Contributed by Sarah Judith Cole

The long-awaited and much talked about gathering of the seven inner, visible planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) in the sign of Taurus will occur at various hours around the globe on May 2nd and 3rd . In accordance with Greenwich Daylight Time, the alignment begins at 4:54 AM on May 3rd. ( For locations East of Greenwich, add the appropriate number of hours for the given time zone. For locations West of Greenwich, subtract the appropriate number of hours.) Here in Huntsville, the line up will begin at 11:54 PM, Central Daylight Time on May 2nd, while in New York it will occur at 12:54 AM, Eastern Daylight Time on May 3rd. It is important to mention here that the convergence of these seven planets in one sign is a rare and extraordinary occurrence which has happened only one other time in the past five hundred years. (That was in February of 1962 in the fixed air sign of Aquarius.)

To give a brief overview of the planetary sequence of events ...On April 29th, Mercury enters Taurus where the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are already gathered, and is followed on April 30th by Venus and on May the 2nd / 3rd by the Moon. It is at this moment that the Grand Stellium (seven planets in one sign) in Taurus occurs with the planets in the following order: Moon at 0 degrees, Venus at 2 degrees, Mercury at 6 degrees, Sun at 13 degrees, Jupiter at 16 degrees, Saturn at 19 degrees and Mars at 29 degrees. The New Moon, which always signifies new beginnings occurs on May 3rd at 11:12 PM, CDT with Sun and Moon conjoined at 14 degrees of Taurus. By this time Mars has just moved into Gemini, to be followed by the Moon on the 4th, Mercury on the 13th and the Sun on the 21st.. On the 18th, at 2:45 AM, CDT, the Moon in Scorpio opposes the Sun in Taurus at 27 degrees, 39 minutes, On the 28th, the two remaining planets, Jupiter and Saturn, conjoin at 22 degrees 44 minutes of Taurus. This conjunction is known as the "Chronocrator", or "Ruler of Time". It occurs every 20 years, and is regarded by astrologers as an important conjunction as it signifies the beginning of a new cycle of individual and cultural growth which will unfold over the next 20 year period.

But what is all of this planetary emphasis upon Taurus about? Taurus is the quintessential Earth Mother, fertile, and ripe with the power of fecundity and of potential made manifest as spirit is given form and shape in matter. While Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet (Goddess) of love and beauty, it is exalted by the Moon, The Mother of All, the Matrix/Womb of Consciousness, the Creatrix, so Taurus is a double feminine sign, ruled by the principle of attraction and exalted in its receptive capacity to nurture, to sustain and support the growth and development of new life or form. That Taurus is ruled by Venus and is also the Moon's exaltation gives us an indication of how important not only material and financial security but also love and devotion are to this sign.

One has only to go out into nature during the later part of April and the first several weeks of May, when Mother Nature is adorned in all of her finery, to fully appreciate why Taurus is associated with beauty, harmony, and peace, art, music, sensuality, fertility, wealth and abundance. Taurus grounds our consciousness in matter as our physical senses are aroused and heightened by a myriad of pleasing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile experiences. We feel alive with the experience of new growth which abounds everywhere within and without.

In the archetypical (natural) chart, Venus ruled Taurus is assigned to the second house which represents personal money and income, tangible goods and resources, personal possessions, and all manner of "creature comforts", but Taurus and the second house are also associated with talents and abilities (some of which may be hidden), values and priorities, as well as self-esteem.

Through the magnetic energy of Taurus and it's power of attraction, we develop our ability to manifest on the physical plane, but what we manifest is determined by what we regard as most important and, therefore, value because this is where our consciousness or awareness will be focused. (I am reminded of that potent quote in Be Here Now..."If a pickpocket meets a Holy Man, all he will see are his pockets.") So having our values and priorities straight at this time would seem to be of the utmost importance in relationship to determining how all of this fixed earth energy is going to become manifest in our physical world.

It is easy to understand how the natural propensities of Taurus, taken to extreme or excess can turn to possessiveness, attachment, greed, avarice and self-indulgence. But with all seven inner planets aligned in Taurus, a word to the wise is sufficient. Implicit in the understanding and right use of any archetypical energy is the conscious awareness and integration of it 's so-called polar opposite which is its "shadow." (In the case of Taurus, it is Scorpio which must be drawn out of the shadows and into the light of conscious awareness.)

In addition to the Grand Stellium, the New Moon, and the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, there are numerous other aspects formed during April and May 2000 by the inner planets to one another as well as to the outer planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Of these, perhaps the most significant are the Sun conjunct Saturn at 20 degrees of Taurus and square Uranus at 20 degree Aquarius on May 10th, and the Saturn and Jupiter squares to Uranus on May 13th and May 20th, respectively.

As history has shown, where Uranus goes, especially when stress aspects (such as the 90 degree angle between two planetary bodies which astrologers refer to as a "square") are involved, there's apt to be a whole lot of shakin' going on. The nature of Uranus, ruler of Aquarius, is notoriously unpredictable, and it is associated with sudden radical changes, revolution, social activism, humanitarianism, transformation of consciousness, physics, metaphysics, innovation, technology, and science in general. Uranus is presently about halfway through its 7 year transit through Aquarius. Planets are said to be most powerful when transiting their signs of rulership or exaltation so it is no wonder that Aquarian/Uranian themes have become increasingly prominent in our consciousness and in our lives. The Sun represents not only identity but also the vitality, the very life force of an individual or an entity...it is the animating force which activates conscious awareness and creative self-expression. Saturn signifies government, big business, authority, the status quo, the established order, and the principle of contraction, while Jupiter is associated with religion, law, ethics, education, cultural and social institutions, and the principle of growth and expansion.

