Mercury represents all kinds of communication and Pluto is about transformation and power. Mercury Pluto in combination can be about the power of words, obsession, research, intense focus, challenging intellectual projects, analysis, and playing mind games. So people with Mercury Pluto aspects excel in the ability to penetrate deeply into a subject, don’t accept anything on face value, can analyze to the minute detail before coming up with an answer. They also enjoy doing research on any topic of their interest, can be easily suspicious, usually like psychotherapy and enjoy detective novels and movies. People with this aspect also love to voice out their opinions in a powerful manner and many of them are strong spokespeople against something or the other. They have sharp probing mind, like that of the detective novelist, Agatha Christie who was able to create the most thrilling murder mysteries which were later made into movies. One of the main character in her stories was the detective “Hercule Poirot” usually played in the movies by David Suchet. It is interesting to note that both Agatha Christie and David Suchet have Mercury in trine to Pluto.
Mercury in Conjunction with Pluto
Here the energy is very intense and is expressed in a raw manner. It comes out spontaneously and passionately but without much awareness or struggle. Here the two energies are fused together overshadowing one another. Lack of awareness can be a problem when a mistake is repeated without the opportunity of learning. The need to express can become obsessive or compelling with unnecessary force attached to it. Since this aspect is about getting to the bone of the matter, the person may be tactless in the process of uttering the truth without the fear of consequences. Also Mercury conjunct Pluto can kind of act like Mercury in Scorpio with a sharp cutting mind that is skeptic of anything that is superficial and has a tendency to be suspicious. This is the kind of mind that can look through a lot of information and pull out the essence of it. Madonna has this conjunction right on her ascendant and has been outspoken about her beliefs.
Mercury and Pluto in Hard Aspects
There is some struggle between the need to communication and finding power when Mercury and Pluto square or oppose each other. Here the analytical meets the need to transform. Dennis Rodman (see chart below), a basketball player is a good example for this transformation as he started out as shy and introverted but after a suicide attempt, reinvented himself as a “bad boy”. He repeatedly dyed his hair, had many piercings and tattoos, and regularly disrupted games. In his case, Mercury which is a way of expression was transformed by Pluto. If you look at his chart given below, Pluto is also conjunct the node which shows his sway over large groups of people (as node stands for connections to other people).
Another celebrity who has the Mercury Pluto hard aspect is Barbara Streisand, the popular singer and actress who mentioned in an interview with Oprah that she was a very shy and introverted person, and doesn’t like performing even in a living room. But she managed to sing for thousands of people in many auditoriums, by transforming herself. The late actor ‘Gregory Peck” had the square between Mercury and Pluto, and often spoke against Vietnam war. After his retirement, he spent his last few years of his life touring the world doing speaking engagements (Wikipedia). There is a dark side to all aspects, especially the hard aspects and with Mercury and Pluto it can be expressed as the need to control other people’s mind. Perfect example of this are cult leaders like Luc Jouret from Switzerland who founded the Order of the Solar Temple. He had Mercury Pluto square aspect. He committed suicide and led many others to mass suicide. And not so surprisingly, Charles Manson, another cult leader also has this aspect.
Mercury and Pluto Soft Aspects
People with the soft aspects like trine and sextile tend to use this energy in a humorous, inspirational and creative manner. They usually start using this skill pretty early on in their life and it appears to come easy to them. Actor Danny DeVito, Nicholas Cage who is an avid comic book fan created his own comic book with son, Weston, Larry Kind who used truth and humor to interview people, Lisa Minnelini and Drew Barrymore.
Do you have Mercury in aspect to Pluto in your natal chart? What have you observed with this natal aspect?
I have Mercury in opposition to Pluto. I think how this aspect has manifested in my life is that I can have a way of being pessimistic with my thinking. You know, thinking and seeing all the possible negative outcomes of a situation, person and place. Yes, I can become suspicious too. I can also be quite perceptive of people and a situation, knowing and understanding why someone does/thinks or says something. I read body languages that automatically comes very natural to me, like I don’t have to think about doing it, I just do; which can be a problematic because I see/understand an intuit too much which can make feel uneasy. Not only that, I sometimes can read too much into a person or situation, causing me to come to conclusions that are wrong or misinterpreted. I also feel that this is one aspect that contributes to being afraid of transforming some aspects of myself. My mind (mercury) understand on an intellectual level the need to transform , but I fear it (pluto). Or I want to change and transform and remake some aspects of myself but I may analyze too much (Mercury).
Hello Galaxy, fantastic – great description of Mercury Pluto opposition. Nothing like having a feedback from someone who has the exact aspect. Doesn’t beat that. I can see how one part of you may want to go deep while the other part may want to just stay on the rationale level. But just the way you understand your aspect (and yourself) shows that you are a person who can go below the surface . This is seen in all Pluto Mercury aspects but the easy aspects like trines and sextiles do it easily while the square and oppositions have a bit more of resistance getting there.
Pluto 5th libra square Mercury 2nd cancer near 0 degree orb. I definitely have quite an obsessive mind. Yet, it is something that I can keep hidden from other people. It causes a lot of internal conflict but it drives me look for answers. Mostly philosophical ideas and ways to combat our current materialistic society. It makes me question myself extensively. Cynical is my disposition much of the time. Externally, I do my utmost to remain calm. When I speak or write my words sometimes come out too forcefully as if I think I’m always right. Yet I do not think I’m always right I just have a lot passion for what I believe. And in turn this gives me a fear of rejection from other people. I don’t want to hurt people but in a state of rage I become a double edged sword. So I meditate sometimes to remain balanced. Anyway, I enjoyed your article. Keep it up.
Focus Point – thanks for sharing – very apt description how a hard aspect between these 2 planets may be experienced. In the process of revealing truth …people with the square can get caustic and stinging. Its wonderful that you are working on finding balance with this aspect.
Pluto in 1st sextile Mercury conjunct Neptune (less than 1 deg) in 3rd house, sagittarius
1. I am moved by written word, believe that expressed desires and written accounts have a life changing effect. I can sense when something is amiss, but I have to learn to trust my instincts. Writing gives me pleasure and clarity.
2. Talking Heart to Heart – is something sacred, reserved for very few; have no inclination to share deep thoughts but with a select few whom I trust, men and women of substance
3.Absolute criteria for LOVE is the ability to be able to share without tailoring, I can only relate to people with whom I am on a similar wavelength. When I don’t feel the mental connection, it is auto pilot superficial mode and nothing deep will come there.
4. I am very trustworthy, will always give an honest advice (not only words but support) BUT you betray my trust, anything told in private is ever leaked out; that’s it – NEVER EVER will that person get a glimpse of what is going on in my mind.
5. Writing is therapeutic; Talking is Healing. Not per-se psychoanalysis, I do not go anywhere near disturbed minds; but honest-crude-true communication is the key. Never judgemental
6. Don’t know if it is related; BUT sexual fantasies, those fixations that we never share, deepest desires .. are fascinating to me; in love relations, I love to know those hidden desires and fulfill them.. (venus trine pluto)
7. It is NOT a compulsion; dont look deep into everything, most of the things are taken as OK: only few aspects that strike me as odd or interesting, capture my attention and then this comes to play (maybe sextile work like this)
Sagi-Ox – thanks for the information. Mercury with Neptune is good for writing. Even in midpoint, Merc-Neptune midpoints strongly aspected is often expressed through some form of artistic communication. So with Mercury aspecting both Pluto and Neptune, I can see you’ve the skill to communicate both in a deep and creative manner.