The first four months of the year have thrown at us cosmic rainstorm after cosmic rainstorm—so it’s about time we had some promising astrology in the air. January and February prolonged a lethargic Mars retrograde, March had chaotic eclipses, and April carried the emotional energy of the Venus and Mercury retrogrades that began the prior month. As we prep for May, the forecast looks partly cloudy with a chance of letting go of the past and embracing the present.
The first significant shift of the month comes on May 4, with Pluto stationing retrograde in Aquarius. You should be no stranger to the effects of Pluto retrograde, because this is a transit that happens every year and lasts about six months. The previous one stretched from May 2 to Oct. 12 of last year—which could mean we might have Brat Summer 2.0 in store. With Pluto stationing retrograde, the message from the stars is to reflect on transformation. Pluto forces us to dig deep and explore the intricacies of how we are evolving internally. With the influence of Aquarius, we are looking at social change, the transformation of humanitarian efforts, the evolution of our social groups, and our goals/aspirations. This will require you to revisit fears and truths that tend to be buried deep down, allowing you to be more aware of what you can shed.
On May 10, Mercury moves into Taurus. Mercury is the planet of the mind, ruling over communication patterns and idea sharing. The mind slows down, taking on a more direct and selective approach to conversations when in Taurus, and this very well may cause you to sense that everyone is acting a bit more stubborn than usual. So make sure you pay attention when you are butting heads in disagreements. You will probably be focusing on finances and possessions most of the month, so journaling or personal reflection should include intrapersonal conversations about what you value to help ensure you prioritize what matters.
On May 12, we have a Scorpio full moon. I know what you’re thinking: “Is spooky season here early?” Only if you don’t enjoy getting deep and intimate with your emotions! The Scorpio full moon is about releasing what you are holding onto—because the Scorpio-Taurus axis is the axis of values and resources, which can tend to be too stubborn or refuse to evolve because of comfort zones. This is a great time to work with tarot, astrology, other esoteric, witchy wonders to help inform what decisions must be made. Trust your gut, listen to intuition, and go all in—Scorpio refuses to back down, and you should be willing to dive headfirst into whatever comes up during this full moon to make the most of it.
On May 15, Jupiter squares the lunar nodes. Jupiter (in Gemini) is the planet of growth and expansion—the lunar nodes (in Pisces/Virgo) represent where we are coming from (south node) and where we are going (north node). During this transit, you may feel torn between growing something new and continuing to expand what you currently have. This could be a potentially overwhelming time around the middle of the month—Jupiter tends to exaggerate. Both the realities of the past and future may feel too big right now, but consistency is key because this is a mutable T-square. Knowing when to pivot and when to stand firm is essential. Don’t switch things up just for the sake of it; make sure there is intention with your actions.
Then, on May 20, Gemini season arrives! The sun moves into Gemini, and the collective energy shifts to being less of a stubborn homebody (sorry, Taurus, it’s true) and into a social butterfly floating from one conversation to the next, gathering all the knowledge and stories it can. During Gemini season, it is essential to focus on lessons relating to communication and intellect. What conversations are you having? How are these chats challenging your understanding of yourself? Are you asking enough questions? Are you sharing your perspective enough? Be like a sponge—soak up everything you find curious, and don’t stray from sharing information.
The most significant change in May is on the 24th, when Saturn enters Aries. Since March 2023, Saturn has been in Pisces. Now, the lord of karma starts a new cosmic cycle and bounces into the first sign of the zodiac. For those born in late 1996-1998 (give or take, check your chart to be sure), this is your first Saturn return! Saturn returns are the time to grow up and rise to the challenge of holding yourself accountable to follow through on your true path. With Saturn in Aries, leadership challenges will be more prevalent, individuality will be tested, and the need for accountability will reign supreme. Saturn struggles in Aries because it’s like forcing a childlike energy to run a Fortune 500 company—maturation can happen fast and aggressively, and you’ll be challenged not to respond like a child who feels slighted because things aren’t going their way. This is, however, a beautiful time to start fresh and establish yourself as an authority if you are willing to rise to the occasion.
The penultimate shift of the month is less intense and acts like a breath of fresh air as Mercury moves into Gemini on May 25. Mercury loves being in Gemini; after retrogrades lingered throughout April, the end of the month allows us to have a clear mind. Communication becomes less stubborn and more open-minded when Mercury moves into one of their rulers. During this transit, the gift of gab will keep us all moving and grooving. Talk to as many people as possible, share stories, and listen! This very curious transit expresses itself most beautifully when you allow yourself to stay open to learning something new.
