Jupiter enters Taurus and squares Pluto during the second half of May. Jupiter and Pluto are also part of potent T-Square and Grand Cross aspect patterns!

We also have an abundantly aspected Taurus New Moon, along with the Sun entering Gemini. And Venus grabs the spotlight in two new aspect patterns: a Grand Cross and a financially auspicious Mystic Rectangle!

This forecast covers this half-month’s most important astrological events. Also check out my award-winning This Week in Astrology audio podcast and YouTube video forecasts!

Click astrology graphics to see larger images. Some resource links may occur more than once. This is because many people link to a specific day’s forecast from social media, and might not see an important resource link elsewhere on this page.

As of May 16 …

• The Moon is waning (there was a Scorpio Lunar Eclipse on 5/5).

• Pluto is retrograde thru 10/10

• A Venus-Saturn-Lunar Nodes Kite continues thru 5/18
• A Mercury-Venus-Saturn-Lunar Nodes Kite continues thru 5/18
• A Mars-Ceres-Neptune-Pluto Mystic Rectangle continues thru 5/25
• A Sun-Mars-Ceres-Neptune-Pluto Envelope continues thru 5/25
• A Mars-Jupiter-Pluto T-Square continues thru 6/6
• A Mars-Jupiter-Pluto-Lunar Nodes Grand Cross continues thru 6/6
• A Jupiter-Pluto-Lunar Nodes T-Square continues through 7/2

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5/16 (Tue)

Jupiter Enters Taurus

Jupiter enters Taurus at 1:20 pm EDT. He’ll stay in Taurus for just over a year, thru 5/25/24.

This expands all the natural themes of Taurus. These include:

• Money
• Material possessions
• The five senses
• Persistence
• Nature immersion
• “Just being”

Jupiter could also expand the less desirable qualities of Taurus. These include …

Resistance to change, even when a situation isn’t good. This is characterized by the saying, “The devil I know is better than the devil I don’t know.”

You can also “bore yourself to death” if you let Taurus energy keep you stuck when it would be better to move forward.

Back on the upside, Taurus can lend stability and persistence to Jupiter’s positive inclinations. These are numerous, and include …

• Higher education, formal or self-guided, as a student.
• Acting as the professor, philosopher, guru, or other wisdom-giver.
• Delving into foreign cultures and countries.
• Exploring religion, philosophy and life’s meaning.
• Embarking on quests and adventures.
• Enjoying celebration, euphoria, and enthusiasm!

But don’t let Taurus get you mired in Jupiter’s dark side. This can express as overextension or proselytizing “The One True Way.”

Finally, Jupiter and Taurus can join forces to support you in these three areas:

• Practical idealism.
• Higher education with practical applications.
• Euphoric sensuality!

5/17 (Wed)

Jupiter Square Pluto

Jupiter squares Pluto at 9:10 pm EDT. This is one of 2023’s most important aspects. This square is “in orb” (close enough to be felt) 4/18 thru 6/17.

I’m repeating the following information from my interpretation of the Mars-Jupiter-Pluto T-Square on 5/3.

Pluto can bring death, transformation, and (eventually) rebirth. Jupiter, our solar system’s biggest gas giant, is all about expansion. So he can take whatever Pluto’s doing and make it gargantuan!

Renn Butler masterfully lays out these Jupiter-Pluto possibilities in his wonderful book, The Archetypal Universe: Astrological Patterns in Human Culture, Thought, Emotion and Dreams. I’m grateful that I can borrow from Renn’s masterwork on planetary combinations, with his permission, to share these archetypal possibilities.

Let’s start with some positive Jupiter-Pluto potentials:

• great resources and potential
• titanic evolutionary forces
• the capacity for enormous success
• empowerment through education
• intensive urges to improve
• the recognition that power either benefits all or none
• an ethic of “right makes might” (as opposed to “might makes right”)
• dramatic opportunities for regeneration and transformation
• beneficial destruction
• heavy experiences with a positive outcome
• the long trip into and through the underworld of the psyche
• triumph through facing death
• intense idealism
• the faith to move mountains
• empowered activism or philanthropy
• the urge to share one’s transformative experiences with the larger culture
• the power of truth

Obviously, this Jupiter-Pluto square has plenty of upside potential! But we’re also wise to stay alert to its darker possibilities:

• extreme material or spiritual ambition
• a tendency to feel high and mighty, which threatens those in authority
• an obsession with glory and greatness
• political drama
• delusions of superiority
• opportunities to abuse power
• runaway power trips
• inclinations to act as a law unto yourself
• the power elite
• plutocracy
• obsessive righteousness, fanaticism and overkill
• misplaced moral urgency
• religious or other dogma
• ideals of betterment and progress as a reason to dominate other people and nature
• stupendous waste of shared resources

So, this Jupiter-Pluto square can be used for good or ill. Earth is a free will zone, so we each get to make our choices!

