Pluto’s Move into Aquarius and Why it Matters

On March 24, 2023, Pluto will take a three month dip into the sign of Aquarius. Its move into a new sign is likely to be a rather momentous occasion for society at large, although how much we see of the intensity of this shift in this three month preview is yet to be seen.

What Pluto stands for in astrology

Pluto is a planet that stands for intensity, power, manipulation, taboos and control. Although it can bring catharsis, crisis is nearly always the first step. Just like a boil might erupt on your skin and ultimately release toxins or infection, you first need to go through the pain before you can heal.

Pluto is about death and rebirth, the Phoenix rising from the ashes — for change to happen, things sometimes need to be burned to the ground. However, this is not usually physical death (that’s more Saturn’s terrain) but rather deep psychological transformation.

Another of Pluto’s astrological significations can be great wealth and riches, especially those found underground. It can also stand for “underworld” figures, like mobsters, criminals and the shadow economy.

Why Pluto is a “generational planet”

Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the sun, and its elliptical orbit is as intense and rule breaking as its significations: the planet can stay as little as 12 years in sign or as many as 31. Because of this, Pluto is considered a generational rather than a personal planet.

Although Pluto can play a significant role in your chart if, say, it’s directly on an angle or conjunct a planet, in general it doesn’t have as much of a personal impact as the seven traditional planets (i.e., the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn).

That said, Pluto changing signs does bring about personal change, as it means he also changes houses in your chart. But more on this later.

Pluto in Capricorn

On November 27, 2008, Pluto moved from Sagittarius into the sign of Capricorn. Ruled by Saturn, Capricorn stands for tradition, structure, authority as well as restrictions, limitations and discipline. Indeed, Pluto’s transit through Capricorn, has been characterized by themes of transformation, crisis and upheaval in areas such as government, business, and institutions. This transit has seen significant changes in the global political and economic landscape, with many countries experiencing power struggles, social unrest, and economic crises.

In other words, traditional power structures that seemed indestructible started to crack or even crumble under the pressure of Pluto. We’ve definitely been seeing plenty of that since 2008.

Pluto’s move into Aquarius

So what about Pluto in Aquarius?

In traditional Western astrology, Saturn rules two signs: Capricorn and Aquarius, although he is considered “happier” in the latter. Aquarius is also about structure and authority, yes, but as a humane air sign, its focus is more on public works and building lasting systems for the good of humanity.

Although it’s hard to say how much of this we’ll see in society during this short three month preview, I personally think Pluto’s time in Aquarius will bring humanitarian crises that force us to look at how we treat our fellow humans — and the images that well up from the depths will undoubtedly not be pretty ones.

We will have to rethink economic and political approaches like we did when the planet was in Capricorn, but rather than watching them crumble and decay — two very Capricorn words — the answer may ultimately be building something entirely new.

For example, as more and more jobs get lost to AI* and automation, how we make a living will have to be readjusted, and new economic structures will need to be put in place for the many who are left behind, like a universal basic income. As an air sign, this could also bring in new ideas, technology or even space travel.

Again, with Pluto the road will be bumpy, with a few dramatic twists and turns, but in many cases it may lead to transformation that was long overdue.

When will Pluto move into Aquarius?

Pluto’s dips into into Aquarius will take place from March 23, 2023, to June 11, 2023and again from January 20, 2024, until September 1, 2024. This back and forth happens because Pluto frequently goes retrograde, which sends it back into Capricorn for a bit.

It will move into Aquarius for good on November 19, 2024 where it will remain until March 8, 2043.

What Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius means to you

Although this can vary (i.e., it will be more potent if Pluto is also transiting over one of your personal planets), in general this shift will be significant because it means Pluto will move into a new house in your natal chart. When it does, it usually brings Pluto-like intensity, power (struggles) and possibly crisis.

However, this by no means it will bring something “bad.”

For example, I have Sagittarius on the cusp of my 4th house, which stands for home, family, parents and ancestors. Shortly after Pluto moved into this sign, my grandfather died and a few particularly nasty family secrets came to light. Although this was painful, and caused a rift in my family, it was ultimately healing to have what was hidden finally come to surface (a very Plutonian experience).

On the topic of “home,” I also moved from the US to Germany when Pluto was in Sagittarius, which was an intense experience for sure. Anyone who has ever uprooted themselves and moved to another country where they don’t yet speak the language knows how stressful and intense life can be at first: you don’t know the cultural codes and even small tasks you easily breeze through without a thought, like shopping at the grocery store or ordering in a coffee at a cafe, might not go according to plan, an experience which can make you feel powerless in ways you weren’t expecting (Pluto, again!).

When Pluto ingressed into Capricorn, it moved into my fifth house, which is the house of children, creativity and sexuality, among other things. I had two small children at this time, only 18 months apart in age, which was definitely an intense albeit wonderful experience that transformed my life forever.

Pluto in my fifth house also brought a darker intensity to my writing and other creative projects, and I like the layer of depth it brought in compared to what I was doing before.

When Pluto moves into Aquarius, it will enter my sixth house, which is the house of illness, hard work and bad habits. I’m not going to lie — I’m a bit nervous about what that might bring. A health crisis? An intense transformation in how I do my day-to-day work? A major upheaval that forces me to change my habits and routines? It could be all of these.

But that brings up another Pluto signification: fear. Pluto calls you to enter into the unknown, to plunge into the dark depths and dig up that which is buried there. When you emerge from the tunnel, you will not be the same. As daunting as that may sound, in my experience, it’s always created positive change in the end.

To get a taste for what that might mean for you, pay special attention to what comes up concerning topics related to the house in your chart with Aquarius on the cusp from late March to early June. This will help you get a better idea for the changes Pluto might bring during the 20 years it stays in the sign.

*The artwork in this post was created by DALL-E 2, the amazing AI tool that will undoubtedly put many designers and illustrators out of job, just like ChatGPT will for many types of writers.