Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

Some recent notes on the Mars-Pluto inter-aspect:


With Mars-Pluto, Mars may tend to feel simply entirely smashed-kind-of overpowered by the Plutonian partner’s presence in their life; the impact is akin to an atomic bomb exploding – there’s an explosion, and then, there’s radiation from it which lasts long, affecting every living cell within the given environment. Both sides in this contact may tend to feel threatened by the other, and each responding to that in the manner peculiar for the planet and in accordance to their overall Nativity and the developmental level of psyche; this is *not* an easy-contact, and to direct the energy of it to move in most functional, creative manner requires conscious, determined focus and work on it from both sides.

The dynamic, if left to develop along non-conscious, automatic, most rudimentary lines, may tend to create conditions in which there’s a pattern of: Mars provoking Pluto, attacking (in a subtle, indirect manner), in order to receive a reaction, and being not-satisfied with anything but a full-blow-explosion of atomic kind; and Pluto either entering this “game” by getting into pattern of such default-behavior, or emotionally (and/or physically) withdrawing, and over time more and more so, until the tension between the two amounts to such a scope and degree that there’s nothing else left but for there to come to an ultimate-explosion which brings damage to both sides and ends the relationship, or for Pluto to entirely, fully withdraw by simply just disappearing one day, never again coming to engage in contact with the Mars-side.

In this interchange, the subtleties of behavior of both sides are extremely important; the described facets of the pathologically-tending dynamic rarely get to transpire via the direct and open attacks from Mars toward the Pluto; it’s through the “small things”, the seeming “tiny daily tidbits” within the pattern of Mars’s behavior that get to “irk” the Plutonian partner and without Pluto in any way immediately, directly and clearly responding to this by open, non-violent communication; these then accrue, until there’s so much of it that a fully automatic, compulsory, without any conscious “say” in it from Plutonian side, “explosion” takes place – Pluto being the “erupting” side, but both being affected by the devastating effects of it.

So, from practical perspective, it is important for Pluto to be ongoingly adequately responding, immediately as-it-comes-to-attention, to every such, however tiny-seeming, “irking” activity from Mars’s side; and for Mars, to consciously work on not engaging in compulsory, default behavior-patterns which are rooted in desire to keep Pluto’s attention/energy primarily and fully focused onto themselves (via the wound-bond mechanism); and it is very important, in this particular interchange dynamic, that the Mars side fully accepts and understands the Pluto’s need for having own time/space of isolation, such that Mars’s presence does not come up in any intrusive way to “break” this – it may come the hardest for Mars to internally fully get it that the need for this does not come from Pluto’s “not caring about” the Mars side, or “not paying attention” to them, but it’s related to Pluto-person’s own internal rhythms and natural developmental requirements.
The more Mars is able to, on subconscious level, develop internal full, unreserved trust (instead of automatically tending to act from who-holds-the-power perspective) and allow the Pluto-side to “dictate” the rhythms and timings of such full naked-openness of Meeting which is Energy-releasing in an of-atomic-quality-kind manner (it’s not that Pluto “dictates” this by some intellectual process, or via what the conscious mind of the given person thinks/is- doing; it originates from far deeper levels, and can thus work in-best-way-for-all when allowed to get-expressed, flow-out without any kind of being forced, “triggered” toward this by something from the environment) - the better can this relationship work.

To be able to most-harmoniously, without any kind of harm/pain-patterns, function within such a relationship, is akin to no less than being able to “harness” the atomic power in such manner that there are no specific outwardly-perceivable explosions, yet the energy flows, is continually moving in a wave-like manner, so that there is an ongoing healthy-kind of “radiation” to it, or, we can say, an "emanation" of a peculiar type - the energy moving in way and at frequencies which affect the two people involved, as well as the whole of their environment, in a Harmonious (healing, uplifting, beautifying, supportive-of-healthy-growth) manner.
[When the inter-aspect is within the context of a romantic partnership, Tantric kind of practices, on regular basis, with both sides earnestly engaged to participate to their own utmost-best, are highly recommended ]

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These observations of the Mars - Pluto are from personally known examples; the peculiarity of the subtleties of this dynamics is such that I don't think it'd be of much use to seek to find publicly-known examples which in a direct, open manner "showcase" the details of it.
But I'm sure everyone reading this who knows at least a few examples of synastry with this aspect prominent -- and especially if there are examples of your own close contacts/relationships that have this inter-aspect with a tight orb -- is in position to reflect on these notes and see how the described dynamics practically works.

I can speak to Mars-Pluto. Terry and I have it both directions, and sometimes it is a relationship stress point. But more often we turn it outward, fighting for one another or those we care about. I'm afraid health care for the poor in the USA create multiple opportunities for that. Perhaps if were rich, we would fight each other more, I don't know. As life actually is, we only have a few bad moments, far less than either of us have had in any other relationship.

Mike wrote:

As life actually is, we only have a few bad moments, far less than either of us have had in any other relationship.

