May 2020 Forecast

​Mars enters Aquarius May 4
Full Moon in Libra (Viśākhā) May 7
Mercury enters Taurus May 9
Saturn stations Retrograde May 11
Venus stations Retrograde May 13
Sun enters Taurus May 14
Jupiter stations Retrograde May 15
Rāhu (mean node) in Mṛgaśīrṣā May 20
New Moon in Taurus (Kṛttikā) May 22
Mercury enters Gemini May 24
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Mars in Aquarius May 4 - Jun 18
The month of May begins with Mars at its exaltation degree at the very end of Capricorn. An exalted Mars is strong and courageous, although not always easy to handle. Mars represents our ability to overcome our weaknesses, but can just as easily rub others up the wrong way.

The Moon transits opposite Mars for the first couple of days of May, too. This means we are going to be feeling ramped up and ready to go by the beginning of the month, but, hold onto your horses, there are other things to consider first.

As Mars breaks away from the pack - the pack being Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter - all these planets station retrograde and retreat, letting Mars gallop ahead, despite the apparent dangers. 

Mars moving out of Capricorn is a relief in some ways, because it is out of the same sign as Saturn. It now moves into Rahu's domain, with an aspect from Rahu, pointing to a need to break free from restraint, and test boundaries. 

While Mars was in great dignity in Capricorn, it did disrupt our lives in a big way, as the system was shutdown, leaving many of us frustrated with the lack of direction and freedom. This was because of its conjunction with Saturn and Pluto placed therein.

Mars represents the part of our being which likes to be in control. The current planetary line-up suggests a lack of control, including the Saturn-Pluto conjunction and the Kalsarpa yoga (all planets on one side of the lunar nodes). And yet there has been a strong need to take control at the same time.

Mars in Capricorn aspected Aries, where Mars retrogrades from September, so this probably means things we now push through are too soon, and we'll later have to backtrack as Mars goes retrograde from Sep 10 to Nov 14. 

For now, Mars is happy to get away from some of the restrictions of Saturn in Capricorn, although Mars continues to transit Saturn's sign until Jun 18, and then moves into a stronger aspect from Saturn in Pisces until Aug 16. 

In Aquarius, Rahu, the north lunar node influence is added, making us feel like a live wire. While Mars in Capricorn heeds the rules, working effectively within its boundaries, Mars in Aquarius has already figured out the rules and wants to test them!

Rahu's aspect to Mars brings some exaggerated environments, as well as some mental tensions, as Rahu shows more extreme fluctuations of energy. Mars in Aquarius is suited to innovations, pushing through new ideas - prematurely, no doubt - as humanities concerns are addressed along with the urgent need for treatments and protocols. This is especially the case as Mars transits the lunar mansion Śatabhiṣa for the latter half of May. This lunar mansion is often translated as 'one hundred physicians'. 

Just as Mars moves into Aquarius, Mercury meets with the Sun by exact degree, which means there is a lot of fiery, Mars-like, mental energy; a sort of kinetic volatility, lighting up the airwaves. We would do well to remain firmly grounded, so as not to get carried away with it. 

This may play out in being released in some way from lockdown, or perhaps lighter restrictions, but also a lot of fears of coming into contact with others, being hypervigilant of boundaries and the resulting nervous energy people share with each other. Rahu doesn't know any boundaries and its strong influence suggests we will want to keep some when they feel threatened. While Rahu breaks down boundaries, Saturn wants to keep them tight, reviewing them from May until September as it retrogrades in Capricorn. 

And because Mars in Aquarius is still under the domain of Saturn, we will likely not feel completely free to move until Mars moves into Aries by mid-August. 

But at least the most intense restrictions are easing - for now. 
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Full Moon in Libra (Viśākhā) May 7
The Moon is fullest on Thursday May 7, in Viśākhā lunar mansion, in sidereal Libra. Venus is strong and slowing down for its retrograde station in Taurus, bringing our awareness to the contrast between what we want (Sun and Mercury in Aries) and what others need (full Moon in Libra), and what we will have to compromise on.  

