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This has been an unusual year for everyone, so if you feel frustrated at the slow pace, you are not alone. It started out with Mars retrograde, January 23 to April 13. Thank goodness Mars has been moving again since mid-April (albeit slowly), as Mars is the action planet that gives extra oomph and push to everything we do. When Mars sleeps, you find it very hard to lift things off properly, in any phase of life, whether business or personal in nature.

Now, Venus will start to retrograde, May 15 to June 27, and that will have an even more powerful effect, because Venus is your ruling planet.

There is more news about retrogrades, so I might as well tell you about the next one now. After June 27, you will only have two weeks, and then from July 14 to August 8, Mercury will retrograde. We are all upset about this, and believe me I didn’t want to tell you, but I thought I should. I cannot remember a year anything like this one. It seems the universe wants us to go slowly and carefully.

If you look closely at these dates (which I carefully flag on all my Year Ahead Calendars that I write annually), the universe will give us little patches of time in which to act decisively. Those patches of time will be excellent for initiating new ventures, and we are in one of those now. (That window of opportunity opened April 13 and will end May 15.)

It is rare that the universe speaks so clearly: Go slowly to make sure all your plans are well thought out. Retrograde planets ask us to look back to scrutinize areas that we can improve. It looks like you’ll be thinking back about things that have not taken the course you wanted, and about how you would do things differently in the future.

As said, Venus won’t retrograde until May 15, so as you begin May, plan on being sharp and productive because - and this may surprise you - you have just arrived at one of the very sweetest portions of the year. Although it will be a narrow window of time, May 1 to May 13, it will be one of your best. Every zodiac sign will have something to celebrate then, and for you, your good news will center on money.

Let’s first look at the full moon, May 5, in Scorpio (16 degrees) in your house of earned income and salary. Within five days of this date, you may hear back about a request you may have made for a raise, or you may finish up a salary or fee negotiation for a new position you are considering. This full moon will be in good angle to Mars, so secret talks should go well. Just be sure not to talk about what is happening for you, for it appears you need to keep all the talks very private. Having others know about these talks will make you vulnerable, although I am not absolutely sure why.

Pluto will be nicely angled too, so if you hope to make a sale or purchase of a house in early May, go right ahead - you are likely to agree on the price. Pluto is in your home sector, so anything home related should go well. You may find a great bargain or sale for a piece of furniture. If you find that you can close on the house sometime during the first two weeks of May, you would be working within ideal timing.

The reason I want you to act with a sense of urgency is that any venture you might start while Venus is retrograde will have a lowered profit potential. I know, I didn’t “dress” that statement very much - it is plain and simple, bad for seeing a good return on your investment of time, money, and other resources. Things may seem fine as you talk this month, and then become not so fine the minute Venus goes retrograde. Deals that seem so solid can fall through, so don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Worse, things may seem fine all month, and you may sign, but then realize that the venture never fulfilled the potential you had envisioned - and you see this to be true years later.

Venus rules not only money (along with Jupiter), but Venus also rules love, beauty, magnetism, and attractiveness, so it is not a good time to have plastic surgery or to radically change your hair either. Whenever you do those kinds of things, you want a good, strong Venus behind you, or else you may not like the outcome! You can schedule normal grooming, such as hair trims, but this would not be the time to have your hair styled in a very different way, or to try a new hair color altogether. Stick with tried-and-true while Venus is retrograde, May 15 to June 27.

May is special because it holds the luckiest days of the year, May 12 and 13.Circle those days in red for they are worthy of five stars! I always love the day that the Sun has his annual meeting with Jupiter! When these two dignitaries meet, they talk about ways they want to spoil you with a surprise breakthrough or financial reward. This year, Jupiter and the Sun will meet in Taurus, in your eighth house of other people’s money. You are likely to be given a chunk of money on or near these two days, and it might be money you are not expecting. Alternatively, someone may give you a very generous, expensive gift. A friend might be influential in setting off your good luck.

