Important astrological energies for the month of May 2017:

• Mercury in Aries turns stationary direct on May 3, 2017. It went retrograde in the sign of Taurus on April 9, 2017. It re-entered the sign of Aries on retrograde motion on April 20, 2017.
• Moon’s North Node enters the sign of Leo and Moon’s South Node enters the sign of Aquarius on May 9, 2017.
• Full Moon with Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio occurs on May 10, 2017.
• Jupiter retrograde in Libra quincunx Neptune in Pisces on May 17, 2017. This is the second quincunx in this sequence. The first quincunx occurred on October 23, 2016 when Jupiter was direct and Neptune was retrograde. The third quincunx will occur on July 5, 2017 when Jupiter is direct and Neptune is retrograde.
• Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius trine Uranus in Aries occurs on May 19, 2017. This is the second time this trine occurs in this sequence. The first time that it occurred was on December 25, 2016 when Saturn was direct and Uranus was retrograde. The last time that it will occur is on November 11, 2017 when Saturn is direct and Uranus is retrograde.
• New Moon with Sun and Moon in Gemini occurs on May 25, 2017.

Transitions and Reflections

By Misty Kuceris ©2017

The month of May is one of transitions and reflections. Transitions occur because the Moon’s North and South Nodes (the Moon’s Nodal Axis) changes signs. Reflections occur because the month starts with Mercury still in retrograde motion and two major aspects are formed for the second time in their triad sequence. These major aspects are Jupiter retrograde forming a quincunx to Neptune and Saturn retrograde forming a trine to Uranus.

Mercury in Aries is retrograde for only a few days at the start of May as it turns stationary direct on May 3, 2017. It initially went retrograde in the sign of Taurus on April 9^th and re-entered the sign of Aries on April 20^th in retrograde motion. When Mercury was retrograde in Aries, you felt as if your words could easily be taken out of context. You wanted to speak your mind, but you felt other people didn’t want to hear what you had to say. It was as if you were being ignored. At the same time, you found yourself re-visiting some old arguments in attempts to resolve them. Now with Mercury direct in Aries, you feel as if you are free to speak your words. People are willing to listen to what you have to say. You may even be able to resolve some old difficulties in your life.

On May 9^th, the Moon’s North Node enters the sign of Leo and the Moon’s South Node enters the sign of Aquarius. This is a cycle which occurs approximately every 19 years and lasts for about 1.5 years. The Moon’s Nodes will be in these signs until November 6, 2018. The last time that the Moon’s Nodal Axis entered Leo/Aquarius was from October 20, 1998 until April 8, 2000.

During the last time period that the Moon’s Nodal Axis was in Leo and Aquarius, a number of critical events occurred, such as:

• Bill Clinton, President of the United States at that time, was acquitted of impeachment proceedings for perjury and obstruction of justice.
• The Euro was introduced as a single currency for Europe.
• The People’s Republic of China (China) began its campaign to eradicate the practice of Falun Gong, a qigong discipline founded by Li Hongzhi, by using television, newspapers, radio, the internet and re-education programs to force practitioners to recant their belief in Falun Gong.
• Napster, the peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing software, was launched. For the first time, individuals were able to share their MP3 recordings of music with others over the internet. Before long the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) and various recording artists, such as Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, sued Napster and individuals for copyright infringement. Other musicians welcomed Napster as a means of getting their music heard.
• Exxon purchased Mobil and became, at the time, the third-largest company in the world as Exxon Mobil Corporation.
• Japan’s Tokaimura nuclear fuel processing plant experienced a nuclear accident with radiation levels being 15,000 times higher than normal.

In political astrology, the Moon’s North Node represents the governing style that the public wants from its leaders. It also represents the attitudes that leaders often convey to the public. When the Moon’s North Node is in Leo, people are looking for charismatic leaders to help them with the governance of their countries. They want someone who shows courage in the actions he or she takes. They don’t want an intellectual; they want someone who inspires. Meanwhile, often the leaders believe that they are entitled to rule and ignore the laws of their countries.

The Moon’s South Node represents the fears which leaders use to promote their agenda or the areas of blame the public places on others because of the changes that go on in their lives. When the Moon’s South Node is in Aquarius, leadership often uses diversity as a fear mechanism. It promotes the concept that anyone or anything different can be a problem. The leaders want unquestioned loyalty and acceptance; they don’t want diversity or differences.

However, there is also a balance which the Moon’s Nodal Axis shows. In this case, the balance is finding a way to bring various individuals together through inspired new concepts. While Napster was not the success desired, Napster represented an attempt to balance the desire to share and inspire others with music. According to Tom Lamont, author of the article “Napster: the day the music as set free” written in The Guardian on February 23, 2013, there were over 20 million users by March 2000. Yet because it was a new and Uranian concept, the RIAA sued fearing that it would lose dollars. They didn’t look at the big picture. According to Lamont’s article, “a company spokesman pointed out when the issue of file-sharing was brought before an exploratory US Senate committee in 2000: ‘A chorus of studies show that Napster users buy more records as a result of use [the software].’