So given the information above, we may expect to see some revolutionary or radical changes occurring now and in the months ahead with regard to money, tangible goods, personal resources. Sudden unexpected events may force individuals to contemplate their personal values and require them to make some difficult decisions and /or choices based upon their priorities, and in some cases, to take some action which they would not ordinarily be inclined to take. The impact felt by many individuals around the globe as the result of the recent "nose dive" taken by the market is an excellent example of the type of experience to which we are referring here (most especially to planets in Taurus squaring Uranus in Aquarius), as are the recent protests by social activists against the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Funds). It seems that the "Established Order" may be making its bid to tighten its grip and to solidify its position in the seat of power and control as globalization becomes an increasing trend in the world economy. We may well expect to see more than one "market correction" as the "big boys" move their chess pieces around the board. We may also expect to see an increase in social activism during the coming years.

With all seven inner planets conjoined in an earth sign, it would be difficult to overlook the possibility of an increase around this time in "earth changes" (in particular, around the time of their squares to Uranus). A major earthquake or volcanic eruption may be in the offing. Sudden, and unexpected weather changes may also impact the availability of personal or group resources, the supply and demand of goods and services, market trends, etc.

More and more during the times to come, we may be forced to recognize change as the only constant, which of course, will forever alter the way we conceptualize our notion of "security". We may also learn some important lessons along the way not only about the wisdom of diversity but also about the power of group endeavor, for good as well as for evil. New discoveries and innovations in science and technology will continue to transform our world at an accelerated pace. The way we buy and sell goods, commodities, and services, are already changing radically due to the power of the internet and e-commerce. Major reforms in corporations, government, law, religious beliefs, and education will also be forthcoming during the new 20 year cycle represented by the Jupiter/ Saturn conjunction.

While there is much positive potential inherent in the changes which are to come, there will also be great challenges to be recognized and met. Their impact upon individual freedom as well as their impact upon the environment and even upon nature as we know it will be major concerns. To be sure, our physical world is undergoing many changes which will significantly impact the global community and future generations. This Grand Stellium in Taurus calls us to ground our awareness in what is going on around us in the physical world. We are being called to focus our attention upon what is happening to our Mother Earth and to her/our precious natural resources. We must ask ourselves, what is truly important? What do we really want? What good will all of the power and riches of the world do any of us if we cannot breathe the air or drink the water, or walk freely in the sunlight? We are being asked to become conscious of our inherent capacity to love and nurture ourselves, one another, and our world. We are being asked to become Enlightened Beings who are willing to work together, with loving kindness and heart-felt compassion, for the common good of the whole. Our vision must become clear, far-reaching, more organic and all-inclusive.

Look to see where Taurus and the other fixed signs fall in your chart. Where does the stellium take place in your chart? The affairs of this house will be intensified and amplified in your life during the coming months. Where are the other fixed signs (Scorpio, Aquarius, Leo) in your chart? The affairs of these house will also be drawn into play. What natal planets, if any, are aspected by the planets in the Grand Stellium, the New Moon or the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction?

Answers to these question can provide some insight into your individual pathwork in relation to the issues at hand, the obstacles to be averted, the personal strengths and resources to be cultivated and upon which to draw.

Whatever else you do, be sure to spend as much time as possible in the out-of-doors in communion with nature during this April/May time period...open yourself and meditate upon the the themes and issues at hand. Ask for guidance, and when you have a clear focus and intent for the constructive and right use of the powerful and healing earth energy which is available to you now, utilize the practices of positive thought and creative visualization to begin to call forth that which you wish to manifest. Cultivate Bodhicitta, "the thought of Enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings". If you have an opportunity to participate in global or group meditation for peace, for the aversion of natural disasters, for the equal distribution of resources, for Enlightenment and freedom from suffering for all beings, for the healing of the planet, for love, or for any positive cause which further serves and uplifts the greater whole as well as the individual, do it! Perhaps the Great Mother is calling us now to awaken through the energy of Taurus to recognize the relationship between our capacity for love and our ability to create balance, harmony, peace and prosperity in our lives and in the world.

Practice these meditations/visualizations as often as you are led to do, but they will be especially potent on the date of the Grand Stellium, the New Moon, the Full Moon (the Full Moon of May is the Buddha Moon and the time of the Wesak Festival), and the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction which is beginning a new 20 year cycle of manifestation. In all that you do and imagine, remember...

We are the stewards of the earth, and of our own growth and development through our evolutionary journey in consciousness. Hopefully, like the Magi, we shall bring forth the best and the most precious of our gifts and abilities, and set them before the throne of the Higher Self, which is the true seat of power, and whose name is Love. And in the end, we just might find that it's really Love that makes the world go 'round.

Sharon Phillips is a practicing astrologer who may be reached at (256) 574-2892, stargoer@hiwaay.net