Grace McGrade is an intuitive astrologer and priestess based in Los Angeles. She is the co-founder of ASTRAL ORACLES, an open-source spiritual community, and author of Palpable Magic; a website exploring prose about sex, love, Los Angeles and the occult.

The energy of May is reigned in by the Sun in Taurus, the sign of beauty and values. With the world on hiatus, we are collectively re-examining what we deem most valuable and what we truly need to be comfortable and grounded. As we adapt to the ongoing climate of change, we might find that there is a great deal we can do without, and with things going at a slower pace, we find ourselves ready for deeper reflection.

May is a busy month in the heavens, with Saturn, Jupiter, and most notably, Venus stationing retrograde, mid-month. Venus, the opulent planet of pleasure, love and relationships, signifies what and who we attract. When she stations retrograde, we are pushed into examining the narratives we are living out in our relationships. This Venus retrograde falls into the sign of Gemini, adding an airy element of restless communication to the mix. Be prepared for that text from your ex, and perhaps some unresolved relational issues popping up.

It’s not a great time to exercise an online shopping addiction, or entertain fantasies from the past. These urges are cleverly disguised tests of our growth. Venus retrograde asks us to take inventory of our spaces, possessions and the quality of our relationships. What have we already attracted in abundance, and for what purpose? What is our pattern in relationships? Where does our shadow side like to play? What is it we really want and value, in life or in love? Are our relationships transactional or fulfilling? Do we love or do we just want to merge into someone? As Venus lovingly pulls us backward, we are able to see an alternate perspective of the relationships that have shaped us.