Donald Trump’s Progressed Moon, as of March 8, 2017 is exactly Opposite the Natal Pluto of the US Natal chart. A significant matter at hand, among other issues, is the accusation written by Trump in a tweet, that former President Obama committed a felony by “wiretapping” Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign. This is coming directly from the president himself, taking his cue from Brietbart News. The heightened concern over the validity of suspicions coming from both the Democrats with their concern over Russian interference in the 2016 elections, and the Republicans now with Trump’s impetuous and outlandish* tweet is significant, because the United States is in the throes of a 248 year cycle of its Pluto Return. In order to fully understand the impact of this most ominous of Returns, it is important to understand the deepest meanings of the planet Pluto.

Pluto is the planet that was demoted from its status as a planet to a dwarf planet in 2003, for reasons that carry no weight when observing the “effects” of a Pluto Transit or Progression to any Natal or Inaugural chart. There are actually numerous “unconventional” heavenly bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids and comets to name two, that effect life on Earth. But Pluto ironically is one of the most fierce catalysts for thorough consciousness transformation than all other factors combined. Anyone who has experienced a Pluto Transit or Progression knows that it is at its minimal strength, life-changing. The exceedingly slow movement of Pluto, along with its Retrograde and Direct Stationary periods, puts added pressure on what otherwise would be considered a more bearable Aspect.

PLUTO AS IT RELATES TO HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS

The human ego has the sense of self as separate and central to all experience. Expanding beyond this limited perspective is the spiritual path that leads to a broadened self-awareness. Enlightenment is a state of awareness that is selfless, and therefore not subject to the confinements of personal, egotistical cravings. The Kabbalah teaches that we are born with the desire to receive. In fact, to receive is what the word Kabbalah, taken from the Hebrew word Kabel, actually means. Kabbalists teach that the purpose of life is to transform the desire to receive for oneself alone, into the desire to receive in order to share. This is ultimately what the outer planets, from Saturn to Pluto regulate. They signal the times of growth in conscious self-awareness, and Pluto represents the force or energy associated with the most stark transformations possible. Going beyond the ego self to the Higher transcendent Self is the point of the seeker’s journey. If the candidate for enlightenment is ready, Saturn begins the process and Pluto completes it. Beyond Saturn are the planets that cannot be seen with the naked eye, and so they represent the ethereal realms.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Pluto is also known as Hades, the ruler of the underworld. As Hades, he abducts Persephone. In other words, the shadowy forces of the unconscious underworld pursue and allure the conscious mind into a fantasy world of illusive egoism. In order to overcome unconscious playing out of ego desire, the soul must reach beyond the senses of the physical world and hold to the dictates of higher inspiration. This is the opportunity that comes to us through the Pluto factor with its role as the transformer.

The process of transformation means that something must be left behind in order to achieve a higher and more broadened comprehension. Pluto is the planet farthest from the Sun and is the gateway to the mysterious far reaches of the galaxy. One must leave behind known egoism to embark upon the path to unknown spiritual potentials. That which is now unfamiliar will be tomorrow’s known. The breakdown of things as they are is a prerequisite to further development. The seed must burst through its shell for new life to take form, and the earthbound caterpillar must be sacrificed to bring forth the elegant butterfly. Kabbalists have given the name Kelipot to describe the shell over the human ego that blocks enlightened reason.

The universe communicates times for transformation through planetary Aspects that may cause almost unbearable physical pressure and psychological pain. The harsh and uncomfortable sensations felt during Aspects force us to pay attention to the call to transform the personal ego into the more detached and wisdom-enhanced Higher Self. Pluto commands the ultimate call, bringing an individual or group forward to the opportunity for life’s biggest advances, or its devastating failures. Both are usually involved in the process of a Pluto Transit or Progression.

Normally we try to avoid the painful pressure corresponding to planetary Aspects that ask us to be more than what we are, because to awaken to truth is a crisis in consciousness. The first stages of spiritual growth entail taking a good hard look at oneself. Here is the time we see our shortcomings and it is difficult for the ego to acknowledge wrong doing – herein lies the struggle that causes pain. Resisting truth is impossible, although we seek to assuage guilt and hide from self-awareness through unending distractions and life-threatening addictions.

As well as conflicts we experience on an individual level, there are struggles between group ideals and political parties. The more self-oriented Republican ideals clash harshly with the Democratic interest in liberalism. These are the two basic halves of human consciousness, forever locked into the dynamic of opposite points of view. This is what we are witnessing with Trump’s Progressed Moon in Opposition to America’s unconscious/conscious yearning for correctness and Probity (Pluto’s keyword in Progressions) – represented by the US Pluto Return. The surrogate leader of a country lends his/her horoscope to a nation, and thus the populous experiences the surrogate’s Transit and Progressed potentials simultaneously.

Several critical issues vie for attention and are at the crux and meaning of the long Pluto Return, and the amplified effects of the Stations are going to test the nation to its core. In 2017, Pluto will be Stationary Retrograde on April 21 and will be retrograde until its Station Direct on September 29.

PLUTO’S MEANING IS DERIVED FROM THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE TIME OF ITS DISCOVERY:

Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930. Some of the most significant events corresponding to the date of discovery are listed below, starting with a year prior, then describing the year after its discovery.

The Pluto Return is an ongoing astrological event at this time, and so the suggestion would be to watch what occurs over the coming years. The US as a nation is in for a very rocky roller coaster ride, and it is certain that the truth concerning the president’s accusations about Obama will surface eventually. They are at the very least a distraction from the even greater accusations that Trump’s campaign associates had and have inappropriate connections with the Russian government. Pluto’s Return in the US chart will inevitably bring clarity, but not before more facts emerges. This takes much time and will come about through the Plutonian drive for thorough investigation.