Pluto in Aquarius: The (h)art of Liberation
Hello artist,
There are feelings afoot…
The insidious burn of things coming undone, or breaking the surface.
While we have the stars to partly thank for this, we are also feeling the real time grief of living through genocides. And we cannot unsee these moments, the realization that everything is connected. That everything is personal. That everything is political, especially as we see the loss of rights continuing to lead to loss of life.
When it comes to the current astrology, it’s no wonder we are seeing calls for liberation, for accountability, to divest from systems that do not serve us in the personal truths, but the communities we commit ourselves to.
The Intersections of Art and Liberation Movements
For myself, I found myself dwelling on what this undoing means for me; watching old regimes try to strangle the creative, critical, and communal spirit while my frustrations of trying to breathe life back into an artist practice grew untenable as the backdrop. An artist practice that has felt hollowed out and a relic of the past as I processed compound movement efforts for Sudan, Palestine, the Congo, and Haiti, and too many colonized communities.
The beautiful rise of university encampments creating anthems and actions for disinvestment reminds me of something my mentor and spiritual elder often says to me: “Artists are the heart of a community.”
And I half believed it, so naturally, I often ask my circle where the intersections of art and liberation movements live for themselves, and how do artists fit into political movements? How do I tease out an anchor for myself to reflect what can’t be unwitnessed, all without feeling extractive or exploitative of those whose heart aches I reflect on?
In true retrograde fashion, I kept seeing small love notes on my feed featuring James Baldwin quotes curated by Black Liturgies (@blackliturgies), and one in particular reminded me of how art and personal truths orbit one another–
“All art is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.”
It’s time to allow ourselves to confess what is no longer working, as art and life are stories that intertwine to reveal our sacred truths.
The Role of Pluto
Pluto's role in astrology reminds us that authentic power requires a deep healing process. Pluto, a planet associated with the deep and the dark, that seems so distant in terms of its impact, and yet, we feel its effect acutely. It teaches us that our collective and individual beliefs ripple together, that what was felt in the past can and often will erupt into our present and ask us if we have truly understood our depths and our darkness.
With Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, the sign known for thinking and envisioning the beyond, we will find that the energy between May and October brings more unrest, more clearing house, more tackling the generational wounds that have impacted us ALL.
Millennials like me remember when the debate about Pluto being a planet rocked our understanding of the solar system– Is it? isn’t it––? This debate (still going strong) continues to mirror the push and pull of old vs new wounds, young vs old(er) generations, inner vs ourselves and beliefs—the opposition of past and present feel amplified, doesn’t it?
Many of my friends and community have been having this conversation about how strange it feels to contend with trying to radically reimagine a future when it feels impossible and create works of art that speak to both the world and themselves. Pluto’s energy has always represented transformation, and this retrograde energy is asking us to still dream of a world beyond this one that we can collectively create.
Why? Because we are being asked to get to the (h)art of our liberations, inside and out. the beginnings that can inspire new changes.
How? by understanding our origin story, and reflecting what wounds we give power to, and how we can empower ourselves and one another.
As artists, activists, people seeking a more liberated self and community, this is the time to think about the power of our own creative voices in liberation movements, and how it starts with us, one by one.
Using Pluto’s Retrograde Energy
This guide can help you write through how and what areas this may illuminate change is needed.
Use this free birth chart tool to see which house this Pluto in Aquarius Retrograde will transit and highlight, grab a pen and your favorite journal, and write your heart out.
Bonus: If you have personal planets in in Aquarius (ex: Mercury in Aquarius in the 4H), this transit will be moving through your FOURTH house (and are super amplified) — consider this a sign that things are evolving only for your betterment, and with that, the world.
🔸Aquarius Risings/Pluto in Aquarius in the FIRST House/Ascendant
(House of Self)
What deep changes about myself am I ready to transform? What creative parts of me am I still hiding? Write a poem or affirmation about the person you want to become.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the SECOND House
(House of Value, Self Worth, Material Possessions)
What personal or creative values have changed for you? Write a poem or affirmation about what is important to you and your community’s well being and radical dreams.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the THIRD House
(House of Communication)
What old ways of thinking about your creative self are you ready to let go of? Write a poem or affirmation about your old self, and what gifts you learned.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the FOURTH House
(House of Home & Family)
How does my origin story (home, community) impact how I see and feel for myself? Write a poem or affirmation about what home will feel like for you and others.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the FIFTH House
(House of Pleasure)
What creative fears and pursuits have I been too afraid to acknowledge? Write a poem or affirmation about what might be possible if you commit or say yes to it.
🔸 Pluto in Aquarius in the SIXTH House
(House of Health and Work)
What power struggles am I currently having with my creative work and self? Write a poem or affirmation about being a liberatory vessel for your art, not its master.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the SEVENTH House
(House of Partnership)
Am I willing to let go of relationships that inhibit my creative self and personal values? Write a poem or affirmation about letting go of something you once loved, and what value(s) it taught you.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the EIGHTH House
(House of Transformation)
What creative or personal baggage keeps haunting me? Write a poem or affirmation about a moment or pattern that keeps resurrecting itself and how you can finally put it to rest.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the NINTH House
(House of Knowledge, Spirituality/Ethics, and Worldview)
What have I recently learned about myself when it comes to my art and values? Write a poem or affirmation about who you are proud to declare yourself as.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the TENTH House
(House of Career, Social Status in the World)
What profound lessons about my career or personal beliefs have I learned? Write a poem or affirmation about whether or not a personal value or professional trajectory still resonates with you.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the ELEVENTH House
(House of Community)
What goals for my artistry can my community support me with? Write a poem or affirmation about what community showing up looks and feels like.
🔸Pluto in Aquarius in the TWELFTH House
(House of Endings and Hidden Revelations)
Do my current connections and relationships feel authentic and aligned with my values? Write a poem or affirmation about how and what values-aligned relationships and spaces feel like to you.
I hope these prompts offer you a little medicine this season.
This article was published on June 20, 2024. Written by:
