Life and Death: Mars and Pluto

• Pluto (higher octave)
• Rulership: Endocrine system; reproductive system; regeneration; eliminative process
• Native house: 8 th House
• Rise: Leo
• Rest: Scorpio
• Detriment: Taurus
• Fall: Aquarius
• Mars (lower octave)
• Rulership: Muscles; sexual desire; adrenaline; blood pressure; blood; veins; all muscles
• Native house: 1 st House
• Rise: Capricorn
• Rest: Aries
• Detriment: N/A
• Fall: Libra

If women are from Venus, then men are from Mars. The Red Planet bears the name of the Roman god of war. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and spends about two years in orbit. Mars appropriately has the largest known volcano in our Solar System, Olympus Mons, which stands almost twice as tall as Mount Everest. Mars is all about action: Nike’s famous slogan, “Just do it,” could easily characterize the Spirit Mars contributes to our lives. Mars governs strenuous physical activities such as competitive sports, sexual intercourse, sport combat, and all manner of risk-taking, armed conflict, and warfare. Mars has great endurance and when the going gets tough, he gets going. Mars is all about living in the moment and is interested only with base, material desires. He lives to assert himself and get what he wants, so he seeks dominance and exercises his power at every opportunity. 

Here we see the difference between Venus and Mars: Venus gets her way through her feminine charms and subtle affections, while Mars gets his way through brute force. Might may not make right, but a strong personality (or a strong arm) can achieve an end. Mars may not build friends or form lasting relationships, but he can get things done.

Mars is not famous for patience and does not encourage a wait-and-see attitude. Similarly, Mars does not suffer procrastination or delay. On his bad days, Mars is uncontrollable. He is explosively angry and his need for instant gratification borders on addiction. He experiences wild mood swings, goes into a rage at the drop of a hat, and embodies pride and anger. If he was very forward and aggressive before, he’s positively violent and possessed by his needs now. For those who are curious, Mars corresponds to the Tarot card The Devil, which has also been alternately named “Materialism” or “Pride” in some systems.

Mars is the lower octave to the tenth planet of the Solar System, Pluto. There are three glyphs I want to discuss. The first glyph is perhaps the most literal and easy to perceive: a single black sphere. This black sphere is, like Pluto, small and dark. Pluto, being the farthest planet from the Sun receives 1/1,600th of the amount of light on Earth. The planet itself is very small – only two thirds the size of our own Moon – but astrologers still recognize her unique qualities even if astronomers have declared her not a planet. I personally prefer this first glyph because I believe that it more succinctly communicates Pluto’s dark, mysterious, frightening, and enigmatic character.

The existence of Pluto was first hypothesized by Percival Lowell, but he was not the one to discover it; instead, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto almost by accident in 1930. The second glyph of Pluto is written as an amalgamation of the letters P and L, both for the man who began the search to find it (Percival Lowell) and for the name of the planet itself, Pluto. This second glyph of Pluto is the most widely used and commonly recognized of the Plutonian glyphs and is what you will see in most references. The third glyph of Pluto represents her supreme power: a circle of Spirit above a crescent of Mind over a cross of matter. In other words, Spirit conquers all, and all things are subordinate to the divine.

Pluto is the ninth planet from the Sun and by merit of her distant position is the most powerful planet in the Solar System. Pluto spends almost 250 years to orbit the Sun and spends about 20 years in each sign of the Zodiac. Pluto’s effects are measured not by their power over an individual but over entire generations: she dictates and defines the stories of our lives and the struggles of entire nations. Pluto is the Roman name for the Greek god you probably know better: Hades. Pluto is the ruler of the dark underworld. Unlike the popular misconception which teaches that the Underworld is a dark, fearsome, terrible place of suffering, Greek and Roman mythology teach that the Underworld is a place of renewal and transformation. It is true that some spirits suffered or were tormented in the Underworld, but it is also true that some spirits (and people) suffered or were tormented greatly both on Earth and in the Heavens, too.

Pluto, as the ruler of the Underworld, symbolizes that last descent into the Final Mystery and the Great Unknown. What else could be more fearful than passage through the veil from the land of the living to the land of the dead? Fortunately, the Underworld is not a dungeon or a place of banishment: it is a place of change, transformation, birth, and rebirth. It is the Waters of the abyss which hold the rich treasures of original life. To put it bluntly, change is difficult. Look around you the next time you’re at the bookstore and notice how many books are written for the purpose of self-improvement or learning to cope with the challenges life brings. Humans (myself included) are creatures of habit and, no matter what we may say, change is almost never welcome or easy. Change and transformation require that we move out of the familiar and into the unknown. Only by experiencing life’s changes and demands do we grow and become more than we were yesterday – that is why Pluto wields such influence over our lives.

Additionally, Pluto governs the most personal and intimate aspects of our lives which exert an equally powerful influence over us: sexual intercourse, sexuality, and sexual preference. The next time you’re at the mall, or the gas station, or watching TV, or watching a movie, or listening to the radio, or practically doing anything at all, consider the frequency with which you are bombarded with sexually oriented media or sexually suggestive messages. Sex and the sexual urge are used to market and sell food, drinks, clothes, perfume, cars, and everything else under the Sun. Look around you and you’ll be amazed how frequently you find sex woven into your surroundings – it’s almost impossible to escape. Sexuality is woven into our genetic make-up – teenagers and adults struggle daily to find a happy medium between satisfying their sexual cravings and learning self-control. Domination of the sexual urge and self-discipline over sexual desire is a prominent feature of many religions around the world and not a few religions mandate that their clergy observe celibacy.

The last element of Pluto I wish to discuss here is perseverance. Mars and Pluto both enjoy great stamina, but the difference is a matter of scope. Mars works hard for a goal, Pluto works hard regardless of goals. Pluto never stops, never relents, and never yields to outside pressures. Pluto is the ultimate force to whom all others must yield – there is no choice in the matter. Pluto also governs elimination and finality. Without death, there can be neither regeneration nor rebirth.

