Your May horoscope for 2023 brings grounding and breakthroughs. We enter the month steeped in Taurus season, a time in which we’re invited to bask in earthly pleasures. The earth sign of Taurus is, after all, related to sensuality; that which we can see, touch, taste, smell, and feel. This month, you'll want to take the opportunity to indulge on your travels—but you'll also need to be prepared to ride some waves, as the tides are changing thanks to a lunar eclipse, Mercury ending its retrograde, and multiple planets shifting signs.
On Friday, May 5, a lunar eclipse in Scorpio brings revelation and completion around a story that has been developing since spring 2021 related to your attachments and deep desires. Often during the time around eclipses, we encounter events and connections that feel fated or meant to be, so it’s safe to expect an intense first week of the month.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury ends its retrograde and slowly begins to move forward again. The days of Mercury’s stations (meaning, the day when it goes retrograde and the day it goes direct) tend to be some of the more difficult days in the cycle, so if you’re traveling mid-month, give yourself plenty of extra time to catch flights and make connections, and be sure to put an Airtag on your luggage if checking bags. While it’s best to wait a week or two before making any big decisions, you can feel more confident about booking travel, accommodations, or committing to a trip from this point forward. When Jupiter leaves the sign of Aries on Tuesday, May 16, to enter Taurus, where it will stay until May 2024, Taurean themes of indulging in material and sensual pleasures are underscored—and even more so with the Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19. On the road, try to stay open to new experiences, and avoid getting stuck in your old ways and habits. Gemini season begins on Sunday, May 21, inviting in a more curious, inquisitive, and witty season of the year, and marking a time great for learning through travel. Overall, don’t let your desire for consistency and comfort keep you from branching out and having new experiences.
Below, your complete May horoscope 2023.
Astrologer's note: Below we refer to your signs as “rising” signs, also known as your ascendant sign. Horoscopes are more accurate when read this way—using your birth time and location, you can quickly find your rising sign online (it takes less than 30 seconds).
Aries Rising
The first week of May kicks off with a bang as a lunar eclipse in Scorpio highlights your eighth house of shared resources, debts, and one-on-one support. A story around these topics has been forming over the past year and a half, and is finally coming to completion at this lunar eclipse on Friday, May 5: Lunar eclipses bring revelations and this one makes it clear what relational dynamics and patterns are no longer working for you. This could also relate to your finances, relationships in which you give too much of yourself to others without reciprocity, and clearing baggage, literally or metaphorically. What’s important to keep in mind is that you may feel rushed or energized to make big decisions around this time, but hold off if you can, as it’s best to take time to fully digest and process your feelings before taking action. The following week offers some grounding as Venus enters Cancer, your fourth house of home, family, and ancestry, on Sunday, May 7. This could bring harmony, fun, and creativity into the home space. It could also look like a time when your partner or loved one returns home after some time away—or, maybe, you decide to host loved ones for a visit.
Mercury retrograde ends on Sunday, May 14, finishing up its backward motion and finally stationing direct, giving you permission to move forward in decisions around both travel and work, as Mercury governs those areas of your life. Try not to rush into anything! Mercury is still moving very slowly for at least a week following this point, so don’t expect things to bounce back immediately on the 14th. If you’ll be traveling close to the station day, be aware that Mercury tends to act extra tricky when retrograde begins and ends, so allow for plenty of extra time to get to your destination. If you’re thinking about making any purchases such as plane tickets or accommodations, you may find yourself more confident doing so after Tuesday, May 16, when Jupiter joins the Sun and Mercury in Taurus, entering the sign for the first time since 2011. Taurus is your second house of income, spending, finances, and resources and Jupiter’s year-long stay here presents opportunities to make and spend more money, especially on international travel as Jupiter governs that area of your life as well. A Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, lights up this part of your chart offerings renewal, fresh starts, and new intentions. This may be the time to start saving up for a big trip later this year, perhaps during Sagittarius season (November 22–December 20) when your ninth house of international travel is illuminated.
On Saturday, May 20, your ruling planet Mars leaves Cancer and enters Leo until July 10, marking the beginning of a fiery, fun, and tenacious period of bolder, quicker, and more confident action. Leo is your fifth house of pleasure, fun, entertainment, and play, and with Mars traveling through this part of your chart for the next seven weeks, you’ll find it easier to have a good time for good time’s sake, which you desperately need and deserve, Don’t expect immediate change in this regard and watch out for overdoing, obsessive, or controlling energy at the start of this transit— but within a week you should feel more settled into the shift. Mars in Leo is a great time to travel for leisure, and to sign up for activities and events that make you feel great, like going to a festival, hanging out at a beautiful beach, or hitting a sporting event. Let loose!
