Sun Opposite Pluto – Projecting Your Shadow

The Sun will oppose Pluto this week. I grew up with two people who have their Sun opposing Pluto. My mother, with her sun in Aquarius opposing Pluto in Leo and my sister who has a Pisces sun opposing Pluto in Virgo. Both of them were inclined to project their shadow nearly constantly.

If you have your Sun opposing Pluto, this may enrage you. I don’t care. This post is meant to educate.

If you have this aspect, it’s nearly impossible to avoid projecting. Just think about what I am saying. The Sun is a creative child. Pluto is a dark force. People like to see themselves as warm, shiny, artistic- the Sun!  In order to do this, someone in the environment has to carry the Pluto end of the bargain.

This is common story. Just think of the glittering celebrity and the person they step on, making their way to the stage.

If you are cast as the Pluto figure in one of these scenarios, it’s the other person who is illuminated (Sun / light). Standing in their shadow, you can see them, warts and all.

Here’s another gal worth checking out. What a piece of work she was…

Pluto Opposing The Sun And Moon In Pisces: Ethereal Goddess With A Shadow

The Sun in Cancer will oppose Pluto in Capricorn on July 21, 2023. Watch for these couplings over the next week or so.

The shiny person, dumping on the other… the other, who usually knows what to do with manure! Seen that way, it’s kind of funny.  It works like this:

8th House Perspective: Stabbed In Back? No Problem!

I don’t think people who do this, realize all the ways their energy can be parlayed.

132 thoughts on “Sun Opposite Pluto – Projecting Your Shadow”

  1. My mom had Jupiter, Pluto, Mars and Venus in Leo which opposed my Aquarian Sun and Mercury. She must have had an intensely vibrant inner world (whether she was aware of it or not) because there was nothing but a mute hermit on the outside. One that subtly would not allow me to explore anything I was into likely because it was a threat to her need to shine. Maybe?

    1. That is the exact meaning of sun opposite pluto. No one on the outside. My husband to a tee. Sun Aquarius 15 degrees opposite 15 leo. Hard to believe he’s a human. Especially as sun in Aqua is in detriment. Projecting pluto all the time relentlessly. Thankyou and Elsa for your posts. xxx

  2. I don’t have the Sun Pluto opposition, but I’ve projected both sides of my Neptune (1st house) Mercury (7th) opposition at times – usually very brief times, because they’re both Mars-ruled. Maybe because of the houses involved, the contradiction is most often obvious to all, or if not, I admit to it. (Hanging out with Virgo-type people – AC, Mercury, or Moon – helps there.) Yes, projection is a real thing, even after we’ve recognized our tendencies, and strived to mitigate them.

    Thanks for the timely, useful heads up, and the recent one about the danger of domestic violence, this coming weekend. 🙂

  3. I don’t understand this post, its seems to have been written in a haste? Whats the point of this post? ALL PLANETS and signs have a “shadow” and darker sides to them! This is not a pluto/scorpio thing only!

    I have Pluto scorpio in 3rd house oppo my taurus sun and mercury. And a 8th house stellium with pluto inconj my venus.

    I’m not at good terms with my siblings for ex. Its all or nothing for me when it comes to them. I either hate them or love them, its very complicated, or my inner world is.

    And when in love I can get very passive aggressive if I get hurt and if I can’t “talk it out”. But I wouldn’t physically hurt an other person.

    1. Pluto is opposing the Sun at this time. It made me think of this phenomena. If you don’t like this post, there are more than 10,000 other posts to choose from, on this blog alone. Never mind, an entire internet!! 🙂

      My post stands. Sorry, but I’ve watched this for 40 years. I’m quite sure I know what I’m talking about…though I will concede, I am a poor writer!

      1. What you don’t have millions of dollars in the bank?? Me, either!!

        I think your writing is just fine.

      2. I’m very sorry for my tone! I really didn’t understand the point behind the post, but after reading it once more I got it :p

        The example with the “celebrity and the person they step on, making their way to the stage” is spot on I think!

        No I really like your astrology site! Very insightful! I’m just not use to this kind of short articles/posts but I get its the style of this site, so I’m sorry for my unconstructive criticism.

        1. No problem! You just made history by being the first person in more than 16 years of blogging, to come out and apologize like this. THANK YOU! 🙂

          1. Oh my gosh! Really!? How could it be?! I don’t know if I should be happy or sad about this 😮

            I really hope you don’t meat all to many people with too bad of a tone on your site?

            Oh well, as a virgo asc and a pluto 3rd house (dunno for sure if they have a role), I have the need of apologizing when I say something bad. And with a mars and moon in gemini I I don’t always stop and think before saying/writing something :p

      3. Don’t worry. Those of us who have been ruined by a sun opposite Pluto know what you are talking about. If there was an astrological jailhouse, they would be in it.

