May 2008 Astrology Rant
By Mystic Marguerite

The quadrille of May begins with Mercury, lord of communication, transportation and commerce waltzing into Gemini, where it rules. Thinking and speaking processes speed up; positively there is more flexibility in viewpoint, avid curiosity and a desire to learn; or minds can be scattered and inconsistent, just skimming the surface of available knowledge. Gemini, patron of media spin and propaganda, is one of the dual signs therefore quite capable of being two-faced. These themes will strengthen throughout the month as Sun and Venus also slip into Gemini, highlighting the various dualities that structure manifested life; for example inner versus outer life, precocious changes in alliance, ends justifying means, a sliding scale of ethics, and so on.

In direct counterpoint to this selling-ice-to-the-Eskimos spirit, Saturn the stern karmic taskmaster stations direct at 1° Virgo 41’; projects, decisions or responsibilities cooking on the back burner will want to bolt into forward motion. Paradoxically, Mercury is also the planetary ruler of Virgo; here the communicative spirit is put to work towards organizing and labeling collected data; managerial, service and health issues are also features of the Virgoan domain. Right away we have a cosmic bind; fast-talking Mercury slides right into irritating Capricorn Pluto, who immediately demands accountability; while also bouncing off Saturn in Virgo, which won’t let matters slide far on glossy promises. Pretty much puts a damper on anyone trying to con or deny their way out of problems.

The Moon of New beginnings occurs at 15 degrees Taurus 22’ on May 5th, coincident with a tricky confluence of stuff in Aquarius. Note, any lunation action in Taurus is concerned with the bottom line, pleasure, security and comfort. The swirl of clouded Aquarian ethers is represented by Neptune meeting up with the North Node of the Moon and asteroid Chiron. Neptune-Chiron traffics in redemption, sacrifice or playing the victim; empathetic, mediumistic and psychic abilities can be awakened or there can be a resolute denial of such creatures. Indulgence in fantasy to the exclusion of reality (even if it is relative) or escape using whatever substance or device handy is another possibility. We may need to work at separating our own sorrow or other strong emotions from the collective wellspring of suffering and longing out there.

The North Node represents a path of growth, a place where one must venture into the unknown, exercise personal will, make some difficult choices. When Chiron is close by, to use the words of Chiron expert Melanie Reinhart, there is a tendency to live out the archetypal myth of wounded healer, mentor, savior, victim, sufferer, devotee or apprentice. There can be strong attraction to the teaching or healing fields; perhaps getting involved with therapists or priests; ditto people who are physically ill, mentally damaged, or handicapped. Others may also display wisdom and benevolence with out actually possessing any. Most dangerous of all, if the inner life or urge for individuation is not taken seriously when the gods demand it, great destruction can be unleashed, as in becoming the one who hurts others.

In a chart set for the lunation in Washington , DC , this schmoozy coalition is placed in the mundane 9th house of foreign countries, religion and the law. Ideology is emphasized in this house, including philosophies of genocide, such as is being imposed by the Sudanese army upon the indigenous tribes of Darfur . The coalition is opposed by the South Node of the Moon, representing the past and tradition. It sits sulking in Leo (me first) and the 3rd house of lifestyle and the media. It forms a Yod or “Finger of Fate” aspect with Uranus (disruption, sudden changes) in the 10th house of governmental authority on one side and Jupiter (expansion, opportunity) in the 8th house of other people’s money, death and power on the other. Doesn't look too favorable for the poor and starving of the world.

A Yod frequently denotes situations of turmoil, until the mismatched energies involved can work in rhythm. This Yod is not gentle and quiet; it keeps trying to stir up trouble and confusion, likely for the purpose of maintaining status quo. Locally, the price of goods and services continues climbing, keeping those of us stateside in a snit; don’t be surprised to hear repeated media calls for sacrifice, reducing the carbon footprint etc. issued from the top, while the actual boyz at the top continue to hold on to all their manna.

The sacrificial-fantasy-destruction themes are due to hang out in undiluted form until October of the year, meddling at the back of the mind and tainting world politics like a bad Elvis impersonator, so as to speak. The range of motion on the personal level can go anywhere from giving away everything in order to join the Peace Corps, to signing up for a profitable stint as a mercenary in Zimbabwe . For those of us who have to stay in town, note that personal boundaries are subject to strange re-locations or outright disappearance, while some people will not be behaving at their most sane.

