Pluto is the planet of transformation. It rules the sign of Scorpio, the sign of death, redemption, and divine mysteries. Pluto’s 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. 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.

This planet symbolizes the principle of independence and self-sufficiency, as well as a principle of transformation. Its most striking characteristic is distance from others: the Uranian strives to stand out from the herd, distanced from structuring influences like convention, tradition, etc. Although this need to free yourself from the confines of convention, tradition, and family symbolizes an appeal for freedom and a desire to evolve beyond the bounds of physical limits toward a spiritual dimension, it may also correspond to a form of escape. This is why you sometimes need to cut yourself off from situations or relationships which feel stifling to you. Your intense fear of being swallowed up psychologically causes you to react to certain emotional demands by making yourself remote or running away. You need a lot of space and frequent change. In a relationship, you are seeking a certain degree of intellectual excitement. Without it, you feel as though an unbearable, suffocating boredom sets in. By refusing certain concessions to convention which are practically inevitable, you may find yourself in unpleasant situations. Finding an intelligent alternative to the routine set by the rigid forms of the past is extremely different from rebelling against any form of authority, in the settings of family, school, business, or society.

One of the major problems you have to solve is how to wield your freedom, in your emotional relationships, as well as your relationships with society. You have a strong need for independence, and at the same time a deep fear of being engulfed by other people or things. This makes it difficult for you to establish lasting relationships or to trust people. You need a lot of space and a lot of change, in your personal life as well as your professional life. In a relationship, you are looking for someone who can stimulate your intellect. If you don’t have that, you become bored and restless. You need to find ways to compromise, but you also need to be able to stand up for what you believe in.

The Eighth House is an area of the sky which is especially important in your Theme. In the following paragraph, we shall explain the general meaning of this fact.

According to tradition, this house is associated with the sign of Scorpio, and thus the themes of death, metamorphosis, and sexuality. It is also related to birth and initiation, and, in more practical terms, inheritances, legacies, and debts. More specifically, the area is related to the idea of partnership resources. It raises such issues as the management of a collective heritage and the administration of assets acquired in association with another person, and the sharing out, psychologically and materially, of these resources in marriage and business partnerships. As a result, three interdependent but fundamental factors inherent to initiating any mutually beneficial partnership are emphasized: trust, management, and responsibility. Obviously, a partnership devoid of trust is dangerous, if not impossible. Only when true trust and mutual confidence are established can a cooperative activity yield profit. The next step is managing the profit (or loss) resulting from the cooperative enterprise: sharing it out equally between the partners, or re-investing it in view of making the enterprise more profitable. The responsibility of the manager (and any participant who is a co-manager) is obviously engaged, because it would be unethical for you to keep any of the wealth generated by the group’s activities for your own personal benefit. You must also be responsible enough not to flee in case of difficulty.

The second house is an important part of your horoscope, as it contains several planets that can affect your life. In this paragraph, we’ll tell you more about the general meaning of this information.