If the four-planet pileup in languid Taurus has left you feeling a little stuck, take heart. This week Mercury and Venus are on the move. But not so fast. Before leaving Taurus, both will have to settle some business with Jupiter. Time spent in Taurus has been particularly problematic for speedy Mercury, the fleet-footed planet of travel and communication. Of all of the planets, it is the least interested in being bogged down. But the Messenger has been grounded since April 19th. On Monday night it will enter Gemini, the sign governing technology, commerce and media. One of Mercury’s domiciles, Gemini is where the year’s next Mercury retrograde will occur, from May 29th to June 22nd. Mercury will cross the retrograde’s shadow point, 16 Gemini 08, on May 14th. Before that yellow light flashes, we can cruise into the fast lane and enjoy a little exhilaration. Curious Gemini is also quite the social networker, and Venus will follow Mercury into the mutable air sign on Friday. For amorous Venus, the visit to luxury loving Taurus hasn’t been so bad. After all, Taurus is one of Venus’s home signs, so the seductive planet enjoys spending time in its sensuous realm. That being said, a girl has to get out. In Gem, the planet of pleasure will stimulate desires to mix and mingle. For singles, this could mean sprucing up social media profiles, especially the ones on dating sites, and for everyone, invitations to social gatherings and opportunities to travel are likely to abound between May 8th and June 2nd. With a Mercury retrograde on the horizon, taking advantage of them, sooner rather than later, is advised.
Unusually, Jupiter is the source of two of the week’s biggest snares. On Monday, before changing signs, Mercury will have to slip past a Jupiter square, and on Saturday Venus, while still in financial Taurus, is set for a bout with the normally happy-go-lucky planet. Venus and Jupiter both deal with money. In lofty Aquarius, is Jupiter checking on or being checked on monetary excesses? Either way, fiscal friction is in the air. The week’s third significant square is between the Taurus Sun and restrictive Saturn. On Monday, this one presents another iteration of the conflict between consumption and limitations. The final signal that financial affairs are likely to figure prominently in the week’s events comes from Thursday’s Venus Pluto trine. These two conjoined way back on January 28th, under the full Leo Moon, thus initiating a cycle. Under that Moon, the world learned about Roaring Kitty’s Gamestop sensation, and the havoc it’s wreaking on markets. This time Venus and Pluto will meet under a supportive earth sign trine, opening the next chapter of the saga. Because a now retrograde Pluto is intent on cleaning out corruption in “the system”, this meeting is intriguing. With clever Mercury’s mental faculties restored in Gemini, perhaps we’ll be able to make sense of the unraveling mystery.
