I am, among other things, an astrologer, and I thought I’d start writing writing roughly biweekly transit and horoscope columns, in sync with the new and full moons. This is an experiment. Writing horoscopes is fun for maybe the first half of the zodiac, and quickly becomes a little mind-numbing. So we’ll see if I keep it up. :)
Equilibrium is dynamic, not static
On Sunday, Sept 25, at 5:54 pm EDT, we have a new moon in Libra, signifying new beginnings as we move into fall. Just as the fall equinox we experienced a few days ago has an equal amount of light and dark, so Libra, the sign of the scales, ask us to find a place of balance, harmony, and equanimity.
The balance and harmony Libra seeks, however, are not about everything being perfectly equal and uniform at all times. Such a state would indicate stasis and stagnation. Libra is ruled by Venus, who desires to liberate the flow of love and relationality above all things. Love is an energy that must be exchanged. In the words of Kahlil Gibran, “Make not a bond of love, but rather let it be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” This is not license to abandon any notion of commitment in love. It is, rather, an understanding that to commit to love is to be willing to accept its ebbs and flows. Libra wants to set the tide in motion.
The scales of Libra are like a see-saw. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. To obsess over a perfect fairness or constantly tabulate a balance sheet stops the flow of love dead in its tracks. To find true harmony, we have to learn to ride the waves and love it all. The balance and equality come with the bigger picture that is only revealed in the fullness of time.
This new moon is in a tight opposition with Jupiter in Aries. The fiery sign of the Ram wants to rev things up at full speed. Jupiter, the jolly and wise king, loves to bring bounty. But he also loves wisdom, and with Jupiter currently in retrograde, he’s stepping hard on the brakes to take stock of things, to survey the territory before being pulled along by the combustible energy of Aries. This may feel tense if we are itching for new beginnings, but Jupiter gives us permission to slow down and not feel the need to initiate any new, grandiose plans at the moment (particularly with Mercury, Saturn, and all 3 outer planets also in retrograde).
Instead, get quiet and ask for wisdom. Ask to be shown your heart’s desire. Ask to follow the flow of love like a trickling stream flowing into the ocean. Trust that you will find the harmony you’ve been longing for.
The line between fear and longing
The following day, September 26 at 1:58 pm EDT, Venus conjoins Mercury retrograde in Virgo, in an opposition to a retrograde Neptune in Pisces. Venus in Virgo can feel kind of bummed out— the practical, analytical nature of Virgo tends to puncture her bright, pleasure-loving bubble. Neptune in Pisces is such a dreamy yet potent energy— it offers a portal into the realm of higher spiritual vision and insight, but when refracted through the lens of our ego, it can be hard to distinguish vision from untethered fantasy.
At the same time, Venus and Mercury make a trine to retrograde Pluto in Capricorn. This is a powerful, yet less fractious aspect. Pluto helps to excavate our subconscious and liberate energy for growth and healing.
This transit highlights tensions between the longed-for, the desired, the imagined, and the gritty, granular reality of being physical beings who must live in these bodies on this earth. We may feel we are walking a tightrope between our unfulfilled dreams on the one side, and our primal, unexpressed fears of scarcity and lack on the other. Slow down and let yourself feel it all. Let yourself acknowledge the dreams that feel too big to comprehend, and the fears that threaten to drag you down. Let them be and give them up to God.
Sunday and Monday are full of gnarly astro-weather that demands we slow our roll. On Wednesday, September 28, we can start to move forward again as Mars in Gemini makes a trine to a retrograde Saturn in Aquarius (1:48 AM EDT), helping us to cut through the fog of fears, ideas, and possibilities and take action to stabilize ourselves.
Under the beams
On Thursday, September 29, at 3:49 AM EDT, we can begin to feel a lot more ease as Venus moves Libra, one of her home signs. She will be traveling through Libra “under the beams,” a condition that has traditionally been considered to weaken a planet. What this means is that she is so close to the sun she is not visible as either a morning or evening star. Her light is literally swallowed up by the light of a brighter star.
