Leo, May 2017

Also on May 3, the Sun (your ruling planet!) makes a harmonious connection with the planet of fantasy, Neptune, in Pisces. Neptune is a tricky planet to work with, but when it's working for us, the energy is imaginative and healing. Your psychic abilities will be amped up, and you'll be able to use your intuitive powers to tap into what's going on with your career, or reputation, and who can best help you move forward. Pay close attention to your dreams early this month!

The Sun in Taurus makes another harmonious connection on May 9, with power planet Pluto in driven Earth sign Capricorn, creating a powerful energy for getting your work done and seen by important people. Pluto in Capricorn has access to all the VIPs, and you belong with that crowd, Leo. This is a potent time for career and for stability and structure, like having a schedule that supports self-care and your professional goals. (Downtime is just as important as playtime, which is just as important as work time—and having these all fit in your life is the goal, Leo!)

The full moon in emotional, psychically sensitive Water sign Scorpio arrives May 10, illuminating the home and family sector of your chart. Expect to feel nostalgic—and moody. Full moons are tiring, so you're going to seek comfort. Scorpio is a sign that's all about exploring your depth, your shadow self, and transformation on every level (spiritual, emotional, and physical), so expect issues from the past to come up.

Your life in public is a big deal this month, but this full moon shifts your focus to the personal. Finding balance between your work life and your personal life is key. You're one of the warmest signs in the zodiac, but during this full moon, it's important that you keep the boundaries between your private and public life intact.

There's a catch-22 that many of us face: Without a solid home base, it's hard to chase dreams in the professional or public realm. It's also hard to create a stable home life if you're not making any money or having any success. Reflect on this during the full moon.

Everyday home issues will come up for you to hammer out (like with your roommates or your landlord), but confrontations with your family, or the people you live with, are also likely. Use Scorpio's transformative powers for good by seeking balance and compromise instead of burning bridges. (It's easy to lose it during a full moon since the energy is so emotional and exhausting.)

This is a powerful time for letting go of old patterns and freeing yourself from your past—whether that means your early life experiences or wounds passed down to you from generation to generation. Call a relative you haven't spoken to in a while and ask them to tell you stories about your family, ones you haven't heard—you're sure to hear something revealing.

Communication planet Mercury enters Taurus on May 15, West Coast, May 16, East Coast, activating the career sector of your chart. So expect to get busy promoting yourself, talking about your skills, or meeting with higher-ups or potential employers. Mercury retrograde began in Taurus last month, on April 9, so expect conversations that began then to pick up again now. April wasn't the right time to move forward, but the retrograde has reworked things. (Yes! retrogrades are good for something!)

The Sun enters Air sign Gemini on May 20, activating the social sector of your chart. No one networks better than a Gemini—other than, of course, you, Leo! And, with the Sun shining its spotlight on the friendship and community sector of your chart, this is a great time to connect with people, share ideas, and explore the different communities around you. It's also a great time for activism.

You have big dreams, but you need to get organized with like-minded people to make it all happen. You're not really into teamwork (unless you get to be the boss), but Gemini season is the time to do it.

The end of the month brings some drama: Venus, in Aries, squares Pluto, in Capricorn, on May 25, during the new moon in Gemini. New moons are all about fresh starts, and this one is helping you wipe your social slate clean; however, Venus and Pluto will see to it that you have a sticky, complicated mess to clean up.

When Venus and Pluto clash, there's a lot to watch: harmful power dynamics in relationships, controlling behavior, jealousy, possessiveness, obsession. Venus is the planet of love and money, but on a deeper level, it's about value and respect—people with low self-esteem will be acting out severely. Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth—so amazing transformations are possible now. But still, be careful, Leo; Pluto's dark side is shady as hell.

If someone tries to manipulate you, especially if they're insecure about your spirituality or your beliefs, or, on a more mundane level, if they're trying to control your schedule and where you can or can't go, trust in that red flag and get the hell out of there. Run away with the Gemini new moon to a new friend circle!

Much of May is about you figuring out where you belong in the world. Here's a hint, Leo: You belong with people who respect you and who treat you like the royalty you are! Don't accept anything less. See you next month!