Saturn Conjunct Pluto 2020: Everything You Need to Know
Discover the energies at play during the rare Saturn-Pluto conjunction
You may have heard the buzz about a MAJOR cosmic event taking place this year: Saturn conjunct Pluto in Capricorn. In fact, you've probably already been feeling the effects of these two planetary powerhouses coming together. So, when will Saturn conjunct Pluto? On January 12, 2020 at 11:59AM EST.
Have you noticed a feeling in the last year or so of needing to get real, set against a backdrop of years' worth of slow, insistent, metaphorical plowing that feels like it should just be done already? If so, you are surely tuned in to the Saturn and Pluto placements in Capricorn! Or, if this doesn't sound quite right, you may be among those who would report gratitude to at least the Saturnian portion of these placements. Some folks have indicated that Saturn in Capricorn showed up as affirmation or acted in a "saving grace" kind of a way. Let's look a little more closely at these placements and figure out what's going on here! Then, we'll look ahead to what may happen during the upcoming conjunction of these two cosmic forces.
Pluto in Capricorn
To begin, we'll look at the longer-standing backdrop that I mentioned above, which would be the placement of Pluto in Capricorn. Pluto has been in Capricorn since about January of 2008! So, if you were to sum up your own observation of the background vibe over the past 11 years, what would you say? This could be your Pluto in Capricorn go-to phrase. Has it felt necessary? Inescapable? Scary? Or perhaps it's been a time of taking inventory, initiating preparations, or some kind of deconstruction and eventual reconstruction...
Generally, Pluto is thought to work as a force of transformation. I have seen it operate as a deepening agent. It can be hard to really catch its flavor in real time because it moves so slowly that it becomes the accustomed backdrop, as I've already insinuated. And, it is in the Cardinal Earth sign of Capricorn now, known for its cool, dry qualities and natural urges toward practicality, while also oriented to the long term. In the body, Capricorn is associated with the skeletal structure and even the skin. It represents structural foundations and boundaries. So, with transformative Pluto slowly pushing through this Earth sign, the image of mountain-formation comes to mind! A long, drawn-out upheaval of large amounts of earth. That is what we are all going through during Pluto's transit across the Capricorn portion of our heavens.
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Saturn in Capricorn
Saturn moves much more quickly through the signs and has only been in Capricorn since about January of 2018 (technically, December 20, 2017, for those who like precision). Since Saturn is known to represent such qualities as constriction and responsibility, you may have noticed an uptick in these themes since January 2018, when Saturn joined Pluto -- at a distance -- in its home sign of Capricorn. Most of the reports I heard from folks concerning this period amounted to a kind of realness or containment -- time management, responsibilities, and the need to get real.
Have you noticed anything like this for yourself? How would you describe the nature of striving or constriction that you have experienced since January 2018? Answer that and you'll have your Saturn in Capricorn go-to phrase.
Now, let's see what happens when we put the energies of Pluto and Saturn together! In the past, during the periods when Saturn has conjoined Pluto, we have seen things like world wars and economic bursts, such as the Australian gold rush. We have also seen great progress on creative and technological fronts as with photographic advancements: the first daguerreotype of a Solar Eclipse, for instance, or the first telephone call across the United States, or the creation of the first solar cell to collect solar power. We also see great advancements in thought as with Einstein's theory of relativity or the Pangea theory. And, that's just since 1851! In those cycles, the conjunction happened in other signs (Aries in 1851, Taurus in 1883, Cancer in 1915, Leo in 1951, and Libra in 1982). The last time the two met in Capricorn (in 1518), we saw religious reformations, à la Martin Luther, alongside medical oddities such as the so-called "Dancing Plague" in what is now France. Every time is different, though certain themes may recur.
This time, Saturn will be in the same degree as Pluto in Capricorn from about January 6-14, 2020, with their exact conjunction being at 22 degrees at 11:59am EST on January 12, 2020. As with most transits, we may feel the pressure building up a bit before the exact conjunction, and then the intensity of it usually passes after the conjunction perfects, though it may have set in motion things that will last for a much longer period of time.
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How will Saturn conjunct Pluto 2020 affect us?
On a global level, we may expect to see big shifts in things such as governments, political boundaries, economic happenings, or far-reaching advancements in technology or thought. As with most things, we may not realize the impact of some of these shifts until much later. Hindsight is 20/20 -- even in Astrology!
If you know your chart, you can check out what placements you have at 22 degrees of any Cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) to see how closely this transit may affect you personally. If you have birth chart placements around 22 degrees of any Water or Earth sign, you may, in fact, find the transit to be extra helpful, since you will be receiving sextiles or trines ("flowing" aspects) from the occurrence! The best way to learn more is to get an Astrology forecast or a reading from a reputable astrologer. Finally, if you have nothing there, you may simply observe the transit affecting those around you.
Some of the more positive feedback that I've received from folks about these transits thus far includes the following ideas: from the Pluto influence, there's an experience of unfolding, recombobulation, exhilaration, and deepening, while the Saturn influence is helping to refine, accept, recover, and affirm. While the January 12 conjunction between these two planets has the potential to be a very big deal, with its exact flavors and nuances to be shown to us in real time, the overarching sense I get from the two placements, as they have shown themselves so far, is one of deepening into our simple responsibilities and realizing what is enough. Where we have too much, we will likely be asked to let go of the excess. Where we have too little, we may be asked to make sure we have enough! It seems like a pull-up-your-bootstraps and keep-your-chin up kind of moment. While also staying rooted in the practical and keeping our perspectives broadened, we've got to see that every moment is part of all-time, and vice versa. It's a huge thought. One that is exercised little by little, in each moment. Stay grounded and do what's practical. Pay your bills (on time!). Brush your teeth (and floss!). I'll see you on the other side of this conjunction, when we can share our stories of how it was.
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