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by Boots Hart May prompts situations which get us to asking "what’s right?" We do this as part of whatever groups we belong to, as a world, and most of all as individuals. Is standing for what we believe in, unpopular though that may be, right? Is joining a group (or agreeing with the thoughts of a group) the right way to go? Individualism and individuality are vital—they're the engine of discovery, and make personal creativity possible. But sometimes the right thing means isolation—personally or in some noble cause, like leadership. Knowing the difference splits innovation from anarchy, discriminating from discrimination—and in the end, the satisfaction which comes through acceptance by others as against that alienation which is so much the sorry hallmark of the overwhelming (and ultimately overwhelmed) ego. Chiron’s recent entry into Pisces tells us that for the next few years, our sense of "plights" is going to be elevated. This may mean there’s simply more need—at home, in your soul, or out there in the world. Or it could mean that you (or some group) is merely more aware of what the needs are, lest things long thought stable go awry. Some of us will become more sensitive…to others, or ourselves. Some of us will get in touch with things in our own character—or elsewhere—which bring out our weakness. We’ll need to be brave about facing feelings. We’ll need compassion in dealing with injuries. We’ll need to find courage enough to forgive. Forgive others? Maybe. Maybe even more than that, ourselves. Pisces is all about how we feel about feeling. Chiron symbolizes "that which needs doing even if you don’t want to, or don’t know how to do it." Typically, Chiron challenges involve learning as we go, or from results. So not knowing "how" or "whether" can’t be our excuse. There are two symbols in every chart which nobody wants to touch—no, not with a 20-foot pole! One is the North Node. The North Node promises to fulfill our desires if we will just do the "should" instead of the "want." (And yet everybody rebels!) The other is Chiron. Chiron differs in that Chiron messages are imbued with this disturbing sense of not knowing "how." And with Chiron in Pisces, that not knowing is now combined with being faced with how we feel—you know, a "crisis of confidence." We feel like foreigners either in our world, in our skin, in our work or in this life. So what do we do? Most important is the not giving in to feelings of helplessness. When you feel overwhelmed, tell yourself you don’t have to have all the answers—you only have to try to learn better. You don’t need to build Rome in a day. All you need is to do something. Every day, another brick on the wall. Another lesson learned. Another baby step taken. And remember, not only are you human…so is everybody else. With that now in mind, May begins with Sun and Mercury (retrograde) in Taurus. From this we glean that the month begins on questions of values, personal, monetary, temporal or otherwise. What’s worth what? What do you really believe is really important in life? Given that retrogrades are always self-referential, Mercury (thought) retrograde (internalized) tells us that May begins as more of a period of considering and looking into things and talking things through than one involving decisions or action. Add to that how the Sun is just moving into the second (emotional) decanate of Taurus now, and the discussion is emotional—or about emotional values. And one more note for May 1 in particular: Venus at 8 Gemini conjuncts Juno and fixed star Aldebaran. Venus in Gemini’s first decanate (degrees zero thru 9) is about knowing how far any given choice will get us. "What’s it worth to you?" in other words. Or maybe "how far can this take me?" (or how far can I take this?) Given that Juno is about either the emotional partner wronged or the emotional defender of the helpless, and Gemini is always about the choice, the only note of caution is from Aldebaran, a symbol of integrity. Those who compromise their integrity through choices taken at this time are not likely to fare nearly as well as those who—however tough or annoying it may be—deal from honor, honoring most of all their integrity. Considering that Chiron conjuncts (asteroid) Lilith on May 2, it’s likely that "personal devils" will either come out to play—or that you’ll be involved in some situation which raises issues having to do with cutting corners or otherwise playing fast and loose with some "rule." With Lilith representing our "dark side" or that part of ourselves we "put behind us" or think of as "left behind" (though no part of the Self can actually be left anywhere!), questions arise which we so don’t want to deal with, probably concerning how we feel about ourselves. The degree of respect we have for ourselves. Useful questions to ask: what don’t we want to deal with and why is that an issue for us? As Chiron conjuncts Lilith, matters we need to deal with surface. Add to that the Pisces awareness of one’s own feelings and that come May 2, Saturn (what we have/haven’t earned) inconjuncts (adjusts) Neptune conjunct Icarus (ideals/fantasies which have gone too far or too fast) and…well, let’s just say this is a couple of days when shame, guilt, ennui, angst or maybe just good old-fashioned self-reflection come to the fore. And remember—you may be the person "wronged’….OR the person who is "wrong." Since we’re talking about global transits which apply to everyone, you may even find yourself in one of those perplexingly ironic situations where both people are equally wrong and equally wronged. (Welcome to the wonderfully, wickedly wacky world of Lilith!) Whatever happens, just try not to fall into your own Chiron/Lilith shadow by doing unto someone something negative simply because you’re so uncomfortable with your innards. It’s Mercury retrograde, after all—and if there’s ever a time to learn