LIBRA 2018: the Edges of Beauty

Think of something pretty.

Now think of something beautiful.

The pretty and the beautiful are entirely different. That which we consider pretty is generally easy to take in, balanced, and not particularly challenging. Meanwhile, that which we consider beautiful may be gnarled, twisted, imperfect, mysterious, frightening, challenging, or even painful. It's the difference between the perfectly rounded, leafy maple tree alone on top of a hill versus the jagged madrone jutting out from the cliff's edge, covered in scars where limbs have fallen off, and its bark ravaged by the wind. One is not better than the other, but they speak of different life experiences, and elicit different emotional responses.

Libra is a sign that tends towards the pretty since it enjoys balance and levity (this applies to the archetype of Libra, and does not necessarily apply to people with Libra suns), but this month we have a different edge to our Libra experience - an edge that asks us to abandon the simple and pretty, and to instead court the complex and beautiful, however dark and mysterious that may be.

Sun in Libra: 9/22/18 - 10/23/18

Read this post for insights, herbs and meditations for the solar month of Libra - the month of balance and beauty, and of tending relationships with self and others.

Autumn Equinox: 9/22/18 at 6:54p PDT

Read this post for insights into the autumn equinox - the moment when the center of the sun lines up with the Earth's equator, the moment when summer ends, and autumn begins.

Jupiter is heading home...

Jupiter - the planet of faith, expansion, and opportunity - spends about one year in each sign, and is currently wrapping up its time in deep-diving Scorpio. You may wish to review this post to garner any last gifts and insights from this influence before Jupiter enters its home sign of Sagittarius on 11/8/18 (more on that influence next month).

Full Moon in Aries: 9/24/18 at 7:52p PDT

There is a profound amount of tension at this full moon, as most of the planets are positioned in tense relationships with each other. You'll experience this as feeling pulled in many directions at once, as you struggle to balance your personal needs with your responsibilities/work, and the needs of those you're in relationship with. You'll also feel tension between your need for peace-and-comfort, the rumblings and awakenings of deeply buried desires, and a call to liberation and higher aspirations. That's a lot to hold at once!

In moments like these, the best medicine is to spend as much time at your center as possible. Your center can be accessed through connecting with your body, your breath, or the sensations of the present moment. From your center, you can witness all of these various pulls, and tap into a wisdom that will navigate you through this tense time in a good way.

Herbs for the Aries full moon:

I recommend a decoction of equal parts schisandra, licorice, peppermint and eleuthro to pull your energy from your periphery into your center, and activate clear insight. You can simmer 1 Tbsp of each together in a quart of water for 20 minutes, strain, and then drink.

Autumn Equilux: 9/27/18 in the Bay Area

The equilux is a day of equal day and night. In the northern hemisphere, the autumn equilux occurs a few days after the equinox. You can find the equilux day where you live by visiting this sunrise/sunset calculator. The day when the sunrise and sunset are exactly twelve hours apart is your equilux day.

Venus Retrograde: 10/5/18 - 11/16/18

Venus retrogrades are significant times when Venus' mundane expressions - finances and relationships - can be problematic or chaotic. The best way through is to re-evaluate & adjust what's happening for you in these areas, and make adjustments based on your actual priorities - which may have changed since you last took them into account.

Venus will retrograde in Scorpio & Libra, so we'll be re-evaluating & adjusting:

POWER DYNAMICS in our relationships.

DEEPER LONGINGS we have suppressed will make themselves known, and will demand consideration in our lives, and in our relationships.

QUESTIONS OF BALANCE & FAIRNESS - in our relationships with others & with ourselves.

Venus retrograded through a similar area of the zodiac in October-November of 2010, so you may find it helpful to review what was happening for you then, as you may find similar themes repeating, although perhaps in an evolved way - because you've changed and grown since then.

New Moon in Libra: 10/8/18 at 8:47p PDT

Venus, the ruler of this new moon, will be moving very slowly at this time, having just stationed retrograde. I suggest you embrace that energy of slowness. Find ways to surrender to a pace that enables you to take things in more deeply. This is also the new moon of the year that most supports coming into balance.

Throughout 10/8 - 10/9, ask yourself:

What do I notice right here, right now - within myself, and around me?

How am I relating with this moment?

What is this moment trying to tell me?

What can I add or subtract from my life to bring myself into truer balance?

This is also an excellent day to review the questions posed here.

Herbs for the Libra New moon:

A very simple blend of equal parts peppermint and spearmint will offer you a calm and present mind, receptive to the moment, and open to insights. Steep the herbs in boiling water (1 Tbsp dry herbs per cup of water) in a covered jar for 30 minutes to several hours. If you can set the jar in the light of the sunset while it steeps, that will help you surrender and let go throughout this lunation (until the next new moon on 11/7/18).

Next month...

Jupiter enters its home sign of Sagittarius for a year. And Venus stations direct on the same day that Mercury stations retrograde. Feel free to schedule a consultation or healing session if you'd like support in navigating these choppy waters, and tapping into the opportunities now available. Wishing you a month of balance and beauty - Rae