Taurus Rising
It’s a big month for you as multiple planets travel through Taurus, your first house of identity and appearance, bringing the spotlight straight to you. The sun and a retrograde Mercury form an alignment in Taurus on Monday, May 1, allowing for a moment of clarity among the chaos. Pay attention to any insight you receive related to your creativity or sensuality, but hold off on taking any new steps until Mercury is no longer retrograde. A few days later on Friday, May 5, a final lunar eclipse in Scorpio takes place in your seventh house of partnerships and relationships, inviting you to reflect on this area of your life over the past year and a half. Let yourself fully experience and process your feelings over the weekend. If you’re traveling during this time, try not to exert too much energy as eclipses tend to keep you up at night, which could potentially throw off the natural rhythms your body is on—tend to yourself in ways that have been reliable in the past.
On Sunday, May 7, a major shift takes place when your ruling planet, Venus, enters Cancer until June 5, opening the door for smoother and more pleasurable travel experiences. Cancer is your third house of neighborhood, local area, transportation, and language skills. This could be an awesome time for a roadtrip, or you could find yourself traveling for work or for skills training. Travel by land, rail, and water are favored during this time, so a train trip with a close friend or sibling could be a great way to get out of town. On Tuesday, May 9, the sun forms an exact alignment with Uranus in Taurus, a planet that has been slowly but surely been changing your life since it entered in 2018, inviting you into becoming your most authentic self. Don’t be afraid of change: you’re more ready than ever to receive and implement these shifts.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury ends its retrograde in Taurus, seemingly stopping in the sky and pivoting to move forward once again, ushering in a big week for you. Mercury governs your finances and spending, so in about five to seven days you should feel comfortable making creative or financial decisions. On Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter enters Taurus for the first time since 2011, marking a major shift in your life over the next year. This is huge, literally, as the largest planet in our solar system often corresponds to abundance, gaining knowledge, and positive shifts in perspectives. From this point forward, you can expect to feel a bit more relaxed, comfortable, and confident in your body, and you may find it easier to connect with and find time with your biggest supporters. Notice how much more present you feel in your everyday experience. A Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, brings both luminaries, the sun and moon, into your first house of self, creating a beautiful opportunity for renewal and self-investment—spend the weekend splurging for your next trip, or getting a haircut or facial, as you're eager to see yourself in your best light.
Gemini Rising
The first week of the month starts off busy as your ruling planet, Mercury, forms an exact alignment with the Sun while retrograde in Taurus on Monday, May 1. This alignment is referred to as a cazimi and often coincides with moments of insight or clarity, especially for someone ruled by Mercury like yourself. Because this takes place in your twelfth house of solitude and escape, quiet moments in contemplation are likely to better facilitate these insights. This moment is also special because it symbolizes a moment of rebirth for Mercury, allowing you to shed what hasn’t been serving you and move forward with more confidence, especially if you need to make decisions around your home or life direction. This represents a turning point to come back to the self after a period of potentially self-destructive behaviors or thought patterns. It’s an excellent time to be traveling solo, especially in nature, as you’ll need solitude to gather your thoughts and process your feelings. On the same day, Pluto stations retrograde in Aquarius, your ninth house of international and long-distance travel, marking a potentially impactful day. Give yourself more time and space than you think you need to digest and process, mentally and physically. On Friday, May 5, a lunar eclipse in Scorpio supercharges your sixth house of work, finally bringing a cycle that began in November 2021 to a close. You could be saying goodbye to a job, starting a new one, or finally facing revelations on what decisions you need to make moving forward to have a more creative and fulfilling work life.
