Frank Martin Don LLC - Professional Intuitive & Astrological Consultant

May… putting down roots…

This May can be a highly productive month, a time when we make our plans for the future with full awareness of the vagaries of radical change occurring around us and in our world. We can devise a best practices approach by which to realize our goals and achieve our aims. We may be able to come up with innovative ways by which to stretch our finances, making our monies go further under the impending inflationary currents that may become increasingly evident. The early part of the month offers focused energies by which we can budget our time and our expenses and concentrate on the truly important while letting go of the extraneous.

This month is a time for us to put down roots for our new projects and new activities. We can build upon rock now, for we have the ability of considering different facets that may impinge upon our plans, all the while maintaining flexibility in order to adapt to shifting conditions.

We start the month with no planets in Fire Signs, six planets in Earth Signs, one planet in an Air Sign, and three planets in Water Signs. The month begins with three planets in Cardinal Signs, four planets in Fixed Signs, and three planets in Mutable Signs. One planet is in a Positive Sign, nine planets in Negative Signs.

This month of May starts with a great imbalance. We have no Fire, little Air and a strong focus on the Earth Element. While we might not be fired up and ready to go, we can take some of the thrust of enthusiasm we might have felt back in April and now give our thoughts and abstract concepts greater form. If we see May as a period of putting into effect the ideas and plans of April, then we can create solid foundation stones for our intentions, for this month of May begins with a Stellium of three or more planets in Taurus with Venus, the Sun and Mercury in the Fixed Earth Sign ruled by Venus. This Stellium is short-lived for Mercury exits Taurus on the 2nd to enter its own Sign of Gemini.

We also have an Earth Grand Trine operational into the third week of May with the planets in Taurus trine Saturn in Virgo and trine Pluto in Capricorn. And on the 1st, Venus emphasizes this Grand Trine by exactly trining Pluto and trining Saturn.

The month begins with an emphasis on effectiveness, on creating both a strong base of operations and presenting ourselves in a competent and stylish manner.

The positive energies of this month should not be lost, for the first three weeks of this month provide one of the most productive periods of this year.

Despite the volatility of these times and the increased anxiety generated by the radical swings in emotions and heightened sense of lack and limitations, this month allows us to create a composure and an ability to embrace the adage: necessity is the mother of invention.

If we avoid falling into a victim role, we can assess the present situation, consider the likely unfolding of conditions and make the necessary preparations not only to survive these times but in fact to thrive during these times.

Stasis tends to contribute to stagnation. Dynamics offer opportunities of transformation and witness to things turning on a dime. We are in a dynamic phase, one that could prove challenging to those who assume past circumstances will continue into the future or to those who feel the need of someone else making it right for them.

Thinking outside the box, considering options not otherwise taken into account, taking responsibility for our actions and testing the waters of new techniques and new activities could all prove useful tools in our skill set for taking advantage of the dynamics of these times.

On the 2nd, Mercury enters its own Sign of Gemini. Our mind can consider various possibilities, entertain a myriad of ideas. Also on the 2nd, Saturn ends its retrograde cycle begun back in December. As though a weight is lifted, we may find that delays and frustrations start to drop away. We are coming out of our annual period of hibernation that Saturn retrograde represents. We have greater abilities to move things forward in a detail-focused way. We do have to watch for believing that past successes can be replicated in the present. Old patterns and old mindsets need to be updated as Mercury squares Saturn on the 3rd. We can engage in many possibilities but it would be important that we not get locked by old beliefs nor skip over important details in a rush to get on with life.

The Taurus New Moon on the 5th offers fertile ground for us to plant our new seeds of Springtime projects. The emphasis is upon doing it differently, streamlining our operations and balancing both the form and content so that they both serve and enhance each other. We may decide to do a Spring cleaning, clear the clutter and utilize new techniques by which we can be more effective with less expenditure of energy. Let’s keep in mind that we are being asked to juggle more and more on a daily basis. While our activities list is fuller than ever before, we also have to be aware that in our juggling the surrounding conditions are changing. More so than ever before, it is important that we embrace the Taoist saying: ‘bend like a reed or break like an oak’.

Flexibility and adaptability are key elements to surfing the waves of these times.

On the 9th, Jupiter transiting through Capricorn goes retrograde and will be retrograde until early September. Our desire for expanding our interests may have to take a back seat as we deal with unanticipated variables that come out of the blue. Humility and a willingness to be a co-creator of our destiny rather than trying to master our universe may be asked of us in recognizing that the higher forces and the universe may have a far better plan for us than we could ever imagine for ourselves. It is best that we be open to peripheral vision and willing to try things differently.

The 9th also has Mars entering Leo. The long Mars transit of Cancer is over, and we may feel that we have greater vitality and desire to put our imprint on our activities and on our lives. We might feel as though we had gained a second wind with greater enthusiasm and a desire to embrace the joie de vivre, the joy of living.

On the 12th, the Taurus Sun sextiles Uranus and trines Jupiter. We are looking for change in our lives, ways by which we can become more autonomous, freer in our self-expression. Now is a time for us to test the waters, whether those waters are trying new experiences we have never tried before, or making changes in our home environment and the ways we do things. Experimentation would be important now for it provides us a mirror regarding where we have been and where we intend to go in our lives.

The 14th has the Sun square Neptune. We may feel a little dazed, even somewhat confused about our prospects, our friends, our future plans. While things tried may fall away, the fact that we tried reinforces the sense of our intention to make changes in our lives to improve our lifestyle.

The Taurus Sun sextile Uranus and trine Jupiter on the 12th is followed on the 18th by Venus in Taurus sextile Uranus and trine Jupiter. Get-togethers and gatherings could prove great fun with new contacts and even potentially new infatuations adding some verve to our lives. Although connections with others can be enlivening, Venus squares Neptune on the 14th. We have to watch for misreading other people, for the liability of the trickster, someone appearing one way the reality being different, is strong now. We could easily put someone on a pedestal, give someone the benefit of the doubt, all the while that we are seeing the potential rather than the reality.

