As the editor of the Astrology Arizona newsletter, I compose an overview of each month. Today we take a look at the primary factors for the month.

The Overview for May

This year the month of May begins the first of three radical transformation periods this year, where our willingness “to graduate into a new realm of Being” this time last year now holds the promise of great opportunities, vision, and understanding! As Jupiter changes signs this month and enters early Pisces, we’ll all get a front end feel for what our 2022 adventure in endings and beginnings is all about.

Planets Slowing Down and Shifting Signs

Because Jupiter is in two different signs, the Sagittarius and Pisces areas of our charts will have two different experiences this month. The first half of the month involves forms of transfiguration and parts of us “emerging from our cocoons” so we can join others on a higher level, while the second half of the month we’ll find ourselves in “an amplified dream state,” where we can embrace the give-and-take of “life as marketplace” on our way to lifting ourselves to “surer foundations.” First half is about individual mind, while the second half is about actional feeling. First half we experience the culmination of seeing a bigger picture, and the second half we enter the beginning of feeling a vaster connection with others and All-That-Is. And because both Jupiter and Neptune will go retrograde in Pisces in late June, they too are slowing down in May.

The first week of the month shows Mercury moving from Taurus into its home sign of Gemini, making it a Final Dispositor for quite a few weeks to come! It is followed by Venus leaving its home sign of Taurus and entering Gemini in the second week of May, followed quickly by Jupiter leaving Aquarius and entering its home sign of Pisces. This shift in dispositors is huge, since it removes Saturn as Jupiter’s ruler, and allows Jupiter to rule itself in its Piscean home. That means in mid-month, when the Moon is in Cancer, we’ll have the Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune sharing power as final dispositors of all the other planets. That’s a widespread distribution of the rulers of the planetary backdrops!

Mercury, “the Guide of Souls,” begins to slow in early May, enters its Shadow Zone in mid-month, and goes retrograde at the end of the month. Get all your purchases and paperwork in shape, getting ready for the “pruning” to come between late May and early July. Mercury retrograde is a great time for taking a new look at recent developments, with an eye to a different perspective which can round out our view and opinion of any given thing. I explain a lot about the retrograde process and how we can best navigate these times in my book A New Look at Mercury Retrograde.(If you plan to get a copy, make sure it’s the newer 2014 second edition and not the 1997 first edition, since the second edition is a far better work!)

Not only does Mercury slow down, giving us a different pace in all things Gemini and Virgo in our chart, but Saturn also goes stationary retrograde in late May on a degree which offers us techniques of direct accomplishment and the ability to accelerate the evolutionary potential once we have a vision, a plan, and a good time to execute the procedure. As Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius, those parts of our chart will also slow, offering us the gift of reflection on past Saturn lessons (however we experienced them) and the ability to see our understanding from a different perspective based in a wider view of the whole of things.

Mars

Mars continues to accelerate as it moves through the first two decans of Cancer this month. Because the Moon rules Cancer, Mars is ruled by the Moon, which is slow the first half of the month and increases in speed the second half of the month. This month and the first 11 days of June, while Mars is in Cancer, the sign and speed of the Moon play a large part in how Mars expresses itself, in terms of the sign quality and how fast or slow the Martian response may be.

The first half of the month, Mars makes squares and opposition to planets between 5 and 14 Aries, Libra, and Capricorn, requiring “right action” without haste or impulsiveness. The second half of the month, Mars makes those same aspects to planets between 14 and 24 of those signs, so when Mars is within a degree forming or separating from making an aspect with a planet, slow down and show deliberation and caution in how you use force, with an eye to moderating or antidoting impulsiveness and impatience. A Mars square is a clear signal to slow down, and if necessary, either turn a corner and/or put the brakes on something.

Sign Focus

The first 4 days of May is heavily Taurus, with Gemini building in strength after that. As Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac, it is the natural step where we take what we’ve learned about approaching life spontaneously on our own terms (Aries) and having embraced that which is new and enjoyable (Taurus), turn it into a process of discovering new information, new understanding, new points of view, and new interactions. Gemini is where we assemble, compare, and contrast as much knowledge as we can en route to the shifts in allegiance in Cancer which help us consolidate our base of operations.

Wherever we have Taurus and Gemini (and Cancer, thanks to Mars!) will be the primary focus these next few weeks, with gifts of intuition and accurate “reads” of the larger atmosphere thanks to Mercury’s early quintile to Neptune followed by the Sun’s sextile to Neptune before Mercury begins its square to Neptune just before the Sun enters Gemini. Add Mars making very favorable aspects to Uranus all month, innovation which stabilizes and secures things is beneficial. What do you need, and what’s the simplest way to get it?