The month closes out with a Gemini new moon on May 26. New ideas, new friends, and new stories to share are all expected around this time. The manifestation prompt is: “What story do I want to tell?” Gemini is the storyteller of the zodiac, sharing ideas regardless of what they could mean or where they might go. This new moon is the perfect way to kick off the coming summer months by allowing yourself to be open to flexibility and adapting to the changing times. Gemini new moons want you to let the wind take you on a journey across new horizons, so don’t stress about the perfect plan and allow yourself to go with the incoming gust of wind in your sails.
What about the rest of the planets?
Venus will be in Aries all month, continuing the quest for self-love, prioritizing personal values, and revitalizing self-worth through activities and projects that allow you to do what you love the most.
Mars will be in Leo all month, which brings passion and drama, mama! Go big, be bold, and talk action that allows you to shine. This is somewhat competitive energy, however, so be careful of doing something to prove a point to someone other than yourself or showing off for the sake of garnering attention.
Jupiter will be in Gemini all month, which is still growing our minds, communities, and ways we process information. Jupiter only has another month in Gemini, so make it count! Do what you can to explore what inspires curiosity, have tons of conversations, and read a book!
Uranus will be in Taurus all month, and we have only two more months of it. Uranus rebels and innovates, while Taurus loves to stay consistent, so these two energies don’t vibe the best together. It’s been nearly a decade since Uranus first entered Taurus, so we are wrapping up a period of time when it is necessary to question what you value in order to create new foundations of self-worth and financial success.
Finally, Neptune will be in Aries all month, and after recently moving into Aries, the question of “what do I believe?” has been swirling around all of us. Spirituality becomes a physical activity and less of a passive practice (i.e., putting intention into the gym, or dancing as ritual), and our dreams and illusions cause more tension than usual because Aries likes to fight. Are you willing to fight for your dreams?
The overall vibe of May is forward momentum. There are a lot of planets in fire, only one planet retrograde, and plenty of transits that are screaming “let the past be the past and embrace the here and now!” Read your rising sign horoscope below for a more detailed look at what to expect this month. Wishing you the best! ✨
Aries
May has a lot of exciting potential for you, Aries. You’ve got Venus and Neptune in your sign, which is helping you embrace the most glamorous and expressive version of yourself. You may be confused about who you are growing into, but don’t worry so much about being a fully realized version of yourself. Embrace what brings you the most joy and know that when Saturn moves into your sign, you can add structure to your development. Your ruling planet, Mars, is in Leo all month, which will help support the galvanization of joy in your life. Get outside and go after what you want—you have no excuses not to!
Taurus
May is peak Taurus season, so you’d better spend most of this month reminding yourself who you are and what you deserve. While the sun is in your sign, you should be unapologetically yourself and spend more time sharing your authentic self with the world rather than hiding it. As a Taurus, synchronizing the internal with the external to provide a physical stamp of what you stand for to the world is crucial. Your ruling planet, Venus, will spend all month in Aries in your twelfth house. Although you may feel a fire under your tush to get out and experience the world, you may also find that you are more drained than usual with your ruling planet in the house of undoing. Listen to your circadian rhythm and don’t force anything that feels like too much.
Gemini
Gemini season is almost here—but before you can sing and dance the praises of the mutable air sign, you need to first get over the hurdle of your inner saboteur. With the sun and your ruling planet, Mercury, in Taurus for most of the month, May is slower. With the sun and Mercury in Taurus in your twelfth house, you will probably spend most of this month reflecting on what you value and are holding onto. This mental journey will lead you to spiritual revelations if you let go of outdated patterns and bad habits. Don’t worry, though. Once the sun and Mercury shift into your sign toward the end of the month, you’ll find the fear of the unknown blows away in the breeze like dust on your shoulder you didn’t even know was there.
Cancer
You are probably still adjusting to the shift of Neptune into Aries and the changes it is making to your professional world and public reputation. During this month, you can make a lot of magic happen with the new and full moons. The full moon will help you realign how you invest time into your passions. The energy of Scorpio is going to propel you forward by forcing you to acknowledge how you may be burying away what brings joy to your life. The Gemini new moon will help you instill new patterns of communicating what matters the most to you and what you value. And through both of these together, you’ll be able to tackle any professional shifts by prioritizing a job that you love—and honoring what matters the most to you.