The Scorpio Full Moon on the 19th, just before the Sun moves into Gemini, asks us to do an inventory-taking. Are we dealing with situations that truly have meaning for us or are we being distracted by wishful thinking and impossible dreams? We may find that a sense of contraction starts up again with a need to budget and stick close to our budget, both in regards to our time and our finances.

As the Sun moves into Gemini on the 20th, Venus squares Neptune. With Gemini the Sign of the Twins and the energy from the 20th on being like a metronome, we have to watch for potential whipsaws of extremes during the rest of the month.

Jupiter sextiles Uranus on the 21st which could allow us to believe that we can pull rabbits out of the hat. Maybe we can, but it would be wise to be cautious in making moves dependent upon luck and remote possibilities. On the 22nd, the Sun squares Saturn, and we might feel as though we had been punched in the gut. Our energy can drop precipitously and we might realize that we had not attended to all the details or paid attention to the specifics.

The whipsaw continues on as Venus exits Taurus and enters Gemini on the 24th, thereby creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mutable Air Sign with Venus joining the Sun and Mercury in the Mercury-ruled Sign. We may find ourselves scurrying around through the rest of the month, even reminiscent of Alice’s Mad Hatter feeling that we are late for some important event but not fully cognizant of the world around us.

On the 26th, the potential for zaniness could be ratcheted up severalfold. Venus squares Saturn on that day, and in addition Neptune turns retrograde and Mercury turns retrograde. We now have a Stellium in Gemini with Mercury in its own Sign turning retrograde for its second of this year’s three retrogrades which continues until June 19th. Any important decisions or signing of important documents would be better done either before the Mercury retrograde or after. For as we are all becoming increasingly aware, Mercury retrograde is often like Murphy’s Law where ‘whatever can go wrong will’.

May begins on a high note and like a well-composed symphony we can put the different aspects of our lives in a well-ordered and melodic manner. This ability to accomplish and put down roots continues into the third week of May when dissonance and cacophony could become more the rule.

Carpe diem, let’s seize the day, and take advantage of the opportunities during the days of these first three weeks of May.

May… putting down roots…

This week begins with the Taurus New Moon and ends with Mother’s Day on Sunday. The fortnight between a New Moon and Full Moon is a great period to get things going. And this Taurus New Moon provides us the energy to expand our perspective and to consider alternatives to our same old, same old. We do have to be careful not to be seduced by fool’s gold, things that might seem wonderful but may in fact be a needless distraction for us.

This week could seem like a carom between old and new, as situations, people and incidents from our past pop up unexpectedly while we also have sudden opportunities to explore new realms.

Apart from Monday’s New Moon, the two other significant planetary events of the week occur on Friday with Jupiter turning retrograde and Mars entering Leo. Mars entering Leo ends a very long Mars transit of Cancer which began at the end of September and has continued on into May with a brief retrograde back into Gemini from the end of December into early March.

Although Jupiter retrograde could have us looking back at lost possibilities, we may also feel the contractive phase of increased costs fueled by exponentially increasing gas prices, accelerating debt carrying charges and decreasing food availability. Let’s recognize that Jupiter is transiting Capricorn, Saturn’s Sign and consequently the sense of lack and shortages could be ratcheted up. We have certainly seen it since Jupiter first entered Capricorn back in December, a transit that comes to an end in January with Jupiter then moving into Aquarius.

The movement of Mars into Leo can give us a needed energy boost. The fatigue and lethargy that we might have felt for the past six months may finally lift. Instead, we could feel as though we had gained a second wind, ready to put our mark on our lives and looking to embrace the fun in living.

This week, like life itself, has its ups and downs. Let’s not get carried away when we’re in the ‘up’ mode and not get overly depressed or defeated when in the ‘down’ mode. The more we can plant the seeds of our new projects or reinvent ways of doing our normal routine, the more likely we may accomplish our goals this week.

Monday, May 5th – Methodically Widening – Taurus New Moon, Sun, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune. Monday starts the week with the Taurus New Moon and a new lunar waxing cycle. This New Moon reinforces the Earth Grand Trine and the ability of manifestation, of taking our hopes and wishes and putting them into practical effect. Apart from the Sun Moon conjunction, the Moon also sextiles Uranus, trines Jupiter and squares Neptune. We can broaden our scope and widen our realm if we will utilize streamlined methods to expedite our tasks, check the conditions and circumstances and not get distracted by useless meanderings. This Monday is a great day to lay the foundation stones of our projects. We can think outside the box, make necessary changes to our plans and still expand our interests. We do have to watch for naysayers or those people that want to lead us down the garden path without revealing the brambles along the way. Taking things step by step, even with some sidesteps or off the straight approach, will keep us from leaping ahead into a void or into unrealistic possibilities. This day can be a productive day when we can advance our interests methodically, all the while considering more activities to add to our list.

Tuesday, May 6th – Moving Forward, Stumbling Along – Mars, Saturn, Mercury. Tuesday begins with the Taurus Moon sextile Mars. We may be geared up to continue the successes achieved on Monday, whether it is moving forward with projects already under way or starting up new programs. While we have a continuity of yesterday early on this Tuesday, the energy suddenly shifts as the Moon enters Gemini where it squares Saturn and conjuncts Mercury. We may find that outstanding matters are demanding our attention. We might realize that we have not fully attended to all the essential details. We could feel as though monkey wrenches are being put in the spokes of our wheels and occurring just as we are ready to ramp our activity level. Our mind is likely to be active, considering countless ideas, but our ability to focus could be less than supreme and we could even feel as though the wind has been knocked out of us. No need to despair. We may have to go back over things and take care of matters we thought completed. But it doesn’t necessitate our breakdown, only a slowdown.

