May 2018 By Bob Mulligan (a personal note is at the end of the newsletter) Pluto, Saturn, and Mars in Capricorn (sign of becoming) cast a conservative atmosphere over May, right from the beginning. Still, May contains real excitement. Every seven years, Uranus changes signs. This month, Uranus moves from Aries to Taurus on the 15th. Although many things that this seven year transit portends unfold slowly through time, often some signature event happens on, or near, the date of entry into a new sign. Expectation and frustration are the common experiences during the first half of the month. This all changes on the 15th with the New Moon at 24 Taurus, the very day Uranus enters Taurus. Also, within hours, Mars crosses into Aquarius and immediately Squares Uranus. Often this aspect indicates abrupt and violent discharges of energy. So, this combination of factors would point to immediate changes, despite Taurus’s penchant for foot dragging. Now we face the inevitable. Emily Trinkaus pointed out in her recent Mountain Astrologer article on the New Moon in Taurus, “The very day that Uranus entered Aries (March 11, 2011), an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, triggering the Fukushima nuclear disaster.” Taurus represents the financial system, the land, and also, our personal and collective security. Business changes. Underneath the umbrella of the Capricorn/Taurus powered changes, we have a moderating trend coming in the second half of May. A Retrograde Jupiter in Scorpio Trines Neptune in Pisces on the 25th promising hope, and also encouraging us to follow our hunches. However, this day is likely to be a climax for attitudinal shifts we started experiencing as transiting Moon in Cancer formed a Grand Trine in water with this pair on the 18th. Let’s face it: life will be very different from this point on. Good news for those very fortunate few who relinquish the past. The New Moon occurs on the 15th at 7:47 AM EDT at 24 degrees of Taurus. This month will require energy, commitment, and courage. With the New Moon Trining both Mars and Pluto in Capricorn, we have motivation and direction to put our efforts into practical causes. However, Jupiter Opposing the New Moon holds a false promise: all will be ok if we just stretch beyond our comfort zone. Saturn in his own rulership, having some say in all that happens now, warns us to stay within the limits of our foundation. Mercury (lord of thought) Conjuncts Uranus and Trines Saturn, reminding us to be disciplined and patient. Venus and Mercury are in mutual reception and can give us the feeling that we can cheat fate through fancy footwork. We may feel some strong impulse to take a shortcut. Inspiration and opportunity is everywhere, but exact timing is necessary to benefit from the circumstance; waiting for things to clarify is generally better than dealing with half truths and opinions. “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth” – Jack Nicholson – A Few Good Men. The Sun enters Gemini on the 20th at 10:14 PM EDT. This solar map has many exciting and telling features. Venus is Sextile Uranus and their direct midpoint is on the Sun. The Moon is Quincunx Neptune with their direct midpoint on the Sun. Venus and the Moon are the two feminine deities and it is quite telling that they are in aspect with Uranus (lord of infinite knowledge) and Neptune (lord of infinite bliss). We will see issues favorable to a change in the dynamic relationships between men and women. Venus at 1 Cancer is Quincunx Mars at 1 Aquarius. Quincunxes are growth aspects. It will take work to adjust to collective changes as they affect our personal relationships. A certain amount of what masquerades as freedom must be sacrificed in order to have real intimacy. Saturn at the midpoint between the Sun and Moon requires us to transform our fears into responsible actions. The Moon is at the base of a T-square with Mercury Opposing Jupiter. This T-square happens in fixed signs, requiring emotional movement and adjustment. To be truly happy now, we all must surrender to the divine feminine energy within us. This is an important set of instruction for this solar month, between now and the Summer Solstice on June 21st. The Full Moon comes on the 29th at 10:19 AM EDT. Saturn (lord of karma) rules everything in the chart except Neptune (lord of culture) who is in his own sign, Pisces. Full Moons are the time of climax, and then letting go of what doesn’t fit. With a Grand Trine in water: Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune, we are prompted by a deep reservoir of emotions. We wish expression for these feelings; however, with Venus Opposite Saturn, we may be too fearful to bring our true impulses to the surface. With Mercury on the 29th degree of Taurus, Trining Mars on the South Node of the Moon in Aquarius, we find the strength and courage to say and do what is necessary. It’s important that we just get going. If we can get our body moving, thoughts and words will come on their own. From the 1st to the 6th optimism abounds. Relationships can be healed, enriched, or started. We need to take time for our social life. People who have been important in our past may show up, but we may feel prompted to search them out. Although our emotions may be gushing, clarity of thought may elude us. Tread lightly when making commitments. From the 7th to the 13th it’s best to finish up whatever we have in motion. Taking time to relax and exchange pleasantries with dear ones is the best use of time. Sure there are practical issues that must be dealt with, but if we are smart, we won’t let them occupy all of our time. From the 14th