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Venus square Pluto: beware power struggles

Venus square Pluto Internal Conflict by Amanda Klammer.

On 6 September Venus squares Pluto, a transit that typically creates obsessive, manipulative and unhealthy power dynamics in relationships. Under this transit resentments that have been bubbling under the surface may emerge in rather unpleasant and often passive aggressive ways. Like lancing a boil this may be for the best in the long term but in the moment such behaviours can be very hurtful and repairs may have to be made in the aftermath.

Fortunately, on the same day Venus is also trine with Jupiter. Venus trine Jupiter brings generosity of spirit, openness and benevolence into our relationships. Also on the same day Mars trines Pluto – great for make up sex! Mars trine Pluto is also an energetic and focused energy so any heavy and physical tasks that need to be done can be absolutely smashed out under the influence of this transit and could be a good way to channel frustration or anger brought up by the square between Venus and Pluto.

Venus square Pluto is a brief but very potent transit which could really pack a punch in the relationship department. We will be confronted by the tension between our personal ambitions and the goals of our relationships. Prioritising these competing needs may be difficult and could cause conflict. Fortunately Venus is in Libra, the sign of her rulership, which will make it much easier to reach a compromise rather than end up in a stalemate.

However, with Pluto in Capricorn you may find it difficult to back down from things you feel strongly about. This may put you at odds with others as you may put your views across so forcefully that you come across as pushy or controlling. Naturally you may encounter resistance or resentment from those around you.

On the other hand you may come into contact with someone who is determined to push you into something you’re not comfortable with. In such a case avoid going into battle during the entire Venus square Pluto transit. Withdraw and take some time to consider your position before acting. You may find that everyone is more reasonable once the transit is over.

During Venus square Pluto there may be a strong desire to be in control and to gain success in your endeavours. You may even find yourself sacrificing the needs of others in order to achieve your goals. Bear in mind that when this transit ends you will come to realise how important the contributions of others are to the process and may regret alienating the very people who would be your allies.

Extremes are very likely during Venus square Pluto so watch your step and remain conscious. Just because it seems like a good idea in the heat of the moment doesn’t mean it’s normal or ok behaviour. Observe yourself and if you see yourself falling into the trap of trying to manipulate someone to get your way then ask yourself whether the issue at hand is more important than the relationship. Then act accordingly.

You’ll probably feel intensely passionate about others during Venus square Pluto, on the one hand fixating on someone you’re into to the point of obsession while on the other experiencing a powerful dislike or even hate. It’s all or nothing with Venus square Pluto. It will probably be difficult to remain neutral so if you’re personally affected avoid getting involved in other people’s disputes, especially when one of the parties is a person close to you.

Venus is Pluto can also bring up issues around power and control in your relationships. Power struggles, passive aggression and manipulative behaviours that have simmered beneath the surface may come bubbling up, creating conflict and tension between you and a loved one. Be aware of the fact that your ability to compromise and to see the other person’s point of view lie at the heart of resolving these issues.

The key to Venus square Pluto is to stand firm on the things that really matter while letting go of the little things that really don’t. You can use this energy to reconfigure relationships that have become unbalanced in the power department, but don’t let the potential of Venus square Pluto to create conflict turn your relationships into a war zone.

How will Venus square Pluto affect you?

Those with planets or points between 21 and 27 degrees of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) will be most affected by Venus square Pluto. Pay attention also to which houses these planets will be transiting in your chart, as this will tell you where the action will be playing out most in your life.

To get started applying this forecast to your own life, grab a free birth chart at astro.com and download my free ebook The Language of Astrology.

Venus square Pluto and your relationships

Venus square Pluto has the potential to create tension between ourselves and our loved ones, with power clashes and conflict very likely. Are you personally affected by Venus square Pluto? How do you see this energy playing out for you?

28 Comments on Venus square Pluto: beware power struggles

  1. And Lilith conjunct Venus at the same time.

  2. Thanks for your take on this, Faith. My experience of the natal Pluto Venus square is as a conflict between love and power and the belief that it’s not possible to have both. So in a relationship I seem to expect to be powerless and have a tendency to hand over my power to the other, whether they want it or not. Maybe this is also to do with my packed 6th house – a sort of automatic orientation to the other, a mistaken kind of ‘service’. Pluto transiting Venus is uncovering this to me and now I’m hoping to let go of that belief and learn better ways. I still can’t help but feel that the reversed square is going to ‘reset’ it somehow :) Do you work with Lilith? Because she is conjunct our North Node, near Pluto, around that time too and I wonder what that could bring.

    • Hey Eva… I can imagine Lilith, Venus and Pluto together being a powerful combination for reclaiming our power as women, in relationships of course this being Libra. And perhaps in a way that does not feel so comfortable if we’ve been used to playing it ‘nice’ all the time. I do like your idea of the reset, though it does seem a little too easy… xx

    • Eva, I share your natal Pluto square Venus (while likely not in the same sign and house), and sometimes experience it in the way you describe. Although I don’t have a busy 6th house, my natal Pluto is in Virgo, conjunct Uranus in the intense 8th house (which I understand more and more in terms of others’ resources, and merging). I have an almost primal instinct to remedy others’ distress. Over time, that core tendency has resulted in a core disempowerment of myself, which I had not foreseen, as a consequence, or wanted. Maybe this outer mirroring, by transit, of our natal square, along with Lilith’s position near Pluto, will help us deal with painful underlying issues, and gain some wisdom and increased personal ground.

  3. In my natal chart Capricorn is on the cusp of the 2nd House and Libra is on the cusp of the 11th House. I do not know how this square is showing up for me. Does this signify a tension of sorts between how I am positioning myself future wise and how I am balancing my understanding of myself in relationship with others?

    • Hey Liv :) I think you will sail through this transit without too much trouble as your three Capricorn planets are all outside the 10 to 16 degree zone. Where you may find yourself experiencing tension is between the 1st and 10th houses – that is between the needs of relationships (Venus) in your vocational or outer life (10th House) and the expression of your personal power (Pluto) and identity (1st House). x

      • Thank you Faith this makes sense

      • Mid Heaven for me is ruled by Mercury and Ascendant ruled by Jupiter so could I read this tension as challenging how I negotiate relationships in my outer life, for example by communication, while taking care with not overpowering other for example with my need of questioning how everything is going on with all of us together (Virgo Mid Heaven)?

        • Hey Liv… The primary energy is between Pluto in Capricorn and Venus in Libra so it’s important to focus on these, but the house cusp rulers do modify the energy as well so bearing them in mind can give you a richer picture of how the transit affects you personally. x

          • Thank you Faith. I think I have a scatter of fixed and mutable energies in my chart making it sometimes more confused between them. For example I would consider myself adaptive and only realise later how stringent I would come across

          • Hey Liv… You could say that there is confusion between the fixed and mutable archetypes but on the other hand there is more of a balance than if you were solely fixed or solely mutable… x

  4. We have a Cancer (my mom who is dependent on me), my husband a Capricorn and myself an Aries. We are living in 2 different places since I live with my mother and he works in a different country. Wonder how things are going to work in my home!

    • Thanks for sharing Gee… the Venus square Pluto transit will strongly affect those with planets or points between 10 and 16 degrees of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries. But the other degrees of these signs will not be so hard hit…

  5. *Gulp* I have a natal square with moon in Libra at 12 degrees in the 8th house and my Mars in Capricorn. Transiting Pluto in my 12th house/Capricorn has been squaring off with this moon the past two year, thereby also activating Moon/Mars square. With now Venus in the mix too… And sun-mercury in my packed Scorpio house… A storm is brewing!!

    My issues the past two years has revolved around power, (sexual) abuse, balancing power as well as emotions, anxiety issues, cheating…. Stuff like that! So adding Venus to this mix will bring value(s), self worth, my own strong will into the picture. At ~ 20 degrees Scorpio my natal Sun, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter forms an exact stellium too.

