This article will address the core evolutionary meaning/intentions of transiting Pluto in Capricorn, as well as other significant transits, from an evolutionary point of view. We will discuss the dramatic degeneration of the political and economic structure of the United States that began as Pluto entered the sign of Capricorn. The natal chart for the U.S. will be used to illustrate how the current economic collapse, and the resulting social and political re-structuring of the U.S., is signified in the current transits.

Transiting Pluto in Capricorn symbolizes the collective need to re-structure any outdated systems, methods, or behaviors that have become stagnated and are preventing further growth. Pluto in Capricorn reflects the need to evolve past any internal behavior that has become crystallized and outdated in order for individual and collective growth to occur. In order for such a metamorphosis to occur, we must first become aware of how our own consciousness is structured. In this way, we can then understand how different countries, nations, and institutions are structured. The archetype of Capricorn correlates with the need to become aware of how consciousness is structured. This archetype also correlates with the need to express a personal voice of authority in society. One of the deepest lessons within Capricorn is the need to accept responsibility in our own actions and to emotionally mature.

Capricorn symbolizes the consensus in any society. In any society there are accepted norms, taboos, and customs that govern how that society operates (cultural conditioning). The majority in that society then conforms to these norms in order to feel socially secure. However, these accepted norms of behavior are often at odds with how we operate, or behave, in a natural state because they are linked with man-made laws that are in sharp contrast with natural law. We then repress (Capricorn) our natural identity or nature because of the need to conform to these laws in order to be socially accepted. Whatever becomes repressed becomes distorted. We can see the effects of such repression and suppression in many ways, such as intense acts of violence and aggression in general, increasingly deepening feelings of depression and despair, corrupt political and social organizations, and a progressive breakdown of our personal and collective reality as a whole. In addition, Nature is erupting like never before (including earthquakes and hurricanes of record magnitude and size). There are those who are currently trying to re-claim their own personal authority in society by fighting the extreme corruption and exposing those who have abused social power.

Transiting Pluto is Capricorn is magnifying these dynamics in an intense manner in order to induce a personal and collective evolution through a necessary metamorphosis of our current societal structure, and purging cultural conditioning from our psyche. We must align with natural laws and principles that allow a healthy and mature society to manifest. As this alignment is made, a natural and authentic expression of personal authority will automatically manifest. We will then see this inner transformation reflected in society. In other words, it is clearly evident that our current cultural structure is not working. Collectively, we must reflect upon the reasons why these traumatic circumstances are being experienced at this time in order to effect positive change.

To illustrate these core principles we will use the current transits in the U.S. chart. The present economic collapse of the U.S. has triggered a social and political degeneration, and also re-structuring, on a massive scale. Both the percentage of Americans that are unemployed and the rate of poverty are at record highs. Progressively the middle class is shrinking, and the division between the wealthy and the poor is increasing. The daily living condition for the average American is becoming harder and more stressful in many ways; it now often takes two incomes to support a family, and a majority of people are also forced to work two jobs just to make ends meet. In addition, employment opportunities are decreasing and becoming more competitive. The education system is rapidly deteriorating, and many more teachers will soon lose their jobs because of lack of funding. This will potentially create the need for families to home-school their children because of the failing public education system. Higher education, which creates the possibility to secure a quality job, is becoming more expensive.

What, from an evolutionary point of view, would create the need to experience these incredibly traumatic conditions on a collective level (for the U.S. as a nation)? What positive regeneration, or restructuring, could possibly manifest as a result of experiencing such trauma? To answer such questions from an evolutionary point of view we will use the natal chart of the U.S. and look at the current transits to identify the core evolutionary intentions of the country as a whole, and possible ways to navigate through the rough collective tides.

Transiting Pluto in Capricorn in the eighth house in the United States’ chart, opposing the natal Sun, Jupiter, and Venus in Cancer in the second house. Transiting Uranus and Jupiter are in Aries in the eleventh house and will progressively square these same planets. These transits reflect the massive economic collapse that has occurred, and the resulting high unemployment and increasing poverty rate in this country (transiting Pluto in the eighth house opposing Venus in Cancer in the second house). The economic depression created a need for the majority of people to change their lifestyle because of the dramatic change in their income (Uranus and Jupiter in Aries in the eleventh house squaring Jupiter, the Sun, and Venus in Cancer in the second house). These economic conditions not only forced the majority to radically change their lifestyle, but also the re-evaluate their beliefs and their world view in general (Jupiter and Uranus in Aries in the eleventh house squaring Jupiter, the Sun, and Venus in Cancer in the second house). Many Americans are starting to become more aware of the cultural conditions and reality of other nations because of our dependency upon these nations for our own survival as a nation.