to the 20th panic, fear, and anger may be dominant themes in public discourse now. But for those attuned to higher consciousness, this is just an exciting time to watch the show. Disciplined thought and earnest effort bring great practical results. From the 21st to the 27th real opportunity is present. However, it is good to remember what you are doing. Do you really want the things you have been automatically and compulsively aiming for? We are offered a clear opportunity to transform our values. Wise ones play the game of life with the long term end in mind. From the 28th to the 31st it is best to consolidate, eliminate, and ruminate. Reflecting on where we have been and why opens the door to new options. We don’t have to improve events in our lives, just our responses. As future possibilities flourish, there is a chain reaction leading to a new life. 1st – Tuesday – Venus Contra-parallel Mars, Venus Sesquiquadrate Mars, Venus Quincunx Saturn – Anguish develops if we try to force our preconceptions on others. Each situation now requires a unique approach to be beneficial. Others may seem fickle or irresponsible. Help, without guilt, is liberating. 2nd – Wednesday – Mercury Semi-sextile Neptune – Our big ideas can come crashing down to earth if we are overextended. Threading the needle requires an acute eye for the practical and willingness to compromise. Others will help us if we take the time to explain what we are doing, and why. 3rd – Thursday – One last jolt of energy can give us the resolve to finish a project. Then, it is time to relax. There is a new day just around the corner and we don’t have to complete everything now. Best to switch gears. 4th – Friday – Mercury Quincunx Jupiter, Sun Contra-parallel Jupiter – Have you noticed, some people are never satisfied, no matter how much they accumulate? This is a moment to be satisfied and grateful. Unhappiness comes from wanting more…of the wrong things. Exploring our lives within the given limitations of the moment brings appreciation. 5th – Saturday –“Our eyes may be bigger than our stomach”. However, if we stay balanced and put effort into exciting projects, stay with routines, and take the time to communicate clearly, this is a very pleasant day. 6th – Sunday – Sun Sextile Neptune, Venus Semi-square Uranus – A “bolt out of the blue” can put us into a new arena. A genuine sweetness emerges when we look within. Tasks before us may look daunting, but we have time to prepare. Our attention needs to be in the moment, focused on the immediate. 7th – Monday – Mercury Square Pluto, Venus Square Neptune – Most obstacles are self-created. Thinking the object of our musing is unobtainable can prevent us from even giving it a try. Of the many distractions in our path, being enamored with the silliness of worldly values can be the most perplexing stumbling blocks. We make mistakes; this is ok when there is a learning curve. Now is an opportunity to shift our focus to the things that really matter. 8th – Tuesday – Sun Opposite Jupiter, Mercury Contra-parallel Neptune – Creative thinking gives our communications an extra sparkle. As long as we know the difference between artistic embellishment and factual reporting, we may stumble on a unique solution to the problem in front of us. 9th – Wednesday – Venus Quincunx Jupiter – Even when our motives are pure and our feelings of love and kindness are gushing forth, we may have a tendency to overdo our expression of appreciation for others. Being sensitive to other people’s receptivity is a good place to start…and it is better to overdo than to do nothing. Others have to know that you hold them in a positive light. 10th – Thursday – Positive steps and unwavering faith in a higher truth unlock the door to a most enjoyable moment. Actions meant to improve our connections with our lover are rewarded. Artistic pursuits have a dreamy quality that expands our horizons. 11th – Friday – Mars Parallel Saturn, Sun Trine Pluto – Enthusiasm and strength are there, but timing means everything. Interruptions break our rhythm, but getting back to our main tasks as expediently as possible is key to success. Stay focused! Our job is hard enough, let’s not make it harder. 12th – Saturday – Venus Quincunx Pluto, Mercury Square Mars – Frustration can turn into anger if we don’t carefully monitor our transactions with people. Feeling that we have given too much, or compromised too far, can lead to guilt, regret, and yes, verbal fisticuffs. Acting quickly is good; expecting immediate results is bad. Disappointment comes on the tail of wishful thinking and a failure to take other’s needs into account before proceeding. 13th – Sunday – Sun Semi-sextile Venus, Mercury Conjunct Uranus, Mercury enters Taurus – What we think about has immediate consequences. Being conscious of our own mental gyrations is not as easy as it sounds. Regardless of our effort (or lack thereof) some of our thoughts will manifest now. It behooves us to sift through the brilliant ideas that spark our intuition. Genuine innovation requires a developmental process. 14th – Monday – Mercury Semi-square Neptune, Sun Sesquiquadrate Saturn – Faith and fear play a key role in how we process information and respond to it now. Imagination is one thing, but delusional thinking can be close behind. A critical opening can come to us if we are calm, even meditative. Regardless of the weather, we need to keep moving. 