The Aquarius-Taurus Tension This Year

In January and February, Jupiter transited the first half of Aquarius, heralding what will be crystallized by Saturn throughout 2021. What Jupiter opens, Saturn will structure as it rumbles through the first half of Aquarius this entire year. Jupiter’s transit of 17-24 Aquarius in March opened what Saturn will secure in 2022, and Jupiter’s transit of 25-29 Aquarius in April opened what Saturn will secure initially between May and July 2022, and fully crystallize in January, February, and early March 2023.

Because Saturn is slowing to go retrograde even as Uranus continues to move forward at its maximum speed, the square between Saturn and Uranus is back in play, since it will be very close beginning mid-May and become exact by June. We’ll see manifestations of this off and on for many months to come, especially when the Moon or another planet transits between 11 and 15 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Obviously this puts pressure on planets or points we have near those degrees of these Fixed signs, as well as the last 5 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. The Fixed sign squares represent turning points and braking actions necessary for us to get our wisdom aligned with our understanding so we can “break on through to the other side.” These points of tension occur off and on the entire year as Saturn “makes real” all which Jupiter promised by its transit the last half of January and first half of February.

As I’ve offered in past months, the exact squares between Saturn and Uranus in January and February have taken a new bow on the stage of Life in late April and early May, when Taurus transits conjunct Uranus and square Saturn, showing a turning point in whatever was set into motion early this year. Really, Saturn square Uranus is in play all year and activated three times, showing a friction which will last through February 2022!

The first activation occurred in February from 8 Aquarius to 8 Taurus; the second occurs in June with Saturn retrograde at 14 Aquarius square Uranus at 14 Taurus; and the third happens just after the December Solstice with Saturn direct at 12 Aquarius and Uranus retrograde at 12 Taurus. Remember these waning (upper) squares between Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus mark the culmination of the cycle of these power planets which was set into motion when Saturn conjuncted Uranus in 1988. Interestingly, in 1999-2000 Saturn in Taurus made its waxing (lower) square to Uranus in Aquarius, so it would seem that this year activates conflicts dating back 20 years.

We’re Actors On A New Stage With A New Set

2020 was momentous because it began a new 20 year Aquarian Era, primed by the Mars conjunct Saturn at 1 Aquarius last March, and set as a long term wave form at the Grand Mutation last December. That Jupiter conjunction with Saturn also set a new 200 year Era into motion, moving global energies out of Earth and into Air. That implies we’re moving out of the materialism of the past 200 years, and have entered two centuries of the qualities of Air, with the associated qualities of relatedness, receptivity, versatility, movability, lightness, and cooperative ideas, visions, and ideals.

The 2020 Summer Solstice Solar Eclipse is still facilitating a grand reorientation in our lives, accepting new allegiances and life directions, and the December 2020 Solar Eclipse at 24 Sagittarius is still helping us remove blocks to our happiness. We’re still "under the beams" of the Solar Eclipses we’ve been through in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, and as all Eclipses are “cosmic recyclers” removing that which we no longer need in our lives, take note of where you have 1 Cancer and 24 Sagittarius, since we’re aligning ourselves with a larger reality in the first, and finding happiness in the second.

The Grand Irrationality

In May Uranus continues to biseptile Pluto, anchoring a 7-pointed “Star of Destiny" I’ve termed The Grand Irrationality. This represents the very hard edge of revolutionary change we’ve been going through for a while, and it’s activated every time a planet or the Moon moves through one of the seven “hot zones” of this evolutionary configuration. While the Sun and Mars both trigger this evolutionary configuration in late April and the first day of May, after that it is only triggered by the Moon during the rest of the month.

Enjoy the respite, since it’ll be triggered again multiple times in June, so prepare for more irrationality in the air after our breather in May, such as it is. That said, we will experience Mars triseptile Saturn around the time Saturn is stationary retrograde, most impacting planets or points we have near 12-16 Aquarius, 4-8 Aries, 25-29 Taurus, 16-20 Cancer, 8-12 Virgo, 29 Libra-3 Scorpio, and 20-24 Sagittarius. If you’re affected by this, be alert and if it’s offered, participate in cooperative-collective group endeavors dedicated to some pioneering social or cultural effort.

All the septile-series aspects trigger crucial choices and changes at “forks in the road of destiny.” I have written extensively about “The Grand Irrationality” which has been active for many years at this site and why all of humanity is forging its future destiny at this time. If you have a planet or point near any of the seven zones, your life is sure to be affected. In May these zones are around 25-29 Capricorn, 17-21 Pisces, 9-13 Taurus, 30 Gemini-4 Cancer, 21-25 Leo, 12-16 Libra, and 4-8 Sagittarius.

