The Aesthete

Tequila Sunrise

Emotional intensity and a full moon on the horizon make for complicated bedfellows

by Shelley L. Ackerman

Known as Cinco De Mayo just south of the border, the celebrated 5th of May festival is actually one of the eight “portals” in the astrological wheel. By way of explanation, most major holidays and observances have their origins in nature-based religions, which are in sync with the correlation between Earth’s cycles and the movement in the heavens.

Examples include both solstices (Christmas/Saturnalia in December), both equinoxes, Candelmas (Ground Hog’s Day), and Mid-Summer’s Night (though no official holiday takes place in early August, Shakespeare, Ingmar Bergman, and Stephen Sondheim have all tapped into that time of year in their work).

Those of us with birthdays (or specific planets and points in our charts that land on these portals (beginning degree of cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, or mid-degree – approximately 15 degrees – of fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) are that much more hooked in to the collective in a big way. A good example of a very plugged in May 5thperson is Brit super-star Grammy-Award winning Adele. Both George Clooney and legendary baseball giant Willie Mays were born on May 6th.

This weekend’s full moon within a degree of that portal could rev things up for many of us. The Scorpio moon is an emotionally intense one, that combined with the opposition between Mercury and Saturn makes for a frustrating night and lousy transportation karma. While staying put is no fun, we’re all advised to err on the side of caution when in the tubes, or steering the wheels of a car or bike.

 May begins with the continuation of above average money mojo but with a twist: Best advancement potential comes not via a “me first” mindset, but by way of cooperation with coworkers and an eye toward what best serves the team. As for the weekend? Nothing like a little financial showdown to spice things up, is there? Saturday night’s full moon will bring things to a head. Ultimately it’s better to know exactly what and who you’re dealing with. Allow the dust to settle before responding.

ARIES DO’S/DON’TS: The free Instagram NYC Exhibit in Times Square on May 1st satisfies your communal and photo-sharing needs. The exhibit will feed you tips on how to ace everyone on Tumblr and Pinterest like an artiste veritable with your moody vignettes, blur tools, and sepia tones. Do not have any heart-to-hearts or tête-à-têtes with anyone on Saturday night; the frustration will be unbearable.

In one form or another, the week is all about assessing and refining who you are in relation to (significant) others. You’re encouraged to observe how what goes on for them affects you, and how much of that you want to keep in the mix going forward. Keep in mind that your support of their life-trip probably comes back ten-fold, but that should not be your only motivation for hanging in there. Since Saturday night’s full moon will shed light on all such situations in your life, remember that the weekend itself will be infrared and conversations should be streamlined until cooler heads are guaranteed to prevail.

TAURUS DO’S/DON’TS: Get your body shakin’ on May 3rd at the Queens Theater production of Heat Wave: The Jack Cole Project celebrating '40s and '50s stage and film choreographer Jack Cole best known for his theatrical jazz dance stylings. (Think more “Father-of-Fosse” rather than “Jazz-Hands-and-Spirit-Fingers.”) It will cure what ails you. Do not book any important meetings on the afternoon of May 4th; you simply won’t be in the space to deal with the failings of others.

You’re feeling chipper, friendly, and the world is your oyster (especially on Thursday)! Don’t knock it, don’t question it and Carpe Diem! But as is the case for the rest of the zodiac, things heat up over the weekend. And for you, the Scorpio full moon highlights health, work, and issues regarding routine, pets, and “pet projects”. It’s a biggie. Extra care and thoughtfulness is called for on all exchanges, particularly on Saturday, when Saturn opposes your ruling planet. Be clear and definite as there’s no wiggle room for sloppy thought and/or slurred syllables.

GEMINI DO’S/DON’TS: When in doubt, always opt for visual stimulation. “The Art of the Poster”, a free exhibit at Grand Central Station, features 50 posters from London’s public transit system. It’s a perfect event and setting for Gemini’s who love to travel but do not want to bother with the details. Avoid responding to a critic’s agenda this weekend. Your sense of being judged unfairly will vanish in days.

 What a difference a day makes! The weekend’s lunation is high on romance, as it amps up those oh-so-wonderful below the belt stirrings and longings. Yes, we’re not only talking sexual activity but creative juices are flowing as well. What are you up for conceiving and with whom? Choose your partner(s) wisely, harness the yummy energy, and see if it can be turned into something substantial that lasts. Memories are made of this!

 CANCER DO’S/DON’TS: Sign up for The Rubin Museum of Art’s seminar “Memory Palace” on May 2nd to strengthen your memory which we’ve gradually replaced with reminders from Siri and—wait, where’d you leave your iPhone? With your naturally good sense of recall, you’ll be able to teach the class yourself afterwards. Do not expect a sympathetic ear at home as you detail your plans for the work-week. Turn to your therapist of life-coach for sharing that private stock.

The promise of Spring 2012 is set to deliver big, so seize the moment and your bank account will rejoice. All fire signs are in line for a bonus this May, but the biggest windfalls will come to those who defer gratification and keep there noses to the grindstone with ongoing attention to the details. Extra help and a perk or two could come by way of a visitor from abroad, or a women’s organization with whom you’ve had pleasant dealings with before.

LEO DO’S/DON'TS: Say what you will about him, artist Larry Rivers (a fellow Leo) was wild, controversial and never boring. His later works are on display at the Tibor de Nagy Gallery on 5th Avenue. Do not plan a friendly weekend get-together with siblings or stop to chat with a neighbor on Saturday. Translation: Make like a jaded, bitter New Yorker in a hurry, where everything is a frustrating waste of your time.