      4. you are projecting onto pluto. it is not always dark, yet it is deep. perhaps in opposition it is lending a depth to the sometimes superficial. sorry you choose to do this no aspect is the same for everyone having it. also oppositions can be a complementarity rather than pulling apart or projecting. that is not what professional astrologers are taught to do…assume the negative for everytone. Interesting for so many years this aspect is what you attract from others.

      5. Avatar
        sahara spracklin

        YOUR WRITING YOUR BEAUTY YOUR WIRING YOUR GENEROSITY HAVE ALL KEPT MANY MANY PEOPLE FROM BLUNDERING! L O V E Y O U E L S A ! ! 7/14/21 NOW THAT”S MAGIC ! XXSahara Spracklin Poette At Work

      6. No! You are not a poor writer! I marvel at your ability to convey deep rich stuff in an unpretentious way. With just the right amount of words. (I’ve been reading your stuff for years)

        1. Thank you, Jackie. I just see my lack in this regard. I have no defense for my bad grammar. It’s just part of me, like a cowlick.

        2. How very well you put that, Jackie O! Wish I’d thought of saying it.
          Let’s also bear in mind that language was invented for communication, and not for the edification of the grammar police. Elsa, the way you express yourself is just perfect…

  4. I have Pluto conjunct Mercury in my chart and the nodal axis just hit both placements (and points between). I just went through a very dark period, a real purge of relationships and long-held antagonisms. I’m starting to feel freer and empowered but still aching. The weird thing is, I follow my transits but didn’t consciously realize the impact. Pluto can be truly subterranean for me. All my life I’ve struggled with depression and negativity, I only recently became aware of the Pluto/Mercury factor! Which seems so strange but it takes a lot of awareness sometimes to understand Pluto. Psychological work can help come to terms with your own shadow and projections but I don’t come across many who do this except writers, artists, and healers who plumb the depths.

    I’ve also been scared by family members who all have very close Venus/Pluto aspects. Actually they all act like entitled plutocrats even though they’re ass-broke most of time (and yes I have this shadow too even though my Venus/Pluto is “only” a sextile).

    This recent dark passage also brought to light a buried skill that I am starting to work with professionally. A deep Mercury/Pluto-style talent that I’ve sometimes been afraid of because it’s so fierce but I’m starting to realize it’s value.

      1. See now you got some of us wonder about what if Pluto is opp another point. Example I immidietly n wanted to interpret my daughter’s pluto opp moon. Other sites had a long explaining. But I’m guess moon=emotion, mother. So

        1. Well shoot. My Sun is conjunct Pluto in Leo, 10th. Scorpio Asc. I basically AM my shadow! But I see several folks here have the same “detective”thing, with that “ALWAYS look under the surface for motivations-especially my own!” ???

          1. I have something similar, Dawn, except that my Sun conjunct Pluto is in my 9th house.
            What I have figured out over the years, is that the Sun can and does illuminate my Pluto “agenda” – and everyone else’s as well.

  5. Pluto conjunct the Sun in Scorpio in the 8th house – I am the shadow Muhahahahaha 😉
    Great post Elsa.

  6. Sun/Pluto opposition is a challenging aspect and so is Mars/Pluto opposition. But in my opinion Moon/Pluto hard aspects and Venus/Pluto hard aspects can be much more detrimental, especially in a woman’s chart.

    1. i have taurus moon square pluto in leo (first house) with my pluto opposisite my north node and with mars in scorpio fourth house square my leo rising

  7. Avatar
    Southern Cross

    Hey! There was an Aquarian guy at work, some years ago, who had a Sun-Pluto opposition. Guess what. His Pluto conjoined my moon-Uranus! I won’t go into the business, but everyone could see he had ‘a problem’ with me no one else had. The more I owned my Uranus, the less these people feature in my world.

  8. If you don’t own Uranus, someone else will hand it to you, right?

    I have Uranus close to ascendant and often get put in the outcast position. The more I “let my freak flag fly” the less it happens. Not easy for me since I’m a low-key personality but more in my creative work.

    And with Pluto I find some of more drastic or merciless experiences abate if I’m more focused on self-empowerment and vigilance.

  9. Dear Elsa,

    thanks for the insight. I do have my 8th house sun at aries 7, opposing Pluto at libra 5 in my 2nd house. I’m trying to figure out what projecting shadow means in case of these houses, but I can’t get a grasp of it. Could you please help me understand more precisely?
    Thanks a lot in advance.
    Gabriella

  10. I Love this my grandmother’s name was Elsa and she was an aquarius opposite Pluto ? Everytime I come across this site it makes me think of her . ❣️

  11. Pisces Sun Opposition Pluto in Virgo sibling has channeled her Piscean compassion into Virgoan service in dealing with diseases as a professional medic. These diseases in 3rd world countries can result in total devastation (Pluto).

    That is a really positive way of dealing with the shadow.