Take your time integrating these changes throughout the remainder of the Mercury retrograde for new shifts emerge when it stations direct on Sunday, May 14. Prepare to slow down as your ruling planet stops to pivot and move forward. There’s no rushing this process so have patience with yourself and the flow of time here—and take notice of how you feel moving into the latter half of the month. Now, you can proceed with confidence and a clearer sense of decisions you have to make, especially regarding your mental health and work-life balance. On Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter joins Mercury in Taurus, entering the sign for the first time since 2011, where it will remain for a year. This marks a major shift in your life as Jupiter governs both your career and your relationships. If you are partnered, this might look like changes in your partner's work keeping them busier than usual, as well as putting other relationship dynamics on pause because of distance. Additionally, changes in career could look like doing more humanitarian or charity work, work that takes you out of the country or removes you from your day-to-day life—maybe you take a break from working altogether. Either way, you’re looking at a time where you become more focused on healing your inner world. This is supported by a Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, which offers renewal and a fresh start to work on these themes. Gemini season kicks off on Sunday, May 21, when the Sun enters your first house and begins to light you up from the inside out. Expect to feel more confidence, radiance, and less untethered. The spotlight is on you for the next four weeks so bask in it.
Cancer Rising
May kicks off with a busy first week punctuated by a lunar eclipse in Scorpio on Friday, May 5. As a Cancer rising, you’re ruled by the moon so lunar eclipses are intense, often coinciding with big revelations—this one falls in your fifth house of sexuality, play, and creativity. Eclipses have been activating this part of your life for the past 1.5 years and this closes out that cycle, allowing you to implement lasting change. Maybe you'll find out about a new creative project, or have a realization about your sexuality—embrace the change, and release what is no longer working for you. If you find yourself traveling at this time, follow your heart's desires with some caution, as you could feel especially exhausted, vulnerable, and drained this weekend. On Sunday, May 7, Venus, the planet of pleasure, art, and beauty enters Cancer, your first house of identity and appearance, where it will remain until June 5. Venus brings ease, grace, and aesthetics directly to you during this period, giving you a particular allure. Spend time on your appearance with activities like shopping, beauty treatments, or a new haircut—you want to feel pretty and be seen, so let yourself indulge. If you’re single and traveling, this could be a fun time for dating and meeting new people, as you’ll be sure to stand out while Venus is here in Cancer. This is also a great time for connecting with friends as Venus governs your friendships and community connections.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury finally ends its retrograde and stations direct in Taurus, your eleventh house of friends and community. If you were thinking about taking a trip with friends this summer or fall, move forward with planning. Don’t rush though: Mercury is still moving very slowly for about a week after its forward station, so take your time booking travel. More activity takes place in your eleventh house of friends, groups, and network this week as Jupiter makes its way into Taurus for the first time since 2011, remaining here for a year-long stay, and offering you new opportunities to be seen and recognized for your work, and possibly meet new people through work. This could also look like new connections with people from foreign countries and different cultures. All of this is underscored by a refreshing Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, inviting you to set intentions around the type of community you’d like to grow and foster over the next year. Gemini season kicks off on Sunday, May 21, bringing the Sun into your twelfth house of solitude and contemplation. If you’re craving a moment to get out of dodge, the next four weeks present a good opportunity to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself.
Leo Rising
We enter May in the midst of eclipses and a Mercury retrograde, leaving little time to catch your breath after a busy April. The first week of the month is lit up by an intense lunar eclipse in Scorpio, your fourth house of home, family, and ancestry. Lunar eclipses tend to bring big revelations, and this eclipse is the last one of a series in Scorpio over the last 1.5 years. You’re presented with an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which your home life or your relationship with your family has transformed. Whether you moved, reconnected, or lost connection with family, learned more about your ancestry, or otherwise, this eclipse offers a powerful moment of reflection and contemplation. Because Mercury is still retrograde, hold off on acting on those choices right away—see how the dust settles over the next two weeks. On Tuesday, May 9, the sun, your planetary ruler, will form an exact alignment with Uranus, a planet that is associated with radical and unexpected change. Expect the unexpected around this time, and try to find your center and readjust as you move forward, for Uranus only brings necessary change that will more often than not accelerate you into the next stage of life. Because this takes place in Taurus, your tenth house of career, vocation, and recognition, it’s possible that this shift could look like a surprising new opportunity to be seen for the work that you do.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury, which governs your finances, spending, and income, will finally station direct after it’s three-week retrograde in Taurus. You can feel more confident moving forward with important purchases—but wait a week or so if you can. The wildest days of the retrograde when it starts and ends, so give yourself a little buffer before pulling any triggers. If you’re traveling during this period, give yourself more time, and a bigger budget, than you think you need. If you’re traveling for work, be sure to take note of the industry and network connections you can potentially make while Mercury, which also governs your collaborations, is standing still. The career action keeps going this week with Jupiter’s entry into Taurus for the first time since 2011. Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, represents abundance, opportunity, optimism, and spirituality, and it governs your creative drive as well. It’s year-long transit through Taurus beginning this month connects those things to your profession, making it an excellent time to say yes to new career opportunities. If you’re an artist of any type, the next 12 months allow for your work to be recognized and celebrated. This is underscored by a Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, which will bring a fresh sense of renewal and regeneration. What do you want to be known for? What parts of yourself are you most excited to share with your world? This new moon is a green light to move forward.
