Current Transits for May 2010 Current Transits for May 2010Here's some of the important astrological news this month ...
Saturn Quincunx Neptune, 5-2
Mercury Direct Station at 2Ta39, 5-11
New Moon at 23Ta09, 5-13
Jupiter Opposite Saturn, 5-23
Vesta enters Virgo, 5-26
Full Moon at 6Sa32, 5-27
Uranus enters Aries, 5-27
Jupiter Semisextile Neptune, 5-28
Saturn Direct Station at 27Vi49, 5-30
Neptune Retrograde Station at 28Aq42, 5-31
Hindsight...
An online ephemeris for the month is available.
There is a major gear shift in May as we move into some new planetary patterns that will dominate the coming summer months. Perhaps the biggest change is Uranus' shift from Pisces into Aries on the 27th, a change that reshuffles the energies radically. The other issue with May is that there is no down time -- the whole month is practically a single storm. There are no transition periods for us to catch our breath, since the so-called low points would qualify as a moderate storm in an average month. The group consisting of Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter and Uranus, with help from the faster moving planets from time to time, never seems to quiet down and give us a break. The high flying mental-intuitive energies of recent months that seem to be driving people a bit batty is on steroids now. There are many different versions of busy, crazy and demanding on the menu, a little something for everyone. Dull and boring may sound pretty interesting after a few weeks of this. Hang in there...
There's plenty of news this month to discuss. Uranus and Vesta both change signs. There are also 3 stations and 3 "big aspects" to consider.
Saturn is quincunx Neptune on the 2nd, the 2nd of 3 such contacts. They first met back on 2009-9-12 and their final contact is on 2010-6-27. This is yet another "big aspect" in April and May that is part of the Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, etc. grouping that is dominating these months. On the surface, these two planets are about as far apart in meaning and influence as you can get. Saturn is very down to earth and practical, concerned with making matters work on the physical plane. Neptune is quite a Dreamer and Idealist who operates on a rather spiritual plane divorced from everyday life. And as we've been exploring the last year, Neptune also seems connected with the ability of the psyche to bend reality based on your own beliefs and understandings, a dissolution of the Saturn boundaries that normally separate "reality" and "imagination" in daily life. The quincunx is usually an aspect of readjustments, when the two principles being joined simply don't fit together smoothly. Particularly when beliefs are out of touch with the way the world really operates, this aspect can be quite troublesome. The tendency is for the fiction to overcome fact, a kind of low-grade insanity. Not pretty. This contact and the one next month will tend to blur into each other, so the next few months will be under this influence without a break. It's basically a wake up call, but I doubt many will understand the challenge.
Mercury is at its direct station of 2Ta39 on the 11th, ending 3 weeks of retrograde motion that began on Apr 17 at 12Ta37. Mercury retrograde is not as big a bogeyman as the popular press likes to make out. Certainly, the thinking, speaking part of the mind is not working properly during these periods. In effect, Mercury is the internal dialogue that goes on in our heads, the story we call "How the World Works" that we rely on to navigate through daily life. Usually this story is good enough for us to muddle through life, but during Mercury retrograde cycles, it seems your story falls flat on its face. The world seems crazy because the facts don't fit the narrative. These cycles are a time to examine your inner dialogue and give it a reality check. If your situation is confused or out of control, it's time to revise your explanations. Just keep in mind that no story is able to capture the world in all its variety and complexity. The short fall is with our narrative, not the world -- don't believe everything you think! Mercury will start moving normally after the 11th, things will settle down again. Don't get complacent...
The new moon checks in shortly before the second storm really kicks in. The emphasis is obviously on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, with the Sun, Moon and Venus moving into position. It's quiet now, but it will soon be anything but -- there's a Koz Quake brewing in a few days.
