Monthly Vedic Astrology Forecast

Mercury Transits Taurus May 4-22
Full Moon in Libra May 14
Sun Transits Taurus May 15-June 15
Jupiter-Mars-Moon-Venus Occupy the Dual Signs May 17-18
Mars Resumes Direct Motion May 19
Mercury Enters Gemini May 22
Venus Transits Aries May 23-June 17
New Moon in Taurus May 28

Mercury Transits Taurus May 4-22

Mercury is a natural friend of Venus, the ruler of Taurus, so the transit of the planet of communication through Venus' earth sign could be fruitful in the areas of relationship, entertainment, public speaking, music and art.

Mercury in this position also creates a nice combination with Venus, two benefic planets that are placed on either side of the Sun/Ketu combination, the site of the solar eclipse of April 29. This also involves Mercury in the exchange of signs between Venus and Jupiter.

Jupiter and Venus are considered the two teachers and Mercury is an excellent student. This 2.5 week period could be very supportive of teaching and learning efforts. Mercury is changeable, flexible and mobile by nature, able to quickly understand new concepts. Transiting through Taurus, Mercury gains the earthy, slow and grounded energy of Venus as it expresses through Taurus. This gives a practical and stable environment for Mercury, who can benefit from the calm and earthy realm of Taurus, which helps the learning process.

Full Moon in Libra May 14

The Moon reaches its maximum strength and fullness during mid-day of May 14 at 29°51' Libra, just at the juncture between the signs of Libra and Scorpio. The Sun, always opposite to the Moon during the full Moon, will be just on the verge of moving from Aries to Taurus, which occurs the next day.

Each month since January 2013, the Moon moves through the territory occupied by Rahu and Saturn, Venus' air sign, Libra. Libra is neutral territory for the Moon, but Rahu and Saturn are not friendly to the Moon. With the Moon as the representative of our mental activity in the realm of emotions and contemplation moving through this disturbed environment, we come face to face each month with the reality that fundamental change isn't always our direct choice.

After this full Moon encounter of May 14, the Moon will have only two more passes with the Saturn-Rahu conjunction before Rahu moves in his ever-retrograde motion to Virgo in July. Also, this is actually the second full Moon in a row that occurs in Libra, the first being in the early degrees of Libra, which caused the eclipse of April 15. This full Moon occurs on the other end of Libra, giving the Moon a chance to shine fully in the face of Saturn, strong and retrograde in the late degrees of Libra.

Of the many trials we may have faced in the past year, can we say that we have learned how to maintain our composure in the face of difficulty, obstruction and adversity? Interestingly, each month as the Moon moves past the trials created by Saturn and Rahu, it moves not into an environment of relief, but rather into its position of debility, the early degrees of Scorpio, further extending the pressure we may feel on our minds.

While this monthly passage is a challenge to mental happiness , we have gained the experience of facing struggle, unfair treatment, rejection, disregard and pressure in order to further the fortitude it takes to find and maintain a state of mental clarity and calm.

Let us maximize the teaching-learning configuration of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury by fully integrating these lessons of mental control and detachment that are required in the face of difficulty. Maintaining peace and calm in all situations is ultimately worth the struggle.

Sun Transits Taurus May 15-June 15

Moving out of the eclipse axis caused by the shadow planets, Rahu and Ketu, the Sun enters Venus' Taurus, using the new surroundings to recover from the eclipse pair we experienced on April 15 and 29 at the full and new Moons. The Sun, exalted in Aries, suffered a bit by its association with the nodal axis during this year's transit, as it did with the eclipse pair happening in April-May 2013.

Joining Mercury in Taurus, the two planets find themselves supported on either side by Jupiter in Gemini and Ketu in Aries. The Sun shows our ego, soul and individuality and Mercury shows our communication and capacity for give and take; having these supported by the detached desire for liberation shown by Ketu and the eternal expansion of Jupiter, we could feel an immense comfort within the discomfort and uncertainty that may be present in our lives.

While circumstances may have uprooted what had previously anchored us, we are now in the position of re-rooting and settling in a new way. We must gain a fresh perspective on who we think we are, connecting to a natural expression of self that promotes healthy connection with others.

Jupiter-Mars-Moon-Venus Occupy the Dual Signs May 17-18

Western astrologers highlight the configuration called Grand Cross, when four planets are located in signs in angles from one another. Western astrology considers planets at 90º angles as in conflict with one another, making the energy between those planets either hard to move or even working at cross purposes.

Jyotisha views each planet as having its own ways of aspecting, and even for the signs themselves to cause aspects, rasi drishti (sign aspect.) The way rasi drishti works, the dual signs all aspect one another, the fixed signs aspect the cardinal ones (except the one adjacent) and the cardinal signs aspect the fixed signs (except the one adjacent.)

This month, we see what Western astrologers call "grand cross" on May 17-18, with Venus exalted at 24º Pisces, Jupiter at 24º Gemini, Mars at 16º Virgo and Moon moving through Sagittarius. The dual signs carry the energy of movement, change and transformation; with so much energy bouncing between these signs and planets, it may be a window for putting things into movement and facilitating change.

