The recent post by Kathleen Burt on the transit, (movement) by Hades/Pluto over astrological Venus in one’s horoscope has given rise to some reflection.
Many years ago, Hades/Pluto visited my Venus/Aphrodite in the sign of Libra, and in my humble ego-driven opinion more than over-stayed his welcome. The possible events/experiences as described in Burt’s recent post were of course, very like what I'd endured at that time in my personal life. And, yes, eventually that chapter closed.
Fast forward to present time and my current reflections on that same experience.
Were I to have known then what I am now cognizant of, I would’ve have spent a whole lot less time in the emotional dungeon in which I found myself and a bunch more hours reading, studying, reflecting and meditating upon the myths of archetypes such as Hades,Persephone Demeter, to name but a few of the gods and their implication in what was then a very horrendous chapter in my life. Had I done that mythic investigation, the experience would’ve had a meaning and a depth, that while not eliminating the facts and circumstances of my then daily life, would’ve added story, depth, perspective, and mythic image to my struggle. Yes their story, =could’ve been,would’ve been and was, my story, astrologically and in life. Would knowing this at the time, even with the limited consciousness available to me then, have softened the blow of that personal experience? I’ll never know. However, what I have come to understand more and more, in the present, is that the stories of the god/goddesses behind and within each astrological sign and planet bring an archetypal perspective and background to our experiences that is irreplaceable, that cannot and must not be overlooked.
In his work Planets in Play, astrologer Lawrence Hillman, describes the astrological world as a theater of archetypes, or stage upon which their drama becomes, and is, our drama.
We owe it to our friends, our clients, our patients and ourselves, to remember, and to honor the gods by incorporating their archetypal tales when engaged in this mysterious business of analyzing astrological horoscopes. To do this is to pay well-deserved homage to the archetypes themselves. For example, in this way Pluto then becomes and is automatically referred to Hades/Pluto. And we are transported into the unfathomable depth of an underworld land where we may then know, and discover those astro/mythological archetypes that if we are lucky, will gift us at every turn with the genius and mystery of their stories, their worlds, and perhaps even a teeny, peak at the deep, fascinating mystery of their cosmos
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This is an important question, Judith, had you known the myths of Pluto/Hades and Venus and the connection to transiting Pluto would you have spent less time in the emotional dungeon duing the long Pluto-Venus transit.
I phoned a friend yesteday and received permission to tell her story in partial answer, partial because every Pluto-Venus exprience is unique. One difference is that her Venus in in Scorpio and yours in Libra. Venus in Scorpio enhances the Pluto archetype with secrecy and undertones of power and manipulation you probably didn't experience.
She had been an astrology hobbyist for several years when the Pluto transit occured, so she was able to skim through the ephemeris and find the last time Pluto aspected her Venus two years in the future, she knew the myths and was fully conscious, in a sense detached as she went back and forth to meet her lover. She knew when the obsession would wane.
Intellectually she understood what was happening, but emotionally, she was" under a spell; " "I was sleeping beauty awakened from my coma, I still believed my prince had come!" Together we would be strong enough to defeat any obstacles in the outer world."
An older, motherly woman who worked in her lover's office told her not to put her life on hold; to see other men. She added that while it was true he was stuck in loveless marriage,his in-laws were wealthy, powerful people who could make or break his career and possibly keep him from seeing his children if he left his wife." She added, "remember, the operative word is 'stuck', not 'loveless marriage.''"
She didn't leave the emotional dungeon any earlier, and only later, by hindsight, did she come to terms with the fact that his personality wasn't as strong as hers, though under the spell, she saw him as "ten feet tall."
She encountered him years later at a professional conference, still wearing the same weddng ring and flirting with a much younger woman.
Good morning Kathleen, I do so enjoy your responses, Thank you!I hope we will meet someday. Many years ago, something curious evolved around this issue of the Hades man, and quite after it had burned itself down to the emotional ground. At that time, I was in a session with my Ph.D., dissertation, mentor, who is also a Jungian analyst, and I might add, a very fine one. For some odd reason the subject of this dark, Hades-like, underworld figure, both mythic and real arose. Although I'd finally been able to exit his spell, I was still curious about my mentor's take on things. I told him a bit about it and after listening he said, "It's his house. That was the hook for you." I was taken a back. His very non-psychological, non-mythical analysis, bit me on the ass!It didn't take but a few minutes to realize YES! That was the hook . His physical home, and all that it had represented to me , being quite exquisite, quite remote, cosmetically Hade's-like, and the repository for a long geneological family history, to which he was oddly tied, etc. I'd possessed none of these things or personal qualities in my own life and world ever. And these had captivated me . He was also my landlord and I'd rented a charming home in a magical neighborhood from him. Later he'd even allowed me to live rent free in a divine little beach house after I'd been fired from my job. Did I receive benefits that also involved a loving man, who could relate to and care for me in a normal way? No. What I got in return was a long process of gas lighting, and sadistic torture having more permutations than I will elucidate here. I'd fallen in love with Hades. Intuitively I must've known of the darkness, his darkness, and clearly my own Scorpio darkness that was so drawn to this horror. Did I know then of the Hades=Persephone myth? No. Had I knowledge of that story then perhaps my life would have been amplified in such a way to at least lent some meaning to my suffering. And, I would 've been freed sooner from his spell. .Who knows? When I began to pursue an advanced education, (he had one), get my own little home, (he had one), develop the aspects of my creative side, (he was a very unique artist) My interest in him quickly waned. My point in all of this is I suppose, is to stress again how important it is to understand the fiction of our lives so often carried by mythic/archetypal stories and activated by planetary transits , such as Hades/Pluto on Venus/Aphrodite. I ask clients and patients, this question. What qualities about him/her to you admire?What do you dislike? It's never a surprise when their answers involve people and or current transits that personify/embody/amplify and/or correlate with and to those very qualities loved or hated in another. So if the man you love gives you wonderful love letters and/or stories and that either haunt you and or bring you to you knees, then go take a course in creative writing! You'll give Hermes/mercury some attention and he will be pleased!
Wish I had more time to participate in the discussions here, particularly on Pluto. But I have a one-month old baby at home and as a moon-mars lady she's been giving us a hell of a time so far. Looking forward to reading more about archetypal astrology from you all though.
Tomasz