Monday, May 20, marks the next exact Uranus/Pluto square—the third in a series of seven squares occurring between June 2012 and April 2015. From an astrological perspective, Uranus/Pluto contacts always signal periods of great change; they symbolize cycles of political and social upheaval and upset, revolutionary cycles that seem to activate both an individual as well as a collective desire for transformation. We've been in the matrix of this current cycle since spring 2012.

For the next several weeks, the best transformational tool for conscious living is the willingness and the flexibility to embrace a kaleidoscope of perspectives. We're in the thrall of several intense astral patterns, all of which require dexterity – emotional, physical and spiritual – to shift from one point of view to another with minimal effort. Mental agility is also crucial during this phase, for as the days and nights unfold, handling certain circumstances will require moving between the many dimensions of the mind, from the practical to the ideal and back again to the pragmatic, all in the blink of the mind's eye.

A dance around the Maypole to honor the midpoint between summer and spring isn't likely this week. So don't worry if you don't feel like celebrating the start of the lusty month of May. Saturn continues to dominate the astral weather, and while some of us who chronicle the stars are committed to redefining Saturn's traditional role as the Great Inhibitor, that redefinition won't turn the significator of discipline into a sensualist anytime soon. And because Saturn always sets a somber tone, we're in for another week of earnest introspection and serious interactions.

The next two weeks unfold under the keen eye of Saturn, and as the planetary keeper of discernment and discipline culls through the details of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary affairs of daily life many of us are likely to feel as if we're under the influence of a stern Mercury Retrograde. Expect little to flow lightly. Also anticipate delving intensely into dialogues or diatribes about action and its consequence with yourself and anyone else who will listen.

The planets are moving from the tempestuous and impulsive heat of Aries into the grounded creativity of Taurus this week, and as they shift their emphasis from Fire to Earth, we experience the potential to settle down and settle into different daily rhythms. Just don't expect this transition to be instantaneous. Also don't assume that the seemingly never-ending personal and collective intensity of life is going to suddenly evaporate - no chance. It's simply going to display itself through a different lens of behavioral patterns.

The tight formation of planets in Aries persists for yet another week, and the routines of terrestrial life continue to reflect the celestial intensity. Many of us are growing weary of this militant signature. Aries is, after all, the archetype of the warrior, and for the last several weeks, the aggregation of planets in this often combative Sign has provided the potential to turn each and every day into a psychic or physical battlefield. And while it's true that Aries' aggressive attitude has the necessary power to rouse the complacent into taking a stand, eventually enthusiasm even for righteous causes starts to wane, especially if there's never a break in the "weather."

Here's the good news: Astral heat continues to insinuate itself into all the activities of daily life, but the pernicious undertones and overtones that dominated recent weeks are fading away - at least for now - and all that's left to deal with is the unbridled enthusiasm and exuberance of Aries. Some of you are sure to be rolling your eyes, thinking, "That's all? Just Aries unchained?" Yes—for the next two weeks, we are under the influence of an uninhibited concentration of spring's fire, the Sign of Aries, and the time of year in the northern hemisphere when hibernation ends and emergence from the cave begins. Expect almost everyone to be excited, eager, and earnest about something.

I always like to compare the fiery, tempestuous, dynamic energy of Aries to the excitable, impetuous, dramatic personality of Captain James T. Kirk, Starship Enterprise, who only set his course on adventure, boldly going where none had gone before, and upon arrival, suddenly realizing he had taken far too big a leap into the unknown and desperately needed support from his more circumspect cohort of Spock, Bones, and Scottie.

The planets are rambunctious this week, and because there's no "time out" for the sky, daily life reflects this unsettled astral activity through unruly moods and attitudes. Mature adults melt down like five-year olds and normally cautious individuals leap into all sorts of uncertain situations. Expect to be overwhelmed mostly by overstimulation, and also anticipate high levels of emotional sensitivity, yours or others', as the risk for impetuous behavior combines with nearly undeniable urges.

Several planets move from the quiet poetry of Pisces to the dynamic command of Aries this week, and as they shift positions, so do we. For some, it feels like a welcome change of air. For others, the shift is jarring, especially as daily life begins to unfold to a percussive, militant rhythm. For most of us, the altered skyscape catalyzes previously tamped-down situations, which in turn ignite sudden and intense mood swings.