If things seem irrational and don’t make much sense, there’s always a septile-series aspect in the mix. During the periods these 7th harmonic aspects are in play, if things get a little weird or crazy, just go slow and be clear about the choices you’re making. While a lot won’t “make sense,” it doesn’t have to; all we must do is be clear about what we’re doing and why while being balanced, moderate, and caring along the way. Even though it is difficult to reason with unreasonable or irrational people, we still have the power to respond in productive ways, as these are points of choice and change where we determine our future destiny.

Primary Action Beats for the First Half of the Month

The month begins with Sun conjunct Uranus, Mercury trine Pluto, and Venus sextile Neptune. This combination is very favorable, allowing us to see to the core of things, refine what we need to, and get a sense of how to substantiate or make real some potential power within us. Whatever Mercury and Venus offered when they went through the second decan of Taurus in late April will be powered up the first 10 days of May, and whatever they bring us in early May will be powered up by the Sun in the second 10 days of May.

As all the inner planet transits make waxing aspects to Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter this month, it shows multiple phases of emergent activity wherever we have late Capricorn through early Taurus anchoring the spiritual energies in our charts.

Besides the aspects mentioned above, the first week of May also brings Mercury square Jupiter, Sun square Saturn, and Venus trine Pluto. The squares are waxing squares, indicating a turning point of the inner planets relative to Jupiter and Saturn. As the voids are in Leo and Scorpio, show heart, courage, creativity, and focus as you eliminate the lesser and embrace the greater. If you need to explain something, see it through the other person’s eyes and work them back to your conception of things, without exaggeration or getting lost in irrelevant weeds.

As we move into the second week of the month, we see Venus square Jupiter, reminding us to hang in there, don’t settle for lesser things when greater things are at stake, and keep putting our best forward while keeping our eyes on the prize. Here I’ll remind you that aspects are often more active just after they are exact, so extend the influence at least a day or two after the aspect is exact.

The New Moon at 22 Taurus on May 11 shows we’re all entering a time of rewards for our faith, with many seeing “the white dove flying over troubled waters” indicating a signal from Spirit that we’re moving into a new day, a new way, and a new life. As the New Moon also features a sextile to Neptune and a trine to Pluto, along with Mars sextile Uranus and square Chiron, it promises an extraordinarily clarifying 4 weeks of securing and stabilizing any planets we may have in the last decan of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces.

In this case, Mars sextile Uranus is extraordinarily productive in terms of simple innovations which make things work better, or help us feel more secure or stable. Mars square Chiron is favorable for releasing new healing potential, and those who are balanced with a healthy sense of perspective and self-discipline will find themselves mentoring or being mentored, with a sense of healing into the Higher Self.

The second week of the month also brings Mercury trine Saturn, Sun sextile Neptune, and Jupiter entering Pisces. The trine and sextile should be good for seeing how to make plans more sound, how to find needed rest after an accomplishment, and ultimately favors Fire and Air planets in the middle of their signs, and Earth and Water planets in the last part of their signs.

Primary Action Beats for the Second Half of the Month

As noted, the second half of the month has a different energy than the first half, even if the New Moon’s influence will extend through the last half of May into the first half of June. Mid-month kicks off with Jupiter making a “frustrated” septile with Uranus. [A “frustrated” aspect is one which gets close but doesn’t become exact since it goes retrograde before it can make the aspect.]

May 14-17 shows Mars quincunx Saturn, so make needed adjustments and sacrifices. Productivity comes through remembering the power of our “spiritual ancestry” we awakened to in 2018 through Mercury “bookending” the year with stationary points at 14 Sagittarius. Also favored is seeing the finer details of our cultural background as exemplifying our spiritual standards.

During the third week of May, we see Sun trine Pluto, helping us use “economy of energy” to finish refining whatever needs refining, with Venus trine Saturn bringing sanity to our relationships and helping us to a new sense of the give and take of energy in our relationships. As the Moon is beginning to speed up at this time, you should note the subtle shifts in how quickly Mars begins to express itself compared with the beginning of the month.

The last 10 days of the month bring Sun square Jupiter, Mercury square Neptune, Saturn stationary retrograde, Venus square Neptune, Mercury conjunct Venus, Mercury going retrograde, Venus quincunx Pluto, and Mars trine Neptune. Mercury and Venus both in a waxing square to Neptune favors a different fashion, or focus of attention, with an eye to 23 Virgo and 23 Sagittarius as favorable ways to integrate the square energies. The former has to do with taming and training our ego so we can “put on the show,” while the latter has to do with being on the threshold of “entrance into a new country,” where everything depends on our attitude as we demonstrate our training AND vision of hope for the future.

