The Full Moon in Scorpio on May 9 seems pregnant with possibilities, as if we are standing on the edge of the precipice waiting for a signal to leap off. But with Mercury retrograde until May 31 and Saturn at a virtual standstill, actual movement is not likely.

The elements are evenly balanced in this chart, underscoring the sense of stasis. Saturn in Virgo is the handle of the bucket pattern. Saturn is preparing to station direct on May 16 and will remain at 14° Virgo from May 8 until May 26. Virgo is always happy to double-check the details, and with Mercury, Virgo’s traditional ruler, retrograde, that’s about all we’ll be able to do for now. Yes, it’s frustrating!

Venus and Mars, who rule Taurus and Scorpio respectively, are both in Aries, pushing personal agendas. Venus is pulling away from her last square to Pluto on May 2, completing a rather difficult period for her. Now she just wants to have fun for a change. Taking some downtime may not be a bad idea, if you can. Mars in Aries encourages physical activities of all kinds – as in less thinking and more doing! This is a great time of year to head outside to play, since it is spring in the northern latitudes and fall in the southern ones.

Mercury in Gemini forms an awkward inconjunct with Pluto in Capricorn before moving back into Taurus on May 13. This may be a case where Mercury feels like a teenager being reined in hard by the authorities (Pluto). All those bright ideas that leapt into our heads when Mercury entered Gemini are up for intense review, so we might as well sit down and do it. The collective is still in the process of adjusting to the new tone of frugality and paying as you go demanded by Pluto in sober-minded Capricorn. This is just one more step.

A lovely mystic rectangle is formed by the Sun in Taurus, Moon in Scorpio, Saturn in Virgo, and Juno in Pisces. What this says to me is trust your intuition and your gut instincts over logic and reason, especially when it comes to committed relationships. Juno is the asteroid associated with marriage. Saturn demands that we honor our commitments, and the luminaries in fixed signs are both inclined to stay the course. Don’t be surprised if you and your sweetheart end up talking about taking your relationship to the next level – either that, or calling it off because you realize you are ready for something more serious, and the person you’ve been seeing isn’t.

The stellium of Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius semi-sextile Uranus in Pisces does not seem to have an outlet of expression, but this will change at the New Moon in Gemini on May 24. For now, it is a good idea to continue working on maintaining perspective and not succumbing to fear. It is much easier to deal with a tangible problem than all the “maybes.” Stay strong and have faith in the universe.

For the Sun, the Sabian symbol is 19 Taurus, “A new continent rising out of the ocean,” with the keyword ORIGINALITY. This is Taurus, so the emerging potential is based in reality rather than speculation. We still have to wait out the Mercury retrograde period, though, so don’t get in too big of a hurry. Besides, no Taurus I’ve known ever did anything quickly.

The symbol for 19 Scorpio is, “A parrot repeats the conversation he has overheard,” and the keyword is CONVENTIONALITY. Be careful not to “parrot” what you’ve heard without taking time to determine for yourself what is really going on.

The message of this lunation is clearly one of taking time to consider all of your options carefully, choosing what works and clearing out the rest. Hauling around emotional baggage is exhausting, as most of us know. I know I sound like a broken record sometimes about practicing kindness and forgiveness, but I do so from the heart. Something else I would like to recommend is doing something nice for yourself regularly. We all deserve a treat now and again!

posted by Neith . . .

Image: This is the Wesak Full Moon, celebrating the Buddha’s birthday. This image shows last year’s Wesak Full Moon, on April 29, over Mount Everest. Photo by David Gray for REUTERS.