May’s first half offers major abundance opportunities with three Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trines and a peaking Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune T-square! A Taurus New Moon and Jupiter turning direct further amplify the prosperity vibe.
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5/1 (Sun)
Law of Attraction, sacred sexuality and embodied awakening are enthusiastically energized with the Taurean Sun sextile Neptune (11°32′ Taurus-Pisces).
5/2 (Mon)
No major astrology events.
5/3 (Tue)
Today’s Sun-Jupiter trine (13°18′ Taurus-Virgo) is part of the Sun-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that begins on 5/5. Please see that interpretation to understand this aspect in its larger context.
5/4 (Wed)
No major astrology events.
5/5 (Thu)
Grand Trine Peaks: Sun-Jupiter-Pluto
May features three Grand Trines featuring Jupiter, Pluto and a personal planet in Taurus! The first one, a Sun-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine, peaks today. It started on 4/29 and ends on 5/10.
All of these Grand Trines take their core meaning from the Jupiter-Pluto trine. This trine has been exact twice in the last seven months, and I interpreted it from a different perspective each time. (I’ve edited these interpretations slightly to remove outdated content.) On 3/16/2016 I wrote:
Abundant prosperity and transformative spirituality are two great ways to take advantage of a Jupiter-Pluto trine. Other possibilities supported by this smooth and harmonious aspect include deepening your wisdom through higher education and immersing yourself in a foreign culture.
And that’s just the meaning of the naked planets. With Jupiter in Virgo, health and service to others can be transformed and powerfully amplified.
This trine lasts nearly a year! Jupiter and Pluto came into orb (close enough to connect) on 8/26/15, and will stay connected thru 8/16/16.
On 10/11/2015 I wrote:
What’s one thing Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have in common? Jupiter and Pluto connecting strongly in their natal charts. What else do they have in common? They’re rich!
These two billionaires benefit from natal Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions, but all of us can increase our prosperity under a Jupiter-Pluto trine. In this context, Pluto represents massive wealth and Jupiter represents expansion and luck!
Of course, prosperity isn’t limited to money. With Jupiter in Virgo, abundance can show up as good health or the soul-deep satisfaction of appropriate service to others. A Jupiter-Pluto trine can also amplify sacred sexuality and deep transformation. Occult practices such as astrology, numerology, mediumship, psychic perception and shamanism can also be energized.
On one level, the personal planets forming these three Grand Trines act as triggers to fire all this up. Each personal planet also adds its particular meaning into the mix.
The three Grand Trines overlap as follows:
- Sun-Jupiter-Pluto began 4/29, peaks 5/5 and ends 5/10.
- Mercury-Jupiter-Pluto begins 5/6, peaks 5/16 & 5/28 and ends 6/6. (The double peak is due to Mercury turning direct on 5/22.)
- Venus-Jupiter-Pluto begins 5/7, peaks 5/12 and ends 5/17.
At least one of these Grand Trines is in effect every day in May. This gives you plenty of time to take advantage of this rich array of archetypal opportunities!
These Grand Trines will send you a certain amount of the energies described above as a gimme. This is because the planets in this aspect pattern connect easily and automatically. But if you want maximum benefit, you need to mine the trines. The more effort you put into them, the more riches they’ll return!
What unique flavor does the Sun add in its Grand Trine peaking today? The Sun is the biggest radiating body in the solar system. So broadcast whichever of these energies you resonate with for the benefit of others!
5/6 (Fri)
Taurus New Moon
May’s New Moon lines up at 3:30 PM EDT (16°41′ Taurus). Any Taurus New Moon is great for new beginnings in:
- sensuality
- perseverance
- relaxation
- connection with nature
- “just being”
Aspects
By far the most important aspects to this Taurus New Moon are the members of the Sun-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that I described at such length in yesterday’s forecast. Please read that interpretation now if you haven’t already done so, or as a refresher.
Kite
This Grand Trine is expanded into a Kite by the addition of the South Node in Pisces. Kite points give Grand Trines, which are naturally balanced configurations, a directional focus they wouldn’t otherwise have.
The South Node represents what you’ve brought forward into this lifetime from your DNA or past lives. This includes psychological wounds and old karma. In a flowing configuration such as this Kite, clearing this old shadow material can be easier than usual.
The South Node also represents positive, life-affirming energies. In Pisces, this could represent spiritual and creative gifts you’ve previously developed. Letting these areas blossom should be very much in the flow!
Other Aspects
In addition, this New Moon conjoins retrograde Mercury. What new beginnings would serve you in learning, writing or speaking? With Mercury in Taurus, nonverbal communication such as instrumental music or dancing is also supported. A loose conjunction to Vesta asks what concrete efforts you’re making toward the ideals you support.
Finally, a tight quincunx from Saturn indicates that you might hit a roadblock or two as you move forward with all this. But making the appropriate adjustments should put you back in the fast lane!