Virgo Rising
This month is huge for you when it comes to travel and exploration as multiple planets move through Taurus, your ninth house of international travel, intentional study, and life philosophies. We enter May with your ruling planet Mercury still retrograde in Taurus. A rule of thumb is that when Mercury is retrograde, you’re retrograde, so expect to be in a space of review, remembrance, redoing, and revising your life path, both personally and professionally. At the top of the month on Monday, May 1, a Mercury cazimi takes place, which is a Medieval astrological term describing the celestial alignment of Mercury and the sun. When this happens during Mercury’s retrograde, it signals the restart to its cycle with the sun, symbolizing your own seasonal rebirth and redirection. Expect to be hit with moments of clarity and insight with the cazimi. Whether you’re currently traveling or hanging at home, find some alone time in nature to be with yourself and better receive the insights coming through to you. Just a few days later this mental and spiritual activity is contrasted with a call to get more grounded in your body and surrounding area when a lunar eclipse in Scorpio brings a spotlight to your third house of local spaces, transportation, and skills. Many changes have been taking place in this area of your life over the past 1.5 years and this eclipse brings that cycle to a point of completion. Whether you’ve been learning or honing a specific skill, or have been gaining clarity around how you’d like to be involved with your local community, it’s time to reflect on all of the important clearing work you’ve done in this area of your life since spring of 2022. This could be a hectic day for travel, especially via ground or sea, so do so only if you must, and give yourself plenty of extra time and grace if you do.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury finally ends its retrograde with a pivot to face forward, however it’s still slow moving for a while. Because you’re ruled by Mercury, it’s best to mimic its pace so resist trying to push forward without the natural momentum you’re craving. It will come! However, now that Mercury is direct, you’ll feel more confident moving forward with decisions around your business, body, and career because you’ll know what direction to move in. In the remaining few weeks of Mercury in Taurus, you can use the information you’ve gathered over the last few weeks to give you confidence behind your decision-making. If you’ve been waiting for the retrograde to end to make travel plans, your wait is finally over. Two days later on Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter will enter Taurus for the first time since 2011, bringing abundance, opportunity, spirituality, and knowledge to this area of your life, making way for an exciting 12 months ahead. Jupiter governs your fourth house of home and family, as well as your seventh house of relationships and partnerships, making those areas of your life feel less burdensome. Expect new opportunities to connect with others in higher education, spiritual pursuits, and of course, international travel over the next year while Jupiter makes its way through your ninth house. This is all punctuated by a Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, offering a real sense of renewal and rebirth in your perspective on life. Jupiter here helps keep you optimistic about your future.
Libra Rising
May begins in a whirlwind with a Mercury Retrograde in Taurus, your eighth house of mutual reciprocity, debts, and shared resources. With an exact alignment of Mercury and the sun on Monday, May 1, the first week of the month is a great time for mental and spiritual processing, connection, therapy, healing, and cleansing of spirit through one-on-one work. There’s a lot of powerful internal and external changes that can happen when you allow yourself to be vulnerable.
A lunar eclipse in Scorpio activates your second house of finances, spending, and income, an area of life that has undergone a massive transformation over the last 1.5 years. This eclipse marks the end of that cycle, presenting a moment of revelation and reflection regarding your relationship with money and resources. With lack or loss, you’ve been able to refine and solidify your values. This eclipse might correlate with the need or desire to make a big purchase, but hold off if you can: Mercury is still retrograde for two weeks at this point. If you’re traveling this month, be mindful about overspending and resist impulsive or rushed decisions when it comes to your finances. It’s also wise to give yourself plenty of time getting to and from destinations as Mercury is the planet that governs long-distance and international travel for you, so it’s irregular motions this month could look like delays and other travel frustrations.
