All along Pluto has been waiting and watching. He senses when we may be strong enough to finally face those buried wounds within (possibly showing up as an intense Pluto transit to our natal chart). Perhaps after experiencing a troubling reoccurring pattern, or an addiction, or a painful breakup, etc — we decide we want to get to the root, we want to change, we want to heal. Often this means acknowledging that the current situation or conflict is triggering something deeper. If we are brave and willing to dig around, we usually find a hurt little child self — abandoned, abused, traumatized in some way, and then possibly dissociated or shut down. As children and as adults we find ways to cope and live through traumas. We’ve all had them. It’s part of life. But Pluto demands that we integrate those painful scenarios into consciousness so that we are no longer unconsciously controlled by them. 

Pluto is about empowerment, but true power means being courageous enough to face the things we are afraid to look at or afraid to admit, own them, feel the feelings connected with them, and ultimately find the real truth of who we are. Often the things that cause us the most pain are based on false conclusions, which we came to in order to explain the trauma. Especially as children we take everything personally and we unconsciously interpret someone’s failure to be present or loving as our own fault, inadequacy, or lack of importance. This all happens at an unconscious level. Enter Pluto: Pluto shows us that by facing the pain, we also get to recover the truth, which is of our innate worth, lovability, and holiness — regardless of whatever we have lived through. Through our healing process we may also rediscover faith in life and in humanity, which we hadn’t even realized was lost.

Recently I was reminded of a special tool that works amazingly well at helping to not only uncover the underlying issues that scar the heart, but also to help heal them — in the context of relationships. It is called an Imago Dialogue (or Couple’s Dialogue) and can be done within any important relationship in which you are experiencing conflict — feeling distant, unheard, angry, resentful, or hurt, etc. 

“Imago theory shows that most conflicts that have a painful ‘charge’ are only 10% about the present situation and 90% about some past wound that is causing pain now. Imagine if you could truly heal old wounds.” (Tim Atkinson)

The Imago Dialogue is a form of communication that requires active listening, mirroring, validation, and empathy. It may feel tedious to go through the structure of this format (and if you are really angry there is the option of doing it over instant messaging so that you have some space and the emotions don’t continue to get out of control with one another). However, If you go through with the process, I can almost guarantee it will have some beneficial results — creating insights, understanding, and even lasting healing. 

Although Mercury retrograde can be a pleasant time for some, especially if we are able to go with the flow and take some down time in the more right brain (creative, imaginative, emotional, etc.) realm, it has a troublesome reputation because in fact many people do experience frustrations connected with this transit. 

Jupiter retrograde, however, is not usually thought of as a troublesome transit (although in astrology it is true that all manifestations are possible — depending on one’s own birth chart, consciousness, choices, and karma, etc.)... Jupiter is the planet of opportunity and bounty even when it is retrograde! During the retrograde period, the opportunities don’t go away, but rather we may find ourselves going back and discovering opportunities that didn’t come to full fruition the first time around. Also, this is an especially rich Jupiter retrograde as it extends the time period and amplifies the power of the Jupiter/Pluto trine in the sky right now (an active influence from Jun 2011-Jul 2012). This trine can support us in manifesting our intentions in the real world — in practical, tangible ways — since both these planets are in earth signs and currently in a harmonious relationship with one another. It is worth noting however, that Jupiter is in Taurus, the archetype known to be slow, yet reliable; and Pluto is in Capricorn, the archetype known to take things step-by-step and have high standards — so patience and perseverance will be helpful!

Going back to this particular client’s chart, Jupiter is retrograding first back through the area of his chart having to do with community, humanitarian concerns, friends, and long-term goals (11th house); and then back into the area of career/public standing (10th house). While it is traveling back, it will pass again over his natal Saturn and oppose his natal Jupiter. The conjunction with Saturn suggests he might revisit some serious issues, discovering new gifts along the way, in his marriage or other significant one-on-one relationships in his life (since Saturn rules his Capricorn 7th house). The opposition with Jupiter suggests he might take another look at something regarding his health or daily routine (since Jupiter rules his Sagittarius 6th house), making positive changes or discovering blessings that he didn’t catch before. In general, it may be the perfect time to thoroughly revisit all possibilities and opportunities and gain a refreshed level of confidence connected with the concrete manifestation of his most cherished hopes, dreams, and goals, as well as related to his career and public image in the world (Jupiter retrograde in the 11th and 10th houses)! 

I hope this example gives ideas of how to contemplate transiting Jupiter in your own unique chart.

To begin, look around the circle of your chart and find the glyph for Taurus, which looks like: ♉. The chart is divided into 12 sections, called “houses” and 12 signs of the zodiac. However, unless you are using an equal house system, the signs and houses do not correspond exactly with one another, but rather each sign is usually covering part of 2 houses or each house has part of 2 signs within it. And each sign takes up a space of 30 degrees. 

Returning to the example from my last blog, find the beginning of the section showing Taurus (♉) — that is 0º Taurus. There will be lines to count within that section until you get to 30º ♉, which then leads to the next section beginning at 0º ♊ (Gemini), and so forth. You are looking for 0º to 10º of ♉. Look to see in which numbered house (1-12) those degrees of ♉ fall. If you happen to be using a chart that does not number the houses, look for the horizontal line dividing the chart, referred to as the horizon. House 1 is the first section on the left side of the chart, below the horizon line. Then count the sections all the way around the chart. House 12 is the last section on the left side above the horizon line. For the client who asked, those degrees fall within her 11th house — of friends, community, hopes, long-term goals, etc. As Jupiter retrogrades back from 10º to 0º it will pass over her Chiron, the Wounded Healer archetype, at 3º of Taurus (for the second pass on Nov 11, 2011. The first pass when Jupiter was direct was on Jun 22, 2011, and the 3rd pass after Jupiter turns forwards again will be on 2/7/2012). Jupiter’s contact with Chiron may involve some kind of reminder of a primal wound for this woman, but more importantly an opportunity for further healing of and learning about this sensitive place within herself. Though the aspect happens on exact dates, the influence may be felt generally over the course of the several months that Jupiter travels back and forth over her Chiron... 

Jupiter will not be making any other major aspects (Ptolemaic aspects) to other planets in her chart. The way one can tell if important aspects will be made from Jupiter’s retrograde travel from 10º back to 0º Taurus is by looking at the degrees of all the planets in the chart. If any are from 0º-10º Taurus, Jupiter will conjunct them (as in the case above with Jupiter passing over Chiron at 3º of Taurus). If any are from 0º-10º in other signs, specifically ¼ way around the chart on either side from Taurus, in other fixed signs of Aquarius (♒) and Leo (♌) — that planet would be squared by Jupiter. ⅓ way around the chart from Taurus, in the other earth signs of Capricorn (♑) and Virgo (♍) — that planet would be trined. ½ way around the chart from Taurus in the opposite fixed sign of Scorpio (♏) — that planet would be opposed. If you look at an ephemeris (a calendar of the calculated positions of celestial bodies), you can discover exactly when these aspects will occur...