15th – Tuesday – The New Moon at 24 degrees of Taurus happens at 7:48 AM EDT, Uranus enters Taurus – We are off and running. The world is headed in a new direction; everyone on the planet is coming along for the ride. In order to think clearly, we have to let go of both fear and blame. If we are able to do this, then the desire to fight with anyone will go away. For each of us, we have a choice to make: are we part of the problem or part of the solution. Full implications will unfold over the coming months. 16th – Wednesday – Mars enters Aquarius, Mars Square Uranus, Mercury Parallel Uranus – Combustion is everywhere, but so are brilliant ideas. Our best ideas lift us to a higher perspective, and our need to be right drops away. A truly objective overview is possible if we actually want it bad enough. 17th – Thursday – Good wishes can coalesce around a pattern of positive emotions, giving a real backbone to our ideals. Time spent with friends and family pay big dividends. Loved ones need to be reinforced because feelings run deep, but romantic intrigues can be fragile. 18th – Friday – Mercury Trine Saturn – Both head and heart are aligned with a higher purpose when we dedicate ourselves to operating from our new perspective. We will need to establish new habits and be forgiving of ourselves and others when we fall back into old patterns. We can do it; get up and try again. 19th – Saturday – Mars Semi-square Neptune, Venus enters Cancer, Venus Sextile Uranus – Our ideals are powerful and have an outsized influences in our lives. Sentimental memories throw us back into an inner experience of days gone by. This recall is valuable if we are able to extract the bottom line and carry it into a new dimension. If we resist the changes now we will suffer. Being true to one’s self doesn’t mean being stuck in the past, anymore than it means surrendering values and becoming an opportunist in the name of survival. Better to perish with love in your heart than live in fear or hatred. 20th – Sunday – Venus Quincunx Mars, Venus Sesquiquadrate Jupiter, Sun enters Gemini – Love and compromise are the hallmarks now. Giving way to our better selves means letting go of artificial success and finding true happiness. Emotional impulses are powerful and need to be expressed. It will take a few days to integrate our feelings with our current train of thought. 21st – Monday –Sun Semi-sextile Uranus – Consciousness expands in stages, it’s incremental. We have an opportunity to change as the circumstances around us are moving on their own. Concentrating on recent good luck can help us turn good ideas into useful concrete tools. Others provide a mechanism for seeing and evaluating our current panorama of choices. We are choosing a direction and we have to see which one makes the most sense. 22nd – Tuesday – Mercury Sextile Neptune – We can give an artistic flare to everything we do. Even though we are forward looking, with our attention on the road ahead, much can be learned in drinking from our silent spring within. Our past experiences have given us a foundation, if we are wise enough to draw the natural conclusions. 23rd – Wednesday – Mercury Opposite Jupiter, Mercury Contra-parallel Jupiter, Sun Trine Mars – Everyone seems to be in a hurry. The key to success is to recognize that people’s thoughts and actions don’t always agree. Take what people say with a grain of salt. There is a sifting process now; the sands of time will prove what is just hot air and what has practical value. 24th – Thursday – How big is big? Of course we can have more of whatever we want, but it makes more sense to reevaluate what we are aiming at. Is the object of our desires really going to make us happy? As the river of life goes by, what things really matter? Empathic bonds lead to healing. 25th – Friday – Jupiter Trine Neptune, Mercury Trine Pluto – Confidence in our own ideas, and the ability to put aside our judgments of others, allows us to bring a new harmony to life. We can include others in our plans, or join together with others in their ongoing concerns of the day. A third option is to spend time expanding our interior world. The most important determiner now is to make sure that boundaries are clear, natural, unassuming, and self-selecting. 26th – Saturday – Venus Opposite Saturn, Mercury Sesquiquadrate Saturn, Mercury Semi-square Venus – It is good to remember that other people are at least as sensitive to criticism as we are. Time is a frustration; we can’t be everywhere we would like to be. We make choices because not to choose is to lose doubly. After all the inner noise, we have a way of landing on our feet. 27th – Sunday – Sun Sesquiquadrate Pluto – Something profound can change at the core of our being. Our need for diversity has to balance with our need for maintaining a conscious awareness of our surroundings. At the same time, our fundamental drive to get to the bottom of things, to know the truth, brings us into relationship with our own inner conflict. Yippee! This is a chance to deal with difficulties we didn’t know we had. Recognition is the first stage of healing. 28th – Monday – Sun Contra-parallel Pluto – There is tremendous force for good or ill. We may feel pressure from others to move along one course of action; this can lead us to ask, “Is this an interruption or an opportunity?” The more important question is, “What do I need at this moment?” Inner change is inevitable. What can we do to speed up the process? 29th – Tuesday – Sun Quincunx Saturn, the Full Moon on the 8th degree of Gemini/Sagittarius occurs at 10:20 AM EDT, Mercury enters Gemini, Sun Contra-parallel Mars – What to keep and what to discard? It is not so easy to isolate our true obligations from those belonging to others, and what belongs to no one. Decluttering our surroundings, our inner arena, and our circle of friends, gives us a fresh perspective on life. Now we see what to take away from our recent experiences and what can be applied to our lives going forward. 