The Sun enters Gemini tonight at 10:15 pm EDT (02:15 UTC May 21). Gemini is the third sign of the spring season, a mutable air sign. Mutability is the energy of transition; spring is melting into summer; and, down under, autumn is melting into winter. When the cardinal sign takes over (the next one being Cancer), there is a surge of energy and a new season begins. For now, we have 30 more days of the days getting longer, at least up north.

When the Sun arrives in Gemini, it will make aspects to a bunch of planets and points that are located early in their respective signs. These include Chiron in Aries, Uranus in Taurus, Venus in Cancer, Transpluto in Virgo, M87 (a massive galaxy) in Libra, Pholus and Quaoar in Capricorn, and Mars in Aquarius.

If there’s an opportunity for the world to change overnight, this might be the opening. However, this would have to follow the guides presented by the Gemini Sun, which are to maintain a balanced perspective and an actual dialogue, and to do your best to get along with yourself and with others.

The Sun’s new transit will highlight three of the most significant conditions of the spring and summer, which include the nascent transits of Uranus across Taurus and Chiron across Aries. Even one outer planet sign change can shift the energy palpably; we have more than that, particularly if you count Pholus and Quaoar in early Capricorn.

These are factors that will make a compelling case to deal with the relationship between family, corporations and government. Capricorn covers all three environments, though Pholus (a centaur) and Quaoar (one of the major discoveries in the Kuiper Belt, near Pluto) both specifically address family constellation issues and generational issues. Pholus adds the theme of substance dependency and abuse.

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This week brings one of those clusters of events: the New Moon in Taurus, followed by Uranus entering Taurus for its try-out phase, and Mars entering Aquarius, putting it in position for the retrograde that begins in about six weeks.

Yet while all of these represent beginnings, the 36 hours between now and the New Moon and ingresses are clearly the ends of cycles. So take this time and wrap up old business. Complete important things in your life. Bring things to a close, before you open up new territory or new experience.

It’s always tempting to run ahead of oneself, or to lie back in what is established and familiar. Yet there’s an important zone between, where you negotiate healing, closure, resolution and self-reflection. The better you know yourself, the more relevant this astrology will be for you as it unfolds.

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Aries (March 20-April 19) — You know who you are, and you don’t need anyone dictating to you or holding you back. If someone demands that you step quietly aside, or into the shadows, ask them why — or ask yourself what they fear. Many people feel most comfortable in a world where they can easily deposit other people into convenient boxes, and draw security from their prejudices. But you don’t owe anyone the right to squeeze or shrink you. You don’t owe anyone a neat package, nicely wrapped in a bow. Rather, consider being impossible to contain as something to celebrate and revel in. Then do just that, to the best of your ability. — by Amy Elliott

Taurus Birthdays 2018:

Zero In on Your Solar Year

“Just to compliment your marvelous work for Taureans again this year. What you write is supportive and comforting. It is as if you were right here, observing and knowing me.”

— Michael

Dear Taurus Sun, Moon or Rising:

You may already be feeling the reverberations as Uranus knocks on the door of your sign. Taureans are supposedly uncomfortable with change — though, really, it’s a lot subtler than that. When the changes are necessary, yours is the sign with the power to understand this, and to carry it through, from beginning to end.

In your forthcoming 2018-19 Taurus Birthday Reading Eric will help you harness that strength, and use it to forge the world you want to see.

With two segments of astrology (at least 30 minutes each) you’ll get the motivational coaching, insight, reassurance and practical tools you need. You can download the audio to listen as many times as you like, and you’ll also get an extended Taurus sign description.

“You have an uncanny knack and precious gift to be able to zero in on what is real and current in our lives, Eric. Thank you for being you.”

— Priya

Make the most of Eric’s gift to focus your life for the next solar year and beyond. Pre-order your Taurus Birthday Reading today to secure the lowest price.

With best wishes,

Amy Elliott

P.S. If you’d like to listen to what Eric had to say last year for your sign, you can do that here at no cost. Note that this reading also makes a great gift for the Taureans you love.

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Taurus (April 19-May 20) — This may be a good week for ensuring that the relationships you cultivate are as healthy as possible, both for you and for your partners. In particular, are you getting sufficient support to be able to express your personality? As well as considering the actions of loved ones, you might reflect on whether you are fully communicating your needs. If you’ve gotten into a habit of leaving such things unsaid, try to break through your reserve, even if a little at a time. You can be diplomatic if you’re truthful. Doing this can help someone you care about also, by setting an example for them to follow. — by Amy Elliott

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Don’t be afraid to go a little against the grain in your social world or community. You have something unique to bring to the table, and it’s time that gift was made visible. You may fear that some will disapprove. Well, it’s impossible to please everyone, so forget that. If needs be, float your idea with people you trust, though don’t allow anyone else to be the final arbiter. It may in fact help if you’re somewhat spontaneous, mischievous or quirky. The sky is tending that way, and many people badly need a little novelty in their lives — not to mention humor. You can afford to be creative. — by Amy Elliott