Wednesday, May 7th – Out of Left Field – Uranus, Neptune. Wednesday has the Gemini Moon square Uranus and trine Neptune. Unexpected situations could crop up that knock us off center and intrude on our scheduled plans. Even if we have to deal with matters that arise, this Wednesday calls for us to be nimble and quick. It is important that we don’t fall into a victim mode, assuming that we can only react to situations rather than taking a proactive approach. Even if we have to put some of our plans on hold, we can still blueprint our prospects and recognize that by our intention we can eventually deal with those things that are calling us. Talking with good friends can alleviate anxiety. It isn’t a question of ‘misery loves company’. Other people can help us take off blinders and not get so caught up in an immediate reaction. As sounding boards, other people can help us see the bigger picture and realize that any setbacks may be only temporary while our future plans are germinating and gestating for a more appropriate time to evolve.

Thursday, May 8th – Clearing Up – Pluto, Saturn. There are times when we just have too much on our plate. This Thursday allows us to do an inventory taking, and then get rid of the superfluous and extraneous in order to focus on the truly meaningful in our lives. Today we have the Moon moving into its own Sign of Cancer where it opposes Pluto and sextiles Saturn. While there may be pulls between what we have to do on the home front and matters concerning our involvement in the world, it would be best for us to prioritize today and focus on pressing issues and situations that matter the most. Even if we’ve been somewhat scattered over the past two days, this Thursday allows us to clear things up and clean things out. We can tie up loose ends and create a best practices approach to our tasks. Although we may be somewhat intense when we first awaken, once we gain our rhythm this day can allow us to accomplish a lot. Let’s just be sure that we’ve created the right format and the right methods to achieve what we feel we need to get done. This Thursday can be a highly effective day as long as we don’t get too emotional about things and we maintain an objective detachment.

Friday, May 9th – Switching Gears – Venus, Sun, Uranus, Jupiter, Jupiter retrograde, Mars Leo. Friday can be one of the best days of this week if we are willing to surf the shifting tides. The Cancer Moon sextiles both Venus and the Sun in Taurus and trines Uranus in Pisces. Today is a day to add a little color to our lives --- buying Springtime flowers for our home or purchasing small accessories that recharge and refresh our living environment. Our image can be nurturing and well put together. Style and grace can be the hallmarks of this day. We do have two significant changes today, as Jupiter turns retrograde and Mars exits Cancer to enter Leo. The Jupiter retrograde could create a stalling of any expansionary plans we might have. We may feel as though we have so much on our plate that we have to postpone adding further activities to our lives. We could even question whether we have the necessary resources to advance our interests. Let’s keep in mind that timing is everything. Although Jupiter is turning retrograde, Saturn turned direct last week. We now have the ability to move forward in a more cautious and focused manner. A tendency to broaden our scope based upon discontent with our present conditions can be restrained as we willingly recognize the importance of dealing with the reality of present conditions, taking things in a methodical manner and not trying to leap ahead without concern for real circumstances. Mars entering Leo gives us a necessary oomph to our actions. We are more interested in recreation and re-creation than we have been for a while. Even the issue of the ‘housing crisis’ that has swept the developed countries over the past year could seem on the edge of falling off the radar screen as it takes a back seat to our search for pleasurable activities and fun events. Friday evening could be a celebration with family and friends as we feel a veil being lifted and we are better able to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Saturday, May 10th – For the Good Times – Mars. Saturday has the Moon moving into Leo where it conjuncts Mars which has just entered Leo. No matter what our plans for this day may have been, we are looking to have some fun, engage in pleasurable pursuits and emphasize the vibrancy of our lives. We may want to shine today and a tendency to exaggeration or excess cannot be discounted. People may want to stand out, grandstand and emphasize their accomplishments. After the anxiety of recent weeks we should not be too surprised if some people are pushing the envelope and doing things to an extreme. Let’s keep in mind the saying that ‘if you dance to the music, you pay to the piper’. This Saturday it would be wise to maintain restraint regarding our expenditures and our exuberance. Otherwise, we could find ourselves ratcheting up our debt load and being too overbearing for some people. Having fun is the key focus of this day, and it doesn’t necessitate huge investments to find those good times.

Sunday, May 11th – Remembrances – Mercury, Venus, Sun. Sunday is Mother’s Day and this Mother’s Day has the Leo Moon sextile Mercury and square both Venus and the Sun. We can pay our respects, engage in recollections of past times and generally honor our Mothers and those important women in our lives. If we will keep the conversations light and fluffy, then this day can avoid the psychological discourses of times that might not have been so pleasant. Today is not a day for intense internal work, although the day itself may beckon that tendency. Yes, we may all tend to conjure up past situations and past remembrances. If we go there, let’s go for a brief visit and not spend too much time by getting stuck there. If we want to critique or criticize elements of our past, we could find ourselves drawing lines in the sand and butting heads with other people’s perspectives of the same events. It would be wise to keep in mind the fact that we all see the same event in different ways according to our viewpoint and our psychological makeup. We do not have to go overboard today, although there could be a tendency to buy ourselves a sense of importance by the expenditures we make in celebrating this hallmark day. Light and airy are the main ways to keep this day from getting maudlin or rigid in our opinions.

This week begins with a sense of expansionary newness and ends with a sense of expansionary newness. Can we call it Spring fever? We may want to test the waters and stretch beyond our normal parameters. We are in search of adventure, open to the possibilities of the universe and participating in the magical, mystery tour of synchronicity, unexpected situations developing and virtually arising out of the blue.

The week begins with the Sun sextile Uranus and Sun trine Jupiter. The week ends with Venus sextile Uranus and Venus trine Jupiter.

This is a week when we should keep our eyes and ears wide open. While there can be some wonderful surprises and interesting social interactions, we also need to be certain that any such occasions aren’t merely momentary whims or brief interludes sprinkled in our usual, daily routine. If we were to assume that we had stepped onto the yellow brick road and only had to step ahead to reach the land of Oz or some other paradise realm, we might fall prey to illusions or delusions.

