Your Weekly Horoscope Starts Off Rough, But Ends With Unexpected Blessings

Your horoscope for the week of May 18 to 24 starts off heavy and intense, but brings unexpected blessings by the time it’s over. Taurus season is going strong, reminding us to stay grounded and patient, because the best things take time. This week, you’re learning a whole new meaning of staying strong until you finally get to the good part.

The drama kicks off on the morning of May 18, when Mercury in Taurus squares off with Mars in Leo. Mercury is the planet of communication, and Taurus is incredibly stubborn. Mars is the planet of passion, and Leo is majorly prideful. Together? You get a recipe for a deeply combative conversation. Know that your inflexibility may strike someone’s ego, and your ego may equally trigger their defenses. By afternoon, uncomfortable emotions may get unstuck from the muck and bubble to the surface. This is when the waning moon in Aquarius joins forces with Pluto retrograde in Aquarius. If it’s getting harder and harder to keep your truth buried, be careful. It might turn around and bury you.

You might start off May 19 wanting to take action on these emotions. In the morning, the Aquarius moon will oppose Mars in Leo, emphasizing the tension between your desire for meaningful connection with others and your need to maintain power. Don’t be surprised if feeling like you want to cry rapidly turns into feeling like you want to yell and scream. Let it all out—preferably through a healthy outlet. Fortunately, the moon will also sextile Venus in Aries, adding a little romance to this already spicy mix. Breaking up may quickly become making up—and vice versa.

By May 20, blocked paths will suddenly open, and you may find yourself taking the road the less traveled. The last quarter moon in Aquarius will trine expansive Jupiter in Gemini, providing you with a burst of information that helps you solve problems that previously left you stumped. The moon will also square unpredictable Uranus, shaking things up and revealing sudden changes that could be riddled with opportunity. Plus, the Taurus sun will sextile Saturn in Pisces at 29 degrees, providing you with a solid foundation that can absorb some of these curveballs so you aren’t completely thrown off by them. By 2:54 p.m. ET, the sun will enter chatty, curious, and adaptable Gemini, giving us all one big breath of fresh air.

By May 22, fated realizations and life-changing gut feelings could descend upon you. The moon in Pisces will join forces with the North Node of Destiny and Saturn in Pisces, all while forming a sextile to revolutionary Uranus. You may be forced to step out of your comfort zone or face up to something you’re responsible for. Remember—you can’t lead an extraordinary life if you don’t make extraordinary decisions.

May 22 is also when Venus in Aries will form a steaming hot trine with Mars in Leo, serving up some decadent action. Prepare to feel energized, inspired, and filled with adrenaline. Whether you’re feeling butterflies in your stomach for another person or you’re sparkling with creative fuel, you’re ready to make a bold statement. The Gemini sun will also form a sextile with Neptune in Aries for the first time during your lifetime, promoting empathy, imaginative connection, and friendly exchanges. By evening, the moon will enter Aries and immediately join forces with enchanting Neptune, emphasizing a feeling of collective longing that rouses your inner warrior from slumber. It’s time to turn your dreams into reality—even if you have to fight for it. By May 23, the Aries moon will join forces with romantic Venus and form a trine with Mars in Leo, boosting the good vibes and encouraging a deeper internal satisfaction.

Gemini season begins on May 20 at 2:54 p.m. ET.

However, bright emotions often emphasize the shadows that stretch behind darker ones. And on the morning of May 24, the Aries moon will conjunct Chiron—the wounded healer—and press on some of our deepest vulnerabilities. In order to heal, you need to be brave enough to actually feel the wound—to fully steep yourself in it rather than avoid the pain. Allow catharsis to unfold. By noon, the Gemini sun will form a trine with Pluto retrograde, bringing up opportunities to transform yourself. Sometimes, it feels easier to remain in a familiar chaos than it is to take a chance on something new. It’s time to set down that weight you’ve been carrying and set yourself free, even if you don’t know what comes next. In fact, you definitely don’t know what comes next, as messenger Mercury will join forces with Uranus at 27 degrees of Taurus by the evening. A mental breakthrough may arrive if you’re willing to see something from a new perspective and take a chance on uncertainty.

Around 25 minutes before midnight on May 24, Saturn—planet of karma and discipline—will finally enter Aries, bringing its long and drawn out tour through Pisces to an end. This means your Saturn return is beginning if you were born between March 3, 1967 to April 29, 1969, April  7, 1996 to June 9, 1998, and October 25, 1998 to February 28, 1999. For everyone else, Saturn in Aries will teach you the meaning of getting the job done yourself rather than waiting for someone else to do it for you.

How the planets will affect your zodiac sign this week

Here’s what you can expect from the upcoming week, according to your rising sign and/or your sun sign (and seriously, you’re missing out if you don’t read these horoscopes for your rising sign):