Plenty is being said right now about the death of Anna Nicole Smith, and I’m not going to add to the frenzy of media coverage and obsession over this sad creature’s life and death. For me the pertinent item of issue is that she is another of the Uranus/Pluto generation with Chiron opposed to both planets that is in serious trouble.

I don’t want all of you who were born between 1962 and 1968 to panic, but this is a challenging dynamic that is coming to a head now with transiting Uranus in Pisces and Pluto in Sagittarius squaring Uranus and Pluto in various degrees of Virgo. There is potential here for amazing transformation and evolution, but for those who run from the psychic distress that Chiron opposite Uranus and Pluto can cause rather than face and integrate this distress into their conscious awareness, the Universe will provide some additional inducement for that to take place.

Chart from Vegas Attractions, click to enlarge. Anna Nicole Smith had a square from her Sagittarius Sun to Jupiter, suggesting an overblown sense of confidence and reckless approach to life. The Uranus/Pluto conjunction in her chart made a trine to her Capricorn Mars which is a strong signature for success in any endeavor: Capricorn is disciplined and works hard to achieve success and Mars provides the drive and energy, Uranus adds a touch of brilliance and innovative thinking, and Pluto the power to make things happen. A trine of Mars and Pluto links the will of the individual self (Mars) to the will of the higher self (Pluto), facilitating one’s ability to manifest easily. Whatever you think about Ms. Smith, there is no question that she took what she had and manifested her dreams.

Still, the Pluto/Chiron/Uranus dynamic is a difficult one that challenges us to continually face and transmute our demons, and this can either make or break us. Escaping the pain through drugs as Ms. Smith attempted to do will not eliminate the problem; it requires courage and strength and a sense of faith in what is on the other side of the process. Over the past two years, transiting Pluto had been in a difficult aspect (T-square) to the Pluto/Chiron/Uranus combination, forcing this confrontation and likely creating a great deal of psychic pain. Pluto isn’t cruel or evil – in my experience it acts as the will of our higher selves and removes from our path whatever is no longer serving us. Pluto transits require great faith because we often experience deep and heavy losses, although this doesn’t always occur. If we let go where needed, Pluto bestows a greater empowerment and balance within ourselves but the punishment for not complying with the process can be very difficult.

At the time of her death, Ms. Smith’s progressed Moon (emotions) was conjunct Saturn in her chart (restriction, isolation), suggesting that her depression became extremely acute during this period. It’s a very sad ending to a life that had brilliant potential, and a reminder to the rest of us that doing our evolutionary work offers great rewards and should not be put off.