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — It’s been shown that we remember challenging events far better than pleasant ones. This is supposedly an evolutionary trait that cultivated threat avoidance and thus promoted survival. Yet for modern humans it is something to tackle rather than encourage. This week, you would probably benefit from using your considerable creative gifts and resourcefulness to channel any tense or difficult memories. That may initially involve simply doing things you enjoy. Eventually, though, you’ll want a project that requires more substantive, long-term work. Set a goal, and make plans in detail where possible. — by Amy Elliott

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — It’s important to set healthy boundaries, especially in the workplace. Even if you’re aiming for the top of the corporate tree, you should still have free time to enjoy at home and in the company of those you love best. Most people need some kind of sanctuary from the turbulent pace of the outside world: not necessarily four specific walls, but a space in which they feel comfortable and relaxed. If you think you need a few extra hours to yourself at present, consider how you could achieve that. It may be that you simply need your leisure time to be uninterrupted; that’s also a good general rule. — by Amy Elliott

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — The next week may involve several sudden shifts of gear, or unexpected developments. In particular, when it comes to the people around you, you may need to hold space for them to be who they are at each moment. The closer you are to them, the more important that service is likely to be. Don’t take anything too personally, and don’t try to shoulder another’s burden to the extent that you could wind up feeling overwhelmed. Rather, make a point of taking care of your needs, so that you are operating from a position of strength. Probably all you need to offer is kindness, openness and love. — by Amy Elliott

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You have a knack for providing honesty and fairness wherever it’s needed, and just now it would seem to be needed in your relationships. There might be a specific issue you feel uncomfortable bringing up, or that is becoming more important to deal with. Barring risk to life and limb, I would encourage you to speak. Even if you don’t necessarily get the response you were expecting, it’s usually far better to communicate openly than to let something fester beneath the surface. You can be respectful, polite, affectionate and compassionate — just so long as you are also clear and scrupulously truthful. — by Amy Elliott

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Life as a human involves a complicated dance of social rules and rituals, which exist for many different reasons. This week may see you reviewing some of these patterns and questioning their precise origins. A surprising number of the restrictions we place on our behavior are remnants of old-fashioned religious (one might say superstitious) moral codes that simply need not apply so rigidly in today’s culture. Sex-negativity is one possible example; there are likely many others. The key here is anything that makes you personally feel either unhappy or boxed in. That’s a sign it probably ought to go. — by Amy Elliott

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — Your sign is generally full of fun and this week would appear to be no different; yet the astrology suggests that something in your daily life is perhaps in need of sprucing up. If you’re chafing somewhat, find a creative way to add a little spice, or to switch things around so that you feel a fresh sense of inspiration. You need stimulus. Don’t listen to anyone who expects you to harbor guilt or shame over that. It’s a necessary quality that drives innovation, and sets a worthy example for others who might get a little too comfortable in their humdrum routines. Show them all how to be more interesting. — by Amy Elliott

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — It would seem you’re getting a firmer grasp on what it means to express yourself without fear. Being an adult means that there’s a point at which we must diverge from our early caregivers, and form our own opinions on our own terms. That may seem obvious, but it can be all too easy sometimes to revisit former patterns and to retain ideas that feel safe due to their familiarity, if not exactly pleasant. To apply critical thinking to what one might call ‘received wisdom’ is not the same as being disrespectful; it’s a necessary tool of independence. You almost certainly see that. Don’t be afraid to put it into practice. — by Amy Elliott

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — We all have missed opportunities or mistakes that we regret. That doesn’t necessitate constant self-flagellation, especially for the benefit of an audience. Instead, think of regret as a useful tool that you can shape into resolution — that is, spurring you to up your game, so to speak, and to avoid repeating similar errors. You want to steer clear of any sense that you might be irredeemable (that is never true) or of resentful victimhood. Being practical and methodical should help enormously. Remember that you hold the reins of your life, which means you ultimately hold the power to determine where to head next. — by Amy Elliott

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Your resourcefulness and intelligence will likely be key to navigating this week’s events. If there is any turbulence, you are more than capable of being your own anchor; though do seek out support and cooperation when you need it. You may listen to others, though it’s vital that you rely most on your own judgment. Your instincts are pretty finely honed and just now you would seem to be attuned closely to them, perhaps as near as you’ve ever been. Whatever challenges you face will almost certainly offer valuable lessons about human nature, which you can easily and skillfully turn to good account. — by Amy Elliott

This year’s Beltane chart had a most interesting feature: the square of Chiron and Pholus. These are, respectively, the first two discovered centaur planets, which opened up a new dimension in astrological thought. Centaurs are all devoted to healing, and they also tend to to have an edgy feeling.

When Melanie Reinhart called her book about the centaurs “To the Edge and Beyond,” what she meant is that they take us beyond known boundaries and accepted definitions.

These two slow-movers hardly ever make an aspect. Saturday’s square goes back to a conjunction on Jan. 24, 1956, when Chiron and Pholus (both undiscovered at the time) met in Aquarius. If you think of that as the New Moon, it took these two points 62 years to get to first-quarter phase.

