Happy Libra season everyone! Welcome into true fall (or spring in the Southern Hemisphere). The Cardinal Air sign is now settled fully into this airy season as we are enjoying the last harvest, the changing colors, the shifting temperatures, and the feeling that we need to start cozying up and prepping for the winter.
I love Libra season (I think I start all my blogs with this phrase, but every time I sit down to think about the signs I love them more, haha!), but it has a special place in my heart because I am a Libra Rising, so it’s my innate way of presenting myself to the world. You're probably thinking, “What does Libra mean?” Libra is represented by the scales, the cosmic symbol of balance, harmony, equity, and fairness. Scales are a mystical tool that has been used for centuries to help weigh spell ingredients, along with being a practical tool of the trade (weighing gold), and is a sacred symbol of justice. The image of the scales has been sacred in so many traditions throughout the world. One that comes immediately to my mind is that of the Egyptian journey to the afterlife, where a person’s soul-heart would be weighed by Osiris against a feather from Ma’at, the personification of harmony; if the soul-heart was lighter than the feather, the person’s soul was free to travel to the afterlife, but if it was not, then it would be devoured by Amenti, due to the injustices they had committed in life. Then there is a clear association with the blindfolded goddess of Justice that we see in front of so many courthouses today (even though we need to recognize that our system of justice is not truly just). The blindfold is to keep her from being swayed or deceived by appearances, and the scales are for her to feel where there is balance or imbalance in the world.
The concept of balance is closely related to the concept of beauty, which is another keyword so often associated with Libra. In part, this is because of Libra’s rulership by Venus, in her more “elevated” form of Heavenly Venus/Aphrodite, and less representative of the sensuality that we may associate with this goddess, but more with these higher ideals of truth and the harmony of the world. There are also many myths throughout the world of the importance of balance, the terrible outcomes of imbalance, and many pairs of divine beings who represent the two polar opposites that together bring the world into sacred harmony. Our brains are naturally hard-wired to notice symmetry, which is present in so many aspects of the natural world, such as a butterfly’s wings. And the brain is closely connected with Libra, as this is an air sign, the element associated with our mind, our thoughts, our perceptions, and our inspiration.
When we are in Libra season and when we actualize harmony in our lives, we make space for beauty to come through by recognizing the sacredness of giving equal weight to all facets of ourselves. So often it’s not just two parts, but many parts, which all need to come together in a loving, fair way for us to feel truly actualized. That’s so hard in this life, with so many competing ideas and all these different messages that we receive that make us doubt ourselves or lose belief in parts of our essence. Libra reminds us, then, that there is beauty in this search for balance, and for seeing ourselves more fairly. Libra can get lost sometimes because it can turn its gaze outwards towards others, looking to create an environment that is harmonious and beautiful, with relationships where the other person feels that their life is balanced. This can then lead Libra to over-value the experiences and perspectives of others, at the cost of under-valuing their own. To take themselves off the scales and value the other (romantic other, friend other, family other) as needing to be fully balanced. Or, Libra can over-think themselves (Air sign) and look at their own lives, their own actions, and their own thoughts judgmentally, no longer seeing themselves fairly. By searching outside themselves for the harmony they so crave, they may forget that they carry this within themselves; and society may make them feel that this is right, congratulating them for caring so much for others and reminding them of all the things that they have done incorrectly or represented that are negative because of who they are.
This is where Libra can learn so much from its polar sign, Aries. At its best, Aries is unafraid to stand up, stand tall, and take up space, like the plant that bursts out of the soil in the spring. Aries, therefore, focuses its greatest power and care on itself, not giving as much weight to the opinions and thoughts of others. Libra may feel like it wants to lean away from that and get a lot of contraction around this idea (I do!), because Libra can have this all-encompassing sense that they need to prioritize the needs of others above their own; and yet by learning from the Aries’ self-centeredness (which is not necessarily negative; remember we need to be egoic in order to survive, as long as we don’t trample on others), Libra can best embody its highest self because sacrificing yourself to care for others will not be sustainable long-term. In some moment, whether it's after days or years of self-sacrifice, there will be an explosion, because the balance has been out of wack for so long. It can take a lot of un-learning and re-wiring for us to feel comfortable with that in our Libra-ruled areas of our charts, so remember the lessons from the opposite sign of Aries to help achieve true balance and harmony with starting from the self and the roots first before turning the gaze outwards.
The tarot card for Libra, understandably, is the card Justice. This card reminds us to truly step back and look at all facets of our life with objective eyes, so that when we are evaluating our concerns, our thoughts, our ideas, and our actions, we are being true to ourselves. We are reminded that we can create opportunities for true connection in which both partners are equally valued and equally honored. True beauty exists when we honor ourselves and give ourselves the nourishment to be balanced.
This is a wonderful season to celebrate beauty and delight in forms, in all aspects. To revel in the balance of the seasons as we continue moving forward on the Wheel of the Year. To reach deep inwards so that we can best reach outwards when we desire. To remember that bringing balance to our own lives is what enables us to create an environment that is conducive to greater harmony overall. Look to the area(s) of life that are impacted by Libra, and look to where Venus falls in your chart and where Venus is moving through now to see how the planetary ruler of Libra is reflecting these vibes. And let’s all work to continue to create a society that is profoundly just, truly celebrates equity, and works for all without discriminating or judgment.