Cosmic Weather Update: Mercury/Pluto Conjunction and What That Means For You

This week, Mercury is finally going direct after a period of being retrograde but it is in close proximity to Pluto, meaning the mental pressure is ON! Pluto and Mercury will be conjunct on February 11, 2022, as well, so it is a good time to start working with these energies in a constructive way. If you’re new to working with the planets, check out this quick guide for reference.

Pluto represents obsessions, authority, and deep transformation and Mercury is our thoughts and communication. With this in mind, it may be a time when we as a collective are feeling rather mentally burnt out. Capricorn wants a system, it wants a plan, and a path forward when one doesn’t seem obvious because its primary motivation is long-term security.

What Human Design Gates Are Active?

Looking at the Human Design Gates where Mercury and Pluto are hanging out adds another layer to the cake here.

At the moment this blog post is published, Mercury is in Human Design Gate 61 – located in the head center – and Pluto is in Gate 60 – in the root. Mercury will be joining Pluto in Gate 60 on Feb 11th, so it can be helpful to feel into these themes to better understand how this energy will manifest. At a high level, Mercury in Gate 61 from a Human Design perspective is concerned with big picture ideals. Its attention is being drawn to the mysteries of life, a phenomenon that can’t be explained but CAN be felt. Gate 60 is the energy to transform and mutate. It is a root pressure that pushes us to DO something about whatever has been developing and maturing. With this in mind, if things are feeling mentally a bit unclear at the moment, the shift into Gate 60 may bring more decisive action – but with Pluto co-present, it is important to do that mindfully. Gate 60 is also about overcoming limitations, which is a wonderful theme for Mercury and Pluto because these planets want you to see the reality about what is possible or not, uncover hard truths, and use that knowledge to innovate.

I recently read a post about Gate 60 that explained the experience of this gate in terms of pilots having to factor gravity into their ability to fly. You could view gravity as an impossible force to overcome, or you could learn to work with that and leverage it to your advantage! Things that seem to be in tension or opposing forces actually create the spark needed for great change.

Questions to Consider During this Mercury/Pluto Conjunction

This is an opportune time to pay attention to your thoughts and lean into the role of conscious observer. What creative pressure is influencing the way you view the world? Are you thinking about ways to restructure your life? What systems help you to build something sustainable? These may be swirling in the mind during this transit but beyond the influence of this cosmic conjunction, how can we understand our relationship to the energy of the mind to better steward our unique consciousness?

Since Mercury is moving from the mind into the root center, feeling into your timing can be helpful. Remember, the pressure of thinking through a conundrum is temporary and soon it will shift into the pressure to act and do something about it. Tune in to where you are feeling called to act, investigate the emotions behind these goals, and honor where your energy wants to take you. Who knows, your next big creation may be right around the corner.