Hi Everyone

May promises to be a busy month with several planets in Aries and a lunar eclipse, which will be visible in the US, if it’s clear. June is a little quieter with three planets changing direction – and of course, the Summer Solstice!

May

Venus is the first planet to enter Aries on May 3^rd, followed by Jupiter on the 11^th and finally Mars on the 25^th. Mars is very strong in his own sign, although Venus is not happy in Mars’ sign and Jupiter is leaving a sign it rules (Pisces). This is a lot of fire energy – enthusiasm, acting without forethought, starting but not finishing, hubris and recklessness. However, it’s also a sign of new beginnings, ideas and initiatives. Like the ram, which is the symbol of Aries, it can feel like you’re butting your head against a wall. The good news is that we have three planets (Sun, Uranus and Pluto) in earth, which can temper Aries’ enthusiasm and lend practical energy to Aries new ideas and projects. The Sun moves into Gemini on the 20^th. Gemini is an air sign, focused on communication and learning a little bit about everything. Fire and air work very nicely together – but may not accomplish much of a practical nature.

Mercury begins its second retrograde of the year on May10^th at 7:47 a.m. This is the same day that Jupiter enters Aries. Mercury will be at 4⁰ Gemini and on May 24^th will “back” into Taurus. These retrogrades last about three weeks and are great times to regroup, rethink, retreat and repair.

Eclipses come in pairs. This total lunar eclipse, which is the pair to the solar eclipse we had at the end of April, occurs on May 16^th. The Moon will be at 25⁰ Scorpio. This eclipse will be visible in the US and will begin on the 15^th around 9:30 p.m. EDT. Its totality will occur around midnight and the whole eclipse will last about five hours. You can find more information about the eclipse here: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2022-may-16. A lunar eclipse is about endings of patterns and generally have to do with service and giving back for what we’ve received. Those with planets in late degrees (from 22-28⁰) Scorpio, Taurus, Aquarius or Leo or the other water signs, Cancer and Pisces, may feel the impact of this eclipse more strongly. Its impact may last up to five months or so after the eclipse.

The New Moon occurs on May 30. She’ll be at 8⁰ Gemini.

June

This month Mercury, Saturn and Neptune all change directions. And of course, summer officially begins (Summer Solstice). When a planet changes directions, especially one of the outer planets, it stops and sits a bit before it starts moving in the new direction. The degree and sign where it stops may impact your chart more or less strongly, and outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) take longer to get moving in the new direction than inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars).

So, Mercury is the first. It goes direct on June 3^rd at 4:00 a.m. He’ll be at 26⁰ Taurus and will move into Gemini on the 14^th.

Saturn begins his 4-month retrograde period on June 4^th at 5:47 p.m. He’ll be at 25⁰ Aquarius.

And last, but not least, Neptune begins her 5-month retrograde period on June 25^th. She’ll be at 25⁰ Pisces. The New Moon occurs on the same day.

When a planet is retrograde, it appears from the earth’s perspective that it is moving from west to east. We know that isn’t what it’s doing but that’s how it appears. The planets’ energies seem to be more inward in their feel and sometimes things are delayed. Saturn represents authority figures, men in particular, and when retrograde your inner critic may seem especially loud. A Neptune retrograde can turn our faith more inward, help deepen meditation practice and/or increase the inner fog!

The Summer Solstice is June 21^st when the Sun enters Cancer – sometimes called the longest day of the year. Cancer is a water sign, frequently a homebody and lover of good food. It joins Neptune as the planet in only water in the current line-up. The Full Moon occurs on the 14^th at 7:52 a.m. She’ll be at 23⁰ Sagittarius.

Enjoy May and June!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret