This year’s First Quarter Moon arrives just before the Celtic fire festival of Beltane, a wonderful pairing as we emerge from the challenging transits of 2025’s first quarter into the relative calm of May.
The combination of a Leo Moon with the Beltane Sun in mid Taurus is perfect. Chef’s kiss. The deep fertility and careful nurture of the middle decan of Taurus is enlivened and sustained by the steady, generous fire of mid Leo.
At the First Quarter, we have the Sun–Moon square, mid Taurus to mid Leo. The next day, it’s Beltane.
Each of the great Fire Festivals of the ancient Celtic calendar arrive astrologically when the Sun reaches 15º00’ of each of the fixed signs.
Beltane is the brightest of the bright, the opening to the light half of the light half of the year. Fields are green, flowers bloom, bees buzz drunkenly from blossom to blossom, sometimes falling asleep among the petals instead of making it home.
The veils between the worlds are thin: Fairies, from the stately high Fae to the most raucous of woodland tricksters. are out and about, ready to engage with humans in a variety of pleasurable activities. Meeting a red-haired lass at the crossroads could lead to magical outcomes.
The First Quarter is the halfway point between the New and Full Moons. We have at least some idea what we’re doing now, so let’s do it.
The square between Leo and Taurus suggests high levels of achievement. These are places where steady care leads to outstanding success. So perhaps rather than learning how to do a thing, we’re in a place to learn what success feels like.
How do we embody reaching our goals? What would it feel like if we succeeded?
Overnight, the moment of Beltane arrives. The Moon is still in Leo, but later, forming a trine to Mercury in mid Aries. We move from experiencing in the body, to finding a way to express it.
Light a fire with your words, or however else you express your deepest self. Images, music, movement––all are open and available as we connect to the bright world.
In both charts. Venus moves away from her conjunction with Neptune (still close enough for us to feel) and into her sextile with Pluto in Aquarius.
Venus trails clouds of glory, her torches lit brightly enough to illuminate any darkness.
This is a powerful Pluto as well. He is stationing, appearing direct in the First Quarter chart, and retrograde in the Beltane chart.
Since outer planets like Pluto spend so much time retrograde, we don’t attach as much importance to whether they’re moving direct or retro. Stations, though? Stations are important. Points of inflection, driving home the message.
Mars remains in early Leo, still ready to grab the mic, but less emphasized in these charts. His influence will be felt more if he aspects your birth chart.
Saturn oonches slowly away from the North Node. His entry into Aries at the end of May is an important part of this month’s astrology, but he’s not there yet.
For these days, we revel in promises of growth and renewal, blazing with passion and connection.
Which fires will you light?
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