LIBRA NEW MOON – 24 September 2014

Exact at 7.14am BST, 2.14am EDT.

AUTUMN EQUINOX – Monday 22 September, exact at 3.29am BST, Sunday 21 September, exact at 10.29pm EDT.

On Sunday night/Monday morning we have the Autumn Equinox followed swiftly by the Libra New Moon on Tuesday morning , so this is a very potent and powerful time for setting intentions and planting seeds. The Equinox represents an energetic gateway and is a time when we have equal parts light and dark. As Libra knows all too well, there is no light without shadow and no shadow without light. Before we find the light we must first face the darkness within us and the Equinox represents that time when we are able to see both in equal parts before the darkness starts to take over.  The Autumn Equinox represents a time of inner preparation in the process of enlightenment which lasts until the Winter Solstice. There is a perfect balance between the inner and outer life and it marks the moment when we start to turn inwards. It is also the moment when the Sun moves from Earthy, Mutable Virgo into Airy, Cardinal Libra. Virgo is the last of the subjective, personal, inner signs while Libra is the first of the outer, objective signs which are more concerned with the world outside ourselves. Virgo prepared us to move out into the world and form relationships. Libra is the sign of relationship.

The New Moon is the time in the month when all is dark and the Sun and Moon join together , forming a union in the heavens. It is a time when our conscious will (the Sun) is aligned with our unconscious, instinctual nature (the Moon). This is partly why it is such a good time for setting intentions. We are somehow more aware of what we need at this time and able to be a bit more objective. This month we have the chance to set some intentions for our relationships, as the union between the two luminaries is in Libra, the sign of balance, harmony, peace and relationship to others. Libra is depicted by the scales and indeed relationships truly are a delicate balance between the two people involved. Libra’s aim is peace and harmony and so a relationship must be a healthy balance between the needs of the two individuals involved. It is very important that we remain true to our own path while also taking into consideration the path of our loved one. And in the middle is the relationship itself, which can create another path, or destiny. Libra is all about compromise, which involves both parties meeting in the middle in the spirit of genuinely wanting each other to be happy and fulfilled.

Indeed, Libra’s goal is to find a way to perfect the art of relating. Venus, the planet of love and beauty, is the ruler of Libra after all! A relationship involves two people and in order for it to work properly there must be an element of equality. When we allow ourselves to love another we entrust them with our heart and vice versa. This is no small thing! To truly be able to open up and show our love we need to know, without a doubt, that the other person feels the same way we do and is taking care of our heart. We are the caretakers of each other’s hearts. If the scales tip too far in one direction and one person ends up giving too much and sacrificing their own needs then this delicate equilibrium is upset, causing the relationship to falter and power to shift. This causes insecurity, neediness and doubt on one side and an uncomfortable feeling of having too much power on the other side. Of course, Libra does not just symbolise romantic relationships; rather he seeks to find balance, harmony and peace in all our relationships and interactions. John Lennon was a Libran and his songs “Give Peace a chance” and “Imagine” are the epitome of Libran’s longing for peace and harmony in the world. These are the kind of intentions we should be setting during this Moon. How can we create more harmony in our relationships and the world?

The most prevalent aspect during this New Moon is the trine between Jupiter in Leo and Uranus in Aries, which will be exact on the 26^th September so it has been building in strength for the past couple of weeks. This trine is very positive indeed and signifies the potential for sudden opportunities for us to move forward and grow. It is important that we are open to whatever comes our way at this time and indeed, with Jupiter in Leo our greatest growth will come from having an open heart and childlike wonder. My sense is that the opportunities that come our way will occur as a result of a shift in our attitude, because it is often when we change the way we think about things that we allow positive changes to occur in our life.  Things that didn’t seem possible can suddenly become possible simply because we changed our attitude and approach towards them.  A positive attitude really does go a long way and our beliefs really do have the potential to affect our reality! This aspect could really teach us a lot about how we get in our own way and hold ourselves back from growth. It is like a breath of fresh air, allowing us to break through some barriers, but only if we are open and aware. Trines don’t happen to us; we have to make them happen.