In June, we see Jupiter changing signs, as well as a Mercury retrograde cycle. In July, Rahu moves out of Libra and into Virgo while Ketu slips from Aries to Pisces. In November, Saturn moves into Scorpio. There are some big changes coming in the next six months as indicated by the transits of the outer planets.

If we take some keywords for these four planets, maybe that will give some inspiration for what we need to slide forward: love and relationships (Venus), growth and expansion (Jupiter), power and drive (Mars), mental peace and clarity (Moon.) In what domains of life we are needing to change will depend on where the dual signs fall in our personal birth charts.

Mars Resumes Direct Motion May 19

Mars resumes direct motion at 15° Virgo on May 19. Although Mars and Mercury are not natural friends, they do work well together on certain projects. Mars in Virgo can create energy and initiative for the work of Virgo. This energy can be good for analyzing and rebuilding health routines, preparing agricultural projects, working with the hands or delving into research and analysis.

The retrograde motion has made Mars very strong on certain days, so we may have experienced an aggressive level of energy toward these matters that may have felt uncomfortable and painful but that in the end is necessary for healing and transformation.

The forward motion of Mars through Virgo continues until July 12-13, when Mars and Rahu will meet at the border of Virgo and Libra and change places. This gives us a couple of months to channel our work energy into creating new systems that help us with maintaining our health and efficiency.

Mars aspects the signs of Sagittarius, Pisces and Aries from Virgo, projecting its energy and desires into those signs and the planets located there. The only planets being directly aspected by Mars in Virgo through July will be Venus as it moves through Pisces-Aries and Ketu as it moves through Aries. This could allow us to apply our energy to reforming relationships, beginning new creative projects and apply ourselves to spiritual routines that support our desire for liberation.

Mercury Enters Gemini May 22

Mercury moves happily into his own air sign, Gemini, on May 22 for a transit that will last through July 27 due to a Mercury retrograde cycle from June 7-30. This puts Mercury in the company of Jupiter, who moves from Gemini to Cancer on June 18.

What can be done with such a Mercury transit? With Mercury representing communication, exchange and learning, energized by the environment of Gemini, currently steeped in the grace of the planet Jupiter, the eternal teacher, we could see this two month transit as very supportive for the learning-teaching continuum.

Mercury can inspire short journeys while Jupiter propels us on longer, further travels. The combination of these two planets may be nice for any trips or travels that we make during this period.

Mercury in Gemini, while supportive to mental and physical movement could also make us ungrounded, pushing us in many directions at once, leaving us unpinned from our routine. Take extra care to keep a steady schedule of eating and sleeping that will create a good foundation for the absorption of the information and knowledge that is being imbibed through this transit.

Venus Transits Aries May 23-June 17

This brings Venus from its passage through Pisces, its sign of exaltation, where it transits from April 20-May 23. This passage through Pisces could have brought Venus related scenarios into a state of flux or transition that would facilitate endings that engender beginnings.

Venus in Pisces does come under the current aspect of Mars, as mentioned above. These two planets who bring passion and desire for happiness play major roles in relationship. With the opposition created by Mars in Virgo and Venus in Pisces, we get the combination of cerebral analysis, design and problem solving (Mars in Virgo) with spiritual dissolution into love (Venus in Pisces.) Through this, we may be able to see and feel the true situations that are at play in how we are loving and finding our contentment.

When Venus moves into Aries, we may feel inspired to work, create and build new forms that support our vision of what true love and happiness is. Generally, Venus is happy in social situations and beautiful, creative environments. Pisces is perfect for Venus, but Aries is a bit hot and demanding so prepare ahead for how to keep the love blossoming within the environment of personal power and singular perspective.

The first part of Venus transiting through Aries puts Venus into exact conjunction with Ketu (and opposition to Rahu) on May 25. This could be a great moment of realization about how to free oneself from bonds that may be causing separation from the experience of love, relationship and personal power.

Venus in Aries is also coming into opposition with the Rahu/Saturn combination in Venus' own sign. Through mid-June, we could be facing and integrating many of the experiences and lessons that have arisen during the conjunction of Rahu and Saturn in Libra since January 2013. We have been asked (or forced) to let go of things that we love as well as to accept situations that we didn't desire. All have been necessary in providing us the fertile ground to learn how to be content with what is.

New Moon in Taurus May 28

The Moon and Sun join at 13° Taurus in Rohini nakshatra (lunar mansion) mid-day on Wednesday, May 28 for the new Moon. The day leading up to this moment will be amavasya, when the energy of the Moon is deeply ebbing and we are invited to calm the mind and body in preparation for the monthly increase in lunar energy that follows the new Moon.

The Moon is exalted in Taurus, so even though the energy of the Moon is low due to the waning cycle, there is still some strength due to exaltation. Venus, the ruler of Taurus, is again an inspiration as we contemplate how we can connect with love, happiness, comfort and other people. With Venus closely conjunct with Ketu, we may find that in order to experience love, we must calm the tides of the mind, not always leading with logic but surrendering to the vulnerability of a loving heart.