In addition, these transits also reflect the increasing confrontations and power struggles between those in political power who promoted the idea of giving more power to the wealthy and elite (and to maintain the inequality of the social system) with those who sought to make political policies that benefited all equally. There have been, and continue to be, civil uprisings and demonstrations against those who are attempting to restrict policies that will create social equality and uphold our inherent civil rights.

In the natal chart of the United States, the North Node is in Leo in the third house ruled by the Sun in Cancer in the second house (conjunct Jupiter and Venus). This reflects that the U.S. has become the “center of universe” because of its role as a world super-power, and that Americans have become accustomed to living a lifestyle that reflects the once strong and thriving economic conditions. Most of us never worried where our next meal was coming from, or if we were going to be able to meet other basic survival needs. However, these conditions have now rapidly changed as Americans lost their jobs at record rates. We are now struggling to adapt to the new economic climate.

The excessive self-focus on preserving the wealth and power of our country created a backlash from other nations who demanded not only equality but also that America act in a way that benefited the whole (transiting Pluto in Capricorn in the eighth house opposing Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun in Cancer in the second house). The point is that America must seek to embrace the reality of other nations and to support those who are suffering in underdeveloped countries instead of focusing only on maintaining its status as a world super-power. It is because of the current economic and political crisis that we, as a nation, are being forced to adjust our own way of life and our underlying belief system (natal U.S. Pluto in Capricorn in the ninth house, the South Node in Aquarius in the ninth house, North Node in Leo in the third house ruled by the Sun in Cancer in the second house conjunct Venus and Jupiter). Currently, transiting Uranus and Jupiter are in Aries in the eleventh house squaring the U.S. natal Venus and Jupiter in cancer in the second house. Venus and Jupiter are conjunct the Sun, which is the planetary ruler of the United States' North Node. This transit reflects the current trauma (Jupiter and Uranus in the eleventh house) that we are facing in the context of the survival of our country due to the economic collapse (square to Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun in Cancer in the second house). Again, this trauma is beginning to result in the transformation of our national orientation and our self-image.

The need to become self-reliant and self-sustaining is symbolized by the natal planets in Cancer in the second house. Many people are learning how to provide for themselves independently of the social structure out of necessity. Getting rid of the excess of material possessions (enforced simply because of the need to survive) will lead to a metamorphosis of the values of the majority of the people in this country (Pluto in Capricorn in the eighth house opposing Venus and Jupiter in Cancer in second house). The need to simplify life in general is also reflected in these transits, as well as the need to learn to identify our own inherent resources in order to survive.

This metamorphosis of values and beliefs reflects the evolutionary intention of the country to align with natural law, and to create a political and economic structure that is based on equality and is founded on the principles of giving, sharing, and inclusion, versus the principles of self-interest and exclusion. This is reflected in the United States' natal chart by Pluto in the ninth house in Capricorn; the Venus, Jupiter, and Sun conjunction in Cancer in the second house; and Saturn in Libra in the fifth house square Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun. Saturn in Libra in the fifth house symbolizes the extreme imbalance of our current economic and social state (the division between the wealthy and the poor becoming progressively more dramatic, and how our social system makes opportunities to progress only available to the wealthy). Saturn in Libra in the fifth house also reflects the need to establish a social system that is structured to benefit all people equally. This natal signature also reflects the previously-mentioned power struggle between those in political office who desire to maintain their own political position and wealth and those who are fighting for social equality and justice. Again, we have seen civil uprisings and demonstrations in this context.

Pluto transiting the eighth house opposing the natal planets in Cancer in the second house and Saturn in Libra in the fifth house squaring the same planets symbolizes the impact to the family environment as well. At the time of this writing, the transiting nodal axis is in Cancer and Capricorn (which is squaring natal Saturn in Libra in the fifth house), and the South Node is conjunct Jupiter, Venus, and the Sun in Cancer in the second house. As mentioned before, the education system is rapidly deteriorating. Many families can no longer afford higher education for their children, and many are faced with poor conditions in public schools. Parents may have to take charge of this on their own (transiting nodal axis square natal Saturn in Libra in the fifth house squaring nodal axis of Cancer and Capricorn, and the South Node conjunct Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun) and provide home-schooling for their children because of the failing education system. Potentially, families can create self-sustaining communities where the natural laws of giving, sharing, and inclusion can be taught, and children can take charge of their own destiny independently of the current social system (and also learn to operate as independently from the system as possible). The point within this is that if families can come together in this way, and model natural ways of living and values within the home environment, we can then impact the nature of our society and government.

We cannot change our society without first changing our own views, beliefs, and values in such a way that we, as a whole, align with natural laws and principles that reflect social unity verses division, and promote the ideas of giving sharing and inclusion in general. Transiting Pluto in Capricorn is bringing these dynamics to the forefront through intense social and political trauma. Again, the positive metamorphosis that can potentially result from these traumas is an evolution of our social system and family environment as we work to align with natural law, and purge the destructive conditioning patterns generated by man-made law from our individual and collective psyche.