MONTH OF May
Ready to turn one or two of those big ideas into something solid? Start your engines, Leo! With the Sun in Taurus and your success-driven tenth house until May 21, the wheels are turning. But in the second half of the month, there’s an even bigger shift toward the concrete, which helps you turn inspiration into a tangible venture—one you’ll want to stick with for the long term!
For the past 12 months, lucky Jupiter’s been spending most of its time in Aries and your visionary ninth house. You’ve been percolating with blue-sky ideas, but you’ve also been a bit all over the place as a result. This May 16, Jupiter will move into Taurus and your ambitious tenth house, kicking off your most opportune career cycle in more than a decade! The red-spotted planet will be here until May 25, 2024, giving you a year to rise into leadership or pivot onto a whole new career path as an expert or authority.
The first half of May is not without a few plot twists, though. This May 5 will serve up a Scorpio lunar (full moon) eclipse in your domestic fourth house. Changes to your living situation or with a female relative could arrive, ready or not. Mercury, the planet of communication and technology, is also retrograde until May 14—and in Taurus, where it will disrupt some of your best-laid plans. Calculating Pluto will also turn retrograde on May 1, an annual five-month cycle that this year begins in Aquarius and your relationship zone. Unspoken resentments and even hostilities could emerge. Careful not to project your frustrations on the people closest to you.
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But as we said, things really start going your way in the second part of the month. Fortune-bearer Jupiter arrives in Taurus on May 16, and its golden effect kicks in on May 19, when the Taurus new moon lays down a fresh six-month path to success. The next day, May 20, go-getter Mars blazes into Leo, heating up your confidence and charisma until July 10. Now that’s more like it! Mars has been in Cancer and your sleepy, sluggish twelfth house since March 25. The red planet springs back to life now, reviving your energy.
And in case you’re worried about life turning “all work, no play,” fear not. On May 21, the Sun moves into Gemini for a month, heating up your eleventh house of teamwork and technology. Collaborators could come in virtually and IRL from all corners of the world. New friendships and social invitations will pour in, too. Go ahead and mix business and pleasure, Leo!
It’s Taurus season until May 21
With the Sun blazing through Taurus and your tenth house of achievement until May 21, your ambition is front and center this month. It’s your annual month to step into leadership and focus on your biggest goals.
The only potential fly in the ointment? Energizer Mars will be in Cancer and your sleepy twelfth house until May 20, lowering some of the energy you’d normally have to power through your plans. Communication planet Mercury is also retrograde in Taurus and this driven zone of your chart until May 14. This backspin, which began April 21, can foil technology, travel and interpersonal exchanges.
How to make the most of this dreamier-than-usual Taurus season? Hunker down and zoom in on your loftiest goals. Set your alarm for an hour earlier than normal, brew a strong pot and get cranking! With strategic diligence, you can make major headway. The key during this structured cycle is to prioritize, especially since your sign is prone to taking on way too much. Pick one or two focal points and give them your all.
You may discover a newfound appreciation for your trials and errors, especially on the career front. Your efforts, successful and otherwise, DO add up in the long run. And later this month, a management position or job offer may materialize to prove it! On May 20, Mars will blast into Leo, helping you rocket ahead for nearly two months. If you do feel “behind” in any way, fear not: The red planet will happily help you make up for lost time.
Pluto turns retrograde in Aquarius on May 1
Are you truly in sync with your closest people? Get ready to look under the hood of your love life as deep-diving Pluto turns retrograde this May 1. While Pluto’s retrograde will last until October 10 (its usual five-month span), it will split the time between Aquarius and Capricorn.
So until June 11, Pluto will reverse through Aquarius and your seventh house of one-on-one relationships. This is an important time to examine “what lies beneath” your closest ties. What are your motives and intentions—and what are theirs? The next six weeks could serve up major soul-searching around your interpersonal dynamics.
If a bond is on shaky ground, Pluto retrograde could prompt you to take a big step back or return to the drawing board before making things official. For some partnerships, a trial separation or long-overdue split could loom. If you’ve gotten a bit obsessive about a certain relationship, this cosmic cooldown period could help you break unhealthy attachment patterns.
Caution: Pluto rules the “shadow side” of human nature, and there will be a strong tendency to project blame onto others. People may behave in triggering ways that unearth buried issues. Don’t take down the messenger, even as you enforce boundaries. If you keep asking, “Why does this always happen to me?” or “Why do I always attract this type of person?” Pluto is prompting you to look at your own patterns and blocks.
Leo, if you can slow down, you’ll discover that there IS a way to dive in and explore possibilities without promising something you don’t want to deliver. After all, you’re going through your own process and may be unsure what YOU even want. In love and business especially, try before you buy.
