May Astarot + suggestions for a book, song, and film for this month.
Care, adjust, and act.
Happy Mid-May!
Inspired by Mercury’s ingress into Taurus, I’ve decided to offer collective Tarot readings monthly instead of weekly, as I used to do in my Portuguese language newsletter. Mercury in Taurus invites more careful thinking, a slowing down of mental and intellectual activities, and more deliberate, thoughtful communication. Above all, it encourages finding pleasure in these activities as well. In Taurus, less is more, and what is sustainable is valued.
With this in mind, these readings also offer reflections on what we've already experienced at the start of the month (card 1), what we are currently experiencing (card 2), and how to integrate these experiences and move forward through the rest of the month (card 3). For each card, I always indicate its astrological correspondences (decans) and the mode and element of the associated signs.
May Reading
6 of Pentacles
4 of Cups
9 of Swords
Deck: Movie Tarot, by Natalie Foss and Diana McMahon Collis
This month we have 2 Moon cards and 1 Mars card; 3 elements: Earth, Water, and Air; and 3 modes: Fixed, Mutable, and Cardinal. What's missing this month? Fire. Even though Mars adds a dash of its choleric temperament to temper the coolness and dampness of the Moon. The beginning and middle of the month are a preparation for the turbulence of late May.
6 of Pentacles
Moon in Taurus | Fixed Earth
May began with sharing and care. What have we given, and what have we received? How did we care for ourselves and others? Were we open to the care others offered us? How did we experience the dynamics between relationships, the body, and resources in our pursuit of daily balance and stability? How did we manage our resources (time, money, food, energy, well-being…)? These may have been key themes in the first weeks of the month.
The 6 of Pentacles speaks to the redistribution and sharing of material or emotional resources, done with pragmatism and awareness. This card bridges interiority (the sensitive realm) and exteriority (the material realm). It refers to fluctuations, to cycles: what we protect, what we plant, and what we harvest. Sometimes the outcome of this cycle benefits one thing or another, one person or another. What matters is to keep the flow moving so the distribution of the harvest (Earth) is fair, balanced, and sustainable (Fixed).
Astrologically, the Moon in Taurus is a delightful placement. The Moon is exalted in Taurus, meaning that qualities such as receptivity, emotional and intuitive expression, artistic inspiration, safety, nurturing, and instinct become more pronounced. Even so, being the Moon, all this remains subject to fluctuations and cycles. At this time, the Sun is also transiting Taurus, which further amplifies our awareness of the material world, the body, the senses, and our connection with what is concrete and tangible.
At the beginning of the month, we may have felt a strong need to care for and nurture our material and physical sides. To care for ourselves and/or those around us, whether in our private environments (our home, our physical body, our resources) or public ones (work, hobbies, friendships, pleasures…). Perhaps we could bring flexibility and adaptability to rigid areas of life and, in doing so, cultivate more balanced and equitable environments.
On May 10, Mercury, the planet of communication, thought, and exchange, ingressed in Taurus, potentially turning our focus toward Venusian matters of well-being, harmonious relationships, pleasure in action, recognition, sustainability, and security. The 6 of Pentacles speaks precisely to a more sensitive and thoughtful approach to communicating and relating to others, much like Mercury in Taurus, possibly manifesting in more supportive and generous attitudes. It's a balance between the Moon and Earth, one of giving and receiving, caring and being cared for. We may have offered support or received it. We may have discovered structures that enable us to live more harmoniously or empower us to be distributors of harmony.
4 of Cups
Moon in Cancer | Cardinal Water
Mid-month brings a dive into interiority, which may suggest apathy, contemplation, or a need to pause. It's a time for caring for our emotional and personal space, for setting limits, and for reviewing emotional boundaries.
On May 12, we had a Scorpio Full Moon (the Moon in Scorpio opposing the Sun in Taurus), and in the May astrology newsletter, I wrote of this lunation:
“There’s tension here between the lunar fluidity and the fixedness of Scorpio. Emotional sensitivity, which the Moon seeks to express, is filtered through a territory where control, containment, and intensity gain ground. Scorpio is a sign that responds with reserve and strategy. Ruled by Mars, Scorpio brings boldness, impulsiveness, and assertiveness. This Full Moon trines Saturn in Pisces. Emotional stability gains solidity through a sensitive but resilient link. Expressions of affection tend to be structured, contained, even austere… On a personal level, this Full Moon invites confrontation with the deeper zones of emotional life. It reflects contained, deep, and structured emotions that move toward more externalized and passionate experiences. A maturing of emotions that brings passionate desires to the surface.”
The 4 of Cups reflects this deep encounter with the emotional and vulnerable world, lived with a specific stability and resilience. It is a deep dive inward, likely made possible thanks to the care we gave to what sustains and stabilizes us (as seen in the previous card). The 4 of Cups symbolizes that moment when we feel safe and secure (Moon) enough to understand what emotional security (Cancer) truly means.
Interestingly, the Moon is very dignified here, as it is in its domicile in Cancer, and can fully express its capacity to create emotional safety and comfort. We are in the realm of Cardinal Water, implying a dynamic stance toward emotions and inner life. Though the 4 of Cups may appear to depict passivity, it is this retreat that allows for connection with our watery side and enables strategies and actions for protection.
Like a crab, there is a shell that allows us to face, or shut out, the external world, protecting the inner, more sensitive self. Closing our eyes (setting boundaries for what we can and can’t handle at the moment) initiates introspective withdrawal. It’s a way to protect ourselves from fear and anxiety and to create the necessary conditions for reestablishing emotional security when we feel it’s under threat.
