Pluto in the Houses

Pluto is considered to be the higher octave of Mars. The house placement will in some way be connected to the affairs of the house where we find Scorpio on the house cusp or contained within the house. There will be a similar connection to the house containing the planetary ruler of the sign this planet is posited in. For instance, placement in the sign of Leo would indicate a connection with the house where the Sun, planetary ruler of Leo, is placed. Although it is generational in influence, according to the sign it is placed in, it will have a personal influence in the house of the natal chart where it is found.

Mythology tells us that this planet was Lord of the Underworld. Astrologically, this may be taken as a connection to the unconscious. Often its placement will indicate where things hiding in the unconscious (the underworld) will have an influence on our lives. This influence may not be very pleasant to deal with.

Pluto is symbolic of urges that tend to be primal in nature. This can include jealousy, rage, sexuality, sensuality, hatred, revenge, greed and things associated with the darker side of human nature. The very nature of these emotions is why we tend to bury them, but this usually means that they build force and gather strength as they boil away beneath the surface. When this continues long enough it may lead to explosive behavior.

This planet brings about inexorable change by laying waste to the old. This is done so that the new can replace the old and eventually become outworn itself and need to be likewise replaced. Fighting these changes usually tends to only make them more forceful and drastic.

Fortunately, Pluto is closely aligned with transformation and it is this characteristic that is most rewarding to the individual. What we find in the unconscious should be ideally brought to the surface, accepted and dealt with in a healthy manner. By bringing these issues into the light of day we may strip them of their power over us.

FIRST HOUSE PLUTO

The first house is associated with our personality; mannerisms, physical characteristics, our birth and subsequently, our view of the world.

When Pluto is placed in the first house it is usually an indication that transformation and regeneration, both closely aligned with Pluto, will be in the hands of the individual. The native's personal actions and initiative will be the vehicle through which these things enter their lives. This is how the individual will come to evolve.

This may be an indication of a hard start in life. The early years may have been rather difficult in some way. This often tends to make the secretive side of this planet even more pronounced as the native may have difficulty in trusting the world at large. If placement is close to the Ascendant, the native may have had a traumatic birth or perhaps the mother's life was endangered. This normally manifests as a strong constitution with strong recuperative powers.

This placement tends to a powerful will and the native should take strides to use this in a positive and constructive manner. Often this willfulness is the source of problems at home, work and in the sphere of relationships. If examined more closely, this may be seen to be related to the fact that the native has a difficult time in trusting anyone. This may also be the reason for the native's reticence. They tend to keep things to themselves for fear that revealing their motives may be used against them. This may lay the foundations for feelings of loneliness and isolation.

A keyword for Pluto is intensity and this must be used constructively. In the early years hurt feelings may cause them to withdraw but, later in life, these bottled-up feelings may become explosive and expressed as a powerful and quick temper. Pluto rules Scorpio and the eighth house and so this person should strive to contact the unconscious and deal with what is found there; by doing so they help to promote healing and transformation. Some may feel that they are all bad, but by facing these feelings and dealing with them they may find the good as well.

SECOND HOUSE PLUTO

The second house is associated with money, possessions, innate resources and talents, personal values, self-worth and what constitutes inner security for the individual.

When Pluto is posited in the second house, the native usually strives to gain money and possessions with a great intensity. This planet is noted for ruthlessness as a negative characteristic and in the second house the native should be aware that this can lead to problems where second-house issues are concerned. Pluto is also associated with the primal drive for survival, so it is quite easily discernable where this intensity comes from where second-house issues are brought into focus. The potential for transformation lies with second-house affairs, but the native must be scrupulously honest or problems can arise; if afflicted, they may pursue wealth ruthlessly with the attitude that the ends justify the means.

On the more positive side, these people can be resourceful where making money is concerned. Pluto is related to the eighth house of other people's resources, and possibly the native will earn a living through handling the assets of others. This is also a favorable position for those that earn a living through Plutonian professions such as detective work, research, psychology or other types of "digging" such as mining, salvage or perhaps archaeology.

Pluto is the natural ruler of Scorpio and the eighth house; a water house. As such, it is aligned with the unconscious and what lies therein. Since this is so, the native would be wise to scrutinize closely their underlying motivations for gathering wealth and possessions. Will acquiring wealth make them more sexually successful? Or are they merely driven to acquisition by a sense of impending doom or a perceived threat to their survival? Does money allow them to control others, and so forth?

