Back in January 2008 Pluto first entered Capricorn, the natural 10th house of the Zodiac which comprises status, reputation, career and public image for individuals as well as corporations and governments, entities which are also included in Capricorn's realm.  Pluto is the zodiacal "roto-rooter" whose function is to exhume corruption in any form so it can be eliminated.  This, of course, can be a very painful process, much like surgery, but Pluto is also about healing, which can only occur when all that bad stuff is purged.  Pluto is also about power, which often makes you want to hold onto the past or resist this process.  It's like knowing you need to clean out the garage or attic yet also being able to come up with a plethora of reasons why you need to hang onto all of it because you might need it someday, in spite of the fact you haven't used any of it in years.  Of course in some cases, Mother Nature comes along, as she has for many of you this past year, and does the job for you via floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires or perhaps some other disaster.  You have Uranus in Aries to thank for a lot of that, but also note that at this writing in October 2011 that Pluto and Uranus are in a hard aspect known as a square, meaning they're working together in what can be a less than pleasant manner.  Fortunately the square is gradually separating, but that doesn't help much for those who are currently suffering through its effects.

If you're going through hard times usually the first thing on your mind is when, if ever, it's going to end.  Everyone tends to think that the status quo will continue forever.  When things are going well you expect them to stay that way and conversely when things are going poorly it's as if you have sunk into a deep pit of doom from which you can't begin to climb out before something else comes along and knocks you back down, perhaps even lower than before.  These are part of the cycles of life which are usually identified via astrology by comparing the current planetary transits to your Natal, Progressed and Solar Return charts.  If you've ever wondered why some people are spared disasters, such as when a massive tornado or wildfire destroys some homes and misses others, this is typically apparent by examining the charts of the owners or perhaps even the charts related to the property itself.  Yes, indeed, some places have a virtual "curse" on them.

Where Pluto will be excavating in your life will depend largely on which house he's in and whether he's contacting any planets or other sensitive parts of your charts.  Generally speaking, at least for the sake of this broad-based approach, here are the different houses Capricorn represents based on your Sun Sign.  If you know what your ascendant is, then take a look at that sign as well.  A more specific and personal determination can be made from your individual chart(s) but there will still be various effects evident at this high level, particularly with regard to events over which you have no control.  Another thing to note is the importance of the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses.  These are known as the "Angular Houses" in astrology and represent the cornerstones of your life.  Transits to these houses are likely to be more life-changing than the others.