  12. Within how much of a stretch does this opppsition applies?- As in orb? I have this aspect with a bit of a wide orb. Can definetly see my venus opposition because it’s very close. It’s so easy to see it though! The minute I realised this thing, a guy appeared and told me how scary I was to him and my hypnotising eyes. (They’re very dead- dull eyes by the way, but I was dealing with some things and it also got externalized.) Awesome feedback @Anna above for noticing the impact of venus/pluto & moon/pluto.

  13. I am relatively new to reading this site. I love the newsletter. So real, creative language and metaphors that help me understand. Okay, with that out of the way here goes: My sister, 5 years my senior, whom I hate, truly, (she would have smothered me in my crib given the chance) and she hates me as well has Mercury, Sun, North node, Jupiter, Moon and Mars ALL CONJUNCT in Pisces, 4th house. Moon is 4 degrees degrees Aries, Mar 5 degrees Aries. Her Pluto is in 17 Leo in the 9th. It’s not exactly opposed her Sun but it sounds so familiar what you have described. Would this post apply to her in our ‘relationship’?

  14. Yes but def goes both ways in my experience, as I have this with Pluto conjunct my AsC in Scorpio. I was always the family witch. I’m not denying projecting also, but the roles switch and it has lessened with age and awareness. But people without a doubt project off of the undertow I bring to the experience. It’s not an easy aspect to say the least

      1. Thanks. Id definitely read something that you wrote on this aspect. Theres stuff out there, but its not very applicable to the everyday person, and doesnt resonate with my experience.

      2. Elsa, please write more on this different animal.

        I have this aspect in my 10th house, Pluto conjunct the sun, in Scorpio.

  15. I do the opposite – Pluto is in my first, Sun (also Venus and Mars) in my 7th. Other people are shiny and I’m the manure:)

  16. Hmmm got to find some time to pull some natal charts
    I think I feel shaded at times and sunny sometimes. lost my phone?so my pics
    Of charts gone, bet it’s hiding , been working a lot; in my sales
    I try to stay without question makes quicker sale but leads me to have many questions inside, you are a font of learning thanx for being
    Receptive to draw this info and feelings to paper
    I love how and what you write

  17. I don’t have Sun opposite Pluto but I have Venus in Aries opposite Pluto and Saturn and I feel hemmed in, in my romantic relationships. I have this tendency to give away my power to my partner and get really angry (aries) at them when they use that power. This is completely unconscious. But I know it’s a pattern that will probably never change.

    1. Acually, I used to get angry but I stopped getting angry and have resigned which is basically me just suppressing my Venus and using my Pisces.

  18. I have my Leo sun conjunct Pluto in the 11th. I enjoy detective work of all kinds. I can’t watch tv or a game or a horse race, b/c I could ruin the outcome sometimes for others, if present. I get a real charge out of the detecting, and enjoy testing myself when alone on cold subjects, including tv. And, yes, people can be very transparent to me. I have learned to be patient, and not “Steal their Thunder” by knowing their secrets in advance.(I keep it to myself,which is tough, being a fire sign.) Pluto is a very strong force in my life, but not dark. I’ve been a spiritual mentor for almost 30 years. I created my career to suit my style to make it flow naturally, just like a “regular person” in a “regular job”. After a near-death experience, I had a dream about the Pluto symbol and couldn’t figure out why…The dream just said “The verdict is:(Pluto symbol)”. I began my career after that, exploring the spiritual and transforming aspects to raise my energetics. What a trip it is to have Pluto conjunct sun!

    1. Catherine, I have Sun/Pluto in Virgo in my 8th house and yes, what you said about detective work. I am always suspicious of everyone/thing. It is natural to me to not trust others and see straight through them.

      I keep my shadow (Pluto) close (Conjunct) to my soul (Sun).

  19. Ouch, the opposition. I have the square. You have to own your own stuff big time, all of your own personal crap, but also be in tune to the collective’s stuff. Find a way to make peace w/ it. You can’t live a sunny TV commercial life or it bites you bad. I have it in 6th, went into healthcare, dealing w/ a lot of it there. I think I should be grateful it had an intense outlet…

    1. I love this insight. Yes own your stuff. I have been going through a “dark period” blaming someone for it but I guess it’s fight to own my stuff. I didn’t realize…but that’s maturity.

  20. I did not quite understand what is being said in this post..
    Anyways, I have Pluto In scorpio opposite my Sun in Taurus. My sun is opposite every person I meet from my generation so… Whatever….

    I don’t get along with authority or pluto-suns or scorpio suns. I don’t get along with dominant people, period.

    1. I’m both plutonic and martian, I clash badly with people who gets against me or what I am saying. I hate power struggles.

      I get also get frustrated with people who are too mild and meek and can’t stand up for themselves, aka libras, pisceans etc.

      I get along with fire and air energy the most since I have fire venus and air moon.

