I had a much harder time naming this post than I had writing it. I toyed with Pluto and the Path of Soul, but Soul is a confusing term, and many of us have very personal definitions of it as coloured by traditional and non-traditional religion and belief systems. Evolutionary astrology has adopted the notion of Pluto as representing the Soul, but I think the Soul is far too-wide ranging to be covered by Pluto alone. Spirit isn’t quite right, either–it’s hard to think of the bloody emotional turmoil Pluto unearths as linked to something as glistening as spirit. In spiritus = spirit within, inspiration; hardly Pluto’s territory.
But spirit is associated with fire, (as fire signs are associated with inspiration) and perhaps this is where we should begin with Pluto and its 
lower octave, Mars. More than any other of the octave pairings, Mars and Pluto are in cahoots with one another. Mars and Pluto speak the same language. They go after what they want. Mars is the ruler of the first fire sign, Aries, and on his own is a straightforward guy. I envision it, I want it, I see it, I go for it. (For those who think visions belong to Pisces, the envisioning, inspirational function belongs to all the fire signs. The imaging function of Pisces stems from its co-ruler, Jupiter, and its connection to Sag.) Mars is about the action of desire. Grab first, think later, is Mars at its most basic.
Things get complicated when we realize that Mars is also the ruler of Scorpio. This is Mars in his not-so-basic form. Anyone doubting that Mars is co-ruler of Scorpio needs only to follow him in secondary progression for a short time, where you will immediately see his connection to Scorpio houses and Scorpio planets. Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has been associated with Scorpio and the link to Mars nearly forgotten (even though the legendary passion, sexuality, single-mindedness and determination/violence of Scorpio are more of a fit for Mars than they are for the little dark iceball of the universe). It is typical of Scorpio, however, that Pluto was in fact photographed fifteen years earlier, but somehow his discovery was hidden from view and he lurked the heavens undefined until 1930.
Alice Bailey made the first mention of Mars as the ‘agent’ of Pluto in her book on esoteric astrology. Jeff Green picked up on this and elaborated on it in his two books on Pluto. I encourage everyone to experiment and follow through with this idea–I guarantee it will open your eyes, and take a great deal out of the mystery of Pluto by transit and progression. There is no question that Pluto is a thug–and a dangerous one at that–but there is also no doubt in my mind that Mars is his henchman. Scratch the surface of an innocent, instinctual Mars, and you will find Pluto calling a lot of the shots.
Jeff Green has written a detailed chapter about understanding how evolved an individual Mars is by examining its phasal relationship to Pluto. (See the articles on phasal relationships and the soli-lunar relationship .) These aspects work much as the symbolism of the Sun and Moon phases do, with the ‘new’ Mars (i.e., just separated from Pluto) the unschooled and ego-oriented one and the later Mars (moving on to the balsamic phase) much more in alignment with the Soul’s intent. Again, I don’t think it’s that simple, but it’s one more tool in finding the level of conscious awareness in the chart.
Because, when it comes down to it, what we desire and how we go about fulfilling those desires is the ultimate trial of the evolution of consciousness, and intimately tied in with Scorpio, Mars and Pluto. With Mars, we fight for what we desire–with Pluto, we fight to the death. Pluto (with Mars) can cause us to be so agitated and inflamed that the fight itself, and the death desired, becomes more important than the object we desire. All of the outer planets remove something in the physical world so that we can align ourselves with the spirit. When Pluto is activated, the thing that is desired in the physical world is ripped away from us, and often leaves us kicking and screaming, and terrified forever of the dark. There is a cutting away where Pluto is concerned that is also very Martian. Not a cold cutting, like Uranus, but one which expresses desire at its extremes. I have a nine year old niece, a Pisces, who has Pluto on the South Node and Mars at 29 Aries in the 10th. Her favorite thing, as a toddler, was knives. The minute your back was turned she would fish around in the drawer for the biggest kitchen knife she could find and then ram it into the hardwood floor crying, “Fixshit, cull it.” (“Fix it, cut it.”) I’m not making this up. (Yes, she still has all her fingers.) That’s the cry of Pluto himself.