The Full Moon on May 26 at 6 Gemini/Sagittarius is also known as “the Christ fest,” or “the World Teacher Festival,” where the “Eternal Buddha Wisdom” of the previous Full Moon of Taurus/Scorpio will begin to be distributed to the world as a new World Teaching so that humanity may grow in compassion in 2021. This will bring a time of “looking for knowledge which ensures wealth and/or power” expressed through our ability to demonstrate skill, cooperation, and fairness as we “play the game of life.”

As this Full Moon makes a sextile and trine to Chiron, it should help us find a new rhythm or sense of perspective or proportion in our Libra sector helping us heal in some way. The Venus square Neptune should bring a new value or appreciation to a different way of regarding our place within collective consciousness, and could accompany the demonstration of unsuspected powers within us, with an eye to understanding more clearly in July.

Evolutionary Development

This is the thirteenth month of the North Node in Gemini era, showing that our line of greatest evolutionary development is through seeing the many ways to learn and communicate a given thing, especially with an eye to assimilating diverse ideas from diverse sources. Themes this month include “eliminating the ghosts of the past” and “newly opened lands offer the pioneer virgin fields of experience.” So keep liberating yourselves from old ghosts while opening to pioneering fields of experience.

Remember to keep showing patience as you lighten and brighten your life in the area of your chart where you have Aquarius. As I’ve mentioned in past newsletters, this year we’re being tested to use the non-stop friction of the Taurus/Aquarius square to launch new visions, new models, new interactions, and new teamwork. We now head into the middle of the year, with Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer energies making all kinds of aspects to the outer spiritual planets. We’re in a Spring of seeing clearly, planning clearly, stabilizing much through adjustments and recalibrating various parts of our lives and efforts.

Because of transiting Jupiter and Saturn, we’re on the threshold of seeing shortcuts in our evolution, graduating into new spiritual realms, and about to be connected with others in deeper and vaster ways than we’ve known in a long time. Keep open to ways you can make a greater contribution to your society or the world while understanding 2022 will bring us radical new experiences which will be very different than 2021 in many ways.

We’re definitely in a new era, with productive openings and realignments happening. Use the tension of the squares from Aquarius to Taurus to honor your strength, courage, determination, focus, and ability to attract your heart’s desire by being clear about what you want and what you don’t. As Leo and Scorpio continue to be the solutions to any problems generated by the squares, show heart, take heart, trust the heart, strengthen the heart, and radiate the Love you ARE to your world. BE the power of your inner Spiritual Warrior who never fears and cannot be defeated.

While Taurus and Gemini are about enjoying life as we discover new information and perspectives, we’re still in the opening phase of all which was set into motion at the Aquarian conjunctions. The group work continues to expand, so please keep in mind that we're all more aware, capable, and stronger together than we are separately. Use the Sun in Taurus to see the Light of your ability to determine a life course which you can settle into and enjoy, stay open to different understanding and perspectives, and know you’ve already turned the corner in your life and now face a new world. Mercury slowing to retrograde will help us all take a new look at recent events with an eye to pruning some things back in ways which can show our world what we value and why.

As we’ve launched into a new 20 year and 200 year cycle, remember a new era has dawned, so have courage and take the initiative to leave the Earth and fly free into the Air of what’s opening as the Grand Mutation expands its promise into the substance of Taurus and the new perspectives of Gemini.

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Since I also include this in the newsletter, I’ll offer it to you here:

PLANETARY MOTIONS IN MAY 2021

SUN – 12 Taurus to 11 Gemini
MERCURY – 25 Taurus to 25 Gemini
VENUS – 21 Taurus to 28 Gemini
MARS – 5 to 23 Cancer
JUPITER – 29 Aquarius to 2 Pisces
SATURN – 14 Aquarius (all month)
URANUS – 11 to 13 Taurus
NEPTUNE – 23 to 24 Pisces
PLUTO –27 Capricorn (all month)
TRUE NORTH NODE – 12 to 11 Gemini

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SIGNIFICANT ASTROLOGICAL OCCURRENCES IN APRIL 2021

MERCURY ENTERS GEMINI; May 3
VENUS ENTERS GEMINI; May 8
NEW MOON – May 11; Sun and Moon at 22 Taurus
JUPITER ENTERS PISCES; May 13
MERCURY ENTERS SHADOW ZONE; May 14 at 17 Gemini
SUN ENTERS GEMINI; May 20
SATURN STATIONARY RETROGRADE; May 23 at 13 Aquarius
FULL MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE/WORLD TEACHER FESTIVAL – May26; Sun 6 Gemini, Moon 6 Sagittarius
MERCURY STATIONARY RETROGRADE; May 29 at 25 Gemini

© Copyright 2021 Robert Wilkinson - https://www.aquariuspapers.com

Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with persmission from Robert Wilkinson.

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