  21. Well, this caught my eye, because my mother’s (Cancer) solar return will be exactly opposite Pluto during the upcoming eclipse.
    And yes, she is an extremely covert narcissist. Saint, martyr and victim in public, and a nasty piece of work behind closed doors.
    I would assume this will affect the next year?
    I’ll have my guard up, for sure.

  22. If the point of this post is to genuinely educate people on the sun opposite Pluto aspect, it is missing a lot. This aspect is not a curse, no aspect is, it depends upon how spiritually evolved the person is. Not everyone wants to be seen as “warm, shiny and artistic” either, we’re all wired differently. Projection has much to do with how much spiritual work the individual has put in to this aspect. It is generally more difficult to work with when one is young. The key to this aspect is learning how to accept and integrate one’s shadow side into the rest of their personality. Work with Pluto, not against it. “No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless it’s roots reach down to hell.” -Carl Jung

    1. Disagree. Knowledge is power, and Elsa was pointing out this aspect is a major blindspot; if you have it you can’t easily see it.
      I was unaware of a blind spot in my car, until I was almost hit twice last month. Now I’m hyper aware, even though it still looks “all clear”, I go the extra distance of craning my head around.
      Elsa has just empowered a load of people to look hard at a tendency they hadn’t noticed before. There’s no shame in honesty, just in continuing nasty behavior.
      Jung isn’t saying it’s ok to project your shadow by embracing it. Quite the opposite, if you read his work on Nazi projection onto the Jews. He’s saying embrace the *truth of having a shadow, like Christians embrace having a sin nature: so you can stop doing that.
      Elsa’s post, in her funny, straightforward style, is precisely the way many of us need that wake up call.

  23. This resonates with my story. A lot of my childhood friends had sun/pluto in hard aspect. I contribute that to the fact that I had a mother with sun square pluto and I was used to that energy, I guess. Recently, I had a sun opposite pluto person (aries) that I have known for ages projecting her shadow. She has always done it, but this time it was almost funny as she made a hard and cold exit from my life, accusing me of being hard and cold to her. It looks like I have learned the lesson with sun opposite pluto as these people start to leave my life…

  24. This aspect often creates stubborn and decisive people. However, they also tend to tell others what to do and they try to persuade them about the need to change their behaviour. People with this aspect may encounter death or other profound changes in their surroundings more often then usual. They have a tendency to influence others through effective manipulation at subconscious level. At first these people seem kind but in reality they are manipulating and controlling. However, they are often unaware of it.

    Is what astro-seek says…Spot on as well…but not the end of the story…

    Decisive is right,friends say i act like some dictator sometimes.
    Also the other two i know with Pluto opposite Sun,when we get into arguments it is a desaster…so i try to avoid it…but actually they are worth it,since i know they pull out my every demon to beat it up and then it feels like i have been transformed,yes,everytime we talk i get stronger or weaker depending on the subject but it is always transforming. Sadly we all 3 like to be loners so it is not that often we engage,even we know many people,but also some people can not be around us too much…??? It is ok,since i have the feeling i give myself away too much…

  25. Loved this post Elsa. Thankyou. On the day that I just thought I’d type it in google. Got the best explanation for my dilemma in life . Married to the exact opposition. Always makes you feel in the wrong and uses you. Ps. If you watch Pluto meet the Sun signs conjunct, it definitely empowers them in a bad way I think generally and keeps doing that. So most of one side of the zodiac only gets the opposition. Love from 21 Cancer. 5 oppositions and 1 Saturn. Thats the last big outward planet opposition in my life and thank goodness for that! 1980’s to now. Kate Bush, running up that hill. And landing at the bottom everytime. Sissyphus indeed. This subject needs a big class online. 4 February 2022. Saturn on 15 degrees Aquarius. Is that your mother??? Opposite Leo 15 Plutos. Lots of love xxxxx

    1. Speaking as a Sun/Pluto conjunction in Virgo, I know I am not easy to live with and I regret a lot of my words. But it is like having a hair trigger temper which explodes when I think someone is provoking me. I also have Pluto squaring my Moon and have often wished I’d been born with an easier chart. Pluto is not a planet to be written off when it aspects your inner planets. It also forms a mild square to my Scorpio Venus. So, when something bothers me, it really hits me deeply.

  26. Well, it’s nice to also read comments from the persons who have the aspect. As in opposed to just comments like, I know so and so and they were horrible but they thought they were great. If I remember correctly, this aspect was depicted like ‘As sun, you will have to come to terms that you’re not the shine/light/goddess you think you are. Converseley, as your pluto, you’ll have to come to terms that you’re not a monster.’
    But as for manipulating, don’t let me start on all types of ways everybody does it, through or pleasantry, through obviously showing it but still doing it, through deflecting, generalisation and pointing it, like me right now probably trying to make myself feeling better because I have the aspect and it’s getting activated again. I mean, pick your course but I’ve seen people manipulating through all kinds of means with or without pluto. This type of aspect (pluto oppositions) is truly one that can make someone polarizing to others.

