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If you watched my November Energy Update, you know that November 19, 2024, is a pivotal day for the world. Let’s talk about why this moment matters and what it means for us collectively, and for you individually.

Since January 2008, Pluto—the planet of deep transformation, power, and rebirth—has been in Capricorn, a sign focused on structure, tradition, and authority. We’ve collectively witnessed and personally experienced the breakdown of outdated systems, both externally in society and internally in our own lives. 

For the past 16 years, Pluto in Capricorn asked us (more like dragged us) to pay attention to the foundations we’ve built and gave us the opportunity to decide what stays, what goes, and what needs to be rebuilt entirely.

On November 19, 2024, Pluto officially left Capricorn and stepped into Aquarius, marking the start of a brand new 20-year cycle.

Aquarius is all about the future. Think community, innovation, individuality, and revolutionary change. Over the next 20 years, these energies will shift how we see progress and our connection to the world around us, and urge us to strengthen existing communities and create new, inspired movements that empower and uplift humanity.

Releasing the Past 16 Years

If you’re reading this and you’re like, “I don't know what you’re talking about, Mel. The world is still a literal dumpster fire,” I want to say two things:

Yes, the world is still a blazing dumpster fire. You’re not wrong there.

AND ALSO, when we’re shot on gratitude (which is what we should be cultivating right now), we have to look at the facts.

Pluto in Capricorn’s purpose was to sweep through all of our lives and force us to reconsider our foundations so that we can continue evolving toward the greatest and highest good of all. In the U.S., this transit began with the 2008 financial crisis, which exposed corruption and instability in global systems.

It shone a glaring light on the inequalities baked into society, forcing us to reckon with how deeply white supremacy holds the world in its grip—or, as I said in my latest video, how the capitalist patriarchy has had its foot on our necks for centuries.

Movements like Black Lives Matter erupted onto the global stage, demanding justice and accountability for centuries of systemic oppression. Most recently, we’ve witnessed a collective rallying for the freedom of Palestine as they face an American-funded genocide, with people worldwide recognizing the interconnectedness of struggles for liberation.

This era also forced us to confront vulnerabilities in our infrastructure, health care, and even the way we work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology advanced rapidly, reshaping industries and calling for structural reforms to match the changing world.

So yes, while the past 16 years have been marked by chaos and upheaval, they’ve also awakened us to the major cracks in the systems we had no choice but to rely on. Pluto in Capricorn wasn’t about band-aid fixes—it was about tearing down outdated power structures and exposing the deep inequalities that [continue to] keep us divided.

As painful as this process has been for people all over the world, as much as we’ve experienced loss and had to temper our grief just to get by, it has also paved the way for conscious awakening and the potential for collective growth and lasting change.

We will never be the same. And now (I hope) we know better.

These transformations weren’t just collective; Pluto in Capricorn also reshaped our lives on a deeply personal level.

Let’s get into what your life was trying to get you to pay attention to—and ultimately transform—depending on your astrological rising sign. Each sign faced its own unique challenges, all with the same ultimate goal: conscious rebirth and deeper alignment.

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional astrologer. I just really love energy, and I think it’s extremely important to consider as energy beings in human bodies.

Look for your rising sign below and read, but you’re encouraged to take this information and use it as a stepping stone for continued reflection. What did your Pluto in Capricorn era look and feel and feel like, how did it change you?

Dreaming Up a New World During this Revolutionary 20-Year Era

As of Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Pluto is stationed in Aquarius for the next two decades, and it signals a new era of transformation, calling us to reimagine the future—individually and collectively.

Aquarius, the sign of revolution, innovation, and humanity, reminds us that change is not just inevitable but essential. As we face the unknown—politically, socially, and environmentally—the beginning of this new cycle invites us to dream up the world we want to live in while staying grounded in the lessons we’ve already learned.

In the U.S., this energy arrives at a pivotal moment (re: literal dumpster fire) as uncertainty around leadership and systems continues to grow. But Pluto in Aquarius offers hope rooted in action, reminding us that progress comes when we align with a vision of equity, liberation, and connection for ALL. It’s not about ignoring what’s broken but about focusing on what’s possible and taking intentional steps toward it.

This 20-year energetic transit challenges us to evolve while staying mentally clear and spiritually rooted. Whether through meditation, movement, mindful connection, or whatever fills your cup, our routines and rituals will help us anchor ourselves as we navigate this revolutionary time.

The future depends on how we show up every single day, so our clarity, presence, and perspective couldn't be more important. This is our chance to co-create a reality aligned with both personal growth and collective well-being.

Ask yourself: What kind of world do I want to live in? How can I align my actions with that vision?

The power of Pluto lies in transformation, and Aquarius brings the vision to guide it. Together, they'll offer us support to build something extraordinary—for ourselves and for generations to come. The world will never be the same after these next 20 years, but we get to decide what that means.

Let’s explore how this revolutionary 20-year transit will impact you, based on your rising sign.

