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5/3 Mercury trine Pluto
5/4 Sun square Mars
Mercury trine Ceres
5/7 Venus sextile Mars
5/11 Mercury turns direct
5/13 New Moon 23 Taurus 9:04 pm
5/16 Mercury trine Ceres
5/17 Venus square Jupiter
Sun sextile Jupiter
5/18 Venus square Saturn
Venus trine Neptune
Sun trine Saturn
5/19 Sun square Neptune
Mercury trine Pluto
Venus square Uranus
Venus enters Cancer
5/20 Venus trine Chiron
Sun sextile Uranus
Sun enters Gemini 11:34 pm
5/21 Sun square Chiron
5/22 Venus opposite Ceres
5/23 Jupiter opposite Saturn
Venus opposite Pluto
5/27 Full Moon 6 Sagittarius 7:07 pm
Uranus enters Aries
5/30 Saturn turns direct
5/31 Neptune turns retrograde

All dates & times are Eastern time zone, please adjust for your own locality.

As the month of May begins, the opposition between Saturn and Uranus is still very much with us. This tension between the pull of that which is familiar and known (Saturn) and that which is new and strange (Uranus) will diminish over the next few weeks but the principle of integrating these two opposites will be with us for quite some time. This is the fourth phase of five, and the cycle will complete next summer.

Mercury is retrograde now, so plan for delays and glitches of all kinds. Mercury is in the fixed and stubborn sign of Taurus where the flexibility required by the retrograde period is harder to achieve. Just breathe and relax, and the details will follow eventually.

The element of air is underrepresented until the Sun enters Gemini. The only planet in an air sign is Neptune, and Neptune's pressure for transcendence does not encourage the objectivity and reason that the element of air provides. For the first few weeks of May we may lack some of that objectivity and it will be necessary to attain a more rational viewpoint through the conscious application of mental focus. This will be somewhat difficult until after Mercury turns direct on May 11.

Neptune's influence is particularly powerful this month since it is slowing down in preparation for its retrograde turn at the end of the month. When a planet prepares to change direction its apparent movement (from our perspective here on earth) is slower and the planet beams a more powerful ray than it normally does as it moves through the sky. With the focus on Neptune we will be called from within to remember that there is much more to life than the physical realm. Spirituality, poetry, creativity, music, and a general sense of compassion and divine love will be more important right now than usual.

Saturn also changes direction this month - after a few months of retrograde travel it will begin to station (stand still) towards the end of the month. As the planet of restriction that creates limitations for us, Saturn's stationary periods can emphasize that restriction to a greater extent. If you remember that Saturn seeks structure, order, discipline and hard work, you can avoid some of the more difficult effects of a Saturn experience.

Mercury traveling retrograde can make it more difficult to define our thoughts and ideas, but with a harmonious trine from Mercury to Pluto on the 3rd we have more focus and there is more power behind our ability to concentrate and communicate. This is a good time for meetings or difficult conversations as any power imbalances will be harmonized and put to good use.

Mercury is also in a trine to Ceres on the 4th. This is a time to take care of ourselves and others - to spend some time in the garden or the farmer's market, appreciating the wonders of the bounty of the earth. A square from the Sun to Mars that day presents a chance of some minor conflict but could also energize us to take difficult action.

The harmony continues into the 7th of May when a pleasant sextile from Venus to Mars eases any tension and helps to promote interpersonal relationships and communication. Mercury will be slowing down at that time in preparation for its change of direction on the 11th, bringing about the likelihood of more communication problems and delays before Mercury turns direct once again. Mercury will be in range of a nice trine to Pluto when it changes direction, and this deepening of focus and mental power will help to offset any negative effects of the last moments of retrograde Mercury.

Mercury turns direct on May 11 but it will take a day or two for it to begin traveling at a normal speed, so don't be surprised if you feel somewhat stuck during that time.