  27. It’s hilarious that only the Sun opposite Pluto people don’t seem to “get” this post. Anyone from the outside looking in can see the atrocities that they commit and yet they appear to play dumb. They will always act like victims and then praise themselves when they’ve decided to change, but there’s always something new that they’re discovering, kind of like a child learning how to behave. They will cause all sorts of drama because they can’t handle the silence of people at peace. I know a sun opposite Pluto and I’ll spit on her grave. She’s a terrible person.

    1. Wow. Bitter much? Pretty sure you have stuff in your chart that makes you imperfect. Granted ee may project but you’re nor perfect either and sure you’ve got stuff to work on. Hate us or love us. Who gives a crap. I can tell toy I do put of my way to avoid drama but have been in the center of it. But think what you want so what.

    2. Interesting I’ve had people react this way to me but now I see this is how they felt. I never knew but I guess I’m blind to my shadow.

    3. I can’t say but having this aspect myself I don’t know if it makes you a terrible person or a emotionally immature person evolving. Sorry this happened to you.

    4. You said it. My sister in law was always the victim even when she instigated trouble. She was a lot like their dad. He was a Moon conjunct Pluto person and he told me that he loved to antagonize people/animals.

      She hero worshipped him and antagoized everyone. The day I coldly ignored her after she had teamed up with my husband against me, she called him and told him that she was being treated badly by me. He told her that she always thinks she is right and I didn’t want to talk to her. He took my side. I was trying to avoid fighting with her again, but she loved to fight.

      There is not enough time or space here to tell of her selfishness and how she angered everyone just like their dad did.

      She was 41 when she died and acted like a teen. She wanted attention, being a fire triplicity too. I only have my MC in fire and fire annoys me.

      She would tell strangers how to live their lives and I tried to tell her that is a good way of getting yourself into big trouble, but she ignored me. She knew better, did everything, if you did something, she did it better. You got her a gift? She’d say, I already have this or whatever.

      Sun Aries 16* vs Pluto Libra 17*

  28. This is interesting but seems a bit biased and lacking astro backing. I have this aspect and could have projected in my mouth but as I age I am more aware of my shadow. It’s best to take into account someone’s spiritual growth who has this aspect bc some won’t project at a certain point. I’m sure you’ll probably get defensive as someone disagrees with you. That seems to be a tone here. To be fair, Sun pluto aspects can have people projecting on them as well. I know people have projected their insecurities and toxicities on me. Thankfully this is ONE aspect in someone’s birth chart and other aspects can neutralize this so everyone with this aspect dosen’t have it. It would be ridiculous to assume such.

    1. Exactly!’

      Every sign has a positive and negative to it, that is also true for every aspect ,,, whether defined in classical astrology as negative or positive. As was said previously….the spiritual evolvement of the native need be taken into consideration. Also the weight of the aspect in the chart. The sun opposite pluto can see two sides to the story and two sides to themselves….oppositions can pull the native apart or they can be a great awareness…a great investigator….of self and to HELP others. Interesting so many here have attracted people with the negative sun pluto opposition…..what are you not owning? Any good astrologer knows that there is no good or bad sign or aspect intrinically….it depends on awareness. Stop the hate. You are supposed to help not hate.

      1. There are good and bad aspects that make people good and bad. Some folks have more good than bad and others have more bad than good. Life is like this.

  29. I have this aspect also… I am not prone to projecting though and everyone that knows me will tell you that is a defining characteristic of mine: lack of projection. However, I have done a TON of shadow work from a very young age. Staring with Jungian psychology in my early 20s. How Plutonian, lol. However, I will say this… I suffered terribly with feeling imprisoned by others’ projections onto me for YEARS. I could see exactly how they were boxing me, but felt completely unable to do anything about it. Much tears and anger and powerlessness. (Sun in Pisces). Now, I have integrated my shadow to a profound degree and self evaluate every thought and feeling on a constant basis, I have become very assertive about not allowing others to project on me. I anticipate and pounce – identify and voice their projections from word go, not allowing them to develop their story into anything that can affect me. This has been so liberating for me and I wish it for all with Sun-Pluto opposition.

  30. Reading this was cathartic. My Dad is a Sun-Pluto opposition person – Sun in Aqua, Pluto in Leo. His Pluto is right on his Midheaven and Sun on IC, potent placement. He kind of pollutes the atmosphere negatively when he is frustrated and trying to get his way. The family home is his kingdom over which he silently but energetically dominates. Very basic functioning on that emotional level, lack of ability to communicate his needs. I have Pluto on Asc in Libra and a Pisces moon. I took on the projections relentlessly as a child and the rest of the family colluded, I guess to spare themselves falling into that role. I have managed to maintain relations with him, but there was a 3 year period where I cut him off completely. I am stronger now and keep a very close eye on him. I call him out when he is being, what I call, an ‘agent provocateur’.