During the second-house stage of development we learn how we are valued by how much we are held and cuddled. If this was traumatic the individual may feel "unworthy". This could leave us trying to prove our worth all of our lives. This native must learn to value their inner resources, personal values and develop a sense of self-worth if they wish to be free of this cycle.

THIRD HOUSE PLUTO

The third house is associated with communication, early education, the immediate environment, commerce, short-distance journeys, relations with siblings, close relatives and neighbors. The third house indicates how a person tends to think and left-brain activity.

When Pluto is placed in the third house the individual usually has a penetrating mind. These people are suited for research work in science or possibly occult subjects. They can make good detectives and are good at getting to the heart of a matter quickly. They have a talent for worming secrets out of others though they are ordinarily more secretive themselves, possibly fearing vulnerability if they reveal too much.

The intensity of it in the third house may show itself through the way these people communicate. They tend to hold strong opinions and may express these opinions powerfully and forcefully. That is, if they choose to communicate at all. An even more negative manifestation of this may be a quick and stinging tongue; showing no mercy to those whose opinions differ from theirs. Their viewpoint will only change if facts can be brought to bear that proves them wrong. Most of these people believe that "knowledge is power".

Although Pluto can indicate where we may make our greatest contribution to humanity, it does not promise that the birth of this contribution will come about without a degree of travail. In the third house, Pluto may symbolize some sort of trauma with the early environment or perhaps the early years of school were trying in some way. This is also the house of siblings and, since this planet is associated with the more primal side of the person's sexuality, perhaps the innocent playing of children and natural curiosity left the native with a sense of guilt or shame. This can lead to the person unconsciously (Pluto) punishing themselves later in life. This is only one example of how this can manifest in a person's life. There are many others which can be related to this unconscious feeling of "badness". Pluto holds the promise of transformation in the third through constructive use of the mind.

FOURTH HOUSE PLUTO

The fourth house is associated with the domestic scene; the home of our childhood and the type of home we are likely to establish as adults. Here, also, we find how a person tends to end things, which include the conditions we might find at the close of our lives. This is one of the parent houses and is symbolic of the hidden parent or the parent in the background that was the least influential of our parents in our development.

When Pluto is posited in the fourth house, it is an indication that the native must delve into the deeper recesses of the unconscious if they wish to foster transformation. Only by going back into the past can the person hope to free themselves from these issues. The problem, however, may be that these issues are so traumatic for the individual that they may have shut them out completely. Some may be so adept at doing this that they may be totally unaware of what these issues are or that they even exist. Whatever the case, this is often an indication of a problem stemming from the early home life.

Depending on aspects to placement here, the parent may have been viewed as somewhat of a tyrant or as someone courageous with a strong will. If the former was the case, the native should be forewarned about the likelihood of displaying these same tyrannical characteristics in their own home later in life. Even more painful for some with this placement could be the loss or separation from one or both of the parents. This would of course indicate a painful wound, but could also be indicative of a deep seated sense of rejection or guilt on the part of the native. Once again, it is through dealing with these painful issues that the native can work their way to freedom and peace.

Some artistic people have made great contributions to humanity by giving expression to their pain through creativity and some of those individuals had a fourth-house Pluto; so all is not lost. Pluto may lay waste to the present but this is only to make room for building a brighter future. With it in the fourth house, the native is given this opportunity through dealing with the past.

FIFTH HOUSE PLUTO

The fifth house is associated with artistic/creative self-expression; romantic affairs, children, hobbies, financial speculation and gambling. The fifth house is indicative of how we wish to be regarded as special and how we like to play.

When Pluto is posited in the fifth house it is a promise for the opportunity for transformation through fifth-house affairs. As with any placement, there is no guarantee that this journey will not be fraught with some perils. With creative self-expression we find some gifted artists that gave to the world from creativity fostered by pain. This is an excellent avenue for the native, but they may have to deal with a few stumbling blocks along the away.

In the area of romantic affairs we may see the extremes of this planet at work. Early on in the native's life romance may take on a power struggle of sorts. The native may be the domineering partner or vice versa. If heavily afflicted, this could take on the proportions of degradation. In this case, romance is merely the vehicle into battle. For some, however, this placement can indicate the chance for a spiritual and intense love relationship. Remember, Pluto is an indication of intensity and this intensity will be felt in the issues of the house in which it is placed.

