How often do you feel like you have to keep a lid on things — your emotions, your sexual urges, your ambitions, your full power? Probably a lot of the time, right? After all, most social and professional situations call on us to temper our more primal sides in favor of being polite, proper, cool and in control.
Paroxysmal eruption of Mt. Etna in Sicily, on Jan. 12, 2011. I don’t know about you, but I see a reclining form whose hand is reaching down to… Photo by gnuckx/Creative Commons/Wikimedia
But what if I told you the current astrology is ripe for some of that subterranean stuff you usually hold back to come bursting forth? Would it scare you, excite you, or simply feel like a relief?
What if you were to look at such an emergence simply as yet another step in your personal evolution; just one more facet of yourself to embrace and integrate on your way to wholeness? After all, humanity has a long history of sexual desire (as well as emotions, power and evolving). None of this is new material, though it might feel new (and therefore unusual) to express it in the way the astrology is indicating — and still have it be productive, rather than destructive.
Of course, one key to working with it productively is to own it. That deep, seemingly mysterious place under the surface where your sexuality, emotions and body intersect is all yours. Trying to project it onto others won’t work; yes, they have their own lusty nexus. And you have yours.
So what’s the astrology at work here? The core aspect is a conjunction between Venus and Pluto in mid-Capricorn, exact at 8:15 pm EST Friday (1:15 UTC Saturday). (Ideal timing for most weekday nine-to-fivers, whether you’re in a relationship or solo, to devote some attention to sexual expression and exploration; try it during the day if you work at night.)
Eric Francis reminded me today of the late, great astrologer Al Morrison, saying, “One day astrologer Debbi Kempton Smith (Morrison’s student) asked him about the Venus-Pluto conjunction in his natal chart and he looked at her and said in his slow Arkansas drawl: Luuuuusst.”
Lust, huh? You might be thinking, “Isn’t that one of the Seven Deadly Sins?” It is; but remember who decided that it’s a “sin” — and why, and what certain institutions have done to millions of people in the name of “saving” them from this “sin.” True, it is not always appropriate or beneficial to act on one’s lust. But neither is it healthy to weigh it down under a mountain of guilt, shame and fear.
Our lustier urges, whether you take them literally or as metaphor, have evolutionary purposes. As Eric added in his email, “[Venus-Pluto] is about letting it out — burning through the prim propriety of Capricorn and getting to the molten goat interior of Capricorn.”
Molten goat? If that image does not work for you, try imagining a volcanic mountain range. It’s solid and strong and seemingly impermeable; but deep within is the magma that actually made the mountain. That magma is hot and looking for a way out. Will it ooze gently and carry you along as it reshapes the landscape? Or will it erupt suddenly, taking the top of the mountain with it and laying bare the power within?
Both scenarios are possible, in terms of how your emotions, your body, and your sexuality may find expression. Current astrology provides an invitation to get in touch with this layer of yourself and your feelings about it.
To the one side of Venus-Pluto is Mars (and Black Moon Lilith, a hypothetical lunar point) in Scorpio. From Scorpio to Capricorn is a sextile — a harmonious, flowing aspect that only asks for some active cooperation from you to help things along. This looks like the image of someone who’s willing to take the energy on, who perhaps is already doing their inner work with deep emotions, the shadow feminine, and their desires, and is open to doing more.
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Which is not to say that you’ll avoid any “eruptions” if that description fits you. Venus-Pluto in Capricorn has a potentially eruptive quality all on its own (and could signal an eruption of jealousy), even without any help. Yet it does have help.
Vesta (an asteroid) and Uranus are conjunct in Aries, making a square to Venus-Pluto. Squares are the aspect of dynamic internal tension in astrology; the sense of feeling like you must do something to relieve it. In taking action, you also integrate whatever factors seemed to have been pushing on you to choose and move.
Although the era-defining Uranus-Pluto square is no longer exact, it is still close and quite functional. The sexual and emotional energy of Venus and Pluto, which is looking for an outlet, have an evolutionary function — and embracing it could feel quite revolutionary. Especially if Uranus (in a Mars-ruled sign) pushes out of you something that you’ve been trying very hard to suppress.
Vesta adds a touch of the devotional; as in, devoting yourself to this process of self-discovery is integral to feeding your inner spark. The more self-directed you can be with it (as opposed to reactive), the better.
Finally, note that the Moon will be in mid-Capricorn as Venus-Pluto is exact, sweeping through the aspect just afterwards. As mentioned, your emotions are deeply tied to this process, and efforts to mask them behind a poker face do not look tenable in this scenario. The urge to do so is likely related to very old past conditioning from childhood. Feel free to question it; it could be fun.