Mercury will finally station direct on Sunday, May 14, signaling a pivot forward and giving you permission to start moving ahead. However, note that Mercury’s movement will be very slow for about a week following its station, so don’t expect a quick transition to the normal pace of things. A few days later on Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter will enter Taurus, increasing the focus on your finances, particularly loans and debts, as well as the material and emotional support you give and receive from others. Jupiter moving into this area of your life over the next 12 months presents opportunities for becoming more vulnerable through sharing resources with a significant other. This could represent an increase in wealth or resources for your partner, or this could be a time where you’re thinking a lot about your finances and making moves to plan for the future. A Taurus new moon in this part of your chart on Friday, May 19, offers a sense of renewal and fertile new ground to grow from. The sun will leave Taurus and enter Gemini on Sunday, May 21, marking the beginning of a great season for travel for you. Gemini is your ninth house of international and long-distance travel and, with the sun lighting up this part of your chart for the next 30 days, you can find a lot of insight, inspiration, and adventure through travel, especially with friends. If you can’t make it happen this month, consider planning ahead to Sagittarius season (November 22 to December 20) to make a fun trip happen.
Scorpio Rising
May is a dynamic and social month for you as many planets travel through Taurus, your seventh house of relationships and partnerships. We start the month immersed in a Mercury retrograde and eclipse season, making it an uneasy entry but one ripe with potential revelations. On Monday, May 1, Mercury comes into an exact alignment with the sun in Taurus, allowing space for new insight and information regarding a relationship in your life, or your patterning in relationships in general, especially related to community or friendships. On Friday, May 5, a lunar eclipse in Scorpio lights up your first house of identity, body, and appearance, marking the final eclipse in this series that began in the spring of 2022. Over the last year and a half, you’ve been shedding layers of yourself that you may not even have been aware existed prior to the deep excavation of self that you’ve undergone. This eclipse serves as a final moment of reflection and a reminder of the work you’ve done and that which is yet to come. Take it easy around this time, and don’t overdo it—especially physically. If you find yourself traveling, do whatever you need to keep yourself grounded and centered: rest, fuel, hydration, calming activities. Mercury is still retrograde at this point, so delays and re-routes can be expected. Luckily travel becomes smoother shortly after when Venus enters Cancer on Sunday, May 7. Cancer is your ninth house of international travel and it's where your planetary ruler Mars is for most of the month as well. Venus’ entry into this part of your chart helps create ease and grace in this part of your life, making journeys during this time (until June 5) more pleasurable, social, and comfort-focused. If you’re single, it’s a great time to meet new people and even date while traveling; if you're partnered, this is the time for a couple’s trip.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury finally ends its retrograde and goes direct in Taurus, marking a period of forward momentum building, especially related to social connections. It also makes it safe to book any travel plans or invest in bigger trip expenses. If you’re looking to plan ahead, Capricorn Season (December 22 to January 20) could be a fun time to get out of town with friends or loved ones, especially if you want to spend time in the mountains, go camping, or navigate a big city. On Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter will end its transit through Aries and enter Taurus where it will stay for a year. Jupiter in Aries provided new opportunities for work, especially work of a creative nature. Now that Jupiter has moved into Taurus, your seventh house of relationships and partnerships, you can expect to be presented with opportunities to meet new people, potential business, creative, or romantic partners, clients, and friends. This is underscored by a refreshing Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, providing energy and intention for new, healthier relationships.
Sagittarius Rising
May starts off in the midst of a Mercury retrograde and eclipse season, both drawing your focus to work and its toll on your mental and physical wellness. Mercury, the planet that governs both your relationships and your career, has been retrograde since April 21 in Taurus, the area of your life related to work and physical health. This could look like a readjustment period in working with new managers, clients, colleagues, or systems in your day to day. On Monday, May 1, the sun and Mercury form an exact alignment, called a cazimi, that could help you arrive at more clarity around how to move forward. A few days later on Friday, May 5, a lunar eclipse in Scorpio lights up your twelfth house of mental health, contemplation, and solitude. This is the last eclipse in this area of your life for the next nine years and brings final revelations around your mental and spiritual health needs. This is a great weekend to be able to get away and detach a bit from your day-to-day reality, especially the hustle and bustle of work. If you can’t get away, try taking that Friday off or plan some solo time for the weekend. It doesn’t have to be a soft and lovely self-care weekend, but rather the act of carving out time for yourself to be present with what comes up is even more radical than a spa day. Sometimes you need permission to let yourself fall apart a bit so you’re able to remember that you can put yourself back together.
