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May '11
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by Boots Hart

Whether on a public or private stage, May asks what’s important. If you haven’t thought about it lately, situations will prompt you to. And where (if?) you haven’t tapped into your full personal capacities, the opportunity or the need to do so is likely to arise. Even if you say "no thanks!" you’ll be left wondering why you’re avoiding growing your life. That’s the real crux of the thing—and what will, like as not, be either a dead weight or lifeboat of hope as we move forward from May into June and July.  

All this starts with a May Sun in Taurus and all the rest of our personal planetary compatriots (Mercury, Venus and Mars) in Aries. So emotions are running high! Mars pressing through  Aries' third decanate (degrees 20-29) signals "wanting to see…" something, while Venus and Mercury running in close Aries tandem means our mind is on the ball and we want it to take a favorable bounce.

The glitch here is that Venus has a distinct lack of grace in Aries. The natural Venusian dynamic is "I present, you respond." Venus in Aries puts all the emphasis on the “I/Me” side of the equation. So this is either a time when we have to just "deal" with ourselves (wishing we didn’t have to) or when the world and those in it are simply not living up to our…what? Our standards? No, no! Our expectations! And there’s the personal glitch! We want them to do "x" while they want us (or someone else) to do "y." Meanwhile, we’re all doing for ourselves. See the problem?

Then…along comes a New Moon. Occurring at 6:52 on the morning of May 3 (UT/+0), its being positioned at 12 Taurus is a plus. Why? Because 12 Taurus has a reputation for patience and cooperation. Okay, so the Venus in Aries part may dampen this generous Taurus instinct, giving it a slightly begrudging "do I have to?" air. Yet despite a lack of sterling enthusiasm, with Phaethon just behind and Hera just ahead of said New Moon we do have to deal with "outstanding" (not to mention hot-button) issues. Haste makes waste here, and repercussions we bring down on our own heads are annoying as all get-out. But what’s the choice? We can get behind fixing the problem or have it henpeck at us for the next half-decade or so.

Those who take on "the task" now will in time emerge with respect—at least—and maybe having earned loving support. Those who bypass necessity? They will surely find that something goes up in flames. Making it all work properly may well take time, but with headstrong Phaethon, the negative end game (which comes from insisting on your own way and doing what you want) always ends with something—or someone—getting burned.

As we say all this, let’s remember also how we’re already in the "foreshadow" of the first of a pair of mid-year solar eclipses. Since the first eclipse is in Gemini, the question is choice: choices which need making and choices already made. Things which are so very difficult now (or which block your ability to do something you consider "normal") are directing you to make a different choice.  Yes, it does mean changing your direction. It probably also means learning a whole new set of skills. But with eclipses, what’s your choice? There is no choice!

Also…from May 1 through May 8, Chiron will be at 4 Pisces and therefore "vibe-ing" with fixed star Fomalhaut. This is not a short-term issue: having come into range (aka standard aspect orb) to conjunct Fomalhaut back in April of 2010, Chiron has since represented an ever-increasing sense of needing to clarify and purify our proverbial "act." As Chiron reached Pisces on April 13, a whole variety and slew (a proverbial salad!) of emotionally evocative—even provocative—(Chiron/Piscean) encounters, situations and…most of all…needs have become apparent. Dithering time is apparently over…it’s time to be big boys and girls (aka real men and women!) and get down to the business of dealing with reality and realities about reality—and what you can’t do because in some way, shape or form, it isn’t good—or good for you.

Given retrograde patterns, Chiron is going to be playing footsie with Fomalhaut for most of 2011, during which time we will all get a royal dose of this royal star’s theme, which is all about sorting the biased, corrupt or otherwise selfish from the right and good and realistic. By this year’s Libra ingress (fall in the north, spring in the south), confrontational necessities will begin to ebb and be replaced by things "playing out." But that last Chiron/Fomalhaut shoe? Don’t plan on hearing that last cosmic shoe drop occur until early-mid 2012.

And to think…all this is happening while we’re still getting used to ice giants Uranus and Neptune in Aries and Pisces. Gosh—what a delightfully uncomfortably interesting time to be alive!

Oh, and for those who like sprinkles on their “ice” cream? There’s also a little Venus/Mercury action going around. What’s that about? Well, this duo are going to be running in tandem from May 7 through May 19, first in Aries and then in Taurus, giving us a whole self-concerned and self-concerning period. With Venus not entering Taurus until late on May 15 (UT/+0) it’s safe to say most of these days are going to be a tug-of-war between what we want and what we can’t accomplish without incurring some sort of debt. And that, we don’t want to do right now.

