Pluto Transits Explained

Hey you! Yes, you! Are you having a weird week? A weird month? A weird year? Well, I bet your birth chart includes at least one significant placement in a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius). 

Those of you familiar with the rules of Astrology can probably guess that this is about Pluto (the planet of transformation). But we also must talk about Mars (the planet of action). In late January, these two crossed paths in Aquarius, kicking off a new cycle. And some of us are in for a great deal of change because of it.

Grab your birth chart, and keep reading if either of these is true:

• Your rising sign is in Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius
• Your natal Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars is anywhere from 0-6° of these signs

How Pluto Stands To Affect You (Possibly For A Few More Years)

If you’re just getting started with a Pluto transit, you should know that their effects are commonly felt for about a three-year stretch. That’s because Pluto is Astrology’s outermost planet, and its orbit is slow, taking over 242 years to complete a round-trip of the zodiac. In fact, it will remain in Aquarius until 2044. Which sounds like an eternity! But again, each placement you have that winds up under the Plutonian influence will do its thing within a three-year window. That’s how long it will take to advance to a degree that’s far enough away from your placements.

But wait, what thing will it do? you ask. And that’s the billion dollar question: Pluto’s energy is a force of nature, and the specifics are notoriously hard to predict. Sometimes, its presence around a personal placement ignites a glow-up of quantum proportions. But sometimes the effects are less rosy, at least, in the moment they come crashing in. When Pluto aspects a personal planet or point in your birth chart, it can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you, even though its ultimate goal is to rebirth, not destroy. Your time under Pluto’s watch can feel disorienting, even downright dark. Here are some areas of life that may undergo profound change for you during the next few years, depending on your chart:

Taurus Risings: career, fame, social media 

Leo Risings: contracts, relationships, marriage

Scorpio Risings: home, family, roots

Aquarius Risings: ego, sense of self, appearance

Fixed Sign Sun: identities, how you view yourself, stories you tell yourself 

Fixed Sign Moon: emotions, uncomfortable memories, intuition

Fixed Sign Mercury: your communication, self-expression, and ideas

Fixed Sign Venus: money, intimate matters, your aesthetic 

Fixed Sign Mars: self-assertion, sex, stamina and resilience 

What Happens When Mars Enters The Chat?

Now, let’s discuss the Mars of it all! Mark your calendar for the weeks of January 27, May 25, and October 3. Why? Because on these dates, Mars will be making a hard aspect to Pluto, likely marking an important plot point in the story of your three-year Pluto experience.

Mars is the planet of war, but in modern times, it represents your energy, your competitive spirit, and your animal passion, among other significations. And when it's opposing Pluto, it can create a sense of urgency and frustration. You may feel like you're being pushed to take a stand, to assert yourself, or to fight for something you want. But be careful not to let your emotions get the better of you. Mars can be impulsive, and when it's opposing Pluto, its energy can manifest as anger or aggression.

You Are The Alchemist

While the friction between Mars and Pluto can feel intense, it is also a nuclear reactor of potential. Pluto destroys, yes, but it only destroys what is artificial, decaying, or untrue. Mars cuts, but it severs the cords that have kept you tethered to a smaller version of yourself. When these two forces combine, they offer you a rare superpower: the ability to alchemize your deepest fears into your greatest strengths.

The walls are coming down, not to leave you exposed, but to build a palace where a shack used to stand. You are gaining access to a reservoir of grit, resilience, and magnetic power that you didn't know you had. The "glow-up" here isn't just about how you look; it’s about the undeniable gravitas of someone who has walked through the fire and refused to burn.