May Astrology

Force breeds resistance. Remember that: Force breeds resistance.

We live in a culture that has always believed in a ‘tough it out’ paradigm. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, right? This is a core ideal in the American psyche and it has taught generations that the best remedy to tough times is to get up and get right in the face of that adversity. And while this does have its place, there is equal value in recognizing that sometimes, when the going gets tough, the tough sit the fuck down and see where the storm dumps you. There is little valour in a fight bred from arrogance. There is zero shame in waiting for more information.

This is where we are at this month. There are lots of big, beautiful changes. Some feel graceful. Some feel like shit. There are big, life altering decisions to reckon with. There is loss and grief and the freedom that comes after. This is not to indicate that everything coming at you is a horror show and that you can somehow expect the loss and grief to be a soul shattering shit storm. But something that was once so important to you is dying. It is dying a natural death. And that’s okay. You can grieve it, but that grief must be seeded with the celebration of the coming new.

You can’t really get ahead of this and you certainly can’t tough it out. Instead, you are being asked to feel all of it in acute detail and to ride that emotion to the next place where you can put your feet. It isn’t going to be easy and at times it won’t feel good. In these moments try to settle in and become wholly present with what is going on both around you and within you. Don’t push it away. Don’t try to transform it. Don’t mutate it into a spiritual lesson or some other such nonsense. Be with it and let it show you what it needs from you.

Then put your feet into that revelation and go with the obvious next step. And then the next. And then the next. The map will not be clear, and the very minute you think you can start steering is the moment you have bred force. Enter resistance. And then shit starts to suck. I am telling you right now that it does not need to suck. And if you put down your ingrained need to be in control of this evolutionary burn, it will not suck much at all.

Stand ready. Be flexible. Cultivate your sense of humour and take delight in the absurd. When things push at you, go the Aikido way and use that force to flow by. Life is taking you somewhere and this time is one of learning to trust that you have done a certain amount of work and now you must ride that previous work to the shore that is intended for you. The spirit of Karma is deep in play this month, and it is so intensely personal that you cannot force yourself onto any other shore. You cannot bring comparison or cultural expectation to the game, my friends.

Force nothing. Be present. Take each moment as it comes with the equanimity of the yogi and the patience of the Buddha. All is coming. All that is for you.

May 01 — Sun in Taurus conjunct Mercury Rx in Taurus

Pluto stations in Aquarius

Pluto in Aquarius square North Node Rx in Taurus/Sedna in Taurus/Jupiter in Aries/South Node Rx in Scorpio

South Node Rx square Pallas in Cancer

So before we get into the meat here, it bears note that the square between Pluto/ North Node (and friends)/ South Node and Pallas is something that has been kicking around for several weeks and shows no signs of altering during the month of May. It is a baseline challenge that will be humming throughout everything we experience. It may feel as if things are just harder than they should be, or that you simply can’t get any traction on those big ideas. Impatience and frustration with that will be a constant, so it would behoove you to put that understanding in as a baseline so that it doesn’t feel brand new each time you bump into it.

Now, with the Sun and Mercury conjunct in Taurus, you will start to get a sense of alignment between your core system and your mental processes. You’ll definitely feel like you have you mind on the prize and that you have the ability to get there without internal conflict. You’ll be neatly focused on mapping out goals that are oriented around your security and your material comforts; It will feel pretty easy to draw that out and get a sense of where you are going. So that’s nice. Where it might be not so nice is when you start confronting some of your old paradigms that will show up to be cleared so that you can move forward in this new fashion.

Enter Pallas, the asteroid of Athena or our inner wisdom warrior. Cancer Pallas is a bit of a traditionalist, and looks to old ways to find solutions for new problems. We aren’t there right now, and that instinct feels wrong even as you try to use it. So that can be disorienting and definitely bring up the frustration that is inherent with this square. That South Node is our collective karma point and it has been in Scorpio for a good long while dragging all kinds of karmic dross up from the bottom of the sea. Cancer Pallas becomes the resistance point here that insists that the old way had value and if we could just get back to those ‘traditional’ ways we should be able to clean up the muck.

Do you hear the rest of that square laughing? That isn’t this. We can’t go back and we can’t solve new problems with old tools. The Taurus Sun and Taurus Mercury know this, but they both want the solutions to be easier and more comfortable than they are turning out to be. Unfortunately, that isn’t this.

Now on top of all that, we factor in Pluto stationing to Retrograde in Aquarius. Pluto deals with what needs to die in order to create new life. He is the master cycle of birth/life/death/rebirth and he is in a high-minded sign that generally takes the big picture, long view. We have been feeling this and it has been responsible for so much of the change that we are wading through. However, now, stationing to retrograde, that all takes a big in breath. You get a chance to check in, to look at what you missed and to course correct. This is all good. Its is all good with all of these other things as long as you resist that urge to get stuck gazing in the rear view on the quest for solutions.