Sometimes Mike, shared pain in a relationship creates a shared inner harmony with the same relationship....

I have this aspect with my husband (his Mars, my Pluto) and while I agree with most of your assessment, I think it's appropriate to emphasize the Plutonian element of transformation as well as withdrawing (or, perhaps, withdrawing to allow transformation to occur within the psyche). This does not have to be a negative or destructive relationship at all, although it can sour that way if the energies are not consciously worked with, like you mention. I think sex plays a huge role here (especially a D/s sexual dynamic for effective expression) and also the Plutonian person has to be open to constant transformation as a result of intense interaction with their partner.

I think Stef has hit the nail on the head about how this can work out positively if the partners work at it. The key is that effort, growth, and openness are required on both sides; when it does go negative, usually due to a severe lack of those things, Mars-Pluto can go badly negative indeed.

I see some of these features (or something similar) and not others. I do recall that when reworking the co-aspect interpretations a while back I expected to find a lot more negative examples and they were rare. I did find it interesting that most of the examples that presented themselves were not intimate relationships: They were collaborations, co-workers, mentorships, and the like with a much smaller number of intimate relationships than in the other lists.

Among intimate relationships, sex is usually a very big thing. (It provides an obvious opportunity for the "mandatory frequent explosions" of the interchange.) Over the decades, I've seen in the astrological press cases of violent intimate relationships but couldn't find any great examples when I went looking this time - they were much rarer than I'd always (in the back of my mind) assumed.

Marion and I have it both directions. I think having it both ways (as Mike said he and Terry also have) might be the best way to have it. While some form of enormous energy release does seem basic to the aspect, the one trait I can find most universally is that Mars refuses subservience to Pluto (usually quietly, but as overt disobedience if that's what's needed). This was also interesting to me because during Pluto's recent transit to my Mars the most obvious outcome was an intensified disobedient streak. (My current summary of Pluto to Mars transits begins with, "Desire to live and act unhampered by others' expectations or control. Prioritizing one's own needs and wishes. Disobedient, willful, eccentric," and includes, "Feral energies surge.")

Since Marion and I have the interchange both ways, as we were forming our relationship there was never an expectation that either would be subservient to the other. Most astrologers I know interpret Mars-Pluto in relationships as "power struggles" etc., and I'm sure it would be that way if there were any dominance expectations or suppression efforts. Your description of the little micro-irritations etc. was very interesting: Every couple (every pair of people) has these. Neither M nor I holds things in easily, so we usually mention anything of this sort as it first appears (sometimes sharply, sometimes almost passingly) and it's over: One says something, the other gets it, and any emotion on the item is blown off. (I'd call them micro-explosions but they rarely deserve even that title. They usually just seem like communication.)

Of private and public examples, the really interesting ones are mentorship and partnership or collaboration relationships. Among public examples, two great ones are Regardie's Mars to Crowley's Pluto and Edward Kelley's Mars to John Dee's Pluto. In both cases, a key trait was that the latter expected subservience (was literally an employer), the former eventually was unwilling to be subservient, and (based on how they handled the larger picture of the relationship) it worked out better (for the long run) in the second case than the first case. (Much that you described is quite a good description of Regardie and Crowley; I wonder if you had them in mind as an example.) My split with Gary Duncan had a similar dynamic (in a different mix of other aspects and dynamics).

I started to write that I was surprised Jung's Mars didn't aspect Freud's Pluto. Then I looked and, by golly, it does: There is a 1°41' sesqui-square.

And there is the great case of Paul McCartney's Mars to John Lennon's Pluto. The "junior of two equals" not being willing to stay junior forever. In this case it partly caused conflict and partly was no big deal to John who let Paul go ahead and lead. (A mix of good and bad results.) But in a larger picture, Mars-Pluto interchanges run all through the Beatles, with (unless I missed some) six Mars-Pluto interchanges all tied together. This is a great example of "it was good - amazing, in fact - until it wasn't," with the eventual dismantling being that they all needed to go forward as individuals striking their own way. I have a lot of other examples of the same kind of strength of partnership and brilliance of mentorship... until it wasn't. Invariably, the separation was a version of Mars being unwilling to submit to Pluto, resulting in some kind of blow-up.

And, of course, I wasn't the most obedient child and my Mars aspected both Dad's and Mom's Pluto. (But most children "aren't the most obedient," so I don't want to overstate that one.)

I can't find a case (public or private) where Mars tended "to feel simply entirely smashed-kind-of overpowered by" Pluto. The Pluto person does seem large in Mars' life. In all cases I have at hand where one could reasonably say Pluto's arrival was "akin to an atomic bomb exploding," it was a positive thing, a lot closer to, "Oh boy, this is the one I've been waiting/looking for! Wow!" The "threat" characteristic especially seems absent: I can't detect it in any example where I know the "insider" details. It has always seemed an easy contact to me provided one is willing to meet it with matched energy. (Again, the "Wow!" factor seems basic to it; I should probably look for a way to incorporate this detail into my interp.)