May 12-13 is a weekend, so you may want to also circle in red the dates of Thursday, May 10 and Friday, May 11. Those are days LEADING to your two best days, and energy will be building, for this golden aspect will not have peaked yet. These are great days to present an idea, have a negotiation, or sign papers. You can’t have any days better than this! Do not let things slide into the following week, for by May 15, Venus will retrograde, the aspect will have peaked over the weekend before, and the energy will begin to fall like a souffle out of the oven. If you can’t get meetings to coincide with May 10-13, then go a day earlier.

You will have another special day, Monday, May 21, when Mercury and Jupiter will align and news of another financial bounty may be on the way. Both are in your eighth house of other people’s money and are beautifully conjoined. This should be another happy day for your finances. It’s a perfect day to make a big sale and earn a commission, for example.

As you see, you have three points in the month that will highlight finances:

1) The full moon May 5, which might bring you news of a raise or end of a negotiation, or the purchase of something expensive. The other two are more clearly associated with financial gain, although this first one may be, too.

2) The luckiest days of the year, May 12-13, with a tolerance of May 9 to 13, when Jupiter will meet with the Sun in a major annual meeting for your financial benefit. This is the first time in a long time these two powerhouse planets are meeting in a financial part of your chart, so a nice chunk of cash should arrive.

3) May 21 when Mercury will meet with Jupiter. On this day, however, Venus will already be retrograde. You may hear about a venture or project you started earlier, and it should make you happy when you see a lucrative result.

May 5, the full moon has an aspect happening on the same day that troubles me and is the reason I say make no promises in writing on or near this day. Mercury will oppose Saturn, not the time to sign a contract. Mercury rules contracts, and Saturn may make things arduous and difficult for the life of that contract. If a lot of money were at stake, you would not want Saturn spoiling the pudding (nor would you want Venus retrograde). What a year! As you see, we all will be walking a very tight high wire, where we have to be very deliberate about the dates we choose to enact our biggest initiations. To sign papers, I suggest May 10 or better yet, May 11.

Meanwhile, Mars is now moving slightly faster, and by June, Mars will be moving quicker still. It will take until August for Mars to be back to his speedy old self after having been retrograde in the start of the year, from January 23 to April 13, so things are getting better. (Apparently, Mars needs several cups of coffee to get going as the little energizer.) Mars has spent an enormous amount of time in your twelfth house, and that house rules private, behind-the-scenes preparation. It seems you have been busy laying the groundwork for a launch of a new product or service, or preparing yourself for a whole new career or lifestyle. This would be a good time to do so.

Watch what happens on May 16 when Mars and Pluto will cooperate beautifully. You may benefit from family connections or a real estate deal, or it may be that a long-standing negotiation finally gets to a final stage where you will be able to crystallize things.

Big plans for major life changes are likely to come up now, and they always require preparation. You seem to have been involved in a process for quite a long time. This phase will end when you reach your most important period of the year to be proactive: July 3 to August 23. Be sure not to be on vacation at that time, for Mars will be in Libra, and the curtain on your life will go up. What an exciting time that will be!

Now we get to the next, even bigger part of the month, the solar eclipse, May 20. This eclipse will open the windows of your mind and show you a wide, panoramic view of life. Some eclipses are all sweetness and light, and this one is one of them. They are rare! I am excited about this eclipse because Jupiter will orbit within five degrees of this solar eclipse, creating a lovely conjunction. You may have business coming up from overseas, for Jupiter’s presence suggests not only foreign people and places will be good for you, but also that you are about to receive a generous influx of cash. The area of your chart that will be lit will be your intellectual ninth house, so let’s look at the ways your good fortune may find its way to you.

You may see a breakthrough in publishing or broadcasting, or you may hear good news from the field of academia, as professor or student. You may make plans to attend a choice college in September, or you may pass a big qualifying test. Travel is very likely this month, especially internationally, but you can reap benefits from people abroad without ever having to travel to have a face-to-face meeting - you may be home when it comes through.

