2020  - Pluto/Saturn Conjunction in Capricorn Leading to Jupiter/Saturn in Aquarius

by Roy Gillett

Looked at from a long-, medium- and short-term historical perspective, 2020 marks a remarkable historical turning point. 

2020 in its long-term historical perspective

To have four of the five outer planets in earth signs is rare. To have Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, while Uranus is in Taurus has happened only one other year, in the 10,000-year period 4999 BCE to 4999 CE. 3838 BCE was the time of the Bronze Age and when there are first records of writing.

Belaying its downgrading to dwarf-planet status by astronomers, Pluto has been in Capricorn at the key influential periods that have led to creation of today’s world.  

In the pre-Christian period, it was there during the Trojan War (1195-1184 BCE), building of the Temple of Solomon (948-931 BCE), the writing of the Indian Upanishads and Greek Theogony (700 BCE), construction of the Greek Parthenon (455-429 BCE). Christianity was legalised in Rome and defined at the Council of Nicaea during the Pluto in Capricorn period 287-330 CE. 

Building more intensely to the modern world, the 1515-44 CE Pluto in Capricorn periods saw the reformation, dissolution of the monasteries in England, the first circumnavigation of the World, developing trade to the Far East, the expansion of Islam into Eastern Europe, India and further east, as well as the publication of Copernicus’ On the Revolution of Heavenly Bodies immediately after his death. These developments spearheaded the Enlightenment.

The material shape of modern society was seeded from the 1762-92 CE Pluto transit, which saw rapid expansion of colonialism and industrialisation, leading to radical upheaval in the way nations, and societies within nations, did business with each other.  European nations, led by Britain, mapped and recorded the world, as if creating an 18th/19th century ‘Doomsday Book’ of assets to exploit. Out of all this today’s capitalism and the struggle for democracy were born.

2020 in its medium-term historical perspective

The Cyclic Index is based on ‘the combined total of the exact angular separations for each of the ten pairs of outer planets’.  It shows the major events of the twentieth century occurring at extremes of the cycle. The cycle for the twenty-first century below, shows the period 2017 -25 to have the most extreme shift from bottom to top throughout the two-hundred-year period. This suggests 2020 is in the midst of exceptional times.  

In the diagram on the right, earth sign planets are shown in brown. Note they are much more concentrated at major correction turnings points of the Dow Jones Industrial Average price graph.  January 2020 has the most extreme concentration of earth outer planets. At the time of writing, the UK is just winding up to a General Election, with both main parties competing as to who can spend the most to improve public services, taking advantage of low borrowing interest rates. In the US, the government is focussed on keeping taxes and interest rates low to sustain growth in the job market. Generally, the high value of the stock market encourages confidence. Government debt and central bank deficits grow exponentially to sustain all this. A key question for the 2020s is whether this can continue indefinitely and, if it does, what will be the ecological consequences? 

Money is a great servant, but a bad master

With the election of Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom and Ronald Reagan in the USA (1979-80), a very different approach to addressing the economic challenges they faced was adopted and soon spread through the entire world economy. By the end of the 20th century, it was adopted even by the totalitarian Chinese government. 

In the decades since, monetarism and growth as the foundation of the global economy has become taken for granted by nearly all of today’s mainstream economists, politicians and media reporters. The 40-year anniversary of Margaret Thatcher’s election chart below shows that the policy that emanated from monetarism is in the midst of its mid-life crisis. Uranus in Scorpio (revolutionary desire) is now opposed by Uranus in Taurus (revolutionary reality).  Neptune in Sagittarius (dreams of unstoppable possibility) is squared by Neptune in Pisces (there are too many victims / Cinderellas). Pluto in Libra (dramatic rebirth of balance) is squared by Saturn, Pluto, and now Jupiter, in Capricorn (confrontation with reality). 

So many historical trends concentrating on the 2020s. Will we start to see their nemesis in the coming year? The longer the historical issues remain unanswered, the more traumatic will be the change, when it does come.

Key Astro Events of 2020

Saturn/Pluto conjunct in Capricorn

Saturn/Pluto conjunctions in any sign occur at intervals between 31 and 38 years, depending on the irregularity of Pluto’s orbit. They mark traumatic structural turnings points in world affairs. In 1947, the conjunction in Leo marked the beginning of the cold war. In 1982 the conjunction on Libra marked the UK’s victory in the Falklands War. This reinforced the previously faltering standing of Margaret Thatcher’s government, emboldening it to proceed with privatisation, financial deregulation and trade union reform. Complimenting the US policy under Ronald Reagan, this was to establish Monetarism as the driving force of the world economy. 