Children are also a fifth-house issue, and with placement here the parent should be warned against dictatorial attitudes toward their offspring. This generally has the effect of giving the child no choice but to break away if they wish to establish their own individuality. This must be done by all children eventually, but where Pluto is concerned this break could be irrevocable.

Other warnings are notable, such as the possibility of miscarriage or the issue of abortion. Expectant mothers should be cautious during their pregnancies; including what they ingest. This is not to say relations with children are fraught with danger; it merely means the parents should use due consideration.

For financial speculation aspects should be scrutinized as this is generally considered unfavorable.

SIXTH HOUSE PLUTO

The sixth house is associated with health and work and service to others. Here we find indications of what circumstances could lead the native to sickness or disease as well as what these problems might be. Relationships with co-workers, employers and employees as well as the type of work the native is drawn to are found here, too.

When Pluto is posited in the sixth house we may find two distinct types where health is concerned. Some of these people are fastidious and exercise judgment where diet, hygiene and personal habits are concerned. For some, health could almost become an obsession. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we might find the individual that gives little, if any, concern to their health whatsoever; seemingly courting disaster. Much will depend on aspects; whatever the case, if this individual does fall ill it is frequently an indication of an underlying problem stemming from the unconscious (Pluto). This then allows the native to get in touch with the problem and correct it. Therefore, if this person does become ill they should be honest with themselves about what is going on under the surface. In extreme cases, this could mean an accident or disease which leaves the person permanently disabled. However, this is the extreme and in no way reflects upon the individual's ability to contribute to humanity. Ordinarily the constitution is strong.

Work could entail Pluto's influence such as nuclear power, espionage, detective work, research, psychology, mining, salvage, etc. Once again, we may find two distinct types with Pluto here. One may loathe work; the other, more usual manifestation, is a person who is diligent and hardworking, approaching their jobs with the intensity typical of Pluto. Relations with co-workers, employers or employees may not always be serene. This placement could be an indication of intrigue or betrayal on the work scene. Pluto is also descriptive of primal sexuality, and with the rise in cases of lawsuits based on sexual harassment this too could enter the picture. This planet is willful, however, and it is usually the unwillingness to cooperate, or its high energy level on the job, that are the most likely source of problems in the work place.

SEVENTH HOUSE PLUTO

The seventh house is associated with marriage, business partnerships, public relations, the lower courts, open enemies, and the psychological phenomenon referred to as projection.

When Pluto is posited in the seventh house, the promise of transformation comes through social interaction and one-on-one relationships. This is also the area where power struggles, so common to this planet, are most likely to occur. Pluto tends to alter things drastically. That is to say, with all the subtlety of an atomic bomb, and usually the changes are irrevocable. The old is laid waste to make way for the new. For these natives these changes will normally come through marriage or the formation of business partnerships.

This planet is symbolic of the unconscious and the seventh house is symbolic of projection. For what we find here, for better or worse, we tend to project onto others. It is this phenomenon that is at work when mates are chosen. With placement here, in all likelihood, we choose for a mate the very person that can tap into underlying issues that will be brought to the surface from our unconscious through our interactions in relationships. These issues can only be put to rest if they are examined and dealt with. If we leave the relationship (and Pluto is unlikely to do this, almost as if their survival is dependent on the relationship) we merely repeat the scenario in the next relationship until the issues in question are dealt with. This is why we must accept our share of the responsibility for what takes place in the seventh house.

Either the native or the partner will probably exhibit Pluto's traits such as being strong-willed, sexually primal or perhaps domineering. I would think arguments between partners with this placement could become explosive and possibly violent. What is probably happening here is that both parties are being brought into contact with the more intense primal side, as well as the darker side, of their own nature as well as that of the partner.

In some more unfortunate circumstances, it could be the death (Pluto ruling the eighth house of death) of the partner that brings about the transformation of the native. Relationships tend to be emotionally intense and issues such as jealousy, rage and domination may have to be dealt with. This does not mean only grief in relationships; merely that the native be conscious of their motivations.

