It's May! Just ahead – the Jupiter/Saturn trine . . .

It's May! This is the month that Mars will finally turn direct (May 19th) and Jupiter will trine Saturn (that sounds good to me!). The first part of this year has been dominated by the challenging, crisis-driven Grand Cardinal Cross, involving Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. The Grand Cross has challenged existing structures and agreements in ways that will continue to play out on the world stage over the next couple of years during the ongoing Uranus/Pluto square.  However, this Grand Cross has also included personal (Mars & Venus) and Social (Jupiter) elements that have challenged relationships as well as how we, as individuals, relate to our society.

As that Grand Cross begins to separate, we are left to deal with the frustrations of the retrograde Mars. Those frustrations will have to be resolved, released or dissipated in some way as we move forward. When Mars turns direct, it can be pretty explosive, kind of like taking the lid off of a pressure cooker too soon! Luckily, Jupiter (in Cancer) will trine Saturn (in Scorpio) and offer us a productive path to release that energy as the month of May unfolds. The Jupiter/Saturn trine is an excellent time to begin a new business, expand an existing enterprise or chart a new course of spiritual development that supports tangible stability or promotes more grounded self-confidence.

But perhaps even more importantly,  Jupiter will trine Chiron (in Pisces) on May 14th, 10 days before the Jupiter/Saturn trine. The Jupiter/Chiron dialog will profoundly impact Jupiter's interaction with Saturn, setting the stage for personal healing and individual growth. Chiron, the teacher and wounded healer, will increase Jupiter's emphasis on ground-breaking new ideas. We will need those new approaches in order to effectively break free of past restrictions and frustrations. As we work through the areas of our life where Mars has left us feeling stifled and frustrated, Chiron can suggest new ways of approaching those issues and help us to feel more courage to challenge whatever boundaries that Saturn would like to enforce as we move forward.

Some of the important dates:

• May 14th: Jupiter trines Chiron.
• May 19th: Mars turns Direct.
• May 24th: Jupiter trines Saturn.
• June 7th - June 30th: Mercury Retrograde.
• June 12th: Chiron trines Saturn(Rx).
• June 21st: Chiron turns Retrograde.
• July 20th: Saturn turns Direct.
• August 5th: Chiron(Rx) trines Saturn.

Saturn has been retrograde since March 2nd, challenging our self-confidence and increasing self-doubt in any areas where we feel vulnerable.  Although Saturn is simply trying to encourage us to strengthen any weak spots, it's action can often feel very harsh.  Over the Summer, Saturn turns direct (July 20th), suggesting a significant change in the atmosphere. For most of us, this should feel relatively stabilizing.  Chiron will follow up on the Jupiter/Saturn conversation twice this Summer (June 12th, August 5th), challenging the status quo and continuing to encourage us to discard unnecessary restrictions and expose unreasonable demands in our effort to find a new and unique way forward, fully expressing our individual perspective.

In Pisces, Chiron is also encouraging us to develop more empathy for the plight of others while maintaining enough distance that we can provide meaningful assistance to those in need. Chiron turns retrograde on June 21st, which may lead to some loss of individual perspective or lead us to believe we need to adhere to more traditional approaches or authorities and not trust our individual perspective as much.  Chiron's second trine to Saturn (August 5th) provides the best opportunity for compromise. We should explore ways to incorporate new ideas into existing, acceptable approaches.

We will need to remember that it will take considerable awareness to make the most of the opportunities that are offered by Chiron. We should continue to cultivate our intuition, individuality and empathy while purging the fearful emotions and harsh recriminations that have been dredged up by the Grand Cross and the retrograde motion of Mars and Saturn.