The Jupiter-Pluto Conjunction of 2020

Jupiter and Pluto are in range of a conjunction and will be so for the remainder of 2020. (Dates at the end of this post)

Jupiter and Pluto come together about every 13 years. These two very different archetypes contrast with and enhance each other. In short, Jupiter magnifies, while Pluto intensifies.

Jupiter is known in pop astrology for being the "good luck" planet. But lesser known is its penchant for making whatever it touches so big and loud that we can't ignore it. That is what Jupiter is doing with Pluto right now.

Pluto is the planet associated with death, our relationship to the shadow, the underworld, and the unconscious. Pluto is the gatekeeper to the basement of our souls where we shove all the things that we don't want to look at.

When Jupiter and Pluto come together, we can no longer ignore our fears. But let's add to the mix that this conjunction takes place in Capricorn. Earthy Capricorn is all about being practical. The recommendation here would be to keep a level head and to focus on the work at hand. We must err on the side of caution (Capricorn) while moving away from catastrophizing (shadow Jupiter-Pluto). Granted, this is a difficult balance to strike. The appropriate amount of fear can help us to have the appropriate amount of caution. The challenge will be to discern what an “appropriate” amount is. The good news is that a heightened amount of Capricorn energy in the sky right now lends the ability to keep our feet on the ground, should we choose to tap into it.

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash.

We can avoid falling into the grips of the negative expression of this transit. Here are some of the ways to work with Jupiter-Pluto productively:

Tidy your world.

Jupiter-Pluto is urging us to “get our affairs in order”--not because we are all going to die right now, but because the messes that niggle at us drain our power. When we have lots of loose ends in our lives, we are not as able to be our whole, powerful selves in the world. I’m a proponent of picking just one or two “affairs” to get in order. Choose something that you can reasonably complete by the end of 2020. Your sense of security will increase as you focus your attention on doing what you can rather than agonizing over what is beyond your control. This resource of inner security begets the ability to respond sensibly to trying circumstances, should they arise.

Confront the Big Questions.

A pandemic brings to the surface the awareness of how fragile we are. But it is always true that death can come to any of us at any time. Jupiter, the philosopher planet, invites us to explore those very questions brought up by a contemplation of one’s death (Pluto), even if that will be years from now. What is most important to you? What would you like to have accomplished before you leave this world? What is yet left to do? Jupiter-Pluto reminds us that there is no time like the present to wrestle with these questions. The hope with this transit is that we can receive some answers that will guide us toward a more meaningful engagement with life.

Dig Deeper for the Truth.

Sometimes, we get too confident on our path of personal development. We think we know what our wounds are, what our stuff is, and what we need to work on. However, if we already know it, there’s a good chance that is not the place we need to be looking--if we want to grow and evolve. Jupiter-Pluto invites us to go deeper. Real transformation and healing lies in dancing with the shadow. Pluto represents the shadow--all that we hide from ourselves and from others. It is the part of us with which we are deeply uncomfortable. So be willing to look at an area of your life with which you are dissatisfied and get very honest. The qualities within you that you have thought were creating the problem are likely not. What’s an uncomfortable truth in that area that can set you free?

Jupiter and Pluto lining up in 2020 can definitely bring us in close contact with our deepest fears. But this energy also gives us a chance to explore the forces that drive us, confront uncomfortable truths that can heal us, and take another step toward wholeness.

Jupiter-Pluto conjunction peak dates:

• April 4th

• June 29th

• November 12th

• (in range from March - December 2020)