The New Moon in Taurus on the 13th is a very dynamic one. At the New Moon the solar principle of conscious mind and will is fused with the lunar principle of instinct and emotion, making New Moons the perfect time to begin something new. In Taurus the Moon is moving from the initiation of Aries to an appreciation for a life that is more grounded. There is a greater need for security and for a life that feels connected to the earth in some way, either through the natural cycles of life or through the five senses of the body. More than any other sign, Taurus values all aspect of life in a body and this is a good place to start in this New Moon period.

The New Moon here is squared by Mars in Leo, suggesting some conflict between the urge for a more earth-bound life (Taurus) and the need for more action and self-expression (Leo). The energy of the Saturn/Uranus opposition is also present here, presenting a dilemma that necessitates creating balance between the past and the future. But the New Moon forms a harmonious trine to this opposition and to Jupiter as well, enabling us to more easily balance the divergent impulses in order to create powerful intention that help us to move forward with clarity. This clarity is aided by a trine from Mercury to Pluto that helps us to see deep beyond the surface into a greater reality, and act from that perspective.

Between the 16th and the 23rd there is a high degree of planetary activity, with Venus in Gemini facing off against Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus amidst a number of harmonious transits that ease the flow of personal transformation. The large number of solar transits right now facilitate a more conscious presence in our lives so that we can incorporate these experiences in a more positive way.

Between the 16th and the 19th our relationships with others could take a toll if they interfere with the gentle expansion and creativity that is at work here, but after Venus enters Cancer on the 19th and trines Chiron on the 20th, it softens and is more focused on nurturing the connections that bind us to those we love. A square from the Sun to Neptune on the 19th is highly creative but also poses a danger of falling prey to illusion on that day.

The Sun enters Gemini late in the day on the 20th, and the mental realm comes into sharper focus. The Gemini Sun craves interesting experience and is easily bored - there is a tremendous curiosity and eagerness to learn about new things. Jupiter, with its expansive optimism and easy confidence, is moving into a stressful opposition to Saturn now and we may find ourselves in conflict between a part of us that confidently strides forward without fear (Jupiter) and the part of us that is more realistic and perhaps pessimistic (Saturn).

Jupiter will soon conjoin Uranus and the desire for new-ness and exciting new change will continue to increase and become more powerful, even as Saturn struggles to hold back these impulses. This may create a great deal of tension within us, particularly if this aspect affects our chart in a personal way. During this time it will be useful to make every effort to be as present as possible and observe these impulses as they unfold. When we observe this kind of conflict consciously it becomes easier to resist the wild swings of emotional reaction and it's easier, therefore, to make wise decisions.

On the 21st we may experience a heightened emotional sensitivity that is difficult to process when the Sun squares Chiron, but that lasts only a day or two.

The tension between Jupiter and Saturn peaks on May 23rd, and Venus (relating) is opposite Pluto (power) that day. Watch for possible power struggles and conflict between people on that day, especially where this clash between moving forward and holding back is concerned.

During the last week or two of May we have two planets preparing to change direction: Saturn and Neptune.

This leads us to the Full Moon of May 27th in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, so this lunar event will empower the expansive urge that has been at the forefront of the planetary influences over the past week or so. The chart for this lunation contains no direct aspects to the Moon, so its energy beams directly to us with no obstacles in its way.

The Full Moon occurs when the Sun is opposite the Moon, and here we have the Gemini Sun opposing the Sagittarius Moon. Gemini wants to take in every single bit of information, and Sagittarius seeks greater focus and understanding so in this Full Moon we are balancing these two polarities.

We also have the power of Saturn and Neptune in full force now since both are stationary and preparing to change direction. Saturn seeks to hold us back, and Neptune is all about achieving a higher state of consciousness so there is a lot of energy right now.

Uranus also enters Aries that day, making this a fiery and impulsive period where we are shooting all of our arrows at once. If we utilize the time leading up to this event to make sure we are adequately protected and that these arrows are focused in the correct direction, this will be a powerful lunar event that can hellp to launch us ever closer to our dreams.

Saturn changes direction to travel direct on May 30th, and Neptune turns retrograde on the 31st.