I suspect this new moon chart will have a marked effect at an international level. First of all, with Jupiter-Uranus opposing Saturn, there's a tendency to make big demands without the corresponding urge to step up to your obligations and responsibilities that make true compromise possible. Uranus also makes one's positions seem somewhat extreme or radical. At the very least, negotiating partners seem erratic and unpredictable, hardly a basis for building trust. Venus in Gemini completes the T-square, indicating a desire for peaceful coexistence and communication is a helpful road out of this impasse, although I somehow doubt her influence is enough to actually bring about a breakthrough. Flimsy words may sound good in the abstract, but they lack depth and substance currently. The new moon point itself (23Ta09) should ring some bells. Not only is it the Israeli Sun position, once again, but it is close to the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of May 2000 (22Ta43), drawing attention to their 20 year cycle. The Middle East may be in the news once more, but not for good reasons, I suspect. Of course, these same themes are playing out in our individual lives as well, only not so dramatically. Be willing to step outside of your own selfish concerns and accommodate the needs of others if you truly want to achieve some harmony with them. Make sure your words mean something and you can stand behind them when demands are made of you. An attitude of calm and stability is valuable. Aim for your long term goals and build for the future -- focusing solely on short term gains, particularly at the expense of others, is apt to backfire. The big picture for change is more important than simply playing the same old games with people yet again.
Jupiter is opposite Saturn on the 23rd, the 1st of 3 contacts. The next hits are on Aug 16 and 2011-3-28. These two planets describe society on a grander scale. Jupiter represents the "goodies" and benefits we receive by participating in society, the synergy and improved quality of life that we experience when we combine our forces and work together. Saturn is more the responsibilities and obligations we take on when we join society, the limitations imposed on the individual when he becomes part of the group. Since we are dealing with an opposition, these two tendencies are in a tug-of-war, an uneasy tension between costs and benefits. The effects of Jupiter and Saturn are often felt more on a macro or global level than in our individual lives. Further, the opposition is the halfway point in the 20 year cycle of these planets, a cycle that began in May 2000 with their conjunction. That was a time when the economy had peaked and the dot.com bubble was starting to deflate, leading to the difficult economic conditions of the early Bush years. Apparently we didn't learn the right lessons from that part of the cycle, because the current recession is the consequence of another bubble bursting and a global financial meltdown. Another arena for studying this cycle is the Middle East situation (the conjunction was on the Israeli Sun). Currently, prospects for peace in this volatile part of the world are at a standstill, especially over the issue of Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem. The outlook in this area has risen and fallen with the good and bad aspects in this cycle; oppositions are a stressful time when progress is stymied. Don't expect forward movement for quite some time.
Vesta moves from Leo into Virgo on the 26th. She'll be in this sign until Aug 9, when she heads into Libra. Due to a recent retrograde cycle, this is actually the second time Vesta has entered Virgo in recent months. It's important to remember that Vesta is an introverted gal, inclined to retreat from people when relationship demands become too great. She likes to check out from everyday living occasionally to pursue matters of personal importance, often some kind of creative endeavor. In Virgo, she's honing her craft, learning how to express herself skillfully and precisely. If you're inclined to follow your Muse like this, give her all your attention. If you come home at night and just veg out in front of the TV, Vesta will be very bored with you. Granted, this kind of attention to your inner life isn't for everybody. But as an introvert, it's nice to know you have at least one goddess looking after you. This is also a good time to make some life style changes to improve your health via natural means, such as diet or more physical activity.
The full moon chart is fairly calm. Of course, the outer planets are still active -- no surprise there. Except for Mercury, however, there are precious few connections to planets that relate to everyday living. The full moon axis is actually more in contact with Pluto than with the other outer planets. It's almost as if there is plenty of influence going on under the surface, but we have no way of bringing it forward into mundane life. It's simply bubbling away, building up to something big that we can't foresee just yet.