Pluto not only cuts away what the ego desires at the expense of the soul’s growth, he burns it away as well. There is a secret to this kind of burning away, the kind every Plutonian knows intimately–the need for trial (and purification) by fire. Again, we are back to Martian symbolism. I’ve never been happy with the Scorpion as the symbol for the sign. Yes, Scorpio can sting itself to death, something I’ve seen a number of Scorpios do, metaphorically speaking, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the process of the sign, the way the virgin sorts out the chaff from the grain and the scales balance and the bull takes possession of territory. The process of Scorpio is this very burning. In modern astrology we tell Scorps that they have a choice between acting like the Scorpion or flying above it all like the Eagle. A very unsatisfying choice for a Scorpio, who wants neither to destroy himself nor sail above and avoid the whole thing. There is evidence, too complicated to go into here, that once the symbol for the eighth sign was (depending on which culture we’re discussing) a mythic animal that dominated all the elements– fire, earth, water and air. It could swim, it could fly, it could fight on the earth, and it breathed fire. It was, in fact, a kind of dragon, which was capable of turning both evil and noble. Other cultures favoured the phoenix, which also dominated the elements and was reborn out of its own ashes. I’ll take either over the scorpion and the eagle.
As apt a symbol as the phoenix is, I’m partial to the dragon. The dragon has his dark side, and will eat you as soon as compromise with you. Where the Taurus polarity is about accepting and respecting things for what they are, the Scorpio side wants to tear things apart to reveal their mystery, as the dragon does by mastering each individual element. Wherever Scorpio planets fall, we must become masters, we must discover the secrets and the mysteries. If our intentions are for personal gain at the expense of the soul, this mastery will never happen. If our intentions are in alignment with the soul’s growth and needs, we will be rewarded beyond imagining. It’s positively alchemical, and illustrates the process of finding the gold inherent in the prima materia. This is the quest of both Pluto and Scorpio. This is the reason Scorpio tests everything, and won’t let it lie until he gets a result. It’s a life or death issue.
When Pluto is prominently placed in a chart, we must die to ourselves over and over again. Pluto types, particularly when Pluto is conjunct the Ascendant or the Sun, need to create new personas for themselves on a regular basis, because they have taken the last identity as far as it will go. They can be crisis-oriented, and create extreme situations for themselves which they then attempt to overcome. Sometimes, they don’t make it, like Kurt Cobain, who had Pluto on the Ascendant within a few minutes and Mars hovering near a Scorpio South Node. (On the day of his death, Mars was conjunct the Descendant and opposite the Pluto/Uranus conjunction on the natal Ascendant.)
What this all boils down to–the testing, the fight between the ego and the soul, the delving into the mysteries, the burning down to the essence and the rebirth from that essence, is the concept of Right Action. With Right Action, our intentions are aligned with our soul’s journey, and we no longer have to burn ourselves down to the core. Our actions originate in that core, and are effortless because there is no more striving for the right expression of our intentions. Once Pluto has taken us down to our essence, our Mars becomes impassioned with a new quest, to fulfill the soul’s intent. And this alignment between Pluto’s desire and Mars’s action becomes something indestructible and sacred, a core of energy that cannot be corrupted or destroyed. We learn to act with the world, because we understand that the world is our teacher. We no longer set ourselves outside of it, or against it. We are at one with it. This is the true power Pluto has been craving. What is power but the ability to influence outcome? When Mars is aligned with Pluto in right action, our battles with ourselves are at an end, and we become a force for the greater good.
See also: Uranus and the Path of Mind, Neptune and the Path of the Heart and The Music of the Spheres.
Hi Dawn – a very deep series of articles on the big three!
I have a question for you – what happens when Pluto and Mars join up together along with Neptune/Pisces?
The reason I ask is because my progressed Mars in Pisces(1st house) will soon be opposite my natal Pluto/Moon conjunction. At the same time transiting Pluto will be conjunct natal Mars in the 12th house. Oh and just to add to the fireworks my progressed Sun will move into Aries – still 1st house.
As all these aspects are very slow moving these dynamics will be in place for several years, and to be quite frank even though I’ve been on an intensive soul journey for some years, it feels like sitting on a time bomb – including that during this time the progressed moon will be moving through 8th house Scorpio in which resides natal Neptune.
How would you prepare for such an intense gathering of energies and how does one survive several years of this testing – riding the dragon rather than being eaten or cindered by it?
As always: insightful. Thanks! Where spirit and soul are ambiguous terms, isn’t ego ambiguous as well? Don’t we need an ego to operate in this world? As a vehicle of the soul? Saturn as another representative of the ego? Ideally aligned with the souls intent? No minority complexes? Worthy of loving and being loved? Despite everything?
Smile.
