 Calendar Page
Special Days and Aspects
for May 2003
Welcome to
May! Click on a date in the calendar to see the current aspects and
events for that day.
May 1, 2003
Moon
Phase
New Moon in Taurus.
May Day:
From fertility and flowers to productivity and politics, May Day has been
used for it all. Those who celebrate it as the ancient Celtic festival of
Beltane would call it a good night for bonfires - and for making love
in the garden to bless the land. But watch out for the faeries and other
supernatural folk, who roam at this time just as they do at Samhain/Halloween,
the opposite point on the wheel of the year. In ancient Rome, the festival
to welcome in the merry month of May was known as Floralia for the
flowers. Traditional activities, still practiced around the world today,
include gathering flowers, crowning a May Queen and dancing around a tree
or Maypole. In Hawaii, it’s Lei Day. In icy Finland, at the end
of a long winter, May Day is a raucous festival called Vappu, and
all the businesses close down for the holiday. In the United Kingdom and
much of Europe, the day is also Labor Day, and in communist countries,
the workers’ holiday has been used as an opportunity to display military
might. To counter that, the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1947 declared
the day Loyalty Day, a celebration of American patriotism. In a similar
effort to promote democracy over communism, the American Bar Association
had the day declared Law Day. In France, it’s Premier Mai,
a day with political overtones but also with a tradition of wearing and wishing
on lillies of the valley. In Catholicism, May is a month for honoring
Mary the mother of Jesus, and May Day is a feast day in honor of her
husband, St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters and builders.
National Day
of Prayer: A moveable holiday in May, the day of prayer was established
in 1952 by the U.S. Congress, which asked people of every faith to gather
and pray together for the country and for guidance for its leaders. In many
cities, large gatherings are held in public parks or arenas, led by clergy
of many religions.
[Return
to top]
May 2, 2003
Venus at
13 degrees Aries sextile Neptune in Aquarius
Venus, the planet of beauty and love, is inspired by visionary Neptune to
see the value and goodness of life even through the challenges that many
of us are experiencing now. As the ruler of Taurus, where the Sun resides
for most of this month, this gentle aspect provides an especially welcome
perspective on the confusion and uncertainty that will characterize much
of May. Romantic ideals may be stirred today, but more likely as a
“romantic sense of life” than as a passionate encounter with the
opposite sex.
Ridvan
concludes: The 12-day festival of the Baha’i faith, which teaches
the unity of all religions and all people, concludes with a holy day on which
no work is done.
[Return
to top]
May 3, 2003
Día de
la Santa Cruz: On the Day of the Holy Cross in Mexico, carpenters, masons
and other construction workers decorate crosses elaborately and place them
at their work sites. Anyone constructing a new building throws a party for
the workers. Miners also participate in the custom and the workers are toasted
in celebration.
Japanese National
Foundation Day and Constitution Memorial Day: This celebration dates
to 660 B.C. and the crowning of Jimmu Tenno. Believed to be descended from
the gods, he became Japan’s first human emperor. The May 3 holiday was
abolished after World War II but has been revived as a celebration of the
founding of a new Japan and adoption of a democratic constitution.
Tako-Age (Kite
Flying Day): In Japanese cities, competitions are held. The object is
to cut down other people’s kites with your own, with glass embedded
in its tail.
[Return
to top]
May 4, 2003
Sun at 13
degrees Taurus square Neptune in Aquarius
Our sense of self-worth may be challenged, and we’re likely to feel
especially vulnerable to criticism. We may feel called on to defend our values
or our station in life, even though no one has really challenged them. A
bit of a “what’s it all about?” mood might dampen our spirits,
but it won’t linger for long.
Rhode Island
Independence Day: On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island declared its independence
from Great Britain two months before the rest of the American colonies did
so.
[Return
to top]
May 5, 2003
Cinco de Mayo:
A national holiday in Mexico and also celebrated in many American communities
with large Mexican-American populations, the day commemorates the Battle
of Pueblo in 1862, when Mexican troops commanded by General Ignacio Zaragoza
defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III against great odds. The
Mexicans completed their triumph against the French on April 2, 1867.
