Astrological Forecast For May & June 2012

Many people are focused on December 21st as the focal point for 2012, but astrologers have their eye on a few other dates – and June 24th is one of them. That day will be the first time that Uranus and Pluto come into alignment (one of seven meetings stretching out to 2015). The last time these two giants were in a tight aspect to each other was 1966, a key moment in that tumultuous decade. We’ve already been feeling the energy of what we call the "cardinal square" building for more than a year, but we’re sure to get a much closer and more direct view as the summer begins. Everything that happens in the skies in May and June is in a sense in the shadow of this momentous meeting.

The Full Moon in May is in the sign of Scorpio, on the 5th. This is always an intense Full Moon, with an emotional charge to it. Things that we would (and sometimes should) otherwise keep buried can surface during this time. With Mercury opposing Saturn on the same day, we may be inclined to restrain what we say, but we could also feel determined to tell those in authority what we think. Watch out for a somewhat charged Friday afternoon at work.

A different feel prevails on the 13th, as the Sun meets up with Jupiter, while Mercury makes constructive trines to Mars and Pluto. This is a great time to get things done, combining an energetic push with a sociable, feel-good tone. The productive energy will continue all the way to the 16th, when Mars and Pluto come into an easy alignment with each other.

Venus, goddess of love and relationship, stations to retrograde on the 15th. Venus retrogrades last forty days – a number you may recognize from the length of the Christian Lenten season, the Muslim month of Ramadan, the rains in the great flood, and (by what astrologers call progression) the number of years that the Jews wandered in the desert. These associations suggest that Venus retrograde is a time to purify and purge, and indeed it is a time to get in touch with our deepest values. On a more personal level, Venus retrogrades are usually considered a poor time to begin a new romantic relationship or business partnership. Yes, old flames are somewhat more likely to show up during the retrograde, but don’t count on it. When they do re-emerge, it is often to clear up unfinished business rather than to resume a long-lasting relationship.

The New Moon falls on May 20th, just hours after the Sun moves into Gemini. This New Moon is also a solar eclipse that is partially visible in the American southwest, but not in the Wisdom reading area. The weeks before and after an eclipse are often tense, and issues can be seen out of proportion. That’s especially true with the Sun squaring Neptune on the 23rd. Note how you feel and what matters most to you now, but as with any New Moon, it’s better to wait a bit before acting.

Wait a couple of extra days, as Mercury is squaring Neptune on the 25th. You can consider this a one-day Mercury retrograde. Avoid buying software and electronics, and try not to sign any contracts. The time between the 20th and the 25th is a great time to get in touch with your dreams and intuition. While acting may not be the best idea, coming into inner alignment with yourself is possible at this time (especially with Venus retrograde).

Things really begin to accelerate around June 4th. On that busy day, we have a partial lunar eclipse on the Full Moon (at 7:03 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, it will be only partially visible in the early morning). Lunar eclipses, like all Full Moons, tend to bring things to light, but there is a tendency to exaggeration and confusion. Those qualities will be seen in quantity on this eclipse, because Neptune is stationing to retrograde. Neptune blurs the lines between the possible and the probable, and can tap into our greatest hopes and deepest fears. It is significant that Neptune, powerful in his home sign of Pisces, places a fish-eye mirror against both of this spring’s eclipses. The experience of this time may be quite intense, but the relationship of our thoughts and feelings to reality is an open question. With Mars squaring retrograde Venus on the same day, we might be very focused on partnerships – real, imagined, or hoped-for.

On June 11th, Mercury squares Uranus then opposes Pluto. We’re likely to be thinking and talking fast, and tempers might be short. This is a day when we may be inclined to "speak the truth to power," although it is equally likely that power will speak its truth to us. These aspects will trigger the impending square between the two outer planets, so while we may experience some tension in our personal lives, we’ll also be seeing them play out on a collective level. We can hopefully make some constructive use of the energy as we move towards a Sun/Saturn trine a day later.

The Gemini New Moon falls on the 19th. New moons are typically quiet times when we go inward, but in the sociable sign of the twins we might be more outgoing than usual. Connecting with friends and enjoying routine tasks are good ideas for the beginning of this week. As we get to the 20th, Mercury will square Saturn, creating more of a work-oriented feeling.

On June 20th at 7:08 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, marking the summer solstice. The Sun is at his highest point in the sky now, ending his northward climb, and days are at their longest. It is just at this point of greatest light that Sol begins his downward journey towards Capricorn and winter. But don’t worry – we still have plenty of light ahead of us, and the summer is just beginning.

The big day, June 24th, may or may not come with bells and sirens, as Uranus and Pluto brush against each other from Aries and Capricorn. Discerning eyes will probably be able to see some signs of the times, but long-forming aspects like this manifest over years, not days. In a way, the 24th is like a soft peak in a series of waves. Triggers like the Mercury aspects on the 11th or the Sun’s square to the outer planets on the 29th are perhaps more likely to make for big news days. Look to the entire last week in June to carry some serious energy that will be felt individually and collectively.

Three more events mark the last week in June. Saturn stations to move direct on the 25th, just a day after the Uranus-Pluto square. Saturn stations are tense and often somewhat stressful, and Saturn can paint the world in shades of grey. His station will lend a heaviness to the 24th, but he can also help us to commit to a course of action. A Jupiter/Neptune square on the same day may push us towards confronting progressive social issues like health care reform and education. Then on the 27th, Venus turns direct, ending her retrograde. In the midst of the cosmic storm that is taking place, we may not be too focused on the goddess, but we will certainly take account of what our relationships give to us and how much energy we put into them.

May and June are packed with high voltage astrological aspects. We’re reinventing our personal and collective lives, one step at a time. It has been hard to miss the changes that have been brewing over the last several years, but we’re now at a point where we realize that there is no going back – although we may not see the way forward, either. Stopping the flow of transitions and transformation isn’t an option, but you can take some time to back away from the world, meditate, contemplate, dream, or watch a movie. Developing a sense of calm in the midst of change isn’t easy, but it is a good skill to have right now.