The following week on Tuesday May 9, the sun meets up with Uranus in an electric alignment in Taurus, pulling your focus back to work and wellness. Uranus brings surprising and often course-altering events that, in the end, help steer you toward a more authentic expression of yourself. Who knows what may arise—maybe opportunities to travel for work, or collaborating with international clients or colleagues. Stay open to the possibilities. On Sunday, May 14, Mercury ends its retrograde and stations direct in Taurus, marking a period of tracing its steps for the third time through Taurus. If you found yourself in a back-and-forth with someone at work over the previous three weeks, adopt the motto “third time’s a charm!” as you make your way toward resolution. You can feel more confident in moving forward in making travel plans, whether you’ll be heading home after a long journey or setting sail for the near future (Leo season, from July 23 to August 23, is a great time for travel for you). There’s been quite a bit of change and uncertainty at work and potentially with your health since Uranus entered in 2018, but especially since eclipses have been happening in Taurus since November 2021. Additional changes arrive this week that facilitate healing and renewal: Jupiter, your ruling planet will enter Taurus on Tuesday, May 16, for the first time since 2011, marking a noticeable shift in your general focus: from pleasure, self expression, and creativity, to work and grounding into systems that support your health and wellness. This is supported by a Taurus New Moon on Friday, May 21, which offers a fresh new start in this area of life. What are your long-term goals for yourself and the service you provide to your world? How can you curate a life that supports your long-term wellness?
Capricorn Rising
May is primarily characterized by a series of events in Taurus, your fifth house of pleasure, creativity, self expression, and joy. Mercury, the planet responsible for both your sixth house of work and your ninth house of travel, has been retrograde in Taurus since April 21, which may have put travel or planning on pause for you while figuring out what direction you’d like to head in to make work while traveling pleasurable and fun. Some insight might arrive in that regard on Monday, May 1, when the sun and Mercury form an exact alignment in Taurus. Focus briefly shifts to the needs of someone in your wider community when a lunar eclipse in Scorpio brings a spotlight to your eleventh house of friends, collaborators, and networks. You’ve undergone a significant transformation in this area of your life over the last year and a half, likely letting major friendships and connections go and focusing less on your involvement in groups, and more on developing your creative expression. This lunar eclipse marks an important culmination point for this cycle, inviting you to officially let go of patterning within friends and community that you’re ready to release. Refining your circle and being selective about who you collaborate with are important boundaries to have—these acts can also inform new relationships and partnerships.
On Sunday, May 7, Venus enters Cancer, your seventh house of relationships until June 5, opening the door for potential new partnerships. If you’re looking to make new business connections and collaborations, this is your time to put yourself out there and let it be known. This is a time for mending, reuniting, and having fun with people you love and makes a great period for a couple’s trip, especially one involving water (like rafting, spa time, swimming, beach visits). The following Sunday, Mercury will end its retrograde and station direct in Taurus, making transportation and travel run a bit smoother moving forward. However, note that the days that Mercury goes retrograde and direct tend to be the most hectic within the cycle, so wait a few days afterward before making any big moves forward. Miscommunications at work will begin to resolve and travel plans will become less stressful. On Tuesday, May 16, Jupiter will join the sun, Mercury, and Uranus in Taurus, initiating a major shift that carries through the next 12 months. Jupiter entering Taurus creates a fertile ground for creativity, sensuality, self expression, and joy, increasing your opportunities to create. Then, a Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19 underscores Jupiter’s entry into your fifth house with the energy of renewal. What do you want to give birth to over the next year? What creative ideas are waiting to be conceived?
