This Month: Astrological Trends * Free Guided Meditations * Freely Giving in Relationships
May 2016 Astrological Trends
This Spring appears to be the time to stick to the cosmic lesson plan. Saturn is making learning aspects from Sagittarius, asking us to expand our notions of what’s possible firmly and practically—but without skipping a beat. If you’re having an experience like mine, you may be scanning the environment for a place to rest for a while. A look into the astrology reveals a better question for all of us will be: what support can I have as I move into the new normal?
The big decisions likely occurred last month, with the Mars aspects being more prevalent in April. This month, the big actions likely continue. In May, we see lots of earth energy support and a continuation of the long-term influences we’ve been experiencing overall for some time, such as the Virgo Jupiter-Sagittarius Saturn square, the Saturn-Pisces Neptune square and the Jupiter – Neptune opposition as well as lingering trails of Capricorn Pluto-Aries Uranus square. We also see the faster moving planets engage these slower energies to provide both solid help for restructuring and supporting our changes (sometimes called beneficial aspects) as well as motivation for change (sometimes called stressful aspects).
On May 1—May Day—there are some aspects that open the month as if they are sprinkling fairy dust over the universe to tell us to get ourselves oriented toward the natural world again. Remember that we are connected and ground ourselves. This is just an inkling of what is possible during May’s supportive grand trine energy—the kind of energy you need to focus on in order to summon up into your life. It is the quiet voice of life like a mother cooing and holding you in her arms, always mirroring your little smiles and cries. It is life waiting for you to smile and recall that you are a joyous creature underneath the breathless crying out for needs and wants that have felt endless. When we stop and breathe, we realize mother life has been there all along, attending to our basest needs and waiting for us to begin to grow again. We can attach ourselves to our life’s potential wholeheartedly as quickly as an infant shifts from a cry to a smile. These exact aspects on May 1 touch on the fact that we have this opportunity to turn our lives around now and rest in the energy of nurturing. Try to feel it a little as you move through your day.
They are: Sun in Taurus exactly sextiles Neptune in Pisces, shedding light on infinity. Mercury retrograde in Taurus sextiles Chiron in Pisces exactly, providing insight into the places we were wounded, turning our thoughts to teaching or mentoring, or giving us wisdom. Finally, for a moment, Venus, who has just entered her home sign of Taurus, sextiles the Moon exactly on May 1. Venus in Taurus is Venus enthroned, at home, in exaltation. It’s a time for feminine power which signals a rise in creative power. With many other planets retrograde, including Mars, Venus in Taurus feels like she has a lot of power right now to me. Being a Venus in Taurus woman, I know this is the signal of limitless creative potential and also a signal to connect deeply with nature whenever possible. With this hit on May Day, Venus and the Moon are asking us to consider the archetype of “mothering” on ever-deepening levels. Self-care has never been more vital than on this day! However you choose to indulge your senses and renew your spirit, Venus and the Moon are with you.
May’s Grand Trine:
It doesn’t stop there. This theme of actively supporting and nurturing yourself and those around you continues are these planets are involved in a beautiful dance throughout the month. The explanation for day 1 was so long because these energies build to an even more empowering and beautiful crescendo as Venus, Mercury, and the Sun move together in Taurus in what’s called a conjunction aspect during the first 10 days or so of May. First the Sun forms a grand trine with Jupiter in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn. A light stream of harmony opens up right where you are. Since both Jupiter and Pluto are retrograde, the best place to be is where you are. You can learn some things about your identity and redefine yourself, or get very comfortable with changes to your core that are occurring. The New Moon meets up with the Sun, adding gravitas to the ability to begin or begin again. The Taurus New Moon means you can manifest something physically if you’d like. Then Venus follows to take the Sun’s place as the Sun moves out of orb. Venus brings with it financial plans, creative and natural connections, somatic awareness. Let the healing begin! Following Venus, Mercury (who is retrograde, then turns direct on May 21) then spends the remainder of the month in grand trine aspect with Jupiter and Pluto. Mercury means the mind can slow down. I can recall saying this almost every month—but meditation during May can be particularly fruitful. Mercury is the mind, and Mercury in Taurus can mean a quieted, peaceful mind. From that mental place, seeds for the future can be planted securely, spiritually speaking. (I am not going to comment on pregnancy possibilities—HA-HA!)
Here are some of the key energy trigger points during this cycle:
May 6: 1:30 PM MDT New Moon in Taurus (invoke something new)
May 9: Sun and Mercury in exact conjunction (mind aligns with core being)
May 13: Venus and Mercury in exact conjunction (mind aligns with finances/creativity/body)
May 21: Mercury turns direct (Mind less reflective, ready for action again after retracing its steps through Taurus)
Mid Month:
The Sagittarius Full Moon occurs on Saturday, May 21 at 3:14 P.M. MDT at one degree Sagittarius/Gemini. At the same time, The Sun, having just moved into Gemini, moves into opposition to Retrograde Mars. One degree is one of the power degrees, making aspects strong. Occurring as Mercury turns direct, this aspect can have an effect of causing tension. The feeling of wanting to assert oneself may arise and be played out in relationships or in the environment. You can be open and honest about strong emotions, but avoid rash actions and risk taking. You can use the fiery energy in creative or physical exertion.
