Love, in all shapes and sizes, is always yours for the taking.

May’s New Moon highlights the sign of Taurus, which helps to throw some love where it’s needed most. It’ll take place on May 17^th/18^th, depending on your time zone, and bring the element of love onto the scene.

It just may not happen in precisely the way you want it to.

Given that Taurus works so closely with the planet Venus, it’s easy for the theme of love to come to mind. Venus, after all, is the planet that represents love, relationships and things we value and crave.

There’s no doubt that there are certain times when love is easier to find than others. There are moments when we think its non-existent: it’s simply nowhere to be found, even though we’re looking so hard. The wait is torturous and it feels like our moment will never come.

On the flip side, there are times when love magically appears out of nowhere. This is the kind of love many dream about.

Sadly, there’s also times when love is there, but slowly disappearing. It feels like it slips further and further away with each breath that passes. Part of you wants to let it go and move on, but the other part just can’t loosen the grip.

These various themes of love are always fluttering around. Whether you’re looking for love, caught up in its magic or trying to hold onto it—it’s always there for the taking if you’re willing to look around a bit. However, sometimes we get so caught up in the search that we forget about one of the most important components of love.

Learning to love ourselves first—above everyone else is sometimes the key to everything clicking together. This New Moon is about doing precisely that. Beginning the process of loving ourselves first—above everyone else. It’s a perfect time to whip up our very own Love Potion Number nine.

Given all the planetary combinations in play at the peak of this New Moon, setting some intentions for you is on the planetary menu. Neptune will be supporting Venus, her traditional ruler, helping us to feel creative and get caught up in our very own love spell.

There’s some other things happening behind the scenes, however, that might throw a few monkey wrenches our way.

This is a New Moon with a big caveat.

Mercury, the tricky communications planet, will begin his 2^nd retrograde of 2015 at nearly the same exact time as this New Moon. This means that we’ll have to watch out for some possible communication woes and things just not working out in precisely the way we want. It also means that the nature of whatever we begin will likely change. We’re operating in tricky territory at this time and we should be especially aware of it in the relationship department.

Typically relationships fizzle out and don’t manifest into deep connections with new people you meet under Mercury retrogrades. If you do end up meeting someone new— the nature of the relationship will likely change. Or you could end up seeing someone around you in a different way. Friends turning into lovers or vice versa are perfect examples. On the plus side, meeting up with old friends or people of the past work great with Mercury retrogrades.  Anything involving revisiting the past in some way or another totally works here.

There’s other relationship challenges to be aware of as well. Venus will be moving into a separating combination with Pluto that’ll create a tense atmosphere. Some of us may even decide we need some distance from those we love—in order to take care of ourselves best.

The key to this New Moon is to do something beneficial for yourself because doing something else will likely not go as planned. Going within and falling in love with yourself is the planetary message. Mercury’s retrograde through the sign of Gemini will last through June 11^th, 2015. Redoing, re-working or re-analyzing anything of the past is a good way to make good use of this period. Beginning new endeavours will likely get off to a rough start and either die off or change completely.

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.” ~ Lucille Ball

For additional personal insight into where you might want to make your own Love Potion Number Nine, here are the themes associated for each Zodiac sign. If you know you’re Rising sign, you should read for that sign first. Also keep in mind that the nature of anything you begin here will likely change. Redoing something involving the mentioned theme will work to your advantage most.

Aries: Your value system and money area gets the focus of this New Moon. You will likely feel a pull to buy something to make you feel good or perhaps spend a little money on luxuries that you normally wouldn’t. The need to acquire things you crave or want to feel comforted will come over you. You might also begin to focus on your finances and things that you value—deciding to rework them in some way.

Taurus: You might want to revamp your look and change the way you make your mark on the world. Your impression on the world could begin a revival and renewal process. You might decide to switch things up in how you are seen and heard by others. You might also begin a new regimen to improve your health or revisit one of the past.

Gemini: Going within is key for you Gemini with this New Moon. This is a good one for setting some intentions for where you see yourself in the coming year.  You are currently going through an introspective state and rejuvenating your psyche. This is all in preparation of you beginning to come out and begin a new year. Your birthday is right around the corner!

Cancer: Friends and groups you belong to is the focal point with this New Moon. Setting new intentions for yourself involving your friend area of life could manifest. This is a good time to feel the love you have for your friends and possibly reconnect with a friend of the past.

Leo: Your house of career and place in the limelight gets the focal point of this New Moon. Promoting yourself is key use of this energy. This New Moon could also help bring a past job opportunity back into the picture. You might even start to rethink your career path and ponder what you want to feel happier in your career. The universe is pushing you out into the open for some reason.

Virgo: Travel, learning, teaching and publishing gets your focus with this New Moon.   You might decide to set some new intentions to go back to school or revisit some plans to take a trip. Self-promotion is also part of your highlighted area so if you’re looking to make a good impression or show off a little—use this New Moon to your advantage.

Libra: Something involving other people’s money, an investment, a joint resource or asset, inheritance or sexual activity could begin for you here. This New Moon could also help the process of your re-evaluation with some finances or joint assets. You might even receive a gift—which is always something to look forward to.

Scorpio: The focus for you has everything to do with close and personal relationships.  You might begin to rethink what makes you happy in certain relationships and take steps to realign things in a way that suits you better. There could be some sort of public display involving your relationship or people end up looking at you together—more than usual under this New Moon.

Sagittarius: Your house of work and daily environment gets the focus of this New Moon Energy. Something of a different nature could begin on the work front for you. If there’s something that you’ve been aiming to do in regards to your health, habits, living or working environment—this is the time to revisit some old goals. Try to set some new intentions for what you want in these areas.

Capricorn: This New Moon highlights your children, speculation, fun and personal creativity. You might revisit something  pertaining to one of these areas or you end up getting caught up in something pertaining to your children or children around you. It’s also possible that you take a new look at your finances or investment portfolio.

Aquarius: You might decide to feel the love at home or on the family front. An important event with a parent or an encounter with something of a domestic nature could also crop up. It’s also possible that you reconnect with some family members you haven’t seen for a while. Keep an open mind to new people coming into your circle around this time. People of your past may resurface.

Pisces: Something  involving a learning activity, a car (method of transportation), a sibling or relative, intense communications, short trip or event surrounding your neighbors could surface under this New Moon. This is a great time to revisit some old intentions of the past in one of these areas. If there’s something that you’re looking for to manifest in one of these areas—this is a great time to replant your seeds and ask the universe to deliver.

 Relephant:

Jyotish Horoscopes for the Waning Moon Cycle. {May 4th to 17th}

Author: Crystal B. 

Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Carl Milner at Flickr