  31. what’s frustrating about this is how painful it has been to be the PLUTO end and constantly be projected on. So, while yes I agree that projection is constant, this is a very one-sided take on it and is dismissive of one’s experience … such as mine having had been the family witch.

    1. and this is a prime example of the projection … it’s simultaneous — by defending myself I appear as the one who is projecting my shadow/trying to be the shiny sun — when from the other side it feels the exact same way… in the case of this post: it feels like the description is making the person that lives with this opposition out to always want to be the sun, but *if anything* like in my case, I am absolutely exhausted from a lifetime of being the bad guy so of course, I want to defend myself!

      Sun opposite Pluto ASC in Scorpio from the 12th.

      My entire outer family was abusive to me as a young girl because they didn’t believe me when I said my mother was an addict alcoholic. I was terrible, delusional, didn’t want her to be happy, etc etc. I WAS A CHILD that needed my mother… of course, once her addiction spiraled out of control affecting all of them, now as an adult, it’s “oh gosh you were right.”

      So, that’s all I meant. Some people’s trauma is freaking real…. and while the projection is at play to only see it from the one side and cast it as educational is hurtful/dismissive… because from the other side it feels the exact same way… and it can be *painful.*

      I don’t mean any disrespect and no I am not enraged, I am triggered.

      1. Not being believed, especially as a child, generates the “trigger” and it is then interpreted by others as abusive when it is actually a response and NOT an offense. If the response seems inapproptiate, it could be someone generating the hurt and pain (almost chironic)j that the sun opposite pluto has experienced all their life. Don’t buy into the attack by people who are not seeing this, who don’t have empathy, who can’t look and see YOUR pain. We have scars – period. THEY lack love….what you said about not being believed has happened all my life and years down the road they finally see but still do not apologize for the lack of acknowledgment. Oppositions are awareness. Awareness is not wanted by the blind…and they interpret it incorrectly. They should see that those with scars hurt. It is a communication problem on both sides.

        1. “when it is actually a response and NOT an offense.”

          well said.

          “. Oppositions are awareness. Awareness is not wanted by the blind…and they interpret it incorrectly. ”

          and indeed, but the blindness means it always falls in the other’s lap without accountability or resolution.. and THAT is what is so painful.

          1. Pearl, you’re a jewel. You said some things that needed to be said about the sun pluto opposition and the pain of it in a very genuine and sensible way. I only want to put a small insert in here, you might want to check asteroid ‘Kassandra’ (114) in your chart since and I quote ‘this is related to divination, insight and prophecy. It reveals those areas in which we were not heard as children. In addition, it outlines situations and issues in which we are right and we know it ourselves, yet no one else sees it.’

    2. “..this is a very one-sided take on it and is dismissive of one’s experience … ”
      ~~~~~

      It’s a one-sided view because I am writing about my personal experience. I am on ONE side of this. I don’t have this aspect in my chart.

      I am sorry you feel it’s dismissive of your experience. That was not my intention. I think if you go back and read the post, you’ll see what I mean. I am simply writing about what I have observed.

      It’s not possible to cover an aspect in it’s entirety in a blog post or even a book. My intention was to put clear information out, that is based in COPIOUS amounts of personal experience. It is not more than this but it is also not less!

      I am sorry I triggered you. I do not seek to cause people pain. I do want to write in this tone which is natural to me. I have Mars conjunct Mercury.

      I guess if people do not like to read things that are pointed, I’m not your gal. And I am sorry for this, but I do exist and have to live even if I make people uncomfortable.

      1. It’s okay. I don’t mean to make you responsible for my triggering — I fully acknowledge it’s *my stuff.* I said that because I wanted to state my response as triggered not enraged.

        I also wanted to make the distinction (from my view) that both people are doing the same thing/accusing the other at the same time… but it’s not about right or wrong, rather that person’s experience of the other.. and unfortunately with this opposition, it feels very right or wrong and is very difficult to see past one’s view of it.. because the opposition is so strongly at play with the ego & power involved.. as you know, it’s hardcore.

        I am not claiming to be an angel at all, but I just wanted to point out that as I have become more conscious of my shadow as an adult – I see this play out all of the time where I’m like – wow, you see it your way and I am trying to share with you my way of seeing it but we can’t get past our own way of seeing it to empathize with the other side because it’s always – casting the other as the bad guy – when someone just doesn’t want to own their shit.

        I am a long-time follower of your work and I’ve only seen what you wrote here as describing Sun Pluto over the years, hence me speaking up… but you are absolutely right:

        “It’s a one-sided view because I am writing about my personal experience. I am on ONE side of this. I don’t have this aspect in my chart.”

        nor do you owe me anything simply because I’m triggered (although I appreciate your acknowledgment and sympathy). I know you deal with a lot of crap from people on this blog and although you are young, I consider you an elder so my intention was not to cause harm or disrespect. Because I admire your work is why I wanted to speak up… as backward as that may seem.