This highlights the culmination of the lunar month Vaisakha, which began on the new Moon in Asvini on Apr 23. The compromise of Libra balances the self-serving aspects of Aries, so we can find a balance between our wishes and those of others. 

As I write this, there is a drive towards freedom and movement as expressed with the Sun transiting Aśvinī, where the new Moon takes place on Apr 23. This full Moon will bring more of a sense of balance to any extreme expression of Aries, which can, at times, be a little impulsive, and not always consider the consequences. 

There are many consequences to our actions we must be aware of at this time. as Saturn continues to aspect Libra from Capricorn, and Rahu aspects from Gemini, demanding more innovations and hard work. 

Mercury in Taurus May 9 - 24
Mercury moves out of the fiery expressions of Aries and into the more stable and secure environment of Taurus, joining a strong, stationary Venus placed therein. Venus is about to retrograde from the end of Taurus, as Mercury comes to meet it by exact degree on May 22, during the new Moon in Taurus. 

The Sun will join Mercury and Venus in Taurus in a few days also, which means this area of life is about to get a lot of attention. Although mostly welcome, there are some things to consider here, particularly Venus' retrograde and the upcoming summer review. 

Mercury in Taurus is now under Venus' domain, so we will be thinking and talking about the things we need to review a lot more in May. Taurus represents finances and the things we value beyond finances, including our relationships, family and community. 

Taurus represents our relationship to the people and things we value, which are about to go through a lot of reviews; the most obvious being a probable financial reset from May. 

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Saturn Retrograde May 11 - Sep 29
The month of May might feel as if life is grinding to a halt. Wait, I hear you say. More than it is?! Yes, I'm afraid so. But this also brings with it a slow moving out of confinement as we slowly venture out - and within - during a major process of reevaluation and review.

Saturn's station shows life slowing down, but when we add the fact that Pluto, Jupiter and Venus are all stationing retrograde at the same time, it may feel as if there is no possible way forward - and yet no way of going back to the way things were.

Welcome to limboland!

Saturn's retrograde occurs every year, of course - a time to review what is important in the long run. But being forced into a lockdown does not guarantee anyone will review what needs to be reviewed. Perhaps it is afterwards that we start to ask the questions about what it is we would like to commit to moving forward now. 

What have you learned from a period of confinement? What do you need to change? What can you do without? 

As the planets now begin to station, it requires us to reflect on what is important, what is real, what is meaningful and what is useful moving forward. And moving forward requires that we backtrack and reassess. 

If you've ever been on a hike where you thought you had a clear run at the peak, you'll know this stage very well. This is the point when you realise you have to circle back and down for while, before you can start to ascend again.

No matter how we feel about it, Saturn's station requires patience from us all, as we must all take individual responsibility for the part we play moving forward.

The next few months will see us redoing many things, both individually and collectively, before we can figure out what has to give. 
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Venus Retrograde May 13 - Jun 25
Venus is the next planet to halt and retreat, to review and reassess what or who is valuable in our lives -  most probably reflected in a revaluation and big changes in the economy, getting us to ask more profound questions about what is valuable, anyway. 

We will be aware of what is valuable to us individually, based on the position and rulership of Venus. Look to where Taurus is placed in your chart, to see where you are about to reevaluate your life in a big way, while including the sign Libra in your observations. 

Generally, Taurus represents money and things which give our lives a sense of comfort, the sensual pleasures we indulge which can either be used to make life more bearable or indeed, to avoid some things we cannot deal with at all - while Libra represents our relationships, our social life, and the arts. 

We will all be reviewing these things from May 13 until Jun 25 in a more focused and intense way, but when Venus' shadow phase is taken into account this review and all the outcomes will not be fully worked out until Venus leaves its shadow phase, the point at which it began to retrograde. This will not occur until after Jul 30. 

As with every Venus retrograde transit, it is not necessarily a time to make important and long-lasting decisions in relation to finances or partnerships. The reason it's not advisable to buy something expense or make an important decision with regards a loved one is we do not have all the data needed. A retrograde period is for reviewing, yes, but final decisions would ideally be left until after - unless of course, the situation is unbearable. 

