A May of Discovery of Soul Intention and Studied Action

The astrology of May features Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. Because the personal planets of Venus and Mars are so directly involved with the archetype of major transformation that is represented by Pluto, this is a time of questioning all our relationship assumptions, and of moving beyond them. The New Moon that began the current cycle, covering the first half of May (having taken place in the very middle of the previous month) had an extremely strong component of Pluto in combination with Venus. We have been feeling the symbolism of this involvement, as we attempt, during an introspective time, to better understand ourselves at deep levels, and to better discern the underlying motivations of our partnership dynamic. Mars, too, has been involved with Pluto over the two-week period leading up to the current month, having conjuncted Pluto within two degrees from April 22nd to April 30th. The first day of May is the time when Mars has left the 2-degree radius around Pluto, and simultaneously precisely squares Eris in Aries. It is thus quite interesting to note as well that for the first half of the current month, Eris is emphasized along with Uranus, the Aries New Moon from April 15h having taken place directly between these two outer planets. What does all this emphasis on Eris symbolize? The answer is nothing less than the concept of finding your own soul intention for this lifetime. This is serious stuff, and moreover, once it has transpired that you can discover this sense of deep purpose within yourself, your life opens up to higher meaning.

Saturn, too, is highlighted in the current astrological picture. Mercury was square to Saturn as it stationed, also on the 15th of April, and the April 29th Full Moon closely aspected Saturn. Then, too, Saturn has been in parallel aspect to Pluto for quite some time now. With all this Saturn in the picture, several things emerge. One is that we are operating in a form of slo-mo for the time being, where everything takes two or three times to get it right. Mercury Retrograde has entered its final stage of overcoming its lost zodiacal longitude, called its “retrograde shadow,” and yet in many ways the period of time at the very beginning of May feels like Mercury Retrograde is still quite active. On the other hand, there are benefits as well as drawbacks to the large dose of Saturn that we are currently experiencing, in terms of the satisfaction of surmounting difficulties, and the lasting lessons gained.

The second half of May begins with fireworks, indicated by the configurations of the potent New Moon of Tuesday, May 15th, and the days following, when several planets changes signs. The New Moon highlights Mars, Pluto, and Eris, with Mars in parallel aspect to both Saturn and Pluto, and with Venus in close aspect to the Mars/Pluto midpoint, renewing the transformational impulse for profound change, especially in regard to close interpersonal relationships. Uranus enters Taurus on the same day, bringing further Earth energy to bear, and providing a significant contrast between the stoic Venus-ruled sign of Taurus and the trickster Uranian impulse that is in many ways antithetical to it. Dedication and commitment reach new levels while at the same time there is the potential for reactivity as well as rearrangements or reconstitution of our relationship activity. We might expect some degree of conflict between new ideas and supporting an existing status quo, as well as renewed intuitional understanding of natural process, the way of Gaia, as we continue to sort out the true basis for deep connection between the sexes. Mars enters the Uranian sign of Aquarius the very next day, while Venus comes to the sign of Cancer by the weekend, therefore aspecting Mars in an inconjunct and bringing the cooperation and the collision between male and female principles further into consciousness. This is especially so with Chiron still in the early degrees of Aries, sextile to Mars and in square to Venus. In our wounding lies the opening that we need to become more soul-centered in relating to others and to our own dark places within us.

The First Quarter Moon of the following Monday, May 21st, further highlights the recent Uranus, Mars and Venus ingresses because taking place in the second degree of Gemini, with the Moon in the same degree of Virgo. No fewer than six planets, including Chiron, occupy these early few degrees, making for a quite dynamically energized and thoughtful time, as we head toward the Sagittarius Full Moon of Tuesday the 29th, very nearly the end of the month, when Mercury also transitions to its own sign of Gemini.

These final two and a half weeks of May thus promise to be wild and wooly, profound, and full of new ideas and initiatives for better and more productive engagement with the world around us. This is not the time to hold back; rather it is the time to get in touch with what you most deeply aspire to and take whatever action is necessary in support of that all-important internal agenda. Difficult times call for strong solutions in response –
now is your moment.