All times are PDT, unless stated otherwise. Planetary positions are expressed as the degree followed by the sign. If there is a number following the sign, it refers to the minute position in the degree of that sign. As with an hour, there are 60 minutes in a degree. For example, 10° Virgo 43’, means 10 degrees and 43 minutes of Virgo.
After the Taurus New Moon on May 2nd, things are relatively quiet with no significant planetary aspects or ingresses (when a planet moves into a new sign) for several days. There are of course, numerous aspects by the Moon for those of you who are more sensitive to her transits. May 8th, Mother’s Day, may see heightened feelings – yours and others – and responses to those feelings, as the Moon transits through its home sign of Cancer and makes challenging squares (90 degree aspects) to loving Venus, mental Mercury, optimistic Jupiter and then combative Mars, all within a period of 13 hours. The friction caused by the squares could make it a high-energy day but with everyone’s feelings on their sleeve some are bound to be hurt. It is a day to honor the Mother in us all so put your best nurturing foot forward.
On Monday May 9th, we have attractive Venus catching up to perceptive Mercury at 22° Aries (the degree of the April 30th, Jupiter, Mars, Eris conjunction thus energizing the spirit of that event). Expect to be talkative and for conversations to turn to all things Venus related – what we desire, love, the arts, money and what we value, including our own self worth. Use this time to clarify and communicate your needs and wants in relation to others in your life.
Wednesday, May 11th will bring a definite energy shift as fiery Mars moves from his home turf of Aries into fixed earth Taurus. We may experience a sense of slowing down or even feeling bogged down in some areas of your life. After the rush in Aries, Mars’ transit through Taurus will offer opportunities to stabilize those new projects begun at the New Moon and put them on a steady path. But that’s not all – also on the 11th both Venus and then Mercury will conjunct faithful Jupiter in rapid succession at 24° Aries. We may find that our desires and communications become more profound. With these three still being in impatient Aries, resist the temptation to overlook details. Engage your brain before engaging your mouth and do exercise some restraint if you go shopping. Just because you have money in your pocket doesn’t mean you should buy that pretty little bauble or the shiny new car. Consider that there may be some “rainy days” ahead that we should be saving for. At its best, Mercury/Venus/Jupiter could open you to a joyful expression of love in all its magnificent forms.
Heads up again for you lunar sensitive types as May 13th sees the very active Moon aspect Chiron, an asteroid known as “the wounded healer,” and all the planets except the Sun and Saturn. Perhaps more importantly, six of the aspects are inconjuncts. The inconjunct (also known as the quincunx) is a 150-degree aspect where the two signs involved share nothing in common. They have different modes (energy types) and different elements (fundamental characteristics). Generally, the inconjunct is considered a stressful aspect, as we are seemingly required to make a choice between two incompatible situations. The challenge is to see the value in each rather than favoring one over the other. What are you neglecting in your life?
On Sunday, May 15th we experience our next significant energy shift as both Venus and then Mercury move into persevering Taurus. As ruler of Taurus, Venus will be very happy with this energy shift as we may find our desires becoming more focused on what we truly value. This can be a good time to focus on beautifying our home or creating our own little “sacred space.” With Mercury moving into Taurus, expect communications to slow down, to become more thoughtful and deliberate. Mercury and Venus in Taurus is an ideal time to craft a message of love – and then sing it to anyone who will hear! It could certainly be emotion filled, as the Moon will again be making aspects to all the planets, including the Sun and Chiron, except for Saturn. So for you lunar sensitive types it may be a bit of a roller coaster as the aspects include a mix of effortless sextiles and trines along with potentially more demanding oppositions and inconjuncts.
On Monday, May 16th, Mercury, which is still picking up speed after being retrograde, catches back up with Venus for another conjunction, this time at 1° Taurus. With Mercury and Venus sharing the same space from May 9th our communications will be more purposeful and attentive to what is really important to us.
On Tuesday, May 17th, we have a Full Moon at 26° Scorpio opposing the Sun at 26° Taurus. The Full Moon represents the harvest, the culmination point of the New Moon on May 2nd. What seeds did we plant on the 2nd? What have we been cultivating in the two weeks since then? In addition to the opposition to the Sun, the Moon will also be making aspects to Chiron and all the planets except Saturn and Pluto, so be willing to observe what you are feeling and find a way to express without getting caught up in the emotional highs and lows.
The good news is you’ll get a bit of a break on May 18th only to have another potential day of big mood swings beginning on May 19th extending into the morning of May 20th as the Moon again makes multiple aspects to the Sun, Chiron and all the planets for a total of 10 aspects in a period of 25 hours. Mixed in with all of this lunar action on May 20th, we also have Mars trine (120° angle) Pluto, then Mercury trine Pluto before catching up to conjunct Mars at 7° Taurus. There may be some frustration in our attempts at communicating in a non-cutting way in this unbending earth sign as we try to find the rights words to articulate our thoughts, but Pluto’s depth and power could also reveal transformational insights.
With all of that, on May 21st, at 2:21 am PDT, the Sun bids adieu to Taurus and moves into breezy Gemini. However things don’t necessarily lighten up as Venus then trines Pluto and submerges our consciousness in the sea of relationship. What truly satisfies your needs?
On May 23rd Venus conjuncts Mars at 9° Taurus bringing out our playful and sensual natures. While this may also bring a “call to action” to fulfill some desire, be conscious of the consequences of over-eagerness. While Venus in Taurus is adept at satisfying the physical senses, Mars in Taurus requires intent behind action rather than just superficial seduction.
Once again, we enter a period of relative quiet with no major planetary aspects or ingresses until our first Gemini newsletter.
Till next time. Enjoy your transits.
Kimberly & Jim
Thank you! I like hearing all this.