October 8th ~ 15th
“The Torment of St. Anthony” by Michelangelo Buonarroti
The world began in chaos, and it will end in chaos. The gods brought the world into existence and they will end it when they fight among themselves, but in between the chaos of the world’s birth and the chaos of the world’s death is order, and order is made by oaths, and oaths bind us like the buckles of a harness. ~ Bernard Cornwell (The Pale Horseman)
Pluto is in the last throes of its purification process in the sign of Capricorn. Pluto moves soooo slowly though, so it will still be a couple of years before it enters Aquarius. Pluto first entered Capricorn at the beginning of 2008, and will leave at the beginning of 2024. And I know it’s not just here in the US that Pluto has destabilized governments and consolidated power amongst the few, but the whole ruthless capitalism run amuck feeling has been an unwelcome guest for far too long.
Perhaps the reason it is so blatant here, is because we are also currently standing on the fringe of the United States Pluto Return. So it does not come as a surprise that the US Congress is playing games with the world economy this week, as they stand on the brink of economic default. Sure, there will be a last minute reprieve as they kick the can down the road. But one wonders with the dark lord just recently rolling about in his lair, and sparring with the goddess of chaos all year, where this will all lead.
This week Pluto and Eris make yet another exact square to one another at the far corners of our solar system. They have been square since early 2020, and will continue to be within range of a square at least for another year, depending on orbs. Pluto moves slowly, but Eris all the more so, creeping through the sign of Aries (and the only dwarf planet that would have the gumption to do so) since April 1923. Only recently discovered in 2005, we haven’t had all that much time to follow her mission to sow discord and create chaos. But if the divisiveness in the world, a pandemic, and a generalized sense of desperation is any indication, the Pluto/Eris square leaves much to be desired.
Because these small but inherently powerful planets are at the outer edges of the solar system, we would anticipate that the effects would be more global, and perhaps a little less personal. But we’re all being swept along with this massive tide, that almost feels like we are being compelled to evolve and transform ourselves, despite and because of ourselves. But not without a stand off. So perhaps one of the first things we are bound to notice is all of the disharmony, contention and divisiveness going on, coupled with this feeling of being on the verge of chaos.
Eris is not afraid to pit herself against even the most extraordinary forces. Even the gods themselves. She is the sister of our warlord Mars, and the goddess of chaos and discord after all. Pluto has to do with power and those who wield the power in society, whether that be authoritarian leaders, oppressive governments or laws, or mega corporations and monopolies. Eris in Aries has no fear, will find the chinks in the armor, and hone right in. She holds nothing back. She sees things exactly as they are, and tells it like it is. She sees right through the illusions, the sleight of hand, the subterfuge, and the abuse of authority, and the inequality of power, class, and status in society. Pluto and Eris will be exactly square on October 9th, and then will be further activated by the Full Moon on October 20th.
But even as Pluto and Eris are threatening destruction and a bit of chaos here and there, Saturn is poised to make its direct station on October 10th-11th. Back in the day before Pluto and Eris or any of the outer planets were even a thing, Saturn was the planet that we all feared. The outer most planet that can be barely seen with the visible eye, Saturn took on the role of all that was foul, obstructive and evil. But Saturn is not entirely evil. There are some positive qualities to our Greater Malefic, among which is its capacity to ground and stabilize. Saturn sets the rules and the standards. It creates order. It rules time, matter and things like gravity. It shows us the ramifications of our actions and decisions, and helps to make sense of things with logic and experience. Without Saturn we would be left with only the chaos.
Yes it can toss obstacles in our path, and delay the results we long for. But when Saturn finally stations direct again, that is when we begin to see the obstacles falling away, or we are given the tools that we need to remove them ourselves. Those things that had been put on hold, are now able to proceed. We can move forward with our goals and objectives once again. Resourceful, deliberate and determined, Saturn reminds us that there are rules, and that there are goals to achieve. And when we play by his rules, he will reward us with achieving those goals.
Saturn is never really easy. But with Uranus square Saturn for most of the past year, Saturn has been digging in his heels and resisting, desperately trying to maintain and hold on to the status quo. This would be all the more so while Saturn was retrograde. But now as it appears to stand still, and make its presence known, we are going to see a shift.
Saturn is now in the sign of Aquarius, a sign that is co-ruled by both Saturn and Uranus. And as these great planets have come up against one another we have been seeing the clash between movements, between the old and the new, between the conservative and the innovative. And it is hard to collaborate when Saturn and Uranus are at odds this way. But in the few instances when we do seem to manage to collaborate with one another, and work for the Greater Good of the Whole (rather than just one individual or one particular isolated group), we have the capacity to make huge and innovative changes for the betterment of society.
Now that Saturn will be direct again, and as we approach the final square between Saturn and Uranus on December 24th, we can probably be assured that something interesting this way comes. And in this process we will be thinking about: What are those things that we are wanting to protect and conserve? vs. What are those things that are no longer serving us, are holding us back and preventing us from growing? and, therefore, What are we needing to reform?
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: