It's officially complicated

Pluto's back in Capricorn for 2.5 months, which I feel that if we put it to a vote, we'd all like to be done with Pluto in Capricorn, since that brought us the feeling that our bosses and overlords were trying to kill us (or at the very least were using us as pawns in a messed-up game of chess). What we collectively learned to do since 2008 (when Pluto entered Capricorn) was survive and put one foot in front of the other. But this is not happy, fun, good-times energy. You might ask yourself how much trouble Pluto can cause in 2.5 months, but, never underestimate this energy.

Then, beginning at the end of September, Mars begins opposing Pluto, which it will do off and on from:

• October 20 - January 24 (ish)

• April 12 - May 10 (ish)

This (a Mars-Pluto opposition) normally happens in the sky every 2 years for about a week, so this is an unusual extensive period (due to Mars retrograde), which can be summed up in 2 words: power struggles. Everyone will be experiencing finding balance despite an opposing force that feels pretty big and unpleasant, all at the same time. The good news is we won't be bored. If you're curious about where you can expect said power struggles, check your chart for where 29° Capricorn - 3° Aquarius falls (Pluto's territory), and what house opposes that (Mars' territory). The Mars area is going to be where *you* will probably be the willful one, and the Pluto area is the opposing force that feels big.

These issues are not insurmountable, though they might feel that way off and on, it's just that in order to meet them, you must follow advice no one ever wants to take, which is that you can only control what you can control, which is yourself, not the actions of other people. Nor can you effectively talk people out of doing what they sincerely want to do. For part of this opposition, Pluto's in Capricorn and Mars is in Cancer, and during other parts there's a mismatch that could be Mars in Leo opposing Pluto in Capricorn or Mars in Cancer opposing Pluto in Aquarius, so it's kind of confusing exactly how the energies will play out, but that just means I need to zoom out with my generalizations: something you care about in a sincere heart-felt way might feel unappreciated by an impersonal force or large organization or "the man." It could be in the realms of creativity, play, romance or home, family, nurturing, or it might switch between those two. TBD. But my rough expectation is that no one seems to care about what you feel is important, so you can either be butthurt, heartbroken, or yelling (with the yelling falling on deaf ears). Pluto/Mars aspects can be controlling, violent, or sexual, so don't make unwanted sexual advances or pick fights you're not sure you can win, no matter how tempting. Do I honestly think any of you are the type to do either of those things? No, but you will see it around you.

This aspect is no joke, so I recommend identifying your favorite (healthy) tension-diffusing strategies now so you are not at a total loss when you need to deploy said strategies. You'll get through this.

I don't know if you guys remember that at the beginning of the year I did an overview of the energy and then said I'd talk about the back half of the year later? I put it off because of this. I don't want to deal with Pluto in Capricorn again or Mars opposing Pluto. I'm all power-struggled out. I've spent most of the year forcing myself almost daily to do some of the most boring tasks you can think of (I'm not complaining; I chose this), but I think I can speak for all of us when I say we're not in the mood. I would prefer a rainbows-and-kittens sky, but that is not what we are getting.

The positive I can find in this is often when the sky acts up and reaches into our lives and causes drama, we're better off for it in the long term, though you might have to take the very long view. A lot of the stuff that I hated in the moment I am grateful for much later (and I mean a decade later), because it has kept me on the track I'm on and made me a better person overall. If you need to take my long view to deal with your power struggles, please do.