Traditionally (hundreds/thousands of years ago), when there was a major eclipse or other astrological event, it was interpreted on a country and world level, and not applied to individual charts. In more recent times it's been made more personal.

From having lots of experience with astrology, and observing how individuals may be affected by events like pluto conjunct with the galactic center, major planetary aspects, eclipses, etc., you can think of it this way. Events are like weather. Always changing, and sometimes extreme. You hear the weather forecast is for a major rainstorm, and need to to be outside, so you prepare with the best rain gear, or are flexible, and can change your plans, and have a nice time staying dry in doors. Maybe you just want to see what it is like to get really wet. Your personal experience will be quite different than someone who wants to go to the beach and sunbathe that day, hates rain, gets pissed off, frustrated, upset, starts channeling some bizarre entity, and gets in a big fight with their partner. Same rainstorm, but very different attitude, awareness, and result.

People who will be the most affected, will be those whose personal astrological chart has planetary positions that directly relate to those of the event. So if pluto is conjuct the galactic center at a specific degree in sagittarius, and and it aspects a key planet or angle in your chart, you will feel its influence much more strongly than someone who doesn't have any direct or close aspects. That's why one of the big events can come and go, and you may feel little or nothing, but someone else has a powerful reaction.

This can also work in reverse, when an individual in power influences the world. In his birth chart, George Bush has the planet mercury (indicates mind energy) in Leo, conjunct with the planet pluto. The most extreme negative expression of this aspect is the stubborn, controlling "leader" who is always believing in and speaking fear. You can find more about this on the internet. Another interesting item is that in George Bush's Astrocartography (if you don't know what this is just google it), his key pluto lines go right through Iraq and New York. His mercury and venus lines are nearby, too, and that's why he always talks about how he feels so positive about what's happening. Whatever evidence may come along, is spun to fit his view, because for him, only one exists. If you include the information from Kristine's post, he's really exposing our country's shadow side. Lies, torture, truly scary stuff to face. His natal saturn is in an aspect called a "quincunx" (www.cafeastrology.com/article...ts.html) to the pluto/galactic center event. I know I'm introducing some advanced material here, but it reveals a lot of what is being worked out.

thanks k!
xoxj