Pluto – dark and enigmatic – stands opposite the bright, vital Spirit of the Sun. This isn’t to suggest that Pluto is harmful, negative, or bad. Quite the opposite! Pluto, like Uranus, occupies a place of special prominence: the brow, also called the third eye. Like the crown, the brow is a gateway of special importance. The brow is credited by some as the key which opens the door to psychic phenomena, exploration of the astral planes, clairvoyance, clairsentience, and all manner of Spiritual experiences. While the exact function and operation of the brow is debatable, its significance is not.

In both Buddhism and Hinduism, the third eye is a symbol of inner attainment, or enlightenment. Statues of enlightened spirits are marked with the third eye, and temples and shrines are likewise marked with the third eye as a sacred ward. Taoist scholars use special techniques to focus attention on the third eye and the location is also a special point of reference for yogis, qi-gong practitioners, karatekas, and others who seek to join the lower body with the higher Mind. Likewise, the third eye holds a special place in Western occult philosophies, the Hermetic arts, and Gnostic interpretations of the Bible.

In context to Western astrology, the brow is at home in the 8th House of sex, death, transformation, and money. Sexual intercourse is an exchange of Spirit between two people and, when performed as a sacred ritual between man and woman, transforms the base elements of seed and egg into the divine – a new Spirit is conceived in the womb of the mother. Death is also a transformation – the shell which we know as the body releases its animating Spirit so that it may transition into another state. The vacated shell returns to the base elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth from which it was formed and they, too, undergo their own transition into another state. Sex and death, while not the same, share the common thread of transformation, transition, change, and movement from one state to another or from one form into another. Money, or things of value, is the same element of change on the physical plane. Money is exchanged for other things of value and, at the time of this writing, much debate has been had regarding governments’ responsibility to stimulate their economies through tax-payer subsidized injections of money. The ability for money to change lives is both literal and figurative and everywhere you go in life, you’ll always find people who need just a little more money.

Pluto is the sexual organ of the Mind, the truth of which is evident in the expressions “thoughts become things” and “be careful what you wish for.” All perfect things originate in the infinite Mind of THE ALL and it is from the First Cause that the Platonic Ideal or the perfect form descends to the Mind of man. These thoughts form in the Mind and are made manifest through the outward Spiritual projection of the brow. Through the mystical power of the third eye, the transformative power of THE ALL changes the world around us. Through self-discipline and techniques such as fasting, meditation, prayer, and ritual, one is able to open the third eye and direct the flow of universal life to whatever and whomever calls for it. All these areas – sex, death, and transformation – are ruled by Pluto and are the areas in which she is most at home. They are also those things which cause her the greatest amount of stress. A subject who exhibits stress or who shows a blocked third eye or brow is most likely experiencing stress or conflict expressing himself in his love life; is coping with or fearful of death; is experiencing significant change or upheaval; or an unhealthy or improper relationship with money. There’s nothing new about man’s struggle to balance his needs and wants:

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” KJV 1 Tim. 6:10 

Like the Hermetic Law of Use suggests on the very cover of this book, hoarding money (transformative Spirit) is a foolish and ultimately self-destructive practice. Dr. Sharon Daloz Parks, former director the Harvard School of Divinity and present associate director of the Whidbey Institute, says of money: 

"Like the words ecumenical and ecology, economics is rooted in the Greek word oikos, meaning household, and signifies the management of the household - arranging what is necessary for well-being. Good economic practice – positive ways of exchanging goods and services - is about the well-being, the livelihood, of the whole household.”1

In context to the human body, Pluto rules the endocrine system as well as the processes of reproduction, regeneration, and elimination. Pluto’s rulership of elimination does not simply refer to the passage of stool or urine but also to the passage of dead cells and the elimination of all waste products from the body, such as passage of the uterine lining during menstruation or the shedding of dead skin. Though humans don’t shed the whole of their skin at once as does a snake, the principle is the same: out with the old, in with the new.

Pluto rules the endocrine system, a network of ductless glands which serve the same purpose as that of the central and peripheral nervous systems: achievement and regulation of internal stability. The endocrine system works in partnership with the central and peripheral nervous systems to form what is called the neuroendocrine system. The endocrine system is named such because it is a network of endocrine glands. Endocrine glands are ductless glands which secrete directly into the bloodstream, unlike exocrine glands, which secrete into a duct. For example, an exocrine gland would be the salivary glands. These glands produce saliva which is stored in a duct or temporary chamber which then excretes the saliva into the mouth. Another example is the mammary glands which produce milk during lactation as well as the sebaceous glands of the skin which secrete body oil.

Both the endocrine and nervous systems perform regulatory functions by means of chemical messenges sent to specific cells. The endocrine system works by secreting hormone molecules to target cells and target organs throughout the body. The process by which hormones communicate and signal messages is called signal transduction. In signal transduction, cells convert one form of stimulus into another, like a relay process or a very precise game of “Telephone.” In other words, this is a chemical change or transformation, in which cells alter one substance into another to effect a change. 

Synaptic signal transduction, the manner in which the central and peripheral nervous systems communicate with the body, is very fast but short lived. The central and peripheral nervous systems can only control glands and muscles which are innervated by efferent fibers. That is, if there isn’t a direct line from the nervous system to a gland or muscle, the nervous system can’t control it. It’s like a wired intercom system: if there isn’t a connection from point to point, the call can’t be made. Hormones, which are secreted by the endocrine system, are slow to act but are long-lived in their effect. Specific hormones are secreted directly into the blood and are chemically structured to trigger or signal only a specific target cell or target organ. Because hormones are diffused directly into the blood, they can be carried to any point in the entire body. A few endocrine glands are called neurosecretory, and may signal both through nerve synapses and hormones.

Even though hormones secreted directly into the blood stream come in contact with many cells and organs through the body, they will only affect specific target cells and target organs. This is because they will only be received by specific receptors in these target cells and target organs: without the appropriate receptor, a cell or organ won’t accept a hormone. Many cells and organs have receptors for many types of hormones, but it’s a lock-and-key pattern: if the specific hormone doesn’t fit the appropriate receptor, the target cell or target organ won’t receive it.

Diseases of the endocrine system are varied, but the cause is usually either hyposecretion, in which too few hormones are secreted, or hypersecretion, in which too many hormones are secreted. Hypo- and hyper-secretion of a hormone do not appear to indicate a problem with the specific endocrine gland which secretes it, but instead with the target cell or target organ which receives it. This means that when an endocrine gland exhibits stress, it may only in fact be a symptom related to a different problem.

