Pluto has a well-deserved association with negative behaviors such as obsession, manipulation, and power struggles. But are these traits always bad?

Obsession often precedes acts of genius such as a great work of art or an invention that benefits the collective. These are examples of how Pluto can work through us in a positive way. However, when people manipulate others, often for “their own good,” we see Pluto’s dark side. The type of aspect Pluto makes to personal planets and angles, either natally or by transit, provides clues about how this powerful force will manifest in an individual.

The conjunction brings a deeper intensification of the qualities of the sign in which it is found. When Pluto conjoins a planet or angle, the intensity is exponentially greater. Here is the possibility for either end of the spectrum, from genius inventor to heavy duty manipulator. As with all conjunctions, it is difficult to get perspective on our behavior, because we’re just too close to the situation. Feedback from a friend or loved one can be very helpful or the start of battle royal.

Those with Pluto in a sextile or trine with personal planets or angles have the best chance to manage your obsessions and to be productive without your desire to pursue a specific path taking over your life. You can spend time deeply involved in the act of creation and yet still remember to stop and make dinner for their family. The intensity and drive is softened by the harmony found between the signs and elements involved.

If you have an opposition with Pluto, there are a couple of different ways this can go. Often with the opposition, it can be a person or situation outside ourselves who will brings demands and expectations into our lives. The key to any opposition is keeping in mind that the signs and elements are always compatible, and if confrontation is avoided, then dialogue is possible. Working with a Pluto person can be very challenging but also very rewarding, because they will be very tenacious in pursuit of your mutual goals. However, if there are escalating confrontations between you due to differences in expectations, and stepping back and detaching does not work, then you may need to completely remove yourself from the situation – a totally Plutonian option.

Of all the aspects to work with, a square between Pluto and personal planets is the most difficult and yet the one holding the greatest potential for clarity and growth. It can fuel great creativity and the most persistent obsessions. If the energy generated by this aspect can be channeled into creativity of one kind or another, great things are possible. For example, Pluto square Mercury is wonderful for writers, because they will just keep working until they get it right.

If you have Pluto aspecting personal planets or angles natally, you become accustomed to handling these over time, but Pluto transits can be very unsettling for those with no natal Pluto influences. Typically, Pluto transits are in effect on and off for four to five years.

Many of us are feeling Pluto’s energy intensely as he stations in preparation to turn retrograde on April 4 at 3°18′ Capricorn. Letting go of attachment to a specific outcome is sanity, because that opens the door for the universe to bless us.

posted by Neith . . .

Image: This is Frida Kahlo’s painting, “Loose Hair.” She had a very tight conjunction of Venus and Pluto in Gemini square to Saturn in Pisces, and her genius is undeniable as was the pain she lived with every day.