Thank you for inviting me to beautiful Perugia to speak to you.

The title of my lecture is Mars and Pluto, Aries and Scorpio

This lecture is meant to be a conversation, an exploration, of the traditional ruler of Aries and Scorpio – Mars – and the modern accepted ruler of Scorpio – Pluto, and its relationship to House 8!

I am a modern astrologer, which means that I actively use the three most recently discovered modern planets: Uranus (discovered in 1781), Neptune (discovered in 1846) and Pluto (discovered in 1930).

However, for about the last 10 years, I have been inclined to place these three planets in a separate category as they represent the most transformational planetary influences in any lifetime or birthchart, particularly when in a hard aspect to natal planets. As my thinking leaned this way, I began to pay greater attention to the traditional rulers of each sign. Now, when I look at a chart I use both the traditional ruler and the modern one and compare and analyze how that informs or influences my conclusions. So, I wanted to state from the start that I have not made a final decision myself about the rulership of Scorpio.

In today’s presentation, I want to discuss with you what we know about Aries and Scorpio and Mars and Pluto and you can then form your own conclusions about which planet is the ruler of Scorpio and governs House 8! We’ll discuss many characteristics and surely we’ll leave some out, as each planet has multiple dimensions of expression.

So let’s get started.

As I speak, we are still caught in the loop of the powerful Mars retrograde of 2016. It’s quite a wonderful synchronicity for this discussion. The Mars retrograde of 2016 was a hybrid Mars retrograde because it took place spanning two signs Sagittarius and Scorpio, although most of it took place in Scorpio. Mars turned Direct @ 23 Scorpio on 6/29/16. We leave the retrograde loop not until 8/23/16 when Mars passes the degree 8 Sadge, at which it turned retrograde.

Since the beginning of 2016, we’ve experienced the emotional intensity, passion, and violence that Mars in Scorpio can bring and the focus of anger, frustration and energy of a retrograde. Also included is the deep soul searching and processing of instinctive reactions, motivates and desires. If we’ve done the work, by the end of this cycle we will have a greater understanding of what moves us and what motivates us on the deeper levels of our psyche with regard to issues in our own lives. A Mars retrograde will always provide greater understanding of the energy of Mars.

Let’s begin with some mythology to help us understand the nature of Aries and Pluto.

The Mythology of Aries (Mars) – Known as the God of War

Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares (Greek) Mars (Roman). Ares represents the violent and untamed aspect of war. He was not well liked among the Gods, although he was feared as a savage warrior. He had many affairs, the most famous being with Aphrodite/Venus, who was married to Hephaestus, the lame god of the Forge and Craftsmanship. As the myth goes, Hephaestus ensnared the lovers in a net and brought them before the gods and ridiculed. The Roman, Mars had more of an attribute of guardianship or protection. Both exemplify physical strength, virility, sexuality.

The Mythology of Pluto (Hades) – Known as the God of the Underworld

Pluto resides over the afterlife. I and perhaps others, have associated Pluto with reincarnation - the recurring cycles of life.

Pluto is often seen with a helmet – this represents the helmet of invisibility. Hades means “hidden one,” concealing “true nature” and “secrecy in counsel.”

Keys are also associated with Pluto – representing unlocking wealth and the riches of the underworld, the minerals buried in the earth – and, the deep earth that contains the seeds of a bountiful harvest to come. Both of these descriptions can be seen as a metaphor for the potential riches within all of us. Think of the word Plutocrats – they are very wealthy people.

In the myths there are two distinct sides of Pluto – the one who can make you rich and the one who takes what he wants with violence.

The myth of Persephone. We all know it. Hades was the violent abductor/rapist of the maiden Perspehone as she was picking flowers in the meadow. However, another myth states Pluto was venerated as a stern ruler but loving husband of Persephone, who willingly became Pluto’s wife. The couple ruled the underworld together and received the souls of the dead. In this version of the myth, Pluto is said to be, monogamous.

Where are these two planetary energies similar?

Both Mars and Pluto are associated with sexuality – penetration/piercing and subsequent transformation.

We know the essential Mars energy as the spark, the light that sets something in motion. It is the modus operandi, the type and method of action each person intuitively takes to move forward and ahead. Mars is individuation, willing to stand away from the herd to be seen and acknowledged, the pioneer, the initiator, the first.

Mars is out front and direct, aggressive, assertive, bold, fearless, fast, courageous, and willing to take a stand for principle. There is a potential for rage and violence and striking out, confronting. Mars is pure energy, aliveness, sexual virility, sense of identity, cutting, piercing, impatient to achieve its goal.

House 1 – Visibility, Initiation, Intuition – Action and Impulse - Life force/vitality. Personality and how one presents themselves to others. The desire to be seen and acknowledged by taking action, being first to act or take a stand, entering the arena of life. A house of relationship with a focus on self-identification as it relates to all else and others.

Pluto represents the dark, the potential, the undeveloped, the hidden, magic, mystery, the matrix, the materia prima, the collective energy from which something emerges. It is power/empowerment potential – atomic fission, accumulation and concentration. It is also violent, primarily stemming from protecting what it has or an intense desire to get what it wants, or force change. Pluto can be ruthless, sexual, magnetic, passionate, obsessive, digging, researching, relentless, survival, regeneration. It is focused and intense and promotes transformation. Pluto represents the urges and strongest emotions that motivate us. It does seem to work with others in a power sphere or a financial sphere.