from all which comes to light, it’s during Mercury retrograde. So learn. And as you do, remember that it may not yet be time to act lest you go overboard in some otherdirection! Tricky world, isn’t it? Fortunately, Mercury goes direct on May 11, which first and foremost says we have a "station period" starting on the 9th and ending on May 13 (two days on either side). So things which happen at this time may change much—particularly down the line. Also, don’t be surprised if events or information which arises at this point prompts you to consider, reconsider, change plans or reverse your direction altogether. Occurring at 2 Taurus, these days are (simplistically) all about what we do with our abilities as they express what we truly believe in. This degree is also known for "inertia" which may manifest under any of a number of guises: hesitation, laziness, avoidance, lack of resources, pre-determined obligations…or just simple indecision. Hesitation or procrastination will now tend to create feelings of isolation, but since this degree is also about our need to decide things for ourselves, with that may naturally come some sense of aloneness. This "isolation" is echoed by Sun conjuncting Photographica, then Sedna on May 11. Photographica is the quality of "what it looks like," whether to you—or in the sense of what you think others think of you. With Sun/Sedna the second of these conjunctions the mélange becomes one where the "image of the thing" (you or something else) tests what we could roundly put as a "degree of maturation." Questions may be petty or vital. They may test whether we live as surface beings or whether we are simply clinging to some immature concept of how the world should work because we don’t want to have to recognize not just our own power, but our responsibility for how we use our power. The real lesson is about the power we really have once we function from doing what we can in this world instead of merely doing for the pleasures of the moment. A New Moon of May 14 at 23 Taurus (May 13 in the Americas and Pacific Basin) suggests a new start or staring anew in a public sense. We start, then we have to wait and see what happens. Confidence may flow if and where we feel things are "fated," but given that there’s also a touch of Phaethon’s headstrong influence here…well, let’s just say we’d all best beware our personal "thin ice" lest we face a dunk in costly, chilling waters. Yet on the plus side (trumpets, please!) come May 15, Mars exits the shadow of a retrograde begun last December. Huzzah! This ends a tediously long series of stressors, dilemmas and events which really have their origins back in mid-October (2009). This exiting of the shadow occurs in opposition to centaur Nessus, which may indicate recognition of having succumbed to a "lust" of some type. Or (unfortunately!) you may experience some manifestation of vengeance. It may be aimed at you, or you may feel vengeful towards somebody else. Yet if we think of this in terms of other influences (Chiron in Pisces, etc.) the real issue is why you (or they) have such feelings. (And if it is them, what allowed you to become involved with such a person?) Fortunately, once Venus enters Cancer on May 20 (May 19 for those in the Americas or Pacific region), there’s a chance to forgive—if not forget! Venus in Cancer sometimes manifests as "tough love" (towards others or self, or, as self-discipline!)…the idea here is that while there’s no lack of ego/ego awareness here (as we might get with Venus in Pisces) there is sympathy for the fact we’re all human. In terms of subjects, during Venus in Cancer family matters, planning for the future (personal or professional), dealing with home or household issues and all sorts of stuff having to do with nationality, tradition, customs, heritage, real estate and/or material boundaries comes to the fore. Considering all else, the question Venus in Cancer raise during the next few weeks is "Can I/we afford to? Can I/we afford not to?" This question of "the choice" is underscored and strengthened as the Sun enters Gemini on May 21 (May 20 if you’re west of the British Isles). Gemini is always about making "the choice" and thus about wanting to know what your choices are, what each choice involves and where each choice may take you. Beyond that, with four out of five personal planets in successive signs until June 7 starting with Taurus (Mercury), Gemini (Sun), Cancer (Venus) and Leo (Mars)—and here we wouldn’t think to include the Moon since it changes signs every two days or so—the mélange is all about the process we all go through in learning how to be who we want to be, what it takes to be seen as we want to be seen and the effort it takes to get from wishing, wanting or needing to the point that we are actually aware of how to go about getting where we want to go. Conversely this can be a time for examining why one or more of these processes isn’t working and what it will take to backtrack and bring yourself up to speed—in your own regard, that is. Taking care with personal resources is another big theme of the moment whether we’re talking about how you use your money, time, emotions or talents. Is it worth it? applies very obviously now—the choice (Sun in Gemini) is yours to make and the issue is not just what may be in it for you but what your choices say (to you and/or others) about who you really are. This dynamic comes particularly to the fore as a matter of personal priorities during the days surrounding Jupiter (in Pisces) in exact opposition to Saturn (retrograde in Virgo) on May 23 (again, May 22, if you’re in the Americas or Pacific Basin). Basically what we grapple with at the moment is that we just can’t have/do/be it all. Any connection between Jupiter and Saturn is a tug-of-war between old and new. It also typifies the energy of stable, productive growth (or growth of productivity). Being that Jupiter is in very "feeling" Pisces, and Saturn is in highly practical (and sometimes picky!) Virgo, this may be a time of many debates of many kinds with self or others. And be prepared, as the questions may be simple or simply exotic! With Byblis (time-tested teaching) at 27 Pisces plus Uranus (innovation-versus-anarchy) at 29 Pisces there’s a note of fervency in the mix, so do your best to maintain perspective and don’t be shocked if others exaggerate or get completely out of hand. Not to make things easy, the Full Moon at 6 Sagittarius on May 27 brings something to a head. This may be merely a moment of high drama for drama’s sake or it may be a dramatic moment of revelation which yanks everything back into the realm of hard realities. All Full Moons bring with them the potential for high emotions and even when things aren’t emotional, something specific generally gets "highlighted." Not to panic though—this isn’t likely to be the end of any world. It’s probably not even the end of the discussion! If you do find yourself over your head, look for workable solutions—the ticket here is all about functionality, not ideals, not hopes, not dictates. Come May 28, Mercury exits the shadow of its April/May retrograde conjunct Medea, raising the oh-so-human specter of selfish love which loses out precisely because that love was blind to the reality. That this occurs as Uranus enters Aries on May 28 may signal a triumphant breaking out of a (very) old shell or successful reinvigoration of something which has for far too long held you (your family, community, nation or even the whole world) back! Or….it could be a moment when blind passion erupts in statements/choices which are simply disruptive. Even damaging. The byword now: own your past, preserve yourself in the present and be prepared to re-conceive who you need to be in the future. With Saturn going direct on May 30, we get a "turning point" beginning on May 28 and extending through June 1. Saturn’s yearly direct-versus-retrograde patterns are timers which shift us back and forth between working on self (Saturn retrograde) intooutward productive mode (Saturn direct). Beyond that, under Saturn direct, external forces (people, jobs, life) tend to define what we have to work with—as opposed to Saturn retrograde, which is more about what we need to work on. With the specific degree of this station suggesting tests of not what we’ve done but why and how (or how well) we did it makes this Saturn station a bit like cosmic chickens coming home to roost. Given that Saturn went into retrograde back on January 13, 2010, issues of that moment are first up on the block. And not to worry! Since Saturn isn’t exiting the shadow of this 2010 retrograde until September 4, all is not yet lost or won. So if you’ve made a mistake—fix it. If you went down some wrong path, this is the moment to double back and start anew. Yes, you can still get where you want to go, but no more futzing! It’s time to get real. One other May 30 event: Venus in Cancer conjuncting the South Node, then fixed star Sirius. Venus/South Node is an obvious "good times, warm feelings" combination though the degree of this conjunction (13 Cancer) tosses in a "critical thinking" factor which could be problematic. Yet for those who are willing to get out there and try, solutions even to difficult problems may well now get found. There is a small warning coming from Sirius (aka Alpha Canis Major, our "Dog Star’) here. Sirius is all about charisma and how small actions can have major consequences, how sometimes individuals sacrifice to benefit a greater collective. So think things through—think long term. Overlapping this is May’s very last event: Neptune’s station/retrograde on May 31 at 28 Aquarius. Neptune is a tricky symbol to understand—it symbolizes our highest ideals and our greatest disappointments, with the separator between plus, and minus, generally involving either the reality(clarity of knowledge), expectations, or altruism-versus-selfish desires we started out with. But a couple of things we do know here. One is that the station on May 31 gives us a "station period" from May 29 through June 2. We also know that 28 Aquarius is a degree which is all about "gambling"—literal and figurative. The forms this takes are several. First is our not wanting to take responsibility: when we don’t, we are "gambling" with results. So what we get (expectations) or how others see us for what we’ve shown ourselves to be (reputation) is at stake here. Associated with a reluctance to make a "regular living," when combined with an Aquarian 3rd decanate (worldly acceptance, income) and the Neptunian "dissolution" effect, this can be financial issues or the melting away of something you had "counted on." Last here is the question of walking the straight and narrow: during the whole of the time Neptune has been in Aquarius' third decanate (since 2007), there has been an increasingly prevalent tendency to lose perspective on greater aspects of necessity. The inclination has been to think of one’s own dreams as everybody’s dreams and since we’re talking Neptune here, those dreams of ours may be pie in the sky anyway. Those who have wandered truly wide of the mark now face the error of their assumptions. Given that Athena (wisdom) is standing with Neptune, there’s an aspect of discovery and "learning better" with a side of altruism getting thrown under the bus. With this Neptune/Athena also being opposed by Sisyphus (entitlement/corroded intelligence) conjunct Orcus (unemotional justice), the best we can expect is to deal with "what works." As for the worst, that depends on how aligned within ourselves we are as people. Or not. But yes, there is likely to be much debate about "what works" actually means. On that cheery note, we come to the end of May. It’s a month of learning and (we hope) a month of earning—with good returns! Boots Hart, CAP
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