The energy during the month of May is shifting from cardinal to fixed and more specifically from Aries to Taurus. When the energy emphasized cardinal planets, you felt like you needed to move quickly and get things done. At times you felt manipulated by other people; at other times you felt stuck. With the energy shifting to Taurus, you feel as if things are slowing down and giving you a chance to breathe and regroup. What’s important during this month is that the personal planets of Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all closely linked. This means that you can resolve some problems which have caused stumbling blocks in your life. It also means that you will have to take personal responsibility for your actions because other people are going to hold you accountable. While there are some critical world events occurring, the month of May is really a month of personal growth and feelings.

The first cardinal energy to end is the conjunction Mars forms to Jupiter on May 1st. This energy began last month on April 11th when Mars first formed a square to Pluto retrograde. You will feel excited about things that are happening in your life. You’ll feel as if some burden is lifted. You may feel as if some sort of crisis has ended and it has. Just be careful not to overdo things. You don’t want to exhaust yourself as this energy comes to a close.

The new Moon which occurs on May 3rd is the first sign that the energy is shifting from Aries to Taurus. This new Moon (where the Sun and Moon are both in the same sign) occurs in Taurus. Emotionally you want to begin new things which give you a better sense of value and purpose. But new starts are quite as easy yet. There are still obstacles that are preventing you from moving forward. You need to make certain that these obstacles are ones that you are making. If you are not creating the obstacles than perhaps they are there to force you to take your time and not make any rash decisions.

On May 11th, Mars enters Taurus in the early morning hours, Eastern Daylight Time;Venus forms a conjunction to Jupiter during mid-morning, Eastern Daylight Time; and Mercury forms a conjunction to Jupiter during the mid-afternoon, Eastern Daylight Time. All of these signs again indicate that the energy is shifting from Aries to Taurus.

Mars is not normally comfortable in the sign of Taurus, its detriment, exactly for the reasons that Mars moving into Taurus at this time can be a benefit to you. When Mars is in Taurus you need to slow down and make certain that you are aware of what is valued by others. You need to start thinking of ways to create wealth in your life, not just experiment with life. And, this wealth isn’t just money. This wealth is about good health and relationships.

Venus forming a conjunction to Jupiter brings to a close the cardinal energy that started on April 27th when it formed a square to Pluto. In some cases you may feel that you can do anything in life: That’s how optimistic you feel. You may feel that economic news is better, and in some ways it is. You may see improvement in your relationships, perhaps even meeting a new person of interest. What’s important is not to make too many commitments but rather relax and enjoy feeling good about yourself.

With Mercury forming a conjunction to Jupiter, you are finally receiving information about various projects that you were involved with from March 13th that didn’t seem to go anywhere. You may even get a better understanding of the chaos that was occurring throughout the past few weeks. You’ll feel optimistic about things in your life. You will do well with any negotiations that you need to conduct. This is a good time to contact people you haven’t seen in a while. If you had some difficulties with others, this is a good time to clear out those problems.

When Mars forms a sextile to Neptune on May 12th, you may not feel like doing anything because this can be a mellow aspect. You’ll have opportunities to resolve problems because your awareness will be heightened. It’s important to pay attention to your gut reactions and feelings. This is also a day when secrets will be revealed to you. Just pay attention to those subtle signs.

On May 15th, both Venus and Mercury enter Taurus. Venus is happy to be in the sign of Taurus, its ruler. However, you need to be careful with various agreements. With Mercury in Taurus people are taking their time making decisions. This could frustrate you because you want to take action quickly. But don’t take it personally. People are concerned about world events, especially those involving military actions. They are also concerned about their economic security so they don’t want to make any decisions which will cost them money.

The need to move slowly when it comes to decisions continues on May 16th when both Mercury and Venus form a sextile to Neptune. While you may feel good about situations, you’re finding it difficult to get all the facts. Instead of dealing with details, many people are dealing with their feelings. If you try to force a decision today, you’ll miss some important details. Do listen to your gut feelings, however, because they could be giving you some very important clues.

The full Moon which occurs on May 17, 2011 is considered a void-of-course full Moon. The Sun is in Taurus so you need to understand what other people are thinking. Meanwhile, the Moon is in Scorpio and other people are trying to hide their emotions. Therefore, a lot is going on underneath the surface. Usually when there is a full Moon, it’s easy to complete projects. That won’t be the case today. Try not to get too frustrated and just do the best you can.

May 18th through May 21st are days for resolving old problems, especially relationship problems. Mars forms a sextile to Chiron on May 18th; Mercury forms a sextile to Chiron on May 19th; and Venus forms a sextile to Chiron on May 20th. Since Mars leads the pack, most of the activities which can resolve problems need to be initiated by you. This is when you think about old hurts and how to heal from them. When Mercury gets involved, you’ll find the words you need to speak. If you have to go back and make some changes, especially with documents, May 19th will be the day to do it. As Venus completes this cycle of healing, you’ll find that other people in your life are willing to give you the support you need. You won’t have to do things on your own.

The ability to resolve problems will increase as both Mars and Mercury form a trine to Pluto retrograde on May 20th and Venus forms a trine to Pluto retrograde on May 21st. The sextiles which occurs May 18th through May 20th were opportunities. The trines which occur on May 20th and May 21st solidify your opportunities. Pluto, even in its retrograde position, gives you increased personal power. You’re able to focus your efforts. You have a charisma about you that other people admire. However, move slowly. You might come across too forcefully and that could alienate you from others. If you use the power of Pluto retrograde to listen to other people, you’ll find they respond to the points you are trying to make. This may sound counter-intuitive but it’s actually the greatest lesson you can learn from spiritual listening.

With all the possibilities for resolving problems and improving your relationships with other people, you need to be very careful May 23rd through May 25th. Mercury forms a quincunx to Saturn retrograde on May 23rd; Venus forms a quincunx to Saturn retrograde on May 24th; and Mars forms a quincunx to Saturn retrograde on May 25th. These are days of adjustments. You may feel that other people are trying to create obstacles that prevent you from moving forward. You may feel that other people are criticizing your efforts. But, in many ways, Saturn represents the need to cultivate situations so the best results can occur. If you are feeling any obstacles, it’s important that you consider your position. Perhaps you’re pushing too hard to get your point of view across. Or, perhaps you’ve forgotten some important details. Try and listen to people who are suggesting that you wait. They may have some valid guidance.

As the month ends, Mercury forms a sextile to Ceres on May 29th. While Venus and Mars will form sextiles to Ceres in June, the tightness of these three personal planets is no longer in effect. However, perhaps it’s a good thing that the energy is separating. With Mercury forming a sextile to Ceres, you’ll have the opportunity to compromise on some very important matters. This is especially good after the obstacles you encountered between May 23rd and May 25th. You may also have to discuss some important issues with your mother. If you have been in therapy regarding your mother, you’ll come up with very important insights that can bring healing into your life. Finally, sometimes Ceres represents accidents that are unexpected because certain electrical devices in your home are old. It’s a good idea to replace those old items because they cause a problem.

You will find, as you look back on the month of May, that you were able to resolve some very important matters. Because this was a very personal month, you needed to understand situations before you acted on them. You may have experienced some obstacles, but if you reviewed those obstacles, you saw that they actually worked to your benefit.