May of 2026 has a volatile feel to it. From the Scorpio Full Moon on the 1st through a Mars/Pluto square on the 26th, there’s a lot of energy in the sky. Pluto and Uranus are the stars this month, so we can expect some changes.
This month will require some finesse to handle situations. I’m reminded of a phrase from Alan Clay’s new book on Eris: “delicate, but not delicate like a flower – delicate like a bomb.”
We have two full moons this month. We start with the always challenging Scorpio Full Moon on the 1st – really beginning the month with a taste of what’s to come. The retentive energy of Scorpio doesn’t mesh well with the exposure of the full moon. Luna doesn’t love to be uncovered, in general, hence the full moon lunacy we experience every month. That intensity is amplified when the Moon is in the sign of her ‘fall’. Watch out for emotions to be running very high during the first weekend of the month.
Scorpio is Pluto’s home sign, and the god of the underworld is very active in the first week of May. He stations to retrograde on the 6th, an event that is preceded by a square from Mercury on the 5th and a Mars/Jupiter square on the 4th. Expect this to be a time when tempers – and actions based on them – could run very high indeed. It’s a time when everyone wants the power to do their thing, and cooperation could be hard to come by. The square from Mercury means communication will be especially hot – as will conditions on the roadways.
At midmonth, we have the relative quiet of the Taurus New Moon on the 16th. However, at nearly 26 degrees of Taurus, this new moon is closely conjunct Algol, or “the ghoul”, Medusa. We might expect that a certain amount of chaos is being seeded at this new moon. It’s another side of this month’s “Halloween in May.”
Whatever quiet we may have coming into the new moon will be shaken quickly enough. On the 17th, Mercury steps into his home sign of Gemini – only to meet with houseguest Uranus. Expect communication to be rapid and somewhat impulsive, and once again the roadways are likely to be challenging. With the Moon so new, we don’t quite have the energy to handle this volatile planetary configuration. On the plus side, Mercury/Uranus can bring about brilliant ideas and innovative technology, so take notes. Sleep is often a challenge with Uranus prominent, new moon or not.
The Sun glides into Gemini on the 22nd. It’s time to get out and socialize in the community, reconnecting with folks that we didn’t see during winter hibernation. Yet the Sun also meets with Uranus, indicating that it may be a couple of days before we’re really feeling for socializing. An impulsive, “I want to do what I want to do” kind of energy prevails for the Sun’s first few days in the sign of the twins. By all means, go your own way – but let others do what they want, too.
One of the most challenging aspects of the month is a square between Mars and Pluto on the 26th. When the planet of action tangles with the planet of power, tempers flare and struggles can ensue. It’s a great time to take directed action, but watch out for free-floating energy.
The month ends with the Sagittarius Full Moon on the 31st. Sagittarius is generally an upbeat sign, and this full moon could mean a fun time on the last weekend of the May. This is likely to be a very good time to get out and socialize, perhaps shaking off some of the challenges that we’ve worked through all month.
Image by deepakrit, via Pixabay
