Libra New Moon

not your typical Libra season post.

Ah, Libra, meaning “pair of scales” or “balance”, from which the abbreviation ‘lb’ comes. Libra is the only zodiac sign whose symbol is inanimate. Any other zodiac sign, theoretically, can die. Grab a lion by its mane, hook a fish, stab a centaur, they’ll all bleed. Destroy the scales? In the mess of metal and springs, you’ll find unharmed what Libra truly represents: divine justice.

Libra gets a reputation for its indecisiveness, its love of a good aesthetic over form, its obsession with the color pink, and its (sometimes toxic) positivity. But surprisingly to some, the one thing you can’t deny Libra is a good old-fashioned meltdown when they’ve had enough of trying to balance the scales. Libra is the non-binary Queen of Crash-Outs.

In the Justice card, Libra wears a heavy cloak; a crown; holds the karmic scales in one hand, and a sword upright in the other. These are heavy and regal garments, but handy in trying to figure out the truth, which is also often heavy and unsparing.

Poised, calculating, Libra doesn’t want to fight. But like Anubis weighs the deeds of your soul against a feather, karma at times does not care about what you want, or who you are- only what you’ve done. It cares if the scales are unbalanced, or indebted. It cares about what’s due. Honestly, in its purest form, it’s slightly terrifying, just like Anubis, the god of death and presider over souls. Libra is ruled by Venus, a relationship-oriented goddess of love and partnership. Something a little lesser discussed is that Saturn, the god of time and hard lessons, is exalted in the sign of Libra. This means that Saturn, planet of karma, feels more at home in Libra. And here is one of the messages of the new moon in Libra:

to love a Libra is to be willing to have your eyelids held open to a mirror with your karma, your footprint in the world. This will only be uncomfortable if you are uncomfortable with what you’ve done.

This might be surprising to those who know Libras, and love them; or, it might not. Libras often times cannot be bothered regarding most conflicts, choosing to take the neutral or high road if possible, not only because it’s the right thing, but often because- and let’s be honest, here, in Libra season- it’s the socially advantageous thing. This gains them the reputation of ‘fake’. They really try not to care. Because, again: it’s what you do, not who people think you are. Is it easier to have a good reputation? Yes, because it’s easier to get things done. But walking around with the ability to wield existential truth like a sword isn’t only exhausting and self-righteous, it doesn’t buy you many friends. And Libra knows that often times when people are telling them a story, it’s to have Libra agree with them, not to hear Libra’s impartial take, because those same people are typically not interested in self-examination. Libras can see through this attempt at convincing Justice. Healed Libras recognize that either way, it’s none of their business if it destroys their peace. This is why Libras know all of the gossip. They’re the unofficial appointed judge of the friend group, a job that they didn’t ask for, telling people what they actually don’t want to hear.

And if a Libra can’t self-regulate;

if a Libra is too far into what’s true to them, their ego, and not sticking to the values of what’s kind, what’s honest, what’s necessary-

if they’re pushed one too many times-

then the sword is often wielded not out of truth but out of vengeance, taking on the shadow of its opposite and sister sign, Aries.

This is the Libra crash-out. The seventh house in astrology, associated with Libra and relationships, is also known as the house of open enemies. And who sees our true selves more than those closest to us?

The ops are coming from inside of the house.

In esoteric astrology, the bigger picture of the seventh house goes beyond relationships, beyond partnerships with other humans. Rebecca of Alchemy of the Zodiac stresses the spiritual, bigger picture of the seventh house: the relationship between the human self and the higher self in this life; to live a “soul-infused personality”. This is a far cry from the idea of justice as spurred on by an infuriated human ego. And no one human can really know what justice is for another human- hence why the scales are nowhere near an animate object. This process is for the gods.

But if you take the idea of judgment, and the idea of justice into your own hands, that is not fusing with the higher self. That is working from the ego; what the human self wants.

Tonya Harding, Libra Mars, former Olympian ice-skater

Tonya Harding is the perfect example. Her Libran energy showed in the gorgeous figure-skating she did, and her Martian, athletic sense of raw power enabled her to shine. But with Mars in Libra, the idea of justice through power can get easily warped. Tonya Harding is what happens when you try to become Justice, when you take control over something that belonged to the gods because you assumed you were right. Perfect equation for karma.

So channeling the energies for this Libra new moon: it does not feel very harmonious. Instead, it feels acrimonious. Ego-driven. Be careful of creating new karma with your words, and feeling protected by the power of your sword. You may go to draw what you think is the sword of justice, only to realize that the weight in your hand is the heft of your own ego.

New moons are for information gathering. Before we are reactive, assess the situation. Is this right? Is what I know actually true? I love to use Byron Katie’s method, to pause and self-reflect:

1. Is it true?

2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true? (Or is it just what you think to be true?)

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

And the last piece of channeling for this Libra season:

if the scales are becoming unbalanced too many times-

then what can we change about the situation? Is there a lesson here that your soul has been avoiding?

Libra’s air element is reactive, and easily redirected, but if we allow someone else to continually control our reactions and steal our peace, we get played like a puppet on a string. Is it time to let go of something? What needs to change?

I’ll end with a prayer that I say at the start of every day to the divine consciousness and greater and higher will of the universe. This would be a good one to help get you through the rest of this Libra season:

Archangels, ancestors of the highest good and spirit guides: please guide me today. Please be with me. Not my will, but thine.

Until next time, and happy new moon!

Thanks for reading.