Libration Vol. 38
Mercury awakening, unexpected openings, community as refuge, and a surprisingly hopeful Taurus Lunar month.
Mother of Hermes! and still youthful Maia!
May I sing to thee
As thou wast hymned on the shores of Baiae?
Or may I woo thee
In earlier Sicilian? or thy smiles
Seek as they once were sought, in Grecian isles,
By bards who died content on pleasant sward,
Leaving great verse unto a little clan?
O, give me their old vigour, and unheard
Save of the quiet primrose, and the span
Of heaven and few ears,
Rounded by thee, my song should die away
Content as theirs,
Rich in the simple worship of day.
--FRAGMENT OF AN ODE TO MAIA written on May Day 1818 by John Keats 
Venus and Jupiter on the western horizon.
In contrast to the other lunar months this year, this one is among the most promising. That does not mean all problems suddenly disappear. Over time, the Gemini–Sagittarius axis is activated by the Sun, Mercury, and the Sagittarius full moon, with Uranus adding a strong undercurrent of disruption and surprise.
Add to this the reality that the current president of the United States is a natal Sagittarius moon with the Sun and Uranus in Gemini, and I’m not holding my breath for a quieter news cycle.
Still, the potential for pleasures cannot be understated.
If you were to look to the west at dusk, you would see a brilliantly bright Venus making her way toward Jupiter. Each night, the two draw closer together until they finally unite in the first week of June, during the final quarter of this lunar month. For all the turmoil that exists far beyond our control, the night sky offers an invitation into Cancerian waters, a world that understands power as something rooted in receptivity and in the interdependence of all life. Community—family, clan, tribe, however you choose to define it—becomes the beacon of light that holds us together.
THE NEW MOON
The main story is really the two days after the Taurus new moon, beginning Saturday the 16th, followed by Mercury entering its domicile in Gemini on the 17th. Then Venus and Mars, the two planets symbolizing our basic polarities, feminine and masculine, form a sextile that perfects in the signs of Cancer and Taurus, water and Earth, respectively.
These are the elements that represent the tangible. We can touch the cool silkiness of a slow-moving river and bury our toes in the soil. Of the signs within these elements, Cancer and Taurus are arguably the richest in relation to the body, as the moon has its domicile in Cancer and its exaltation in Taurus.
Taurus concerns security, home, garden, and the most basic necessities. It rules the earthy, practical side of belonging and our relationship to what we possess. Cancer is emotional support, the part of us willing to be accepting and vulnerable. Your tribe is the one that has flowed through the highs and lows with you: the people who have laughed beside you, spoken truth to you, and stood shoulder to shoulder with you through grief.
This month, with the two most basic polarities entering these spaces, we are invited home.
THE FULL MOON
The turbulent part of the month arrives near the end. Mars forms a square with Pluto in Aquarius, which occurs near the day of the full moon in Sagittarius. The moon is at peak enthusiasm in Sagittarius, and Jupiter is in great condition. But the other aspect hanging around is Venus in Cancer square to Saturn in Aries.
There are a million ways to interpret these two events occurring so close together, but the atmosphere feels like standing on the edge of a cliff while all your friends are jumping off, and you suddenly develop a case of cold feet. Saturn can bring up insecurities and fears in the Aries sector, prompting a desire to hit the brakes on all the tender, home-centered feelings. But these are old hurts—ones we have already worked through thanks to Chiron’s extended presence in Aries.
Once this week clears, Venus moves within orb of Jupiter in Cancer, and the Sun in Gemini approaches workable solutions with Saturn.
KEY DATES
May 16th: The Taurus New Moon is conjunct Mercury.
May 17th: Mercury enters Gemini and forms the first of many conjunctions with Uranus over the next seven years. There is a strong element of unpredictability and spontaneity here. While these two can manifest positively, remain alert for disruptive events as well.
May 18th: Venus enters Cancer, Mars enters Taurus, and their sextile perfects.
