By adding the universal year 2000 (2+0+0+0=2) to the 5th month of May, we come up with the vibration of 7. The 7 month is about taking the time to tune in to what has meaning in your life. It is a time for inner reflection, contemplation, and rest. Use this month to tap into what has meaning for you through art, meditation, being close to nature, and, if possible, retreat time. Look to see how you can create a harmonious balance between alone time for expanding your insights, creativity, and practical accomplishment. May 3 New moon in Taurus The new moon is in Taurus this month beginning at 8:12 this evening. A new moon occurs when the sun and moon are in the same sign, and signifies the joining of solar and lunar energies. With the new moon in Taurus, what nurtures us this month is getting more grounded and in touch with the natural world. Digging in the garden or any outdoor activity where you really experience being in your body is very healing and nurturing at this time. Attunement to the earth through Native American or indigenous cultures' rituals is also a way of getting grounded this month.
May 3 Planetary alignment in Taurus The big news this month, astrologically, is that on May 3 the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be in the sign of Taurus in challenging relationship to either Uranus or Neptune in Aquarius. With seven planets in Taurus squaring Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius, it is time to ask critical questions concerning how grounded we are in the face of massive change.
Last month, I posed the following questions for you to ponder prior to the May 3 alignment: 1) As things speed up in my life, am I taking care of myself on the physical plane? 2) Am I balancing the need for progress in my life or world with an equal concern for the welfare of the earth? 3) Am I now willing to let go of old ways of being based on resistance and control? 4) Am I spending as much time in nature as I do with high technology? And 5) What would my life look like if I let go of any resistance to being more fully alive?
Your answer to these questions is pivotal now, because we are approaching a choice point where we are each literally choosing between the past and the future. Resistance to change will only cause distress and breakdown (see May 4 below). The more we are willing to let go of resistance to change, the less catastrophic the inevitable change will be.
May 3 Mars enters Gemini Mars will be in the sign of Gemini this month from May 3 until June 16. Mars, the planet representing personal will, is a little diffused in the sign of Gemini. Since Gemini is the sign that represents perception through the five senses, when Mars is in Gemini, the challenge is to stay focused and in the present moment. Try making lists of what you have to do so that you can focus on your immediate priorities. This is a great period for networking with others and getting a lot of "busywork" done. Focusing on cleaning up miscommunications or getting backlogged correspondence or writing done is a perfect use of this transit.
May 4-21 Saturn square Uranus Saturn in Taurus is in challenging relationship with Uranus in Aquarius from May 4-21, and is exactly square May 13. When Saturn, the planet representing form, structure, and consolidation is in challenging relationship with Uranus, the planet representing sudden change, we have an opportunity to radically alter our reality. The challenge of this transit is to objectively and realistically assess where we need to change.
Saturn square Uranus is one of the best transits for making sustainable (Saturn) changes (Uranus). On a collective level, Saturn/Uranus represents the breaking up or dissolution of rigid structures and boundaries. This could be in the form of earth changes like earthquakes, in which built-up tensions are released suddenly, or radical market corrections, in which the meaning of what is valuable is suddenly transformed. It wouldn't hurt to be extra cautious and prepared for all scenarios on and around May 13.
May 13 Mercury enters Gemini Mercury will travel through the sign of Gemini from May 13 through May 30. With Mercury in Gemini, the focus is on communication and the dissemination of information. What is it that you've wanted to communicate or share with your friends that you haven't had time to? How are you growing on an intellectual or mental level? Mercury in Gemini is a time when our minds want to be active, studying, reading, researching, and certainly chatting with others. This is a great month to write letters, make short trips, take a course that enlivens your mind, or just get together with friends for some lively and far-ranging conversations about what's going on in the world.
May 8 Neptune retrograde Neptune in Aquarius goes retrograde for the next five months starting on May 8, until October 15 when it goes direct again at 3 degrees Aquarius. With Neptune retrograde, we have an opportunity to see how deeply connected we are to being guided by spirit. With Neptune in Aquarius, we have an incredible opportunity to integrate higher consciousness energies into our being, but only if we are able to open up, surrender, and ground these new energies.
