The Sleepwalker. Julius Diez. 1917
May’s astrology weaves a few divergent energetic themes into a very astrologically dynamic month. Active skies this month offer a spectrum of experiences for all the signs and planetary placements.
For many, the scenery may be changing, as life situations rapidly shift and evolve. Others may be focusing intensely on one or two key issues. And others may be navigating a change in routine, a life transition, a change in approach, or bringing something to an end.
This month there are a number of sextiles happening between yin signs. Sextiles are aspects of opportunity. They grease the wheels, but the momentum to develop a course of action must come from our free will.
The month begins on the heels of April’s New Moon Solar Eclipse. The energy from that New Moon reaches one energetic peak along the way, when Jupiter enters Aries on May 10th. The energy continues to crescendo through to the very emotionally intense lunar eclipse in Scorpio. That Full Moon has both lights making a harsh aspect to Saturn, highlighting endings, facing reality, facing limits, and moving through a situation with clarity of vision and understanding. This would be a good time not to avoid difficult emotions but make space for them to move.
But there is plenty of genuinely positive astrology dotting this entire month – from all the sextiles between signs to the fresh burst of energy from Jupiter entering Aries, to the gorgeous Mars Jupiter conjunction at the end of the month that can set us on a mission to grow or rise to a new exciting challenge.
So, May has something to offer for almost every situation we can encounter. There is plenty of opportunity, and the skies are asking that we exercise flexibility and are clear eyed about reality.
Below are the key astrological themes for May:
- Reviewing, processing, revisiting the past. Especially reviewing communications, or communication style, education, information dissemination, resource allocation or matters of the body or practical aspects of life.
- New action, new direction, new exciting challenges, new movement, independent action, new zeal.
- Turning points, transitions, pattern disruption, endings and new beginnings.
Key Planetary Events
- May 10: Jupiter enters Aries
- May 10: Mercury stations retrograde
- May 16: Scorpio Full Moon Eclipse at 25° Scorpio
- May 24: Mars enters Aries
- May 29: Mars conjunct Jupiter at 3° Aries
- Saturn only moving between two degrees the entire month (compared to four degrees per month at fastest planetary speed)
- Pluto parked at 28° the entire month and into June
New Moons and Full Moons
- May 16: Full Moon LUNAR ECLIPSE (Total) at 25 degrees Scorpio, at 12:14 AM ET /9:14 PM PT May 15
- May 30: New Moon at 9 degrees Gemini, 7:30 AM ET /4:30 AM PT
Planets Changing Signs
- May 2: Venus enters Aries
- May 10: Jupiter enters Aries
- May 20: Sun enters Gemini
- May 22: Mercury Rx enters Taurus
- May 24: Mars enters Aries
- May 28: Venus enters Taurus
Planetary Aspects
- May 2: Venus enters Aries
- May 3 – May 12: Sun in Taurus sextile Mars in Pisces from 3° – 20°
- May 3: Jupiter sextile Pluto – A desire for growth, connection, or evolution surfaces. This can be between the topics of the two houses of the chart these planets are transiting, or in general in some area of life.
- May 4 – Sun conjunct Uranus at 14° Taurus
- May 4 – Mars in Pisces sextile Uranus in Taurus at 14°
- May 4-6: Venus in Aries sextile Mercury in Gemini – A good aspect for creating connection, progress, and agreement in discourse. Mercury is stationing as this aspect perfects, so conversation may center around a change or modification of a situation or relationship.
- May 10: Mercury turns retrograde at 4° Gemini
- May 10: Jupiter enters Aries
- May 15: Sun in Taurus square Saturn in Aquarius at 24°
- May 15: Sun in Taurus sextile Neptune in Pisces at 24°
- May 16: Full Moon Lunar Eclipse at 25° Scorpio
- May 17: Mars in Pisces conjunct Neptune in Pisces at 24 °
- May 19: Sun in Taurus trine Pluto in Capricorn at 28°
- May 20: Sun enters Gemini
- May 21: Mercury Cazimi: Sun in Gemini conjunct Mercury in Gemini at 0°
- May 22: Mercury Retrograde enters Taurus
- May 23: Mercury Rx in Taurus sextile Mars in Pisces at 29°
- May 22: Mars in Pisces sextile Pluto Rx in Capricorn at 28°
- May 24: Mars enters Aries
- May 24: Venus in Aries sextile Saturn in Aquarius at 25°
- May 26: Venus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn at 28°