The economic incentive continues with encouraging Monday planetary mojo that sets you up nicely for the week, thank you very much. Financial efforts are further aided on the night of May 3rd with some cool cooperative ties between a well-positioned female and someone in the know bank-wise or investment wise. It’s a good night to be out with a “friendly woman in authority” who you know in advance is in your corner.

VIRGO DO’S/DON’TS: While Mars charges ahead in Virgo (and conjoins the Moon on May 1st), pay homage to your inner samurai and take a sword class at SwordClassNYC for lessons in “grace, discipline, strength, respect, and spiritual balance.” Don’t carry your sword (literally or figuratively but especially literally) onto the subway, or fall on it unnecessarily over the weekend when it appears that an idea of yours has been rejected. Things will change soon enough.

The fact each of us contains our own special unique bundle of contradictions has never been lost on you dear Libra, but that understanding doesn’t always make it easy or pleasant to decipher those messages from people in our lives or from the universe itself. And while on one level, it seems that there are (of late) an inordinate amount of hoops for you to jump through to complete each and every transaction, on another level, you must admit that the universe HAS been meeting you half way. Progress, not perfection.

LIBRA DO’S/DON’TS: While indulging your sweet tooth is often seen as a no-no, you deserve some eye candy. Keep the cruising high-brow with The Museum at FIT’s exhibit “The Great Designers: Part One”, (a must see for all Libras) which ends on May 8th. Do not be overly critical or authoritative this weekend as you could inadvertently crush someone vulnerable in your wake.

Everybody may be working for the weekend, but for the moment you Scorp, are intently focused on the depth of your emotional truth, and that may mean an intense full-moon meet-up with your inner werewolf. Heck, we all have one, though yours is decisively more threatening than the rest. But these visits with your shadow from time to time do yield some positives. But mum's the word- they're deeply personal to you.

SCORPIO DO’S/DON’TS: Because the week ends with a Scorpio lunation, you have two options: entertain your inner sleuth at fellow Scorpio Dan Rather’s book Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News signing at Barnes and Noble. Like all Scorpios, he has war stories for days… Alternately, on your full moon, yield to your sense of the haunted and slip into a screening of Capricorn Edgar Allan Poe’s (with a then-undiscovered Pluto figured prominently in his chart) classic poem The Raven. Do not make it a family affair. Go solo for this particular outing. 

Great imaginative spin is derived from working with clever creative types this week. Enjoy that lovely ride! Take it home with you on Friday eve as Saturday night’s full moon exposes a LOT about a situation that’s been bugging you for a while- the good, the bad, and that ugly. But that’s GOOD – as getting to the core truth sets you freer and freer- and you Sadges LOVE that!

SAGITTARIUS DO’S/DON’TS: On May 1st, head to Upright Citizens Brigade theater for 99 Comics for the 99% to “occupy” your mind for a couple hours. Do not mix metaphors; a potential romantic interest could be dissed by a group of your snooty and judgmental friends (think Darcy in Pride and Prejudice… or Bridget Jones’s Diary) A little compartmentalization goes a long way. 

 Knowing that we’re all judged by the company we keep as well as the ideals that we stand for prepares you for what may be a very an important week: You’re in a position to throw some weight behind the latter which could end up making a world of difference in a number of lives. And though you’re inclined to say “Who me?”, the truth is that we all have influence and the task is to recognize these moments when they appear and act accordingly. As for the “company you keep”, light will be shed on the more shadowy aspects of a friend’s (or a group’s) inner workings. Can transformation be far behind?

CAPRICORN DO’S/DON’TS: Need proof that Capricorns get better with age? Who is more luminous than Diane Keaton who is hosting a lecture and book Then Again signing at the 92nd Street Y on May 1st. Still hungry? Your affectation for antiquities will get an eyeful at the Art and Antique Dealers League of America’s Spring Show at the Park Avenue Armory, May 3rd to  6th. Avoid crushing a dear, young relative with harsh words on the 5th. Everyone deserves to have their dreams kept alive by family… and crushed later by reality.

Must you insist on braving the abysmal traffic on Saturday night? A friend of yours somewhere has a marvelous home theater that they’re not using so why not collect on a favor and check in with some great flicks for the weekend? And besides, May 5th’s full moon in Scorpio lights and intensifies career moves. A lot will happen after this lunation and you could use a little Howard Hughes or Garbo -like (reclusive) down time while the getting’s good.

AQUARIUS DO’s/DON’Ts: Your co-ruling planet Uranus, keeps you a buzz 24/7, so get to the  MoMA for the “Electric Currents 1900-1940” posters, guaranteed to recharge your battery. Don't attempt a five-mile run or over-tax your ability to get from one place to another this weekend though. The real confines of time and space will prevail. 

The longing for adventure and a song (real or imagined) emanating from an unnamed distant shore is calling to you big time on this weekend’s full moon. And while fulfillment may or may not lie in booking one of HOTWIRE’s featured getaways, there’s romance in the offing, profound in its nature, and it could be a close as your own back yard (or next door neighbor)! Look before you leap as this would be dalliance may be playing for keeps. 

PISCES DO’S/DON’TS: Mosey over to the Paris Theater (or the less glamorous Union Square 14) with your main-squeeze or main-squeeze wannabe, and take in Darling Companion. Don’t spoil an amorous mood by bringing up financial minutia when the moment is clearly calling for something else. Talk about self-sabotage!

 

For the horoscope relating to the week of April 23 to 29, click here.