You may, for example, write a manuscript that you learn will be translated into other languages. Or, you may get a call, inviting you to be a contributing editor to a foreign publication. Your bureau chief may send you on assignment to cover a TV story in a distant city. There are so many possibilities. This eclipse will receive excellent vibrations from Uranus, the planet of unexpected developments, so whatever comes up will be brand new to you, and you won’t see your good luck coming.

Your ability to convey information to others will be prized and rewarded, so this means that the sharper your ability to communicate, the bigger your reward will be. This is true even if you have never worked in the industries I have named, for the need to communicate effectively runs through all professions and all relationships. This is an important point. You don’t have to be a teacher, writer, editor, producer, advertising copywriter, code software engineer, publicist, translator, teacher, or work in sales (as a few examples). You need NOT work in those fields. You can be in ANY profession to benefit.

It is a solar eclipse, and those open a new path, for they almost always mark beginnings. Think of a solar eclipse as a new moon times three - they are that powerful. This one falls at 0 degrees Gemini, at the very start of the sign. A new influence is shining in your life, and after this eclipse occurs, you will know what it is and how to respond. This is likely to be such a welcome influence.

If you were born on September 22 (or within five days of this date), you will feel this eclipse the most. The closer you were born to September 22, the better. You will find you benefit from this particular solar eclipse more than your other Libra friends born later in the sign. You have another way to feel the benefits - if you have a planet in your natal (birth) chart in Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius, or Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius at 0 to 4 degrees. That planet will receive rays from this eclipse too, and you will benefit from what that planet represents in your chart.

Romantically, your best point of the month will be in the first two weeks, when Venus is still moving in direct form. You are so fortunate that Venus is in Gemini, a fellow air sign. Be sure to be out circulating during this magical time for you. There is one exception - the weekend of May 26-28 should brim with good times and spontaneous romance. Whether you are dating seriously or married, or even if you are single and looking, you will enjoy the weekend of Saturday, May 26 to Monday, May 28, a three-day weekend.

In the case of this weekend, Mercury will signal Uranus on May 27, and the Sun and Uranus will be in perfect angle May 28. While Uranus is now in your house of partnership, it RULES your house of true love and fun, so this aspect is setting up a perfect setting for a relaxing, romantic time for you, and it does not matter if you are attached or single.

Ironically, these days are the Memorial Day weekend in the US, a popular three-day holiday. Of course, the universe doesn’t know it’s a holiday for us here. People all over the world can enjoy these aspects.

Your most romantic dates this month will arrive on May 3, 7 8, 11-12 (gold stars), 13, 20, 21, and 25-28 (more gold stars, but Venus will be retrograde after May 15, so factor that in.)

Dear Libra, I know you have had a lot of tension lately, but times of transition are always that way. Take a moment to look back to where you were only two or three years ago. Look how far you’ve grown! When you think back, those days probably seem like another country! You’ve worked hard to be where you are today, and you deserve a lot of credit for having shouldered so much responsibility and for meeting challenges head on.

You have come to a glorious month, one of the very best of 2012! If you play your cards right, you will make quite a bundle of money this month (or seal a deal that will do so in the future). Much of the reward you were promised by Jupiter in 2012 will show up now, in May, so it will be critical that you go out into the world, schedule meetings, and have negotiations.

The area of your chart that is lit up so strongly in early May be your second house of earned income. This comes thanks to the new moon that occurred last month, April 21, one of the sweetest new moons of the year. As you begin May, that new moon will still be working hard for you, but each day she will become a little weaker. You only have seven days to plant a seed, but you can do it if you get going quickly! Keep in mind that with all new moons, the actions you take in the two weeks that follow the new moon color the whole YEAR to come, until the next new moon in your second house has a chance, next May 2013, to refresh it.

