Cancer, May 2017

Don't worry, little crab. Mercury ends its retrograde May 3! Soon you'll be able to enjoy your social life, and enjoy schmoozing with fancy people at VIP events, without saying stupid shit (Mercury retrograde in Aries doesn't always think through what it's about to say!) or dealing with missed connections or delays.

If you signed contracts or made commitments concerning work, publishing, school, or travel since Mercury began its retrograde, on April 9, you can expect the terms to be adjusted in the future. Consider what you want out of any partnerships or projects early this month, so if changes come, you'll know how to deal with them!

The full moon in mysterious Water sign Scorpio arrives May 10, which should be exactly as sexy as that sounds, but also pretty exhausting, so don't overbook yourself, Cancer. Drama in your social life (and your love life) will bubble to the surface, and some confrontational energy will be in the air—but so will opportunities to create compromise. Watch what comes up concerning the people you party with and your crushes, as well as your creative efforts.

The Sun is in chill, down-to-earth Taurus, but the Moon in Scorpio is anything but chill—the scorpion is busy picking locks open on diaries and eavesdropping on phone calls, so expect this full moon to reveal secrets. Scorpio is also the sign of death and rebirth, making this an especially transformative time to process your feelings. An issue that's been heavy on your heart could finally find some release or closure.

Mercury enters Taurus May 15, West Coast, May 16, East Coast, stimulating the friendship and community sector of your chart, so expect plenty of social invitations. This is a good time for teamwork and problem solving—you're feeling creative in a cool, logical way, which will be refreshing for you (you know, since you're so fucking emo).

While much of May focuses on you socializing and networking, Gemini season, which begins May 20, finds the Sun activating a private sector of your chart, so you will want to spend some time alone.

Gemini energy is curious, always asking questions, always wondering why, so expect to be in an inquisitive mood—and expect to explore some secrets! You'll be attracted to hidden places and things, and some private meetings could take place. Spiritually, your dreams will be active, and it's a wonderful time for psychic development.

May 25 is definitely a day to circle on your calendar. Not only will there be a new moon in Gemini, but Venus in Aries will also square (a stressful astrological aspect) the lord of the underworld, Pluto, which is in Capricorn, the sign opposite from you on the zodiac wheel—this means relationship tension!

Pluto is the planet of power, and it can be used for good (like creating transformation in your life) or evil (like jealousy and manipulation). When Pluto is tangled in a rough alignment with sweet planet Venus, it's especially easy for people to become envious or manipulative. People want what they want, and will hate anyone who has what they desire, doing whatever it takes to get it!

Again, this combination brings tension to your relationships—partnerships of all kinds, professional, platonic, or romantic. Underlying control issues or problems with being possessive will be impossible to ignore. Even relationships that are usually chill will become more dramatic as people's insecurities flare up.

How can you work with this intense vibe? A great way to dispel rough Pluto energy is by bringing in a third party to mediate. This can mean anything from bringing your partner to therapy to putting someone trying to manipulate you on speakerphone while you're in a room with others. Folks lose their confidence when they realize people are watching them be shady!

Therapy, especially with a counselor who can go deep into your emotions, is a productive way to work with Pluto energy. You could make powerful transformations! Also, if everyone's acting from a place of integrity and kindness, this can be a wonderful time for hot sex and deep intimacy. So don't worry, even though Pluto can bring out the ugly in people, it can also bring out the sexy.

If you meet someone new, and you're not sure how you feel about them, see if their energy shifts to being possessive, controlling, or shady around May 25—this is your red flag, Cancer!

All this will be happening near the new moon in Gemini—a time when your energy would be best spent inward, meditating, catching up on your reading, and taking naps. Gemini is a mental, even restless energy, but new moons bring fresh starts, and it's time for you to wind down so you can reboot your brain.

Good luck with taking time alone, Cancer, as Venus and Pluto square off in the sky! Perhaps make a promise to yourself: Keep your phone on silent for a bit. Again, your psychic abilities will be on point, so use the energy of the new moon to take a ritual bath; open up your sixth sense, or do some automatic writing. (Gemini energy loves writing!)

May wraps up on the 31st with messenger planet Mercury in Taurus trine (a harmonious astrological aspect) power planet Pluto, creating powerful energy for communication in your partnerships—not a bad way to end the month after a tricky Venus/Pluto lineup affecting your relationships.

This will be a great time for easy conversation that will help make sense of all the complicated emotional stuff that's been in the air. You'll be using your head to talk about your heart—productive! May opens with a messy Mercury retrograde, but it doesn't end on a bad note at all. See you in June!