Frans
Cap 3 asc.; Saturn retro Sag 24 in 12. Pluto square Sun.
I like the dragon for Scorpio.
The title is very apt indeed.
“Pluto (with Mars) can cause us to be so agitated and inflamed that the fight itself, and the death desired, becomes more important than the object we desire.” You see, that’s what I called cruelty the other time. But I’m a cold Pisces, what do I know about passion?
In my mind I’ve always liked the phoenix symbol. But maybe you’re right that sometimes it’s only flames and ashes and no Resurrection.
As for knives I have a very close Scorpio friend with a Mars-Pluto square in his natal chart and once I mentioned in front of him that I don’t like knives, I don’t like to use them, I don’t like to watch other people using them … and he said: “Oh, knives… I like knives very much. “And he said it with a passion.
Dear Helen…,
Cold Pisces??? I like your joke as a purely superficial Gemini…
‘right action’… What’s right for one isn’t right for another… Somewhere we all may have some sense of universal eternal rightfullness… A very big issue for this eternally doubting sun in gemini with a rigid cap ascendant… Our judicial system fails… We all – in the western world – abuse resouces… Our relatrionships fail…
What’s right???
???
WHAT IS RIGHT ACTION???
Jay, I would love to help you out here, but I can’t do it in this space. I’d have to take houses and rulerships into consideration in order to give you a real answer, and I would have to look at planetary triggers to the aspects. If you really need an answer I offer short consultations at a reduced rate.
probably there are some doubts about my comments… I am absolutely against physical violence… In my early twenties I refused military service and my position on violence hasn’t changed.
Frans
At the same time: abuse of power has to be chalanged.
I served as a nurse in stead, taking care of Jewish patients… Quite some with heavy traumas…
Mars in Pisces…
Hellow, Frans. I appreciate your contributions very much and am glad that you responded so strongly to my writing. However, I limited the number of your comments I approved to those which were directly relevant to the thread in a more general sense. The question of ‘what is right action’ is one each person must ask him or her self. For some of us, it means learning to surrender, for others of us, we need to learn to be more assertive and not give up so much. There is no one answer and much of the answer for any given situation can be found in the charts.
And yes, we certainly need a healthy ego as a vehicle to negotiate the world. But the strongest sense of self comes not from a focus on “I,” but from a focus on, “What am I here to contribute?”
Smile… Thanks! Pluto is about intensity and anyone writing on Pluto is asking for it… Pluto is also intensely personal… Pluto is also about rage, revenge… Especially people who can hate with restraint need to be heard – with Pluto… Hate with a smile… Neptune conjunct North Node…
Frans
There is nothing wrong with hatred… True humility arises from the assumption of powerlessness…
Joy is in sharing… Giving and getting in return… I give from a deep anger; a deep power… without that anger I wouldn’t have been here anymore…
Pfaah… My Pluto talking… Rage, revenge…, restraint (Saturn).
Hope it will serve as an illustration of Dawn’s ideas.
Love,
Frans
strange as it may sound… I like to be my contribution to be an acceptance of deep anger… and helping fellow human beings with that…
Dear Dawn,
I am extremely Plutonian (Pluto square a Scorpio ascendant,nn in scorpio conjunct descendant, and I guess this article hit so close to home that it took four readings before I could find myself in it. You know there are times when you just don’t to see. The need to attract crisis experiences is uncomfortably close, as is the repeated reinventions of self. My life turned upside down when Pluto crossed my natal ascendant, then again when he crossed my progressed ascendant, and has now settled in for a nice long stay in my progressed first house. More fun and games, but ignificantly fewer crises, I hope and pray.
taming Mars – turning rage into authenticity – is not a trivial accomplishment. Saturn and the Sun also play a huge role in bringing Mars (and Pluto) around….
and I like one of your phrases from the Mars Chiron piece : “desire IS the wound” – which speaks to another important piece of the work with Mars.
And, I believe, a key to working with Chiron.