A sense of proceeding slowly, evaluating circumstances, and stopping to smell the flowers would keep us from racing forward and possibly committing some ill-conceived actions or making spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Amidst all the frivolity this week allows, we do experience a Sun square Neptune mid-week. We could easily buy into the assumption that things have turned on a dime, and that this turning is the trend and course of events from now on. Oh happy day!

It may not be so.

If we can appreciate the magic of moments, then this week can be enlivening and uplifting.

Monday, May 12th – Stepping Out – Sun, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto, Saturn. Monday is a great day to try something new, something different from the daily routine. We start the week with the Sun sextile Uranus and Sun trine Jupiter. We may be looking to make changes in our wardrobe, our personal style, or in our living environment. We want to add more life, more zest to our life experience. We might decide to go on a shopping spree, willing to explore the new sense of ‘me’. Some of our sparkle could also be in reaction to our moods, for we start the day with the Moon in Leo opposed Neptune. We are looking to put our mark on things, to add some panache to our living experience. While we might not be able to wipe the slate clean, we can certainly add some spice to life. Other people might not get this new need for freedom we may be feeling. So be it. We don’t have to throw over the applecart but we can stretch and broaden our reach and our activities. The early morning hours can be somewhat confusing as we battle between what we want to do and what we should do. This seesaw could have us in something of a stasis for the Moon after making its opposition to Neptune then goes Void-of-Course for over ten and a half hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Leo and before entering Virgo. If we will take some time to be ‘free’ and do something on a whim, then later in the day as the Moon moves into Virgo and trines Pluto then conjuncts Saturn, we could find that we are being far more effective. We may be able to get more done if we take a brief break from our routine during the morning hours. As if getting a second wind, we can then accomplish a great deal in the afternoon, even though we may have a tinge of resentment if we’re feeling tethered to our routine. This Monday is a great day to step out and test the waters. We don’t have to dive into the deep end, but the more we embrace newness, the more invigorated we are likely to become.

Tuesday, May 13th – This and That – Mercury, Venus. After yesterday’s kaleidoscope of possibilities, Tuesday could seem a bit of a let down. We may feel like a horse that has been bounding about in the meadow, now back in the stable and having blinders put on. While our mind may be a whirl of possibilities, we do have to watch that in our rapids of various thoughts we don’t get lost to the specifics or the details. Today is a day to focus, more attuned to micromanaging rather than the big picture. The Virgo Moon squares Mercury and trines Venus. If we would harness the many ideas circulating in our mind, then we could concentrate on taking care of particulars in a manner that is well put together and quite pleasing. We need to be careful that we don’t say too much or that our conversations don’t become incessant ramblings about this, that and the other with no real segues between any of them, just a current of words, thoughts and ideas. By not getting too excitable, we can attend to what needs to be done, straighten up our environment and present things in a pleasing and impressive manner.

Wednesday, May 14th – Never Say Never – Sun, Neptune, Uranus, Lunar Grand Trine, Jupiter, Moon Void-of-Course. While Monday dealt with the internal basis while the external reality might have been more cumbersome, this Wednesday is quite the opposite. This Wednesday has the Sun square Neptune. We may feel slightly unsure of ourselves, questioning whether we have the resources or whether the timing is right to advance our goals. We have to be wary that we are not overly tentative and possibly seeing the half glass of water as not a half glass of water but either draining down to nothing or filling to overflowing. Today is a day when we might constantly question ourselves, wonder whether to move ahead, stay still, or step backward. All this internal questioning is unnecessary if we would only check the signposts given by the Moon’s actions. Today the Virgo Moon opposes Uranus then creates a Grand Trine by trining Jupiter in Capricorn and trining the Sun in Taurus. If we would consider our options and take into account alternatives not normally utilized, this day could be a day of manifestation, a day when the pieces fit neatly into the puzzle. Such magic can occur if we will get out of our own way. Like planting seeds or kneading dough, we can do our part but then we need to step away and allow the natural process to evolve. More things can be accomplished by our not overly finetuning or being overly insistent regarding the ways things should happen. As the day progresses, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for eleven hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Virgo and before entering Libra late in the day. The energy drops off and allows the universe a gestation phase for our activities to develop and grow.

Thursday, May 15th – Real People – Pluto, Mars. Thursday has the Libra Moon square Pluto and sextile Mars. Today is a day to consider our acquaintances, colleagues and friends. Are they truly supportive of our dreams and ambitions? Or are they concerned that in our realizing our hopes and wishes, it changes the equations between you and them? We all probably know the story of the basket of crabs, whereby one crab may try to pull itself up and get out of the basket, only to be pulled back down by the other crabs. This analogy may be one to keep in mind today, as we process those who are truly supportive of us and those who merely mouth the words but would prefer that we not get out of the basket. Today is a day to focus on personal best, to find avenues for our creative expression and to take pleasure in our accomplishments, not matter how grand or how small, even trivial, they might seem. We could be banging heads against other people today, especially those who want to control situations and be ‘in charge’. If we encounter such situations, it would be wise to employ the tai chi moves of diplomacy, grace, charm and moving the focus from intense scrutiny to light-hearted satire of the human condition. If we don’t get tripped up by the belligerent or the powers-that-be, then this day can prove a fun-filled day enjoying good times with real people who celebrate diversity rather than demand conformity.

Friday, May 16th – Reaching Out, Touching Someone – Lunar Grand Trine, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune. Friday can be a great day to get together with friends or that special someone in our lives. Whether we get together in person, by phone, email or carrier pigeon, this Friday is a day when we are interested in connecting with other people. Today the Libra Moon creates an Air Grand Trine as the Moon trines Mercury in Gemini and trines Neptune in Aquarius. There can be a great deal of discussions and pleasant conversations today. Even if it seems like idle chatter, our social interactions with other people today have real meaning and the ability to touch them and ourselves in a deep and significant manner. Ideas may be flowing, thoughts cascading, all with the sense of possibilities and recounting warm, intimate experiences. We may find ourselves addressing all the positive attributes of the people in our lives, the potentials and the characteristics. We do have to watch for possibly going somewhat overboard, for the Libra Moon also squares Jupiter. Communications that become too sugary sweet could seem almost like pandering, and there could be a tendency toward extravagance, excess and indulgence. Not a major problem however, for the day is too pleasant with good camaraderie and people letting down their guard, not trying to best other people but just enjoying the getting together and the warmth of human connection.

