Upon returning home, my cat said he wanted to order something next-day delivery. Here we go again, I thought. Watching television creates unrealistic expectations for both humans and felines.

My cat probably thinks the scratching post advertised on the commercial is better than the two by the window. The food advertised, of course, always looks delicious when we’re hungry and waiting for humans to provide food. And the toys – the toys! – are absolutely as exciting as advertised but, unfortunately, for only a day or two.

“What now?” I asked cynically.

“I want to get some freedom,” he replied.

Freedom?

We had a long discussion about “freedom” as a right, not something you buy. Freedom is a concept, I explained, that allows you to do what you want within the limits of the law and other rational agreements. Freedom, I clarified, doesn’t mean you can do anything you want.

“But you do anything you want,” the cat accused.

“It’s my house,” I explained. “So, yes, I have the freedom to choose what we eat for dinner. But outside the house, it’s very different.”

“So you don’t have freedom either?” the cat asked. “Outside you’re like me, dependent on humans?”

“Yes.”

Pluto in Aquarius – Transformation of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The United States was “born” during the Age of Enlightenment (also called the Age of Reason) but was a few years short of being “born” with Pluto in Aquarius, the sign of humanity, group consciousness, technology and reason. The French Revolution and its slogan of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” occurred a bit later when Pluto had made its transit into Aquarius.

In 1776, Pluto was still at 27 degrees of traditional, rule-following, authoritarian Capricorn. We were close to Aquarius, but not quite there. Likewise, with freedom we’ve never “quite been there.”

In 2023 – 2024 the US had its Pluto return, turning 248 years old! While we like to celebrate ages that end in zero, like 250, for astrologers, the planetary cycles are more meaningful. We have gone an evolutionary round of what it means to be authority.

Yet early 2025 has brought more, not less, of negative Capricorn – misuse of authority, fear as control, using others, and lack of imaginative and empathetic thinking.

There’s a positive Capricorn which is where other countries respect our mature, dependable, and rule-following nature. This is the Capricorn that attracts people from all over the world – stability and structure. Knowing the paycheck will clear, knowing there is a choice of work, knowing the stores will have food on the shelves, that there is fresh water – some do not experience this in their parts of the world.

What will the next 248 years bring?

While this evolutionary cycle seems to be starting out like Europe in 1776, Pluto forces transformation. Possibly this swing back into Capricorn – into 1776 – is the tension needed to spring us forward past fear and control into new ways of sharing community, country, and planet – the Age of Aquarius.