Wizard Weekly by Daniel Giamario | May 4, 2025 |
The station retrograde of Pluto and the astronomical Beltane Cross-Quarter are the dominant highlights of this confusing, fragmented and bifurcated time, as global humanity struggles to navigate the most recent timeline split around the March Equinox. How can we discern what is to hope for, and what is mere hopium?
Pluto Stationary Retrograde
On Sunday, May 4, at 8:27AM PDT, Pluto stations retrograde at 3Aquarius49. Pluto remains retrograde until October 13, stationing direct at 1Aquarius21. This is over five months, and the usual situation for Pluto each year. This accents the last of three Mars oppositions to Pluto from April 26 at 3Leo47 and 3Aquarius47.
I have always felt that these planetary station points encompass at least a three-day period of high intensity, relative to the initiatory intention of the planet involved. May 3, 4 and 5 therefore, are days of maximum Pluto: depth, shadow, fear, revelation of secrets, deep diving into exploration of what needs composting. The power and strength that can come from this deepening fosters greater integration in the Three Worlds, reminding us of what Jung said: “The goal is not perfection, but rather wholeness, and the only way is to integrate the shadow.”
The Mars-Pluto opposition has all been about moving beyond the mainstream and patriarchal views of both Mars and Pluto, involving war, aggression and a dominator paradigm. Let us not be tempted to act out rashly and without an objective and more rational view. This, of course, applies to our individual lives, as well as the actors on the world stage.
The location of the Pluto station is just under the star Altair, the eye of the Eagle, offering hope for the needed cosmic overview and rational objectivity to prevail.
The Beltane Cross-Quarter
May 4 (or 5, depending on your location) is the date of the astronomical cross-quarter, which is when the Sun reaches 15degrees of Taurus, the exact midpoint between March Equinox and June Solstice. Many lands in far Northern latitudes attributed as great a ceremonial relevance to cross-quarter points as to equinoxes and solstices. Like many of these ancient festivals, there are modern overlays. May Day is certainly the best known of these. Secularly known as Labor Day, it is variously used to celebrate workers’ rights, as well as socialist and communist revolutions. Also think of the distress call “Mayday, Mayday”, indicating danger!
But the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane is certainly undergoing a veritable revival in recent years. These are the Rites of Spring and a celebration of the fecundity of Mother Earth. It’s very much an Earth Festival, celebrating all positive and the most hopeful characteristics of annual seasonal renewal. Here we can find support for gaining strength and courage during these challenging times. Pluto’s teaching to the maiden of Spring is that there is also the Fall. But Beltane’s message to Pluto is that there is also the Spring. Out of compost springs new life!
As around every cross-quarter, I am offering a free seminar. At Beltane it is focused on the Earth Branch of our school. We explore sacred sites, Earth energies, core Shamanism, and ceremony. Click here to find details and register.
Plasma?!
May 5 is also the strongest peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. The radiant is in the urn of the Water Bearer! A theme I have been developing recently, is that what is being poured out of the urn is not just water, but rather plasma! According to research, the end of Kali Yuga is followed by a conflagration. Could plasma streams impacting the Earth – as might have been the case in the Younger Dryas time – be a cause of the different kinds of conflagrations required to compost the deepest descent into materialism? We shall see.