It’s Hard Not to Give Up

Grasping at astrology on this dark November day

Pluto is transiting from Capricorn to Aquarius this November. Pluto in Capricorn has been marked by themes of institutional restructuring, power dynamics, authority, and transformation of structures, such as government, finance, and societal norms. That’s what’s going away.

What’s coming is Aquarius energy; forward-thinking and focused on the collective. Encouraging shifts toward new societal models and more inclusive, decentralized forms of power.

I thought this would be a good thing. I thought that meant a real advancement into an ethical society. Finally stepping up into a higher plane of existence for our country. Before November 5th, I was looking forward to Pluto’s move into Aquarius on November 19th, bringing transformation to humanitarian ideals.

Even though it has felt for some months as if my career is over—and something has shifted in the Tech Industry that may never shift back—still I clung to magical thinking since magic was really all I had. Things would get better.

But last week that fizzled away into the fantasy that it was, and cold November reality took it’s place. Things are not about to get better. Things are about to get very, very bad.

Crazy bad.

On a personal level, my shift from focusing on personal or career ambitions (Capricorn themes) to embracing new ideas, progressive changes, and new social movements takes on an ominous tone. Those with significant placements in Aquarius—mine are in my 12th house of careers and in Saturn, the planet of discipline, structure, responsibility, and boundaries—will experience this transit as an intense push toward redefining their role within society or bringing forth latent visionary ideas. Stepping up and preparing for battle.

Today at the dog park a man I knew was visibly shaken by a violent encounter he’d just had with another man. He’d had to use his pepper spray to keep the other from physically attacking him. He was nearly in tears, and he warned me to get some pepper spray for myself. Because apparently violence is now a risk we have just taking our dogs to the park to play.

Thinking about that, thinking about all of the last few weeks, it’s hard not to give up. The sky is grey and cloudy even here in California as we slide into winter.

But we can’t give up. Everything is pushing us forward to fight for liberty, fraternity, equality. Pluto is activating themes of collective growth and change and as exhausted as we may feel just now, it has fallen onto us to wage this battle. The Death Eaters are at the door, Sauron is rising in the south, the Capitol has declared “let the Games begin.” The crisis is here and the fourth turning is entering the end game.

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you... never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” - Harriet Beecher Stowe

It comes down to us, those of us who live in this moment in history, to pull our country—apparently kicking and screaming like a spoild child throwing a tantrum—into the Age of Aquarius. Or die trying.