Look at the karma, think creatively about it, sit and let it simmer and whatever you do….don’t panic and don’t dwell in frustration. Pluto will be retrograde for a while, but this sticky Pallas leaves Cancer and starts to move here real soon.

May 3 — Juno enters Gemini

Pallas enters Leo

Pallas in Leo opposition Pluto Rx in Aquarius

Some of the frustration from earlier in the week dissipates as we see two key asteroids move into much lighter signs. Juno leaves Taurus and heads into airy Gemini, while Pallas leaves watery Cancer and heads into fiery Leo. On a base level, this indicates that the time for movement is at hand.

Juno represents committed relationships and when it shifts into Gemini, we start to feel clearer about where we are and what we need to be communicating. Gemini is known to be flirty and it isn’t often taken seriously in love, so that does apply if you are single and out for a good time. This placement will open doors to new possibilities and new partnerships. If you let yourself get out there and be free, you may be surprised at what turns up. For those of you already in committed relationships, this opens up avenues of conversation and communication that can have older, more familiar relationships feeling fresh again. I suggest you take advantage of it.

The addition of Pallas moving into Leo throws some fire into the mix. This combination is known for quick thinking, fearlessness and bravery. So you may find yourself leaping into decisions with full confidence that everything will work out. I’d say to be careful, but y’all need the boost after the last several weeks of wondering how the fuck this was all going to get done. This here is it getting done the way it needs to be done.

Now, Pallas is still square to the Pluto, but the dynamic will be slightly different. Now we see an urge to make spanky new decisions that may or may not be aligned with the time that retrograded Pluto needs. You will have to be careful to keep the pace, avoid drama and to only take concrete actions when you are certain they are in alignment with your long term goals.

May 05 — Full moon lunar eclipse in Scorpio conjunct South Node Rx in Scorpio

Moon in Scorpio opposition Sun in Taurus/Mercury Rx in Taurus/ Vesta in Taurus/ Sedna in Taurus/North Node in Taurus

South Node Rx in Taurus opposition Mercury Rx in Taurus/Jupiter in Aries/Vesta in Taurus/Sedna in Taurus

This is a tough one, y’all. Tempers will be hot, tongues will be sharp and there is true emotional danger in the mix. Please don’t make any decisions for the next couple of days until you all settle the fuck down.

Moon in Scorpio is a decently vicious placement.(My apologies to all you natal Scorpio Moons, but come on, you know.) It has an uncanny ability to pull up secrets and isn’t known for trusting anything that anybody says at face value. Scorpio Moon is a powerful well and it doesn’t take any shit from anyone. This Scorpio Moon is a collective experience and it has conjuncted the karmic South Node that we have previously discussed. That sucker is dragging all the skeletons out, and when it joins forces with this Moon, it drags out the funky shit. I don’t know what we are going to find, but I think its going to be something massive. There is something we all need to own in order for it to clear, and here it comes.

But wait. There’s more. Not only is it all that but it is also a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse. This is going to literally freeze time for everyone to get a look at what is behind the curtain. You’d think eclipses would obscure that, but it works somewhat the opposite. It is as if the act of the earth separating the moon and the sun gives the moon time to unload its secrets, and once the light returns they are there for all to see. Full moon light, so be aware. If you think you are hiding shit, you won’t be after this goes down. Truth will out.

What’s even crazier about the whole thing is that this revelatory conjunction is in opposition to all kinds of Taurus—including collective themes of money, government and religion. Expect your eyes to be opened to how these large scale concepts play inside your very personal microcosm. You will be impacted and you can’t really pretend any longer that you aren’t intimately involved in the Matrix. Whatever comes at us from those bigger, more impersonal levels will be reflected in our smaller domains. Our interconnectedness—cosmic, earthly, human, gross and subtle—will be thrown into relief.

Stay home. Light a candle. Meditate. When something comes up, observe it, filter it, own it, bless it and let it go. If you really feel the need to go digging for secrets, tonight is the night. Just be sure you know what you are asking for. With this collection of planets and asteroids, you’ll surely get a lot more than you bargained for.

May 6 — Ceres stations direct in Virgo

You’re probably feeling a little rocked with that moon, and you may be experiencing unexpected fallout. Luckily, the Universe has a great sense of timing that we can totally roll with here. Ceres, the asteroid of nurturing and caring stations today to go direct in Virgo. This opens up opportunities to care for ourselves by taking care of the very basic details. For the next several weeks, spend some time getting your ducks in a row. Its a good time to start new routines that can take the pressure off us long-term. Take care of your physicality, maybe start a fitness routine or prep meals. Give yourself a solid bedtime and a measured end to the workday. This is ‘tidy up’ energy that contributes to healthy boundaries.

