Astrology for May 2022
Welcome to May, where we leave the soft waves of April and start the month with an immediate vibe change. Venus, planet of love and relationships, leaves her throne in mystic and dreamy Pisces into fiery and red-hot Aries. We’ll feel a little jolt to our system and motivation to create and chase things we personally desire, including external relationships but also personal relationships to ourselves, our money, and resources. This theme will ebb and flow throughout the month.
With Venus more motivated to drive her own goals down, the first week of May will push us to change or begin the process of starting a major shift. The Sun, representing our personal soul and willpower, will join with erratic Uranus in Taurus, maybe giving us an “aha” moment or realization of something within us. It’s a good time to recognize the necessity of riding out and learning from unexpected events that may throw us off the path we were originally on.
On the 10th, Jupiter, representing great expansion, joins Venus in Aries. The internal motivation in the beginning of the month receives a big burst of energy and optimism from Jupiter’s presence. There is this feeling of joyful growth and high promises in the sky, but of course there’s a catch. The same day, trickster Mercury in Gemini stations retrograde. Mercury will be reviewing our conversations until June 3rd, and will retrograde from 4° Gemini to 26° Taurus, crossing a sign boundary and therefore impacting different areas of our life overall.
Mercury retrogrades are typical, happening about three to four times a year. The last Mercury retrograde we experienced this year was January 14th to February 3rd. These retrogrades involve a moment of miscommunications, having to review and redress conversations, missending or lost emails and papers, loss of data, and ideas or thoughts getting misdirected. This is due to Mercury ruling our intellect, our speech, and how we communicate or deliver messages to others. Retrograde simply means that the planet is appearing to move backwards in the sky. Symbolically, this represents a review or a redo of actions previously taken. As this Mercury retrograde starts in Gemini, one of Mercury’s home signs, the mistakes or reviews forced upon can be a little more noticeable. If you are trying to start something new or make a lasting commitment, give yourself more time to reflect on the process and be sure to work through all the details.
Less than a week after this transition, the hot motivation to pursue actions and goals gets doused by a Full Moon total lunar eclipse at 25° Scorpio on May 16th. Venus recently met up with Chiron in Aries, maybe opening up a wound or point of tension in our pursuement. Additionally, as the ruler of Aries, warrior Mars is sitting with Neptune in Pisces, creating a moment of complete confusion and disillusionment about our actions, expectations, and direction. The paths that Venus and Jupiter have been trying to forge become covered in fog and the purpose becomes unclear.
Feeling stuck and frustrated is fed on extra by Saturn squaring (creating conflict with) the Full Moon almost to the degree. Our earthly and important responsibilities and relationships can’t be neglected as we sort out the confusion. Sometimes the best way to move forward is to sit back and ride the waves. Wait for the sun to rise again and the fog to clear. Recognize that answers won’t be found right now, but in the clarity that will be revealed after.
The Sun moves into Gemini on the 20th and meets with Mercury on 21st, the heart of the retrograde cycle. This is a potential moment of clarification, the things we have been studying and reviewing in Gemini are brought to our attention, and we have access to new information and messages from Mercury’s review. Mercury enters Taurus the next day, continuing its backwards trek and shifts its focus onto the more material and physical plane, not just our ideas and thoughts that Gemini represents.
By the last week of May, everything feels like it’s in overdrive again. Mars enters Aries and gives a whole new level of vigor and energy into the work and goals that Jupiter and Venus have been dreaming up. A series of aspects to Pluto from Venus and Mercury can unearth some hidden power dynamics or hurdles to overcome. Venus will enter Taurus on the 28th and bring things back down to earth a bit. Venus in Taurus gives us an opportunity to find beauty in the physical, earthly resources that we currently have. Maybe enjoy the pleasures a little more presently. We have a moment of slowing down and allowing things to be and exist as they are, after nearly a solid month of feeling like a fire is lit under our butts.
Mars conjuncts Jupiter in Aries on the 29th, the day after Venus leaves the sign. Mars, representing willpower, aggression, and action meets Jupiter, planet of abundance and expansion. This energy is extremely combustable, so be aware of your intentions this day. Be sure to direct excess energy to productive projects or events, and not sit in boredom. Keep your temper in mind in tense situations.
We end the month with a New Moon at 9° Gemini. The big fire we have roaring under us has an opportunity to be brought into a tangible idea. This New Moon is eclipse-free, the moon in Gemini is abundant with ideas and logical steps forward. Mercury, the ruler of the moon, although still retrograde is at the degree of where the last eclipse was, perhaps providing us with an opportunity for messages or greater understanding of the events under Neptune’s fog. Perhaps allow the new ideas some time to digest and assess before moving forward, but there is still a promising air during this New Moon, and a chance to have a little more fun.