EIGHTH HOUSE PLUTO

The eighth house is associated with shared and partnerships resources; sex, death, the occult, astrology, taxes, the subconscious/unconscious mind, inheritance and legacies, alimony, etc.

When Pluto is posited in the eighth house it is considered accidentally dignified as this is its house of natural rulership. This is a strong placement for a planet of powerful energies. This may give the native an interest in subjects such as life after death, psychology, the occult, astrology, and so on. People with placement in the eighth usually have powerful emotions though they may not show it due to Pluto's secretive nature. This is due to the fact that Pluto symbolizes intensity and the eighth house encompasses the more primal emotions such as sex, aggression and the survival instincts. This is also why an eighth-house Pluto is said to energize the sex drive. Some of these people may be voracious sexually, while others find the sexual experience so intense they may actually forego sexual relationships.

The problem for these natives is that these drives and emotions may be so intense they may threaten to overwhelm the individual and so they try to control them. The eighth house, however, is also a natural water house and as such symbolizes the unconscious. Whatever we try to bury in the unconscious tends to accumulate power and break loose when we least expect it to, wreaking havoc in our lives. These people must learn to accept and deal with these issues without being overwhelmed by them.

These people usually have a strong will and a serious attitude toward life. Often this placement shows up in the charts of people that felt that they were badly hurt as children or (eighth opposite second) were doubtful about their value in the eyes of their parents. Obviously, along with their intense emotions, this can lead to problems later in life especially where emotionally-charged issues such as sex are encountered. These issues can bring to the surface problems from the past and, if the native is mature enough, these problems can be examined, dealt with and finally laid to rest. This could come about through power struggles with mates or partners, issues such as divorce settlements, problems over inheritance or taxes, etc.

Many have a powerful influence over others for good or ill but, whatever the case, the native usually has to face and accept their own dark side if they do not wish to continually face it in others.

NINTH HOUSE PLUTO

The ninth house encompasses higher education, philosophy, religion, the law and higher courts, publishing, foreign cultures, long-distance journeys, relations with relatives of spouses and business partners, intuitive and abstract thought and right-brain activity. Naturally ruled by Jupiter and Sagittarius, this is the area (along with the Jupiter/Sagittarius house) where we may tend to look for meaning in our lives.

When Pluto is placed in the ninth house it is an indication that the native will find transformation and regeneration by dealing with ninth-house issues. These people may have a dire view of God and believe that He/She can be somewhat tyrannical and vengeful. As with any placement, all conditions such as aspects to Pluto and the ruling planet of the ninth, must be scrutinized for more details.

Some of these individuals may be somewhat fanatical in their beliefs and feel threatened by viewpoints differing from their own. This may lead them to try and control others or to force their views upon them. Others may take the opposite tack and be atheistic. Most of these natives, however, will have to grapple with finding some sort of meaning in life and this is usually the issue that is the key for transformation in the ninth. Finding some ultimate purpose may come through painful circumstances, but it may be these experiences that eventually lead these people to establish their beliefs.

This may come about through other ninth-house issues as well. The native may change their perspective on life through encounters they experience while traveling abroad. This may mean adopting the religion of a foreign culture or come about through experiences in another country. A transformation may take place while pursuing higher education when new information brought to the native's attention has the effect of changing their viewpoint. This same experience may be triggered by interacting with in-laws or perhaps through encounters with the legal system.

With Pluto there may be a bit of pain and travail when we consider the potential for transformation that it promises. But this need not always be the case. This planet requires that we help these transformations take place and usually the more we fight, the more painful the experience. In the ninth, these struggles will possibly yield meaning to life for the native.

TENTH HOUSE PLUTO

The tenth house is associated with worldly ambitions, career pursuits, professional achievements and how we wish to be seen in the public eye. This is also one of the parent houses and is symbolic of the more prominent parent; the parent that had the more powerful influence on our development.

When Pluto is placed in the tenth house the usual manifestation is to give the native a strong will and powerful ambitions, although occasionally some with this placement prefer to withdraw from society and have little to do with petty power games. Why such a difference in the attitude concerning worldly ambitions? This is one of the parent houses and we should never underestimate the impact that the parent/child relationship has on the native. Some are ambitious in order to control an environment that they may feel is threatening to their survival. Others may feel so helpless to control their lives that they wish merely to withdraw in defeat before the battle has even begun. Both of these perspectives are often due to the native's view of the relationship with the parent in question.