When a target cell or target organ for whatever reason lacks sufficient receptors to receive a specific hormone, the responsible endocrine gland will produce an excess amount of the hormone which isn’t being received. The idea is that hypersecretion will produce so much of a hormone that what few receptors are present in the target cell or target organ won’t be able to miss the large volume of the secreted hormone. Likewise, with hyposecretion, the target cell or target organ for whatever reason has too many receptors capable of receiving the secreted hormone. To correct this imbalance, the responsible endocrine gland dramatically reduces the production of the hormone in question so that there is simply less of it to be received by the target cell or target organ. Prolonged hypo- and hyper-secretion can cause trauma for the endocrine gland in question, compounding the subject’s state of dis-ease.

Dis-eases of the endocrine system are generally classified as either primary or secondary. A primary endocrine disease is one in which the endocrine gland in question is healthy but the target cell or organ which receives the hormones is not. A secondary endocrine disease is one in which the endocrine gland itself is damaged or malfunctioning. That is, primary endocrine diseases are afflictions of the target cell or target organ, and secondary endocrine diseases are afflictions of the endocrine gland itself. Long-term malfunction between the endocrine system and the appropriate target cells and target organs can result in a variety of dis-eases such as uncontrolled weight gain, diabetes, and tissue wasting.

Pluto, as the planet farthest from the Sun and with the longest, most powerful orbit, indirectly holds sway over every other planet in our Solar System. This is because the effects of its orbit encompass all other heavenly bodies. Likewise, the endocrine system is not exclusively ruled by Pluto. Some endocrine glands are ruled by other planets and signs: in these instances, primary rulership of the gland in question goes to the planet or sign to which it is properly attributed and then secondary rulership is given to Pluto. For example, the parathyroid gland is ruled by both Venus and Pluto. In this case, look first to Venus for dis-ease. If Venus and either the Balance of Air or Earth predominantly exhibit stress, then Pluto and the Balance of Water can be exempted as a subject of immediate attention; however, Pluto should be included in the next sequential Lightworking session and certainly not forgotten as an area of importance. If the Balances of Air and Earth exhibit no stress or dis- ease, then the Balance of Water should be reviewed: the Moon, Cancer, Pluto, Scorpio, Neptune, and Pisces will probably exhibit this stress. Invariably, either one or the other will exhibit more stress than the other and show where the dis-ease has built its foundation. The major endocrine glands of the human body are: 

• Located in the brain or cranial cavity:
• Hypothalamus
• Pituitary gland
• Pineal gland
• Located in the neck:
• Thyroid gland (neck)
• Parathyroid glands (neck)
• Located in the mediastinum:
• Thymus
• Located in the abdominal cavity:
• Adrenal glands
• Pancreatic islets
• Relative to the reproductive system:
• Ovaries (pelvic cavity, women only)
• Placenta (pregnant uterus, women only)
• Testes (descended, men only)

The hypothalamus is an almond-sized structure located above the brain stem which contains several tiny substructures. It serves a variety of purposes, but one of the most significant is to connect the endocrine system to the nervous system which is facilitated by the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus regulates portions of the autonomic nervous system as well as metabolic rate. The hypothalamus also regulates sleep cycles, appetite, blood pressure, sexual desire, and serves as a thermostat to tell the body when to heat up or cool down. This means that in any case of fever or chills, the brow should be treated as either a primary or secondary point of interest. It also indirectly contributes to the operation of the enteric nervous system.

The hypothalamus responds to a variety of external and internal signals. Among those internal signals to which the hypothalamus responds are nervous signals from the stomach, reproductive organs, and the heart. This clearly illustrates several of Pluto's connections which we have already explored: the stomach is ruled by the sign of cardinal Water, Cancer, which forms a triplicity with Pisces and Scorpio; the reproductive organs are ruled by the sign of fixed Water, Scorpio, who in turn is ruled by Pluto; and Pluto rises in Leo, the sign of fixed Fire, which together with the Sun rules the heart.

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized structure attached to the hypothalamus via the pituitary stalk. The pituitary gland is, to use an expression, "snug as a bug in a rug." It is secure inside a small cavity of bone which, in turn, is sandwiched in a fold of the dura mater (the outer layer of the brain). The pituitary gland is considered a master gland, or having much more importance than other endocrine glands, but it is still controlled by the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is similar in function and operation to the hypothalamus: some of the functions it serves are to regulate growth; stimulate contractions of the uterus during childbirth; control Water retention; initiate lactation and production of breast milk; and moderate function of both male and female sexual organs.

The pineal gland, a structure the size of a grain of rice, is almost dead-center in the brain at the top of the brainstem near the corpus callosum between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The pineal gland exists outside of the blood-brain barrier and the only organs which enjoy greater blood flow than the pineal gland are the kidneys. Like the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the pineal gland also plays a role in moderating and regulating sleep cycles. Among other hormones, the pineal gland produces melatonin which promotes healthy, regular sleep cycles and which also regulates mood, promotes a strong immune system, and moderates emotional stimulation. The production of melatonin is a natural process in the human body in response to the perception of light, either detected visually (through the eyes) or through photoreceptors in the skin. The pineal gland is present in all vertebrate species and has been shown to be closely involved with photoreception and light sensitivity. In some species, it was a literal third eye which detected light and operated similarly to the actual physical eyes. 

Like the hypothalamus, the pineal gland is a gland of much importance and debate in the occult and metaphysical community. Like the hypothalamus, the pineal gland is considered by some to be the resting place of the soul within the human body. Also like the hypothalamus, it is considered by some to be the "psychic" organ or the gland which enables psychic phenomena. This hypothesis is linked to the pineal gland's natural production of the drug dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, which is a psychedelic drug comparable to lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD. Occultists speculate that the pineal gland's production of DMT contributes to dreams, lucid dreams, out of body experiences, and other psychic or paranormal phenomena.