House 8 – Has a hidden quality, Mystery, Instinct – Process/Research, creation/destruction/ transformation: life and death. Regeneration/reinventing oneself. Governing money, investments, taxes. It speaks to “Know Thyself,” as that brings empowerment. We understand House 8 to have depth, to govern the unseen, the mysteries of the psyche and the underworld complete with our demons, obsessions, passions and manipulations. It is a house of struggle. There is an organic quality to House 8 – in that cycles end that no longer serve a purpose. This is instinctive and sometimes beyond our control or understanding.

Both Signs – Aries and Scorpio, are associated with birth and death.

Both House 1 and 8 concern pursuing what one wants but in different ways.

Mars is known as the God of War

We know that in war, people will die. Is that how death is associated in traditional rulership of Mars with Scorpio? We can make war in many ways. And all endings are a kind of death of one reality, as a new cycle begins.

Pluto has been called a double Mars!

Mars is the beginning, the start, the first as Aries – but we know that every beginning is also the end of something else. Aries rules the head and leads head first…

Pluto is the beginning and the end as ruler of Scorpio. It is concerned with life and death based on the fact that it rules the procreative organs and the eliminatory organs.

Now, where/how do these two energies diverge?

Mars is extroverted, outward, and forward moving energy. Direct

Pluto is introverted and internally directed/motivated. Secretive.

They are temperamentally different – and there are differences in speed.

Aries – fast, impulsive, intuitive, spirited, the impulse to be, impatient, the spark, inventive, the individual – seperative/individuation.

Scorpio – enduring, research-oriented, dogged, stubborn, obsessive, strategic, amassing, regenerative, the collective – combining/concentrated.

Aries and Scorpio are inconjunct 150 degrees from each other again indicating they operate quite differently.

Aries is on the East (self-oriented), Scorpio on the West (other-oriented).

Once upon a time Mars was the only ruler for Aries and Scorpio.

When Pluto was discovered, for modern astrologers it soon came to be accepted as the potential ruler of Scorpio.

Mars is a powerful planet. In traditional astrology it is called one of the malefics.

Is Pluto a malefic?

What does “malefic” mean? The dictionary says: Malicious intent, evil-doing.

There is a strong force or urge to make something happen with both planets. - To advance progress or to bring strife? We know which it is depends on the intent of the user.

Now for some rhetorical questions:

Does Mars have enough dimension to rule Scorpio?

Does it have the heft, the weight that we seem to find in Pluto?

Do we need Pluto as ruler of Scorpio?

Can Mars do the job just as well?

These are some of the questions you’ll have to answer for yourself.

We’ll examine four natal charts of people in the US news:

One with Mars in Aries

One with Mars in Scorpio

One with Mars conjunct the Ascendant

One with a strong Mars/Pluto aspect

First, I want to make mention of the Pluto in Scorpio Generation November 6, 1984 – January 18, 1995.

It’s a short Pluto generational cycle, compared to others recently – about 10 years.

A generation that has suffered tremendous loss and intense emotions.

They have gone to war. The oldest of this generation are 32. I believe they have seen horrors and suffered personal losses in greater force that other generations. They feel deeply and have strongly held emotional beliefs and have immense power for healing or destruction. The passionate young jihadis that have killed are from this generation. They may think of death differently. We have not seen all that this generation is capable of.

Mars in the natal chart is where and how we get hurt and also how, the methods we use, to hurt others.

It’s how we make war, create strife, disagree, confront or courageously defend, stand up for ourselves, take action, set goals, move ahead. Fight for our rights. It’s what we identify with. It is personal.

Pluto in the chart describes in part our potential psychic landscape – deep desires – strong urges, capability to transform and deepest motivations and desires. Where/how we experience the greatest transformations, or make the greatest contributions. It is the collective energy of a generation.

Chart with Mars/Aries: We do not have a birthtime.

Bernie Sanders – US Senator from Vermont, Candidate for President of the USA

Mars is in a sign it rules. Sanders did light a fire, especially with young people. He aggressively presented an agenda for progressive change and rallied people around it.

Chart with Mars/Scorpio: We have an accurate birthtime.

Ted Cruz – US Senator from Texas, Former Candidate for President of the USA

Mars in in its traditional rulership of Scorpio. Ted Cruz is not well liked by his own peers. He stubbornly holds to his ideals and offers and unyielding platform. He did not win the nomination of his party but he did stand his ground.

Chart with Mars conjunct the Ascendant: We have an accurate birthtime.

Donald Trump – Presumptive Nominee for President of the USA - Rebublican

Mars/Leo conjunct ASC/Leo.

Trump’s brashness is exhibited in this placement of his Mars. He is a highly controversial figure who often using name-calling and bullying tactics to win points. He is a wealthy business mogul.

Chart with Mars and Pluto: We do not have a verified time of birth.

Hillary Clinton – Presumptive Democratic Nominee for President of the USA - Democrat

Mars/Leo conj. PL. This is an exact partile conjunction and speaks to her incredible endurance, resilience and reinvention. It also speaks to the many political and power struggles she’s had.

She made history as the first woman to ever become the nominee for President of her party.

It’s an interesting synchronicity that all these people who have run or are running for the Presidency of the United States have these strong Mars positions during a time when we also have a powerful Mars retrograde.

So the question of rulership remains. Can we use Pluto as the ruler of Scorpio and the lord of House 8? I have not decided conclusively, but I wanted to stir the pot and have us all think more deeply about the question. Hopefully this discussion has provided some food for thought and will lead you to continue an exploration of the dynamic energies associated with both Aries and Scorpio, their traditional ruler Mars, and the modern interloper, Pluto!

Thank you.