One complex story in this chart involves Mars and Vesta opposite Neptune and Chiron (both approaching retrograde stations). There's no clear direction to one's behavior now, since Mars is drawing you out to interact with the outer world while Vesta is coaxing you inward, away from external expression. Neptune has a lovely, idealistic approach to what's challenging you now, but Chiron keeps reminding you of the hurts and fears that keep you from making changes. Besides, with those stations coming up, it's not all that obvious whether this visionary approach will stand up to the demands that are just now showing up in our lives. A different path may be needed. It's not clear how people will respond to these conflicting pulls. Mercury, the story telling mind, is the only personal planet with extensive connections with the outer planet picture. Maybe we have to stop and think matters through before committing to a new path. With so many changes in the air, a little caution is in order. With the Sun, Moon and Venus connecting mainly with Ceres-Pluto, there's a tendency for old certainties in life to be breaking down. If things seem to be breaking down for you, it's a sign to let go and do some housecleaning in this area. I doubt this full moon will make much sense right away, so be patient and keep your eyes open to new directions.
And don't forget that Uranus is now in silent running, about to enter Aries in a few hours. Big changes indeed!
Uranus moves from Pisces into Aries on the 27th. This toe hold is only temporary, since it dances back into Pisces around Aug 13 and doesn't fully move into Aries until 2011-3-11. It will then spend the next 7 years in this sign, until 2018-5-15. This passage is perhaps the biggest astrological story in May. Outer planets spend many years in a single zodiac sign, creating quite a behavioral groove in the way we interact with the world. Uranus has been in Pisces since 2003, so we've had plenty of time to fall into a rut with that placement. Of course, Pisces and Aries are as different as night and day, so the shift in energy could be quite dramatic. The complacency and lack of drive with Pisces gives way to a powerful urge to get up and move, to reform and change situations that have become intolerable. Uranus is normally a rabble-rouser anyway, but Aries arms him for battle and fills him with righteous anger. This placement can also stimulate your mental-intuitive nature into a creative overdrive -- just be sure to give your ideas a reality check from time to time so you don't become too dogmatic and out of touch.
Having studied several sign changes for the outer planets over the years, I've come to understand that the passage is actually a long and rather drawn out affair. Uranus is already winding up business in Pisces as of late April with the last of its "big aspects". Its last aspects in Pisces are a sextile from the Sun on the 20th and a trine from the Moon on the 27th, about 15 hours before the sign change. It's my experience that a planet goes underground, a kind of "silent running", after these final aspects, slipping into the new sign quietly and under the radar. It's not until Uranus starts making aspects in Aries -- a square from the Moon on the 29th and an octile from Mercury on the 30th -- that it wakes up and is open for business in its new surroundings. When Jupiter also moves into Aries on Jun 6 and conjuncts Uranus on Jun 8, the transition can be considered complete. It's probably not too early to start considering the upcoming square between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn either, now that the signs line up properly. The square has been in orb for some time already, but should become much more noticeable with the Aries placement. This is a revolutionary aspect, promising to overturn many of our social givens. This is the first square or crisis point in a cycle that began with the 1966 Uranus-Pluto conjunctions, a time of total social upheaval in the US and abroad. Maybe the squares are the next step in the process, maybe they are more a backlash (probably a bit of both trends), but the 2012-2015 timeframe is certainly going to be a tumultuous influence on society. Work for useful, productive change, but don't give in to "change for the hell of it" -- mindless rebellion is not the desired outcome. In short, we are heading into a highly transformative period in coming years, but the outcome is completely up in the air at this point. This square is going to be in the background for many years to come.
Jupiter is semisextile Neptune on the 28th, the 1st of 3 contacts. The aspect repeats on Oct 8 and 2011-1-2. This is the first aspect since this 13 year cycle began last spring with the Jupiter-Neptune conjunctions, so the cycle is just starting to unfold. Aspects between these two planets often have spiritual overtones. Jupiter tends to refer to the more exoteric or socially recognized forms of religion, the beliefs and rituals that govern mainstream spirituality. Neptune leans more to the life of a solitary mystic, a pursuit of spiritual concerns that are very personal and separate from the mainstream. Of course, this is part of the larger outer planet picture this month, so other planets (especially Uranus, illuminating insight) are involved as well. Further, Neptune is essentially standing still now (its station is only days away), so the emphasis is on the subtle, dreamy, mystical side. As you follow your intuition, you may be led down paths that diverge from the well-worn paths walked by others. Conformity and conventional behavior is at odds with a deeper search for truth. Remain open to new options -- spirit is more slippery than the stories of "the old time religion" can capture.
