented just prior to this period) led to proliferation of books and spread of ideas and knowledge.

• Just after this period, Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres showing the Sun as the center of the Universe.

• Book on human anatomy published. Scientific, medical advancements on biology.

• Institutionalized censorship, e.g. the Senate of Milan creates a list of prohibited books.

• Protestant reformation began just prior to this period (1517).

• Spanish conquest of the Incan Empire and destruction of Incan culture.

• Conquistadors in North America.

• Tycho Brahe (who has a very Aquarian chart) builds on Copernicus’s work, creates observational tables that Kepler and other astronomers would use to more accurately determine position of planets. Creates modern link between evidence and theory in Western science.

• Ballistics science developed.

1777-1798 CE

• William Herschel discovers Uranus using new technology of the telescope.

• Breaks from monarchies, e.g. American revolution continues until 1783; French Revolution 1789 - 1799. 

• Reign of terror in France. Accusations of enemies of the State in France are sent to guillotine. Uranus opposition to Pluto.

• Democracy in US set up with checks and balances to protect citizens’ rights.

• Haitian revolution, uprising of enslaved to their enslavers.

• Jenner develops smallpox vaccine.

• Inventions: continuous electric current, steam engine, textile technologies, cotton gin.

• First successful hot air balloon flight (technology developed by Montgolfier brothers) in 1783.

• Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) born with Pluto at 29° Aquarius conjunct her midheaven in 1797. This novel is considered by many the first science fiction novel and holds many themes consistent with Aquarius: needs driving innovation, exile from groups, rebelling, ethics of technological creations.

  

  Credit: Rebecca Hendin, see BBC article in References

Recent ingresses: 3.23.23 - 6.11.23, 1.20.24 - 9.1.24

11.19.24 will be in Aquarius until it leaves for Pisces in 2044.

Resources

The Astrology Podcast: Pluto in Aquarius in History

Reference tool on astrological houses.

BBC Article on Frankenstein

Substack posts:

Pluto Moves into Aquarius (Pt 1)

Pluto: Evolution and Transformation for Our Own Good

Astrological Houses

Podcast Episodes:

Pluto Moves into Aquarius Next Week

Pluto: Evolution and Transformation for Our Own Good