Conjunctions occurring in Capricorn are far rarer. In the period 1,000 to 3,000 CE, before 2020 the only previous dates were 

• 1284 CE, the ducat became the standard currency of international trade (to be used up to the twentieth century) and, appropriately, the story of the Pied Piper is credited to that year.
• 1518, Martin Luther posted his theses on the door of Wittenberg Church.

Hence, change on two cyclic levels comes with this 2020 conjunction.

• Firstly, a radical reassessment of the post-war economic recovery. The negative consequences of monetarism, expressing themselves in distribution of wealth and immigration imbalance, leading to the consequent frequency of natural disasters and social unrest. 
• Secondly, with the conjunction being in Capricorn, a deeper, longer-term social turning point in humanity’s view of its standing in the Universe. The Renaissance and the Enlightenment led to radical change in the knowledge and use of science and social authority structures. From now, this focusses on a struggle between power in the hands of every individual on the planet against the authorities attempts to contain it, PLUS the planet’s capacity to allow humanity to survive the onslaught.

Putting the two together, we see human capability accelerating towards the destruction of our life together on the planet.  At this time the development of information-technology-driven material capacity offers: at one extreme the communication power to change, even destroy anything we wish from a distance, at the opposite extreme, to know, support and transform to build a sustainable world. So far, we have seen far more of the former. Intolerance, intransigence and ignorance towards others has built through 2019.  Now it comes to a head.

The 2020 Saturn/Pluto conjunction is destined to be remarkable.

Aquarian New Moon

On the evening of 10 January, the Moon will be eclipsed by the Earth shadow, as a prelude to Saturn’s sole (in this cycle) exact conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn on the 12th. Mercury conjuncts both planets that day and the Sun the next, just as Venus enters Pisces. See this as the point that hard-headed realism will kick in, alongside or even in spite of the needs of the vulnerable. This dichotomy will dominate most of the year. Consideration will take a back seat and be replaced by the need to put into place strong reliable organisation that is designed to stand the test of time. The problem is that different people and groups have different contradictory timescales and ways of organising. Goat-like pushing could harm those who resist and overwhelm the weak. As the momentum of determination increases, people could find themselves swept along into unexpected situations and experiences.

The Aquarian New Moon on 24 January sees Mercury also in the sign. This could be the first of several of the year’s previews to the much more substantial Jupiter/Saturn conjunction on the cusp of Aquarius at the 2020 Winter Solstice. With Jupiter approaching Pluto and Saturn, all still in Capricorn, the urgent need to address very serious problems will remain paramount. However, we will begin to see a glimmer of what might be different through the 2020s decade.  Maybe peoples’ ideas will not get in the way of each other so much. Paradoxically, relying on the creation of immovable, solid structures (especially walls!) to resist what seems to threaten only addresses the short-term. It is likely to turn out unreliable, if not accompanied by a working understanding of what seems to oppose us. This is the message that Aquarius exists to give to Capricorn.

Take advantage of any opportunity to make friends through this cycle. For time is running short. 16 February, the day after the start of the fourth lunar quarter, Mars enters Capricorn to stir the organisational ‘pot’. Each person or group will ‘urgently need’ to get on with what ‘we know has to happen’. Getting in the way will not be wise!

Spring Equinox

With Mars conjuncting Jupiter in Capricorn eight hours after the 2020 Vernal Equinox, the drive behind the early Spring will be not only far more forceful, but more realistic, than usual. Expect anything instigated not to fade away, but to be sustained, as the Sun applies to square the Capricorn stellium through the month. Over- impulsive determination could find people forcing themselves upon one another without regard for the consequences. With Mars and Jupiter in Capricorn driving the momentum of the time, and Aries-ruler Mars due to retrograde in its sign late in the year, the distracted and unwise could easily find themselves swept along in a process they did not expect, wish for and certainly do not agree with.  The conscious and wise will understand and pace themselves, let the momentum work in their favour.

Summer Solstice and Solar Eclipse

Lack of understanding could make it very difficult to put right the anxiety and feelings of vulnerability that could well cloud the 2020 Summer Solstice. Earlier in the day, a Solar Eclipse will be visible from the Pacific Ocean through key flash points in Hong Kong, Asia and Yemen into Central Africa.  It is at its longest at the spiritually important Mount Kailash in Tibet. Retrograding Mercury is virtually unaspected. Venus, about to go direct in three days, merely connected by a weak separating trine to Saturn. 

The number of earth planets is reduced to Jupiter, Pluto and Uranus, but the first two are rising on the UK chart.  It is the loosest part of the year, when breakthroughs should seem possible, but Saturn returns to Capricorn at the end of the month. Mars moves worryingly on in late Pisces; its hopeful conjunction with Neptune the previous week, now a distant memory.  So much is needed! So little seems possible! The connections between the planets being insubstantial and hardly forward looking, this could be a dangerous time, when ill-considered actions could have dire consequences.

