May Forecast

Vishnu & Lakshmi

Askshaya Tritiya - May 1st
 
Tritiya, the 'third lunar day', and the first day of May, sees an opportune time to begin something new.  The Sun, Moon, Venus and Saturn are all placed in their signs of exaltation.  This lends itself to great strength and initiation for any new activity, which will always have such strength built into its lifespan if begun on this day.  The word Askshaya means 'the never diminishing''. 

Having the Sun and Moon alone in their place of exaltation is an annual occurrence and an appropriate time for beginning something, as there is said to be no need to consult with an astrologer as to other planetary indications as the time.  The power of our two luminaries positioned in strength cancels out any other negative indications.

Added to the strength this year we have both Saturn and Venus placed in their signs of exaltation, which is especially suited to marriage or a commitment in some form or other.  The exaltation of Venus, together with Saturn positioned in exaltation in its sign Libra, is conducive to a long-lasting and heart felt bond, as well as the necessary sobriety in order to instigate such a powerful union. 

We can enjoy the balance of a sense of our own power with the Sun exalted, but also look out for someone else's' needs with Saturn exalted.  The Moon's exaltation adds to feelings of love and compassion, beyond the practical aspects of a written or verbal agreement.  Venus in exaltation sweetens the deal. 

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Mercury in Taurus May 4th - May 22nd

Mercury moves into Venus's earth-dominant sign on May 4th.  This is a better transit for Mercury in a friendly environment, especially as the planet of love and agreements (Venus) is placed in its strongest position in Pisces.  This lends itself to a feeling of contentment and an ease with which we interact with one another. 

Mars no longer influences Mercury as strongly, though there is still the influence of Mars being placed in Mercury's sign.  Thankfully Mercury's transit in May is a much softer and kinder communicative style than we have recently experienced, and can act as a balm to our more recent cutting remarks. 

Full Moon in Libra May 14th

The full Moon occurs at 29 degrees of Libra, in the lunar sign of Vishakha, which is ruled by the north node of the Moon (Rahu).  This occurs at 19.16 UT on May 14th, just before the Sun changes signs to Taurus and the Moon changes signs to Scorpio. 

The pleasures and contentment of early May shifts to a more sombre few days for the full Moon and for a couple of days after, as we begin to question our motivations and indulgences with more sobriety. 

Sun in Taurus May 14th - June 14th

The Sun enters Taurus on May 14th, highlighting the values that fulfill our desires.  Whatever the sign Taurus represents for you personally, represents that which you hold dear -  be it a relationship, a job, a friendship, your bank account or anything which gives you a practical base from which to feel more comfortable. 

With Venus placed in great strength in Pisces, the Sun allows us to experience the warmth of early summer in a more relaxed fashion.  The spotlight is most welcome after the intensity of the eclipses and other more stressful planetary alignments at present - especially Mars's turnabout in Virgo this month. 

Use these days to take the time to enjoy whatever you value in life, as things rev up once again in the coming weeks for those who like the drama and fast-paced action. 

Mars Stations Direct in Virgo May 20th

Mars stations direct on May 20th, leading to a tense environment.  It does so opposite to an exalted Venus, so we are spared some of the potential fallout.  Mars's turnabout in Virgo is slow for the more results orientated, as we need to slowly prepare our action plan in the latter part of May.  

Let us hope that the cooling influence of Venus until May 24th can quench the flames, giving Mars enough time to move on with the much needed impetus. 

There may be occasions when we feel the frustration around the 20th.  Virgo adds a detail-oriented dimension which does not suit the Mars impulse of immediate action.  It does, however, lead to the ability to cut out those things which have been keeping us feeling weak for once and for all - be they bad habits or routines. 

After all of the details of the past few weeks have been dealt with, we have one final push forward for Mars' transit in Virgo.  This allows us to get on with implementing all of our strategies, as we prepare for things to take off come mid-July. 

Planning and doing can begin to feel like a more rewarding and necessary duo during the following few weeks of Mars' transit through Virgo. 

Mercury in Gemini May 22nd - July 29th
(Retrograde from June 7th to July 1st)

Mercury enters a strong position by the end of May and remains there for longer than usual due to its retrograde motion in June.  It moves into its own air-dominant sign Gemini, and feels right at home, allowing us to express ourselves clearly and efficiently for the most part. 

As always we have to be mindful (also possibly full of our minds!) of possible misunderstandings as Mercury prepares to move backwards and forwards around June 7th and July1st. However, for the most part the transit it is conducive to communicating effectively with regards to our self interests, sharing these with others in a helpful manner. 

Studying something new or perfecting a skill may be one way to make the most of this transit.  Another may be taking a summer holiday and travel in general.  However, be aware of the few days before and after June 7th and July 1st as plans can be disrupted for such matters.  The days of Mercury's retrograde period between these dates are more conducive for taking time out whether you actually travel to do so or not. 

Mercury's transit to Gemini also sees Jupiter's last few weeks in this sign - as if to wrap up Jupiter's year-long transit in a reasonable manner.  Our minds are granted the ability to figure all of our more meaningful experiences of the past year, as we prepare to articulate these for everyone's benefit. 

You will need to know what area of life you experience the sign Gemini based on the sidereal zodiac in order to ascertain which area has been a key focus, and which benefits from Mercury's more analytical approach during the summer months. 

Venus in Aries May 24th - June 18th

Venus moves into Mars' fire-dominant sign by the end of May, just as Mars has turned around, finally moving forward after a period of renegotiating a plan of action.  Our passions will be stoked from May 24th with Mars's strong and intense influence on the planet Venus, and we may feel we need to express these passions more physically, be it through sex or some form of physical movement we find enjoyable.

Venus in Mars' fiery sign is more conducive to grand displays of affections which may include over-the-top expression of sexual desire.  Be mindful of the fragility of certain relationships which may feel a bit raw after such forceful expressions and power-plays.  Thankfully Saturn's sobering influence from Libra has some say in events, though the north node of the Moon (Rahu), has something to say about it also.  Saturn' alter ego, Rahu, can create rich and diverse experiences which we need to become more and more objective about as June rolls around. 

Venus gets pretty much hammered from all sides during its transit in Aries.  It has an aspect all three malefic planets while in the sign, as well as crossing over the eclipse degree and south node of the Moon by the end of May.  Love and harmony, agreements, money, celebrities, the arts, femininity, sexuality and sensuality; all come under fire and scrutiny during this transit. 

Good advise would be to look after your relationships in early May, as if to stock pile your affections.  As and when Venus moves to Aries we may need to remember all those loving words and heart felt expressions of love in order to sustain our relationships through such forceful expression of power and domination. 

Thankfully Saturn's strong, sobering influence on Venus can counteract some of Mars impulses, lending itself to a fewer risk-taking adventures in love, as we continue to look out for one another's best interests. 

New Moon in Taurus May 28th

The new Moon occurs at 18.40 UT at 13 degrees of Taurus, in the lunar constellations of Rohini.  Taurus is ruled by Venus and Rohini is ruled by the Moon.  The combination of the Moon and Venus would ordinarily lead to a feeling of ease and comfort, if it were not for Venus' current precarious position in Aries.  However, the Moon's position in Taurus is exalted and leads to an overall feeling of peace and contentment. 

The energy around the new Moon itself is best conserved, as we delve into ourselves in whatever fashion suits our sense of style.  We can then tap into much more contentment from the depths of our being, which is then reflected in our world around us through the things we treasure in our lives. 


OM TAT SAT