5/18 (Thu)

Envelope Peaks

To understand this peaking Envelope aspect pattern, we first need to understand a simpler aspect pattern that serves as its foundation. This Mystic Rectangle started on 5/3, and includes Mars, Ceres, Neptune, and Pluto.

The new kid in town is the Sun, which creates the aspect pattern’s focal point. It joined the other planets to form this Envelope on 5/11. Both aspect patterns end on 5/25.

The key themes of the Mystic Rectangle are empathic and emotional sensitivity, as well as healing emotional trauma. You can take definitive action to manifest your dreams and visions. And you can take bold, heartfelt action in the areas of sacred sex, spiritual awakening, and the expression of your inspired creativity.

So what does the Sun add to the party? If you want to do any of this in a more public way, it can help you step into the spotlight as a leader or entertainer. The Sun is in Taurus through May 20, helping you persevere and open more deeply to your five senses.

The Sun shifts to Gemini on 5/21, in the waning aspect pattern’s final days. This can help you focus your mind more precisely on what you’re manifesting with this Envelope.

5/19 (Fri)

Abundantly Aspected Taurus New Moon

There’s a New Moon at 11:53 am EDT (28°25′ Taurus). Any Taurus New Moon is great for new beginnings or rev-ups in:

• Money
• Material possessions
• The five senses
• Persistence
• Nature immersion
• “Just being”

Aspects

This New Moon has lots of harmonious aspects! Let’s consider them individually, then combine them into an aspect pattern.

Neptune

The luminaries and Neptune make a tight sextile, with an orb (exactness) of around one degree. This empowers spiritual awakening practices, inspired creativity, and functioning more easily in flow state. This aspect can also support dream interpretation and conscious dreaming.

Neptune’s sextile to the Taurus Sun and Moon also juices up Law of Attraction manifestation, as well as embodied awakening.

Pluto

Pluto’s tight trine (2° orb) with the luminaries can make it easier to connect with wealth and power. This effect is especially strong with the luminaries in Taurus, the sign of money and material possessions. This trine can also amplify any Law of Attraction work you’re doing with the Neptune sextile.

Pluto also rules psychological and emotional healing. Somatically focused healing is especially energized, since Taurus rules the five senses. My free Healing Invocation, which can make trauma healing much quicker and easier, works even better under these astrological influences!

Ceres & Mars

A moderately strong Ceres-luminaries trine reinforces Pluto’s key themes of wealth enhancement and psychological healing.

A tight sextile between the luminaries and Mars adds more get-up-and-go to anything you start under this New Moon. Mars’ placement in Cancer can help you get emotionally excited about your New Moon goals. Cancerian energy can also add emotional juice to your Law of Attraction work, which can help your visions manifest more quickly.

Envelope

When you combine all the aspects I’ve discussed so far, they form an Envelope aspect pattern. It includes the Moon and Sun, Mars, Ceres, Neptune, and Pluto.

I interpreted this aspect pattern above in my 5/18 forecast. Here are bullet points of the Envelope themes I didn’t already mention in this New Moon forecast:

• Increase empathic and emotional sensitivity.
• Sacred sex.
• Stepping into the spotlight as a leader or entertainer.

Venus

The Sun and Moon make a tight semi-square with Venus in Cancer.

If relationship challenge arises, take time to feel deeply into the emotions that are coming up. It will help if you can both stay in your hearts as you work through the issue. As always, I enthusiastically recommend Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication method to help you work through any difficult issues.

Uranus

The New Moon’s loosest aspect is a broad conjunction (9° orb) with Uranus. There are three great ways to work with Uranus:

1. Be your authentic self and share it with the world as appropriate,
2. Follow your intuitive hits, and
3. Serve others using your special gifts and talents that you most love to use!

5/20 (Sat)

T-Square Peaks: Mars-Jupiter-Pluto

One of 2023’s most important aspect patterns peaks today: a T-Square with Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto. It started on 5/3, peaks today (5/20), and ends on 6/6.