The thyroid gland is one of the three largest endocrine glands in the human body and is located in the front of the throat beneath the larynx, or the Adam’s Apple. The Thyroid gland thyroid gland is about the size of the palm of the hand and, in a manner, resembles a butterfly in its shape: wide at the sides and narrow the middle; the narrow portion which connects the two wider wings is called the isthmus. The parathyroid gland is actually four small endocrine glands which typically rest on the reverse side of the thyroid gland. The parathyroid glands are less than a third of an inch in length and less than a fifth of an inch wide. The thyroid and parathyroid glands serve totally different purposes and the parathyroid gland is only named such because it is located behind the thyroid gland.

The activity of the thyroid gland is directly controlled by the hypothalamus and pituitary glands and produces thyroid hormone in response to the dictates of the latter glands. Thyroid hormone, the production of which is largely dependent on the level of iodine in one’s diet, isn’t actually a single hormone but three separate hormones: triiodothyronine (T3); thyroxine (T4); and calcitonin. Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 largely regulate physical growth and development as well as one’s metabolic rate. T3 and T4 hormones also work through the sympathetic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response and calm the body. Calcitonin, just as its name suggests, promotes the passage of calcium into bones (i.e, increasing bone density.)

The parathyroid gland, as a counter balance to calcitonin, produces parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH causes the bones to release calcium into the blood stream. PTH, when functioning properly, promotes calmness or a sense of well-being and encourages the proper absorption of vitamin D in the digestive tract. PTH also affects the kidneys which filter all the blood in the human body and, with exposure to PTH, more easily accept calcium.

The thymus is a large endocrine gland which rests in the mediastinum, or chest cavity, behind and above the heart. The thymus at its peak growth is almost the size of the palm of one’s hand. The thymus is unique among endocrine organs in that it grows and reaches its peak maturity by puberty and after sexual maturation begins a years-long atrophy during which the organ turns to fatty tissue.

The thymus can be described as a nursery or garden: lymphocytes which grow in bone marrow are cultured in the thymus before insertion to the bloodstream. These lymphocytes grow into thymocytes and, in turn, become thymus cells (called T-cells.) Tcells play a critical role in the formation, development, function, and maintenance of the immune system and the strength of one’s immunity to disease and infection. Because the thymus atrophies with age in response to the presence of sex hormones, the thymus is much smaller in size and lacks much of its original tissue in older adults. Despite its long, slow atrophy, it continues to play an important role in the regulation of the immune system and one’s immunity to illness, disease, and infection.

The adrenal glands look like small hats or caps which rest over each of the kidneys. Because the kidneys serve to filter the body’s supply of blood, the adrenal glands could be described as the busiest glands in the body! The adrenal glands are two layers of endocrine glands which secrete hormones into the bloodstream via the kidneys. Each adrenal gland is layered: the outer layer is the adrenal cortex and the inner layer is the adrenal medulla.

Although the adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla are part of the same endocrine organ, they are in fact very different and separate structures. The adrenal cortices are made of typical endocrine tissue, meaning they are ductless glands which secrete endocrine hormones directly into the bloodstream; however, the adrenal medullas are made of neurosecretory tissue. Both of these endocrine tissues – the cortex and the medulla – synthesize and secrete different hormones. The adrenal cortex synthesizes and secretes a variety of hormones which include aldosterone, corticosteroids, and gonadocorticoids (androgen and estrogen.) The adrenal medulla primarily synthesizes and secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Aldosterone hormones target the kidneys themselves and stimulate them to conserve sodium which regulates the level of Water in the body. Cortisol hormones target the body at large and influence metabolism; in greater concentrations they act as an antiinflammatory to combat injury and stress. Adrenal androgen hormones chiefly target the sexual organs and support healthy, regular sexual function and development. Adrenal

estrogen hormones, like androgen hormones, also target the sexual organs and play a role in healthy sexual development and function. Adrenal androgen hormone is familiar to most people as testosterone and its presence at high levels in the developing fetus determines if the child will develop male sex characteristics. As a side note, this is interesting because this means that all human fetuses are by default female and only develop into a male fetus if the additional hormone is added.

Corticosteroids aren’t one type of hormone but actually are actually a family of hormones which serve a variety of purposes. Primarily, corticosteroids work to keep the body in supply of fuel and contribute to overall homeostasis. Corticosteroids include mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and gonadocorticoids. Mineralocorticoid hormones regulate mineral salts (electrolytes) in the bloodstream. Specifically, they moderate how these salts are processed. Like the adrenal cortex, the adrenal medulla also secretes aldosterone hormones; aldosterone is the chief mineralocorticoid hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla. As mentioned before, aldosterone adjusts blood sodium levels; however, aldosterone also affects potassium levels and the body’s overall pH content (acidity and basicity).

Glucocorticoid hormones have no specific target organ – they are capable of affecting every part of the body. The chief glucocoritoid hormones are known as cortisol or hydrocortisone. Glucocorticoids cause the body to shift from using carbohydrates for fuel to instead using lipids (fats) as the primary fuel source. They promote a rapid transition of proteins into amino acids and, in turn, these amino acids are changed by the liver into glucose. High concentrations of glucocorticoids in the bloodstream cause tissue wasting (loss of proteins) as well as the condition hyperglycemia (excessively high glycemic index.) Glucocorticoids, like aldosterone, also moderate blood pressure. They are described as “permissive,” in that without their presence in the bloodstream, epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones (adrenaline) cannot act and blood pressure falls. In other words, high levels of glucocorticoids can dramatically or even dangerously lower blood pressure.

The adrenal medulla, unlike the adrenal cortex, is a neurosecretory gland. This means that it (like the adrenal cortex) is still a ductless gland, but it doesn’t secrete its hormones directly into the bloodstream. Instead, the adrenal medulla transmits its hormones through synapses in the same manner as the central and peripheral nervous systems. The chief hormones which the adrenal medulla secretes are epinephrine and norepinephrine, which you probably know better as adrenaline. Both hormones prolong and enhance the sympathetic division (fight or flight) of the autonomic nervous system. The familiar “adrenaline rush” which many feel when driving fast, bungee jumping, parachuting, sport-fighting, or engaging in thrilling activity are a result of the adrenaline dumped into the body via the adrenal medullas.

