November 2024 Mars-Pluto Opposition

Two beautiful multiracial dykes in white button ups giving each other the go fuck off hand. 

Key Dates PST:

November 1-Mars in Cancer opposes Pluto in Capricorn, not exact yet but within same degree 29°, Venus in Sagittarius 17° opposes Jupiter in Gemini 20°

November 3-Mars oppose Pluto exact 29° 3:13 am, Venus opposes Jupiter exact 20° 7:23 am, Mars ingresses Leo 8:09 p

November 29-Pluto ingresses Aquarius 12:30 p

January 2, 2025-Mars in Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius 11:23 pm exact

April 26, 2025-Mars in Leo opposes Pluto in Aquarius 6:31 pm exact

 

November 3, Mars oppose Pluto exact

 

Today Mars is at 29° Cancer and Pluto is at 29° Capricorn. You could have been feeling this transit since about October 20th if: you have a planet/s in a cardinal sign Aries, Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn, especially in an angular houses, 1, 4, 7, 10 or on one of your angles, Ascendant, IC, Descendant or Midheaven. So people born around 1988-1995 with Uranus, Neptune, maybe Saturn or the inner planets in later degrees of Capricorn this is activating for you. On November 3rd Mars opposes Pluto exact then ingresses Leo by 8:09 pm. When Mars enters Leo the opposition will still be felt, but since it is out of sign it will lose some of its punch. Because of Mars’ retrograde cycle this opposition will happen two more times, January 2 and April 26, 2025, but in the signs of Aquarius and Leo. November 3 Mars enters Leo and on November 19 Pluto enters Aquarius, leaving Capricorn for the rest of our lifetime.

 

 An opposition is one of the classic Ptolemaic 5 aspects which also include conjunction, sextile, square, trine. Ptolemy was an OG astrologer and mathematician from 2nd century Alexandria, Egypt. The full astrological chart is 360°, an opposition aspect is one of 180° degrees or occurring 6 signs apart. An opposition is most powerful when it is by sign, so in opposing signs. This opposition with Mars and Pluto is in opposing signs Capricorn and Cancer so it is particularly potent. Fire signs oppose air signs, water signs oppose earth signs. You can see this easily on a chart, just pick a sign and look to see what “pie slice” is directly opposing it.

 

An opposition is known traditionally as the most challenging aspect. Think of it as a seesaw, both people can’t be at the maximum height possible at once. Balance can be achieved but to be at maximum height just one person gets to be way up in the air at a time. Planets in opposition are fighting to express themselves at the expense of the other planet. Only one planet gets to fully express itself at a time. Only one planet gets way maximum height. Because of this they are often in conflict and challenging to navigate. Interestingly, though each zodiacal polarity have some common motivations or desires they are just expressed differently.

 

For instance, Capricorn and Cancer are both very security minded. Capricorn likes all of these structures, is very responsible, likes to be organized and prepared, focuses on physical acts of security. Cancer likes to achieve security by tending to their emotional world and relationships. They curate a tight knit circle of comrades and loved ones who they take care of in a very nurturing way. So even though the planets opposing themselves can have very different domains and goals, the signs can have a similar incentive. Achieving balance in an opposition is finding this common motive and leaning into it.

 

Mars and Pluto have a lot in common. When astrology only knew of the celestial bodies as far as Saturn, Mars ruled Aries and Scorpio. When we discovered Pluto modern astrologers assigned Pluto modern rulership of Scorpio. Many Martian qualities also became attributed to Pluto when this recognition happened. And all the outer planets have their own very specific associations developed due to the exact moment in history they were found. Steven Forrest, Evolutionary Astrologer, says something to the effect of the outer planets represent parts of our consciousness that the collective was finally ready to speak to.

 

Mars is associated with assertion, aggression, motivation, willpower, passion, fucking (for those of us who are allosexual), courage, conflict, anger, war, masculinity, cutting and severing. Vettius Valens, 2nd century Hellenistic astrologer as translated by the wonderful Chris Brennan writes Mars has domain over “violence, robbery, adultery, banishment, exile, estrangement from parents, rape, abortion, sex, loss of good things, hopeless situations, robbery, fighting, hatred, fevers, ulcers, inflammations, fire, iron”.

 

Pluto was discovered in 1930 during a global depression, modern psychology, and worldwide fascism. Pluto represents transformation, death, rebirth, compost, the phoenix journey, power dynamics, extremes, intensity, fear, elimination, genitals, reproductive organs, excretory system. According to Jessica Lanyadoo, Humanistic Astologer, Pluto rules “abandonment issues, all drug use, sexual trauma, tragedy, war, abuse, severely traumatic experiences, vulnerabilities around safety/survival”.

 

What makes Pluto especially interesting is that it operates as a modern day malefic. Like the traditional malefics, Saturn and Mars, Pluto can cause significant hardship in someone’s life. Like Saturn and Mars, Pluto can also bring gifts. I would argue that the gifts Pluto bring are always through suffering and the confrontation with some of the most painful parts of the human psyche and experience.

 

Mars oppose Pluto transit has irritability and contempt seething under the surface and looking to thrash outwards at full force. If someone pisses you off you will feel more inclined to fight with fire or fight dirty then to be graceful. Mars opposition Pluto is not the time to get a surgery you can easily avoid. Mars is cutting, Pluto is death. I am not saying you are going to die if you get surgery during this time, it is just not advisable, perhaps during this time you bleed more than usual, have an inflamed surgical wound, have an extreme reaction to a medication or the surgery itself feels traumatic. You may struggle with more shadow sides of your psyche like trauma responses, fears of being unlovable, alone or not feeling safe. Feeling unsafe doesn’t always mean you are unsafe, however, it is essential you show love and the utmost patience to the tender parts of you that feel activated.

 

I suggest somatic strategies like deep breathing, sound therapy, havening, emotional freedom technique, weighted or soft blankets, cuddling animals, asking a friend or lover for a bear hug, going on mindful walks to admire the leaves changing colors. Take it easy and go slow. Whatever incredibly charged and loud feeling you have, focus on lengthening the window between the feeling itself and responding to it. Again, people with planets in Cardinal signs are going to feel this intense heat more. This energy feels brute and hard to ignore. How would it feel to respond gently and with a flow energy instead?

 

Luckily, we also have Venus in Sagittarius oppose Jupiter in Gemini exact on November 3. Although, I previously said oppositions are a challenging aspect this is really the only exception. Venus and Jupiter in a conflictual aspect is way better than them not talking at all. The benefics are in a much more fun, amped up, playful, nerdy, intellectual vibe than Mars-Pluto. Venus is in a sign she can really be enthused and outward showing in rather than in detriment in broody, internal Scorpio. Venus is in Sagittarius a sign Jupiter rules so she is giving extra love and support. This is a transit to get with friends to talk about philosophy, critical theory, intellectualize and joke. If you have a planet or angle in a mutable sign Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, Pisces around 20° you will especially feel this lovely counterweight to the violence choosing duo Mars-Pluto.

 

The only thing to look out for is maybe too much indulgence. Have fun and indulge but careful not to expend too many resources if that would put you in a hard spot whether that is time, money, etc. Practice harm reduction with substances. If you are lactose intolerant cheese maybe sounding extra appealing to you right now. Take a Lactaid! If you feel the need to indulge in any variety of self-harm to cope with the election, I get it! I invite you to make choices that reduce long-lasting and deep harm or create a safe as possible container to do your thing in. You can still get fucked up without getting fucking destroyed in the process.

 

Good luck! And remember whatever happens November 4 our fight for liberation goes on. The work we do outside the ballot is what will liberate us!