Sabian Symbol
This New Moon’s Sabian Symbol is, “A symbolic battle between ‘swords,’ the disciples of might, and ‘torches’, the disciples of enlightenment.” In the context of this New Moon, Pluto would represent the swords, and Jupiter the enlightenment.
The trine between Pluto and Jupiter, as well as the word “symbolic,” suggests that this battle doesn’t need to be fought at all. When the exercise of might is guided by enlightened awareness, everyone’s on the same side!
The more consistently and deeply you embody enlightenment, the more powerful your actions become. Egoic decision-making is always subject to error, but I’ve found that my inner divine guidance is always right on. I recommend that you listen to your intuition when it speaks, and follow its guidance!
Grand Trine: Mercury-Jupiter-Pluto
May’s second Grand Trine kicks off today. As noted above, this Mercury-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine begins today (5/6), peaks on 5/16 and 5/28, and ends on 6/6.
Please see yesterday’s Grand Trines interpretation if you’d like an in-depth explanation or reminder of the larger meaning of this month’s Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trines. With Mercury in the mix, learning, communication and short-range travel are also energized.
5/7 (Sat)
Grand Trine: Venus-Jupiter-Pluto
May’s third and final Grand Trine kicks off today. This Venus-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine peaks on 5/12 and ends on 5/17.
Once again, please see yesterday’s Grand Trines interpretation if you’d like an explanation or reminder of the general meaning of this month’s Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trines. In addition to the Taurean themes already discussed in that interpretation, the presence of Venus flows smooth energy to support relationships and creativity. A secondary effect of this configuration is that it could bring challenges in relational and creative areas that don’t serve your highest good.
Today’s Sun-Pluto trine is part of the Sun-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that peaked on 5/5. Please see that interpretation to understand this aspect in its larger context.
5/8 (Sun)
No major astrology events.
5/9 (Mon)
T-square Peaks: Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune
One of 2016’s most important astrological events peaks today: a Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune T-square. This powerful aspect pattern lasts nearly four months. It began on 3/5, peaks today and ends on 7/1.
The rest of this interpretation pretty much copies what I wrote about this aspect pattern on 3/5. I’m repeating it here for your convenience.
Even an aspect pattern containing slower planets such as these wouldn’t usually last so long. But all three planets change direction while the T-square is active, making its extended run possible.
Astrology’s hard aspects may be challenging, but they’re not bad. Nothing stimulates action better than hard aspects, and a T-square (a geometrical right triangle) contains a 180° opposition and two 90° squares.
Law of Attraction Possibilities
What action can you take under this Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune T-square? For starters, this can energize Law of Attraction work in a big way. In the context of manifestation, Neptune represents visualization and Saturn represents crystallization. Jupiter amplifies this effect, and can even add a measure of luck!
Since you’re a human being in a free will zone, you can use this enhanced Law of Attraction juju to reshape the highly convincing hologram we call “reality” however you wish. (Many have found my free article, “The Law of Attraction Made Simple,” helpful in manifesting their desires.) But if you want to take full advantage of this T-square’s astrological support, consider the mutable signs these three planets occupy throughout this T-square:
- Jupiter is in Virgo
- Saturn is in Sagittarius
- Neptune is in Pisces.
A Law of Attraction outcome that combines some archetypal possibilities of these three signs would receive special support. While there are lots of creative ways to blend these energies, here are some worthwhile combinations you might want to manifest:
- Expanded spiritual service
- Inspired creative refinement
- Crafting and implementing a plan to bring more divine consciousness into your religious practice
- Letting the flow of divine inspiration guide you to a disciplined, wisdom-expanding educational opportunity (formal or self-guided)
- Embarking on an adventurous path of divinely guided service
- Making a habit of doing things that help you embody more divine joy!
Spiritual Embodiment
Another way to make use of this T-square is to deepen your spiritual embodiment, sometimes referred to as “ascension” or “the marriage of heaven and earth.” In this context, Neptune is divine consciousness, while Saturn is physical embodiment. Jupiter once again provides amplified support for whatever Neptune and Saturn are up to.
I’ve been consciously deepening my spiritual embodiment for about five years, and know hundreds of others on this path who are enjoying the same or similar benefits. For me, surrendering ever more deeply to my inner guidance is the most important and rewarding thing I do!
I enjoy ever-increasing amounts of harmony, flow, ease and grace. More and more, I just know things intuitively instead of having to figure them out. Mental chatter and negative emotions are increasingly rare, allowing me to enjoy more equanimity and positive feelings.
I know lots of people who can get to ecstatic states by doing spiritual practices, but lose those sweet feelings once they ground back into physical reality. Spiritual embodiment brings both worlds together. It lets you experience the bliss of your divine presence, along with all the benefits described above, as you go through your regular daily activities.
My free Heal & Awaken Invocations have given many people a quick, easy and effective way to deepen their spiritual embodiment. If you’d like ongoing support in this process by phone or web, I also offer EASE: the Embodied Awakening Support Experience.
There are many wonderful paths that can help you awaken or deepen your spiritual integration. Do whatever works best for you!