Dear Frans, that’s what I like about superficial Gemini – they get Pisces humour 🙂
aaa, at least the cross of the mutable signs is capable of talking and listening
Arthur M. Young’s theory tells me one has to get involved to become evolved… ‘Plutonians’ don’t have alternatives? As a superficial parroting Gemini I would love to overwhelm you with quotes and expressions from a variety of sources… Just one: ‘The opposite of love isn’t hatred…; it’s indifference.’ Source: I don’t know. xxx
Linda Goodman says that. In a Cancer chapter, I think. In Love Signs.
thanks nr! no doubt you’re right. a hug…
and this gemini sun has seen death and long time excruciating – also physical- suffering and makes fun out of it…
no yoke. we’re all one out of 6 miljard and feeling special about ourselves… and none of us understands a thing…
In Africa …
I am absolutely blown away by this!! I have Scorpio Sun/Venus/Mercury/Neptune in the 9th, Mars in Leo. I have had premonitions for many years that this time in life would be a major destiny point for me. As it happens, this Mercury retrograde station was exact conjunct my Vertex at 1 deg Virgo. In the last number of weeks I’ve made some major core discoveries about myself (Pluto in the 12th right now).
I wrote a collage book about 4 years ago that seems to be prophecy about this time – at the very end of it I had a picture of a night sky with a shooting star and a caption that said “Sometimes it takes a drop of water to spark a fire.” I almost didn’t put it in because it didn’t make any sense to me, but the attraction was so strong I went ahead and added it. Now it makes perfect sense, thank you very much – Pluto/Mars!!
And you say dragon?!! I love them! I offer two tidbits of my recent metamorphosis:
I decided a couple of weeks ago to do something about my hate/anger. I gathered it in my hands and took it out of myself to have a look. It started out as a black gunky blob then transformed into a snarling, hissing, spitting little black dragon. He was so cute and small, all I could do was smile at him. I let him wear himself out, then told him he didn’t have to be this way.
He replied “Yes I do!” (omg, he even had the cutest little lisp).
I told him “No, you’re wrong, you’ve been duped. Let me show you what you can be – if you choose.” I showed him a magnificent huge, happy green giant, all shimmery and shiny.
He looked at me and said “Really, I can be that?”
I said “Really, I wouldn’t lie to ya. You just have to choose. It would benefit us both if you did.”
He just got real quiet.
For the next two days I just sat with my arm around him in silence, stroking him, loving him.
On the third day he looked at me and said “I don’t want to be like this anymore.”
I wasn’t sure what to tell him to do so I just kinda left it at that. I got busy with other things then a few days later remembered him and went looking.
Lo and behold, he was in a cocoon, all kind of mushy and translucent. I can see some green starting to shine through. He’s still there, getting really big. I’m in no rush. The healing power of Neptune/Mercury in Scorpio.
I have often imagined myself standing in a fire – it’s a truly wonderful feeling. I have had a journey spot for years but for the last few it has been barren and my fire pit had burned out. It has always been daytime when I arrive there. Last week I visited again, and I was thrilled to see a huge raging fire, but it was night time. I knew something had changed. I won’t reveal all that happened, but the animal kingdom surrounded me as I stepped into the fire. I let everything burn away and transformed into – you guessed it, a giant dragon. I flew off dancing in the cosmos.
I was getting a bit concerned about this Pluto/Mars opposition, but bless you, bless you, bless you, since reading this I am totally charged!! My intentions are definitely in alignment with my soul’s growth and needs, and I am thrilled to be manifesting my dream!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Mandy.
Dawn, I don’t get your comment – what is a key to working with Chiron?
Sorry, Helen, I wasn’t referring to your comment, but to the one by Don Musser above yours–this WordPress theme is a little strange; it doesn’t put the answers where they belong.
I was referring to the notion of Chiron/Mars and understanding that desire is the wound.
Sorry to cause confusion.
OK
Hi Mandy, thanks for sharing that! Loved it!
Years ago, I used to make up a series of funny stories about my more difficult feelings (Scorpio Moon, here). It was a dragon, too, cream with yellow spots. I think she eventually ended up in LA in a convertible and sun-glasses, living it up. This reminded me! Once again, thanks!
Wishing you much power and happiness.
Hello Dawn,
Do you pay attention to stationary outer planets in the natal chart…like Pluto stationary direct etc..
Is it of significance? If so..how?
Yes, I put a tremendous importance on stationery planets. They are under a pressure cooker, and on the brink of change. Retrograde to direct means that we are done with the inner exploration and ready to put the energy out into the world again. Direct to retro means that circumstances will come into our lives that will force us to re-examine the way we use that planetary energy in the world. In either case, that planet will have more emphasis, and be more significant than usual in the chart. The Nodes stationary are of particular importance.
Brilliantly put! Very insightful on the outer planets!
Thank you dawn. What is your take on a natal Pluto-Mars exact conjunction in Libra 5H? (Scorpio rules DC)
Hi Dawn,
Can you elaborate on the importance of stationary Nodes you allude to? Thank you.
