Pluto retrogrades in Capricorn—If you haven’t already bestowed the prize for cruelest month on April, let’s shift focus from Mars and take a look at Pluto. It’s interesting that Mars and Pluto are doing big things at the same time. Pluto is thought of as the higher octave of Mars. Because it is closer to us, Mars brings the warrior energy to the individual. Pluto, being much farther away, impacts society as a whole. In April, individuals will feel the malefic energy of Mars, while Pluto plays out socially, politically, globally.

Remember that Pluto is the God of the underworld, ruling over the kingdom of the dead. He kidnapped Persephone and allowed the world to become a desert. Of course, he does ultimately give in and allow her to visit the surface each year, and Spring is sprung. What a guy!

Before we even get into what Capricorn has to do with this, let’s talk retrograde. At its best, a retrograde period allows for reevaluating, reviewing, and refining the issues that came up during the first pass of the planet. As the planet moves back over an area it has already covered, it gives us a kind of cosmic do-over. Unfortunately, retrogrades don’t always bring only their best energy. Think of Mercury retrogrades—the computer glitches, the flat tires, the general chaos and confusion.

So what kind of havoc might Pluto wreak from around April 27 to October 6? Pluto destroys anything that has worn out its welcome. The dark ruler will simply blow up those elements of life that have been needing to go, and he is not concerned with being gentle. In retrograde, he will search for whatever might have escaped his first pass and toss a cosmic Molotov cocktail in that direction. What direction? Capricorn’s direction.

Capricorn stands for the established order, governmental structures, and old age. We’ve gone through a long period of social and political upheaval, but newspaper headlines prove that there is a lot of old thinking still hanging around. Pluto’s retrograde just might take care of some of the detritus.

On a positive note—Remember that April’s cruelty always makes way for the lilacs. Winter frost gives way to new life. During April, make special effort to be kind to yourself and others. Examine issues carefully before acting because Neptune can cloud our vision. And find a strong table to throw yourself under when the walls start tumbling down.