If, for example, you buy something expensive, you may not be fully aware of the true value. The seller may not either, although it may be the case that the seller does know the value and has priced it otherwise. You may do the same. After the retrograde phase, this may become apparent and another turn around is likely. Or indeed, you may simply regret the purchase or the sale. 

Knowing that you or the buyer is not fully aware of everything that is necessary, I would discourage major purchases and sales during this period, as well as anything to do with other things of value, including relationships and partnerships. 

Be aware that while Venus is very strong in Taurus, it is not without its complications which may feel as if we are not being understood or fully appreciated in this aspect of our lives, as everybody is working it all out. 

Patience is required as we do so through the end of June. 
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Sun in Taurus May 14 - Jun 14
The Sun has been strong for the past few weeks. As we begin dealing with setbacks and renegotiating our way forward in May, this brings a sense of confidence, despite all the uncertainty and review. 

The Sun's entry into Taurus is a time to enjoy the simple pleasures we may have forgotten to appreciate. The saying, 'You don't know what you've got til it's gone' is appropriate here, as the Sun shines a light on Taurus and helps us to appreciate what is right in front of our noses. This represents a time to stop and smell the roses. 

As Venus stations retrograde at this time, we are likely to appreciate the simple pleasures all the more, albeit because something is taken away or complicated in some way. Awareness is always best, of course, as the Sun now shines a light on any dark corners of this area of life, exposing anything that has been left to fester. 

I could write an analogy on gardening, pruning and preening and such, but I think you get the picture.  

The Sun meets with Venus and sends it into a state of combustion from May 29 until Jun 17. This puts the spotlight on the economy, as well as the people and things we value, making June a heated period in more ways than one. 

These things are about to go through the fires of purification, while are relationships feel the heat.  This is accentuated by Mars' aspect to the Sun and Venus in Taurus. The exact Mars aspect to a combust Venus doesn't occur until Jun 3, but it is building through the end of May. 

Best to keep your cool from the outset.  

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Jupiter stations Retrograde May 15
Jupiter is the last of this bunch of planets in Capricorn to halt its forward motion, joining all the others in a retreat and review. This will involve a major economic reset I imagine, and something which brings a new sense of hope, even in a situation that currently seems hopeless. 

Jupiter's retrograde in its sign of debilitation, is a reversal of the planet's weakness. This is a much better situation. It's as if the elephant Gajendra were attempting to shake off Makara, the crocodile (Capricorn), as I wrote about in this article. This is where we look for something more hopeful and meaningful, for something beyond our trials and tribulations. 

Jupiter's cancellation of debilitation doesn't completely remove the weakness, but it does offer a compensation, probably an overcompensation in the form of an economic package. But this is merely a sticking plaster on what is a year that will completely reshape the economic model. We won't see the results of this until next year, as Jupiter will return to Capricorn on two more occasions before it is done with the sign by Nov 2021. 

This will be more apparent by the time Jupiter returns to Capricorn in November this year, before meeting with Saturn on the December Solstice. 

This, of course, means that whatever we do now has to be gone over again, which is itself something we have done before. The next time we step into this space by November the system is likely to buckle under the pressure to change.

This isn't just the economy, of course, it represents so much more meaningful changes we must make this year. Jupiter's retrograde begins a period of reviewing what is meaningful change moving forward. ​But anything done now to save the situation will have to be reviewed later on. 

Think about that for yourself and this area of your life. Remedy this with an internal approach to problems while the world outside does the only thing it knows what to do; that is, to deal with it merely externally. 

There is a deeper and more profound change that must now take place in our lives, that will change the very fabric of our society - for the better, ultimately, which will have an impact for years to come. 

Now that Jupiter is retrograde, look for opportunities in the past, as well as looking at past mistakes and making up for them now. Make sure you can lead with a clear conscience. Jupiter will rejoin Ketu (mistakes) in Sagittarius from the end of June until mid-November, so there is plenty of time to make amends. 