The role of stationary nodes needs an article on its own, whether in natal, progressed or in synastry. But on the whole when the Nodes are stationary, a lot of pressure is put on both ends of the Node and it’s a great opportunity to consolidate our experience and translate it into nodal development. The Nodes normally travel retrograde; the stationary period allows them to slow down and think twice about the oppositions that dominate them.
Pressure creates diamonds, or crumbly messes — so with all that tension, I imagine a person with stationary nodes must feel an element of fate/destiny in their lives, a sense of “I have to resolve this, otherwise I will have failed what I’m here to do.”
Looking forward to the Stationary Nodes article, Dawn. Your work is tremendous and so impactful in my world.
I don know if I am a diamond, but I have lived through some pressure… Jeremy from chirotic, who suffered PAS (Parental Alienation Syndrome) himself, coped with disengagement (- is public info -). I did fight – within the limits of Dutch law, and it brought me to jail (10 days), and conviction – stalking.
Right action? In a negative sense I’ve made a ‘smooth youth’ for my kids nearly impossible. In a positive sense I sacrificed my ego by becoming a shared enemy by continuing to let my parental presence be known. (See Haim Omer) They haven’t turned into junks or worse.
Not to defend or rationalise my actions: WHAT IS RIGHT ACTION?
I guess it is multileveled: on one level bad; on another level best you can do!
Peace be with you all!
God bless,
Frans
In fact, my former comment is about the value of astrology: never it is a guide to any course of action! It only highlights themes and issues. Thank God! There remains freedom in options.
Love,
Frans
Dear Dawn
I checked astro.com for ephemeris on July 1991.
Pluto was stationed(D->R) at 17.34 and North Node was Stationed(R->D) at 18.59 both sextile. (to the minute).
Any significance in that?
With both Pluto and the North Node in stationery mode, the emphasis would be on getting the North Node ‘right.’ There might be crises or big events which force you to come up to the plate, where you finally have to leave the small ego behind and embrace the larger elements of soul.
Soul means the acceptance of the inevatable…
even embracement… sigh.
I would very much like to ask the meaning of a quincunx between Mars in Aries and Pluto in Scorpio.I think I have read in one of your artcles that a quincunx symbolizes the soul journey which is expressed by the connection of Mars and Pluto.I know that you cannot give a cookbook answer and that the whole chart must be considered but I would like to see a glipse of your thoughts on this.Thank you in advance.
Part of the Mars agenda is to act as Pluto’s henchman–Mars rules the lower, more mundane aspects of Scorpio rulership, while the Pluto energies work on a soul level. It helps if Mars and Pluto are in alignment, then the soul is in alignment with the mundane life. When they are in conflict, Mars must learn to answer to a higher power and a higher motivation. This would be particularly difficult with a headstrong Mars in Aries and a difficult aspect like the quincunx. It would be a huge challenge to get Mars on the right path.
Also both rulers of the Acendant in Scorpio.
Thank you very much for your response. I deeply appreciate it.
Dear Dawn
Do you have anything particular in mind for what the Pluto in Aquarius generation will bring?
Many in the scientific community predict something of technology saturation, singularity etc.
My father was born in Pluto in Leo. I have Pluto in Scorpio.
How do generations with Pluto squares effect each other?
Thank you
Pluto/Pluto squares between generations challenge one another in fundamental ways. There are often power struggles, or struggles over what is spiritually or morally right. It can be even more extreme when fixed signs are involved.
I have ideas about Pluto in Aquarius, which I’m not ready to share. However, the notion of fixed air can be a dangerous one. The rise of fanaticism of all kinds is likely. So is a powerful impulse towards humanitarian pursuits. Let’s hope one outweighs the other.
facinating post- thank you !!
What would you think will be the soul lesson of mars conjunct south node in scorpio then? I also have pluto conjunct venus uranus and mars ascendant….
should I read this as alot of pluto- venus -mars soul lessons?
confused as to how to use this natal energy in a good way….
In a word, yes, the use of Mars in particular is part of a soul lesson. Mars is about the will. Do we follow the will of the ego or the will of the soul? Do we use power wisely, or do we use it to manipulate and conquer? The Taurus north node is urging you to see things and accept things as they are, to accept the beauty of things as they are, and let go of the need to control and conquer.
What a data of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable experience regarding unexpected feelings.