The Hard aspects between Saturn and Pluto:
HERE IS A REPRINTED SEGMENT FROM AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE HARD ASPECTS BETWEEN SATURN & PLUTO I WROTE FOR DELL HOROSCOPE MAGAZINE A WHILE BACK. THE ENTIRE PIECE IS AVAILABLE ON MY WEBSITE: WWW.MITCHASTRO.COM
The Hard aspects of Saturn and Pluto:
It is the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto that is the most difficult underlying energy in 2020. The relationship between Saturn and Pluto is a complex and intense one that often coincides with conflict. Here’s the history for the last century of the hard aspects (conjunct, opposition and square) between these two planets.
*Saturn was conjunct Pluto in Cancer in 1914 – 15 at the beginning of the First World War.
*Saturn was in Libra in square to Pluto in Cancer in 1922 when Mussolini and Stalin came to power.
*Saturn was in Capricorn in opposition to Pluto in Cancer in 1931 as Hitler began his rise to power.
*Saturn was in Taurus once again in square to Pluto in Leo in 1939 – 1940 as the Second World War began.
*The next conjunction was in Leo in 1948-49 when Mao Zedong’s communist party defeated the Chinese Nationalists and took control of China.
*In 1955-56 the square occurred once again with Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto in Leo. In February 1955 Eisenhower sent the first U.S. advisers to South Vietnam.
*In 1965-66 the opposition took place with Saturn in Pisces and Pluto in Virgo. In March 1965 3,500 American marines arrived in Vietnam becoming the first combat troops in that country. In July 1965 President Johnson increased the number of troops in Vietnam to 125,000, and doubled the number of men drafted. The war’s escalation was in full bloom. Anti-war protests also escalated drawing hundreds of thousands of demonstrators around the country.
*In 1973-74 Saturn in Cancer was in square to Pluto in Libra. The Paris Peace Accord was signed in January 1973, but the fighting continued. The Vietnam War officially ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 as the square between Saturn and Pluto pulls out of orb, finally bringing to an end this long war that had begun under conflicting aspects between these two planets. While Saturn (restriction) was in square to Pluto (ruler of oil) in 1972-73 we also experienced the OPEC oil embargo against the United States, Europe and Japan.
*In 1982-83 Saturn and Pluto once again were conjunct. The Falklands Island War took place pitting England against Argentina from April 2 – June 14, 1982. While it wasn’t a major world war, it did have the potential to escalate beyond its regional borders. The Lebanon War began in June 1982 with Israel invading southern Lebanon and eventually reaching Beirut. In August 1982 the Lebanese Civil War escalated followed by the landing of a multinational force including American troops.
*In 1993-94 Saturn in Aquarius was in square to Pluto in Scorpio. Russia begins its war in Chechnya.
*In 2002-3 Saturn in Gemini was in opposition to Pluto in Sagittarius. In March 2003 the Second Gulf War began with the bombing and invasion of Iraq by U.S. led coalition forces.
*In 2009-10 Saturn in Libra was in square to Pluto in Capricorn. The war in Afghanistan saw the bloodiest year since the beginning of the campaign in 2001.
So historically there is reason to be concerned about potential wars and violence in the coming conjunction in 2020. The Saturn – Pluto aspects often lead to military situations, but sometimes they bring about the end of a violent time as we saw at the end of the Vietnam War. Because of the influence of Jupiter, which tends to blow things out of proportion, and Mars, the planet that rules war, it would be foolish to ignore the possibility of some major world event. And because this stellium conjuncts America’s Pluto there is even more concern than usual. While I don’t think it is possible to avoid all conflicts, especially in this era of lone-wolf attacks and disassociated groups, I believe we have the capacity to avoid major conflicts. The Internet has shortened the time it takes to share information, making most happenings simultaneously current to all corners of the globe. World events become viral almost instantaneously. We are more aware of what’s happening around us than we ever dreamed of in the past. Our reaction time has been shortened, and if we can move beyond the obstructionism that has become a part of our daily governing we might be able to use this period to make some serious and potentially extremely positive decisions that could expand our culture and finally deal with the dangerous issues we are confronting.