Use this retrograde period and the time before October 15 to really ground your spiritual practice, whether that is through meditation, concentration and visualization, breathing practices, internal martial arts, yoga, tantric sexuality, earth-based ritual, or movement. We are moving into a new era in which the focus is on embodied spirituality. In order to fully embody these higher energies, we must create a strong, grounded vehicle that is capable of running increased energy, light, and consciousness.
May 17 Full moon in Scorpio The moon is full at 27 degrees Scorpio on May 17 at 11:34 p.m. For this month, the emphasis is on experiencing a deep and primary bond with loved ones. The moon in Scorpio calls us to move deeply into our desire for intimate merging with the beloved. The challenge this month is to acknowledge this need to others even though you might feel extremely vulnerable and fear that your beloved might reject or abandon you if you look too needy. The full moon in Scorpio is asking us to communicate to others the depth of who we are and what it is that we need to feel bonded emotionally and physically.
May 19-June 6 Jupiter conjunct Saturn Jupiter and Saturn will be at the same degree of Taurus from May 19 through June 6. The conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happens every twenty years, and has been seen historically as a very auspicious event. There is even speculation that the star of Bethlehem that guided the three kings was actually a Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Pisces.
Throughout history, the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction has also been associated with the birth of kings - or the assassination of world leaders. It is eerie to note that presidents elected in years ending in zero - 1860, 1940, 1960, and 1980 - either died in office or were victims of attempted assassinations.
On a more positive note, Jupiter/Saturn in Taurus symbolizes the manifestation (Saturn) of one's ideals (Jupiter). It represents a new beginning (the conjunction) of our efforts at self-mastery and expansion. Look to see where the conjunction falls in your natal chart to see where to focus your energies. The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction is the beginning of a new twenty-year cycle of growth and opportunity.
May 20 Sun enters Gemini The sun enters the sign of Gemini on May 20 at 9:49 a.m. In nature, the seedling is now secure (Taurus) and can begin to branch out and interconnect with a complex root system (Gemini). The Gemini principle is driven by the compelling need to connect objects with one another to form ever-greater links. Our job in the sign of Gemini is to experience a diversity of sensations, thoughts, and encounters so that we can create systems or theories of knowledge that we can then disseminate to others.
May 25 Uranus retrograde Uranus goes retrograde at 20 degrees Aquarius on May 25, and won't go direct again until October 26. The Uranus retrograde period is a time to deepen our attunement to the subtle (and not-so-subtle) energy that is constantly flowing through our bodies. Uranus speaks, in particular, of electromagnetic energy, which in different traditions is described as prana, chi, ki, kundalini, shakti, or life force.
As Uranus progresses through its seven-year transit of the sign Aquarius, we are being awakened to the realization that we are truly energetic beings who are constantly enveloped by a universal energy field that is always available to us. Our job during Uranus' retrograde is to see how open we are to receiving this energy.
May 25 Venus enters Gemini Venus is in Gemini from May 25 through June 18. This is a time of expanding your heart connections with others, of making connections to those networks of friends and family that haven't heard from you in a while. The challenge is to not let your head rule your heart. If you've wanted to connect with someone but have been concerned about what they will think or how silly and vulnerable you might look, then this is a great time to just let your heart do the talking! One of the ways of opening the heart chakra is to allow your feelings to originate directly in the heart, to be able to freely respond in the moment without censuring with the mind.
With Venus in Gemini, the focus is on sharing your heart energy by linking up with other like-minded souls. It's amazing the number of stories I've heard about familial relationships that have been greatly enhanced through the advent of e-mail! Parents who hardly ever hear from their children now get instantaneous responses to their communications because of the ease and "user-friendliness" of electronic communication.
The bottom line this month is to link up with others. It's a great time to take a class, get your e-mail up and running, or catch up on your correspondence. It's also a great time to share with loved ones that article, book, or information that you feel would help them in their efforts to achieve greater growth and understanding in their lives.
James Jarvis, M.A. is a master astrologer, professional life coach, and transpersonal counselor. He combines an M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling, 29 years' experience with Eastern and metaphysical traditions, and 15 years coaching and empowering clients to actualize their full potential. James is available for astrological consultations and life coaching sessions by phone. For a brochure of his services or to schedule phone or mail order consultations, call (831) 688-0574, e-mail jjarvis@lifeqwest.com, or visit www.lifeqwest.com.