Napoleon’s
Day: Commemorates the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor of France
from 1804-1815. The date is the anniversary of his death in 1821 at the age
of 51.
Dutch Liberation
Day: Celebrates the Netherlands’ liberation from Nazi occupation
in 1945, five years after the country was invaded.
[Return
to top]
May 6, 2003
Have a great
day!
[Return
to top]
May 7, 2003
Sun at 16
degrees Taurus conjunct Mercury
The clear vision of Mercury focuses on self-awareness, and with Mercury still
retrograde this could take the form of identifying values or habits that
we’ve held onto for too long. Perhaps it’s time to set them aside
and move on.
Venus at
19 degrees Aries trine Pluto in Sagittarius
Interactions with others may be intense today, and expectations are high
in romantic relationships. If there are relationship problems this is a good
day to undertake constructive changes, which are likely to be
successful.
Birthday of
Rabindranath Tagore: A poet, philosopher, social reformer, playwright,
musician and creator of dance dramas, Tagore was born in Calcutta, India,
in 1861 and died in 1941. In 1913 he became the first non-European to win
the Nobel Prize for Literature. His birthday is celebrated in India with
festivals featuring his work.
Yom HaZikaron:
Beginning the previous sunset, Yom HaZikaron is Israel’s Memorial Day,
a day to remember those who lost their lives fighting for the State of Israel,
including civilians killed by terror attacks.
[Return
to top]
May 8, 2003
Mars at 10
degrees Aquarius opposite Jupiter in Leo
Combative Mars runs afoul of the expanded sense of self-importance represented
by Jupiter in Leo. You could find yourself arguing with a know-it-all ...
or you could be the know-it-all yourself, impatiently telling those around
you what to do and where to get off! On the positive side, if you can hook
the raw energy of Mars up to Jupiter’s social influence and ease, this
could be a great time to launch a new project with public appeal.
Yom
Ha’atzmaut: Israel’s Independence Day, scheduled by the Hebrew
calendar, commemorates the proclamation of independence by Palestinian Jews
and the establishment of a provisional government in Israel on May 14, 1948.
[Return
to top]
May 9, 2003
Moon
Phase
First-quarter Moon in Leo.
Lemuralia:
In ancient Rome, the first of three days (the others being May 11 and 15)
to make ghosts go away. To work the magic, people walked barefoot, washed
their hands three times and threw black beans behind them nine times.
[Return
to top]
May 10, 2003
Golden Spike
Anniversary: A celebration of the day in 1869 when work was completed
on the first railroad to reach across the United States. The Southern Pacific
Railroad built eastward from Sacramento, California, and the Union Pacific
built westward from Omaha, Nebraska. The railroads were joined with four
special spikes at Promontory Summit, Utah. Two of the spikes were made of
gold, one of silver, and one of iron, clad in silver and topped with gold.
[Return
to top]
May 11, 2003
Mothers Day:
Celebrated in America on the second Sunday in May, Mothers Day grew out of
the love that Anna M. Jarvis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, held for her
mother. After five years of promoting the idea of a special day each year
to honor mothers, Jarvis’ dream came true in 1914, when President Woodrow
Wilson proclaimed Mothers Day a national holiday. Get your mom some flowers.
[Return
to top]
May 12, 2003
Birthday of
Florence Nightingale: The day celebrates the life of the famous nurse
and public health activist, who lived from 1820-1910. Nightingale made great
changes in the way hospitals were run. The day also is celebrated as National
Hospital Day in the United States.
[Return
to top]
May 13, 2003
Mercury at
13 degrees Taurus square Neptune in Aquarius
In the words of a popular Jewel song, “only words can lie,” but
today even non-verbal communications like body language and facial expressions
are likely to be confusing and deceptive. Even innocent remarks can spur
a suspicious response. When your friend says “good morning,” you
may wonder what he really meant by that!
Our Lady of
Fátima Day (first) : May 13, 1917, was the first day that a group
of children in the village of Fátima, Portugal, reported seeing a
vision near the top of a tree. The same thing happened on the 13th of every
month until October 13 of the same year, when the Lady appeared before 70,000
onlookers and revealed herself to be the Virgin Mary. On May 13 and October
13 of each year, large groups of people travel to the shrine built at the
place of the appearances.