During these next few years, you’ll see individuals who believe in their cause and understand how to use the mechanisms of charisma and fear of diversity rise in many governments. For those leaders who understand the importance of balancing inspiration with diversity, you’ll see countries that embrace changes in the world.

Technologically, you see more social media programs devoted to sharing information with others. In the positive, this may help you keep up with people in your life that are in other countries. In the negative, you may find more of your privacy lost as companies that provide these services sell your information to advertisers.

On a personal level, the Moon’s North Node represents the path you need to take in order to achieve your goals as well as the attitude which enables you to succeed. With the Moon’s North Node in Leo, you want to find inspiration in your life. You also want to take calculated risks. These are risks where you’ve determine what the potential cost of losing could be and you’re will to still take that risks. Also, with the Moon’s North Node in Leo, it’s time to realize that you need to have fun in life. You can’t take everything so seriously that you forget about the joy of living.

The Moon’s South Nodes represents the talents that you bring into your life which could become potential skills. It also represents those areas of your life which, when you trust your instincts, can become a valuable asset as your do the best to live your life in happiness.

When you rely on your talents with the Moon’s South Node in Aquarius, you have the ability to view situations from a different perspective. You don’t get caught up in the mob mentality. You understand the importance of thinking for yourself and not taking everything at face value. When you trust your instincts, you reach out to others, especially those who present different ideas. You try to understand their perspective so you can expand your own.

Before the full Moon occurs on May 10^th, Mercury forms a conjunction to Aries just a little after midnight. This is the third time that Mercury forms the conjunction to Uranus in this triad sequence. The first time that it formed a conjunction was on March 26, 2017 when Mercury and Uranus were direct. The second time it formed the conjunction to Uranus was on April 28, 2017 when Mercury was retrograde. What makes this triad sequence so important is that even though Mercury went retrograde on April 9, 2017 and turned direct on May 3, 2017, it actually felt as if Mercury went retrograde on March 26, 2017 when the first conjunction between Mercury and Uranus occurred.

There was this sense that you needed to watch your words even though you felt you had a lot to say. But, you didn’t feel as if people were listening to you. They may have even felt that you were just promoting your ego needs instead of new ideas. Now, with Mercury conjunct Uranus, your mind is open to new ideas. You see things from a different perspective. Perhaps you didn’t act on it the first two times that this conjunction occurred, but you’ll find yourself acting on your concepts now.

Just be a little cautious today because when Mercury forms a conjunction to Uranus there’s a tendency to rush into situations and not pay attention to your environment. Your mind seems to be elsewhere. That could put you into situations where you don’t pay enough attention to your environment and you could end up in an accident. Or, you may not listen to important information that other people are trying to share with you and miss the most important details which can help you achieve your goals.

When the full Moon occurs, you’ll continue to feel the energy of the Mercury/Uranus conjunction as well as the energy of the shift of signs with the Moon’s Nodal Axis energy. And, since the Sun is in Taurus and the Moon is in Scorpio during this full Moon, that can actually lead to either unexpected upheaval or tension between your need to pull back and your need to interact with others.

Normally when the full Moon has the Sun in Taurus and the Moon in Scorpio, you just want to find a place where you can retreat from the world and understand your inner needs. You want to get rid of the garbage that is preventing you from succeeding. You take yourself very seriously. You don’t want to communicate with other people. But with the Moon’s Nodal Axis just entering the signs of Leo and Aquarius, you also want to have fun. You’re tired of taking yourself so seriously. You may even be tired of feeling so responsible for everything, especially other people, in your life. And, with the Mercury/Uranus conjunction, you just might say something that you regret if you feel other people are taking advantage of you.

The best way to use this full Moon energy is to look at your life and your responsibilities. Ask yourself these questions: Am I having fun in life? Do I have enough time to spend with my family and friends? Am I letting other people take care of their own responsibilities? Or, am I working so hard and spending so much time taking care of others that I have no time for myself?

If you find that you’re not having enough time for fun, it’s time to make changes. Sometimes throwing out garbage means that you need to throw out those tasks, or duties, which interfere with your relationships. If you decide to make changes in your life, now is a good time to start, as long as you move slowly. Rather than going after the large goals, break them down into small milestones so you can see the results much faster.

On May 11^th, Mars forms a square to Neptune and Mercury forms a trine to Saturn retrograde a few hours later. This is to reflect on any milestones you’ve developed to make certain they are meeting your expectations. When Mars forms a square to Neptune, you need to reflect on situations in your life. You really don’t have the energy to take action. But with Mercury forming a trine to Saturn retrograde, you want to make sure that any actions you do take meet your personal goals.