Saturday, May 17th – Checking Off the ‘To Do’ List – Pluto, Saturn, Mars. We may be slow starting on this Saturday, but when we get going we may be like a tornado roaring through our ‘to do’ list and taking care of a number of different errands. The Moon moves into Scorpio where it sextiles Pluto, sextiles Saturn and squares Mars. We can get a lot done, utilizing wise time management skills as we clear away the dross, the outmoded, the garbage and clean up our act. This Saturday is a great time to clean up, clear out the clutter and restructure our lives. We may find that we are doing a great deal of home projects or errands today. Things we might have put off can be done quickly and efficiently today. Although this day may be more attuned to getting things done, a part of us is likely to just want to have a good time and put on the back burner our ‘to do’ list. If we focus on our errands during the mid-part of the day, we can get so much done that later in the day we can enjoy our recreational activities. We do have to be careful not to engage in extreme actions. Like the tornado alluded to above, if we don’t release our energy through dealing with pesky errands, we could build up an energy that could prove destructive in its release through extreme sports, road rage, excessive spending or flying off the handle. No need to go there. Everything in its time. Releasing the energies by doing what needs to be done and then having time to do those things we want to do later in the day.

Sunday, May 18th – Fascinating Interactions – Venus, Uranus, Jupiter. We began the week on Monday with the Sun sextile Uranus and the Sun trine Jupiter. On Sunday, we revisit the Uranus sextile and Jupiter trine thanks to Venus. Today Venus sextiles Uranus and trines Jupiter. We might encounter meetings with new people who are fascinating and intriguing. Our world may be made a great deal larger by the people with whom we come into contact today. Even our friends and loved ones may have a different glow to them than the way we normally perceive them to be. This Sunday is a great day for social gatherings and get-togethers. We might be surprised by the people we ‘bump’ into or hear from. There is a sense of serendipity about our interactions today, somewhat akin to George Gurdjieff’s Meetings With Remarkable Men. As humans, we are social animals and this Sunday offers the opportunity for interesting get-togethers and greater appreciation of the people in our lives and those who come into our lives even if only for a momentary ‘hello’. Our world is a great deal richer by the people who sprinkle and sparkle our lives. Today is one of those days of sprinkling and sparkling.

This week reinforces the volatility of these times with some potentially wide and wild swings in sentiments and in the energies. The more that we can accomplish this week in a focused and determined manner, the better it would be. We can do our inventory-taking, eliminate needless activities and worthless projects, and establish the foundation stones of our future.

Although the energies may feel like an accordion with exuberant and expansionary tendencies countered by a sense of delays and restraints, this is a time for us to line our ducks up in a row, attend to the business at hand, and allow ourselves forays into new possibilities.

The energy is about to shift dramatically. We are moving from a pragmatic approach of dealing with situations realistically to a scattered disposition whereby ideas and wish fulfillment take the place of a grounded, step-by-step methodology.

The week begins with the Scorpio Full Moon and then sees both the Sun and Venus move out of Taurus and enter Gemini. In so doing, we lose the Grand Trine in the Earth Element that we have had since mid-April. By the end of the week, there is a Stellium of three or more planets in Mercury-ruled Gemini, reinforcing by Sign a Mutable Sign T-Square.

This is also the last week before we have the second of this year’s three Mercury retrograde cycles.

We are moving towards a time when people are likely to shoot from the lip, expressing themselves without having considered in depth what they are saying, and with a great deal of idle chatter that could prove both confusing and potentially leading us down the garden path. Before we get there, it would be wise for us to keep in mind that it is all well and good for us to have our head in the clouds, but only if we keep our feet firmly planted on the ground.

Monday, May 19th – What Stays, What Goes – Scorpio Full Moon, Uranus, Jupiter, Lunar T-Square, Venus, Neptune, Sun. Monday starts the week with the Moon in Scorpio initially trine Uranus and sextile Jupiter. This Uranus Jupiter interplay is a large part of this week, thanks to the Jupiter sextile Uranus exact on Wednesday. The more we consider our options and our alternatives, the more likely we are to expand our life’s possibilities in some interesting and unique ways. It is important for us to have our eyes and ears wide open in order to become aware of unexpected scenarios that we cannot even imagine for ourselves. Let’s remember that despite all the craziness in the world, the whipsaws between enthusiasm and depression, we are also on the threshold of magic times, when things occur not so much by our control or by our making them happen as much as being in the right place at the right time and taking advantage of surprising opportunities. Yes, we are entering a world of possibilities that are beyond the ken of our understanding, but only if we are open to the possibilities of the seemingly impossible. In order to have space for exciting new prospects, we may have to make some room. And to make some room, on this Monday we have the Scorpio Full Moon just before the Sun is about to exit Taurus and enter Gemini. Apart from the Jupiter Uranus influence, this Full Moon also has by Sign a Grand Cross in the Fixed Signs and by aspect a Lunar T-Square. With the Sun and Venus in Taurus, Mars in Leo, Neptune in Aquarius and the Moon finishing its transit of Scorpio, all Signs of the Fixed Quadruplicity are in play. Out with the old, in with the new can be a large factor on this Monday. If we will take an honest evaluation of our activities and projects today, we could wean ourselves from those situations that no longer serve us. Although we have all had a tendency to buy into the Protestant work ethic of constantly being busy, even if that means busy work that truly serves no purpose and has little meaning to us, today is a day to do a major cleaning and cleansing of our lives. We may be anxious about our finances today, wondering how we can deal with escalating costs without too great a sacrifice on our comfort zone. A realistic critiquing today allows us to see where we can cut back, where we can dispense with needless expenditures of our disposable income and where we can be more productive with less costs to ourselves both in time and in our monies. This Monday is a good day for us to consider our lives with the focus on what stays and what goes.