Moving beyond the adrenal glands, now we meet the pancreas. The pancreas resides high up in the abdominal cavity at the level of the solar plexus and is cradled in the bend of the duodenum beneath the stomach. The pancreas is unique in that it is both endocrine (without ducts) and exocrine (with ducts.) As it concerns the endocrine system, the part of the pancreas which most interests us is the islets of Langerhans, commonly called the pancreatic islets. The islets of Langerhans are named for the German researcher Paul Langerhans who documented their existence in 1869. The islets of Langerhans are not one single identifiable portion of the pancreas, but are instead groups or clusters of endocrine tissue in the pancreas. These islets form less than four percent of the total pancreatic body and the average adult has about one and a half million such cells.

The islets of Langerhans synthesize and secrete four important hormones: Glucagon; insulin; somatostatin; and pancreatic polypeptide. As a group, all four of these hormones work to maintain homeostasis of amino acids, fatty acids, and blood glucose levels. Glucagon, as the name suggests, moderates blood glucose levels. When glucose levels in the bloodstream are low, glucagon is released into the bloodstream. Glucagon targets the liver and, upon arrival, the liver converts stored glycogen into glucose which is used for energy. High levels of glucagon can lead to an elevated glycemic index, known as hyperglycemia. Even those of us who aren’t diabetic are probably familiar with insulin: insulin is a hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans which performs roughly the opposite function of glucagon. When blood sugar levels rise too high, insulin is secreted into the bloodstream. Insulin moves glucose out of the bloodstream where it is kept in storage until such time as glucagon in turn is secreted to pull it back out.

Somatostatin is a hormone which targets many parts of the body and is generally classified as an inhibitor. It is named such because of the effects it has upon the target organs which receive it. In the pituitary gland, somatostatin inhibits growth hormone and productivity of the thymus gland. Somatostatin also suppresses the secretion of a variety of gastrointestinal hormones, lowers overall activity in the stomach and digestive tract, and inhibits the production of other hormones in the islets of Langerhans. Pancreatic polypeptide is very similar in purpose to somatostatin in that it serves to moderate the activities of other organs. Pancreatic polypeptide is a compound hormone formed of more than 30 amino acids and primarily regulates gastrointestinal secretions and digestion.

In context to the sign Pluto rules (Scorpio), Pluto is tightly connected to generation and regeneration. Conception, gestation, and delivery are all closely connected to Pluto but will be covered in greater detail under their respective signs. The form of generation and regeneration which most concerns us in this chapter happens at the cellular level.

All somatic cells contain 46 chromosomes. Numerologically, this is significant because the elements of 46 (4 and 6) add up to 10. As you can see, 10 is both the beginning (1) and the void (0); thus, transition is literally a part of who we are at our lowest levels. Human cells are called dipoid, or paired, in that they are formed from 22 matching pairs (the remaining pair being the sex chromosomes.) This too is numerologically important. 22 is a master number which is often referred to as the “Master Builder.” 22 is a number of ambition, leadership, organization, large projects and undertakings, discipline, and confidence. 22 reduces to 4 which is also significant in that it is the same as the number of the elements. In other words, our cells or “who we were” are a composition of the base elements Air, Fire, Water, and Earth which are not animate without the quintessence or animating Spirit of the divine.

In context to the gonads, generation begins with the gametes: ova and spermatozoa. Spermatozoa, or sperm, and ova, or eggs, are formed through spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Mature sex cells have 23 chromosomes each and are called haploid, or single. When haploid spermatozoa and ova are paired, they in turn form the 46 matching chromosomes of the human cell. The number of chromosomes in the mature haploid spermatozoa or ova (23) is, as you may have guessed, equally important: 23 reduces to 5, five being the number of the elements of life: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and animating Spirit. 55 

Intangibly, Pluto rules elimination and the eliminative process. Matter, Spirit, attitudes, emotions, and all elements of the human Mind and body which no longer serve a purpose or which no longer possess any nutriment are voided by Pluto. What’s important is that the principle of elimination and release – the necessity and the power to transition those things which no longer serve a purpose or which require an independent life of their own – rests with Pluto.

Elimination and release are seen in many things, such as shedding of dead skin cells; loss of old hairs; evacuation of waste matter; and emotional release. The transformative and generative powers of both elimination and release can be seen such events as death and birth. The birth of a child is the elimination or release of Spirit from the mother: to keep the child in her longer would mean to restrain Spirit or an expression of life which needs to be released. Likewise, when a person transitions to another mode of existence (what many call death) is the soul’s ultimate release of base matter. The lower, base elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air which form the human body eventually come apart and the soul which we knew as that person voids those elements. Like the shedding of dead skin cells but on a larger scale, the soul sheds the body in which it previously resided.

Pluto’s rulership of elimination includes the urinary system and the colon. For our purposes, Pluto’s rulership of the urinary system does not include the kidneys who properly belong to Jupiter. It may seem unusual to divide rulership of the urinary system between two members of different elements, but this is easily explained through the Hermetic Law of Polarity: Pluto and Jupiter, as members of the Balances of Water and Fire, respectively, define each other through opposition and are in this way connected. Remember that Pluto (ruler of Scorpio) is the higher octave of Mars (ruler of Aries), and also that before Pisces (mutable Water) was given to Neptune, it was ruled by Jupiter (ruler of mutable Fire.)

Not including the kidneys, the urinary system includes two ureters (one from each kidney) which empty into the bladder. The ureters are fibrous sleeves which protect an interior muscle wall around a mucous lining. Through peristalsis – alternating contraction and expansion – urine is moved from the kidneys through the ureters to the bladder. The bladder is a muscular pouch located in women between the vaginal cavity and the pubic symphis, and in men behind the pubic symphis and above the prostate gland. In women, the urethra is located above the vaginal opening, and in men is a shared passageway for both urine and semen.

The colon, also called the large intestine, is the means by which the body eliminates solid waste. Partially digested food is passed through the winding small intestine before emptying into the colon which forms solid matter into feces. The small intestine empties into the ascending colon which begins on the lower right side of the abdominal cavity. The ascending colon rises to just beneath the liver, where it takes a 90- degree turn to the left and crosses the abdominal cavity. This portion of the colon is named the transverse colon for its reach from one side to the other. The transverse colon makes a 90-degree turn downward beneath the stomach; since this portion literally descends into the rectum, it is named the descending colon. The rectum is the last portion of the colon and joins with the anal cavity where excrement is stored prior to elimination. As mentioned, the colon serves to form waste matter into feces, but it also reabsorbs some of the nutrients and Water which weren’t absorbed by the small intestine.

