(This was previously seen in the Spring 2020 NCGR Member Newsletter)
As I write this in late April 2020, we are a little over a month in quarantine for the corona virus, known as Covid-19. Last year, when I was considering the three major 2020 conjunctions —Saturn/Pluto, Jupiter/Pluto, and Jupiter/Saturn—might bring, I predicted a possible pandemic in my December 17, 2019 blog:
“This will indeed be a most fascinating year on many levels. I also have to wonder if this might be the year for a pandemic. With the rising number of homeless individuals in major cities…the conditions are rife for something that will affect the world population.”
I have always had somewhere in my psyche the awareness of some sort of plague or pestilence that would create great change on the planet. I’m sure many of you reading this may have had similar feelings. Since I have been providing services for a local Santa Fe, New Mexico, homeless shelter for the past 15 years, my awareness of the growing homeless situation on the west coast has led me to believe a pandemic could well start within this population.
When I considered the coming together of Jupiter and Pluto this year, I foresaw incredible opportunities for amazing reconciliations, reunifications, great simplifications, and the amassing of resources, but also feared large numbers of deaths, destruction, and obliteration. Coupled with the fact that we’re in that liminal space between the Age of Pisces and the Age of Aquarius, Jupiter/Pluto could indicate a major opportunity for a great number of deaths around the world. Although, admittedly, a pandemic is not the only way in which this could happen…
The world has not had a major population reduction since the middle of the last century, and when we consider the millions who died in each of the following categories during the past hundred years, this is pretty amazing. Starting with the Chinese Revolution, World War I, the Spanish Flu (coincidental to now), the Soviet Revolution, World War II, Hitler, and the reign of Stalin, through to the many “smaller” skirmishes, genocides, and other regional wars, a lot of people left the planet between 1900 and 1950!
However–despite the number of smaller-scale conflicts, genocides, and boundary disputes since–advances in medicine, increased availability of consistent food, water, and shelter, and the lack of larger world wars and major pandemics since the mid-20th Century have skyrocketed the earth’s population significantly over the past 70 years.
Esoteric Saturn & Jupiter
In addition to the Jupiter/Pluto conjunctions in 2020, we’ve had–or will have by year’s end–we will experience three natural balsamic and new phase conjunction periods. These include the Saturn/Pluto conjunction from January 12, the mentioned Jupiter/Pluto conjunctions–April 4, June 30, and November 12, respectively–and the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction December 21.
Clearly, balsamic and new phases between planets represent periods of death and re-birth. Let’s look at these planetary conjunctions using traditional and esoteric rulerships and examine how their relationships with one another, and their respective signs, may express.
Saturn, the traditional and esoteric ruler of Capricorn, also rules Aquarius in traditional astrology. Jupiter, however, is the esoteric ruler of Aquarius, and the esoteric personality-based ruler of both Sagittarius and Pisces, while Pluto represents the soul-centered ruler of Pisces.
There’s no mistake that these three planets—third ray Saturn, second ray Jupiter, and first ray Pluto—represent the first three rays of aspect. In esoteric astrology these rays constitute the building blocks of the universe. This meansthese planets use the first three rays to awaken us to the fact that there is not only something greater than ourselves but how to build a relationship to it.
All three of these planets help define awareness of how our personal ego works either with, or pushes up against, the collective. Third ray Saturn, surrounded by its rings-pass-not, indicates that certain life lessons, self-control, and maturation must occur in order for one to reach the next, higher level of understanding. Life is not unlike a multi-level video game in which certain tasks, tools, and awareness are needed in order to meet the challenges of the next encounter upon the path.
Of course, this can present in many forms. In the case of Saturn, for example, one might stubbornly say “no” to anything anyone suggests or take self-responsibility and self-reliance to a new level by denying all assistance or help of any kind. Alternatively, one might understand how to build the necessary structures to get any job done, or set up the foundation of a spiritual practice that’s built upon each day to accomplish personal improvement and growth in consciousness.
Saturn represents the trials through which one must pass in order to relate to the outer planets. Saturn’s rings act as limits and antennae to the outer planets. Its position by house shows us where our dharma/duty to the collective can be found. As the esoteric third ray planet, Saturn’s expressions include: opportunity, lord of karma, mind/active intelligence, concrete soul, material conditions, keeper of the gate of initiation, and dweller on the threshold.