Uranus in Aries is encouraging us to be utterly ourselves and stand true to our path; to not be afraid to be who we really are even if it means sticking out a bit. It may feel a little uncomfortable at first but it is very important to be true to ourselves. Jupiter wants us to grow and expand our hearts and will help us feel more courageous and confident. In Leo he wants us to be willing to take risks and not be afraid to express ourselves. Life is a bit more of a fun game with Jupiter in Leo! Combine the two together and we could find that we have a lovely boost to help us along our path! Mars in Sagittarius is also forming a positive aspect to this Moon, giving us a nice dose of self-confident optimism to help us move forward with our intentions. Mars will be joining in the party with Jupiter and Uranus soon, creating a Grand Fire Trine in the first week of October, so we can expect some exuberant, enthusiastic energy to ensue! This will coincide with the Full Moon/Total Lunar Eclipse in Aries, which promises to be an action packed Full Moon, that’s for sure! This New Moon feels like the calm before the storm, so we must enjoy it while we can and set some mindful intentions!

Pluto is incredibly potent during the Equinox and New Moon, because it stations direct just two hours before the Equinox, having been retrograde since April 14^th. Pluto is the planet of power and transformation, who has a tendency to dig deep and reveal our innermost secrets, forcing us to face up to the not so pretty parts of ourselves and our lives. He is the planet who destroys anything that isn’t working and replaces it with something that resonates more with our soul’s path. During the retrograde period we have been going through a period of inner transformation and empowerment and now it is time for the changes to come out into the light and reveal themselves within our outer reality. It might be good to look back to April and think about where we were then and what we have learned since and what might have shifted internally. This was the time of the Cardinal Grand Cross, which was a turbulent and ground breaking time for many, myself included. Something that happened then might have significance now.

Pluto in Capricorn has been slowly revealing the flaws in our patriarchal system and power structures over the past few years, rocking the foundation and bringing some uncomfortable truths into the light regarding our societal, governmental institutions and corporations. They have become far more transparent and it has become far more apparent what is antiquated and simply not working anymore. This is Pluto’s job, to dig out the rot and replace it with something healthier, and Capricorn represents structure, the patriarchy, government and authority. Uranus in Aries has been forming a series of squares to Pluto since 2012, causing massive shifts, breakdowns and breakthroughs to occur on a collective and personal level. Many people’s lives have changed considerably in that time.  Now Pluto is direct we will be gearing up for yet another of those squares, which will be exact on the 15^th of December and will be very much activated by the Aries Full Moon on October 8^th. I have written about the Pluto Uranus square in length…..PLUTO URANUS SQUARE

It is interesting that Pluto is at its most powerful this weekend, just as people are marching all over the world for Climate change. The people of the world are taking the power into their own hands and challenging the government and power structures to take responsibility for the future of Mother Earth. I wonder what might be revealed in the coming few days that has been hitherto contained or suppressed, both on a personal and collective level. That is what happens when Pluto turns direct; emotional truths and anything that has been kept in the shadows have the potential to come bursting out into the light. Just in time for the Equinox, when we have equal balance between Light and Dark and the Sun move into Libra, the sign of balance, depicted by the scales.

The Equinox packs a powerful punch and could be an incredibly revealing and transforming time, when we are forced to confront our shadows and release anything that isn’t serving us in order to move through the gateway into the light. We should not be surprised if certain truths are revealed at this time which are quite shocking and cathartic. The Libra New Moon, however, is a wonderful time to set intentions for our relationships and really think about how we can make them better. A relationship is made up of two halves that make up a whole and we are responsible for our half of it alone. As such, this New Moon is a perfect time to reflect on our relationships and consider what we truly want for them and how we can make them more harmonious. When we set an intention it sets an energetic ball in motion which has the power to manifest very quickly indeed. Libran intentions should focus on how to bring more balance, harmony, peace and love into our lives and the world. It is the sign of Other, so we should definitely think about how we can create a more loving reality. There is something so beautiful and fulfilling about knowing we have made another person happy! Now is a chance to contemplate just how we can do that. Plant the seeds and watch them grow!

Much Love

Amy

xoxo

It happens
all the time in heaven,

And some day
It will begin to happen
Again on earth -

That men and women
who are married,

And men and men
who are
Lovers,

And women and women
Who give each other
Light,

Often will get down
on their knees

And while so tenderly
Holding their lover's hand,

With tears in their eyes,
Will sincerely speak, saying,

"My dear,
How can I be
more loving to you;

How can I be more
Kind?"

~ Hafiz