And we all know that good boundaries are the best self-care.

May 8 — Venus enters Cancer

Venus trine Saturn in Pisces/ South Node Rx in Scorpio

You know something is up and you just can’t put your finger on it. All your Spidey senses are tingling, and you have a feeling that there is something you are missing. Go with it and listen to your intuition. If something isn’t right, it isn’t right.

Venus in Cancer is extremely connected to the emotional field. If something is going on with your family or your loved ones, you will know it way down in your gut and you will absolutely need to take care of it. Get them talking if you can. You have the benefit of that South Node as well as a Saturn in Pisces that is working behind the scenes with this Venus. Both give you an ability to look beyond the surface and into the structural nature of things. So while, yes, you are hyper intuitive, you are also incredibly grounded in the way things are ordered. So if there is a glitch in that matrix, you will sense it right away.

Trust it.

May 09 — Sun in Taurus conjunct Uranus in Taurus/Vesta in Taurus

You may find yourself elevating comfort into a spiritual practice. Your home is asking to be re-sanctified, and your spiritual goals are looking to realigned with your earthly needs. There is a good deal of earth-shaking going on, much the same way that a dog shakes off water. Something you no longer need has crumbled into small enough pieces that you now feel comfortable sloughing them off. This allows you the mental/spiritual space to re-evaluate things that have been causing you discomfort and dis-ease—things that may have been too big to tackle before.

Reorienting yourself now is much easier, as long as you keep comfort as a measurement of your true north. We are leaving that old paradigm that says we must suffer in order to progress. Remember, this isn’t that. We are trying to get away from the concept of force as a marker of grit. Believe me when I tell you that you have to reset your compass to always guide you towards ease. Trust that spirit always flows you in the right direction.

That’s how we make it through.

May 11—Moon in Aquarius conjunct Pluto Rx in Aquarius square Mercury Rx in Taurus/Jupiter in Aries/North Node Rx in Taurus/South Node Rx in Scorpio

Pallas in Leo square Mercury Rx in Taurus/Jupiter in Aries/ Sedna in Taurus/ North Node Rx in Taurus/South Node Rx in Scorpio

Ceres in Virgo trine Sun in Taurus/Uranus in Taurus/Pluto in Aquarius

This big, messy square is an amplified echo of the Square we have been dealing with all month. The key differences are, once again, with Pallas and the additional energy of a Moon conjunction with Pluto.

There is an emotional consideration now that puts a spin on things. With the Moon in Aquarius, we are prone to stepping back from our emotional fields and taking a hyper logical perspective. There is a propensity to lean into the “greater good” instead of our innate, emotional intuition. On a certain level, we want to take action so badly that we are willing to sacrifice some of our softer feelings just to get it all done. On another level, we are actually shutting these emotions down to be able to face the big changes at hand. This can be a disaster or a gift, depending on how you manage it.

You may be so tied up in clearing the karma and finding the dharma that you intellectualize what you are experiencing and deny the emotional toll. You may feel like you have to jump on that decision and get yourself there, no matter the cost. You may more easily let go of the smaller things that you need and then resent the hell out of the people in your life who didn’t see that that was what you were doing. These behaviours may get you where you need to go, but there will be an emotional price to pay later.

Or. You can stay with that flow of spirit that leads you to comfort and ease, making the correct change at the correct time, staying above the chaos and keeping the eagle’s eye view. If you know your boundaries, and know what you need in order to be healthy and sane, then you can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done and not a moment before or a moment later. Tune into the vibe of Ceres and get tidy with your soul; it has the help of a solid Taurus Sun and that retrograde Pluto.

Timing is everything.

May 14 — Mars in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces

Moon in Pisces trine Venus in Cancer

Mercury stations direct in Taurus

Big mystical energy here that lets you very, very easily tune in to the messages from spirit. Your guidance system is fully online today and if you sit quietly, you will be able to receive all the information you need to keep on keeping on. This is where the spiritual rubber meets the road and all of that trust you should have been cultivating pays off.

If you have still be forcing things, now is the time to get back in touch with your spiritual practice, whatever that may be, so that you can get into the right frequency. You’ll need that now that Mercury stations to go direct and we can all start moving forward just a little bit faster.

May 17 — Jupiter enters Taurus

Jupiter in Aries has felt a bit like sitting on a rocket ship piloted by a freshly napped toddler. The energy has been very fast, intense, and not terribly focused. Now, with the shift into Taurus, we can slow down, settle down, and use that big energy to get into the grit of things. This is a good bit of juice to help us reconnect with our earth. Taurus Jupiter is very sensual and has a true appreciation of just how good things can be. On this day, take a minute to feel the ground beneath your feet. Taste your food with attention and wonder. Observe all of the small luxuries in your life and notice just how wonderful they help make things. Over the next few months, whenever you can, take the time to appreciate the small sensual pleasures of life.