Second ray Jupiter is all about love as fusion or soul beyond matter, generosity, magnanimousness, and loving compassion granted through acceptance–sans the need for sacrifice. This is where one awakens to love, regardless of form and one’s spiritual purpose; it’s how second ray energy will be manifested in the person. Jupiter’s house placement shows where our greatest tendency toward fusion lies, as well as where the blending of resources can occur. In turn, this highlights the location where one can evoke the most love and wisdom out of his or her environment.
Jupiter isn’t about limits, that’s for grumpy daddy Saturn. On the personality level, Jupiter won’t stop us from having that third piece of cake, buying our twentieth pair of shoes, or indulging in whatever silliness pleases us at the time. Rather, Jupiter allows us to have so much cake we develop diabetes! His energy enables us the capability to buy another twenty pairs of shoes and then lose our home in bankruptcy.
We have to learn what it’s like to be full and believe we have enough before Saturn’s consequences of set in and we’re forced to deal with them. On the soul level, Jupiter grants us the grace of neutral acceptance and the state of knowing what it is to be sated. The feeling that what we have is enough becomes helpful in dealing with dietetic Saturn, and marks our pathway toward the next level of detachment where there is no space for the petty drives and wants of the personality–which is what’s required on our path to the outer planets.
Esoteric Pluto
Will-oriented first ray Pluto takes the boundary-based energies of father Saturn and gives them a larger playing field, as Pluto has a much longer and more erratic orbit. Prior to Pluto’s 1930 discovery, Saturn was credited with many of Pluto’s merciless characteristics. Upon Pluto’s discovery, however, part of Saturn’s esoteric domain fell to Pluto’s rulership. While Saturn’s a traditional malefic, Pluto is seen as a malefic in esoteric astrology because neither of them give us what we want.
Pluto’s known as the agent of death, whether death of desire, or death of attachment to form–or the death of the lower self in order to be able to merge and give to the soul. Therefore, soul centered first ray Pluto comprises: will, the breaking down of attachment to form, death of desire and attachments, as well as the surrender of the lower self to the soul. By house, he represents where one can develop spiritual will.
What Saturn and Pluto have in common, however, is that together these energies allow us to grow on the spiritual level. However, on the personality level, Saturn’s lessons seem to come in the form of punishment, while on a Pluto level we recognize them as soul growth. Most elements on the planet work in expected ways, except for radioactive elements. Pluto is a radio-active energetic force.
While Saturn has a way of bringing us to our knees, it forces us to do the necessary work. Pluto, on the other hand, brings us to our knees in a most perfect and painfully personal way. Like a Chinese finger trap, the more we struggle and pull, the tighter the trap becomes, again, in the most perfect way. To be free of constraint requires surrender.
This is a healthier way to be in relationship with Pluto issues because whatever we think is most important will be put onto a supremely qualifying obstacle course to determine if it has value to our path in life. That path–often approached from the limited perspective of the personality—lead always through the expansive vision of the soul in support of the plan. It’s simply up to each of us to recognize this as we become more conscious.
The ego doesn’t care about the soul, that’s where hubris comes in. Jupiter’s considered a benefic because many believe this energy does give people what they want. In my experience, however, Jupiter simply expands what is already there in order to get our attention. Saturn says there are human limits. Just as mythological Icarus–who though warned by his father Apollo not to fly too close to the Sun–disregarded his advice and fell to his death, Pluto reminds us that excessive ego can prove radioactive. How stubbornly we hold onto our personality-based ego shows us where Pluto is the awakener (and hence, the esoteric ruler of Pisces.)
The Importance of Capricorn & Aquarius in 2020
Capricorn and Aquarius are the signs most strongly affected this year by these forces. Resource-focused Capricorn, ruled by rays one, three, and seven–will, active intelligence, and synthesis, respectively–is one of the most complex and misunderstood signs in the zodiac. The sign of the initiate, it is one of the oldest glyphs, and unlike any other in astrology. Capricorn begins in the waters as the tailed sea goat, walks on land as a hooved goat, and matures into the surefooted mountain goat able to reach the highest peak successfully. Such Capricorn energies work together to give one a singular focus based upon a complex combination of experience, know-how, hard work, and concentration.
The synthesis of earth, Capricorn utilizes that which was learned in Taurus and perfected in Virgo to provide wisdom to this final earth sign of the zodiac. Active intelligence increases in this sign since it is ruled by third ray Saturn on both the personal and soul levels, indicating the importance of self-responsibility on the path.
