All Times Pacific: Astrology Report May 7–14
Friends, we have a relatively quiet week of astrology, a good time to take care of loose ends, and to get extra recreation and rest in anticipation of next week’s busy calendar of aspects. Mars is strong and getting stronger since Mars trine Neptune and Mars opposition Pluto will be exact the following week. The trine favors actions involving imagination, charity, inspiration, the psychic, the mystical, and enlightening dreams do seem to happen more often witht his aspect. Mars opposition Pluto indicates anger easily turning to violence, especially where ambition, libido, and/or anger have been repressed. The positive potential for this aspect involves refining the actions we take so they are in line with the actual needs of the moment and with the greater good. These two aspects somewhat overshadow this week as they approach exact.
Sun May 7 Venus enters Cancer at 7:25 AM. Venus in Gemini can be fun but tends to be scattered and perhaps a bit fickle. Venus in Cancer is more emotional. Mother issues may arise. Home and family may occupy our thoughts. We may want to beautify our surroundings. Venus in Cancer can be changeable as the moon, but it also indicates enhanced imagination. Venus inconjunct Pluto is exact mid-afternoon. Inconjunctions can indicate health issues caused by stress, in this case related to relationships and other Venus matters. We may feel that life is all about dire demands and bleak prospects, that the slow grind of Pluto has destroyed all Venus in our lives. But Venus is always there and it’s important that we make the effort to include her. No matter how demanding our days and nights we must find moments to stare in wonder at the humble beauties of life: the flowers and kittens of spring.
Mon May 8 only lunar aspects are exact. If we are troubled by the potential changes that could be caused by AI, for example, we might consider Sartre’s observation prior to the invention of the computer: “Everything has been figured out, except how to live.”
Tue May 9 sun conjunct Uranus is exact in the early afternoon. This can indicate detours, surprises, even shocks, but also liberation, insights that provide a whole new perspective, new tech that frees us to use our time more wisely. Regeneration and reinvention are favored. Look to the future for a moment, not the past. Simone de Beauvoir’s famous quote is appropriate for this aspect: “Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”
Wed May 10 and Thu May 11 only lunar aspects are exact. With Pluto issues of dependency and imbalances of opportunity may demand attention. All relationships must have give and take. As Bessie Head wrote: “Love is mutually feeding each other, not one living on another like a ghoul.
Fri May 12 retrograde Mercury sextile Saturn is exact not long after midnight. Indicating a good time for organizing, studying, practicing, and for making lists. The new moon in late Taurus arrives at 7:28 AM. Some feel energized at the new moon but this one is not a good time for starting new projects as Mercury is still retrograde for a couple of days. Retrograde Mercury sextile Venus is exact mid-evening, a flirty and romantic aspect also good for making or enjoying art and music, and for conversations that bring harmony to relationships. Venus trine Saturn is exact three minutes before midnight indicating a good time for setting boundaries and demonstrating stability and loyalty. There has been so much loss these last few years, many are mired in the sadness Joan Didion described so well: “A single person is missing for you, and the whole world is empty.” Still, this aspect reminds us that we can refresh and enrich our lives by appreciating the beauty around us. Seek harmony.
Sat May 13 only lunar aspects are exact. If we are feeling overwhelmed or dejected by our first experiences with Pluto in Aquarius (since March 23) keep in mind this quote from Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”
Sun May 14 Mercury is stationary direct at 8:17. With moon conjunct Saturn in the morning Mother’s Day may have a bit of a rough start, but moon trine Venus and Friday’s Venus trine Saturn should keep things relatively pleasant. Where possible, give mom a hand, and respect limits. As John Steinbeck wrote in The Grapes of Wrath: “And from her great and humble position in the family she had taken dignity and a clean calm beauty. From her position as healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; from her position as arbiter she had become as remote and faultless in judgment as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deeply wavered or despaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone.”
Next week is eventful. Mars trine Neptune on Monday, as discussed in the first paragraph. Jupiter entering Taurus on Tuesday brings support to the economy we might think but Jupiter square Pluto is exact on wed indicating further turmoil. Mars enters aggressive Leo the following Saturday along with Mars opposition Pluto exact, also discussed above. Lots of energy flying around, let’s put it to good use. Let’s be constructive, open-minded and patient, making time here and there to appreciate those around us and life itself. From here it’s only about three weeks until the return of good old familiar Pluto in Capricorn and some kind of “deja vu all over again” is inevitable, individually and collectively, until early 2024 when Pluto in Aquarius returns.
As always keep in mind that aspects are not necessarily strongest when exact. The durations of aspects vary. We count moon aspects in hours. Mercury aspects in days. Saturn aspects in months. Neptune and Pluto aspects in years. All aspects have negative and positive potentials. All aspects are opportunities for learning. The most daunting aspects can indicate the greatest rewards if we are eager to learn. The aspects do not cause events, they are simply signposts or barometers of astrological weather. As Plotinus wrote, “We all breathe together.”
