Shadow Work and Pluto Transits: Astrology as Spiritual Therapy
I finally finished Liz Greene's The Astrology of Fate, and it solidified something: astrology and Jungian theory have a lot in common in spiritual and depth work. Personally, I've learned more about psychology and spirituality through astrology and lived experience than I ever did in formal education or religious settings. Greene brilliantly explores fate through Greek mythology, fairy tales, and the zodiac, discussing astrology as a psychological tool while bringing profound meaning to Pluto's role in our charts.
That natal promise though? 🥲
Astrology, Spirituality, and Therapy
Astrology and spirituality make their way into therapy sessions often. How could they not? We're here to talk about the darkness so we can learn to love more deeply—ourselves, our loved ones, and humanity. These practices help us name what we already know deep in our bones, giving language to the esoteric and hidden forces that shape our lives.
When clients come to therapy seeking spiritual growth and self-discovery, astrology is a tool that offers a symbolic map of their psyche. It's not about fatalism—it's about understanding patterns, timing, and the archetypal complexes moving through our lives.
Understanding Pluto Transits: Descent and Transformation
Reading Greene's book helped me confirm and articulate something I've experienced personally and witnessed countless times in the therapy room. While Saturn transits may feel depressing, Pluto transits feel like death, a drowning, a descent to hell.
Descending to the underworld, where Pluto rules, is never easy. My astrologer has often reminded me of this during difficult Pluto transits. And yet, in the deepest and darkest rooms, we find treasure chests with the keys to unlock our liberation and call upon light, love, and compassion.
Being on the other side of that descent is beautiful. I often remind myself it wasn't always peaceful. And that's where my gratitude built a home—one of authenticity, kindness, and rage. I honor my wounds so I can fully embrace love. And I have.
Pluto as Shadow Work
In Jungian depth psychology, Pluto represents the shadow, the underworld of the psyche where we've buried our trauma, shame, and disowned parts. A Pluto transit forces us to confront what we've kept hidden. It brings everything to the surface and says—here, there’s nowhere else to turn but inward and downward. It's the ultimate shadow work, uncomfortable, terrifying, and liberating.
This is where astrology and therapy can benefit from an introduction and meeting. Sure, understanding that you're in a Pluto transit doesn't make it easier, but it provides context. It helps remind us that this descent has purpose, destruction breeds transformation, and that like most things, it’s temporary.
Saturn vs. Pluto: Different Flavors of Difficulty
While both Saturn and Pluto transits are challenging, they operate differently:
Saturn (the drill sergeant):
Brings structure, discipline, and hard lessons
Feels restrictive, demanding, like pushing a boulder uphill
Teaches through limitation and responsibility
Results in maturity and earned wisdom
Pluto (the grim reaper):
Brings death, rebirth, and total transformation
Feels annihilating and cruel, like everything is falling apart
Forces confrontation with the shadow and unconscious parts
Results in liberation and profound psychological change
Saturn demands attention to truth and authenticity, it won't let you ignore what's real or cut corners in how you show up. Pluto demands proof of surrender, it strips away everything until you have no choice but to let go of who you thought you were. Pluto transits helped me destroy, rebuild, and shape a healthier and more integrated understanding of ego, self, and love. Through that process, my faith and gratitude practices deepened, and I came to understand, that love is a practice that takes time to build, requiring Saturnian-level devotion. Love is deathly serious. Spiritual. Respectful. Curious. Expansive. Accepting. Understanding. Liberating. Kind. Cozy and grounded. And love always finds a way. Period. Choosing to stay faithful is an everyday commitment—first to yourself and then to anyone worthy of sharing that devotion.
Astrology in Therapy: Four Ways It Helps
Jung himself was deeply interested in astrology, seeing it as a language of archetypes and symbols. The birth chart, from this perspective, is a map of the psyche, showing where we carry wounds, gifts, and potential for growth.
In my practice as a spiritual therapist in Los Angeles, I've found that astrology helps with normalizing, framing, depathologizing, and meaning-making:
Validates client experiences: "You’re experiencing a Saturn return, no wonder this year has been hard."
Offers a time map: Knowing a difficult transit will eventually pass
Deepens self-compassion: Your patterns aren't failures, they're human, archetypal, shared
Honors spirituality: Connects therapy to something larger than symptom management, “what does my soul want?”
How Archetypal Patterns Show Up in Therapy
I see astrology play out daily in my therapy practice:
The way my ♊️ Gemini clients come with 100 thoughts and extend gratitude for my grounding
The way my ♐️ Sagittarius clients keep me cracking up with mutual camaraderie
The way ♋️ Cancer clients take time to open up before showing their soft underbelly
The way 🌍 earth sign clients show up stoic only to reveal an ocean of feelings
These aren't stereotypes, they're archetypal patterns. The difference? Stereotypes flatten and judge; archetypes reveal depth. Understanding our zodiac helps us understand how we process emotions, communicate, relate, fight, and approach healing. Astrology gives us a framework for honoring individual differences while recognizing universal human experiences.
Integration: Finding Treasures in Depth Work
Transcendence is not about escaping our pain, but integrating it. This is the heart of Jungian shadow work and the promise of difficult astrological transits. What will you find when you let go?
When clients come to me for spiritual and depth work therapy, many are in the midst of their own underworld descent. They might be:
Navigating a Pluto transit that's upending their life
Processing childhood trauma that's suddenly surfaced
Experiencing a dark night of the soul
Breaking generational patterns
Questioning their identity and purpose
If you're drawn to spiritual therapy and depth psychology, incorporating astrology into your healing can deepen your understanding of your patterns and purpose, connect you to something larger than your own suffering, and help you find meaning in the darkness.
You don't need to "believe" in astrology for it to be useful. Like dream work, tarot, or mythology, it's a symbolic system that speaks to the unconscious. It gives us permission to explore the depths without having to explain everything rationally.
Ready to Explore Your Depths?
If you're curious about how astrology, Jungian therapy, and spiritual exploration can support your healing, I offer virtual individual therapy sessions for LGBTQ+ individuals and women in Los Angeles California, Colorado, and Texas.
Together, we can explore the meaning of astrology, work with your shadow, and honor both the psychological and spiritual elements of your transformation.
Book a free 20 minute consultation by emailing me: noemi@stillnesstherapy.net