My Personal Reflections

I was 18 years old in January 2008 when Pluto entered Capricorn. I had been a college freshman for five months, living on my own and away from my family for the first time, and inevitably, I was experiencing major changes in my relationships. I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to brace herself, to talk less and listen more, and to see everything as an opportunity, because shit was about to hit the fan for her, and she would never be the same.

I am a Cancer rising (actually, I have a Cancer and Capricorn stellium, meaning I have more than three planets in these signs), so for the last 16 years, I’ve been experiencing deep transformation in all areas related to relationships, marriage, contracts, business partners, equality, sharing, and my interpersonal style.

The last 16 years have challenged me immensely. It positioned people on my path who reminded me of my immense power, my strength, my beauty, and unique ability to nurture—but much of it happened by way of navigating narcissism, disempowerment, humiliation, and mental and physical abuse, to try to name some of the chaos I’ve faced.

There were times when the weight of it all felt unbearable. I was so consumed by pain and loss that I began to question my place here—on this planet, in this lifetime. The thought of cutting my human journey short crossed my mind more times than I want to elaborate on, but there were moments when it felt like the only way out. I was experiencing severe mental health issues and felt broken in ways I didn’t think I could ever recover from, surrounded by people who took more than they gave and relationships that drained me of my sense of self.

But this era was also synonymous with my spiritual awakening, so eventually I realized that my breaking was a catalyst for my breaking through, and that this era was also about rebuilding.

Among the people who shattered my spirit, there were also those who held me when I couldn’t hold myself. Those who reminded me, even in my darkest moments, of my worth and my ability to heal. And while some connections faded entirely, others deepened. There were people I thought that I’d have in my life forever that I had to distance myself from, and there were others with whom I rebuilt relationships stronger and more authentic than ever before.

Through it all, I began to see the patterns, the cycles, and the lessons I was being positioned to learn. That the journey wasn’t about avoiding pain but about finding the strength to move through it—to surrender and respond accordingly. To let it all transform me.

And transform me, it did. I sit here now, writing this blog post as someone who has been completely rebirthed.

I am grateful for the trial and the fire because life is clearer than ever.

I am grateful for the narcissists, the frenemies, and the fuck boys and girls who snaked their way into my heart only to tear me down from within—because I will never again allow anybody to take advantage of me. I will never forget my worth—not just in relation to others, but most importantly, to myself.

I am grateful for the people who left, the ones who stayed, and the ones who came back, because they all taught me something about love, boundaries, and forgiveness. The ones who left reminded me that not everyone is meant to walk my entire journey with me, and that’s okay. The ones who stayed showed me what true connection and loyalty look like, anchoring me through even the darkest times. The ones who came back taught me the beauty of growth, healing, and second chances. Because of them all, my circle is tighter than ever—not out of exclusion, but because I’ve learned the value of intentionality and surrounding myself with those who truly see and honor all parts of me.

I am grateful for the pain that brought me to my knees because it taught me that feeling it all and rising from pain don’t have to be exclusive. The act of sitting with my pain and acknowledging it fully was the first step in reclaiming my power and alchemizing it into something beautiful.

I am grateful for the moments when I felt completely lost because they forced me to find my own way. To see myself as the light at the end of my darkest tunnels. To trust that even when I couldn’t see the path, I carried the sacred strength and wisdom to create it step by step.

I am grateful for the breakdowns, because they led to breakthroughs I never could have imagined—each collapse forcing me to confront the parts of myself I had been avoiding, to shed what no longer served me, and to rebuild with a stronger foundation.

I am grateful for the lessons that broke my heart, because they opened it wider than I thought was humanly possible.

And I am grateful for myself—for surviving, for choosing to stay, and for continuing to grow, even when it felt impossible.

Now that I’m clear on my worth and perspective when it comes to relationships and my interpersonal style, the next 20 years will bring me on a profound journey of merging, collaborating, and more transformation.

This era won’t just be about forming relationships, it’ll be about what happens after. It’ll be about merging emotionally, financially, sexually, and spiritually. It’s about intimacy, trust, shared resources, and the vulnerability required to deepen connections and create revolutionary communities.

As I dream up the next 20 years for myself and for the world, they both look like expansive partnerships, rooted in trust, and deeply aligned in clarity of perspective. I envision courageous intimacy, where vulnerability is met with deep respect, and collaboration is built on mutual growth and cultivated for the highest and greatest good of all. This means merging in ways that are intentional and transformative—emotionally, financially, spiritually, and beyond.

For me, it’s about stepping fully into relationships and connections that nurture authenticity and inspire evolution. For the world, it’s about communities coming together to share resources, ideas, and power in ways that amplify collective potential and honor our interconnectedness.

I am holding in my heart a future where clarity drives both personal and global action—where I trust myself to stand firmly in my truth, and where the world releases dogma and leans into innovation, equity, and shared purpose rooted in liberation. It’s a vision of growth, of breaking down structures that no longer serve us, and building bridges that bring us closer to the world we want to live in.

Let’s connect in the comments 💬 What era are you leaving behind, and which are you beginning based on your rising sign? What are you dreaming up for yourself and the collective for the next revolutionary 20 years?