When Mercury forms a trine to Saturn retrograde, this will be the third time this occurs in this triad sequence. The first time this aspect occurred was on March 29^th when both Mercury and Saturn were direct. The second time this trine occurred was on April 24^th when both Mercury and Saturn were retrograde. Once again you need to look at the milestones and goals you’ve established in life. If they were realistic, you’ll find that you’re able to move forward with your life feeling optimistic. If they weren’t realistic, you’ll have some difficulty today because you may have to change your goals. If there were problems in the world on March 29^th when this aspect occurred for the first time, they will crop up now and need to be dealt with.

When Mars forms a trine to Jupiter retrograde on May 12^th your energy increases. You feel as if you can do anything. Because Jupiter is retrograde, this is a good day to review past projects and see if you need to make any changes. This is also a good time to write down your plans so you can focus on what you want to do. This can be a day of good luck. It can also be a day where you receive rewards for things that you’ve done in the past.

Mercury re-enters the sign of Taurus on May 16, 2017. It initially entered the sign of Taurus on March 31, 2017. It went retrograde when in the sign of Taurus on April 9, 2017 and re-entered the sign of Aries in retrograde motion on April 20, 2017.

With Mercury in Taurus you want to make sure that you are receiving value for what you do. You don’t feel the need to talk too much about your projects. You are willing to be more introspective. At the same time, you are more stubborn in your beliefs. You may not be as open to new ideas or concepts. You may even regret some of the things that you said then Mercury was in Aries. The best way to use this energy is to absorb new information so you get a good understanding before you say or do anything.

On May 17^th, Jupiter retrograde forms its second quincunx to Neptune. The first time that Jupiter formed a quincunx to Neptune was on October 23, 2016 when Jupiter was direct and Neptune was retrograde. The last time that this quincunx will occur is on July 5, 2017 when Jupiter is direct and Neptune is retrograde.

A quincunx is a tension aspect which indicates that while you’re working on one goal, something unexpected happens that throws you off track. With Jupiter and Neptune both ruling the sign of Pisces, you might not think that conflict can occur between these two planets. They both represent the need to see the future from an idealistic point of view. But there are subtle differences between these two planets which can indicate where the conflict could arise in your life. Not only does Neptune have difficulty accepting boundaries, it also has difficulty accepting facts. Meanwhile, Jupiter wants to push the boundaries and justify its actions or just tell its side of the story. And, that’s where the quincunx conflict arises. You need to find the truth and verify the facts as you move forward with your goals. It’s important to be skeptical of what others say so you’ve not manipulated through fears.

Two days after Jupiter retrograde forms a quincunx to Neptune, Saturn retrograde forms a trine to Uranus on May 19^th. This can exacerbate your confusion since Uranus means the unexpected can happen. The first time that this trine occurred was on December 25, 2016 when Saturn was direct and Uranus was retrograde. The last time this trine occurs will be on November 11, 2017 when Saturn is direct and Uranus is retrograde.

Saturn represents the need to have structure in life while Uranus represents the need to make changes, often without regards to how those changes impact other people. Perhaps it’s important to realize that for the old guard to move on, they need to be open to changes. As you make changes in your life, you want to make certain that you don’t throw away important lessons from the past. But at the same time, you need to be willing to look towards the future.

Because it’s a trine, it may be easier to find ways to move into the future without losing the lessons from the past. Open your mind, but remember those past lessons. Move into the future, but don’t ignore that past. Find a way to balance the two.

It’s also very important that this trine occurs two days after Jupiter retrograde formed a quincunx to Neptune. If you felt confused about the direction of your life at that time, you need to decide if certain blockages are preventing you from determining the best path to take. Those blockages could involve other people or circumstances in your life. If you are experiencing blockages, you need to create a plan to remove those blockages. Creating a plan could be anything from discussing the matter with other people to throwing out the people or circumstances which are causing the blockages.

If at all possible, make a note of what occurs around May 19^th so you can review these events in November 2017. You don’t want to let too many things go in your life or else you might regret that in November 2017. On the other hand, you may make some miscalculations right now that need to be corrected in November 2017.

After Saturn retrograde forms its second trine to Uranus in this triad sequence on May 19^th, Mars forms a quincunx to Pluto retrograde. You may feel as if other people are trying to prevent you from achieving your goals. You may want to move forward with your life but you are finding obstacles. In mythology, Mars and Pluto both rule the underworld. They are also both gods of war. You may not find obstacles from other people. Instead you may be putting up your own obstacles. You may actually be fighting with yourself.

In some ways, Mars represents the young warrior while Pluto represents the seasoned veteran. You may feel a conflict between wanting to rush forward into a situation and developing a strategic plan of action. It’s important to pay attention to the lessons you’ve learned from the past. These lessons will actually help you find the balance between rushing into action and developing a strategic plan before taking any action.