[Return
to top]
May 14, 2003
Mercury at
13 degrees Taurus square Mars in Aquarius
Yesterday’s confusing communications take a turn for the worse today
and can become downright combative if you let them. Folks are likely to snap
at each other for no good reason, and simple disagreements can quickly escalate
to full-fledged verbal warfare. Try to curb your tendency to complain and
find fault with others, and if you are on the receiving end of harsh remarks,
try not to take them personally ... there’s an agitated energy in the
air that everyone is reacting to.
Venus at
27 degrees Aries sextile Saturn in Gemini
A breath of calm sanity in an otherwise martial and conflicted day,
Saturn’s gentle inhibition combines gracefully with Venus’ natural
leaning toward calmness and harmony to cool heated interactions and promote
diplomacy over aggression.
Mars at 13
degrees Aquarius conjunct Neptune
When expressing positively, this union can produce good works based on strong
faith. With the aggressive side of Mars and the deceptive side of Neptune
at the forefront it is more likely to show passive-aggressive hostility,
covert attacks, or manipulative behavior.
Mawlid
an-Nabi: Also called Id-e-Milad or Milad-ul-Nabi, this is the commemoration
of the birth of Prophet Mohammed, founder of Islam, in Mecca in about A.D.
570 on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi al-Awwal. Not all Moslems
observe the occasion, but those who do treat it rather solemnly; for instance,
as a good day to read the prophet’s teachings, although some also exchange
gifts and set off fireworks. According to Islamic belief, Mohammed, a shepherd
and trader, began to have revelations from God at age 40 and went on to establish
the religion that has unified most Arabs ever since.
[Return
to top]
May 15, 2003
Aoi Matsuri
(Hollyhock Festival): This Shinto day of parading in Kyoto, Japan, came
about because nearly a thousand years ago two Kyoto shrines had fallen into
neglect - and so disaster came in the form of plague and flood. Imperial
messengers were sent out to tend the shrines afterwards, and today’s
celebrations recreate that procession in period costume, using ox-drawn
carriages, with everything and everyone adorned in hollyhocks.
[Return
to top]
May 16, 2003
Moon
Phase
Full Moon in Scorpio.
Lunar Eclipse
at 25 degrees Scorpio
Scorpio’s secretive intensity and otherworldly preoccupation shakes
the Taurus Sun’s down-to-Earth stability and need for security. Interactions
with others are likely to be unsettling and possibly overwhelming. See
May Star Watch for a more detailed discussion of
this eclipse.
Venus enters
Taurus.
The entry of Venus into the Sun sign it rules brings calmness and stability
to our personal outlook just when we need it most on this Lunar Eclipse day.
Buddha Day:
Also known as Wesak, Visakha Puja and Buddha Jayanti, this is the holiest
of Buddhist holy days and a public holiday in some countries. The holiday
is always on a full moon in Buddhist countries that follow the Theravada
form of Buddhism, including India and Singapore. In Japan and other Mahayana
Buddhist countries, it is observed April 8 instead. It celebrates the birth,
enlightenment and death (attainment of Nirvana) of Lord Buddha. To read about
his life, please see the article Gautam Siddharth:
The Prince Who Would Be Buddha in this issue.
[Return
to top]
May 17, 2003
Sanja Matsuri:
Kannon, the goddess of mercy, is honored by this Shinto festival in Tokyo,
Japan. Also known as the Three Shrines Festival, it features a Friday through
Sunday carnival and a huge parade with portable shrines through the streets
of the city. The goddess it honors, known as Kuan Yin in Chinese, is revered
in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and elsewhere. In Buddhism, she is known
as the Bodhisattva (Buddha-to-be) of infinite compassion and mercy. She is
sometimes portrayed as both female and male, able to look in every direction
and also able to appear in any form needed to relieve suffering.
[Return
to top]
May 18, 2003
Venus at
2 degrees Taurus sextile Uranus in Pisces
This mild aspect stimulates artistic creativity and may spark a taste for
new and unusual experiences, especially experiences shared with others.
Sennin Gyoretsu
(Procession of 1,000 Warriors): In Nikko, Japan, this weekend procession
honors Japan’s first Shogun, who was buried at Toshogu Shrine in 1617.
