Emptiness is quite a difficult concept to grasp, so first we will spend some time exploring what it means so we may at least have some intellectual understanding. However, it is also very important to bear in mind that it really is not possible to understand emptiness completely from the intellect! Emptiness can really only be understood from personal experience of this higher state of consciousness. Emptiness is such an advanced state of consciousness that the Tibetan Master did not mention it at all in Esoteric Astrology. His teaching stopped at the level of illumination. This is most likely because humanity did not have the consciousness to comprehend emptiness at that time (indeed the majority of people have difficulty understanding emptiness now, let alone have the ability to recognise it in practice). 

It is only when we explore the Tibetan system in more depth, that we find the 'ultimate', final, or highest state of consciousness is actually emptiness. Buddahood (or full enlightenment) is where we abide in a permanent state of 'emptiness' without faltering even for a second. The first time I came across emptiness in association with Pluto was in Melanie Reinhart's excellent book "Chiron and The Healing Journey" and, as we shall see, it makes perfect sense that Pluto would be the planetary spaceholder for the 'emptiness' stage of human evolution.

So what exactly do we mean by emptiness? In the Tibetan tradition 'the wisdom realising emptiness' is considered the highest wisdom of all, beyond intellect, intuition and even beyond illumination. It is often said that we cannot understand emptiness with our ordinary mind and for this reason it was among the most secret or esoteric of all teachings in Buddhism. It is only in very recent times that the emptiness teachings have been made available to wider audiences, including Westerners. Not all Buddhist teachers thought this was a good idea, because of the enormous potential for misinterpretation and misunderstanding. (See "Emptiness: The Most Misunderstood Word in Buddhism" )

The English word emptiness, which is often used to translate the original Sanskrit term "shunyata", implies a void: nothing. Yet the Tibetan definition tak ché dang dralwa, translates as: ‘free from permanence and non-existence'. (See http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Emptiness ) This is the true nature of reality, and the whole purpose of our spiritual journey is to realise this for ourselves, through heightened awareness and our own experience.

It doesn't sound very exciting to realise that our true nature is impermanent, but as we shall see, there is so much more to emptiness than this dry 'intellectual' definition would imply. When people experience emptiness on a personal level for the first time, they often describe it as a profound spiritual experience, with a deep presence of universal love, compassion, union, deep insight, wisdom, awareness, oneness, clarity and/or deep peace.

fully conscious, eyes open, but time had just flipped." 

- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

In all true experiences of emptiness the two defining qualities are clarity and awareness. We might say wide awake and free from thoughts of self. As in the example of Sadhguru above, we experience a complete loss of 'ego', becoming 'empty' of any sense of a permanent 'me' or 'self' that could exist as a separate entity within the Universe. Indeed in emptiness we realise that we ARE the Universe, having a momentary expression as us. Ironically there is a fullness in emptiness where we realise that we are not 'nothing', but we are everything.

Pluto was discovered on February 18th 1930. At the time of it's discovery, according to the Tropical Zodiac, it was at 17º of Cancer. Pluto is a very slow moving planet, spending from 13 to 32 years in each sign and taking about 248 years to complete one cycle through the zodiac (one complete orbit around the Sun). At 19º Capricorn Pluto is opposite it's discovery position right now, about halfway through a cycle, and will have completed a full cycle by the year 2175! 

Pluto and The Underworld

In Greek mythology Pluto was the Lord of the Underworld where Souls go after death. The Tibetan equivalent Yama, is a Lord of death who is also a protector of the spiritual path. So here we can see Pluto's connection with protecting or guiding Souls after the death of the physical body. Pluto also rules wealth or buried treasure, because wealthy minerals such as gold, silver, and precious gems, come from under the ground.

Pluto also symbolises great power and in modern astrology is associated with nuclear power, in particular the element plutonium, which was named after the planet. For this reason we can see how Pluto is also associated with death and destruction. So how can Pluto be associated with death, destruction, and also the greatest revelation, or enlightenment? Anything that can be destroyed is impermanent. By showing us that which can be destroyed, Pluto reveals that which can never be destroyed: awareness itself. 

