Sagittarius, May 2016

Sage Sagittarius, you're the sign of wisdom, and doing the right thing is so important to you; however, the prefix sagitt- is Latin for arrow, not wisdom, and warrior Mars is currently retrograde in your sign, causing you to get a little trigger happy with your bow and arrow. You're feeling annoyed, making impulsive decisions, and getting into fights with everyone. Is being so aggressive the "right thing," Sag? Maybe, maybe not, but it's definitely a product of Mars being retrograde and not acting like its usual self.

Soon (well, not so soon: on May 27) Mars will retrograde back into Scorpio, which will find you sorting out angry feelings that you've long repressed (think back to late February and early March—plenty of issues from that time period will come back up again when Mars re-enters Scorpio), but, Sag, you have a few other retrogrades to worry about.

Your ruling planet, Jupiter, is also retrograde (until May 9) in hardworking Earth sign Virgo, inspiring you to examine what success, fame, and achievement means to you. Saturn, the taskmaster of the zodiac, is also retrograde—and in your sign! It's pushing you to become more mature and refined. Saturn has no time for bullshit, and neither should you. Pluto is retrograde in Capricorn, the sign of material success, where it's asking you to transform your relationship to your cash, as well as your self-esteem.

The most annoying retrograde this month is Mercury, which will be moving backward in Taurus and causing confusion, delays, and miscommunications in the sector of your chart that rules your daily routines, your chores, work, habits, and wellness.

This is a good time to be extra gentle with yourself and get support if your worried you'll slip back into any old bad habits. If you have any health concerns, don't be afraid to ask your doctor a million questions—Mercury is the planet of communication, and speaking to someone about anything that might involve terminology you're totally unfamiliar with will be very frustrating at this time.

This isn't a great time to sign contracts, plan trips, go shopping for anything expensive that could break down on you, or get started on new projects. Give yourself extra time to commute, hand in important assignments, or complete chores. Mercury retrograde can be frustrating, but it has a purpose: for you to slow down. This is a great time to spend in meditation, reflecting on the past.

You'll likely run into people you haven't seen in a while—particularly old coworkers or people you would run into at the cafe in your old neighborhood, basically anyone you used to see in your day-to-day life who you haven't caught up with in a while. If you can, take a minute to talk to these people: Mercury retrograde will be speaking through them, and you could learn something very important.

One of my favorite days for you this month is May 3, when the Sun in Taurus trines (one of the easiest astrological aspects) your ruling planet, Jupiter, in Virgo. Despite the mess Mercury retrograde is wreaking in your work life, this transit will bring you great luck around your career or any work you're doing to reach your long-term goals. You'll be feeling popular and respected today! Awesome!

Another lovely day that will bring you recognition and reward is May 10, when Venus in Taurus trines Jupiter in Virgo. If you've been waiting for an over-due payoff for your hard work, it could definitely come this month!

It's true that Mercury retrograde brings delays; however, it can also bring movement to areas of life that were stagnant prior to the beginning of the retrograde. A boost in your cash flow or self-esteem could come your way when lovely Venus makes another trine, this time to power planet Pluto on May 13.

Because Mercury retrograde is causing chaos in the part of your chart that rules your wellbeing and daily routine, you'll likely get inspired to sort out the mess you've been living in. Getting organized, doing some spring cleaning, improving your diet, and using your time efficiently will all be priorities. The new moon in Taurus on May 6 will be fab for starting fresh in this area of your life.

But enough about work and wellness, Sag. Relationships will also be a focus this month, especially when the Sun enters your opposite sign on the zodiac wheel, Gemini, on May 20. The following month will be all about partnership, but especially so on May 21 during the full moon, which will take place in your sign.

This is a profound time to reflect on your emotional needs and find balance in your relationships (both romantic and non-romantic). If you're hoping to start a new relationship or strengthen an existing one, this is a great time to do energetic work around that. During this full moon, you'll definitely learn more about your partners; if there's been any drama in your life, the climax will likely come at this time. Again, you haven't been the easiest person to deal with this month due to Mars being retrograde at this time, so it's more than likely that you'll have some healing to do during this full moon.

There are two days I want you to watch out for: May 22 and 24. Bitchy attitudes will abound, people will be irritable and sensitive, and confrontations will go down. On May 22, the Sun will oppose Mars: Watch out for big egos and harsh words. On May 24, Venus will enter Gemini and also oppose Mars, which will bring more drama, jealousy, and confrontation.

This is an important time to strengthen your boundaries in your relationships. Avoid planning any romantic dates during these days, or having serious conversations—it could turn into a fight very quickly.

On May 26, Jupiter in Virgo squares Saturn in your sign, Sagittarius. Squares are tense aspects, but this isn't the first time you've felt the clash between Jupiter and Saturn: The last times this occurred were on August 3, 2015 and March 23 of this year. This transit will ask you to be the best, most mature, most responsible, best prepared version of yourself—or else. Think back to last August and March. The things you went through back then could give you excellent information for how to deal with it again this time around.

May finds you shooting your arrows all over the place, Sag. You're in a shitty mood with Mars retrograde in your sign! But don't worry—soon enough, Mars will go direct and you'll be back to your jolly, generous self. You're the teacher of the zodiac, and May will bring you plenty of learning experiences. Enjoy!