Rāhu (mean node) in Mṛgaśīrṣā May 20, 2020 - Jan 27, 2021
​The north node moves into a new lunar mansion and the fear factor is taken down a notch for the rest of the year, switching from the destructive indications of Ārdrā to the softer indications of Mṛgaśīrṣā. 

Although still within the sign Gemini, and until Sep 24, at least we have a sense of the volatility easing and a need for more pleasure and sweet release. 

Rāhu in Mṛgaśīrṣā can exaggerate these things, of course, so we must be on guard for overdoing any substance abuse, or activities which initially bring pleasure, including interactions, socially and/or sexually. 

We may find ourselves overdoing it and needing to recover, as Rāhu ​ramps up the charge. A better approach would be to use the charge to recharge, not discharge. 

There will likely be some scandals and controversies in relation to a treatment plan and the use of substances and foods which offer relief from physical and mental ill health. This may come in the form of sexual release and scandals online, as Mṛgaśīrṣā is also a very alluring sign. 

​Read more about the potentials and pitfalls of Rāhu in Mṛgaśīrṣā in the article Searching for Soma: The Elixir of Life.

This transit will take an even more alluring turn after Sep 24, once Rāhu moves into Taurus, feeding our need for something more grounded in comfort and indulgence.

​But for now, we are dealing with the issues of communication, travel and interaction as Rāhu continues to transits Gemini in all kinds of shadowy and distorted ways, obscuring fact from fiction. 

New Moon in Taurus (Kṛttikā) May 22
The Moon is in great dignity in Taurus by May 22, in Kṛttikā, a lunar mansion that is seen as both sharp and soft, offering mixed results. This is analogous of the need to be 'cruel to be kind', to cut something out to feel better, for example, or the ability to focus the mind.

This suggests a pruning and preening of our lives before we can enjoy the simple pleasures more fully. Kṛttikā is symbolized by a knife and ruled by the god of fire, Agni, which also represents our ability to digest things, be it information, an emotion, a food, substance or drug. 

Undigested things can lead to problems later on, so we can use this new lunar month to cut some things out of our lives that are creating problems. There's a lot to digest right now and this new lunar month, with all of its strengths, requires us to slow down while we are taking it all in, to properly assimilate it all. 

Keep your fire lit by slowing down and avoid overindulging your senses, as the mind has enough to process at this time. This may mean taking your attention from the outer world for a while, to make the necessary internal changes. 
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This is further enhanced due to Venus' retrograde during the new Moon and the following lunar month. While we must remove distractions to see what is important and valuable at this time, we must also be aware of preening too much and cutting back things to the point of destruction. It may be better to delay any final decisions during Venus' retrograde. 

This new Moon and new lunar month is a time to begin asking important questions about what we value. 

Once the Moon clears the north node after May 24, this ends a period of uncertainty and extremes, or at least the beginning of the end of this influence, the Kalsarpa Yoga which has had us all under its spell to some degree or other. 
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The period from May 12 to 24 is an especially potent form of this combination which makes things feel fated and and uncertain, challenging us to remain level-headed and non-reactionary. 

Mercury enters Gemini May 24
Mercury moves into its own sign for the next few weeks as it moves ahead of the Sun. Moving ahead can only mean one thing: we are about to get ahead of ourselves and circumstances, which will require a review later on.

​Mercury will retrograde by Jun 18, joining all the other retrograde planets. It does so just before the next annular solar eclipse on the Solstice, on Jun 21, which highlights a period of great change in a year of many changes. 

Before then, it will conjunct Rāhu by May 28, offering some new insights, and possibly an insight into a cure or treatment plan as they meet at the degree of the upcoming eclipse. 

Although Mercury is strong in its own sign, Gemini, its placement with Rāhu and its upcoming retrograde suggest we need to keep our ears open and our mouths shut for more insights into what is true and what is false. It will probably not be clear from the outset, but if we're at least truly listening we are more likely to discriminate fact from fiction. 

Mercury enters its shadow phase from Jun 2 and doesn't leave it until Jul 26, so it will not be more clear until after this period - once all is said and done.



OM TAT SAT
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