Moon Square Pluto; Reliance Vs. Destruction

When the moon (emotional nature) is in tension aspect to Pluto (control, transformation) in a natal chart, natives will feel they are constantly at the mercy of their overwhelming emotions. Even when there are strong indicators elsewhere in the chart of calm, capable self control, these folks' emotions will still seem to get the best of them every time. As a result, they will often resort to cruel tactics in order to control their emotional nature; namely by destroying every relationship in their lives which they feel an emotional reliance on.

Natives are often natural born loners, consumed with a quest to always be true to themselves. There is no fear of being alone with this placement, and many natives will find that they enjoy their solitude to a higher degree than what is considered normal. An obsession with controlling their own emotions typically leads to an extreme preoccupation with the turmoil of the inner self. Intimate relationships therefore are often difficult, fraught with intensity and extremes.

Moon Square Pluto individuals hate feeling restricted and will chafe against any imprisoning bonds, even if they are self-imposed. They prefer to take a dominate position in their relationships as a result, and will never willingly be submissive. If forced to do so, resentment will grow steadily and the native will inevitably undermine their partner's dominance with manipulative, subversive tactics. They can react almost violently toward anyone trying to change them, and will deliberately act in more extreme ways when displaying behaviors that another hopes to change.

Because Pluto is in tension aspect to Moon (female energy), natives will find they often make women uncomfortable. Their intense inner emotions generate an atmosphere around them which causes women to see them as threatening, intimidating and odd. Constant, confusing conflicts with Luna-type women (Lilith-type women being a different story) throughout life may lead to alienation from The Feminine and only strengthen Pluto's hold over the Moon.

As the Moon also rules the home, individuals with this placement typically have disruptive and difficult home lives in late childhood and adolescence. Conflicts with parents are virtually guaranteed as the individual grows into her/his self and rejects attempts by parental figures to mold them in any way. However, they find that their lives will change suddenly and not of their choosing often and dramatically, bringing them closer to their families over time. Perhaps ironically, it's typically the family which is most able to accept Moon square Pluto for who they truly are.

There is great struggle in this placement with powerful feelings of destructive energy, an urge to destroy and break down anything that even remotely resembles an obstacle. Natives will find they feel a sense of rebirth (Pluto) after tearing down such "obstacles," a feeling they likely may become addicted to. Their tendency is to explode in order to create solitude and space for personal changes to occur, as they are most able to deal with themselves when devoid of emotional attachment to others. It can be hard for others to understand how this sensation of destructive emotional energy shapes and restricts these individuals; indeed, it can be consuming and overwhelming. They will struggle to retain it as long as possible, but inevitably it spills over- typically during heated, emotional confrontation. Their inner emotional turmoil increases dramatically whenever they feel their emotions have thrown them out of control, shifting them into a "fight or flight" mode of thinking. Cruel, devastating things are often said and done during these explosive periods, so they nearly always create sudden and dramatic changes within the aspected individual's relationships.

What is not visible to their partners is that these dramatic changes are rarely the native's conscious aim; they simply reach a point where their emotions become so overwhelming that they feel they are forced to make a impulsive decision between exploding or imploding. Moon Square Pluto natives often do not see how truly damaging their inner conflict is to those who love them.

Although a difficult placement, it is also relatively easy to circumvent through self-actualization and study of the self. Although it is not always obvious to others, natives with this placement truly do desire to bond with others- it's only the fear of their own powerful emotions which prevents them from doing so. By Pluto's very nature, it is often the death of a loved one or birth of a child which causes this transformation in people with this tension aspect. A patient but forceful companion (lover, friend, family member, etc) who will refuse to allow the native to destroy their connection with hurtful words can also be instrumental. In order to jump the hurdle of this placement, individuals must learn to let go and communicate their feelings/difficulties more openly, so that others can help them to release their tension in less damaging ways. Redirecting preoccupation with the inner self toward helping others could become a way for emotional intensity to flow safely outward, reducing the inner pressure which leads Moon Square Pluto natives to destruction.