Taurus, May 2016

Happy solar return, Taurus! It's your birthday, and to celebrate, the heavens have lots of planets in your sign—including the Sun, Venus, and Mercury (which happens to be retrograde, ew! Read more about that here and here).

Sexy, seductive Venus rules love, beauty, money, and harmony—all the good stuff! Having this planet in your sign is definitely a good thing. You'll be feelin' yourself, sweet cow: feeling attractive, abundant, and confident, despite Mercury retrograde in Taurus. I should warn you that this might cause you to become forgetful of your belongings, in addition to all the other bullshit that typically comes along with Mercury retrograde, like delays in transportation, miscommunication, and all sorts of inconveniences. But at least, with Venus in your sign, you'll look sexy through it all.

May 6 brings a new moon in your sign, Taurus! New moons bring new beginnings, and it's time for you to reconnect with your inner vision. Are you emotional needs being met? Do you feel safe, secure, and nurtured? This new moon is the time for you to fearlessly be yourself. You deserve happiness! You might also undergo a bit of a makeover under this new moon, but be clear with your hairdresser—since Mercury is retrograde, you could leave with a mullet if you're not careful.

May 9 is one of the busier days this month! Jupiter turns direct in Virgo after a long retrograde, which will push you forward on your creative projects. The Sun and Mercury also meet in the sky, both in your sign, and help you get focused. But watch out: Often, when Mercury and the Sun meet, people can get in very fixed, stubborn moods.

Also on May 9, Venus sextiles (one of the most helpful, communicative astrological aspects) Neptune in Pisces, bringing a whimsical vibe to things and encouraging people to be more empathetic toward each other. This astrological aspect is especially lucky for your friendships and social connections.

On May 10, Venus in Taurus trines Jupiter in fellow Earth sign Virgo. We love trines, as they are super easy aspects to work with; being that Venus and Jupiter are the two most abundant and lovely planets in the zodiac, this cosmic combo will definitely be one that you'll enjoy.

Expect a surge of creative inspiration at this time—you'll be feeling energized to party and have fun. Lots of romance is also on the way! The vibe is creative, generous, and flirty. If there's been bad energy between you and a lover, things could definitely ease up now!

On May 13, communicator Mercury meets Venus (both in your sign), which will put you in a very social mood and could reconnect you to some past lovers or besties you haven't seen in a while. Also on May 13, Venus trines power planet Pluto, which is currently in Earth sign Capricorn. What's so lovely about you Earth signs is that you all have such a grounding, patient presence! The vibe today is strong and stable. This lovely combination of Venus and deep, intense Pluto will bring you closer to the people you love, and it will plunge you deeper into your art or intellectual studies.

The Sun enters logical Air sign Gemini on May 20, highlighting the sector of your chart that rules finances as well as value and self-esteem. You're feeing a little rocky about what you have, material speaking, but soon Mercury will end its retrograde, which will boost your confidence around material matters. Plus, the Sun in smart Gemini will illuminate ways you can problem solve any issues around your cash flow and general sense of self-worth.

Speaking of money, the full moon in Sagittarius arrives on May 21, which will activate the sector of your chart that rules debts and taxes, so expect some news on that front during this time. This full moon will also be intense on an intimate level, revealing deep emotions and bringing us closer to our partners. Hopefully there's an even give/take in your relationship—but if there isn't, this full moon will shine its light on those issues!

On May 22, Mercury goes direct, ending that dastardly retrograde in your sign. You'll find yourself reviewing the lessons you learned during this retrograde over the next two or so weeks, but in general, you'll enjoy way fewer miscommunications and delays.

May 24 is a busy day for your ruling planet Venus, which means you will feel some shifts in energy in your life: Venus enters Gemini and opposes Mars. Venus brings harmony wherever it goes, and since it will be in Gemini—which, again, occupies the financial sector of your chart—this should be good news! Also, Venus loves beautiful, opulent things, so be on the look out for some amazing finds when you go shopping.

Venus opposite Mars may bring some stress, especially since Mars is retrograde and extra irritable. Avoid May 24 as a date night. People will be picking fights, and getting along will feel difficult.

On May 26, Jupiter in Virgo squares Saturn in Sagittarius, which will bring up themes relating to responsibility. Think back to August 3, 2015 and March 23 of this year. Those are the last times during which Jupiter and Saturn made this same connection, so reflecting on the events that took place then could inform you a ton about what to expect now.

Watch out for projects, people, or situations that were supposed to be fun or light; under this astrological aspect, things could get way deep, way quick. Lessons around intimacy, debts (emotional and financial), and fears about the unknown may come up.

On May 27, Mars (which is currently retrograde—such a drag!) reenters sexy, mysterious Water sign Scorpio and lights up the sector of your chart that rules relationships. The people you're partnering with lately are angry, on a mission, and feeling feisty (that's what Mars is all about). Because Mars is currently retrograde and feeling funky, the vibe could be even more combustible now.

By this time in May, you may have retreated from some very intense relationships (romantic and otherwise). At this point in Mars's journey, it will be time for you and your partners to figure out in what capacity you want to work with each other. Please don't pick fights, being that Mars is retrograde—especially not when it enters bitchy Scorpio. Scorpio is always 100 percent ready to fight!

By June, you'll have a deeper understanding of your relationships and what you value, and you'll probably have a cute new look too, considering Venus and the new moon's influence this May. See you next month, Taurus!