Just a little more than an hour after Mars forms the quincunx to Pluto retrograde, Venus forms an opposition to Jupiter retrograde on May 19^th. This is important because the opposition means you’re fighting between what you value and what you want in your life. It’s important that you don’t justify your actions. If you find yourself doing that, it’s really your mind warning you that moving forward isn’t the right thing for you. You may even end up spending too much money on various new ventures. You need to be very cautious today, especially with your finances.

When the Sun enters Gemini on May 20^th, you’re willing to discuss important matters in life. You’re willing to be open to new ideas. But you don’t want to get caught in the minute details that don’t mean anything. Your ideas need substance.

Before the new Moon occurs on May 25^th, Venus forms a square to Pluto retrograde. This square will be felt within the new Moon energy. When Venus forms the opposition to Jupiter retrograde, you need to be very careful with your finances and not go out and purchase something that was way out of line with what you could afford. You also needed to be careful with your goals and prevent yourself from justifying your actions.

Now with Venus forming the square to Pluto retrograde a few hours before the new Moon, you need to re-evaluate your approach to life. Venus represents the goddess of passion while Pluto represents the god of the underworld. You don’t want to let your passion drive you to the point that you find yourself in trouble. This is not the time to take any risks. Instead, this is the time to evaluate your position. If possible, reach into the deepest part of your being so you can understand who you really are.

The new Moon, with Sun and Moon in Gemini, occurs a few hours after Venus forms the square to Pluto. What’s interesting about this new Moon is that it’s forming a conjunction to Ceres. The reason that this is interesting is that Ceres and Pluto are both involved in the mythology of Ceres searching for her daughter who was abducted by Pluto and dragged into the underworld. Ceres was so devastated over the loss of her daughter that she threw the world into ice where no life could live. She went to Jupiter to demand the return of her daughter. While initially he said that it couldn’t be done because no one returned from the underworld, he also realized that no one could be a god if there were no humans to worship them. A compromise was struck and the daughter could return to the earth if Ceres would return spring and summer for at least six months out of the year.

While a new Moon represents new beginnings, this new Moon represents the importance of understanding the deep meanings of your life while knowing where you have to compromise. Now is the time to assess your environment, both physical and emotional, so you can realize what’s important, with the new Moon is in Gemini, take time to communicate your needs. In this way you’ll find that you receive the support you deserve.

On May 27^th, Mercury forms a quincunx to Jupiter retrograde. In spiritual astrology, Jupiter is often seen as the higher octave of Mercury. In mundane astrology, Mercury and Jupiter form a counterpoint between their energies. Mercury is the messenger, the god that is the go-between for both all the gods and goddesses as well as humanity. Jupiter is the king of the gods who sees the big picture. And, although he sets the rules for other gods and goddesses, he goes by his own set of rules depending on what he believes he needs at that moment.

When Mercury forms the quincunx to Jupiter retrograde, you may find yourself fighting between following the rules and doing what you believe is important. You may also find yourself hearing information that doesn’t support the big picture. Instead of taking action pull back and reflect. Gather as much information as possible so you understand the details before you go after your larger goals.

It’s easy to get caught up in your dreams when Mercury forms a sextile to Neptune on May 28^th. You want to believe the story. You feel as if the information could be valid. But, if you start looking at the details, you may find that there’s some important information missing that can leads you astray. Rather than make any important decisions today, just gather information.

This is a good day for creative ventures where you can tap into your spiritual nature and your subconscious mind. If you’re an artist, you’ll find it easy to be creative. If you’re not an artist, you may just want to take the day off and relax. Treat it as a spa day, whether you’re an artist or not.

When Mars forms an opposition to Saturn retrograde on May 29^th, you don’t feel like doing anything. You feel as if there are too many rules and regulations which are just getting in your way. Basically, this is a day where you need to discipline your actions. If you don’t set up your boundaries, other people will try to do that for you.

When Mars forms the sextile to Uranus on May 30^th, you feel as if you can move forward with your life and not have to worry about what other people have to say. In a lot of ways, that’s true. You can express your independence because you’re developing ideas and concepts that other people don’t necessarily have. You can also succeed in quite a few ventures if you believe in your actions.

As the month ends, Mercury forms a trine to Pluto retrograde and Ceres forms a trine to Jupiter retrograde on May 31^st.

When Mercury forms a trine to Pluto retrograde, it’s easier for you to focus. You are able to communicate in a way that other people understand what you’re trying to say. You are also able to pull up information from your subconscious mind. With Ceres forming the trine to Jupiter retrograde you’re able to access your long-term goals and understand just where you need to compromise. You know how to negotiate with other people. You understand their strengths as well as their weaknesses. While you may not show them the depth of your understanding, you will show them how to move beyond their own limitations.