Retrogrades in 2026: Pluto

Merry Meet and Welcome to you magickal souls!!!!

It's time to think about the next planet to go retrograde which is Pluto! Pluto will be retrograde for about 5 months from 6th May to 16th October in the sign of Aquarius.

Pluto is an outer planet, which means that its influence is less obvious and more internal within our communities (even on a global scale). It is the planet of transformation, change, evolution and personal power.

Aquarius is the sign of the rebel, of bringing together ideas (air) and emotions (water). It is relating to thinking from a different place, and of understanding things from a higher source/power.

Put the two together and it shows that we need to transform our general approach to situations. We need to find a way to view the bigger picture or just find an alternative perspective so that we can find a better way forward. We need to realise our own personal power and how it can be used for communal good, not just on a personal level.

Now, in western astrology, planets aspect other planets, which is when they interact with other planets in particular ways. While Pluto is retrograde, it will aspect with Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune.

Jupiter will be in the sign of centre-stage Leo and make a challenging aspect, also known as sit in opposition, to Pluto and should be felt most strongly around 20th July. This will likely lead to a greater tension between our individual expression and our need for social change.

Uranus will be in the sign of Gemini, a fellow air-sign, and will make two trine aspects to Pluto on 17th July and 29th November. Around these dates, it may be more likely to see social and technological innovation.

Neptune is in the sign of fiery, ambitious and driven Aries, and is making a sextile aspect, which is sull of supportive energy, to Pluto. So while Pluto starts the changes, there will be a sense of visionary and spiritual elements to them, thanks to Neptune's dreamy influence. This is a current aspect and will be true for most of this year.

With all of these energies floating around for the next five months, perhaps a collective reading is prudent. I used the Wild Unknown Animal Spirit oracle deck with a spread of my own creation:

What should we be focusing on transforming during this time?

Black Egg

This Egg comes to show us that we need to focus on the truth and how it can transform us and our lives. This may seem strange compared to the original question but the truth is, in its own right, transformational.

Another association of this card is authentic speaking. Speaking from the heart of a matter, from the truth.

Perhaps that is what this card is showing: that we should be focusing on speaking the truth, putting it out there so no one can ignore it.

We all have an inner truth that should be witnessed, acknowledged and hold space for. Whether we are willing or able to accept this is another obstacle but a more personal one as solutions look differently to each of us and comes from within.

What are we being asked to let go of?

Buffalo

With this card, we are being asked to let go of our restlessness, that incessant need to be moving, doing or be otherwise occupied with something.

Wild Buffalo are naturally migratory but also nomadic, so they are not found with certainty in one place.

Perhaps the journey we need to go on is to discover why we feel the need to constantly be doing, moving etc. The reason behind it is the key to stopping it.

We have forgotten to appreciate the stillness, of having the leisure to just Be, without purpose or task to be completed.

We are being asked to let go of seeing death, illness and/or misfortune as an obstacle and to see them instead as more of an opportunity for upliftment, improvement and growth. We need to let go of the fear and replace it with trust.

What is about to be reborn into our lives?

Unicorn

The Unicorn comes to show us that we are about to be reconnected with who- or what-ever we believe to be a higher power, or just our intuition.

In our modern lives, Unicorns don't exist. They are myths and legends, part of stories or fairy-tales told to children.

But what if they aren't? What if they are real? And we just haven't been paying attention to them?

The only way we can know is by indulging our curiosity, by asking questions and going looking for answers.

We get taught to learn everything by rote and just do what we are taught, nothing more than that. We lose our curiosity along the way. We become robots, instead of having adventures and travelling, exploring on a local, national and/or global scale.

How will this transform our lives?

Otter

The Otter comes to say that if we can rediscover our natural curiosity after letting go of fear, then we can transform our lives with a greater sense of unbridled and uncontrolled joy.

We will transform our lives by bringing back a playfulness in our lives, where we play with Life, and enjoy the process rather than having a specific destination we need to get to before moving immediately to the next.

Another way we will be able to transform our lives is by being more childlike, by just having fun and being filled with that child-like wonder we have lost along the way as we became adults.

The Otter is typically content at any given time and this is something else that we can bring into our lives with the Otter's guidance.

So, the next five months will be interesting for everyone. It is all about whether we are willing and able to see the truth about our own personal situations as to how we can bring these cards into our lives. Truth, happiness and contentment will be the results if we can only do the work Pluto is asking of us.

I hope this has been helpful for you. If you would like a more personal look at how Pluto being retrograde in Aquarius might impact your life, my inbox and diary are open.

Peace and love to all!!!!