It never fails to amaze me how often the articles on PW, the astrology of the time, and events in my life coincide. Makes me almost believe there could be something in all this astrology business.
On Tuesday this week I attended the book launch of Stuart Feathers’ “Blowing The Lid”, a definitive account of the politics behind Britain’s Gay Liberation Front in late 60s-early 70s. For myself, nothing could better illustrate the attributes of Venus-Pluto conjunct in Capricorn which you describe in this piece, Amanda. Timely indeed.
http://www.zero-books.net/books/blowing-lid
Excellent, Geoff! “Blowing the Lid” fits perfectly (and just as I typed this, I noticed the double entendre….).
I feel like I should add, however, that so far my personal experience of this Venus-Pluto (which is in my 7th house) seems to be colored strongly by that shadowy Mercury still working its way out of Capricorn. That is, the “passionate eruptions” I’ve been experiencing so far have been more of the anger kind, born of a mix of power play (between myself and another person (not my intimate partner, thankfully), neither of whom holds the position of authority in the situation) and creative passion — plus some outside factors and stress being brought into a situation where it is not getting creative outlet. To the contrary, it seems to be getting in the way of creative collaboration.
Luckily, we have a few nights off from rehearsals for the play I am in; hopefully when we reconvene, the planets will have calmed down and those of us who are struggling to “play nice” will have dissipated the energy in constructive and pleasurable forms.
I stand by the idea that there is evolutionary potential here, even in this difficult spot I find myself. But it is asking me to stretch and grow in ways that have so far proven difficult. I trust that I can get there with my scene partner. I do think we both want to. I don’t know her natal chart, but I am curious — some of this feels very 12th-housey to me, but Cap is not my 12th.
Anyway, hopefully most people reading this piece are experiencing sexy eruptions rather than power plays; re-reading what Robert Hand has to say about Mercury conjunct Pluto, I’d say that has definitely been the more predominant influence for me this week, as Mercury is still moving slowly, and is therefore still powerful.
I’ll hold open some space in my heart for Venus to move in and soften things up a good deal as we head into the weekend.
Well, eruption isn’t something that tends to happen to me at all, including in this case (despite the fact this configuration is very closely aspecting my Moon) – however, I am making some interesting discoveries in the realm of my feelings and desires. For me, this is big news, because there have always been serious obstacles in the way of accepting and understanding my own reality. Usually I have had that of others imposed on me.
Thank you for an intriguing and well-written article. And thanks for the book tip, Geoff.
So you’ll be gettin’ down with some molten goat’s cheese later?
Sorry — could not resist!
For the benefit of our readers, Amanda and I have a running gag about my addiction to cheese.
In this rather odd penchant, I am not alone.
Molten goat’s cheese is delicious.
Yeah Amanda! Sometimes love also means saying no. Setting your boundaries, as well as letting go towards greater expression, when normally feeling like shrinking back is a lot safer or comfortable option.
I feel like the Mercury Pluto conjunction brought about a lot of clarity to defining what I want. Now with the other personal planet Venus passing over the ‘hard guy’ Pluto, offers further clarity in expression. Where we really get to practice this stuff. Thankfully, with the blessing of Venus sweeping by Pluto they seem to be working in unison. As we are now fortunate to be reminded of Pluto with a visual that sends a message of his beautiful marbled colored surface, that also encompasses that white, bright shining heart.
Several dreams last night of a couple men who strongly represent my ‘ideal’ loving partner(s). The first expressing his deep love, and the other one was lusting on me. Hopefully starting in the core leds forward materialization on the physical level. Anyway message received! From deep witin is playing out and seems to be aligning now with my existing conscious thoughts and ideals. That is speaking to me.
Lucky you, P. Sophia! The main dream *I* remember from last night involved three huge otters (like, my size but heavier) playfully but rather aggressively pushing up to me on a big boulder near the water. (and they had rather un-otter-like faces, though I can’t really describe how…and strange ears…). I was not scared, but very aware that they were wild animals as I spoke to whomever was with me.
…I think I’ll leave the real-life manifestations to you and your dream in this case!
A, thanks for the great article and your interpretations that are always so rich!
Amy, LOL. LOVE Molton Goat cheese! That minerally ash. Cowgirl Creamery, found here locally in Marin County, is the best.
Delicious aspects, and delicious writing, Amanda. I like the cheese too.