Tuesday, May 20th – Fact or Fiction – Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Mars, Sun Gemini. Tuesday could put a spanner in the works as we wonder whether we are seeing reality from a detached, clear perspective or viewing reality through rose-colored glasses of desired fulfillment. Tuesday has Venus square Neptune. We need to be careful of wasteful expenditures, buying into the fool’s gold of image rather than practicality. Our interactions with others today could be dicey, for we might be doing the dance with the trickster, someone appearing one way with the reality being far different. We may put people on pedestals or tear them down. Either way, we might be judging others based upon our emotions, feelings and first impression rather than a careful evaluation and reasoned judgment. Tuesday has the Sagittarius Moon square Saturn and trine Mars. We may be gung-ho and moving ahead, advancing our interests but in so doing we may be leaping before we look. We could skip over details, negate the specifics and not take the particulars into account. We may want what we want without an objective, honest critique of the situation. Before we make any major decision today, it would be wise to count to ten and also play the devil’s advocate regarding the situation. Separating fact from fiction is not always easy, and this Tuesday could prove even more difficult. The Sun also exits Taurus today and enters Gemini. The juggling is picking up speed. We are losing some of our careful, prodding ability to a more flying by the seat-of-our-pants tendency. We are increasingly interested in having and adding ever more balls in the air, as we all move towards an attention deficit disorder. We’re less interested in being focused and concentrating on situations and more fascinated by picking up the pace and keeping all the balls in the air.

Wednesday, May 21st – Can’t Sit Down – Jupiter, Uranus, Lunar T-Square, Mercury. Wednesday has Jupiter exactly sextile Uranus. We’ve been feeling the influence since February, experienced it exact back at the end of March, and now have it exact again. We’re looking at expanding our scope, moving into new terrain and in order to do so streamline our operations so that we can be more effective with less expenditure of energy. Thinking smarter and not working harder are key elements of this energy. Time management can go a long way towards achieving this goal and helping us realize our plans. As the saying goes: necessity is the mother of invention. With escalating living costs, we have the opportunity to see where we can cut back on the number of miles we drive and how we can piggyback our errands so that we spend less time on them and consolidate them into one trip rather than several trips. This Wednesday also has the Sagittarius Moon creating a Lunar T-Square in the Mutable Signs as the Moon opposes Mercury and squares Uranus. We may feel as though we can’t sit down. Ideas and thoughts may be running rampant and one thing we have to keep in mind is to be certain we engage our brain before shooting off at the lip. Our conversations today could be rambling discourses about this, that, and the other thing, virtually everything under the sun. We do have to be wary of unexpected situations throwing us off center. Although we are looking to try new things and do things differently, our desire for making changes could also open a Pandora’s Box whereby once instigated changes produce further changes and create issues coming out of the blue for us to deal with. We may be jumping from one thing to another today and focused intent could be lost. No worries. We are moving into a period when things are accelerating, life speeding up ever more so, and for us it will be important to pick up the pace. In so doing, let’s not become dysfunctional, cut too many corners, or allow the essentials to fall between the cracks.

Thursday, May 22nd – Tempering the Possibilities – Sun, Saturn, Moon Void-of-Course, Neptune, Pluto. Thursday could prove to be one of those days when the brakes are sharply applied, when our projects are reined in. Thursday has the Sun square Saturn. We might feel on overwhelm today, as though we had sought to go too far, too fast, all too soon. The wind may be knocked out of our sails, as we realize our ‘to do’ list of responsibilities seems endless with us having little aptitude to play catch up. And some of the items on our ‘to do’ list may be things we don’t even want to touch or go there. To some degree, and especially in the early part of the day, we just don’t have the energy to get there. The day begins with the Sagittarius Moon sextile Neptune. Our thoughts may be more on our possibilities for the future rather than our daily concerns and normal responsibilities. The Moon then goes Void-of-Course making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Sagittarius and before entering Capricorn. We may start this Thursday slow. We might feel as though we have so much, too much, to handle that all we want to do is pull the covers up over our head or else cry out ‘mental health day’ and hope that the world will go away. Even if we get a late start on the day, and even if we’re not operating at full capacity, we can start to prioritize our ‘to do’ list and see what we can take care of immediately and those things that need to wait for a later day. As the day progresses, the Moon moves into Capricorn where it conjuncts Pluto and trines Saturn. Suddenly, we’re ready, willing and able to see what works and what doesn’t. With those things that do work for us we can create the proper structure, format and methodology. We may not be enamored with what we have to do on this Thursday but after a morning hiatus of a long cup of coffee, hitting the snooze alarm more than once or just dawdling about, the energy picks up and we can get more done that we had anticipated on first arising. Yes, if not a mental health day, a mental health break in the morning would go along way in recharging our batteries and allowing us to be ever more productive in the afternoon.

Friday, May 23rd – Taking Care of Business. Friday has the Moon in Capricorn and that’s about it. There are no significant planetary interplays today. But with having gained a second wind in the later part of Thursday, we can use that energy to continue taking care of business. Straightening things up, checking more items on our ‘to do’ list, and generally doing those things that need to be done can help clear the decks and deal with our responsibilities. Let’s keep in mind that Mercury is about to turn retrograde, a three week cycle where we may not be able to fast forward as much as review, rework and reconsider. Therefore, the more we can get out of the way now, the less frustrating this next Mercury retrograde needs to be.

