This could turn out to be a remarkably romantic month, with lots of possibilities for fun, travel, and reconnecting with friends from the past. Despite five planets that are retrograde as the month begins, a highly unusual situation, I feel you can and will enjoy this month to the fullest. The emphasis will be strongly on love, pregnancy, children, pregnancy, leisure, fun, and your creative expressions.

The key will be to take a deep breath when it comes to work, especially in the first week - nothing of great importance will happen in May with so many planets acting like little drunk sailors. All living things need to rest, including these little guys: Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto.

I will address these retrogrades now, as I know you will be concerned about this development. After you see what I have to say, you may feel a lot better. When a group of planets are retrograde, it means the universe wants us to look back, not forward, to save what is valuable from the past, and also to look over past projects to see if you can find details that need to be improved or projects that need to be overhauled and fixed by applying fresh thinking. It is natural to want to continue to develop new territory and to continue to always form new relationships, but this month will show you that pioneering forward will not be the most efficient use of your time. The old 80-20 rule applies here - 80 percent of your business will always come from 20 percent of your list. Don't believe me? Look into your closet, as it is a good example of this rule. You will get the most wear out of 20 percent of your wardrobe. This rule seems to be a universal rule.

That's not to say you don't need other new clients - you do, but when you think of efficiency, with so many planets retrograde, this month you would do best to re-contact the clients who you developed in the past. Those clients enjoyed working with you, they still trust you, and admire your work. Have you neglected these wonderful people? Remember that with Mercury retrograde, which started April 28 and will continue until May 22, it's a great time to look back. Mercury will be in Taurus, in your true love sector, so if you are still in love with someone you broke up with some time ago, this is the month to get back in touch to see if you both can make a go of things again. Love is too special not to try again!

May will not be the month to seal deals with a handshake, sign papers, or launch new products or services. Keep your options open, as the wind is changing direction. Until the dust settles weeks, and possibly months from now, you won't know how things are dynamically changing, only that they are, and that you observe events rather than act on them. IF you do sign papers, the entire meaning of the agreement will likely be negated, and you will need to renegotiate the deal again. Look at your most recent completed work, and see if you can root out flaws and improve the quality of the project.

Do not put new software into your computer or shop for new electronic items, such as a laptop, iPad, smart TV, smart phone, or any other electronic goodie you have had your eye on. Avoid buying things for the home, such as an expensive vacuum cleaner or kitchen appliance, like a refrigerator or dishwasher, and by all means, do not buy a car. Mercury rules electronics and because Mercury acts like a little rascal the entire time he retrogrades, you need to know he is at his most destructive in the days leading to and leading out of the retrograde. Knowing that, do nothing close to the end date, May 22 - leave some space of as many days as you can.

Mercury's brother Mars retrograde could be just as troublesome in the business sense. Mars started to retrograde April 19, and will go direct June 29. Mars is the great energy planet that acts as the booster rocket to all your most vital initiatives. Very simply said, Mars helps you win. Mars bestows courage, energy, and determination and it is the planet you need in any competitive situation, for Mars will show you how to stand out. Products and services that are launched with Mars retrograde often fall flat and fizzle due to a variety of factors but mainly because the people in charge lack proper energy, confidence, and enthusiasm to make that product or service succeed. With Mars retrograde, it will be up to you to provide all the strenuous energy needed to lift off your venture, so prepare to do all the heavy lifting yourself.

When you initiate any venture, you give birth to it, and it all the prevailing aspects surrounding that date of the launch will be built into the endeavor's DNA, and will affect it for its life. This is why astrologers always strive to find the most favorable days possible for any big moves in business or your personal life.

Mars will go direct on June 29 and get back to its former strength on August 22. Even so, it's fine to act in July or August. By August 30, Mercury will retrograde again until September 22. I tell you this so that you know you will be best to act in July, or better yet, August if you can, but at the same time, do not wait too long.

Mars is the natural ruler of your solar fourth house of home and family matters, and although you have been very attentive to this area of your life, for now you must be patient and pull back. You will not make the kind of progress you had hoped to see in May or June - by July and August you can resume your agenda.

Now, let's start with the top of May and look at the lovely themes that will emerge. As you will soon see, enjoying love, romance, and fun and exploring your creativity will make this month one of your favorites of 2016. This trend is arriving at the right time, when nothing too important will happen at the office. Plan to leave the office at a decent hour (and for you, that would be after 5 PM, but you would call that early). You can safely take your eyes away off the road for several weeks to enjoy a rich, happy emotional life. If you can take a vacation, do - this will be one of the happiest months of the year to pack and go. If you can travel, leave early in the month because life will get busy after May 20 (more about that later).

May 3 will be a beautiful day, and you will get a taste of what's to come. May 3 is sure to be superb, for Jupiter and the Sun will be aligned, and all matters ruled by the ninth house will glow, including foreign people and places, immigration matters, work in the media, publishing and broadcasting, progress with academia, or with the courts - all are very likely to bring good news. This is a rare and special day. With the Sun ruling your eight house of other people?s money, you may get news of a mortgage, an approved line of credit form the bank, a home improvement loan, or that an investor is willing to back your business. You get the idea - there are other possibilities - but the result is, you will come away smiling, and one step closer to a goal.

Next, the new moon on May 6, in Taurus, 17 degrees, will bring the month's powerful emphasis on love and fun into focus. Four planets will be in friendly-to-Capricorn sign of Taurus - Venus, Mercury, the Sun, and new moon - all will be found in your solar fifth house of true love. A new moon opens a path, and this one will help you if you are single and hoping to find love. If that describes you, circulate a lot in the ten days that follow that new moon. If you are attached, you can count on getting more loving attention from your partner. If you hope for a child, whether by pregnancy, in vitro, or adoption or foster care, this month would be the time to follow that dream - act as close as possible to the days that FOLLOW the new moon.

This new moon will be unusually sweet because three major planets will bring gifts at the time: Jupiter, Pluto, and Neptune. Jupiter will coax you to travel internationally or to work with people abroad, possibly on a highly creative project. You can, if you like, favorably settle immigration matters. If you work in the media, you can now excel in projects done for the Internet, publishing, or broadcasting. Matters involving the academia will tend to go your way. Pluto in Capricorn will help you take the reins and move forward on any goal, so obstacles won't overwhelm you one bit. Neptune and Jupiter's presence will urge you to travel to a mountainous, lush setting that also is near a body of tranquil water.

If your birthday falls on January 6, plus or minus five days, you will enjoy the effect of this new moon the most. Similarly, if you know you have Capricorn rising 17 degrees, or a natal planet at that degree in Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces, you will benefit too. Allow a plus or minus five degrees to the 17 degrees.

Next, May 10 is sure to be another golden day, when Venus and Jupiter will collaborate. Again, all the areas that are covered by the ninth house will glitter and glow for you - distant travel, the courts, print, Internet and broadcast media, relationships and trade with foreign people, matters involving the justice system, and actions you are taking to get an advanced degree at a university. Venus is the natural ruler of your fifth house of true love, so this day may turn out to be highly romantic too. If you are having a first date - even a casual first meeting, choose May 10. Because Venus ALSO rules your solar tenth house of honors, awards, and achievement, it would also be a stunning day for an interview for a position or for making an important presentation.

I want to underscore that Venus will be in Taurus, one of the finest places for Venus to be for you to enjoy love, and also for going shopping to spend a little money on yourself. You will find beautiful things that will get you many compliments. Venus imparts a magnetic quality - you will have that special something that will make you simply irresistible and unforgettable.

On May 27, Mars will retrograde back into Scorpio, a wonderful sign for Mars to tour for you, for in Scorpio, Mars will energize your solar eleventh house of friendship, fun, events, and friends. You will have Mars in that part of your chart until August 2. Clearly, you are moving into a highly social time in June and July, so to take full advantage, clear your calendar and have your wardrobe ready to step out!

Take good care of your chart on the full moon, May 21 in Sagittarius 1 degree. The full moon will fall in your house of secrets and confidential matters, and is considered the last, the twelfth house of the horoscope before the first house. If you have a health question, go for advice. This house is strongly connected to the subconscious, so if you feel you could benefit from talking with a therapist or coach, either to go over something that has troubled you or to overcome a dependency on any substance, this would be a good time to make the appointment - you are likely to make progress. As mentioned, this is the house of confidential matters, so if someone has held a secret from you, the full moon is likely to bring it to the surface. The same is true if you have a secret - if you would be mortified if it came out, be careful!

Once the Sun moves into Gemini on May 20, and Venus moves into Gemini too on May 24, your mind will turn back to your office projects. You will like them - Venus will see to that - and Venue swill also make co-workers congenial, ready to do whatever has to be done.

At long last - love! You have been very concerned with home, real estate, and family matters, and also have been working for weeks or months toward attaining a higher status in your career. Now, with the appearance of the new moon, May 6, you will get a chance to let your hair down and enjoy life. If you are single, this new moon could easily open a portal that will help you locate your one true love. If you are attached, plan for more fun with your mate. You have Venus, Mercury, Sun, and new moon, all in your fifth house of romance, which is plenty of planetary power to set things in motion. Pregnancy, adoption, foster care, and the care of children you have now will also be exquisitely favored in early May.

Adding to the strong social theme of May will be Mars, now in retrograde too, and moving back into your eleventh house of fun, friends, events, and deeply held hopes and wishes until August 2. This is great news, as you will enjoy this period fully, so in May through July, make an effort to socialize more.

Not only will Mars and Mercury orbit in retrograde, but also Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto will be out of phase for at least part of the month. These five planets will put strong emphasis on the past, and urge you to examine ways improve the areas of your life you feel went wrong in 2015 or earlier this year. Mercury, planet of thinking and perception, will turn direct on May 22, so prior to that, try not to make any binding commitments. Leave your options open. Your judgment will not be as sharp as it normally is during Mercury retrograde periods, so you will make better decisions later. (This is true for everyone, not just you.)

Mars' current retrograde through May and June is more troublesome, as Mars' job is to courageously and forcefully move you forward into new territory and to help you form new relationships, especially in business. With Mars in debilitated sate, this is not the time to attempt to forge new deals. Again, when it comes to interacting with friends, romantic ties, and even casual contacts, you'll be urged to contact former friendships and acquaintances to reactivate them - there is gold in at least one of those ties.

Mars will continue to retrograde until June 29 but after that date will continue to be in a lagging mode. This will persist until August 22 - and then almost instantly Mercury will go retrograde, August 30 to September 22. Mars is the natural ruler of your fourth house of home and family, and this is the area that you will also find progress slowing down. In late September and beyond, life will return to normal. For the time being, meditate about things you want to change, and find strategies you will put into effect in July. For now, spending time thinking will lead you to the right answer.

Venus in Taurus from May 1 to May 24 is a divine place for Venus to be for you - make the most of it by socializing, and possibly taking a vacation in a beautiful location in nature, amid mountains and a nearby body of water. Hawaii, Switzerland, and many other gorgeous settings would fit the bill. Shop for new things to wear, too, and update your appearance for a fresh look - doing so will add to your confidence. Most importantly, find ways to enjoy love - that new moon May 6 will be one of the best of 2016 and holds so much promise for building an enchanting period.