Leo
May is all about getting out into the world and shining bright. It’s not like you struggle with that; you’ve got that Leo flair in you, after all! With Mars in your sign, you’ll feel motivated all month to do what you want, when you want, how you want. Additionally, with your ruling planet (the sun) dancing between Taurus and Gemini this month, you’ll find that you are motivated to achieve more and chase after those long-term dreams and aspirations you’ve been putting off. Use the burst of energy coming during May to set yourself up for the rest of the year. Work hard, and strategize how you will accomplish your long-term goals.
Virgo
May should be fairly motivational for you, Virgo. You still have the south node in your first house, which will help you shed your old skin and embrace the new phase of life waiting for you. Don’t limit your growth by trying to fit into molds that no longer serve you—use this month to keep exploring your new self at this present moment. The good news is that your ruling planet, Mercury, will do just that. Dancing between Taurus and Gemini, you’ll notice that you are more curious about not only learning what else is out there in the world for you to do, but also how you want to make it your own. Spend time researching new topics or ways to work with your goals, and take some time to share where you see yourself heading with those you love.
Libra
All month, you will be thinking about love and dreaming up your ideal relationships. And the best part is that, when Saturn moves into Aries, you’ll be able to add some structure to those rose-tinted ideas of yourself. Your ruling planet, Venus, will be in Aries throughout the month. Although Venus typically turns love inward in Aries, you may find that you are learning to balance loving yourself with loving everyone around you. Consider May the time to show up for yourself so that you can be the best version of yourself for those who matter the most to you. Be careful of being swayed too much by what others want or need from you—remember that you have to put your life vest on before helping someone else.
Scorpio
If you needed a reason to return to the hustle and bustle, now is your time! May will be an excellent time to achieve your goals and assess where you want to take yourself next. Though one of your ruling planets, Pluto, is stationing retrograde, you still have plenty of opportunity to accomplish big things. This is because your other ruling planet, Mars, stands tall at the top of your chart, allowing you to take bold action toward accomplishing your goals. Mars in Leo is about doing what you want fearlessly, so don’t resist the urge to go where it matters most.
Sagittarius
You may feel the need to purge or get cracking on some spring cleaning during May. With the sun in Taurus, your world is focused on your daily life, routines, and health, which means that until Gemini season starts, you’ve got to focus on establishing habits that stabilize you. I know that sounds like a big ask for a Sagittarius, but think of it as making sure you always have a rest stop waiting for you during your journey. Your ruling planet, Jupiter, is wrapping up its dance through Gemini, which means any leaps of faith you’ve been hoping to take regarding relationships, collaborations, and business partnerships should have the seeds planted this month. Come time for the new moon at the end of the month, you’ll be prepped and ready to work hard with others all summer.
Capricorn
A significant shift is coming this month, with Saturn moving into Aries. Being ruled by Saturn, you cycle through cosmic shifts every two and a half years, and this past stint has been a journey through letting go of control. Now, you are about to step into an era of self-affirming decisions and asserting yourself. Saturn moving into Aries at the end of the month will feel like a big change for you, but thankfully, you have the support of the sun in Taurus to remind you that, when you make decisions, they should help you enjoy life. Throughout May, reflect on who you are evolving into and what changes to your home life and daily actions will help honor that person you’re becoming.
Aquarius
With Taurus season lighting up your fourth house, you’ll find that for most of this month, you are enjoying time at home snuggled up with your loved ones. However, don’t let yourself get too comfortable—because this energy could cause the couch potato within you to miss out on the opportunity to revamp your living space into a refreshed version of your sanctuary. One of your ruling planets, Uranus, is still in Taurus, which is continuing to encourage making changes at home. However, your other ruling planet, Saturn, will move into Aries at the end of the month, which ultimately tests your ability to be vocal about what you care about and to allow people into the sanctuary you are building for yourself.
Pisces
May is the perfect time to refresh your home and connect to the people and places that bring you the most comfort. With the sun dancing between Taurus and Gemini during May, you’ll find that you are more social than usual and want to bring people over to enjoy your space. Keeping an open mind and heart all month will help inspire and motivate you to hold space for yourself and your thoughts. Your ruling planets, Neptune and Jupiter, will emphasize further that the priority should be people and places that make you feel safe right now.