A five-sided star represents human existence: four base elements at the lower points and the element of Spirit or transcendent Mind at the highest point of the star. In its most dignified and righteous aspect, the pentagram remains upright showing the domination of base elements by the soul. That is, one’s Mind or conscious awareness and connection to the divine rule the physical body. When the pentagram is inverted, it symbolizes the reverse of all that is good and righteous: domination and repression of the Spirit by lower base elements. When Plutonic Spirit flows strongly, the Spirit rules the lower base elements from high on the top point of the pentagram, but when one denies growth, transition, and rebirth, he is chained or enslaved by his inability to dominate himself through self-discipline and Spiritual self-expression.

A healthy flow of Plutonic Spirit is rooted in the Scorpio and the 8th House of sex, death, transformation, loss, and money. In other words, Pluto expresses pure, transformative, mutative Spirit. Sexual health and generative expression release creative Spirit (literally and figuratively) and expel anal retentive desires to retain those things which no longer give nutriment or which restrain further growth. The male and female external sexual organs serve as the tangible representation of the same purpose and function of the brow: expression of generative will and desire. The rectum and anus exist as an expression of Plutonic urge, as well: the route though which physical waste matter is expelled from the body. The connection between chronic and severe constipation and a regular flow of Plutonic Spirit through the brow is clear!

Mars, like Pluto, is a powerful force but unlike Pluto, Mars operates at a lower octave. Plutonic Spirit is fine and subtle whereas Martial Spirit is gross and overt. Despite this, it is none the less a powerful force. Martial Spirit is strong, assertive, aggressive, outgoing, and defensive of its own personal identity and agenda. Martial Spirit is rooted in the perineum, the soft portion between the anus and the external sexual organs. Martial Spirit isn’t just an intangible description or a thing which exists only in name: any practitioner of Karate, Kempo, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Kung Fu, Western boxing, Thai boxing, and any other style could tell you immediately the importance of the Martial center.

For example, the International Taekwondo Federation uses Chang-Hon Taekwondo which teaches the development and use of a sine wave to deliver greater strength with each strike. With few exceptions, the upper body remains upright and balanced over the Martial center. As the strike begins, the arm coils and – in tandem with supporting movement through the legs and rotation from the hips – uncoils with greater strength and power than it would otherwise have through only the muscles of the arm, shoulder and chest. All the twisting power of the strike is supported by the feet and pushed out from the Martial center up through the arm and striking surface of the hand and transferred into the target. Likewise, when striking with the foot or the leg, the greatest portion of the power exists in the explosive release of Martial strength from the base and the hips which is transferred through the extended leg and the striking surface of the foot into the target.

Mars rules all the muscles of the body; sexual desire; the adrenal glands; blood pressure; blood and red blood cells; and veins. Mars is the gross and overt Spirit which moves the material human body. Whether it’s martial arts and defense of self and home; a foot-race around the neighborhood; the swing of a hammer to break down a wall; or even the highly intangible principles of sexual desire, aggression, and identity – Mars rules them all.

All physical movement and motion are the result of muscular contraction. Skeletal muscles are those muscles which primarily serve to animate the human frame and produce the contraction or relaxation which moves the body up, down, and around. There are more than 600 skeletal muscles and together they form nearly half of one’s bodyweight. Because muscles rest on the framework of the skeleton, they contribute to one’s shape, body contour, and overall physical appearance (which is appropriate in that Mars is most at home in the 1st House of outward appearance and external personality.) 

The muscles themselves are densely packed fibers, more like rope than anything. In fact, some of the strongest rope you’ll find is modeled after muscle fibers. One of the ropes I used frequently when I served in the Marine Corps is 550 cord, also called parachute cord. 550 cord is a sleeve of olive-drab green nylon which is filled with a dozen or more thin nylon strings. Because of the number of cords inside the sheath, the tensile strength of the cord becomes significantly stronger.

Muscle fibers, like 550 cord, can be described as densely packed bundles of threads called filaments. Individual muscle fibers are grouped together like tightly bundled ropes and sheathed by connective tissue, the endomysium. These muscle fibers and the endomysium which bonds them together are in turn all held together by the perimysium, which is the same as the endomysium. Several such groups of bundled muscle fibers exist in a single muscle and all of them are contained within the epimysium, the same connective tissue as the endomysium and the perimysium. These names exist not to describe different tissues but to describe different levels of connective tissue. 

Muscle tissue is characterized as having three attributes: excitability, contractility, and extensibility. Excitability means that the muscle fiber can be activated or “fired” by synapse signals from the central and peripheral nervous systems. Contractility means that the muscle fiber can contract or pull itself together in the middle and in turn pull the bones to which it is anchored. Extensibility means that the muscle fiber returns to its normal length after contraction. With only a few exceptions, all muscles have a point of origin and a point of insertion. The origin is fixed, stable, and does not moved during a muscular contraction. The insertion point is the point which moves or is moved during a muscular contraction. One end of the muscle anchors the contraction, and the other end is moved by the contraction. During contraction, the point of insertion is moved closer to the point of origin. Although movement and balance are a complex process coordinated by groups of muscles which work in unison, origin and insertion explain the most basic principle which animates the skeleton.

When a group of muscles act to animate a portion of the body, some muscles will contract and others will relax. Groups of muscles, whether grouped by function or location, will include muscles categorized as being an agonist, antagonist, synergist, or fixator muscle. An agonist muscle is also called a prime mover. An agonist can be a single muscle or a group of muscles which directly perform a single, specific movement. Agonist muscles are specific in that they cross an axis from one limb to another, such as the connection between the bicep and forearm. An antagonist muscle is one which during contraction opposes the agonist and performs an opposite function to return the limb to its prior state (extensibility.) When the opposing agonist contracts, the antagonist expands; likewise, when the antagonist contracts, the agonist expands. This relationship between agonists and antagonists is exploited by Wing Tsun boxers who train to powerfully and quickly contract the triceps. Any time the arm extends – as when executing a punch – the bicep must expand and the tricep must contract. When practiced correctly, the tricep can be developed to the point that it quickly snaps the clenched fist quickly forward for a devastating strike. Many fighters spend their time developing the biceps and building grip strength, but they could make faster progress developing the tricep and its ability to launch an explosive punch. 