The biggest lesson that Pluto teaches us is that no matter what we do to each other, our basic conscious awareness remains. When we are happy, we are aware that we are happy. When we are sad, we are aware that we are sad. Even though our experiences change, the awareness of those experiences remains the same. When we place our attention on awareness itself, rather than the experiences that arise in our awareness, we are on the path to emptiness and oceanic consciousness. No accident that Pluto is the Soul Ruler of Pisces: the sign of Universal Love and Oceanic Consciousness. When we deeply experience emptiness we lose all sense of self, often accompanied by a sense of great clarity and peace. In this 'destruction' of ego we realise that consciousness survives and is actually indestructible, as in the above example of Sadhguru where he says "I had just exploded into everything". 

So how has Pluto been pointing to this Universal Truth since it's discovery in 1930? The years that followed Pluto's discovery, with the creation of atomic weapons and the increased mechanisation of warfare, have been the most destructive in human history, and the most devastating for our planet Earth. There is no continent that has not escaped the ravages of war, with death, devastation and genocide on an unimaginable scale. There is great wealth associated with warfare (the Plutonic theme of wealth from darkness) as the weapons industry, and it's investors, stand to gain a great deal from every human conflict. Yet there is only so much humanity can stand. There is only so much destruction our planet can stand. So eventually, we will be forced to wake up and see what we have done to each other, and our Earth home by following our darker desires for wealth, power, and greed. We cannot 'uninvent' atomic weapons. For the first time in history, we are living under constant threat of annihilation. We must find a way to work together, or face wiping out the human race and our Earth Mother completely.

in the entire history of the species.” 

- Gregg Braden, Fractal Time

As one of the planets of transformation, Pluto is the great revealer. Pluto reveals that which is hidden, lurking beneath the surface, the darker side of our own nature. In this way Pluto show us what we have to change if we are to transform darkness into light. This is not a case of pointing out others' faults and seeing how 'they' need to change. When it comes to the lessons of Pluto, we are each called up to look deep inside our own hearts. To work with our own demons, and to transform the darkness within ourselves. Only by changing ourselves will we change the world. This is why every spiritual master advises us to first and foremost work on changing ourselves.

"Just as in counting to a million one must begin at the number one, 

- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Pluto teaches us to recognise that we are not perfect, we are not enlightened, and yet we do have that innate potential within us. By showing us our own darkness, Pluto not only shows us how to bring that darkness to the light - but also that you, and only you, have the power. Just like an atomic weapon, your power lies hidden at your core, it is not outside of you, yet you have to go deep, through many layers, to discover your real hidden treasure. You can only transform your own darkness by first acknowledging it.

Through deep meditative practice, whereby we recognise and remain in a state of 'emptiness' for longer and longer periods, we begin to see for ourselves a deep spiritual truth: that we are not our darkness, but are actually light. Our 'darkness', all our negative emotions, rage, anger, jealousy, hatred, greed, and any ensuing actions such as violence, war, and killing, is the result of our distorted thinking. All our darkness and negativity is the result of conditioning, and when we release the conditioning, underneath we clearly see that pure light, pure loving awareness, is who we really are.

As continue going deeper, we realise that even Neptunian experiences of bliss and illumination are not who we really are, and that there is a deeper truth: the truth of the highest wisdom - emptiness:

- HH the fourteenth Dalai Lama, 

Remember it is possible to get stuck at any stage in our journey, especially the Neptunian stage of illumination because of the great bliss that is experienced. When bliss arises it is a good sign, it shows you're making progress, yet great care must also be taken in meditation to remain very present and aware.

Even though world events seem dire, you still have the power to change everything, but only by changing your own inner world. This is the true power of Pluto, this is the true hidden gem: the power of your own light to transform the darkness. The Hundredth Monkey concept suggests that once enough people have learned something, reached a certain skill or level of consciousness, then (because human minds want to synchronise with each other) we reach a tipping-point where the rest automatically tip over into that state. 

The more people who recognize emptiness (inner awareness, calm mind) the easier it is for others to follow. This is the Flowering of Human Consciousness and the fruition of Pluto's purpose. Concepts of 'self' dissolve and pure awareness remains: 'empty' of concepts, labels, and contrived states, humanity returns to it's pure, natural state. So we can see that throughout humanity, the conditions for collective human advancement into emptiness and Universal Union are held in place by the activities of Pluto: the spaceholder for the emptiness level of our development.

Drawing upon Esoteric Astrology, the Greek myth of Hercules, and ancient principles from spiritual masters, the author describes the journey of your Soul through the twelve signs of the Zodiac. This book offers a way of using your birth chart to answer life's big questions by recognizing the energy that you were born with and how it is wanting to be expressed in this lifetime.