Taurus New Moon, Saturday May 16, 2026, 4pm EDT
The second major lunation of May, the Taurus New Moon, occurs on Saturday May 16th at 4pm EDT at 25 degrees 57’ in a conjunction with Mercury. Generally, a Taurus New moon is a beautiful time to set intentions in the areas of life where you are ready to usher in longevity in something you value, though this one may have you confronting some past pains in order to push forward.
Taurus, a fixed earth sign represented by the bull, elicits thoughts of a steadfast work ethic toward something of value and hearty sustenance that keeps you going once the proverbial stone has been nudged forward. Consider this new moon your nudge forward, especially with Mercury nearby to help move things along.
Mercury, ruler of Gemini, flits about with great speed usually, changing direction and zipping from one thing to another. Mercury governs learning, movement, communication, trade, and even deceptions. In Taurus, and especially in this Saturnian decan, it is forced to slow down and be a bit more intentional, and perhaps even stop normal ways of thinking to smell the roses and notice what else is around. This may be especially prevalent a few days beforehand when Mercury is in the heart of the Sun in a cazimi. Once this “thing” or thought is identified, Mercury gets ready to move it forward as it inches forward into its home sign of Gemini.
Meanwhile the ruler of this new moon, Venus in Gemini, forms a tight sextile with the Mars Chiron conjunction in Aries. Venus in Gemini asks you to be open to new or different – perhaps that’s new feminine figures in your life or new foods/resources, new ways of making money, or really any new way of viewing what is beautiful, valuable, or secure. Venus also in mutual reception with Mercury in Taurus yields an even greater emphasis to widen that curiosity, while the Mars/Chiron conjunction in Aries may have you cutting away and healing what has kept you from embracing this new avenue.
Something else to consider: this new moon sits a mere 13 arc minutes from the fixed star, Algol. Algol has long been heralded as the “demon star” represented by the head of Medusa in the constellation. Interestingly though, the story of Medusa has often been skewed toward painting her as a monster - a Gorgon with snakes on her head that could turn any being into stone just by gazing at them. She was avoided and eventually hunted and killed by Perseus. What some don’t realize though is that her monstrous appearance and powers were forced upon her after her rape in the Temple of Athena. Strong tight conjunctions with this star in a natal chart tends to yield intense anger, resilience, and the necessity of self-awareness in order to prevent turning into a “monster.” So yes, while this position in the sky has the potential to bring out a sacred feminine rage, things may not be as they appear.
The New Moon being so close to this fixed star and the exact Chiron/Mars conjunction creates the need to actually do something about the pain, the anger, and the rage. You heal by not just thinking about it or hiding it away. It is through exposing it, addressing, and transmuting it into something useful that we find healing, so don’t be surprised if you experience some grief and anger come up too.
Collectively, I have to wonder if this New Moon will herald in the start of actual progress toward seeking justice for victims of sexual assault and increased momentum toward addressing the criminals in the Epstein Files. On a larger scale, that may be more efforts toward creating more protections for women, or at least I can hope. The sextile to Jupiter in Cancer may support this direction, but only if initiated.
Random thought that parents of young kids might appreciate - a memory of the Bluey episode where the girls pretend to be the Queen just popped up. Both girls want to be the butler, but Bluey ends up being the Queen and complains about having to do the boring stuff until she talks to her Mum, eventually coming to the conclusion that, “the Queen is not afraid of a bit of hard work!” Consider this your light bulb moment to straighten your crown and not be afraid to do the work you once may have dreaded.
Overall, this new moon provides the opportunity to confront a pain point and shift directions. The path forward may not be quick or straightforward, but with courage, the power of the strong bull, and the wisdom that time can be your friend, you’ll be armed with the tenacity and resilience to tackle the “monster” that has haunted you so you can live out a life of love and harmony.
Interested in how this new moon may be influencing you personally? Reach out to book a reading at Susan@avoidingaverage.com or purchase a written report and let me know you want some insights on this New Moon!
With Love,
Susan
