If You're Feeling Like You Just Got A Rude Awakening, It May Be Thanks To Pluto Retrograde

In life, there's the person you become around other people, the person you'd like to believe you are. There's also the person who lives inside of you, the person who largely remains unseen. They exist in your shadows, grappling with your demons, harboring your secrets, and swallowing back your venom. It's easy to seclude this side of yourself, for it's often the furthest thing from pretty. The truth rarely is. During Pluto retrograde 2018, your shadow self will come out to play, so prepare to dance in your own darkness. It has so much to teach you.

In astrology, retrograde cycles allow you to go back in time and relive a challenge that you've never quite resolved. Essentially, they take you back to the gaps left in your trajectory so that you may fill them with substance and officially move on.

On April 22, Pluto went into retrograde, where it will remain until Sept. 30. Pluto is one of the most mysterious planets in all of astrology, governing secrets, the subconscious, transformation, and of course, realizations. There may be holes in your past, unfinished business that needs your attention, and questions still ringing in your ears, begging to be answered. Throughout the course of Pluto retrograde, you'll swim through the dark waters of your subconscious, searching for the truth. It will be difficult, stressful, amazing, and beautiful. Get ready.

Face The Ghosts Of Your Past

Certain things happen in our lives that haunt us forever, such as severed relationships, behaviors that we're not proud of, humiliating moments, rejections, etc. Even if plenty of time has passed since, a sickening reminder may occasionally float into your mind and press on the memory like a bruise that never heals. Suddenly, the pain feels fresh, as though it just happened. During Pluto retrograde, you may feel the sting of traumatic recall happen more often than usual. However, instead of hushing the negative thoughts away, you'll be prompted to explore them further and eventually, defeat them altogether.

Ask yourself why you still haven't come to terms with these events. What about it still torments you? Have you still not forgiven someone else? Have you still not forgiven yourself? Sit still for a moment and dig deeper. Talk about what really happened. Tell the true story, not the edited version. You owe it to your shadow self to have a conversation with them. They have a lot to say. By silencing them, you only give your pain more power.

Prepare For Rude Awakenings

As you spend time with your shadow self, you will inevitably discover some harrowing truths. It might feel like a punch to the gut. It might feel like the clouds have cleared to unveil revitalizing sunshine. Regardless of your reaction, everything will begin falling together and clicking into place. You may realize that you were also at fault for something you've spent years blaming someone else for. You may recognize that the source of your unhappiness is your fear of leaving your comfort zone. You might suddenly see that your relationship is going nowhere, and therefore must be left behind.

There are countless truths that could slap you in the face during this time. It will entail an amalgam of emotions; all of them heavy with solemnity and light with relief. No matter how difficult they may be to stomach, it's only a matter of time before you're forced to. By putting it off, you're only prolonging the healing process.

Understand What You Can And Cannot Change

As you come to terms with certain aspects of your past that have been plaguing you, you will understand what you can do about it. It's all too human to beat ourselves up over something we have no control over whatsoever. If a relationship ended, it probably came to an end because you just weren't compatible. If you were humiliated by someone in the past, there's nothing you can do about it now but release its power over you. If you wish someone important to you would change, realize that you can't control anyone. The only thing you have control over is yourself.

Redirecting your energy towards yourself rather than the forces that surround you can produce monumental change. The only power you have is over the way you decide to behave and the values you decide to have. Choose wisely. Instead of valuing societal recognition, value integrity within yourself. Instead of valuing validation from a relationship, value happiness that sprouts from within. Whatever you decide needs work in your life, let it center on what you have control over rather than what you don't.