May 19th: The moon gains its first sliver of light in Cancer. Mercury in Gemini forms a productive trine with Pluto in Aquarius. This is a day that feels both tender and workable.
May 20th: Gemini season begins. With Mercury also present in Gemini, this likely heralds a few weeks filled with social engagements, games, playful creativity, and bold, patterned outfits.
May 22nd: A packed day. Venus in Cancer squares Neptune in Aries, the Sun conjoins Uranus, Mercury sextiles Saturn, and Venus trines the North Node in Pisces. You are unlikely to feel every transit personally, but collectively, expect major headlines in the tech, commerce, and energy sectors. Venus with Neptune and the North Node lends a sense of fated idealism.
May 23rd: The moon reaches its first quarter in Virgo. The time for action is now. Light a candle, make it feel ritualistic, and devote a few days to service and care for others.
May 24th: The Neptunian atmosphere continues as the Sun forms a sextile with Neptune.
May 25th: Mars peaks in its square to Pluto. Hopefully, this is not a surprise, though the heavy Neptune influence may have obscured a simmering tension. On a collective level, this resembles two sides digging in their heels within a power struggle that everyone is exhausted by. Practically speaking, take extra care while driving, and in interpersonal conflicts, remember that Pluto tends to magnify everything. Lean into Taurian stillness to rediscover the true seat of personal power.
May 26th: Pluto remains at the forefront, though in a more integrated form, as the Sun trines Pluto in Aquarius. This is a better time to confront challenges directly, as the Sun—our symbol of spirit and purpose—is positioned toward solution-oriented action.
May 28th: Cold feet day. Venus squares Saturn while the moon wanes through Scorpio. There are two ways to work with this. Scorpio energy tends toward privacy and intensity, but Venus forms a trine with the moon. Emotional depth can be traversed successfully, as Venus in Cancer and the Scorpio moon are both well-equipped to hold space for vulnerability.
May 31st: The Sagittarius Full Moon arrives as Mercury in Gemini sextiles Chiron in Aries. For all the high-intensity energy swirling through the ether, the potential for healing and expansion remains present. Mercury in Gemini communicates skillfully, while the moon answers to a fair and humble Jupiter in Cancer.
June 1st: The Cancerian energy multiplies as Mercury joins Venus and Jupiter. This ingress marks the beginning of one of the best weeks of the year. Our minds become oriented toward our private lives and closest relationships. Break out the pen and paper, journal deeply, and send as many postcards as necessary to support the ongoing healing process.
June 6th–9th: Here we find the sweetest weekend of the year. The moon enters Pisces on the 6th, ruled by Jupiter, who is joined by Venus for one of the most auspicious alignments of the year. The moon reaches its last quarter on the 8th, ushering in a quieter atmosphere. Forget the outside world for a while. Spend this weekend as dearly as you can.
Though a few days remain in the lunar month, I will leave you here. The next major developments are Mercury entering its pre-shadow on the 12th and Venus entering Leo just before the Gemini new moon. Those belong to next month’s story. For once, there is no need to rush ahead.
EXTRA THINGS
Playlist theme this month is sweet and surprising duets in honor of the mutual reception between Venus in Gemini and Mercury in Taurus. Listen Here
If you are in need of a summer fantasy read, I am just wrapping up the 18th book in the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It follows Harry Dresden, a wizard living in modern-day Chicago. Science is the new religion, but myth and magic have always existed, kept in balance by the White Council. It’s a series that weaves all manner of creatures and magics all in one intelligently crafted world. 5 stars.
And because we are all nerds here, I thought it was curious that a May Day poem dedicated to Hermes and Mercury felt like the right opener for this newsletter. A quick look at the ephemeris for May 1st 1818:
Wild! The same signs are activated by the same cast of characters present in this coming lunar month, just a bit jumbled around. But the Mercury ingress is really the icing on the cake. I mean, a poem for Hermes? Mercury 0°Gemini? Venus in Taurus and a Pisces moon?! Mind blown.
Wishing you a month of abundant simplicity,
Nicole