Element: Air
Mode: Cardinal
Gender: Masculine
Modern Ruler and traditional ruler: Venus
Anatomy & Illnesses: Kidneys, diabetes, and parts of the body that maintain balance
Glyph
Libra’s glyph conveys the concept of balance in a number of ways. Firstly, it represents a set of scales, indicating balance, justice and harmony. Second, it depicts the sun on the horizon again showing the theme of balance, for when the sun is either rising or setting there is equal balance between day and night, light and dark. Finally the glyph more subtly reminds us of the balance between self (subjective reality) and others (objective reality) – the bottom line is passive/internal whereas the top line is pushing up into what’s external.
Astronomy
Libra’s geometric parallelogram appears to sit just in front of the Scorpion constellation. The brightest stars in Libra are Zuben El Genubi and Zuben Eschamali, originally forming the claws of the Scorpion, but now forming the Scales. The zodiacal constellation of Libra was separated from Scorpio in Roman times. In both northern and southern hemispheres, Libra is best seen at midnight in the midheaven when the Sun is in Aries during March and April.
Theme/Quality
- Libra, the seventh zodiac sign, has always been associated with the change of seasons when the Sun is at its balance point in the sky - from summer to autumn (autumn equinox) in the northern hemisphere, and from winter to spring (spring equinox) in the southern hemisphere.
- After the harvest time, represented by the preparation and diligence of Virgo, Libra has time for other things – relating, socialising and enjoying.
- Libra loves beauty, art, and aesthetics.
- Libra represents the need to know oneself fully through relationship with others, preferring to spend time socialising or in partnership to being alone.
- Libra is just and fair, concerned with democracy, and good at mediating, negotiating and creating meeting points.
- Libra exists in a liminal state, aware of the inner and the outer simultaneously, while holding the energy of both.
- Libra can see all options and finds choice and decision-making difficult.
- Libra seeks to create balance through harmonizing polarities – e.g. yin and yang, spiritual and material, male and female, ideal and real, inner and outer.
- Whereas Aries (Libra’s opposite sign) is primarily concerned with ‘I/me’, Libra is concerned with ‘We/us’.
Traits
Social, refined, balanced, graceful, open-minded, indecisive, diplomatic, co-operative, considerate, peace-loving, fair, inconsistent, just, wise, logical, judging, charming, diplomatic, tactful, vain, superficial, dependent
Venus has dual rulership of both Taurus and Libra. See Zone 2 - Venus for general information on Venus’s glyph, astronomy and cycle. The following information is specific to Venus’s rulership of Libra
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Energy/Archetype as ruler of Libra
- Venus here is more refined, diplomatic and cultured in her approach than Venus as ruler of Taurus, but also aloof.
- Libran Venus is the gracious hostess, concerned with social niceties and harmony. She prefers to be admired and not touched, adored from afar and appreciated for her talents, her beauty and her mind. She enjoys diplomatic interaction, light conversation and elegant surroundings.
- Libran Venus is about aesthetic tastes and artistic interests. She is more particular about likes and dislikes than Taurus Venus yet is less materialistic.
- Libran Venus is interested in forming relationships and interacting socially.
- Libran Venus develops her capacity to attract the people and things that she loves and is interested in what attracts her to others.
- Venus here is particularly interested in co-operation and creating balance.
Morning Star Venus as ruler of Libra
- Also known as Phosphorus, Lucifer, Oriental, and Diurnal Venus.
- Morning Star Venus is the ‘solar’ side of Venus, a Hot and Moist outward-moving energy that connects and blends.
- Morning Star Venus heliacally rises in retrograde motion, turns direct, reaches maximum brilliance and finally sets prior to the superior conjunction.
- Morning Star Venus precedes the dawn, so is in a phase of renewal and reorientation of feelings, emotions and values.
- Morning Star Venus is objective and gracious, but emotionally detached and enjoys being a social butterfly. She also adopts an open and optimistic approach to life and relationships.
Traits
Interactive, aesthetic, artistic, social, attractive, co-operative.
Shadow Vain, over-accommodating, overly nice, superficial, vacillating, paralysed by indecision, argumentative, fence-sitter, co-dependent, trapped by beauty
In the body
Addiction to sweets (relationship substitute), poor skin or hair quality, varicose veins, hormone imbalance.
General & Natal
Partners. Open adversaries. The opposing person or team. Contracts. Marriage. Others. Equal relationships.
Mundane
Relationship with other countries (Foreign Affairs). International bilateral contracts and agreements. The opposing party in war. Civil disputes and court law. Marriage and divorce.
Horary
The Astrologer. Querent’s partner. Querent’s adversary. Prosecution in a trial (where the querent is the defendant). Any person (where the question does not relate to a person known to the querent).