FROM OPA’s MONTHLY SPEAKER SERIES – RECORDED JAN 11 2026
When we encounter Pluto, God of the Underworld, we’ve descended. Whether literally “six feet under” after death, an archeological dig into cultures from centuries past, or engaging with research of those who’ve come before, this descent brings us into a realm of profound mystery and unknowns. It changes not only us but can change the lives of others unknown to us.

In “Pluto–Descent Required!”, We’ll explore mythic Pluto, his metaphoric Underworld, and excavate the charts of both opera legend Maria Callas and American Civil War General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain . We’ll see how, through its potency and power, Pluto brought depth and meaning to not only their lives, but to the lives of those who’ve since followed.

Shane M. Nygaard studied archetypes “Sacred Contracts” at the Caroline Myss Educational Institute (CMED), where he earned his Archetype Consultant certification. While at CMED he was introduced to astrology, and he’s been exploring archetypes and astrology ever since! His work includes presentations for the Minnesota Jung Association (“Astrology & the Collective Unconscious,” “Now Is the Time of Monsters”); and his work “From Sunrise Through Nightfall: The 12 Houses of the Zodiac” has been presented for OPA, NCGR and Minnesota STARS, as well as published in The Mountain Astrologer. Shane also presented at OPA’s Great Awakening Conference on the themes of Utopia and Dystopia in The Age of Aquarius. Shane’s influences include the Pre-Raphaelite Romantics, James Hillman, Liz Greene, opera, Jung, and things with wings.