Aquarius Rising
May kicks off in the midst of a Mercury retrograde taking place in your fourth house of home and family, facilitating time for grounding and rooting into your foundation. Whether you’re visiting family, working on your home, preparing to move, or researching your ancestry, this month you’re afforded time to stay still. In fact, there is so much activity in your fourth house that you might not be traveling much at all, and instead, focused on fortifying your foundations. The Mercury retrograde period will often bring delays, repairs, and the necessity to re-evaluate when it comes to matters of the home, finances, and creativity, so it’s best to expect these hiccups rather than let yourself become overwhelmed by them. The first week of the month provides a few moments of clarity and insight as the Sun and Mercury form an exact alignment on Monday, May 1, followed by a lunar eclipse in Scorpio on Friday, May 5, highlighting your tenth house of career and recognition. The eclipse in Scorpio is the last of a series of eclipses that have taken place in this part of your life since spring 2022 and that has sparked dramatic change. Lunar eclipses bring revelations, so be open to what’s made clear to you during this eclipse weekend, as it serves as a final reminder of what is no longer serving you in your career. Over the last year and a half, you’ve shed titles and left opportunities that didn’t feel aligned with your authentic self, but now, you’re rebuilding a public and professional identity that does.
On Sunday, May 14, Mercury ends its retrograde and goes direct in Taurus, marking an end to a period of confusion. From this point forward, you can move forward with your travel plans, however, it’s best to wait five to 10 days after the retrograde to make any major decisions. You can finally start planning for the concert, show, exhibit, or event that you’d like to grab tickets for. With so much time spent focused on home and family matters, you deserve to let loose and enjoy yourself. Jupiter enters Taurus following Mercury’s direct station on Tuesday, May 16, for the first time since 2011, tipping the scales even more toward home and family matters. With Jupiter’s transit through your fourth house over the next 12 months, you’re drawn even deeper into your living space. Whether you’re ready to look for a new home or even a new city or country to live in, you’re re-modeling, or moving back to a hometown, Jupiter brings opportunity, growth, and faith to this area of your life. A Taurus new moon two days later on Friday, May 19, continues to emphasize these themes by offering a moment of renewal and rebirth. Take a moment to set intentions around your ideal home life surrounding this new moon.
Pisces Rising
May is a busy month for you with tons of social activity and travel in your schedule. We kick off the month in the middle of a Mercury retrograde and eclipses, both effecting the two areas in your chart related to travel: Taurus, your third house of transportation, locality, and familiar spaces, and Scorpio, your ninth house of international people, places, and travel. On Monday, May 1, Mercury makes an exact alignment with the sun in Taurus, sparking a moment of insight related to topics often on your mind—i.e., relationships and where you’re living. Mercury governs these topics and every Mercury retrograde (every three months), you’re given opportunities to reflect and review. Whether you’re considering a move, doing work on your home, or working through things with family or in relationships, this alignment of the sun and Mercury delivers clarity to help you process your thoughts on the matter. Later that first week of May, a lunar eclipse in Scorpio sheds light in your ninth house of international travel, teaching, learning, and spirituality. This is the final eclipse in Scorpio for this cycle that began in spring 2022, not to return again until 2031. You’ve done so much to let go of harmful and limiting beliefs and philosophies that are no longer aligned with who you’re becoming. Traveling and experiencing different parts of the world has likely helped facilitate this work. This eclipse offers a moment of reflection, as well as revelations on what else needs to be done in order to move forward into a life and mindset that is more supportive of your overall wellness. If you’re traveling during this time, be open to new opportunities and revelations that continue to steer you into a more enlightened headspace.
On Sunday, May 7, Venus enters Cancer, your fifth house of pleasure, joy, and creativity and will be there until June 5. This is an excellent time to plan some fun excursions, especially with longtime friends, siblings, or extended family. It’s perfect for a weekend road trip, especially if it involves being in or near water. The following week on Sunday, May 14, Mercury ends its retrograde and stations direct in Taurus, your third house, making way for smoother travel, easier communication, and less delays overall. Your creative energy will flow with ease at this time. On Tuesday, May 16, your ruling planet Jupiter will leave Aries and enter Taurus, where it will stay for 12 months. This is a huge shift for you and one that will impact the direction of the rest of your year. Aries is your second house of finances, income, and resources, and up until this point, Jupiter’s transit through Aries could have felt like being in survival mode, or simply hyper-focused on finances. Now that Jupiter is leaving that area of your life and entering Taurus, your third house of familiar people and spaces, transportation and short distance travel, and technical skills, your focus shifts dramatically. No longer will you be as preoccupied about the state of your resources and instead you get to focus on immersing yourself in your local area, making new connections, and staying busy learning and honing new skills. This is all underscored and supported by a Taurus new moon on Friday, May 19, that offers a sense of renewal and rebirth in this part of your life. Things are definitely getting busier.
Enjoyed your May horoscope 2023? Look back at April.