Venus follows the Sun to oppose Mars on May 24. Venus and Mars are the Yin/Yang and Female/Male archetypes of the zodiac, so you can also use that to romantic advantage if you’d like to take the high road with these energies. Those Mars-in-a-fire-sign-desires can be used for the best and highest relational purposes, too, after all!
May / June Mutable Grand Cross:
At the end of May, the Sun and Venus move into Gemini. They form a larger aspect pattern in the skies called a grand cross, which is more challenging. These kinds of aspects often bring issues to your doorstep, while the grand trine aspect discussed above are energies that are quietly purring around you. My hope is that you’ll call upon the trine energies copiously prior to the grand cross. Even while the grand cross occurs, Mercury is still in the grand trine aspect simultaneously.
On May 31 through June 6, the grand cross will activate when the Sun and Venus move into opposition with Saturn. Saturn is in Sagittarius. Saturn in Sagittarius energy is reformation energy—the sign of Martin Luther in 16th century Germany and Martin Luther King of the 1960s. Jupiter in Virgo is opposing Neptune in Pisces. We are being asked to balance our abundance on earth with our knowledge of the higher order.
As the Grand Cross occurs, this energy is funneled through the lens of Venus and the Sun, so it occurs to each individual that change is necessary and they are an integral part of it. Each person will likely experience how they play a part in the changing atmosphere. The sense of being part of a larger whole, while simultaneously being important—can dissolve one’s ego and also embolden a person’s purposefulness. Gemini is often a sign that allows us to hold two realities simultaneously. The mutable signs also hold space for the concept of two things occurring at once. It’s as if we are asked to observe that new life grows out of the decay of old life. We witness this in a forest; we may have to witness this in ourselves.
It can be challenging to hold space for both the death of the old and the birth of the new simultaneously within our lives and our worlds, but have patience and be gentle with yourself. This is a natural and necessary part of life, and larger than any individual. For me, part of faith is surrendering to a relationship with those things larger than an individual self. It helps me to relax and relinquish responsibility so that I can get down to and focus on the part that is mine to accomplish during my lifetime.
Meditation
Brand new guided audio meditations posted for free this month:
Take Advantage of these while they are free this month!!
Let me know what you think and if you want more in this series of wellness, relaxation, and healing. Send an email to domikajama@gmail.com.
Nourishment for the Body and Soul
Freely Giving in Relationships
Think back to a time when someone accepted you in all your wholeness—flaws, magnificence, neutrality. Sometimes there hasn’t yet been a person in life who has accepted us this completely. The experience of unconditional acceptance is like no other. After knowing what it’s like, it eventually helps us build empathy for others and becomes something that we want to pass on.
There are many personality styles, but beneath the variations of style, there is a level of regard we hold for others. At some level of maturity, we are able to stop or bypass the judgments we have of ourselves and others and see one another as capable of every reaction, behavior, and possibility. If we have every seed within us that could be watered and grown, as Thich Nhat Hanh says, so does everyone else. What appears to us in the behavior of the people before us, then, become the results of the seeds that were watered in them. Collectively, our environments are the gardens that were built from these seeds. When we view things this way, we can see that our jobs are to water seeds more and more skillfully over time, instead of to judge the seeds that were watered before we came along. It doesn’t do a lot of good to yell at the seeds that have already grown before our time—it does a lot of good to tend to the garden gently and with a friendly heart.
So if we let go of our morality and thinking that we know what’s right and wrong we can go about doing our best to be friends with our environment and friendly toward ourselves and toward especially those whom we love and cherish. When we give, we can pay attention to take care of others. It’s not a burden to give of ourselves; it’s an honor. The messages we have received throughout our lives are often quite backwards. The transactional nature of giving and receiving that we’ve been trained into is only one possibility for structuring our thoughts around giving.
Giving is also not about material items. The smile in our eyes and the listening we do with our hearts is one of the most important gifts we can give. The state of being with which we enter a room is a gift we give every person in the room. The joy we feel is a gift transmitted throughout the world. These are gifts of boundless value.
Nourishing Recommendations
You can learn so much about Tarot from Susyn Blair-Hunt, my wonderful mentor, in her book, Tarot Prediction & Divination, Unveiling 3 Layers of Meaning.
(Llewellyn also publishes the best selection of Tarot decks that I’ve discovered.)
Homeopathy and Core Synchronism have changed my life. First, I was immediately able to breathe after experiencing asthma-like symptoms for years. Many other improvements followed. Here are practitioners I recommend:
Eva Lipton-Ormand, CHoM, CCSP – in Albuquerque, NM
Elizabeth Battarbee of Flourish, Doctor of Homeopathy – available via Skype everywhere and in-person in Louisiana!
Elise Hensley, LISW, an amazing healer, specializing in EMDR and Neurofeedback. Elise is one of only a few people trained in Neurofeedback in our area. She is someone who is a skilled and amazing mentor. Better yet, your insurance may cover your sessions.
Thank you for enjoying this month’s newsletter! You can contact me anytime via email: domikajama@gmail.com for consultations. Visit at Intuitivemoon.com.
Be well!
Blessings,
Dominique