Man is the master of his destiny and his destiny is the Earth, and he himself is destroying it until he is left with no destiny.
Frida Khalo- Pluto in the 10th House
Have you felt that a powerful force controls your destiny? Or has it been difficult for you to create a place for yourself in society? These are some of the manifestations of Pluto in the 10th House.
Understanding Pluto
“I am Pluto, the planet of deep transformation and hidden power. In the 10th House, my influence is centered on career, reputation, and authority. I challenge you to thoroughly explore your professional path and confront power dynamics in the outer world. My presence here may indicate significant transformations in your career and your position in society. Through me, you will learn to use self-transformation to achieve success and authority in your field. I also urge you to confront your fears related to public recognition and responsibility. Ultimately, you will find that power resides in authenticity and in building a reputation based on integrity and personal authority.”
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Where Pluto is located, we experience a process of transformation as involuntary as the one that happens to the caterpillar during its transmutation into a butterfly. Pluto’s position in the natal birth indicates the personal evolutionary path that we all go through. Although many times we are not aware of it, this process is activated from the first day of our birth. Many times the energy of Pluto is found in the control we exert over certain aspects of our behavior. It is not that Pluto means control… Rather it is our fear of the flow of Plutonian energy that triggers the desire to control it.
Pluto simply awakens ancestral and even soul memories that are stored in our physical and cosmic DNA. These memories condition the present life and need to be released to recover other hidden treasures that we have inherited from our ancestors.
To let Pluto flow, we need to dare to feel the impulses of the unconscious and thus, consciousness. This is not easy because it is not something that we are taught in school. In fact, many of the drives that come from our instinctive selves become compulsions because, for cultural and other reasons, we try to keep them hidden, even from ourselves.
The secret with Pluto is not to take action but to feel it, to observe it. Pluto brings to the surface energies that have been stored for generations and are now ready to be transformed. However, they remain “unknown” to us and, in many cases, terrify us. That is why, in general, we repress them for a long time until, at some point, they erupt, generating some kind of crisis.
Pluto is a very slow planet. It takes 248 years to go around the zodiac and stays in each sign between 12 and 31 years. Although the transformation process is individual, the way we go through it is shared by a large number of people. Basically, we are not alone when facing the force of the subconscious. The individuals of the same Plutonian generation develop something in common, which allows the evolutionary process to be lived together while each one has the experience from their unique perspective.
The astrological house where Pluto is located shows us the particular area of existence where we experience transformation. The sign shows us how we approach it.
The difference between the natal position and the transit of Pluto through the houses is that the natal position indicates the area of life where our evolution will focus, while the transit of Pluto activates temporary processes that assist our evolutionary path.
Pluto in the 10th House – Natal or Transiting
NOTE: Frida Kahlo has Pluto in the 10th House and the 11th House – since it is located 2 degrees from the cusp of the 11th House. I have chosen her as an example of the 10th house because it has a lot of relevance according to the meaning of Pluto. However, in her life we also see Pluto in the 11th house in a very strong way. This is a great example of how a planet that is at the end of an astrological house shows us the mastery of its energy over the house it is leaving, while fully immersing itself in developing the next house.
After finding meaning in Life in the 9th House, we now feel compelled to manifest it. The 10th House is our North. It is in this house that we feel the “call”. For this reason, we traditionally see the 10th House as the house of career, reputation, and our position in society… since all these are consequences of self-realization.
As we have seen, the position of Pluto in the natal chart indicates the trigger for an evolutionary process that transforms us. When Pluto is in the 10th House, that process happens with our ambitions. We know that there is something important that we have to achieve. Our job, our career… our goals in life become paramount, and supreme.
And what is Pluto doing in the 10th house? It pushes us to seek the transformation of the status quo. But… do we really want to do it? What prevents us from becoming social referents? What is it that scares us about power? In the 10th House, our persona is exposed to the public. We have no control over how we are viewed by those who do not know us intimately. And when Pluto is in the 10th House, the desire to control our image can become obsessive… until we discover that our true power is to be who we are. Through this revelation, an unparalleled personal power arises within us.
The true personal power of Pluto in the 10th House has to do with the magnetism that our personal integrity generates. When we are truly authentic, without looking for it, we become catalysts for social transformation. Therefore, the typical leadership ability of Pluto in the 10th House arises naturally, whenever we dare to “undress” the ego and exemplify human vulnerabilities.
The planets in the 10th House show the qualities that the “public” sees in us, as well as our perception of society. By public, I mean those who don’t really know us… people in general. When it comes to Pluto, we can feel intense pressure about what image to portray. Our DNA contains memories of social control that still resonate within us. And for this reason, it is probable that we project them into the society of the present. Therefore, irrational stress makes us control our public image.
Sometimes Pluto in the 10th House indicates some sort of scandal that, unpleasant as it is, helps us to eliminate the importance we give to public opinion.
Pluto’s energy feels like stepping into a dark place, where we don’t see where to go. We can only go forward blindly. This is why Pluto’s energy requires extreme honesty and authenticity. The only way to allow transformation is to accept that the path takes us through unknown terrain, where there are no maps or certainties. We have no choice but to let the process carry us.
Frida Khalo (Pluto in the 10th House) deviated from social conventions. Her authenticity both in her works and in her life shows her as a perfect example of this Pluto position. Her political ideas and her approach to sexuality as well as art broke with the female mold of her time. Was it easy for her? Her work is full of clues about her journey.
“The most powerful art in life is to turn pain into a talisman that heals, a butterfly that is reborn, blooming in a festival of colors.”
Frida Khalo – Pluto in the 10th House
As I have mentioned, the secret with Pluto is to let the pulse of its strength flow and let it take us down that unknown path. When Pluto is in the 10th House, this force transforms society. How this happens will vary from person to person, but everyone will have high ambition and commitment. Allowing ourselves to feel the energy of Pluto without repressing it is of vital importance so that the process of internal transformation develops naturally and manifests itself externally. If we follow our instincts and act with integrity, we can see our wings grow and feel free to achieve what we want to achieve.