    This will be heavy rain…. With so many planets activated, I don’t even know WHERE to begin analyzing!! But maybe Faith have an idea of just HOW intense this could become… At best I can use the clarity gained from the Pluto/Moon square the past years to be “aware”. But Pluto is a sneaky bastard. He will be sure to find my weak spots every time!

    • Your Mars must be very close to my Venus. I am countering by working on staying as clear and conscious as possible. And with Mars involved I would be particularly careful to watch your temper! I have complete faith in you Anette ;)

      • My temper has been in a rollercoaster the past two/three years, that’s for sure… Or maybe I’m just more authentic now that I don’t have to bury my feelings in my current relationship. This doesn’t always play out the right way though, which is why I’m saying *gulp* ;-)

        The Pluto/Moon square HAS made me more conscious of my feelings though, so that’s where I will at least TRY to stay put. Unless, ofc, someone provokes me… Which my complete opposite Taurus-sun-moon-mercury-stellium boyfriend is always so good at. He’s my blind spots and vica verca ;-)

  6. I have Venus in Pisces and Pluto in Sagittarius this square to me is true because i’m afraid of rejection, I would stay quiet and keep my fondness found for someone kept to myself. I can become a bit obsessive over someone once I find something intriguing about them that is very attractive to me. I have this aspect with a friend of mine, i’m the venus though. For some reason I can not stand the fact that I like him but at the same time I don’t. Its befuddling to me on how he like me one day when I pay him no attention but when I do give him attention he don’t like me. Do you think that has to do with pluto square venus aspect in synastry, If so can you help me understand the aspect in synastry.

  7. Terresa Jones // June 27, 2016 at 2:05 pm // Reply

    I will have the exact same reversal as you – my Venus is in Capricorn at 18 degrees in 12th House and Pluto is at 19 Libra in 9th House. Can you please elaborate more on that reversed square. I am dreading this one! :(

    • Hi Terresa… actually I haven’t found it too traumatic, but then I’ve been consciously leaning into the massive changes that have taken place and if I hadn’t I expect it would have been a lot harder. Over the course of this transit I’ve lived in four different countries, gotten married, birthed my first child and bought a home. Of course I’ve changed dramatically as a person in response to it all. So yeah, it was pretty challenging at times because so much had to be relinquished, but it has also also a wondrous process of surrendering to something greater… Keep us posted on how it goes for you xx

  8. Terresa Jones // July 5, 2016 at 8:12 pm // Reply

    Thank you, Faith! Will keep posted. Pluto will conjunct my natal Venus in Capricorn in a few months, I have read about how this can be a transit which invites an obsessive love into your life, which will be over once the transit is over. No such thing in my life as yet – I’m single and not ever been in any serious, long term relationship and am 38 years old….haha, typical of my Capricorn Venus – I don’t commit easily, nor give away affections easily. Lets see what Pluto meeting my natal Venus brings up – I read that this is a once in a life time transit and most people don’t experience transit Pluto conjunct natal Venus…..ahhhh lucky me!!??

  9. just starting to be afraid of the pluto transit to my natal venus. This year uranus already made a conjunction to my natal venus, soon, pluto will square it to complete the scenario. And that´s not all, jupiter will oposite as well!
    I don´t see any changes in my love life it seems, but then.. uranus and pluto are deep transformation planets.. (worried)

  10. Without too much detail, I am pushing ahead, speaking the truth as I see it, and ”firing” people out of my life who have under performed over years. and enjoying it!
    My Twin Flame and I are sort in touch again and all I do is tease him back. he knows we are twins now and is having to think things through too. he is more Earth energy and grounds me, while he grinds up the past elements that no longer serve his highest good. I have no Earth and boost his fire power. I like it. LOVE is all I care about. Universal, and down to the tiniest things.

  11. mara isaksen // November 10, 2020 at 6:23 am // Reply

    Ive got Venus at 22degrees capricorn in my 6th house !

  12. I worry for my son he’s still a little boy but he has a venus libra squaring pluto . His moon is in taurus trine jupiter and jupiter trine pluto . Also neptune conjunct midheaven in Pisces. What can I do as mother to help guide him to learn how to make good choices as he grows up ?

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