30th – Wednesday – Mercury Semi-sextile Uranus – Baby steps forward are all that are necessary to open an innovative window on the world. Our enthusiasm may be great, but our nerves are fried. Sensory overload can interfere with our decision making process, particularly when it comes to seeing what we can meaningfully accomplish. Dream and take notes; this is a better use of our time. 31st – Thursday – We want to be conscientious, but this may require scaling back on our expectations. Limiting the time that goes into every activity is a method for gaining a sense of control. Inner peace is a byproduct of a realistic appraisal of our current situation. Thank you for your continuing interest in my monthly newsletter. This newsletter is free to all who want it…if you stop getting it, but didn’t cancel, check your spam folder. This happens every so often to people. Also, you are welcome to go to my website, www.theastrologycompany.com and sign up again. If you get the message that you are already registered, call; we will see what we can do. Bob Mulligan is available for personal appointments, astrology classes, and astrological material. Call him at 239-261-2840 or by e-mail at bobmulliga@aol.com. My son, Sylvan, and my granddaughter, Sylvia, have their birthdays on the 14th of May. They live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Being together for their birthday each year is a great opportunity to be at Meher Center, which is my Master’s home in the West. Meher Center is directly on the Atlantic Ocean, 500 acres of virgin land with two fresh water lakes, old growth trees and lots of wildlife. It is strikingly beautiful, but this isn’t why I go to this place. Situated on the highest portion of the land is Meher Baba’s house, built during the World War II. His house is open several times a week and I’d rather be there than any other place in the United States. It is always such a spiritual boost, and a chance to enjoy the intimacy of our relationship. On May 24th I’m going to be in Chicago at UAC. This is the Kumbha Mela of astrology, as astrologers from all over the world gather for this special event. My two talks are on Sunday the 27th. The first one, “The Five Gifts of Astrology,” is at 9 AM. My second talk, “The Hierarchy of Planets,” is at 4:30 PM. My youngest child, Bailey, will join me from New York; this will be her first major astrology conference. She is a fine astrologer in her own right. Her mother, Kathryn, will also be at the conference. She is a fine astrologer and I’m delighted to spend time with her. UAC is such an exciting time! I’m especially looking forward to seeing Leela Bruner, Arlan Wise, and Gregg Bogart who have contacted me to visit and share a meal. Having been an astrologer for 45 years I’ve made many friends; I’ll be seeing so many people who I greatly admire and who I have learned from through the years…and there is a whole crop of new astrologers coming along that I’m looking forward to getting to know. Anyone wishing to join us for dinner on Sunday night, please let me know after my talks. From 10:25-10:50 AM and 5:55 PM-6:20 PM I will be at the bookstore if you want to stop by and say hello. I had recommended the book, “The Better Angels of our Nature” by Steve Pinker. It is an important book but it’s almost 800 pages and closely reasoned in an academic style. Not wanting to increase the number of books in my place, I borrowed the book from the public library. I noticed the budget for the federal government for 2018 calls for the dissolution of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. So, yes, our public libraries are at risk of disappearing. My clients’ continuing interest in cyptocurrencies required me to do some research. I’ve taken workshops on the subject, and read commentary. Every week there is a new article somewhere on this phenomenon. With Uranus in Taurus and Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn, most people who invest in bitcoin or the like will lose money. Because of the uncertainty in the entire marketplace right now, my personal opinion is, it is best to stay put. Something interesting happened here in Naples, Florida. In 2001, history teacher, David Bell, was told to teach about the Holocaust but wasn’t given a curriculum, so his seventh graders teamed up with an art teacher and created an exhibit. It was so big they put it in an empty classroom and gave tours on the weekend. Thousands of people came every weekend. Finally some adult volunteers rented a storefront with thousands of artifacts and original photographs giving a chronological history from the rise of Nazism to the Nuremberg Trials. They have just raised 3.5 million dollars, spending a million of it to buy a 6000 square foot space from a church. Did you know that the three wealthiest people in the USA own more than the bottom half of the country? The top one tenth of 1 percent now owns as much as the bottom 90 percent. Regardless of your opinion of income distribution, historically this has been a very bad sign in any country for human rights and stability. It is necessary, but not so easy, to stay detached. The world is always in trouble. As Stephen Covey said, “we need to focus on our circle of influence rather than on our circle of concern.” The world is a better place when we do as much good as we can with the days given us. After that, be at peace and trust that we are in the process of something greater emerging. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr. | 