        “I guess if people do not like to read things that are pointed, I’m not your gal. And I am sorry for this, but I do exist and have to live even if I make people uncomfortable.”

        and agreed! and I relate, so you’re absolutely right, but I believe despite our current cancel culture – it is still possible to have respectful discourse and not always agree. 🙂

        1. “but I believe despite our current cancel culture – it is still possible to have respectful discourse and not always agree. ?”
          ~~
          I agree with you. And what I am seeing here (in total – not directed at you, personally), is people writing about their real life experiences. Others don’t like what they read so they come back with theory.

          It’s an old saw but a true – experience is the best teacher. We’re very lucky, people are willing to come on this site and write about their real lives which are often quite painful. Mine included. So I think this is a key point.

          If the person writing about THEIR life and if you have never met them in your life, then perhaps you can set it aside as being true for them. Not just *you* but anyone who reads this and feels harmed.

  32. My late sister in law had this aspect and she could be hell on two feet. She wanted utter control over everyone and thing around her and got into fist fights with some people like their dad and her boyfriend. She had Aries Sun with Pluto in Libra 1* opposition. Woo wee. I always said that Jesus himself would give her a good smack.

    One of her worst traits is how she was obsessed with their dad. She acted more like his wife. She was completely jealous of their mother and vied for his attention. Their mother died in 2001, so the s-i-l spent a lot of time with their dad. When he died in 2018, she died too. Not physically, but her soul died. Even tho she had a bf and a child. She told me that the only man she ever loved was buried.

    So, she died in January 2021, because she gave up. She could not live without dear daddy. I have to say that Uranus freed the rest of us from her tyranny. She tried to pull the same thing on me that she did their mother, over her brother. He refused to allow it to happen and could not stand to be around her for more than five minutes himself. She would come and try to get a fight going between him and myself and get him to her side against me and this happened a few times, until I wisened up and realized that I had to shut my feelings down and coldly ignore her. She went ballistic on me and I told her if she hit me, I would kill her. I was not bluffing. I would have picked up something and killed her.

    I was truly worrying that I would eventually do so. I even thought about calling the police and confessing my thoughts.

    But she died in bed just like their dad did. But her bf told me that she had a look of horror on her face as if she saw the devil himself.

    This has been theraputic for me. Even tho I could not stand her, I made sure her casket had names written on it even tho only a handful of people showed up. My brother, her ex, helped my husband cover her up in the back yard next to her daddy.

    In Marh, I heard her voice from out at her grave and I heard her say her bf’s name. He said she was probably cussing him like she always did.

    Okay back to it: Sun vs Pluto can be really tough to live with for other people around them. I’m a Sun and Pluto which won’t be controlled by another.

    1. No one is one aspect. NO ONE. So don’t project that sun pluto in her onto others with that aspect. Our whole society does that enough with everything I have seen some charts of Jesus birth that say he had a Sun in Pisces and Pluto in Virgo. How would you see that? the same way? What if someone has a chart where the sun and pluto in opposition both have trines to all the planets in the chart? Are you going to project this person onto all who have that one aspect. That is not using astrology well but rather as a battering ram. Lord, the world has enough battering rams.

      1. Oh boy! You best back off right now! That is how she was. A selfish – It has nothing to do with projection. Everyone saw her for what she was. Her child at 6 told her he didn’t like her. Don’t you dare come at me like that!

  33. Something I liked a lot was in this post is the concluding line, “The shiny person, dumping on the other… the other, who usually knows what to do with manure!” My husband’s natal chart with transiting Pluto opposing his Cancer Sun is conjunct his natal Jupiter through until the end of 2022. Think it might be a good line for me to write on a post-it and put it up (through it all!) and compost a lot of garden:/

  34. I have this natally, to the degree. Sun 1H/pluto 7H. Also Mars 1H opp Saturn 1H. So far the mars/sat transit was manageable (humble before saturn (the boss), say no to mars and not feed into drama (the egocentric flatmate, the me-me-me acquaintance turned stalker) = pick your battles/live to fight another day. But sun opp pluto… lemme me see if I pass that test… pluto us sitting on my nemesis 10H… God, universe, protect me from burning it to the ground… :/

    1. I can tell the shadow had been projected upon me countless times. I’ve been in my shadow but ive almost always been the one the shadow is cast upon. If I shine I’m a target, deemed as arrogant, if I dim my light to accommodate others, I’m stepped upon, or seen as fake. it’s a lose-lose, an endless struggle between just being myself (which I’m supposed to, I have a 1H NN!) or being a mattress. not a nice view from where I’m standing, just not…

      1. That pisces girl reminds me of my scorpio sister and one or two ex boyfriends I’ve had, and even people I’ve met (all with strong scorpio in their charts, or pisces for that matter)… hmm. perhaps given that pluto is at home in my 7h scorpio, only 2degrees away from the DC I tend to really attract these type of people huh.
        I used to get caught up in their ramblings, these days I just ghost them with courtesy as soon as I can…

  35. This Sun Pluto opposition is on my IC/MC. I have Cancer Sun parallel Pluto on the North planetary node of Pluto. My sister has Aquarius Moon, Pisces Sun opposing Virgo Pluto across her IC/MC.Shiny and manure nails it! A never ending competition in her mind that I’ve learned to never engage.