Synergists are muscles, or groups of muscles, which contract at the same time as the agonist. Synergists, as their name suggests, work with the agonist to stabilize the movement or the motion of the limb during contraction. Synergists work to stabilize movable joints, such as the elbows and the knees. Fixator muscles, like synergists, are also much like their name suggests: they “fix” things in place and add stability. Fixators maintain balance and promote posture, especially when agonists demand movement from the limb in which the fixator is found.

As previously stated, the terms agonist, antagonist, synergist, and fixator don’t necessarily describe the same muscles every time: they are labels for the roles or functions of a muscle or group of muscles in performance of a movement. To return to the illustration of the relationship between the bicep and the tricep, both muscles could be an agonist. When the arm is contracting, the tricep is the antagonist and the bicep is the agonist, but, when the arm is extending, the tricep becomes the agonist and the bicep the antagonist.

Muscles are organs formed from muscle tissue and connecting fibers. They come in every shape, size, form, and physical orientation, and a full, in-depth exploration of the skeletomuscular system is beyond the scope of this book. What I provide here is designed to help you understand how muscles work so that when you work with yourself or your own clients, you’ll have a better idea how to address muscular complaints.

Mars also rules blood. As exclaimed by the enslaved solicitor R.M. Renfield in Bram Stoker’s masterpiece Dracula, “The blood is the life!” Though the context in which the statement was pronounced is quite morbid, it is actually closer to truth than fiction. If you’ve never looked at the individual elements of blood before, you may be surprised to learn that it’s quite a lot more than you thought. The majority of whole blood is actually straw-colored fluid called plasma which forms 55% of whole blood by volume. The other 45% of whole blood – the “red” portion we normally think of – is called “formed elements.” Whole blood is a transport medium through which oxygen, hormones, and a variety of other substances are delivered to every part of the body. Blood also warms the body: it is unique in that it is highly efficient at trapping heat.

The actual elements in whole blood vary depending on which portion you examine. Plasma is clear and appears light-yellow when centrifuged. In itself, plasma is almost entirely Water: 92% by volume. The remaining 8% is formed of proteins and other Water-soluble nutrients. The proteins which form the solutes of plasma enable blood clotting and boost the body’s natural immunity to illness and disease. Plasma solutes also carry a variety of other substances such as fats, sugars, and amino acids, as well as hormones excreted by the endocrine system, gases such as carbon dioxide which will be expelled through the lungs, and other metabolic by-products which aid and support the body’s day-to-day operations. As a group, plasma proteins are important because they promote healthy, normal levels of blood viscosity, pressure, and volume.

Blood clotting, or coagulation, is a natural process which forms a first line of defense against injury and the resulting loss of blood. It is a complex series of chemical reactions between compounds extrinsic to blood in the skin (such as collagen and lipids) as well as compounds intrinsic to blood and found within plasma (such as fibrinogen and calcium.) Together, extrinsic and intrinsic compounds form the barrier which slows or stops the flow of blood from an open wound. This shield against blood loss is quite accurately described as a net. Fibrinogen in plasma forms with other compounds to form fibrin, a fine mesh which traps blood cells and begins the first of many steps to knit the wound closed.

Blood clotting is naturally hastened by immobility which is one of the reasons why in emergency situations lay responders are reminded to not move the body or to avoid disturbing the injured. Obviously, blood clotting is inhibited by movement which is why recovering hospital patients are encouraged to get out of bed and ambulate as their strength and stamina return. Blood clotting is also deterred by heparin, a naturally occurring compound in the blood. When working with clients who exhibit hemophilia, the culprit can quickly be found in the deficient plasma; the Balances of Fire and Water should be treated for Spiritual relief.

The other portion of whole blood, the “red” portion, is properly called “formed elements.” Formed elements include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells are very small: one and a half thousand could stand side by side in a row only one centimeter long. The primary component of mature red blood cells is hemoglobin. Hemoglobin counts for more than a third of the volume of a mature red blood cell and if hemoglobin were not present, the red blood cell could not function. Hemoglobin forms more than 95% of the dry mass of the red blood cell and (counting Water) is more than 30% of the entire cell. Even though red blood cells are very small, their combined surface area is larger than a football field and provides a vast exchange network to move gases in and out of the body. 

Each mature red blood cell contains about 300 million such hemoglobin molecules. Each hemoglobin molecule contains four atoms of iron. This is significant in that four is numerologically considered a number of strength and foundation. Additionally, four is the number of lower, base elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) and the element iron is itself a base metal. In those people who have low iron in their blood (who are anemic), they exhibit weak immunity, have low energy, are wan, and possess poor vigor.

Red blood cells are in a constant state of flux. In a healthy adult, 200 billion red blood cells are formed each minute while the same number dies each minute. Red blood cells don’t normally live longer than four months and, upon death or disintegration in the bloodstream, release iron, important amino acids, and bilirubin (the pigment which colors blood red and stool brown.) The amino acids will be used to synthesize other proteins and promote stamina; the iron will be absorbed by bones where it will be used to form new hemoglobin; and the bilirubin will be processed through the liver and gall bladder where it is formed into bile and eventually passed through the intestines as waste product. Because bilirubin is a pigment, it in turn gives excrement its characteristic color. Excrement which is poor in color or very light in coloration is one way that the observant person can realize that his red blood count is low and that he should consult a physician, naturopath, herbalist, homeopathic physician, or nutritional expert to adjust his diet.

White blood cells, as a group, are called leukocytes. Leukocytes are variously distinguished according to their own unique properties and come in five varieties: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. Neutrophils serve as a measure of defense at the cellular level against very small pathogenic microorganisms. Eosinophils serve as an anti-inflammatory and also defend the body against larger pathogenic organisms such as parasites and protozoa. Basophils secrete heparin (which reduces blood clotting) and helps control inflammation through the delivery of antihistamines. Lymphocytes release antibodies and regulate response and action of the body’s immune system. Last, monocytes are aggressive, active white blood cells which are capable of leaving the bloodstream to attack and ingest bacteria, cellular waste, and even cancer cells.

