Stars Over Puna : May 2026

By Norma Jean Ream

May Provides Opportunities for Growth and Socializing

May is the month in North America when evidence of new life is everywhere in nature. In the astrology of 2026, we experience more than a little intensification of change and the sense of urgency in the world on the macro level. Pull the focus back to the personal and environmental perspective. In the current moment, check your feelings. You may be aware of how self-focused you’ve been since the Aries New Moon, April 17. That was the initiating point of greater collective awareness.

It’s not only you, the reader, but the energy is both collective and personal. Everyone is pulled to pay attention to their own needs, desires, and impulses to make decisions right now. You can see in the Full Moon chart for May 1, the majority of the planets are in one third of the wheel. From Venus in Gemini at the Ascendant, to Pluto in Aquarius, the largest grouping is in Aries (keywords “I am”), with Saturn in the middle. Saturn limits, restricts, and adds responsibility to our quilt list.

The sign Aries is the singular identification with self. It is the beginning of self-awareness. It is also the starting point for the Hero’s journey, by which one learns to understand one’s place in the world.

This unique cosmic line-up has many messages for us. First, use this period of change to focus on yourself and be true to your unique personality. Second, recognize that everyone else has the same directive. Third, this Full Moon in Scorpio takes us to an inner alchemical process collectively to grasp the true value of, in the words of American farmer, Walter Berry, “Earth is the one thing that we all have in common.”

The planets all passing through Aries emphasize a primary agenda to Be Your Authentic Self. If that idea challenges you to let go of your self-suppression, then meet that challenge. Know that the challenge is on with All of Us. We are each individual, unique souls, and we are all valuable to the common cause.

May can be a very social month with five full weekends and the Moon in Fire or Air signs, both great for gatherings with friends. Plus, there will be two Full Moons this month.

May already feels energetically activated with Uranus now in Gemini. It is joined with Venus in the Air element, sending a trine aspect to Pluto, the dynamic of power and acting with force. These outer planets are always involved when humanity’s advances in consciousness, which is what it takes to develop a society of Free and Equal humans. In fact, the long cycle of these outer planets provides us with a resonant history comparable to our current world events. Venus changing signs with Uranus underscores the collective desire for Peace rather than War for Oil.

Mercury, messenger and negotiator, enters Taurus, with an eye on economics, trade agreements, and movement of resources. Mercury rules Gemini and is now in mutual rulership territory with Venus, the ruler of Taurus. Together they work for the flow of negotiations to work out for everyone.

Mercury soon has to negotiate with Pluto, representing the war machine who think “fighting is good for business.” This aspect forms shortly after Mercury enters Taurus. Mars, planet of action and an expression of will, is the statement: “I want.” Mars squares/challenges Jupiter, the planet of Justice and legalities, which is now in close contact to the USA Sun (symbolically the President). This tension illustrates that Congress and the Judiciary will attempt to curb the aggression that has put the flow of oil and fertilizer to the globe at a full stop. International relationships with the US are in question.

Pluto stations retrograde on May 5. This is certainly pulling back the reins, philosophically and actively, for the next 6 months, relating to overwhelming death and destruction. The political atmosphere must settle down.

The Taurus Sun starts to form an opportunity aspect with Jupiter in Cancer on May 10, allowing space for reasonable agreements that offer expansive and truthful propositions. The combination of the practical awareness of necessity and the inclusive desire to serve the common good of all people creates the opening of new mutually beneficial plans to keep goods and resources moving when Mercury meets with the Sun on the 14^th.

The aspect structure is strengthened by the late Taurus New Moon on May 16, when Venus sends a pleasant collaborative aspect to Mars, with Chiron serving as mediator to heal the stresses of relationships. The message is to build trust and be truthful.

Mercury enters its own territory of Gemini in the early morning hours on the 17^th, following the Moon, creating a very social atmosphere for the whole weekend. Mercury gets friendly with its guest, Uranus. These two are natural brainstorming friends, always developing tools and technology that are now going to advance with great speed. Together, they form an easy trine aspect with Pluto that the slow planets will linger in for a year, allowing society to grow in consciousness.

Mars enters Taurus, and Venus enters Cancer on Monday, the 18^th. This is a nice phase of their two-year cycle. The possibilities are fruitful in so many ways. Mars is out of its own sign, where it has been too easy for Mars to be overly aggressive and beat the drums of war, not to mention missiles. It must tamp down its energy now and operate in a better relationship to Venus, allowing negotiations and future plans to proceed. This is true in personal relationships as well as international negotiations.

The Sun enters Gemini on May 20. Uranus is in the heart of the Sun’s rays on Friday, the 22nd. While Uranus is invisible behind the Sun’s glare, we can expect that things are happening behind closed doors, metaphorically, that will soon reveal shocking and surprising results. Uranus brings new and revolutionary changes. In Gemini, the themes are travel, communication, and technology.

Mercury is fast after its recent joining with the Sun at the New Moon. It is in its home sign and therefore has a strong influence as it briefly makes an agreement aspect with Saturn on the 22^nd. This is an opportunity for making deals, for Congress to set boundaries on administrative overreach, and for economic agreements. This could be the kick-off of the election campaign season. Saturn interacting civilly with Mercury is part of the sales job for winning a government seat.

Mars makes a tense, challenging aspect to Pluto on Monday, the 25^th. It is one that often brings a dramatic situation that most people didn’t see coming. In the big picture, some type of forced action meeting resistance can bring a stand-off with these two planets in fixed signs, where neither side wants to give in.

The Sun is coming into a trine aspect to Pluto on the 26^th. This link is harmonious and contributes to rebuilding a network that can develop into a stronger community on the local level and allies on the global level.

 Mercury becomes an Evening Star visible again in the evening rise on May 29. The messenger will bring out information and make it easier to see the truth, to make decisions, and to give a reasonable sense of direction for the next month. It will change signs to Cancer on June 2. We can use the last two weeks of May for business building and drawing in new customers, or to initiate a new sales program. This could be a little window of positive agreements and making new friends.

The second Full Moon of the month is on May 30 in Sagittarius, giving a nice mutual reception between the Moon and Jupiter in Cancer. Venus is currently in Cancer and will join Jupiter in a week. It is a lovely aspect, both in the night sky and for romantic partnerships. The benefics, as they are called, give ease and good fortune when they are together. They tend to operate with care for others, making friends, soothing tempers, and showing respect through words and deeds.

The USA chart has Venus and Jupiter together with the Sun in Cancer. We can hope for our government to start to resemble its original Constitutional intentions in the next month or see a momentous change in the Fall.

No matter what noise is going on at the political level, these cosmic energies are setting up for a collective advancement. Individually, our role is to be true to ourselves and stand firm for our beliefs. I hope that in May you get lots of opportunities to enjoy being human.