However, the heart of this aspect pattern lasts almost twice as long! The square between Jupiter and Pluto came into orb (close enough to be felt) on 4/18, peaked three days ago on 5/17, and leaves orb on 6/17.

I interpreted the Jupiter-Pluto Square above in my 5/17 entry. Before reading further, click here to review that if it isn’t fresh in your mind.

Now, let’s discuss the Mars-Jupiter-Pluto T-Square.

The first effect of adding Mars is to make the Jupiter-Pluto effects even stronger! Mars encourages you to take assertive action toward any of the Jupiter-Pluto possibilities you choose to focus on.

Jupiter and Pluto also ramp up the natal meanings of Mars. They can supercharge your activities as a warrior, pioneer, entrepreneur or sexual being.

With Mars moving from Cancer to Leo halfway through this T-Square, you can further fine-tune how you work with it.

With Mars in Cancer through 5/20, you can energize the themes of family, home, security, emotions, and shadow work.

With Mars in Leo 5/21 through the rest of the T-Square (and beyond), you can boost your activities as a leader or entertainer to the next level!

5/21 (Sun)

The Sun enters Gemini

The Sun enters Gemini at 3:09 am EDT. For the next month, learning, teaching and communication will be energized. Gemini also supports local travel, enjoying variety, and connecting with your neighbors and relatives.

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5/24 (Wed)

Two Similar Aspect Patterns Peak

Two very similar aspect patterns peak today. One is a T-Square with Jupiter, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes that can help you amplify your wealth and power. It started on 4/21, peaks today (5/24), and ends on 7/2.

The other peaking aspect pattern is a Grand Cross which adds Mars to the planets already mentioned. It started on 5/9, peaks today (5/24), and ends on 6/6.

In this May 16-31 forecast, I’ve already interpreted the 5/17 Jupiter-Pluto square and the Mars-Jupiter-Pluto T-Square peaking on 5/20. Everything I said there also applies to the aspect patterns peaking today.

Additional information that applies to both these patterns relates to the Lunar Nodes. Because they’re involved, it’s best to focus on opportunities that align with your life purpose.

It’s also notable that the Lunar Nodes are in Scorpio and Taurus, signs which relate to money, possessions, wealth, and power. With the North Node in Taurus, it’s also a reminder to persevere where that serves your highest good.

5/26 (Fri)

Financially Auspicious Mystic Rectangle Starts

A financially auspicious Mystic Rectangle starts today (5/26), peaks on 6/3, and ends on 6/11.

This harmonious aspect pattern focuses on Venus, the ruler of money. It also includes Ceres, the asteroid goddess who rules harvest and abundance. Pluto supports wealth and power, while Neptune encourages you to clearly envision what you want to manifest.

Venus also rules connections with others, so this Mystic Rectangle can also bring flow, inspiration, and abundance to your relationships. If any relationship healing is needed, it can proceed with more ease and harmony. If a relationship is sexual, the enhanced ecstasy of light body blending is supported.

Venus also rules creativity, while Neptune rules divine inspiration. So artists of all kinds can use this aspect pattern to strongly and smoothly partner with their muse.

5/29 (Mon)

Venus-Focused Grand Cross Begins

Venus is the focal point of a powerful Grand Cross that starts today (5/29), peaks on 6/8, and ends on 6/16. This potent aspect pattern also includes Jupiter, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes.

First, it’s important to note that, except for its final five days, this Grand Cross overlaps the Venus-focused Mystic Rectangle that started on 5/26. Plus, a Venus-Pluto opposition appears in both aspect patterns.

So, this Grand Cross partners with and amplifies the power of the Mystic Rectangle. If you haven’t read that interpretation yet, click here to review it before continuing.

In the Grand Cross, Jupiter amplifies Venus’ previously described financial, relational, and creative potentials. The Lunar Nodes play the same roles as previously described in this May 16-31 forecast: they amplify your financial possibilities, and encourage you to act in alignment with your life purpose. Pluto plays the same role as in the Mystic Rectangle.

Venus enters Leo on 6/5, so she’ll be in that sign during most of this Grand Cross. This gives extra support if you’re doing anything that involves leadership, performance, or play.

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Whatever your Sun Sign, my forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies.

All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least a week before and after.

Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you’ll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart. Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me.

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