The final of three Pluto-Mars oppositions over the last six months, where there’s an urge to transform situations and eliminate impediments through decisive and at times ruthless actions, was exact on the 26th of April. We can breathe a sigh of relief as that intense energy starts to fade.

The month begins with the entry of Venus into Aries, where affection is expressed directly, impulsively and enthusiastically. When Venus joins Neptune on the 3rd of May there’s magic to be had if one can release the need for control.  Pluto in turn stations to go retrograde on the 5th of May, prompting a reflection on issues of power and control and building an appetite for purging deeply rooted trauma or habits in areas where we have allowed others to control us. Pluto will not return to direct motion until mid-October.  Then Mercury enters Taurus on the 10th of May, where communication takes on a slower pace and a retentive, steady mind, based on the consolidation of ideas, brings ideas down to earth for practical application.

The Scorpio Full Moon opposes the Taurus Sun at 2:55 am on the 13th of May. Full Moons are a time to decide what, and how much of something, needs to be purged from our lives. Extraneous responsibilities and unrealistic fantasies will tend to be expunged in order to allow fresh growth. The Full Moon is at 23 degrees, symbolised as: A Rabbit Metamorphoses into a Nature Spirit. It describes the raising of animal drives to a higher level. The Scorpio Full Moon is a time when one feels nurtured when giving and/or receiving intense emotional energy.. Indeed, there is emotional intensity in the air and perhaps some truth telling about intimacy and personal boundaries.

The Sun enters Gemini on the 21st of May where creative energy is directed towards perception, acquiring facts, asking questions and finding connections between ideas. There’s many ideas circulating and much mental energy  with the Sun still sextile Saturn and Neptune and merging with Uranus.

Saturn joins Neptune when it moves out of Pisces into Aries on the 25th of May for the first time in 29 years and will remain there until April 2028. A big collective shift in personal and societal responsibility centred on individuality, action and leadership is ahead of us. Given the Saturnian desire for practical achievement we will be learning  to establish and preserve self through effort and  there is an urge for tangible achievement through aggressive, competitive actions. Acting independently is especially important and necessary for satisfying achievement.  Saturn and Neptune are forming a dynamic and harmonious sextile to the Sun, Mercury, and Uranus, and square Jupiter making this shift particularly karmic.

Meanwhile Mercury, which only entered Taurus on the the 10th of May, moves into Gemini on the 26th of May, where there’s an urge to express perceptions immediately and a need to learn through establishing and identifying connections amongst people and ideas.

The Gemini New Moon occurs at 1:02 pm on the 27th of May at 7 degrees. This degree is symbolised as:  A Sleigh on Land Uncovered by Snow. It speaks to the human primordial faith in the hidden, sustaining power of life. The power of the collective and bio-spiritual energies which sustain all earth-rooted cultures are stressed, in contrast to whatever the technological human mind can make available to increase one’s personal comfort and mastery over matter. It implies a fundamental trust in and cooperation with life. With the Sun and Moon in Gemini, this is a time when one feels secure in responding to a variety of mental stimuli and in being involved in more than one activity at a time. With Mercury close to the Moon and Sun at the New Moon it’s a good time to make new plans related to ideas, communication and social connections. Pluto’s harmonious trine to both luminaries adds gravitas to this New Moon.