This year you have Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, in your second house of earned income, but by June, Jupiter will have moved out of this house. While all conditions are right, you would be wise to sign a contract in the first week of May.

On May 5, you will have a full moon in your other financial house, your eighth house of other people’s money. If you have been awaiting a check from an insurance company, or one from the unemployment office, it should come. The same is true if you are pacing to get that child support payment or final divorce settlement payment. These are just a few examples, but whatever money matter is on your mind, it will come to closure within five days of May 5. Things will go in your favor at this time, and if you want to sell something you own, say, in a flea market or auction website, you will be able to do so. This area of your chart rules other people’s money (including loans) where you will likely see a sum come in.

Usually you would only have two weeks from the new moon April 21 until shortly before the full moon May 5 to take action for best results, but you may have a little longer than that. I still hope you will crystallize things in the first week, but if you can’t, some things you started in the past may come up and could be interesting. Here is why:

You will soon come to “the luckiest day of the year” on May 12-13, worthy of five stars! In the US, this aspect peaks Saturday, May 12, and in other parts of the world, Sunday, May 13. Still, most people don’t do financial negotiations on weekends. That makes May 10 and 11 your key dates for your meetings, as May 10 to 13 will be dipped in gold. By some miracle, these days will arrive just before Venus goes retrograde.

This month will be simply divine during the first half, but during the second half, you have to be more careful. While this month is mostly about money, that is sure to make you happy!

Venus will be retrograde from May 15 until June 27. Venus has a bearing on your income, as Venus rules your second house of salary. This all means that the initiations you make in the first two weeks of May, prior to May 15, will have power and might, and the actions you take in the second half or in June may fall a little flat, like the glass of ginger ale you’ve left out all night. (Ha, ha, still sweet and drinkable, but not quite the way you wanted your ginger ale to be.)

When the ruler of your house of money, Venus, is retrograde and sleeping, that’s not good for the matters pertaining to that house - and in this case, that’s money. Something may get delayed or you may find a partnership hard to crystallize. I say you may find it hard to make a deal because Venus rules your seventh house of serious partnerships, too.

As you see, this is a year filled with trap doors, with stunningly good days almost side-by-side with bad days. The first half of the month brings you a fantastic outlook for money, and the second half is not quite as good for finalizing a deal - not until after Venus is done being retrograde, June 27.

Normally that would be all I could say, but Jupiter will be very close to the Sun all month, giving this month an incredibly strong patina of luck. So the bottom line is this: The first part, May 1 to 13, is spectacular, and the second half is a little less so, due to Venus’ laziness. Jupiter is a bigger planet, so all things considered, you should find Jupiter very helpful too, so don’t give up - keep pushing. Just don’t sign a contract in the second half if you can help it.

I do like Wednesday, May 16, very much for a meeting, for Mars, in your work sector, will beam to Pluto in your fame and honors sector, making it a perfect day for an interview. Next month, Jupiter will leave your financial sector on June 11, not to return for more than a decade, so I want you to keep trying to find your pot of gold.

Overall, there is no doubt that you have had a hard time lately, especially if you were born April 13 to April 19. Saturn has opposed your Sun for months and will continue to do so through September when Saturn finally gives up this position on October 4. This is considered one of the hardest aspects possible, and you do have to protect your health. The strain may be hard. You could use some good news, and this applies to all Aries, of every birthday. That’s why I am so happy to see that a financial bounty is possible now.

This month is special for another reason: we have a major solar eclipse in Gemini, due on May 20. This eclipse is the friendliest of the year, and will fall in your third house of communication. You may get a writing assignment or speaking engagement, or you may be asked to judge a contest or be on a panel. This may happen even if you’ve never done any of these types of things before. Eclipses like this one are on a mission to broaden you and evolve you to a whole new stage. I love this eclipse because it will be within a hair’s breadth of Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, happiness, and expansion. Whenever Jupiter is near, there is almost always money to be made, too.