More than 1,000 people dressed in traditional Samurai armour parade through
the streets in a re-enactment of the famous Shogun’s burial procession.
[Return
to top]
May 19, 2003
Mercury at
11 degrees Taurus square Jupiter in Leo
Excessive talk without much real communication; too many words and too little
meaning. With Mercury nearing the end of its retrograde period, this aspect
will occur again on May 24 after Mercury goes direct.
[Return
to top]
May 20, 2003
Mercury goes
direct at 11 degrees Taurus
With the passing of Mercury’s retrograde period, transportation and
communications issues are likely to be less troublesome. Don’t look
for an instantaneous change, as some issues with their roots in retrograde
Mercury will still take time to unwind.
[Return
to top]
May 21, 2003
Sun enters
Gemini
The focus of personal and collective experience shifts from Taurus’
emphasis on the physical senses, stability and the earthy pleasures of beauty
and art to Gemini’s airy intellectual and analytical concerns. In the
coming month, words and ideas take center stage, with conversation and logical
analysis assuming a greater importance than gut-level feelings. Clear thinking
and effective communication lend a sense of objective transparency to the
world around us. Carried to extremes, this can result in a kind of “living
in our heads” that may distance us from the sometimes messy and disorderly
real world.
Lag
B’Omer: Beginning the previous sunset, this is the Jewish observation
of the 33rd day in the traditional counting of the Omer, the seven-week period
linking Passover and Shavout, the upcoming June holiday that celebrates the
giving of the law to Moses.
[Return
to top]
May 22, 2003
Anastenaria:
Fire walking! A ceremony featuring barefoot dancing on red-hot coals takes
place in certain Greek communities in honor of Sts. Constantine and Helen.
The festival runs from May 21-23.
[Return
to top]
May 23, 2003
Moon
Phase
Last-quarter Moon in Pisces.
Declaration
of the Bab: The Baha’i faith traces its beginnings to this day in
1844, when Mirza Ali Mohammad of Persia (now Iran) declared that he was the
Bab, or the gate, to unite religions. The faith grew out of Shi’ite
Islam.
[Return
to top]
May 24, 2003
Mercury at
12 degrees Taurus square Jupiter in Leo
Excessive talk without much real communication; too many words and too little
meaning. This aspect also occurred on May 19 before Mercury went direct.
Sun at 3
degrees Gemini square Uranus in Pisces
Expect the unexpected with this volatile aspect that can usher in sudden
unexpected changes. Rebellious thoughts and actions challenge established
authority with protests and dissent, and revolutionary sentiments seek to
tear down the old to make way for the new.
Sts. Cyril and
Methodius Day: The saints were brothers and missionaries in the ninth
century in what are now the Czech and Slovak Republics and in Bulgaria. St.
Cyril is believed to have invented the Slavonic, or Cyrillic, alphabet that
is still in use in Slavic countries. In 1980, Pope John Paul II declared
the brothers patron saints of Europe.
[Return
to top]
May 25, 2003
Mars at 19
degrees Aquarius sextile Pluto in Sagittarius
A productive and energetic wind of change is in the air. Folks unite in common
cause to bring about needed transformations in public economic and political
institutions, or to rectify social injustices through idealistic but practical
works of charity or cooperative joint ventures.
[Return
to top]
May 26, 2003
Venus at
12 degrees Taurus square Jupiter in Leo
An outgoing, sociable influence that can tend toward excess. We may feel
like it’s time to “party hearty” to the extent of overindulgence,
or make dramatic gestures of generosity that we can’t really afford.
Another round for everyone at the bar, Joe!
Memorial Day:
Most Americans get the last Monday in May off from work in observance of
Memorial Day, and the three-day weekend it creates marks the unofficial kick-off
of summer. Officially, the day honors those who have died in war. The holiday
stems from the American Civil War and from an order given in 1868 by Gen.
John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, to decorate
Union soldiers’ graves on May 30. In 1950, the U.S. Congress added the
request that the day be used to pray for permanent peace.
[Return
to top]
May 27, 2003
Mercury at
13 degrees Taurus square Neptune in Aquarius
The fuzzy, confusing and deceptive side of Neptune makes communication difficult.