Avoid falling for the temptation. Sit back, watch, listen, observe. Let all feelings of negativity flow through and out of you inactivated. See and understand what is happening and its causes. In this way leave substantial focus and power within yourself to act effectively when the time is right.

Autumn Equinox

The issues of the year are brought back to balance at the Autumn Equinox.  In 2020, the Sun is almost unaspected, making just three very weak aspects. By way of contrast, Mercury in Libra is applying to oppose retrograding Mars to make a T-square with Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn.  Within ten days Venus will be in Virgo. Again, five planets will be in earth signs, Venus making a grand trine to Taurus and Capricorn.  Time to draw together the threads and get down to business, something new and improved, or to do everything possible to recover from what has gone wrong.

However, it will not be sustained all out forcing through practical necessities.  Mars is to remain in Aries, not making its direct station until 14 November, entering Taurus in early 2021.  Positive bursts of innovative actions and instigations will make it difficult to pin down and finalise anything; seeming to arise out of nowhere. With Venus in Virgo, duty will seem to call constantly, mixing dangerously with impulsive Mars. With the focus remaining on earth planets, any hope we had for change that we had not anchored down earlier in the year, may now be clouded over by the apparent need to address old issues that have bedevilled the 2010s. 

Winter Solstice and Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius

Whatever the difficulties, false moves, or disasters that have been experienced over recent years, the pressures building, as the Winter Solstice marks a new astrological year, will be very different. Any positive foresight that has cut through to avert errors in recent times will start to feel vindicated and gather force. For, this Winter Solstice is the day that Jupiter conjuncts Saturn in the first degree of Aquarius. Expect substantial indications of change. This is especially so for the UK, where the chart ascendant of the moment of the Solstice is less than two minutes of time past the imminent Jupiter/Saturn conjunction.  Change is coming to the UK!  Mars in late Aries is gathering speed to enter Taurus early January 2021 and conjunct Aquarius’ ruler - Uranus. Sun and Mercury in Capricorn apply to trine Uranus in the coming week. Venus is in Sagittarius near the Midheaven.

The conjunction marks the dawning of an Aquarian transformation. Bear in mind, however, that Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius is not necessarily good in itself, or even better than what was before. In the sixteenth century, the Capricorn religious schism morphed into horrific executions and wars that were to blight the centuries that followed. In the eighteenth century, Pluto in Aquarius brought the American and French Revolutions and nineteenth and twentieth century social upheaval, yet to be resolved.

Whether it is for the worst, but hopefully for the best, the general mood as we enter this time will be that we cannot be held back any more by narrow protectionist counter-productive impositions on our lives. People will be tiring of those that insist we have to be put up with this or that ‘way’, of being told what is impossible, or not in our interests. However, rebellion against the status quo could be mixed blessing. Some may insist on outcomes that bring harm, even destruction. So, it is important to encourage the humanitarian side of Aquarius. Not seek revenge, but understanding. Try to avoid arrogance. Be ready to learn and carry on learning, especially if from all appearances it is very likely you were right!

Badly used and abused the light of humanitarian hope can dim, even turn in on itself and become didactic and destructive. ‘Expert’ people and artificial intelligence machine systems could insist ‘they know what is best for us’. Humanity’s future will not be a happy one, if we emphasise the ‘know all’ attitudes that dominated the turn of the 20th/21st century, when Uranus and Neptune mutually received each other in Aquarius/Pisces. Not that again! It is vital to bring out Aquarius’ humanitarian quality– tolerance through universal understanding. 

Slow down! Remember, Pluto remains in Capricorn until 2023-24. There will still be much left to put right. Realise how very much more there is to realise, master and incorporate wisely. Only this way can we edge ourselves into a promising future. Turn away from enslaving humanity to systems. Instead make systems serve the wishes of humanity. Learn to love and enrich the planet and each other as they are.

Image sources:
Bronze age writing: Louvre Museum (CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0))
All diagrams and charts provided by the author

Published in: The Career Astrologer, December 2019.

Author:
Roy Gillett B.Ed (Hons Ldn), A student of Tibetan Buddhism and President of The Astrological Association, Roy has been a full-time astrologer and consultant since 1976. As well as working with clients and supporting colleagues, Roy has been an astrology software adviser since 1988, is an astro-finance researcher and an international conference speaker. His books include Astrology and Compassion the Convenient Truth; Economy, Ecology and Kindness and The Secret Language of Astrology. Published in 2017 his Reversing the Race to Global Destruction uses astrology to question and correct to contemporary economic, education- al and political assumed 'truths'. crucialastrotools.co.uk

© 2019 - Roy Gillett - The Career Astrologer

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