This eclipse is a new moon times three, so it’s very powerful and should bring only good news. Gemini energy is fast, so news will arrive suddenly and in an exciting way. This eclipse happens to be perfectly angled to Uranus, another sign you won’t see anything coming on the horizon, until the news almost literally shows up out of the blue. Neptune will be a bit cranky, so strive to see things clearly, not as you hope them to be. If you have to sign a contract, leave some days’ space from the eclipse.

Your third house, ruled by Gemini, also rules your sister, brother, and sometimes, less likely, your cousin, so one of these relatives may play an important role in your luck this month.

There is one more element to this lovely May 20 eclipse, and that involves travel. You seem to have quite a bit coming up, beginning with the solar eclipse of May 20, and continuing through the next one, June 4 and beyond. (All eclipses come in pairs, as new moons and full moon eclipses.) That second eclipse may take you farther afield than the one May 20, but either way, I feel you will enjoy getting away for a change. Even though Venus will be weak, she will be moving through your travel house, adding sparkle on those trips.

You will see that eclipses are very powerful and can affect you for many months, for at least six months - even more. Some eclipses deliver news on the day it arrives, and others don’t do so until one month to the day later - in either case, give a plus or minus five days tolerance. Other times, less typically, an eclipse will deliver news later, as much as a few months. The job of an eclipse is to get us moving and bring completely new situations that we don’t see coming. This time you should be pleasantly surprised with all that you see.

If your birthday falls on March 20, or within five days of this date, you will benefit in an outstanding way. It is also possible, if you look at your natal chart, that you have another planet at 0 or 1 degree of Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius, or of Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius, and that planet will be touched, too. (Allow a plus or minus of five degrees on those planets, but the closer the planet is to zero, the better, and the stronger the benefit.)

Here is something else I want to say about this eclipse. This one will give you a clue of a new powerful direction you may take in the future. Jupiter is moving into Gemini next month, the same sign of the eclipses. This is significant. View the May 20 eclipse as the universe speaking to you in code! It’s vital that you pay attention to new opportunities that emerge then, as they point to the possibility of much more in that direction later.

All month, your ruler, Mars, will be in strong shape, unlike earlier this year. Mars went direct speed on April 13, but he did not immediately resume strong, sure speed. It will take Mars a little more time, until early August to be back to his old self - the quick speed Mars had not been moving at since the middle of 2011. Still, it’s not an “on” or “off” situation - each week Mars will move a little faster than he had been as he continues to ramp up. Certainly May will be more helpful to you than in any previous month this year.

Why would the speed of Mars matter at all to you? When Mars moves quickly, your life does, too. Mars is in the area of your chart ruling work assignments. If you are currently unemployed, the speed and placement of your ruling planet (Mars) would be one indication of your of job-seeking experience. You may be only finding freelance work or, if you were able to find a position, it would not have been a step up, but a lateral move. A slow moving Mars would make it hard to find a new job, as everything is moving in slow motion. Keep in mind that this month is special! Very extraordinary! Keep your optimism high, for this time, you may find something that pays really, really well!

Romantically, you will do best in early May. Venus retrograde is not considered a good time to make any big romantic initiations. It’s also not a good time to have plastic surgery or to experiment with your looks, such as to have a new hairstyle. Venus is about beauty and embellishment, so this would not be the time to invest in a diamond ring either.

Your very best time for love will be when the Sun - which rules your fifth house of true love - links to Jupiter over the weekend of May 12-13. What a beautiful day this will be for you!

If you would like to travel, May 27, when Mercury and Uranus combine signals, would be the ideal time to pack and go quickly. That whole period will be sensational, as May 28 will be amazing too, for the Sun and Uranus will combine energies and coax you to go. Your mind will be very much alive this weekend, spotting small wonderful things in your environment others would miss, so you are sure to enjoy yourself. May 26 to 28 is Memorial Day weekend in America, a popular time to go away - this holiday should be a standout for you.