Saturn is standing still at his direct station of 27Vi49 on the 30th. He has been in reverse gear since his retrograde station of 4Li39 back on Jan 13. We end the month with a pair of back to back stations. Saturn is first. He's been backing up for 4 months now. Saturn's retrograde cycles are often a time when old karma comes due and leftover business needs to be wrapped up and resolved finally. He's patient, waiting for the right moment before presenting you with your check, but he demands full payment down to the last penny. Look to the house in your birthchart where this retrograde zone lies -- the affairs of this house are where you will find old loose ends that need to be brought to a conclusion. The last 4 months probably haven't been a pleasant experience where these issues are concerned, as Saturn brings hard work for little recognition from the world, although you do get the satisfaction of seeing your efforts pay off and take form (assuming you put in the work). Things will slowly start to lighten up as Saturn resumes normal motion, although he'll be making plenty of "big aspects" in coming months as he moves on. Clean up your act this month -- you don't want additional leftover karma hanging over your head this summer. Saturn may be patient, but you can't outlast him.
Neptune reaches his retrograde station of 28Aq42 on the 31st. He'll be backing up for the next 5 months until his direct station of 25Aq55 on Nov 7. This is the first Neptune retrograde cycle since that planet's return to its discovery degree (25Aq52) the last year, a kind of new start for the coming 168 year cycle. Neptune is the Magician as Psyche, the power within ourselves to shape and change the world around us so that it mirrors our inner world. It's a realm of no distinctions and separations, where everything is connected to everything else, where common rational notions are turned on their heads. Over the coming months, take notice of any situations that "magically" appear and seem to reflect your inner concerns or confusions. Sometimes this turns out remarkably well, but more typically the weak points and unacknowledged wrong headed assumptions of our plans make their appearance instead. It's amazing when you stand back and see the situation you've created for yourself during this cycle, assuming you can be honest with yourself (Neptune is also known for a lot of self-deception). Curiously, the direct station in November is very close to the discovery degree one last time -- last chance to get the message Neptune is putting out.
The big news stories in April seem to revolve around the environmental and human impact of our energy addiction. The timing is peculiar, since the Obama administration recently lowered the environmental standards for things like offshore drilling. Coinciding with the Pluto station of Apr 6 was Massey Energy's Big Branch coal mine disaster in West Virginia on the 5th. Pluto is symbolically connected with underground workers of all kinds, especially miners. In a state where coal is king, it can also be the executioner: 29 miners lost their lives in this accident. There was word of a smaller accident in a mine in Kentucky just this past week.
And then there's the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The rig experienced an explosion and fire on Apr 20, the day Chiron entered Pisces. The sign Pisces and its ruler Neptune are strongly associated with the oceans and the petroleum industry anyway, so Chiron's passage into this sign seems connected with the events at the rig. Two days later, the rig sinks into the gulf, initiating a failure of all the fail-safe mechanisms that should have prevented the oil slick that quickly fouled thousands of square miles of sea and threatened hundreds of miles of coast lines that are some of the most fertile fisheries in the country. Ironically, the rig went down on Earth Day -- who writes these scripts? As the 2008 campaign slogan of "Drill, Baby, Drill!" gives way to "Spill, Baby, Spill!", people across the political spectrum are reassessing their stands on this complicated issue of energy, the environment and the world climate. It seems oil drilling is fine, except when it's your coast line. Already touted as rivaling the infamous Exxon Valdez spill of 1989 (another archetypal Neptune event gone bad), this disaster could affect people and politics for many years to come. Mother Nature is surely having her say on the matter...