Mysterious Pluto slips into its final (in our lifetime) retrograde through old-school Capricorn, from September 1 to October 11, 2024. How to navigate the tail end of this intense, alchemical transit.

Who’s in charge around here? That answer may shift dramatically before 2024 draws to a close.

On January 20, 2024, Pluto darted forward into progress-minded Aquarius, pushing for seismic shifts in global power structures.

Aquarius rules activism, human rights, technology, science and the future—all themes that are sure to provoke power struggles and radical transformations by the time this 20-year period wraps on January 19, 2044. To wit, the last time Pluto cycled through Aquarius was from 1778 to 1798! This spanned the end of the American Revolution, plus, the Haitian and the French Revolutions.

Hang on to your voter ID card. There’s one more round of patriarchal power-tripping ahead when Pluto hits its final leg of Capricorn, from September 1 to November 19, 2024. And (gulp) this period spans the United States presidential election. As the Pluto-in-Capricorn old guard faces down the Pluto-in-Aquarius vanguard, this race is sure to be fraught with chaos.

Donors with deep pockets could fund campaigns, giving certain candidates a visibility advantage. But that won’t stop the virtual insanity that Pluto in tech-savvy Aquarius is sure to sow across social media. Data hacks could compromise election results forcing recounts—and a possible recasting of votes in certain regions.

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Secrets come back to haunt during Pluto retrograde

Pluto, the ruler of the unconscious, is keeper of secrets—the ones we’ve buried so deep that we forgot where we hid them. For five months each year, the dwarf planet spins retrograde, plunging us all into a period of shadow work.

Pluto shifted into reverse on May 2, 2024, backing up through renegade air sign Aquarius. It continues this backward motion on September 1, but in Capricorn, until October 11. While Pluto was retrograde in Aquarius, you may have found yourself reeling from technological developments and scrambling to keep order in your communities. Now, we experience Pluto retrograde in Capricorn for the final time in our lives!

Pluto in Capricorn puts focus on power

Since 2008, Pluto in Capricorn has shown us the dark side of patriarchy and corporate greed. We may witness one final showdown in 2024 as old powers clutch onto the dominance that is slipping from their grasps.

On a personal note, Pluto’s backspin through Capricorn can reveal ways that we all vie for power when we need to let go and share.

Pluto’s relationship status with the solar system: ‘It’s complicated’

As the ruler of our unconscious urges, we’re not always present to its machinations. In fact, if you’re blaming someone else for your very own demons (but not actually realizing it), bet your arse Pluto’s at play. Projection is one of this trickster’s favorite deflections.

So when Pluto pivots into reverse every year, it holds up quite the mirror. Wait—maybe you did have something to do with the discord after all? Maybe it wasn’t just because the person you’re pissed at is a narcissist. Conversely, maybe someone you’ve been letting off the hook needs to be held accountable, at last.

What it means to do ‘shadow work’

As Pluto reverse commutes through the zodiac, you have an opportunity to go back and revisit some of the buried stuff you may have glossed over in your life.

What have you shoved down to the recesses of your consciousness? Pluto dwells in the underworld, a kidnapper of young Persephone—which is a metaphor for your own inner child.

As any parent worth their salt knows, kids need positive reinforcement more than harsh punishment. We’re not saying some restrictions don’t apply, of course; kids also need boundaries. So think about tending to your own inner child during Pluto retrograde. When you’re gentle with the hijacked parts of yourself, it’s a helluva lot easier to be compassionate to other people.

The truth is, we all have a shadow side

You know: the part of ourselves that we’d rather deny than lay claim to. No one’s cedar-lined closet is without rattling skeletons. For the five months of the entire 2024 Pluto retrograde (May 2 to October 11, 2024), you may face a few specters head-on. While its ultimate effect is for good, there can be a few intense moments at first—so hang on tight!

Silver lining: During Pluto retrograde, you may actually feel relief from the planet’s intensity. Retrogrades are times for introspection. Deep-diving Pluto’s backspin can bring penetrating insights. But beware: progress may be put on hold as you process everything from pain to grief to revenge fantasies.

Like we said, Pluto retrograde is a time for doing shadow work. Wherever you’re pointing the finger, Pluto retrograde advises: stop and take a look within. Is there a more effective way of dealing with conflict?

If the storm of social media wars has shown us anything over the past decade, fighting dirty only drags us all deeper into the mud pit. But no one wants to just “lie down and take it,” nor should we. The opportunity of the Pluto retrograde is to mobilize your communities and continue to speak truth to power with integrity.

It’s important to remember that Pluto is not simply destructive, it’s also regenerative

Pluto oversees alchemy, reproduction and hidden resources. Its brutal teardowns can reveal buried treasures to be found.

As we approach the U.S. elections on November 5, this is a call to action for all of us to step into our own leadership, instead of waiting for a “perfect” leader to appear. Be the change you wish to see in the world, FR.

Pluto only visits each sign every 250 years or so

And it leaves an indelible imprint when it does visit a sign! Since 2008, Pluto has shaken up Capricorn-ruled areas like government, corporations and the economy. On November 19, 2024, Pluto moves into Aquarius for a solid two decades, which means this is the last time in our lives that we’ll ever experience its retrograde through Capricorn!

Pluto in Aquarius 2024: A “sneak peek” of the next two decades

Pluto spent six weeks in Aquarius in 2024 (and spent two months there in 2023). These short visits gave us a preview of what’s to come for the longer (20-year!) journey of Pluto through the sign that rules activism, science and tech. Pluto in Aquarius begins November 19 and extends to January 19, 2044!

A few of Pluto’s fingerprints are already evident in this sign:

Chat GPT disrupts media as we know it, creating both fear, outrage and awe of the power of technology to replicate humans (and violate copyrights/lawsuits pending)
President Biden signs a law forcing ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell in 12 months or be banned in the U.S.
Youth activism on campuses demanding Universities divest from Israeli investments because of the Israel-Hamas war
The U.S. Supreme Court divides on whether federal law should allow doctors to perform emergency abortions in states with near-total bans on the procedure
Mass shootings continue, making gun laws a top issue for the 2024 U.S. election
U.S. schools in some states ban teaching factual history about slavery and systemic racism and squash DEI programs
Polarization continues to Aquarian extremes: Armed Neo-Nazis show up to drag shows
Lawmakers in some states attack trans rights with bills that restrict or outlaw gender-affirming healthcare for youth, along with protections in schools and public spaces
Books are banned in schools, specifically in Texas, Florida and Tennessee
World powers assemble and disassemble as war rages on between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas, among many other conflicts, sadly