April was defined largely by the serious affliction of Mercury that began April 10th and continues through today. It has caused serious issues with communication and commerce, and has even impacted our ability to think clearly. Mercury rules the faculty of discernment, and when afflicted can create ‘brain fog,’ difficulty concentrating and a general sense of disorganization. This is why Mercury is a very important planet when it comes to dimensia and cognitive decline.

On the positive side, we got the benefit of an exalted Sun in the second half of April, which tends to infuse us with more energy, enthusiasm and confidence. This will last through May 14th, when the Sun enters Taurus, shifting the themes from power, independence and authority to family, resources and community.

We have also gotten the benefit of Venus in own sign since April 19th (through May 13th), which tends to bring some worldly comforts and enjoyment related to sensory pleasures. But even positive transits were impacted by the immense tension in Pisces, which apart from creating misunderstandings due to communication errors could have also caused notable sleep disturbances.

The Mars-Saturn tension will persist through May 11th, when Mars enters his own sign Aries. After tonight, there will not be other planets directly involved in this conflict, which suggests that the warring energies created by these two planets in close proximity can become more isolated and eventually diffused (around or after May 11th). But there will be a lineup of malefic planets behind Mercury, once he gets into Aries, which can act as a very negative influence for the planet which is attempting to break free of all of the difficult forces he’s been subject to for months, now.

Unfortunately, he is not truly free of this influence until the end of June, although I expect all things Mercury to see a general improvement starting from tomorrow. Keep in mind that Mercury will be in gandanta—the perilous gap/knot between a Fire and Water signs—as he moves into Aries from Pisces, making him extra tense from now until May 2nd. This can create a lot of mental tension and overthinking, so it is best to engage in activities which connect your mind with your body, or which require a lot focus which doesn’t leave extra space for extraneous thoughts and worries. Technical physical practices (Hatha yoga, martial arts, etc) can be great for this, as can projects involving your hands.

As Mercury is beginning to recover his strength (having been not only under a severe amount of affliction but also in his weakest sign in debilitation for almost one month) it would be helpful to nourish your personal Mercurial energy by playing, writing, planning, organizing, and generally connecting with your social network. There may have been a lack of light-heartedness in recent weeks or months, due to Mercury’s affliction, so you’ll want to make a point to unearth your inner child and have a good laugh.

May will see other positive transits—like Venus joining Jupiter in Gemini, again: a transit which last year seemed to bring a lot of love into people’s lives. Venus is the instigator of romantic relationships, while Jupiter is the planet which preserves them. When they get together, it is prime time for love and commitment. If you’ve been wondering when is a good time to take a leap in the department of love, this could be your window. Venus and Jupiter will be together here through the end of May, when they move almost contemporaneously into Cancer—an even more heightened expression of their conjunction! This bright spot in the transit forecast will usher in a major boost for almost everyone, which is the year long transit of Jupiter in his sign of exaltation in Cancer, occurring June 1st. More on this next month!

As Jupiter prepares to make his exit out of Gemini—a transit which officially began May of 2025— you may notice projects, themes or relationships which began around that time wrapping up or getting ready to move on to their next phase. Often the transits of slower moving planets (such as Jupiter, Saturn and the nodes) begin to be felt a month of so before they actually occur. Take note of what is already coming into your life that feels supportive, expansive, or financially lucrative. These might be signs of what is to come in the next year with Jupiter’s transit.

A note on Ayurveda and Astrology

If we read the current transits from an Ayurvedic perspective, we see that what is called the Rasa Dhatu or lymphatic system (governed by Mercury) has been extremely challenged as of late. This can be caused by dehydration (or improper hydration), heavy or cold diets which cause disturbances to digestion and circulation, high mental stress impairing digestion, or other food or lifestyle factors which may be interfering with the first stage of digestion. The transits to Pisces suggest sleep problems could be a major factor, here. Sleeplessness is drying in nature, which can impact Rasa dhatu and have a dramatic impact on the lymphatic system’s ability to do its job.

If you have a pre-existing Mercury affliction in your chart, you are more liable to experience flare-ups during difficult Mercury transits. (Afflicted Mercury impacting health often shows up as skin problems, thyroid or hormonal issues—especially those related to weight—as well as memory problems and circulation/lymphatic system issues).

If this is you, I recommend simplifying your diet, avoiding cold and uncooked foods and drinks, favoring mono-meals or reducing the number of ingredients in your meals. During the spring season, fat is more difficult to digest and can complicate your body’s ability to absorb nutrition, so you might try a lower-fat diet during this time of year.

Other flavors to favor this spring, regardless of whether or not you have Mercury issues: bitter, astringent, pungent flavors. Bitter, seasonal greens and vegetables steamed or lightly sautéed are excellent, spiced with black pepper or ginger and garlic. Lighter and drier grains such as millet, barley and cornmeal are good to counter the density of this season. Honey is a favorable sweetener since it is hot and dry by nature.

Auspicious Dates

• 5/1: full moon—overflowing social and emotional energy; good for gatherings, sharing food and emotions

• 5/17-5/18: Moon is still growing but exalted, which lends itself to planning, learning and organizing (implementation can begin once the Moon is slightly fuller, see notes below)

• 5/20-5/22 (earlier part of the day): own sign Moon—positive for sustenance, social engagement and meaningful connection, and anything related to healing and health

• 5/24-5/25: extremely auspicious for new beginnings—very bright energy

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