If you cannot go away, you may want to spend time on a favorite pastime, as you will be crackerjack at solving creative challenges, and also at writing this weekend!

This month might bring some of your best news you’ve heard in a very long time! May has many lyrical elements to it, and among all the aspects, your very best include what I call the luckiest day of the year! This year, your luckiest day will actually occur over two days, May 12-13, and remarkably, those days fall over a weekend. These days deserve your attention because Jupiter, your guardian planet (“ruler), will meet with the mighty Sun. This will be exciting for everyone, of every sign, for completely different reasons, but the fact that your ruler, Jupiter, is involved in this configuration means you may enjoy the goodies the universe is sending us more than most.

On May 12 and 13, your luckiest days, Jupiter and the Sun will meet in your solar sixth house of work, health, and well-being. These areas of your life will feel a lively up-tick and bring good news, so let’s look closely.

First, think about ways to improve your health. In the most extreme case, if you have been troubled by a health issue and hope to find a diagnosis from a specialist, you would be wise to search for that doctor immediately. Ask friends and colleagues for names, and check each doctor out as thoroughly as you can. Sometimes when we face a health challenge we need more than one or two opinions - go for those now. Sometimes it is worth going for another opinion even if you are completely happy with your doctor. With each consultation, you will gather additional useful tidbits about your condition that you had not been given before.

Make your most vital appointment for May 9, 10, or 11, with May 11 your very best. (May 12-13 are weekend dates, but the days leading up to the weekend will be strong, too.) If you have special tests to be done, do them during the first two weeks of May. If you have an operation, schedule it as close to May 11 as you can, as Jupiter will be very close to the Sun, and both are known to be the great healers.

What if you feel basically good but had hoped to hit the gym regularly to get back in shape? Join a gym at any time during the first half of May. If you already are a member of a gym, learn a new sport, start with a trainer, or start attending group fitness classes in the first week of May. I say this because the new moon of April 21 will still be working hard for you in the first week of May, and it will help you see solid results. (You can read last month’s forecast, always, by looking below the Summary and the Dates to Note - you will see the link to April’s forecast.)

Here is a vital piece of information: I have found in my own research with charts of thousands of people that when it comes to losing weight, having Jupiter in the sixth house, where Jupiter is visiting now, is excellent. I thought I would find the opposite results (Jupiter is associated with fine living and rich food), but what I discovered is that Jupiter, the great healer, will redo your routine and help you discover healthy foods that you will enjoy and look forward to eating. Jupiter is about to leave your sixth house on June 11, not to return for twelve years. As with any benefic planet, it is when you begin that matters, and you just had that new moon April 21. So, in your case, you would be instituting your new healthy-living plan at the perfect time if you start in the first week of May.

When it comes to work projects, as you get very close to May 12-13, on those excellent weekdays, May 10 and 11, you may receive a superb assignment, one that makes you very, very happy to be chosen to do. If you have been out of work, mid-month may bring news that you landed a new job. You may have begun to interview for that job earlier last month, on the new moon April 21 and the days that followed. If you are self-employed, then these days in mid-May may bring you brisk business or an important new client. If you work for others in sales, get ready to land that big commission.

Do you love pets? Here’s some exciting news for you about this wonder-day May 12, operative May 10-13. If you have been thinking of adding a little furry creature to your household, you may find the perfect pet for you, as the sixth house, where Jupiter and the Sun are meeting, is associated with the care and love of small domestic animals. Scientists are only now calculating the direct link that exists between good health and reduced stress to the enjoyment many people derive from having a pet. Apparently the ancient astrologers intuitively knew about this beneficial effect, long ago, as they put health and small domestic animals in the same house of the chart. So if you are were thinking of getting a pet soon, go down to the animal shelter to choose a little kitten or puppy that you feel only has eyes for you. If you have a pet, celebrate your little one and pick up some new toys or treats over May 12-13 to show how much you care.