May 19 — New moon in Taurus

Take just a minute here to review what the month has brought you thus far. There has been a lot of VERY BIG energy that you have almost had to ignore in order to embrace. I think you have been tasked with finding your inner house cat, and those lessons are something that you need to book mark for when you feel the urge to push through when you should instead flow through. This has been a time of really noting the correct time and place for the correct level of force or surrender.

With this New Moon in Taurus, there is an opportunity to set down some intentions for the next lunar cycle that are geared towards solidifying this skill set. Get back in touch with your earthly goals and then plant those seeds in a way that allows them to grow as they should. This is not hard core manifestation time, where you jam your goals down the Universe’s throat. This is learning to co-create with the Source, understanding the true nature of Time.

There is a season for everything. Have you learned how to work with that?

May 20 — Mars enters Leo

Mars in Leo opposition Pluto Rx in Aquarius

Mars finally leaves uncomfortable Cancer and heads into Leo for the next several weeks. This is a fairly easy marriage of energies, even if it can somewhat brash. Mars likes a good fight, and in Leo it loves the good fight. So if you have done all that lunar work, this should help you get a grasp on when it is time to fight. Leo really only likes the fight if it is worthy—and if it can win. If you think about that energy in conjunction with everything else this month has asked of you, it really does look like we are being primed to win our next evolution.

The kink in the matrix is that Leo Mars is immediately thrust in opposition to the retrograded Aquarian Pluto. You may find that you feel ready to roll in like a lion and—once again—the timing isn’t quite there. So just take a breath, don’t engage in battle just because you feel like it, avoid crowds and just do your own thing.

May 22 — Sun enters Gemini

Sun in Gemini trine Pluto in Aquarius

Sun in Gemini sextile Mars in Leo

Mars in Leo square Jupiter in Taurus

There is a whole bunch of disparate energy today—most of it good. But there are a few kinky points (and not the fun kind) that bear noting.

First, the Sun moves into Gemini, heralding the start of summertime mojo. There is a great lightness to Gemini Sun that encourages you to have fun, be thoughtful and curious and to simply enjoy the company of others. Please roll into that and ask all the questions you need in order to gather the multi-faceted intelligence required to healthfully navigate this changing world. This aspect brings out our inner detective to investigate the truth of deeper issues.

However, there is a bit of ne’er do well in the mix that we have to be careful of. That Mars can make you think you are a little too smart. It can negate the humility needed to truly learn and it can make us all more competitive and self-centric. That special type of arrogance can also make us bite off more than we can (or should) chew.

When we look at this Mars squared up to the Taurus Jupiter, we encounter a special type of stubbornness that manifests as a belief in being right. You just won’t be interested in being proved wrong, so that can lead to arguments, grudges and straight out fights. People who like to stir the pot will be extra special on hand; avoid them like the plague.

May 26 — Moon in Leo opposition Hygiea in Aquarius

Check your mental health, people. Check in on your friends and family just to see if everyone is okay. We have had a lot of lessons to master this month and that creates a very interesting type of energy here—very fuck this, fuck you, fuck it, I do what I want. I’m not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but it can possibly create extra problems. Just check in with your head and make sure it is screwed on right.

May 28 —Moon in Virgo trine Mercury in Taurus/Uranus in Taurus/Sedna in Taurus/Vesta in Taurus

Moon in Virgo square Sun in Gemini/Juno in Gemini (conjunct)

Back to the basics, y’all. It is time to get back to the basics.

Whether you are conscious of it or not, you have been fundamentally re-writing your operating system for the last several months. This month, in particular, has been the piece of that code that is sealing that work in and getting you into the proper flow to handle what is coming. You’ve been asking for it—we all have—and it is in process of landing. This interesting trine here is something that forces you to go back and check your math, making sure that you haven’t left anything out of the equation.

Virgo Moon helps us to remember and feel our most basic emotional needs. Is she hungry? Is she sleepy? Does she need a hug? These are the types of things that this Moon checks in with; this is how love is shown. It is working in harmony with the pieces of you that are still working through Taurus. Your thought processes, your drive to change, your optimism and your dedication to soul are all being checked in with through this earthy moon.

This same process is in conflict with the pieces of you that long for more adventure. Parts of you are all done with this earth process and just need everything to lighten up. I get that, and it is a very healthy type of conflict if you just take a breath and let the tension pass. Those pieces of you are going to be heard and tended to—just not today. So wait until the time is right.

May 29—Moon in Virgo conjunct Ceres in Virgo

How are you taking care of yourself? I really need you to take inventory of that today and set it to rights. Health is the first Wealth, people. Take care of yourself.