Pluto Stations: Cap and Sag battle it out; Russia cements her power

Pluto is stationing again, as he does twice a year – standing still in the sky before he changes direction – and at these times his influence is more powerful than usual. He has been within quarter of a degree of his turning point for a couple of weeks now, and will turn on Sept 9th.

Pluto at 28.29 Sag is stationing trine to the Russian Sun (using the Yeltsin tank Chart) at 25.51 Leo, and we have in recent weeks seen the ease (trine) with which she asserted her power (Pluto) in Georgia. Indeed, this trining transit to Russia’s Sun has been going on for a few years now, a period in which she has steadily, and with little real opposition, increased her power in the world (10th House Sun). The basis for this re-assertion has been her oil wealth, and Pluto left her Second House a few years ago, having created this new basis.

Russia is coming to the very end of her Pluto-Sun transit, a time in which we are likely to see defining outcomes. And the events in Georgia have been defining: Russia unambiguously claiming power over her own ‘backyard’, as in the days of the USSR and Tsarist Russia before that.

(With Uranus currently squaring the Russian Moon (people) at 19 Sag, Russia has advanced the interesting argument that many of the people in neighbouring countries are Russian citizens, and she has the right to protect them!)

There is due to be an EU meeting next week to discuss sanctions against Russia for violating Georgia’s territorial integrity (she seized two breakaway regions from Georgia and then recognised their independence.) Russia is letting it be known that she will cut off the oil/gas pipelines to Europe (due to ‘technical problems’) if these talks proceed. Note, not if there actually are sanctions, but if the EU even discusses them. Which is how e.g. the USA would behave. Remember how France was treated in the US when it opposed the Iraq War - ‘Liberation Fries’, French wine being poured away and all that? With Pluto still stationing, we may see further events that cement Russia’s claim to be treated once more as a superpower, rather than a ‘third world’ country that can be threatened with sanctions or opposed in any way.

Pluto has also been heavily involved in the ‘credit crunch’ and the threat of worldwide recession that is still with us. The astrology has in a way been simple. Pluto in Sagittarius gave us a long period of economic growth, but also excess and recklessness: Pluto’s entry into Capricorn earlier this year has begun demanding prudence and payment for the long party.

But Pluto isn’t yet finally in Capricorn. He has reversed back into Sag for a while this year. So we are between 2 worlds, and with Pluto stationing, indicative events are likely. Recent economic data from the US showed a surprising amount of growth. Yet Alistair Darling, the UK Chancellor, yesterday said that we faced the deepest economic difficulties for 60 years. Confused? So am I. Sagittarius and Capricorn are still battling it out. Sagittarian over-optimism versus Capricornian doom and gloom.

Capricorn will win out, because that is the sign that Pluto will finally enter later this year. But it may not be as gloomy as Alistair Darling forecasts, for that is the shadow of Capricorn. But one can certainly predict significant adjustment and re-structuring of the economy in the coming years.