You cross the room and put your hand on Pluto’s shoulder. It’s cold and hard, and you recoil. The planet of transformation looks at you with its dark eyes, and you can feel its power emanating from it. It’s a mystery to you, and its energy is mysterious. Its discovery in 1932 associates it symbolically with the creation of the nuclear bomb and the development of psychoanalysis. In ancient mythology, Pluto was considered to be associated with all the aspects of the underworld – Hades, the Greek name for Pluto, was the god of shell. Today, the underworld is synonymous with the Mafia, and the two share many characteristics.

Pluto occupies an important place in the horoscopes of great mystics and spiritual beings, as well as in the theme of certain dictators and tyrants, among them the most ruthless and greedy for power. In psychological terms, Pluto corresponds to the transmutation of instinctive energies into energies which are accessible consciously by the individual’s ego. This transmutation, which is never completely controllable, induces a power complex. On the social level, it might be symbolized by the nuclear disaster, the failure of Western man to master the energy of the atom – a power complex gone awry. On the individual level, Pluto is expressed either in a “power complex,” in which instinctive energy is completely transmuted into a personal resource, or as a “failure complex,” in which certain inhibitions prevent the instinctive energy from being transmuted.

In traditional astrology, Venus (or Aphrodite, her Greek name) is the planet of love. As a source of universal attraction, this planet corresponds to the original urge which bonds two human beings together in love. Venus is thus both the magnetism which brings human beings together (not lust, which is symbolized by Mars, but the object which attracts lust) and the gift of love. This ambiguity is interpreted astrologically by the fact that Venus rules two houses of the zodiac. In Taurus, Venus symbolizes the awakening to bodily lust, and in Libra, the bond of marriage. As a result, Venus may take on very different aspects depending on the individual’s degree of awareness. Likewise, this ambiguity explains Aphrodite’s equivocal conduct in Greek myth and her innumerable couplings and motherhood. Depending on the legend, she may embody brutal, passionate love (with Anteros), the wisdom of the heart which rescues from passion (Harmonia); she also becomes tenderness and purity (with Adonis), pure sexuality (with Eros), a transforming energy (with Vulcan), etc. Mistress of the Arts, she represents beauty, understanding, and peace. Psychologically, individuals under the influence of Venus are struggling with their love instincts. This is why you cannot conceive of living without a personal emotional relationship to someone else and sometimes fears solitude and the encounter with yourself. You are extremely attractive to others and are a creator and artistic genius who seems to imbue all you touch with beauty and harmony. Your artistic skills are obvious to the people around you and may be applied to career endeavors. Pleasure, outings, seduction, love, and a thriving but sometimes superficial social life are the hallmarks of your life.

According to Greek myth, Mercury (or Hermes, whose name derives etymologically from the piles of rocks which marked trails and guided travelers) was the messenger of the gods. He carried orders from Olympus to the mortals on Earth. The child of the illegitimate union of Zeus with Maia, Mercury was born “unknown to the immortal gods” and had to win his place among them by trickery, cleverness, and cunning. This is why he became the vagabond deity of travelers and wanderers. He is the instinctive foe of the settled who see him as an outcast roaming on the outskirts of society: a pariah, a thief, and a swindler. As ruler of the sign of Gemini, the Twins, he symbolizes the brother—the alter-ego who teaches us as much as we teach him and is associated with adolescence, a period of intense intellectual discovery. Mercury thus symbolizes lively, sparkling wit, mobility in any form, mental exchange, and interaction. As a result, a person strongly ruled by Mercury is quite likely to be clever and skillful. If Mercury is “afflicted” in one’s chart, their intellectual velocity may sometimes become mere mental hyperactivity. In any case, these skills are a great resource in the social realm. You communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Your ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

The tenth house is a part of the sky that is especially significant in your theme. In the following paragraph, we will provide a general explanation of this fact.

Traditionally, this part of the sky chart was related to profession, ambition, power, honors and recognition, and eminence. Metaphorically, it was also related to the father, the law, the spinal column, etc. The North Node, the gateway into the tenth house, corresponds to the vertical line connecting the zenith to the nadir. The North Node can be opposed to its partner, the South Node, the lowest point on the map of the sky. As the highest point, it symbolizes your elevation, your social position. You are sure to derive some power from your social eminence, such as money, prestige, or privilege, but you also have duties to fulfill. When this area is the site of significant activity, it does not mean that you will automatically have a high social eminence. It means that you will invest a great deal of energy in acquiring a form of social power. Because the energy is somewhat vague, you will have to become aware of the various desires, needs, and ideals which are motivating and inspiring you. As a result, you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Indeed, all you can give society is what you have managed to make of yourself from the raw material you received from your background. When the tenth house is especially significant, it means that the use of power deriving from social rank is problematic for you. Your attitude toward both accomplishment and failure may be somewhat obtuse. As a result, you should always be asking yourself why you aspire to a certain career or profession, what your learning is worth, what meaning you want to give your relationship with society, what you are ready to give of yourself, and what you want from society in exchange.

39daph has found that the third house is an important part of your theme.