On June 11, Pluto will reverse into Capricorn and your wellness house. It’ll shuffle back and forth twice before returning to Aquarius in November 2024 “for keeps”—well, for the next 20 years (yes, really!). Consider this a sneak preview of your next transformational cycle! And while you’re a luminous solo star, Pluto’s shift into Aquarius will take that big cat energy to new heights in the form of a dynamic duo.
Changes on the home front at the May 5 Scorpio lunar eclipse
Changes class="body-el-link standard-body-el-link" arrive close to home on May 5, when the Scorpio full moon (lunar) eclipse barrels into your domestic fourth house. This eclipse could bring a surprising turning point around a family matter, your housing situation or another source of security. A real estate transaction may be on the agenda, also without much warning! You might have a moment of emotional clarity or connect with a nurturing person who brings pivotal information to your life.
Have you been too busy to connect with your family? Commune at Casa de Leo with loved ones or spruce up your place for springtime. Carve out time for a massage or spa day. If you’re looking to move or make a change in your living situation, this eclipse could speed up the action. One minute you’re talking about putting the house up for sale, the next day you’ve got an offer! These kinds of fast-moving events are par for the lunar-eclipse course.
With Mercury retrograde cautioning against officializing anything prematurely, your best bet is to follow any hunches or intuitive clues but delay the announcement until Mercury turns direct after May 14. That way, you’ll ensure that you’re making a sound decision rather than getting caught in a “sizzle then fizzle” eclipse scenario. Sometimes these lunar events are simply acting as awakeners, getting you present to a suppressed desire rather than a literal move you need to make.
This is the final Scorpio eclipse in a series that’s rippled across the Taurus/Scorpio axis since November 2021, revolutionizing your work-life balance and changing your focus in your professional AND personal sectors. Here’s hoping you start to get the right balance—one that leaves space for your loftiest goals AND enough time to recharge.
Mercury retrograde is finally over May 14
At last! Today, Mercury powers forward after a challenging retrograde that began on April 21, foiling technology, communication and travel for everyone. Now, as Mercury corrects course in Taurus and your career house, your ambitious Leo plans can get back in motion. If you’ve had setbacks and scrambled signals with clients, authority figures or a “dad” type in your orbit, Mercury’s direct U-turn gives the green light to resume your trajectory on the road to success.
But be careful if you plan to go roaring onto the metaphorical savannah, Lion. Mercury’s “retroshade” shadow phase will linger until June 1, disrupting your return to power with some after-effects. Roll out your royal decrees a little at a time, and you’ll be back to your best soon enough.
Big day! Jupiter enters Taurus for a year on May 16
Success: incoming! On May 16, Jupiter will move into Taurus and your tenth house of career and long-term plans, where it will stay until May 25, 2024. With the planet of luck and abundance in this structured zone, one of your starry-eyed visions could morph into a real-deal paying gig, and you could have your most prosperous professional cycle in more than a decade.
If you’ve got any kind of #boss goals, you could soon realize them as the tenth house rules corporations, hierarchies and authority. A leadership or executive title might be yours for the taking. Even if you don’t fancy yourself the power-suit type, you may receive an opportunity too good to pass up. With worldly Jupiter at the helm, this job could involve travel or a possible relocation. Consider the options before passing on them! After a nomadic year, you might feel ready to sign on with an established company that offers you benefits and a legit title. This Jupiter cycle often brings a promotion, pay raise and new responsibilities.
But with free-agent Jupiter here, you might decide to become the CEO of Leo, Inc., and get serious about building your own platform. Your work could be publicly recognized with awards and media attention in the coming 12 months, and you might earn clout as esteemed experts in your fields. Need some polish? Tap coaches and mentors to guide you through the process and dive into personal growth seminars or certification courses. With inspirational Jupiter here, you could become the accidental spokesperson for a topic or brand that you feel passionate about.
The tenth house rules men and fathers, and thanks to philosophical Jupiter, your relationship with an important male could evolve this year. If you’ve got lingering “daddy issues” (and who doesn’t?), you may grow into a healthier relationship or understanding with your dad or a father figure. Jupiter only visits this part of your chart every 12 years, and its last visit was from June 2011 to June 2012. Look back to see if there were any similar themes then, such as a career change, new responsibilities or a prominent person entering your life.
The Taurus new moon is on May 19
Ready for a fresh career start? If Jupiter in Taurus wasn’t enough of a catalyst, the May 19 Taurus new moon could really kick this powerhouse cycle into gear. Use this ambitious yet anchoring day to set clear, simplified priorities. Whether those are for your career or just a big bucket-list dream (running a 5K, owning a home, exhibiting your artwork), this lunar event opens a six-month portal of possibilities. An opportunity to raise your profile could arise. Put the word out to your network today!