Why did I make such a strong point of asking you to act during the first two weeks of the month and no later? Here’s why: Venus will be retrograde from May 15 to June 27. Ironically, Venus rules the very house you and I have been discussing, your solar sixth house of health, work, and pets. With Venus about to retrograde, you have a very high contrast situation, where you have truly joyous, bright aspects, followed by ones that are the opposite - flat and far less vibrant. When Venus retrogrades, the house that Venus rules tends to be lackluster. This is why I want you to make your biggest choices early in the month, when Venus is still strong. Fortunately, Jupiter and the Sun will meet just prior to Venus going out of phase - this gorgeous aspect will come in just under the wire!

I want to discuss Venus more in a minute, for this planet rules many areas of your life, but I need to make a point about health first, before we leave that topic.

Now let’s go back to the full moon, May 5, that will also be associated with health, but this time, its focus will be your mental well-being. If anything has troubled you privately, you may now feel a need to talk things over with someone you trust - a best friend, a professional therapist, or a member of your religious community, for example. Full moons bring things to the surface, and it becomes harder to suppress things. Rather than to try to continue to hold things inside (with a powerful full moon like this one, you won’t be able to anyway), you should feel good about sharing your thoughts.

This full moon will link to Pluto in a very supportive way, and Pluto rules the roots that are hidden deep within the ground. Pluto will help you talk about things that may have been too painful to discuss, so that you can study the situation with that other person. By talking openly, you take away the power to taunt you. Mars will be in good angle too, allowing you to take action, and Jupiter, orbiting very close to the full moon, will provide his healing touch. This same full moon would be ideal for distancing yourself from the use of a substance that you know is not good for you. You can overcome these habits, so by all means, reach out for help. Those with more serious challenges will find comfort in rehab.

In your career, this month should find you doing VERY well. Mars is now in your lofty tenth house of career progress and will remain in this house until July 3. Until recently (April 13) Mars has been retrograde most of the year, so you may have felt like you have been walking up a moving escalator that was going down - not getting much progress, despite a lot of effort! Now, all that changes for the better.

Earlier, I discussed how you seem to be in line for a plum project near May 10 or May 11, when Jupiter aligns with the Sun. At the same time, action-oriented Mars is giving you an over-arching trend that will help you raise your status in your industry. The project you get to work on this month may help you to show off your talents, and so in that sense, the project will have “legs.” Mars, working with this trend, will do his job by making it easier for you to see high-level people who can advance you. As you see, the two areas are different, but will work together to boost your “stock” in the workplace. Let your boss know you are ready, willing, and able to take on that new big assignment!

Here is a case in point, when you may be up for a top job - May 16 - and you will make a superb impression! Mars in our solar tenth house of fame will send a direct beam to Pluto in your house of earned income. Both planets are very powerful, so by all means, use this day, May 16 for any career action!

Now let’s go back to the impending apparent reverse orbit of Venus from May 15 to June 27. Venus rules good looks, so first of all I don’t want you to make any dramatic changes to your looks during that phase. No plastic surgery, no changing your hair in a radical way! You want Venus to be happy and bright, not sleepy and lethargic, when you do things like that. Venus retrograde is not the time to shop for diamonds or other jewels either, as Venus rules all things that embellish. Thinking of giving a lavish party? Do so after June 27. Do all these things from May 1 to 13.

Venus retrograde may make you think twice about a certain close relationship, either romantic (most likely) or business in nature. You have Venus moving through your seventh house of marriage, but when any planet retrogrades in this house (especially Venus), it’s a time to reassess your assumptions and the course a close relationship has taken. If a relationship has speeded ahead too quickly, either you or your partner can slow it down just enough to make it more manageable.