But here’s the thing about Venus. Remember what I said about her desiring harmony, and the ebb and flow of love? Love knows that sometimes we have to step back and make room for others. As Venus and the Sun travel through Libra over the next month, it’s a good time to ask, where do I need to step back to make room for others? How can I make space for ones I love to grow?
On Saturday (October 1, 2:11 pm EDT), Venus in Libra makes an opposition to Jupiter in Aries, drawing a line between these two planets that love to bring blessings. Oppositions always bring a heightened energy that can feel tense (and we’ve had a lot of them this week), but that tension can also be a profoundly creative energy. With Venus dimming her brightness in the service of higher love, and Jupiter slowing down for the sake of gaining insight, this a good day to pause and allow divine wisdom to come through. It may be just the thing to help you resolve a dilemma you’ve been working through.
On Sunday (October 2, 5:07 AM EDT), Mercury stations direct, ending its dreaded retrograde period. It’s been dancing in a trine with Pluto in Capricorn, and you can expect some of the buried subconscious material that’s been dredged up over the last week to start to release. This next week might be a good time to turn it into art and action, whether it’s writing, creating, or planning new projects. On Saturday (October 8, 5:56 PM EDT), Pluto also stations direct, further lightening the mood. This second week will be much smoother sailing than the first.
Horoscopic Reflections for the New Moon in Libra
If you know your rising sign, reading that will be the most applicable, as it will more accurately reflect where the planets are hitting your chart. If you don’t, you can use your sun sign.
Aries
Ask yourself: Where do I need to step back from pursuing my own needs and desires, and get more clarity and wisdom? How can I align my personal goals with the good of others, especially those closest to me? How can I plant the seeds of growth and free the flow of love in my most intimate relationships? Where does Wisdom tell me to decrease so that others may increase?
You may feel a longing to turn inward during this time— a desire for retreat, pilgrimage or even just a mental health day— that feels difficult or even impossible given the day-to-day tasks and reality of your life. Trust that there are always ways to find the inner refreshment your spirit needs. Spending time meditating or journaling, taking a walk in the woods, or planning a retreat for a later date will be a wise investment.
Taurus
Ask Yourself: When does my need for rest and solitude become a trap, leading me into isolation, torpor, and even addiction? How can I find more love and equanimity toward the daily tasks of life that keep my body and mind healthy and balanced? Can I learn to trust that even if something doesn’t feel good in the moment, it will reap benefits later on? What intentions do I want to set for a more balanced and harmonious way of life? What private obsessions are keeping me from being in the flow?
Your need to cultivate the personal pleasures that feed your creativity and connection to others may feel at odds with the dreams you have for impacting the world or a larger community of people in some big way. Taking time to make art, dream, play with your kids, or nurture your romantic life will pay dividends in how you show up in the wider world.
Gemini
Ask yourself: How does my desire to get caught up in big projects or groups of people with big ideas lead me off track? Can I step back and take time to discern before deciding to get involved? What intentions do I want to set for my creative and romantic life? What “babies”— real or metaphorical— do I want to give birth to? How can I make sure any group or project I commit to is in alignment with those desires?
The responsibilities of your family and home life are in tension with your career visions at the moment. It may feel like your dreams are completely out of reach given the ties that bind you. But it is possible to be both deeply rooted and to read for the stars. Trust that the places in which you feel stuck in this moment are teaching you valuable lessons that will allow you to make your vision a reality in the future.
Cancer
Ask yourself: How can I root myself more deeply in the home, family, and the land that nourishes me? Where does love need to flow in order to feed those roots? Where do I need to slow down on my desire for recognition and achievement to make sure my ambitions and aspirations don’t carry me away from my source?
You’ve been longing to expand your horizons when it comes to your spiritual life, education (whether formal or informal), and/or travel. The community of people that usually keep you grounded can start to feel stifling. The responsibility you feel to others or even just the habits and beliefs that shaped you may have you feeling stuck in a rut. Start to speak your desires, if only to yourself. Trust that in the end, the wisdom you gain from learning and exploration will allow you to be of greater service to your community.