Saturday, May 24th – Hoping and Waiting – Jupiter, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course, Venus Gemini, Gemini Stellium. Saturday begins with the Capricorn Moon conjunct Jupiter and sextile Uranus. We may awaken with good intentions to do this, that, and the other. We might have many plans for this Saturday and some of these plans can be trying out new things. Intentions are all well and good, but the energies of the day might have a different idea. For while we start the day with enthusiasm and burst of energy, the Moon goes Void-of-Course for over fifteen hours making no further connections to the planets while finishing its transit of Capricorn and before entering Aquarius later in the day. From the initial thrust of energy in the early morning hours follows a thud when things either take longer than we like with us champing at the bit wanting to get on with it or some of our plans go awry as unexpected situations crop up demanding our attention. This Saturday also has Venus leaving its own Sign of Taurus and entering Gemini, creating a Stellium of three or more planets in the Mercury-ruled Sign as Venus joins the Sun and Mercury in the Mutable Air Sign. Increasingly we are likely to be interested in trying a little bit of everything rather than a more involved participation. We may want to skim the surface rather than delve into the substance.

Sunday, May 25th – Having it All – Venus, Sun, Mars. Sunday can be a splendid day, especially in regard to social get-togethers and activities with other people. The Moon in Aquarius trines both Venus and the Sun now in Gemini. We want it all and we are willing to go from one thing to another to another to ever more. There seems to be a round robin of picnics, barbeques, block parties and the like going on during this Sunday. The Moon also opposes Mars so we do have to watch that we don’t bite off more than we can chew. People may be a little over the top, emphasizing their personal interests rather than the community interests. If we can drown out the cacophony of any particular showboater, then this Sunday can be a great day of socializing, partying and just having good old-fashioned fun. No extreme sports or extreme behavior today, because the potential for accidents can be exponentially increased. This is also the last full day of Mercury direct before it goes retrograde tomorrow. With Mercury at its stationary point, there could be a liability to traffic jams, delays and miscommunications. Taking our time in getting from place to place, enjoying the moment without worrying what comes next can provide a cascade of fun-filled events on this glorious Sunday.

Mercury turns retrograde this week for the second of this year’s three Mercury retrograde cycles. With Mercury in its own Sign of Gemini and with a Stellium of three or more planets in Gemini with the Sun, Venus and Mercury all transiting the Mutable Air Sign, this Mercury retrograde could have us hopping.

This week can have us scrambling, scurrying, even to the point of dropping one, some or all of the balls that we have been juggling. Communications can be flying but not all the information may be accurate. Although we may feel pressed for time and willing to accept things at face value, this week is not a time to gloss over details or to make long-term commitments. It is far better for us to go back over things, rethink them and rework them, rather than moving ahead with initiating significant projects.

Travel plans this week could be disrupted or may necessitate additional time for getting from one place to another. Traffic delays are typical with a liability towards car problems.

The more we can time manage this week and not feel pressured to make immediate decisions or knee-jerk reactions, the less likely we’ll dig a hole from which it could be hard to extricate ourselves.

Since communications can be a little off, let’s be certain in leaving voicemail messages that we state who we are and the number where we can be reached. It would be wise to recognize the possibility of computer glitches, so back up, back up, back up any important computer files.

Although Mercury retrogrades can be somewhat challenging, this one can play to our society’s and to our present time’s attention deficit disorder. We may be juggling a number of different things, but we could find that we accomplish more by working in spurts of energy and maintaining our focus no matter how short a time we spend on one particular task. When our attention wanders, so too should our activity, switching from one thing to the next with the recognition that we can accomplish more by having several different things going on with our concentration shifting from one thing to the next as our attention shifts. Now is not a time for us to play a one-note samba but rather the xylophone hitting various notes and keeping pace with the rhythm.

Monday, May 26th – Distorted Views of Times Past – Venus, Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Mercury retrograde, Neptune retrograde. Monday is Memorial Day in the US, a time that honors those who have served their country and is also the unofficial kickoff to Summer. Although there is an Aquarian Moon today and a Moon that trines Mercury and conjuncts Neptune, there is also Venus square Saturn. We may be looking for fun times with good friends, but sometimes our expectations of what can be are not matched by the unfolding of what is. Past issues and even past definitions could hinder our interactions with other people. Slights long forgotten could be resurrected and become a sticking point in our discussions. What is important to remember today is the Hindu analogy of the blindfolded men and the elephant. One holds on to the tail, another holds on to the underbelly and the third holds on to the trunk. Each believes what he is holding on to is something other than an elephant. So too for ourselves today. Our perception of reality is based upon our perspective. While discussions could prove contentious today, it would be wise to see things from other people’s viewpoint and not solely our own. The potential for mix-ups and misunderstandings is increased today by the fact that we have two planetary direction changes: Mercury turning retrograde and Neptune turning retrograde. Not only can our communications be off, but our understanding of situations can also be off. We do have to be aware that this day could also present various problems with travel delays, communication equipment difficulties and computer glitches. This Monday is a day to go slow, take our time and not to take anything overly personally. We may be all feeling a little antsy with a tendency towards knee-jerk reactions.

Tuesday, May 27th – Haste n Waste – Pluto, Lunar T-Square, Saturn, Venus, Sun. Tuesday begins with the Moon exiting Aquarius and entering Pisces where it initially sextiles Pluto. We may awaken with passion, drive and a determination to get things done. For many, this Tuesday is the beginning of this work week coming off the long holiday weekend. Although our intentions may be strong, our initial thrusts could hit a snag as the Moon sextile Pluto gives way to the Moon creating a Mutable Sign T-Square with the Pisces Moon opposed Saturn and square both Venus and the Sun in Gemini. Issues we thought resolved could spring back up to vex us and demand our attention. We might feel on overwhelm and overload as we try to deal with outstanding matters yet still deal with a full day of scheduled activities. Although we may have a great deal going on today, it is important that we don’t get caught up in a whirlwind whereby we’re trying to deal with everything but winding up not being very effective at anything. Today is a day to prioritize and take our time in addressing all the different areas beckoning us for their attention. To try and do everything is only likely to create a hasty response that only winds up wasting our time and our energies. The more we can slow down, the better it is. The energies today are like an attention deficit disorder. To best deal with such tendencies, it would be wise to work in spurts of energy, utilizing our productive time cycle, no matter how short it might be, to attend to some parts of different projects without feeling the need to have them all totally completed today. If we don’t work with the energies today, we could find ourselves merely spinning our wheels.