And when it happened, it happened in grand style. To begin with, Chiron is in the first degree of Aries: it’s holding the Aries Point, the first degree of Aries, which is the great intersection of the individual and the collective. In practical terms, the Aries Point serves as an amplifier, extending the range and the reach of any aspect that comes in contact with it.

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Tonight is the Scorpio Full Moon, exact at 8:58 pm EDT (00:58 UTC). This is one of the two annual Full Moons across the Taurus-Scorpio axis (the other occurs in the fall), which I describe in more detail in tonight’s edition of Planet Waves FM.

The Full Moon implies the integration of an axis of the zodiac; in this case, Taurus and Scorpio. Yet tonight’s Full Moon is square the lunar nodes in Leo and Aquarius, making it energetically similar to an eclipse. Though I don’t understand it, the “Moon wobble” effect has been noted when the Sun squares the nodes (if anyone is tracking that phenomenon, I would love to hear from you).

At minimum, tonight’s Full Moon is midway between the eclipses of this past February and this coming August.

The Sun square the Nodes is a turning point, particularly when the Sun rules one of them (the North Node, in Leo). This is a caution against skipping steps in your process. You will know that you’re skipping steps when you find yourself back where you started, seemingly having made little or no progress.

So take the time to take each step consciously and carefully.

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We begin this week with the Sun in Taurus (as of late last Thursday). The more relaxed pace of solar Taurus should offer a counter-balance to some rather high-octane astrology that’s brewing: Mars forming a conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn Thursday morning.

Mars-Pluto conjunctions are all about energy and power. In its most productive form, that means having the get-up-and-go to make meaningful changes to your environment — including changes that benefit those around you as well as yourself. In its more destructive form, that can mean things like power struggles with others, or using your power ruthlessly or even violently.

Remember: power in itself is not bad; it’s all about how you use it. We might take our cue from martial arts theory, which teaches the concept of using an opponent’s energy to block them; or, rather, redirecting their energy. That requires stepping back and viewing the situation from a place of detachment, as well as understanding where someone is really coming from — which in part means doing the same for your own motives.

If you’ve ever been drawn in to an online comments-section battle, you may know the value of this skill. The first tool is usually time: when in doubt, pause and reflect before responding, and check any immediate impulses.

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Mercury has stationed direct, and the Aries New Moon is exact tonight just before 10 pm EDT (02:00 UTC). The next event up is Chiron entering Aries, which takes place Tuesday at 4:09 am ET (08:09 UTC).

Chiron’s sign changes are always significant, in that they often arrive with immediate shifts in the social climate and turning points in history. What may have seemed impossible in one moment of time is suddenly the thing that’s happening in another.

Chiron began its journey through Pisces in April 2010, and the span since then includes news events such as the BP oil spill, the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns, the Arab Spring movements, Occupy Wall Street, the Wisconsin public employee labor movements, the Trump campaign and the first two years of his administration.

Astrologically, Chiron in Pisces ran in parallel with Uranus in Aries, and all of those many related events: the seven squares of Uranus and Pluto; the three events of the Uranus-Eris conjunction; and the beginning of the Pluto-Eris square. For those new to this astrology business, that’s a lot — and I do mean the motherlode — of outer-planet activity.

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We’re rolling into another interesting week, having left some rough astrology behind us. Let’s cover that first. Over the weekend, the Moon passed through the Capricorn stellium, currently consisting of centaur Pholus, asteroid Vesta, and planets Saturn, Mars and Pluto.

If you think of Capricorn as trying to structure and contain things, imagine how it would feel with high-output planets like Pholus, Mars and Pluto aboard. The other two — Vesta and Saturn — both describe containers of some kind, so at least there’s some balance indicated. Yet the Capricorn Moon can be reactive, especially when conjunct the hotter planets; and it can be depressive in proximity to Saturn.

After the Moon was done with aspects to objects in Capricorn, it made squares to Eris and Uranus, in that order. It will move onto Aquarius at 2:50 am EDT (06:50 UTC) Monday morning, which will feel like an emotional bubble bursting (if you’re awake).

The central item of the week, though, is Mercury slowing down to direct motion. The station-direct is Sunday, April 15 at 5:21 am EDT (09:21 UTC). That means that we’ll be in Mercury’s storm phase much of the week, as it decreases in daily motion and aligns to turn direct.

The retrograde goes back to March 22, shortly after the spring equinox. If the new season hasn’t come roaring in, we have an image for that in the astrology.

When Mercury is stationing direct, let everyone else make the mistakes — unless you know that one will negatively impact you, and you have the power to correct it in advance. For your part, take everything slowly and where possible, for best results, delay major decisions and purchases until Mercury is well underway in direct motion. Things to do or decide before the station-direct can flip into reverse on you.

Mercury will station direct with the Moon in Aries, shortly before the Aries New Moon. This New Moon will be nested in the midst of the Uranus-Eris conjunction, a rare event that will call forth a new manifestation of that energy.

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