Hard aspects (conjunction, square or opposition) from the outer planets can trigger depression or enhance an existing predilection for depression. I want to make it clear, I'm not a doctor so I will not offer specifics on how to deal with your depression, but I will offer astrological insight on how to work with the energy of the triggering planet. This should not be considered a replacement for medical advice.

I'll devote one post each to Saturn, Neptune and Pluto (the usual suspects). Note that hard aspects from these planets do not always trigger depression.

A reminder of what the aspects mean:

conjunction: fusion, new beginning

square: crisis that prompts action or questions

opposition: ending, result

Let's talk about transiting Pluto.

Pluto begins the process by initiating a "death." This can be the total loss of someone or something. Or, there can be an insanely intense attraction/obsession that dominates your life. A Pluto-flavoured relationship can feel like a death as the ecstatic highs and crushing lows put you through the wringer. Any of the above situations is Pluto confronting you with your inner limits. Bet you didn't know you could go that far. Now you know.

Depression can arrive as a result of Pluto's slash and burn energy- you can only lose so much or feel so much before you shut down. Maybe you feel like nothing's left. Maybe you feel like you'll literally die if you cannot have that person. Pluto deals in extremes and sometimes you need a break. Depression can be protective in this context.

But know that Pluto's agenda is ultimately transformation. The amputation, love or (in some cases) vengeance/manipulation from another is meant to push you towards something new. Pluto operates by burning it all down so you can be reborn. The intensity of the experience is the delivery mechanism for transformation. Any resulting depression can be seen as a point between the loss and the rebirth - a grey country that you must pass through in order to arrive at the other side.

Pluto transits will feel very personal. When something precious is taken away or when you're given a taste of ecstasy only to discover that the person/relationship is simply too destructive, it can feel like the Universe is out to get you. It's not, BTW-the Universe is not out to get you. And while events will hit you on an intimate level, it may help to view Pluto as a mechanism for change; nothing more, nothing less.

It can feel easier to surrender, and depression does serve a purpose- it can be a time to curl up and catch your breath. Recharge. But when it drags on because you feel there's nothing worthwhile on the horizon, know that you're stuck in the grey country and the process of rebirth is blocked.

I'm not going to tell you when it's time to struggle to your feet and keep walking because it's different for everyone. But all transits end eventually so that's something to look forward to. It can help when you have a concrete date. Pluto's transits to one planet can go on for one or two years, but if it's hitting more than one planet that timeframe can be extended. And it's not always feasible to curl up for two or three or four years, so if you can, start by identifying what has died in your life. Sometimes this will be obvious, but when you're caught in the grip of an obsession (or someone is obsessed with you) it's not so obvious. This is when you need to look at the other person or the external prompt- what are they telling you about yourself? You can't control them but you can purge something within yourself.

As a side note, Pluto relationships can sometimes be quite addictive, even if you're miserable. The intensity of what you feel (the obsession, the grief, the pain) can keep you going even though you know it's not healthy. When that intensity is finally absent, the result can be flat and...depressing. This will require a period of adjustment as you get used to a more balanced existence.

After the death there is always rebirth, if you allow it. The house Pluto is moving through and the planet/angle/Node Pluto is aspecting will tell you more. Pluto through your 7th means the loss of another, or destructive obsession with another, is seeding the ground for new ways to approach relationships. Pluto in hard aspect to your Mercury is purging and burning old ideas/ways of communicating so your eyes can be opened to something more authentic (new truths). Pluto in hard aspect to your Moon triggers profound insecurity/fear so you are forced to find new ways of expressing your emotions and creating security.

It can be almost impossible to consider rebirth when you're flattened by the weight of Pluto's intensity. At this point, all I can say is you are meant to move forward. Accept the loss - don't try to cling to a person or scenario that is obviously being taken away. Move with baby steps if you have to. Don't try to rebuild all at once. Allow yourself to grieve, but know that this is a path to a new you.

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