Wednesday, May 28th – Catching One’s Breath. There are no major energies today. The Pisces Moon makes no connections to the planets today. Although Wednesday is often referred to as hump day, coming as it does in the middle of the work week, this Wednesday is one when we could catch our breath. Every now and then it is important for us to step off the track, take a fresh perspective of our lives and our activities, and allow ourselves to reflect on what is going on and what we are doing. This Wednesday can be one of those days when we can take some time to reflect, consider and think about our many diverse involvements. Yes, this Wednesday is a day to stop and smell the flowers or to linger over a cup of tea or a cup of coffee. Listening to our inner voice can go a long way towards appreciating our life and our life’s involvements. Our intuition can be strong today, but it does necessitate our getting out of our own way and not prejudging based upon our opinions of reality.

Thursday, May 29th – Tilting at Windmills – Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus, Moon Void-of-Course, Pluto. Late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning can have us feeling quite animated. Our sleep state may be anything but restful. In the wisdom teachings, it is understood that our sleep state is a time when we go to school, that the dreams and images that fill our sleep state are often the hieroglyphics by which we can more fully understand our lives and what is going on in our lives that we don’t fully comprehend in our ‘waking’ state. Late Wednesday, early Thursday has the Pisces Moon square Mercury, sextile Jupiter and conjunct Uranus. We might have a ‘Eureka’ moment, a flash of revelation that allows us to see options and alternatives that we have not taken into account in our nomal, daily existence. Answers may come, but answers that might also be contrary to our usual beliefs. Today is a time for us to suspend judgment and be open to insights. If our lives have not been going according to expectation, then we need to let go of the expectations, get out of our own way and be receptive to the possibilities, even seemingly impossibilities, that life could be another way. For over thirteen hours this Thursday, the Moon is Void-of-Course making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Pisces and before entering Aries where it squares Pluto. Although we may get a ream of information and greater understanding in our sleep state, we might find that our daily consciousness comes back into force and clouds over the insights from our sleep state. We might find ourselves going back doing the same thing in the same ways we have done before. And we could experience ourselves Quixote-like tilting at windmills. Einstein once indicated that insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. While we might not be able to make a radical change in our way of doing things, we can use some of today to get rid of some of the blockages, even tiny impediments, and start to wean ourselves from old patterns that no longer serve us well.

Friday, May 30th – Pleasant Moments – Venus, Sun, Mars. Friday and Saturday seem the most pleasant days of this week. Friday has the Aries Moon sextile both Venus and the Sun in Gemini and trine Mars in Leo. This is a day that calls for FUN in capital letters. We’re likely to be feeling impassioned, more vitalized and looking to grab life with gusto. Everything we do today needs to speak to us and allow us to put our imprint on things. We can present our wishes in a creative and upbeat manner. We’re looking out for number one but not in a competitive or overbearing manner. We may feel light and airy, enjoying repartee with friends and testing the waters of new activities. We might decide to take in a movie, catch a show or find some other form of recreational pursuits that we enjoy. This Friday is one that can provide a series of pleasant moments.

Saturday, May 31st – Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground – Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Moon Void-of-Course, Lunar Grand Trine, Pluto, Saturn. Saturday is a day of two totally different energies. We start the day early with the Aries Moon sextile Mercury, square Jupiter and sextile Neptune. We can be enticed by all sorts of ideas as to what to do today. We do have to watch that we don’t bite off more than we can chew. If we’re not attached to our ‘to do’ list, this is a great day to make plans without assuming that we can do all the things we’ve planned for. Our thoughts are likely to be rampant and diverse. We may want to go from one thing to another to another. Getting off the track could be a good way to recharge our batteries, add a fresh perspective to our thinking and consider possibilities that we might not otherwise have considered. There may be a tendency to shirk responsibilities with the idea that we can do them some other time. Catching the wave and doing things spontaneously can invigorate us and provide us with some good times with good friends. While we might embrace the saying ‘why do today what we can put off until tomorrow’, postponements during the early part of the day could actually work in our favor. Although the day starts with a burst of energy and a desire to be in the moment and do things as they strike our fancy rather than our prescribed schedule, as the day progresses the Moon goes Void-of-Course for over nine hours making no further connections to the planets as it finishes its transit of Aries. Even if we intend to get certain things done and put our impulses on the back burner, there is not a great deal of energy for accomplishment. Later in the day when the Moon moves into Taurus, we get a second wind and can accomplish a lot. Not only do we have the Moon in Taurus providing a more focused intent. The Moon creates a Grand Trine in the Earth Element by trining Pluto in Capricorn and trining Saturn in Virgo. During the latter part of Saturday we can get a great deal done. This Saturday is a day of two totally different energies. The first part allows us to engage in a ‘mental health’ day of just enjoying whatever comes up and the latter part of the day, having gained a second wind, gives us the stamina and persistence to get things done in a methodical, orderly and structured manner. Saturday is a day when we are likely to have our head in the clouds and then firmly plant our feet on the ground.

Sunday, June 1st – Going for Broke – Mars. Sunday could prove a little bit of a letdown, especially following the energies we’ve enjoyed on Friday and Saturday. Sunday has the Taurus Moon square Mars in Leo. As if trying to wring out ever more good times, this Sunday we have to watch for excess, extravagance and indulgence. We could lose our focus on maintaining a strict budgetary compliance during these times of exponentially increasing costs. If we’re not careful and judicious, we could easily overspend today. We might want to go shopping and be seduced by the ‘sale’ signs only to find ourselves spending beyond our means. We also have to watch that we’re not a little too garish today, either in what we buy or how we present ourselves. There could be a tendency to overdo, both in regard to our physical activity and to our financial expenses. Today is a day to maintain restraint with the recognition that the energies today could be pushing us to go for broke.