In some cases, placement here could signify the loss of a parent to death at an early age. In other cases, the parent may be seen as tyrannical and battles with the parent may have been explosive, giving the parent a threatening image. Undertones of a dark sexuality may be present with Pluto here. On the positive side, this parent may have had to struggle to overcome difficult odds and could have left the native with an image of the parent as courageous and competent. Whatever the case, the tenth house usually has a powerful influence on the native and this impact is made even stronger with Pluto residing here.

The career the native pursues may be along Plutonian lines such as research, salvage, mining, atomic energy, detective work or even espionage. The tenth house is also associated with politics. The darker side of Pluto could manifest as criminal activity. These people may be ruthless and use unscrupulous means to gain their objectives. As with any tenth-house placement the native should question their career choices and the source of their ambition. This could be to gain a parent's love or to protect themselves; conscious choice can make for a happier life.

ELEVENTH HOUSE PLUTO

The eleventh house is associated with friendships, group associations, professional organizations, hopes and wishes and goals and objectives. This is said to be where we seek to become more than we are usually through associating with others.

When Pluto is placed in the eleventh house it is an indication that friendships and group involvements will somehow be the vehicle for transformation and regeneration for the native. These associations may be turbulent at times and either the native has a strong influence on others or possibly interacting with others has a powerful influence on the native; changing their lives in some way. With placement here we may see the influence of sexuality, betrayal and, in some cases, the world of criminal activity as Pluto is associated with the underworld. Also, however, this could be an indication of long enduring friendships that go through periods of crisis from time to time. As with any placement, the aspects to the planet will give further indications of what we might expect to find.

This placement may give the native a leaning toward groups that are scientific, humanitarian or possibly occult in nature. For some there may be a feeling of being threatened in a group situation in some way; perhaps a fear of losing their individuality. If this is the case, or if Pluto's independent nature should manifest, the person may limit their interactions with others. Regardless of the number of associates, their impact on the native and vice versa will most likely be powerfully intense.

Some people with this placement may be drawn to organizations that wish to reform society in some way. Some of these groups may be radical in nature; perhaps bordering on the revolutionary or the criminal. The native would be wise to question their own motives in this regard, for this can have the obvious result of dire consequences. As with any position of Pluto this could be an indication of a complete turn-around during the course of the person's life. In the eleventh house, this could mean that interacting with others in some way powerfully changes the native's perspective.

TWELFTH HOUSE PLUTO

The twelfth house is associated with institutions such as prisons, hospitals, asylums, libraries, museums, and those incarcerated or working there. This is symbolic of behind-the-scenes activity; the collective and the unconscious, secret enemies and self-undoing; probably most symbolic of what is hidden in our own unconscious and how it tends to trip us up.

When Pluto is posited in the twelfth house, it is an indication that the native will need to grapple with issues hiding in the unconscious if they wish to expedite transformation and regeneration. Both the twelfth house and Pluto are closely associated with the unconscious making for the necessity of bringing these issues to the surface to be dealt with. This may be threatening for the native to contemplate.

Issues lurking here are likely to be dark or primal in nature; possibly giving the native a feeling of badness in some way. To make matters worse, these people tend to pick up on vibrations in the atmosphere that may confuse and disorient them even more. Along with all of this there is the possibility of some sort of dark inheritance from their family or the collective.

This all sounds rather grim and may possibly cause the native problems from time to time; however, the good news is that the twelfth house also symbolizes our hidden assets. Along with the possibility of being the family scapegoat, the native also has the ability to transform these negative experiences into positive growth.

This is not to say twelfth-house issues may not be fearful for the native to deal with, but it does promise that here lies the path to transformation. Many of these individuals will find solitude beneficial as well. This can give them the opportunity to get in touch with twelfth-house issues in order to promote healing, which can also be a gift with Pluto here.

There may be an interest in psychology or the occult. This also prompts a warning about powerful secret enemies as well as avoiding ruthlessness when dealing with others. Life experiences may be painful at times, but these individuals do possess an uncanny knack for positive growth through adversity. They should avoid self-destructive habits and embrace the hidden growth potential of the unconscious - the key to their transformation.

Click here for information on Pluto in astrology.

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