However…come May 10, Mercury does exit the shadow of its March/April retrograde. And just as it does so, there’s a fortuitous-sounding triad of Mercury-Venus-Jupiter all in planetary lockstep. That sounds pretty good IF you keep your head about you, IF you don’t overplay your hand and IF you can be responsible, not overstep boundaries and not spill any beans. And if you do? For the overplayers and bean spillers among us, consequences can be mild (frustration and a derriere-kicking dose of self-critique) or a full-on public critique. So when in doubt, be modest. Go for moderation and pay attention to the broader scope of things (i.e., not just the "you" of it all!). And this goes double (maybe even triple!) if your chart is sensitive to 23 degrees of any sign—and even quadruple for those with an Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn in orb to 23.

Oh yes…and just for the hayride of it, we’ll toss in Scorpio and Taurus too. Why? Because Mars is moving into Taurus on May 11th (at 7:05 am UT/+0), and since Mars rules Aries, that rings the whole Taurus/Scorpio "my values—their values" thing.  So don’t forget—you’re not the center of the universe!

Actually, Mars in Taurus is a notable combination. Not always graceful, but certainly determined, this is Mars adding a "I like what I like!" quality to everything in and about life. And on where/how Taurus falls in your natal chart (plus where Venus, ruler of Taurus, is)…this can be a dynamic and constructive time or when you retreat into your fortress of (self) justification and wallow oh so contently, if haplessly deprived of satisfaction by your very choice to isolate.

With all that Aries energy one sign behind Mars' position at this point…well, it’s a good time to make a plan or at least take on how well whatever reluctances you have (we all have some!) are(n’t) serving your greater purpose. At the other end of the spectrum (yes, there is one) there will also be some people who are just showing off. It’s not attractive right now, but hey—some will indulge! Ignore them. Or don’t—use them as an example of what not to be/come!

Once Venus and Mercury join Mars in Taurus (on May 15 at 10:13 and 11:19 in the evening respectively, UT/+0) things don’t necessary "lighten up"…but they will begin falling more into place. Yes, you deserve a moment for that big sigh of relief. Still…questions remain: will you "do," "not do," or simply "make do" going forward? With all four "everyday" astrological symbols (Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars) in Taurus, everyone—individually and collectively—will be focusing on what we want, against what we don’t want to risk. For the next six days (until the Sun enters Gemini) it’s a world of dares versus daring which separates the risk-averse, the risk-takers and those who accept that with the effort to grow comes a judicious amount of risk no matter what.

Into all this comes the Full Moon of May 17 (at 11:10am UT/+0). Positioned at 26 Taurus, this is a clearly interactive moment where we find out how we "measure up." This may be in the eyes of others and may simply be against our own hopes or expectations. We may get called on our shortcomings or where we’ve exceeded our "knowing how to do right" and/or "rights." The solutions which satisfy everyone all the way around are most likely to stand here, those who don’t…won’t. And with Saturn retrograding back into 10 Libra on May 18  (10 Libra being the  degree Saturn will go direct in during June), we are entirely and totally on notice that the stage is now set for a great "unfurling" of circumstances, repercussions, choices and interactions over the next several weeks. Even the next couple of months!

The lore for 10 Libra speaks about thinking things over…and about isolation which is either chosen (so that you can think) or which is enforced by various circumstances. Since the lore for 10 Libra refers to "comparisons" and Saturn represents the great "skin" of separation or individuality, don’t be surprised if you or others feel or sound critical. Even self critical. But as the Sun moves forward—particularly as it reaches the end of the month words will be sharper or at least feel sharper…so be careful, lest you hurt someone’s feelings without intending to—or in such a manner which undercuts your own aims.

Interestingly, 10 Libra not only suggests the susceptibility to "verbal injury" but the other side of the scale, too—that being an opportunity to work through difficulties in relationships and negotiations.

Will we take advantage of what possible good can be achieved now? That (of course!) is the $64 zillion dollar (or Euro, or Yen or…) question! And once the Sun enters Gemini on May 21 (at 9:22 in the morning UT/+0) we will be in a more "thinking" mood, so such questions will appear more "of the moment."

With our world about to be treated to a Solar Eclipse in Gemini, things, attitudes, priorities, methods and opportunities are shifting—seemingly more and more every day. Particularly if you have charts with focal points between 6 and 16 Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo or Pisces (or between 9 and 13 Capricorn or Scorpio!) you’re in for some changes. Things you have been "making do" with—things which were "good enough"—may now disappear.

What will you replace them with? Will you replace them at all…or will you just move on to operating your life in a whole new way? It’s to think about!

Boots Hart, CAP