Venus is associated with money too, something many readers don’t know, and when Venus retrogrades, Venus will lower the profit potential of any new venture that you sign on to during the retrograde. As you see, it’s not the time to form a business partnership. You can do so from May 1 to 13, and after June 27 but before Mercury retrogrades July 14. You have to be careful to avoid having Venus in the start date of any new venture during that time, as you don’t want this retrograde to affect the life of the venture, until that contract ends.

Now we come to the surprise of the month, the solar eclipse in Gemini, 0 degrees, falling in your solar seventh house of marriage and all other partnerships, including legal ones. This eclipse is sugar and spice, so you may get a proposal - and begin talking about what is to come. I would rather you not become engaged quite yet, nor married either, but it’s fine to discuss things. This eclipse will be so friendly because Jupiter will be within five degrees, spreading its golden vibrations all over your relationship sector.

Still with Venus retrograde, I don’t want you to rush into a marriage or business partnership after mid-month. Take your time - if love is real (or if this business deal is the right one) it will still be there after June 27. Venus is asking you to dig deeper and to clear the air if either of you have been hurt or have a misconception about the other. While you may have a little “work” to do (and I don’t like to call it that, especially in a romantic relationship, for if you love each other, it’s not really work at all but the exchange of information), the outcome can be spectacular. The fact that the solar eclipse is so friendly shows there is good motivation on both sides to make a success of things. This eclipse is a new moon, and these types of eclipses open a door wide, leading you along an exciting new path.

If you are a Sagittarian born on November 21 or within five days of this date, you will notice the sweet effects of this eclipse the most.

Over the past year, you have had a number of eclipses in your sign, Sagittarius, and in Gemini, your opposite sign (ruling your committed partnerships in your chart). Those came by December 21, 2010, and last year: June 1, June 15, November 25, and December 10, 2011. Last year’s eclipses were tough, especially the ones that landed in December. Now, Jupiter will arrive (next month, June 11), and that will make all the difference to you!

It seems you have already scoured the cobwebs from your life (if there were any) through the action of these eclipses. Just as importantly, you likely also found the goodness in a partner, too - eclipses address both sides of the spectrum. All eclipses want us to be productive; eclipses work against the status quo. If you are in love, but have not felt compelled to tie the knot, or if you find the right business partner, but have not signed papers, the eclipses will say, start to make plans! No more stalling! If you are looking for the right partner for you, this eclipse may help you find that person in the coming six months.

If you are already wed and happy, you may find out that your partner has news to share, and all of it is sensational. You may decide to do something new together - have a baby, open a shop together - you decide! Your significant other / established partner / spouse is a gem for you, and you will know this to be true now.

If you already have a business partner, or are in the process of signing a partner now, you will soon see that your partner is the best thing that ever happened to you.

After you know how the eclipse affects you, please share your stories by posting a note on my Twitter page (@AstrologyZone) or on Facebook (my name is Susan Miller’s Astrology Zone, and I am wearing the white blouse; the red dress is my public page.) By sharing, we can all get better at knowing about the nature of an eclipse.

Are you single and not dating? While this month is more about attached Sagittarians, month’s end should be great fun over the weekend of May 26 to 28. On Sunday, May 27, Mercury, ruling travel and news, will receive a beam from sparkling Uranus, bringing all sorts of surprises in matters of the heart. Be out and about circulating! On May 28, the Sun and Uranus will be beautifully oriented, again bringing you unexpected shots of happiness. I know Venus will be retrograde, but if you keep things light and flirty, and don’t jump in a relationship with both feet quickly, you can have fun.

Ironically, in the US, the Memorial Day holiday will take place May 26-28, coinciding with your best, most romantic time of the month, especially when traveling. Have you been undecided whether to go away or stay home - it seems clear! Go!

Single or attached, your most romantic dates will be May 2, 3, 6, 7, 10-13. After Venus begins to retrograde (add a note of caution): May 16, 17, 20, 21, and 25-28 (especially if you travel).