At this new moon, reflect on your public image. Do you truly understand how other people see you? Be courageous and ask for constructive feedback. Sure, it’s nice to hear glowing praise. But you could gain priceless insight by listening to people’s honest opinions. If you own a business or provide paid services, make sure you’re presenting your most polished image. Is it time for an updated resume, professional headshots or sleek new branding? Invest in something that will pay dividends—and watch these unfold in a powerful way between now and the October 28 Taurus full moon, which will be a potent lunar eclipse!
The May 20 Mars-Pluto opposition gets fierce
And…you’re back! On May 20, go-getter Mars completes its biennial circuit through Cancer and your sleepy twelfth house, where it’s been slogging along since late March. Now Mars enters your sign and fires up your mojo and motivation until July 10.
Unfortunately, this transit gets off to a combative start because Mars will immediately oppose power monger Pluto on May 20, which is newly nestled in Aquarius and your partnership zone. Under this transit, you could glean deeper insight into other people’s motives, including your own. The trick will be keeping your temper and emotions in check since these two combustible cosmic players could get into a volcanic showdown. Pluto rules the unconscious (trigger warning from the skies!) and can lead us to project our feelings onto other people. Be warned that if you try to tell someone how THEY feel instead of simply speaking about yourself, it may cause them to erupt in anger. You don’t have to make it all better. You just have to listen!
Gemini season starts May 21
Okay Leo, red-hot Mars is in your sign for the next couple months, putting the spotlight on your solo efforts. Good news: That doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone! When the Sun enters Gemini and your social, collaborative eleventh house this May 21, you’ll multiply your impact with the power of a strong team.
Who will be your metaphorical backup dancers, Leo? (Or maybe your literal ones, given your sign’s propensity for entertaining.) Announce the auditions and let the selection process begin! If you’re hunting for a new line of work or just trying to crowdsource fresh ideas, the Gemini Sun will get you back in the networking game.
Is your mojo in slo-mo? Passionate Mars is in Cancer and your sleepy twelfth house until May 20, which could bring the action down to a dull roar. And from May 7 onward, affectionate Venus joins the pajama party when it plops into Cancer. You may slip off to the boudoir only to find yourself fast asleep before you can get frisky.
On the other hand, the twelfth house IS the realm of fantasy and escape. So with ample rest and the right ambience, you could enjoy some slow, sexy pleasure. You may be drawn to something clandestine or a little taboo—or you might want to spice things up by sharing your more erotic imaginings. It’s possible you’re healing from a heartbreak or dealing with a heavier emotional issue during this Cancer-ruled cycle. And the May 5 Scorpio lunar eclipse could intensify those feelings when it charges into your emo fourth house. Let some of this erratic full-moon energy pass before making any major decisions.
While part of you is still feeling sensitive and a little tentative, your confident Leo energy will return with a vengeance on May 20, when sizzling Mars blazes into YOUR sign, staying all the way until July 10. Put your crown on and get back to the business of your feline fabulosity—some early summer lovin’ could await! Your energy and zest will naturally recharge, and don’t be surprised if admirers flock to you with little to no effort on your part. Mars only visits your sign once every two years, so make the most of it!
Push forward, Leo! The Sun is in Taurus and your tenth house of success until May 21, your annual month to make power moves. Set lofty goals and pinpoint a few well-connected people who can help you reach them. But be aware: Mercury, the planet of communication and technology, is retrograde in Taurus until May 14. Even your best attempts to negotiate and work well with others could be foiled by misunderstandings.
But that can’t stop YOU, Leo! A golden door opens this May 16, when lucky Jupiter soars into Taurus and your tenth house of professional success for a full year. Between now and May 25, 2024, you could have one of your most adventurous and expansive career cycles in over a decade. The May 19 Taurus new moon kicks off a six-month chapter for your professional endeavors and really sets Jupiter into motion. Then, on May 20, go-getter Mars makes landfall in Leo, heating up your personal path until July 10. Nothing can stop you now!
Love Days: 7, 11
Money Days: 19, 27
Luck Days: 16, 25
Off Days: 22, 9, 14
Identical twin sisters Ophira and Tali Edut (a.k.a. The AstroTwins) are ELLE.com’s resident astrologers. They have written several astrology books, including Momstrology and Supercouple, and star as the astrological matchmakers for Prime Video’s Cosmic Love. The Eduts have read charts for celebrities the likes of Beyoncé, Karlie Kloss, and Emma Roberts. For their spot-on predictions, books, and online courses, check out our horoscopes coverage or visit astrostyle.com.
