The Turning Wheel - Astrology for rEvolutionaries Summer 2009 by Rhea Wolf

Now that our tiny dynamo Pluto has turned retrograde until September 12, it’s a good time to re-examine what’s happened since its entry into Capricorn in 2008, and to see what we’ll have to let go of between now and September.

Pluto is the planet of transformation, challenging us to shed whatever is blocking us from our power. Here, power can mean manipulation, domination, and authoritarianism, but it can also mean getting connected to the universe so that your actions flow from a unified source. That’s why it’s so important that we look to our own motivations and hidden agendas when Pluto’s energy is working on us. If we are acting out of pure self-interest and subconscious desire, the power we are connecting to is shadowy and serves only to perpetuate suffering. Think: “The dark side of the force” in Star Wars. The old Star Wars, not the cheesy new ones.

We’ve seen the results of out-of-control power in our “free market” system and various addictions to comfort and unbridled growth. When Pluto first entered Capricorn, we were beginning to catch the scent of recession. Now that we have stepped right in the middle of it, we are grappling with many difficult personal decisions about how to make ends meet and realizing that the only certainty is uncertainty. How do we proceed?

In order to align with the bright side of the force, we must prepare to change and purge. From now until September, we will have to relinquish control over some part of our lives in order to step into more serious power. The tighter we hold onto things that are no longer true, the more Pluto will push us to loosen our grip. Often, Pluto works at the ego level – asking us to give up old identifications and material things that are distracting us from the Source of All Life – or the Source of All Death. Really, it’s the same thing in Pluto’s world.

Wherever Pluto is transiting your chart, you can expect to feel this forced realignment. Pluto is not an easy energy. We can see it clearly in current economic downturn and the extent of environmental damage. In the face of these enormous external circumstances, we can feel that we have little power. But the truth is they are all human-made. Our power lies in awakening to the fact that we can change reality.

Losing jobs has meant hardship for many, but it’s also made people discover hidden talents and resources that bring them deeper happiness. This is the lesson of Pluto: the difficulties we encounter during this time may be for our own good, but we have to take time to go inward and reflect. If we are only able to see the darkness, we will continue to wrestle with these problems for much longer. If we use these outrageous circumstances to alter perceptions and build networks of support, we may just pull off the Great Evolutionary Leap.

What are you holding onto that no longer serves you? It could be a story of loss and betrayal, or attitudes about healing chronic illness. Maybe it’s a job that you hate, unrelenting self-criticism, or a relationship that is inequitable. Seek out the places in your life that are dead and let them go. Don’t just bury them. Have a wake and send them off with smoke and prayer.

A quick look at the chart for the Summer Solstice on June 20 reveals some tantalizing alternatives to dead-end roads:

• Emotional egos create the environment: It’s time to recognize how much our emotions affect individual and planetary health. Give up defensiveness, drama, and repression. Begin training your intuition. Engage in practices that strengthen the body-mind connection and your own heart to discover new resources and a deeper sense of security.
• Warriors and agents of Gaia: It may sound like a scary new cult, but planetary aspects are calling us to decide who we really are. As we change structures to accommodate global needs, know that you are bigger and older than you think.
• Psychic breakthroughs in the collective: Take time to rekindle your relationship to Spirit in the coming months. Your sensitivity – the ability to sense – is a valuable asset. We train for the rEvolution by using our whole selves – and culturally, our psychic-emotional muscles need the most attention. Practice believing the impossible, just as the Queen of Hearts instructs Alice.

Rhea Wolf is an astrologer, writer, and spiritual activist. She is available by phone and in person for astrological and intuitive readings. To find out more about readings or to sign up for her free Full Moon reports, go to www.turningwheelastrology.com. Rhea also offers creative writing workshops with Portland Women Writers at www.pdxwomenwriters.com.