Transit Pluto Conjunct Ascendant: A Rebirth of Identity

Transit Pluto conjunct Ascendant is a powerful transit of about one to three years that sets off a deep rebirth in a person's identity, appearance and approach to life. Pluto moves out of the 12th house and crosses into the 1st house; a transformation that has long been unfolding inside, out of sight, now becomes visible from the outside.

What happens when transit Pluto conjoins the Ascendant?

Pluto usually crosses the Ascendant three times. On the approach there is fatigue and a sense of no longer fitting the old identity; at the exact hits the change becomes visible; as Pluto separates, the new self settles in. Then the period of transit Pluto in the 1st house begins, and this rebuilding deepens over many years.

When the mirror changes

The scenes often involve the body: a radical change of style, a determined fitness or nutrition regime, a dramatic haircut, letting go of a look carried for years. Some people change their name, city or profession; others say a clear "no" on their own behalf for the first time. Those around them find them more intense, more determined, sometimes a little more distant.

This conjunction is Pluto touching the horizon at the moment of birth, the point where a life first stepped into the world; that is why many astrologers describe it as a second birth.

On the shadow side, the urge to control everything and power struggles in relationships can increase, since the 7th house cusp opposite is activated too. Working well with this period means allowing the old identity to go rather than defending it by force, building a caring but firm relationship with the body, and drawing on deep support such as therapy.