In addition, Capricorn’s relationship to resources moves us from abuser to user to creator. This dynamic becomes evident in the kinds of regenerative energy sources– such as wind, water, and solar–now in use to fuel our lives.
Next on the zodiacal wheel is Aquarius, the air sign that bears water. Group-minded Aquarius evolves from dissociative to organizing to uniting. The Aquarian must leave the role of the outcast and rebel and understand that separation does not really exist. Ruled by the fifth ray–which takes our ideas and makes them manifest, like a 3-D printer—modern day Aquarian individuals who exemplify this energy include entrepreneurs Steve Jobs and Elon Musk.
Third ray Saturn, the traditional old-time ruler of Aquarius, joins seventh ray Uranus as the modern personality ruler of Aquarius. This preponderance of sharp electric energy (rays three, five and seven) is balanced and softened by the powerful second ray magnetic energy of Jupiter as the esoteric ruler of Aquarius.
Since our Sun is second ray and all of the planets in our solar system reflect the light of the Sun,we have an inherent edict to love wisdom. This energetic softening provides the intellectually focused Aquarian on a soul centered path a heart that encourages transition from personal to the impersonal, and impersonal to the personal. This most necessary shift on the path of consciousness allows us to move from the self-centered life of an ego-based personality into the collective-centered experience of the soul.
The Aquarian Shift & Jupiter/Saturn in Air
We are, each of us, in a period of increased individualization that must occur in alignment with the greater plan. That we humans have not been in right conscious relationship with our environment becomes easily recognizable as so many across the globe are forced now to shelter in place. This slow down, in turn, allows us to more clearly realize we live in a complex terrarium, interconnected in ways that science barely understands, but that our souls know deeply.
What we’ve become used to in both the outer world and our daily lives reflects our general malaise over the negative long-term effects wrought upon our planet by us all, both individually and as part of the collective. Unable to curb ourselves, or take the many opportunities afforded us to enjoy the bounty of our physical plane, we seem to exist as apart from—rather than as a part of–nature. Now perhaps it’s time for a definitive answer or future plan rather than simply the depressing acknowledgment that our inaction will subject future generations to suffering the consequences of our inertia.
Meanwhile, we humans tend to take the path of least resistance, unlikely to move unless a force greater than ourselves threatens us. Everything we see is consciousness, even the things we do not see. This virus has stopped some, whether through mandated quarantine or death. Yet it’s placed others into a frenzied overtime work environment where they try desperately to stem the tidal wave of human loss and to help all breathe and survive this global experience. Ultimately, what’s happening now may afford many the opportunity to review and reflect on their lives, perhaps eventually to realize that some great unseen force has caused our lives to transform. Hello Jupiter and Pluto!
We are being forced to go within or go without life. This process is akin to a nocturnal-type underworld, or one in which we lack simple definition or conscious clarity. Day-oriented, career-focused individuals will experience a harder time battling an unseen foe that prevents them from acting freely or doing what they want. On the level of personality, they may stubbornly resist and fight against this opportunity to be with themselves. Witness those who’ve ventured onto the steps of city halls or state capitols across the country to protest their confinement.
By ignoring social distancing (Saturn in Aquarius), they risk now not only their own lives but those of others in their communities, states, and within the country as a whole. This exemplifies the energies of Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto on the personality level, as well as how they may manifest in the sign of Capricorn. All three planets have been in this sign, although Saturn moved into Aquarius March 21. However, Saturn returns to Capricorn during his retrograde period from July to December of this year.
The two additional meetings of Jupiter and Pluto will continue to create a reckoning between heaven and hell on earth in order to birth this next step. How long will opportunistic capitalism hold us in its feudal death grip until a social democratic approach leads to a better way?
Once these heavies make their way into sometimes petty, yet often expansive-minded Aquarius, we should see a shift to address the needs of humanity–hopefully with the aid of more people and environmentally focused campaigns and politicians. When Jupiter and Saturn start their new 200-year air cycle at year’s end, more ideas and efforts to create a better world for all—with the understanding that elitism has its costs—will hopefully emerge.
Merrylin LeBlanc and I have started a YouTube channel called Deep Dive with New Perspectives. We wish to offer our astrological insights during these transformational times. Please share and subscribe.
Wishing you grace during these significants endings and new beginnings,
Michael