Trust is hard to grant, and we ourselves may not be totally straightforward
with others. This influence and the Venus-Neptune square today might be much
more serious and damaging to our relationships but for the positive influence
of a Mercury-Venus conjunction the same day.
Venus at
13 degrees Taurus square Neptune in Aquarius
Once again Neptune’s illusory influence confuses us, this time in the
realm of romantic or emotional relationships. We’re likely to be overly
sensitive and easily wounded by unintentional slights. Conversely we may
also have poor judgment blind-spots in our relationships, failing to see
what is in front of our faces.
Mercury at
13 degrees Taurus conjunct Venus
Today’s saving grace, a spirit of social connection and goodwill, disposes
us to easy cooperation and communication with others. We are equally comfortable
sharing thoughts and feelings, making this an ideal time for intimate
conversations. We are eager to accommodate others and more inclined to compromise
than butt heads if there are differences of opinion.
[Return
to top]
May 28, 2003
Have a great
day!
[Return
to top]
May 29, 2003
Ascension of
Christ: Also known as Ascension Thursday, this is the Christian observance
of the departure of Jesus from Earth after the resurrection, and it is celebrated
40 days after Easter. It is one of the oldest Christian holidays, documented
as far back as A.D. 68. The Bible says the risen Christ appeared to his followers
many times after his resurrection, assuring them that he had returned to
life and encouraging them to spread his teachings. On the 40th day, his disciples
went with him to the Mount of Olives, where he was taken up to heaven
“before their very eyes.” They watched him rise into the sky until
a cloud obstructed their view, according to Luke’s account in the Acts
of the Apostles.
Ascension of
Baha’u’llah: The founder of the Baha’i faith died in Palestine
on this day in 1892, and his followers observe it as a holy day in honor
of the ascension of his spirit. Baha’u’llah, whose title means
Glory of God, was born Mirza Husayn Ali in Persia and was raised Islamic.
He became a follower of a new sect begun by a fellow Persian known as the
Bab. The Bab declared himself a gate through which religions could unite.
The Bab was executed. But several years later, Baha’u’llah announced
that he was God’s messenger whose coming was foretold by the Bab. He
went on to found the Baha’i religion.
[Return
to top]
May 30, 2003
Feast Day of
St. Joan of Arc: The amazing achievements of France’s teenage heroine,
Jeanne d’Arc, continue to intrigue storytellers and moviemakers nearly
600 years after her brief life. A country girl, she obeyed the voices of
saints she heard speaking to her and set out on a mission to win France back
from the British. She led men into battle, rescued the city of Orleans and
paved the way for the coronation of France’s King Charles VII. She was
captured by the king’s enemies, condemned as a heretic and a witch,
and executed May 30, 1431. The anniversary is now her feast day as a saint
of the Catholic Church and one of France’s patron saints.
[Return
to top]
May 31, 2003
Moon
Phase
New Moon in Gemini.
Solar Eclipse
at 9 degrees Gemini
The Solar eclipse in Gemini highlights the importance of information and
communication. It also initiates a new cycle of experience that opens up
the possibility of becoming more conscious of how we think and communicate,
thus better able to understand and relate to others despite our differences.
See May Star Watch for a more detailed discussion
of this eclipse.
Jerusalem Day:
The Israeli holiday Yom Yerushalayim, beginning the previous sunset, celebrates
the day in 1967 when the newly re-established land of Israel gained possession
of the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War against Jordanian and
other Arab forces. The victory took place on June 7, 1967, but under the
Hebrew calendar, the anniversary is May 31 this year.
Feast of the
Visitation: Only a matter of days after Christians celebrate Jesus’
ascension to heaven, the story of his life on Earth starts over with news
of his impending birth. After learning from an angel that she was to be the
mother of Jesus, and giving her consent, Mary went to the mountains to visit
an older cousin, Elizabeth, who was thought to be unable to have children.
But Elizabeth was already pregnant with the child who would become John the
Baptist. It was said that Elizabeth’s baby leapt in her womb in gladness
at the sound of Mary’s voice.
[Return
to top]
Astrology
by Gregory Ellison; holidays compiled by Maria Barron
|
Articles: