Autumn Equinox, September 22
The Autumn Equinox occurs on
September 22nd, just a day before this Libra New Moon. Each
seasonal gateway (the equinoxes, solstices and cross-quarter days) marks an
energetic shift as well as a change in the light. Many dimensions seem to merge at these
moments. Prepare yourselves! At the two equinoxes, day and night are
equal; but unlike Spring Equinox (occurring in the southern hemisphere), when
the days become longer than the nights, Autumn Equinox signals less light, more
darkness and the coming cold of Winter.
I've always loved the fall, with its cooler temperatures, beautiful blazing leaf colors and even the return of the dark. The brisk air heightens the sense of the year winding down as we bring in the harvest and start to gather around the fires for light and warmth. The harvest themes are big in this year's Equinox chart: a balsamic Moon (very last phase before the New) indicates that these next three months will be a time of finishing up old business in a mature and timely manner before the Winter Solstice and the new year of 2015. Wow! That's coming quickly now.
Pluto is stationing (going from retrograde to direction motion) about 2 hours before the Equinox, indicating another big energy shift. Pluto went retrograde in April, right before the Cardinal Grand Cross occurred. What inner changes have taken place that you are ready to move on now? What internal changes will we see in government and finance?
The Sabian symbol for Pluto at 11* Capricorn is: A pheasant hidden in the underbrush of the forest suddenly displays its brilliant plumage. Perhaps this symbol speaks to the beauty of life which will be revealed to us in some manner. I think we all need to see something beautiful and positive now so that we remember why we strive to change our priorities in life. Maybe it will be this weekend's Climate Change march in New York City.
Pluto will continue to use his wrecking ball on old political and financial structures (as well as personal ones) that are still hanging on like the living dead, but now that Pluto is moving into the 2nd ten degrees of Capricorn, we'll probably see some new building going on--new coalitions of groups who are banding together to bring about change. It is time to begin healing and the Exquinox's Virgo balsamic Moon is just the energy we'll need for it.
Sun in Libra
The Sun goes into the sign of Libra on the Autumn Equinox. The astrological wheel is turning. When the Sun is in Virgo, we are energized to take stock of who we are and where our talents lie. This harvest sign speaks to the integration of our body, soul and spirit. Virgo shows us how to belong to ourselves again. Know Thyself! is Virgo's mantra.
When the Sun goes into Libra, we get to take that 'self' out for a test drive with others. We put ourselves into social situations where we see how well that Virgo integration took. Most of us put on a good face with others but inside we're often insecure and uncertain. Or, we act too assertive and domineering, forgetting how to treat others with respect and courtesy.
Those Libra scales swing wildly up and down between too much and too little, between over-confidence and insecurity. How would it be if we could go out into the world and be content to be ourselves, centered in who we are and ready to accept the other person for who they are? What if each of us could meet the Other in harmony and justice? That's Libra's goal.
The scales of Libra symbolize a balancing act between self and other. As I often tell my Libra clients, they cannot jump over onto their partner's side of the scale--it only causes great imbalance. They have to stay on their own side of the scale for things to work out. That means having your own standpoint, knowing what it is you want and then being open to listening to your partner's wants. And being able to negotiate a good deal for both of you!
While Libra loves relationship, peace and harmony, it doesn't come from giving over but from meeting the other's point of view with an open heart and aiming toward the goal of harmony. Libra wants us to own our goals, our values and our essential selves while being open to other people's goals, values and self. And that takes Love--both self-love and the possibility of love for the other person.
Libra's mantra is two are better than one! With patriarchy continuing to generate wars all over the world, let's start to generate peace at home--with each other. Since Libra is an air sign, practice having conversations rather than arguments. Learn to communicate with grace and wit and style, since Venus rules Libra and loves the beauty and wit of a good exchange.
Libra New Moon 2014
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