The Sun enters Libra at 9:05 UTC on 23 September 2011. This is the spring equinox in the southern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere. At all points on the globe, the length of day and night will be equal. This is the third of the four cardinal points of the zodiacal wheel which occur each calendar year, following the Aries Equinox and the Cancer Solstice, and preceding the Capricorn Solstice.
Libra is the sign of the balance, the only sign of the zodiac which is represented by an inanimate object. It is the sign that is exactly halfway around the circle of the ecliptic, the point of mediation between the beginning and the end. Being a cardinal sign, it is associated with initiation of change, and being an air sign, it is concerned with the abstract principles behind reality. Being the dignity of Venus and the exaltation of Saturn, Libra represents the exacting standards to which the highest aesthetic must conform, the sweet harmony of mathematical and geometric perfection, the perfectly balanced judgment that corrects the unjust. Hence it is in the sign of Libra that we the universal experiences of role-playing in relationships, argument and counter-argument, thesis and antithesis, forever aiming to achieve the optimum balance between parties. When the Sun enters Libra, it is a good time to reflect on the social side of our lives – how we relate to those around us, whether partners, friends, enemies, employers, employees, parents, children. It requires us to be proactive to maintain a sense of composure and balance in our dealings with people generally, we have to give as well as take; to be gallant, dignified and civil, and to be responsive in kind. This means entering a game of sorts, but playing by the rules.
Both Venus and Saturn are also placed in Libra at the time of the equinox, which underlines the current significance of the theme of justice in the world at present. When it comes to relationships between social partners, are the rules being followed, or are certain people above the law? Is there one set of rules governing appropriate behaviour for one group which somehow doesn’t apply to another? Is this fair? How much respect does the law attract and how relevant are judicial institutions when it comes to the real issues at play in the wider world, issues like sovereignty, democratic process, corporate accountability and labour laws?
The Sun is opposite Uranus and square Pluto, underlining the Uranus-Pluto square which is getting closer to its first exact pass (which will be mid-2012). The pressure is building to fever pitch, as the tensions build between the corporate and banking oligarchy and their ever more desperate grab for power and resources, and the anarchistic forces of individuals determined to stand up for the rights of human beings and to fight the totalitarian tendencies descending on the world. As Uranus squares off on Pluto, the revolutionary insistence on human freedom clashes with the totalizing, dehumanizing and atomizing imperative which lies at the heart of systems of social control and mass conformity. With the Sun in Libra, the light shines on the role that we each play in this stand-off – which side do we stand on, or do we continue to sit on the fence for the sake of staying out of the fray?
It may not be possible to stay on the sidelines much longer. At the time of this equinox, there is a close conjunction of the Moon and Mars in early Leo, closely trine Uranus in early Aries. This trine in fire signs represents the passion of fiery imagination, bold visions of the future and strongly expressed feelings of anger and demands for freedom. Tempers run high as dramatic displays of frustration over the slow pace of change take centre stage. What do you really feel? Maybe you should just come out and say it – declare your intuitions and stand up for your views – just don’t lose your cool completely. From grand gestures to theatrical shows to childish tantrums – the season that is upon us draws out the more expressive emotional displays. The Moon and Mars are also in quincunx (150º) to Pluto, highlighting the long-term deep-set pressures slowly building that have been festering away in our psyche and making people uncomfortable and mistrustful of the powers that be.
Libra Equinox 2011. 23 September 2011, 9:05 UTC. Unplaced Chart, Natural Houses.
With Jupiter still in Taurus, but now retrograde, progress may seem slower or traction more difficult to achieve. It may feel like success is harder to attain, or like positive developments are less frequent. This is a time to review the plans for future expansion, to check if they accord with the practical reality of available resources. Paring back unrealistic plans now may save a lot of wasted time and energy later.
Mercury is strong in its exaltation in Virgo, up and at it early as it now rises before the Sun. It sextiles the Moon and Mars and opposes Ceres, the goddess of spring and the flourishing of organic life on earth. Mercury’s position tells of what will be most talked about in the coming 3 months, what we will hear the most about in the media, what will be circulating most frequently on the airwaves. Here we see that Mercury in Virgo is concerned with efficiency, health and economy. Mercury has always been associated with trade – as in merchants and commerce and as the banking troubles reverberate throughout the world, we can see ever more clearly the unhealthy contrast between poverty and waste, consumerist greed and the corruption that prohibits the effective delivery of services. The opposition to Ceres indicates a direct dialogue with Mother Earth, we are very conscious of her mighty natural powers with many earth changes and shifts predicted in the coming months as well as the closest approach to Earth of the comet “Elenin” at the end of September.
The sign of Virgo becomes important in another way over the next few months. Around November 2011 the fixed star Regulus moves from Leo into Virgo. Regulus, associated with prestige, power and glory, has been in tropical Leo for the last 2160 years – how appropriate for a world ruled by powerful elites and societies ruled by money and power. Now we have Regulus move into the sign of service, resourcefulness, technology, skill and duty, as we are becoming increasingly aware of waste, global resources, ecology and efficiency. Perhaps those who learn to adapt an attitude of service to the sacred, the planet earth, her precious resources and the healing of the planet will be the new heroes of the next 2160 years as Regulus makes its slow transit through Virgo.With Neptune opposite for the first few years of this shift of Regulus, we are not quite assured of what is to come next, nor what the new heroes will be like, or infact who they are yet.
So in summary this is a time to reflect on whether events in the world and in our lives are conforming to our sense of universal justice, and then to make a decision about where we stand in the various dilemmas that we face in everyday life. This may seem like we have to take sides, but sometimes taking sides is the appropriate thing to do, so long as we pick the right side! This requires the sort of consideration, fairness and poise naturally associated with Libra, even in the face of the fiery intensity and theatrics of passionately-expressed views.
This Libra Equinox, focus your intention on the role you play in the relationships in your life, and on how you can contribute to a greater sense of justice in the world through active engagement with opposing views, so that a clearer, more considered and fairer outcome can emerge.
Agent 37 – Nick Owens