Structural Disintegration & Inspired Reconstruction
Funny thing about us humans: even when the advantages of moving in a new direction are obvious, we can still be slow to let go of what we know. This can be true even when our “comfort zone” keeps getting less and less comfortable!
That’s why you may not be thrilled right off the bat about another powerful way that this Jupiter-Saturn-Neptune T-square can work: structural disintegration. In this context, Saturn is structure, Neptune is dissolution, and Jupiter once again amps the whole thing up.
During this T-square, notice how the important structures in your life are faring. These could be physical, relational, or conceptual. Are they holding steady, with strong energetic support? Then they’re probably in alignment with your soul purpose, and it’s fine to keep them in place. But if they’re dissolving away, consider whether it might be best to release them. Or perhaps a conscious restructuring could re-energize them.
As an old Zen story teaches, you can’t pour fresh tea into a cup that’s already full. And as the four seasons remind us, everything has a time to be born, grow and mature — and, inevitably and appropriately, a time to wither and die. Keep your life vital and aligned with your soul purpose by releasing everything in your life that has outlived its usefulness!
Inspired reconstruction follows structural disintegration just as day follows night. For more on this, see The Law of Attraction section above.
Jupiter Direct
Jupiter turns direct today (5/9) at 13°15′ Virgo. This is a great time to move forward in the areas of higher education, teaching and publishing. You can also begin acting on any thoughts you’ve been having regarding philosophy, religion and the meaning of life. And be sure to make time to celebrate!
With Jupiter in Virgo, you can also pour new energy into health, service and refinement.
Your creative Muse should be singing to you loud and clear with Venus sextile Neptune (11°42′ Taurus-Pisces). This aspect also adds smooth energy To Law of Attraction manifestation, deepening your inner divine connection, and recognizing Spirit at the heart of everything in the physical world.
Learning, communication, writing and salesmanship are energized by a Sun-Mercury conjunction (19°25′ Taurus).
5/10 (Tue)
T-square: Mars-Pallas Athena-Vesta
You can pour fresh energy into your feminine assertiveness, strategic planning and service to a higher cause, thanks to a Mars-Pallas Athena-Vesta T-square. This dynamic aspect pattern begins today (5/10), peaks on 5/20 and ends on 5/25. With Mars and Pallas in the Sagittarius/Gemini Axis of Communication, perhaps your actions will include sharing helpful information!
Today’s Venus-Jupiter trine is part of the Venus-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that began on 5/7. Please see that interpretation to understand this aspect in its larger context.
5/11 (Wed)
A Venus-Saturn quincunx (14°42′ Taurus-Sagittarius) could throw out stumbling blocks in your relationships, creativity and finances. But persistence and creative adjustment should keep you heading in the right direction.
5/12 (Thu)
Today’s Mercury-Pluto trine (17°20′ Taurus-Capricorn) is part of the Mercury-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that began on 5/6. Please see that interpretation to understand this aspect in its larger context.
The Venus-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that started on 5/7 peaks today and wraps up on 5/17.
5/13 (Fri)
Creative writing, harmonious communication and pleasant learning are all supported by a Mercury-Venus conjunction (16°57′ Taurus).
Today’s Venus-Pluto trine (17°19′ Taurus-Capricorn) is part of the Venus-Jupiter-Pluto Grand Trine that began on 5/7. Please see that interpretation to understand this aspect in its larger context.
Embodied awakening and creative inspiration are magically supported by a Sun-Neptune quintile (23°47′ Taurus-11°47′ Pisces).
5/14 (Sat)
Put your gifts as a healer, mentor, shaman or awakener to use as the Sun sextiles Chiron (24°25′ Taurus-Pisces). With the Sun in Taurus, hands-on modalities receive special support.
5/15 (Sun)
No major astrology events.
Void-of-Course Moons
It’s best to avoid starting important new projects or making major purchases during void-of-course Moons. “Business as usual” is the optimal strategy. Void-of-course Moons occur when the Moon has made her last major Ptolemaic aspect, but has not yet moved into her next sign.
4/30, 10:56 pm – 5/1, 10:33 am (Pisces)
5/3, 1:08 am – 1:04 pm (Aries)
5/5, 12:17 am – 1:10 pm (Taurus)
5/6, 10:10 pm – 5/7, 12:34 pm (Gemini)
5/9, 12:15 am – 1:24 pm (Cancer)
5/11, 3:34 am – 5:32 pm (Leo)
5/13, 1:02 pm – 5/14, 1:52 am (Virgo)
Whatever your Sun Sign, AstroShaman’s 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 several days before and after.
Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you will be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart.
Stephanie says
I enjoyed reading your analyses, except for the constant “dropping down ” of the glossary and testimonials in the right hand side panel. It was constant jerky movement in my peripheral vision and I could not concentrate on what I was reading. Please consider making that a still section of information. Thanks, Stephanie K.
Benjamin says
Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie. I’ve implemented your suggestion! :-)