  36. my partner is and aries with his pluto in libra conjunct his rising. how does that play out? i have always felt that he might speak in a victim tone when i am not around, so i can see how he might cast me in the shadows… but how does having pluto conjunct his rising add to this scenario?

    1. Welcome, ccl. I’ve never met anyone with Pluto conjunct the ascendant who was unaware of their intensity and their shadow-side, etc. I think this position would alter things, considerably.

      1. Oh, that is good to know- thank you! At least if he is somewhat aware, maybe that would soften it a bit. He has 7 planets in aries, as well, so any softness or awareness (of others) is a good thing:)

    1. Welcome, Nora. Good question. I’d have to think about it. Both bodies are yin for one thing. I didn’t grow up with people who have Moon opposite Pluto so I don’t have the same level of exposure. Sorry!

    2. How about Moon vs Pluto indicating intense (Pluto) feelings (Moon) for starters? There could be power struggles (Pluto) with women (Moon) and it could make you paranoid in your feelings such as inferiority complexes which make you feel that you have to over compensate and thus make others feel like you are too much to deal with so they discount your feelings, etc.

      Moon square Pluto here.

  37. Avatar
    Nora Lilligren

    Hi Elsa, I have Moon conjunct North Node opposition Pluto conjunct South Node. Makes for some stressful unconsciousness at times! Another Pluto/Sun relationship to examine is when someone’s Sun is conjunct another’s Pluto – I had this with my mother – not the easiest of relationships.

    Insights?

  38. Hi, Elsa. I have a dynamic that feels like this going on with someone whose Venus is conjunct my Pluto. This person always comes off smelling like a rose while I see what’s under their rock. I’ve learned to keep my observations about them to myself. (Sorry for the mixed metaphors.)

  39. My Progressed Aquarius Sun opposes Pluto conjunct Saturn. Oh my. That would be a way to SEE/GET that I HAVEN’T YET recognized my blindspots with all those years of Pluto natally in the 7th House. Both progressed and natal Pluto are in Leo … so the not learning the lessons are always dramatic!! lol.
    I’ve struggled with understanding what projection is, that’s probably because I’ve not wanted to see the blind spot:[ Guess the good news is better late than never.

  40. Oh my God! I have Sun at 7 Aries (8th house) opposing Pluto at 5 Libra (2nd house). Pluto has always been my favorite planet (although it broke my heart when it squared my sun in 2009), and I’ve wondered what this opposition really means, but now it turns out I’m an asshole? 🙁 My only hope that moon at 5 Gemini opposing Neptune at 9 Sag can help the Sun&Pluto to find common ground, and avoid constant projection. Anyway, my next tattoo will actually be Pluto, hoping this will mark a beginning of a beautiful friendship with it 🙂

  41. Avatar
    Elsa’s twin?

    This is bizarre; not only do we share late Cap risings (so similar 12th house transits since 2010) but my oldest sib is an Aquarius with opposing Pluto in Leo and younger sib is Pisces with opposing Pluto in Virgo.
    Always idolized both until past few years when it dawned on me they can both be very mean and both have to be #1!
    My sun squares my moon/Pluto conjunction; is the influence the same when it squares?

      1. Avatar
        Elsa’s twin?

        Thanks, Elsa!
        I got into asteroids the past few years and ran everybody’s chart through Astro’s Extended Chart Selection adding various asteroids. Learned the ♒️ has Nessus (abuse) on the ASC, and the ♓️ has Sado on the ASC.
        Re: the ♓️ disconnect, mine is the epitome of compassion and has often been the first to offer to help me without me asking; she’s like that with everyone except her son. He’s a ♓️ with Cap rising and it breaks my heart?
        Jeanne Avery’s book “The Rising Sign” has the best description of Cap Rising I’ve ever read. I’ve psychoanalyzed the situation and figured out why. Came to the conclusion I can’t “fix it” but pray for him often.
        Astrology or not, we’re all just imperfect human beings and that includes ourselves and everyone we love. I just don’t understand why people are driven to hurt each other though. It’s such a waste of time and love.
        Hope you & yours are doing well!

  42. Hi Elsa,
    If all aspects are –neutral until directed–equally a blessing and a curse–
    What is the blessing potential of this aspect–he possibility for uncovering your shadow? Is there a built in mechanism in the aspect itself, I wonder. Like a question when properly asked, contains its own answer.

    Thanks,
    Jana

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