“The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.” ~ Ming-Dao Deng

The New Moon is perhaps my favorite lunar phase.

The New Moon will occur May 6 at 19:29 UTC.

I see it as ever hopeful, the signal for all new beginnings, and when it happens to be a spring moon, I am even more infatuated with its influence on the human condition.

May’s New Moon is indeed going to be a spectacular event, as it is also a Perigee Moon (or Super Moon). The moon will be at its closest to Earth in its orbit. But even more magical than that, it is under the influence of five planetary retrogrades—Mercury, Pluto, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.

Before we fall into despair over how to survive these astrological and astronomical shenanigans, let us remember that all of these events are simply a call for awareness.

We can do more than survive the upcoming lunar cycle by following a few conscious steps.

While some may say that anything in Taurus is a tedious journey, I personally am grateful for the Earthy sign, which lends a degree of the reliable and practical to a moon dancing within retrograde energy.

Since the moon will be much closer to Earth this month it will tug strongly on our emotions.

We are already feeling unbalanced from the frenetic energy of Mercury Retrograde, and perhaps struggling with relationships as they relate to communication. Add to that Mars Retrograde, the planet of war and sex and we shouldn’t be surprised to see sparks flying between partners. For some, those sparks may mean the beginning of new relationships or the renewal of old ones, with passion at the forefront. For others, it could mean arguments about the smallest things. Either way, we must watch our emotional reactions to what is in front of us or more importantly, what we perceive to be in front of us.

The new moon means new beginnings.

But what shall we begin?

A new direction at work, in love or inspiration?

Or is it a new philosophical direction in life?

Typically, when the moon is new in Taurus we would do well to begin long-term projects with an eye toward completion. The problem with anything long-term is maintaining our enthusiasm for it. Taurus is a good teacher of determination—as long as we do not become too rigid in our expectations.

Let your plans come to light as Luna turns from new to full. Be expectant of good results. Often it’s our attitude that determines our success.

Like the moon, we will be unfolding and springing into action.

2016 has been a whirlwind so far. Tap into this energy with the new moon—line all of your ducks in a row and make a push toward the unknown. Isn’t that always the hardest part of any new beginning? When the new moon light is still low, we cannot get the full perspective of what we wish to accomplish. We have to have faith that all will be revealed in due time.

more here: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/05/mays-new-moon-in-taurus-under-the-influence-of-5-planetary-retrogrades/