At New Moon, Pluto as the agent of transformation is hanging out in the mundane 7th house of partners and open enemies. Astrologers tend to forget, but this house also represents the public as an organized social unit, including the social consciousness of the people and the relative status of the nation among the nations of the world. Per the Encyclopedia of Astrology compiled by Nicholas de Vor, this house also represents the conditions, circumstances and events affecting social evolution; those who cooperate with or oppose the people in a national sense. Public support of the nation’s foreign policy, friendly or hostile, political or commercial and the reactions of foreign nations are in there too.

Also throw in the status of women in the nation, particularly public attitude towards marriage and divorce. So Pluto is in there, burning and regenerating everything it touches, humming in tune with Taurus Venus (the feminine, our values and assets) and quarreling with the New Moon, located in the 11th house of the legislature and relations with the world community. The American people as a social unit are under intense pressure to evolve; they are also demanding the truth-and likely not getting it, yet. In fact, their own government may be viewing them as The Enemy. In counterpoint to all this yeasty action, the separating Mars (aggression, war, sex) and Jupiter (expansion, opportunity) opposition runs from the 2nd house of our own money to the 8th house of other people’s money; hey, anything goes as far as the creative generation of income.

You’d think that just leaving town this month would keep personal involvement down to a low roar, but several planets conspire to keep the focus on mutating conditions around us. Between May 9 and the 26th like pearls dropping off a string, Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune and Mercury will all station retrograde, or apparent backwards motion. Jupiter retro turns the spirit more conservative and cautious; it prefers the past. Chiron retro might want to avoid contact with the sublime, instead rehashing what bothered us before and clinging to the world of sense perception. Neptune retro likes to worship at the alter of beloved ideals while completely mis-reading social cues. In sum, if the future looks too scary maybe the past will suffice.

If worried about matters getting stalled, as of May 9th Mars will be in Leo, where it promotes leadership ability and increases the drive for power. Vitality should improve, as well as the sex drive; the trademark whiney, childish behavior of Mars in Cancer (that went on for ever and ever, it seemed) should decrease, replaced by a magnified urge to strut and display as a matter of pride; consider showing some leonine warmth and generosity instead.

Mercury retro snarls up communication and transportation, especially as this one will be occurring in an air sign. Note the three days immediately before May 26th as the planet stations; these along with station day are likely to be rife with delay and confusion. Once comfortably in the retro mode Mercury is good for research, review, repair and rebuild, not to mention traveling to get a better perspective.

The Full Moon blossoms on May 19th at 29 degrees Scorpio 27’, bringing pending matters to a climax. In Scorpio the high road would involve rising above base desires to conquer, control and exploit; naturally, the low road drives such tendencies along to the point of atrocity. The lunation also falls on a critical degree, once again highlighting issues of sex, survival and right use of resources. This Scorpionic Moon (the people at large) continues a theme begun earlier in the month, casting a cold eye on the legislature and relations with the global community-so, how about them Olympics in China ? Spent your economic incentive check for Asian development yet?

This lunation includes Venus (values) riding with the Sun (national identity) in late Taurus and Saturn riding with the South Node, forming a grand cross of high voltage tension with the aforementioned Chiron-Neptune-Nodes-Saturn combo. We seem to be caught in the cross-hairs between wanting Daddy to fix things; lofty, ungrounded notions about what being green means; escapism because time is moving too fast and a gratuitous need to party. In a chart erected for the lunation in Washington DC, the fateful Yod formation mentioned above is still around and tighter than ever; however the foci have swung around to place Jupiter retro in the 2nd house of our money (save), along with the sacrificial Chiron-North Node-Neptune(spend); reactionary rabble-rousing rocks along in the house of media and local lifestyle. The Saturn-South Node combination (the past, authority) slaves away, still keeping Big Brother busy and promoting business as usual.

But very, very creative things are happening on the grass roots level with our money, our kids, love life, work and lifestyle. Locally, folks are experimenting in alternative new directions towards an uncertain future, while certain larger institutions officially insist on another reality. Lots of victims out there unfortunately, in danger of falling through whatever social net remains. For the summer months ahead, think of the best Alpine Slide or Disney facsimile thereof, that you have ever been on; this about covers the concept.

More Mystic Marguerite at: http://www.mysticmarguerite.com

© 2008 C.M. Hafeman