This month's key themes are contemplation, pause, and the ability to say no. This Sunday, Mercury in Taurus squares Mars in Leo, so this emotional grounding, rooted in Water, can help bring flexibility to Taurus’s conservatism and empathy (moisture, receptivity) to the fiery and fixed nature of Mars in Leo.
Mercury in Taurus favors stable, focused thought and rational (but stubborn) expression. Mars in Leo acts with pride, determination, and a need for recognition. Their conflict is marked by sharp rhetoric and a tendency to impose views rigidly. The skies reflect a tense, polarized atmosphere, with verbal aggression and strong rhetoric.
This is an opportunity to tap into inner resources that soften rigidity and aggressiveness in personal and collective actions and expressions. The 4 of Cups invites us to pause, breathe deeply, and resist.
9 of Swords
Mars in Gemini | Mutable Air
At month’s end, the mind becomes more active, and the risk is that this activity turns into anxiety. It’s a good time to maintain the physical, material, and emotional care indicated by the previous cards, perhaps through intellectually stimulating activities such as writing, conversations, or walks through the neighborhood, while staying mindful of signs of mental overload or sensory overwhelm.
The 9 of Swords closes a cycle marked by martial energy, following a lunation ruled by Mars (the Scorpio Full Moon). This card, traditionally linked to Mars, the planet of action, drive, and impulse, also anticipates the intellectual restlessness of Gemini, where the Sun enters on May 20.
The imagery of the 9 of Swords reveals the sharpness of Mars in the mental realm: nine blades aimed at an eye, symbolizing the intensity of cognitive processing associated with Mercury. They’re not piercing the eye, but they frame it, creating a tunnel vision that can be helpful or restrictive. It sharpens focus and reminds us of the mind’s power, but it can also limit perception and fuel fear or anxiety. As a card tied to a dual sign, it also signifies a transitional moment: a gradual awakening from the apathy of the 4 of Cups and an initial adaptation to a new reality.
It’s a delicate process that demands mental clarity, as any misstep can be risky—after all, nine blades near an eye is a precarious situation! Like a metaphor for the courage needed in times of change and how clear thinking helps us navigate uncertainty.
It’s a slow and careful awakening that prepares us for more dynamic mental and social engagement, in alignment with the Sun in Gemini and upcoming transits: Mercury enters Gemini on May 26, initiating a time of mental agility and lively communication; the New Moon on May 27 and Mercury cazimi on May 30 heighten mental clarity, authentic self-expression, learning, and connection. The mind becomes lighter and quicker, favoring fast connections, adaptability, and versatile reasoning. However, this dynamism also brings risks of superficiality or distraction. The challenge is to maintain clarity and depth without losing flow.
The 9 of Swords invites us to identify the sources of discomfort and worry, so we don’t repeat them. It’s not only an image of distress, it’s a threshold of liberation. The beginning of a new phase, where a clearer, stronger mind can make way for the lightness and connection that Gemini promises.
This May Tarot spread offers a narrative of transition from emotional focus to mental clarity, marked by depth, introspection, and a gradual rational awakening. With two cards ruled by the Moon (6 of Pentacles and 4 of Cups) and one by Mars (9 of Swords), and a predominance of the Water element (Cups), Fire is notably absent. Symbolically, Mars is the only source of fire-like initiative and urgency.
This combination results in a more receptive and sensitive energy, allowing movement to unfold from within, accompanied by emotional and mental fluctuations. The sequence of modes is also symbolically meaningful: Fixed (Taurus), to Cardinal (Cancer), to Mutable (Gemini), revealing a cadence of slowing down, awakening, and adapting. We begin with the stable care of Fixed Earth (6 of Pentacles), move into the protective retreat of Cardinal Water (4 of Cups), and arrive at the mental alertness of Mutable Air (9 of Swords).
This cycle reflects emotional integration, mental restructuring, and preparation for new dynamics. The lack of Fire suggests a possible dip in energy or enthusiasm (something I’ve started to feel, and others I’ve spoken with have too). The dominance of Water tells us of a month steeped in feeling, introspection, and inner life. At the same time, the ending in Air (9 of Swords, Mercury, and Sun in Gemini) indicates a gradual shift toward expression, dialogue, and mental reorganization.
In a month when action may feel suspended, we prepare fertile ground for the steps ahead through objectivity, thought, and communication. For that, it's vital to nourish the body, protect our emotions, and calm the mind.
Suggestions
Book:
The Waves by Virginia Woolf (1931)
A deeply introspective novel that explores inner experience, time, and identity through multiple voices and perspectives. It reflects the oscillation between inwardness (Moon), emotional mutability (Cardinal Water), and rational analysis (Swords).
Song:
“Dar e Receber” by António Variações
(In Portuguese) A song that celebrates genuine exchange, solidarity, and human connection with delicacy and sensitivity. It reflects the dynamic of physical and emotional care (Earth and Water), generosity in giving and receiving (6 of Pentacles), and the importance of active listening and balance in relationships.
Film:
Ghost World by Terry Zwigoff (2001)
A melancholic portrait of adolescence that captures emotional alienation, social disconnection, and disillusionment with the adult world. It reflects the tension between inner retreat (Moon), the need for emotional bonding and protection (Cardinal Water), and critical analysis of reality (Swords).
Happy May!
Sandra (SØPHIA)
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Sandra (SØPHIA)