Mars, as the ruler of all the body’s muscles, is also the natural ruler of blood pressure and works with another member of the Balance of Fire – the Sun – to operate the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular system promotes homeostasis of the body by moving blood through the body’s arteries, veins, and capillaries. Depending on which part of the body is active at any time, more blood will flow to it. For example, after a meal greater quantities of blood flow to the stomach and digestive organs; likewise, skeletal muscles experience greater blood flow during exercise or other strenuous motion. 

Blood flows in greater volume to active cells. Inactive cells, which require much less energy to function, receive less blood flow. Naturally, those cells which are active and need more energy will receive a greater volume of blood in order to recover nutriment, increase oxygen, exchange gases, and clear waste matter. Like any fluid, blood only flows under pressure. If pressure is uniform through a volume of blood, it can’t flow because it has equal pressure on all sides. Imagine, for a moment, a sealed Water balloon. When you clamp your hands around it and squeeze, the pressure inside remains the same, but the balloon expands (and will eventually burst) to distribute the pressure. When pressure is strong in one area, blood will flow from that place to the place of less pressure.

Mars’ rulership of blood pressure refers to arterial and venous blood pressure. Arteries are vessels which carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body and are classified as follows: elastic, muscular, arteriole, and capillary. Elastic arteries have great elasticity, or the ability to expand, in order to accommodate a sudden surge in blood flow. Muscular arteries carry blood from a major elastic artery to other parts of the body. Arterioles provide resistance to blood flow by constricting and limiting or restricting blood pressure. Capillary beds are small networks which move blood from arterioles to individual veins. Elastic arteries carry large quantities of blood from the heart; the chief artery is the aorta, the central artery through which the heart pumps blood to the entire body. Muscular arteries tap into elastic arteries and distribute blood to the capillary beds via the arterioles.

Capillaries number more than one billion in the human body but are not equally present in all parts of the body. The liver, for example, has a very large number of capillaries, but the cornea (a surface lens of the eye) has none. As an interesting side note, corneal transplants are almost never rejected by the host because of the very fact that they receive no direct blood flow and thus receive no exposure to antibodies which would attack them. Capillaries themselves have varying degrees of porosity. Porosity refers to the ease with which blood passes through a capillary to the surrounding tissue. For example, the capillary beds of the liver have a high degree of porosity in order to accommodate the massive volume of blood which passes through them each day.

The aorta extends above the heart as well as deep into the abdominal cavity before separating into the common iliac arteries in the pelvis. The aorta begins with the ascending aorta which rises from the right ventricle of the heart, makes a 180-degree turn, and descends through the diaphragm. The curved upper-most portion of the aorta is named the aortic arch: the arteries which extend under and through the clavicle arches to the arms, as well as the carotid arteries which rise through the neck and into the head, begin here. The aorta above the diaphragm is named the thoracic aorta, and the aorta below the diaphragm is named the abdominal aorta. This central vessel, the aorta, is the primary artery which feeds the entire body.

Mars rules not just arteries, but also veins. Veins, like arteries, are highly elastic and by virtue of their own special valves only permit blood to flow in one direction: to the heart. The difference between arteries and veins is that arteries carry blood away from the heart and grow smaller as they progress farther from the heart; veins carry blood from other parts of the body back to the heart and become larger as they progress closer to the heart. To illustrate the difference between arteries and veins, think of the human body as if it were shaped like the trunk of a tree and its large network of roots beneath. Arteries begin at the top of the large tree trunk and flow down to the gradually diminishing roots; veins begin at the thin ends of the roots and flow up toward the top of the trunk, becoming larger as they join into one body. The central vein where returning blood joins is called the vena cava.

Among other compounds, arteries and veins are formed from collagen and elastin. Collagen imparts strength and durability to the vessels, and elastin imparts elasticity and the ability to swell without bursting as blood volume increases. Arteries, veins, and capillaries are all ruled by Mars because each and every one of them is lined with smooth muscle. Thus, muscular contraction and expansion in partnership with the pump and suction of the heart squeeze the arteries and veins to push blood through the body.

Finally, both Mars and Pluto rule sexual appetite, preference, and gender orientation. I retained this subject for last because human sexuality is not a simple malefemale dichotomy and it is best discussed with both respective planets together. Mars rules the sexual appetite, or the outward and base physical desire for sexual gratification. Pluto, as Mars’ higher octave, doesn’t govern the desire for sexual intercourse, but instead governs sexual preference and gender orientation. Pluto rules quality (or preference), but Mars rules quantity (or desire.) Sexual appetite is an intangible thing: it fluctuates greatly for each person and is influenced by one’s health, mental and emotional state, season, and relative level of stress. Additionally, poor blood flow strongly impacts both sexual desire and sexual performance. Many popular stimulants (such as cigarettes) and depressants (such as alcohol) severely impact blood flow, virility, and sexual stamina.

Heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and trysexuality (“he’ll try anything”) are all normal variations of human behavior. The argument has been made by some groups that sexual longing for the same gender or both genders is “against God,” but an examination of the facts will reveal otherwise. Homosexuality has been observed in many species other than humans and one’s sexual orientation is not a choice. The reason I say this is to reinforce the sheer strength and power of Pluto. Those same groups who would say that non-heterosexual preferences are elective or are a lifestyle choice are simply wrong: you would have more success reversing the Earth’s rotation than you would in permanently and truly altering a person’s sexual orientation. Sexual preference is an unalterable facet of one’s identity: it is a manifestation of Plutonic force which cannot be denied.

However, the necessity to accept and integrate one’s sexual identity should not be construed as free license to feed one’s sexual appetite. Martial Spirit expressed through sexual appetite is, like Plutonic Spirit, a force which should not be restrained; however, it must be released responsibly. Mars, as you’ll recall, is a planet of aggression and base material desires (which includes sexual intercourse.) Indulging Martial desires with no restriction quickly pulls the Spirit down to depths of depravity and Spiritual ignorance. Mars expresses the Spirit of cardinal Fire and demands an outlet. Whether this Fire is released in the heights of sexual ecstasy or redirected into other arenas, it is meant to be used: express it responsibly.