AstroDispatch.com

There is another mythological story which deals with the psychological aspect of life and reflects the themes of Pluto. It is the Mythical story of Psyche and Eros, read the story here . There are many interpretations psychologically for this story, within the theme of the story it centres upon the curiosity of “psyche” particularly when it comes to her husband’s real identity. Eros keeps his identity a secret and in the shadow, but Psyche is compelled to know what is really going on underneath, this is the basis of the Pluto experience we want to know what is really going on, what lurks in the shadows. What lies are being covered up, we want emotional honesty even though the truth may hurt us deeply and we may face some devastating consequences, keeping things in the dark only creates more anxieties and terrible fear.  Often with Pluto when looked at psychologically there is this ”wanting to know” to not be kept in the dark forever. It does seem in this mythological story that something within Psyche urges her to go into the dark, light the lamp and illuminate the darkness, to look upon her lover’s face and see the reality. Part of her curiosity was to see if he really was a beast, but in doing this she inevitably knows she will betray Eros’s trust. The point of the story where she shines the light (consciousness) on to her lover is where all illusions are lost and the relationship has no secrets. We can see encircled in this story that there  are some pretty nasty emotions floating about Psyche, her sisters possess envy, Venus displays rage and jealousy, whilst Eros feels betrayed and is wounded, Psyche herself is left in despair . When the situation is changed and all is out in the open, all truths are laid bare then within the story there seems to be a turning point. Psyche wants to heal the situation and wants to atone. Near the end of the story there is something changed in Psyche and through all her suffering she now seems to have found her inner self sustainment. However later in the story Psyches curiosity compelled her to open the box of Persephone’s beauty. Psyche  was punished for this by being sent to sleep by the Gods but Eros now transformed and humanized by his wound can easily awaken psyche and she is made immortal so their love can really last an eternity. Throughout the portrayal of the story there is interwoven the agonies and suffering of human relationships, reaching a point of raw emotional honesty and thus love and emotions being transformed in this way. The depths of true love.

Any form of transformation seems to carry with it a symbolic death, it’s a process where the “psyche” is pushed from it’s comfort reality and into the void, which requires suffering through death-rebirth experiences. Pluto can be compared to Psychic soil where seeds of the true self are embedded. Trauma and crisis can describe events which overwhelm our mental and physical structure. And often with such terrifying events their is an increase in stimulus which is too powerful to be dealt with in the normal way. Through such painful losses and emotional shocks there has to be a time when we need to go through a phase of mourning, if we cannot enter this phase we can become blocked and remain stagnant where no further growth seems to blossom we are stuck in the black void, and can see no way out. Life has changed, people have betrayed us, hurt us, life itself now holds uncertintaity. Our worldview has been tainted but life on some level may now feel more real as all illusions are shattered. We may now mistrust the world, God, our own family/blood, or even partner’s, and if we cannot let go of this negative emotion then we stay stuck in a  phase of what is called melancholy which is a type of depression and black view of life.  We hold on to our grudges, refusing to be changed by life, refusing to live life at all. The more traumatic events like child abuse intrude upon innocence and it can take a long time to work through this experience and be healed. Often a child puts his or her trust in an adult who at first acts kindly offers presents or gifts in exchange for the childs trust and silence, the adult betrays the child’s trust and turns into a monster. Often what happens is a dissociation or disconnection from the whole experience through the body but also psychologically and emotinally. Survival is a word astrology associates with Pluto, and often survivors of any kind of trauma may attempt to control their feelings (Pluto is a fixed Water planet, & rules the zodiac sign of Scorpio). Sometimes addictive behaviors can form which are destructive to the individual, these are often attempts to resolve the emotional pain. Release may be found through self mutilation, compulsive disorders, obsessive tendencies which are all an attempt to numb the pain, and to block it out from consciouness. The pain needs to be brought to surface in order to begin the healing process.

One of the greatest feelings humans can defend against is the feeling of emptiness, the black hole which is both terrifying and painful. Certain bodily or mental disorders can form out of a sense of shame, self punishment, and hate, all the rage can often be turned in against oneself. Something happens in the Plutonians life at some time which is beyond their control and sometimes as a defence against these uncontrollable aspects of life these individuals will often display a great emotional control where nothing it seems can truly penetrate them, as if indeed they are fixed in emotional ice. Never be deceived by this as underneath Plutonians is the greatest of emotional depths of intensity, these people have over time developed such a powerful understanding of life and of all that is hidden in society, all the lies and falseness are acutely seen, these individuals relate on the level of raw honesty, true feelings which are not covered up with niceties, or politeness. However Plutonian individuals can rigidly hold on to control which in itself is act of regaining power and controlling or manipulating their environment. Sometimes when crisis is all we have known in life is all that is familiar to us, then we may only feel comfortable in chaos when drama’s are being stirred up, it becomes a part of the emotional landscape, but this may also be an avoidance from really keeping still and being quiet to let the healing begin and the source of the pain to be brought back into awareness. Whatever Pluto is connected to in the individual natal chart can show a part of the development which can be frozen or blocked and it can take a long time for us to open up and have trust and hope in life again. Psychological trauma affects the self structure and Inevitably in all cases life has to be restructured and the inner world has to be transformed again into a place of safety and emotional peace, gaining a deeper emotional understanding of the world.