Leo
Ask yourself: Who are the people in my neighborhood? Who are the friends, family, and others that make the day to day flow of my existence possible? How does my hunger for knowledge, insight, and travel keep me from being a good neighbor? Can I let go of my need to have all the answers, and trust that the “little people” that surround me might have something to teach me?
You may feel a lot of tension right now between managing your own money and resources, and the money and resources you share with, or owe to others, particularly a partner (though the ever present death and taxes may also factor into the equation). Be honest about your needs while valuing the desires of others. Trust that where love and respect flow, there’s always a way to balance both.
Virgo
Ask yourself: What do I need to feel more harmonious and balanced when it comes to my personal wealth and finances? Do I need to spend more on myself? Do I need to save? If partner or someone else may be pushing toward a goal when it comes to money, what does my gut say? Can I trust myself to put the breaks on a shared plan so I can get more clarity and find more freedom?
Your logical mind, while giving you a tremendous amount of practical insight, can sometime trap you in “analysis paralysis.” You long for a deeper, more intuitive emotional connection in your close relationships, but your brain is telling you to be cautious and play it safe. It will help if you can ask for what you desire by locating it in your own joy and pleasure, and stop trying to get what you want by “fixing” someone else.
Libra
Ask yourself: Where am I letting my partner, or my desire for a partnership, carry me away? Where am I losing sight of my own needs for harmony and balance? Where do I need to step up, and ask for space, and where do I need to step back and give space to someone else? How can I slow down this relationship and get some wisdom around where we need to go to find a healthy equilibrium?
Your work life and/or physical health and wellness may feel like they’re in a state of flux at the moment, like you can’t quite find a stable place to land. Spending time on inwardly-focused activities like meditation or therapy can, paradoxically leave you feeling even more ungrounded. Finding the practice or the level or the degree of rigor in your introspective pursuits that is right for YOU (not someone else) will help you find solid footing in the midst of change and uncertainty. Listening to your body will help to guide you.
Scorpio
Ask yourself: How can I take more time to feed my inner life? What are the unconscious desires and behaviors I’m afraid to take a look at? Where does my ability to work hard and push my body to the limit keep me from experiencing harmony and flow? Can I spend more time in quiet and surrender to the truths deep inside of me that want to be revealed?
Your may be feeling some conflict between your personal desire to ride the wave of pleasure, fun, and freedom, and the focused, idealistic vision that binds you to your comrades in arms, whether they’re in a corporation, organization, or a movement. Trust that taking time to tune in, turn on, and drop out doesn’t need to pull you away forever, and may even offer you some valuable creative insight to bring to the table.
Sagittarius
Ask yourself: What are the dreams I hold in my heart for the health and wellbeing of the earth and all humanity? What is my place in it? How can I contribute to the flow of resources and energy through the whole system? Where does my lust for life (and tendency to party just a little too hard at times) keep me from fulfilling that dream? Can I step back from the need to pursue my personal desires so intensely, and trust that I will be fulfilled when I am in service to the All in All?
Your expansive nature has you ranging far and wide, but you dream of gentle and sweet place to land. You paradoxically may feel more grounded in your career ambitions and work life, while your home can feel a bit slippery and unstable. You will feel most settled when you trust in your own gentle and sweet nature, and in that of the people you live with. Learn to soften and fall freely into love.
Capricorn
Ask yourself: Where would I like to find more balance and harmony in my career right now? What projects energize me, and which ones drain me? Where can I support others on my team, and where can I ask for more support? Where do my responsibilities to home and family feel overwhelming, and what projects there need to be slowed down or let go of?
You have a gift for analyzing and distilling higher wisdom, but fear of what the people around you might say keeps your voice paralyzed at times. Learn to trust your intuition and essentially good nature to share your heard -won truths at the right time with the right people. There’s a time to speak and a time to stay silent, and right now you are learning to discern the difference.
Aquarius
Ask yourself: How do I find balance and harmony through learning and exploration? What books, classes, spiritual practices, or travel would assist me with that right now? Where do I over-commit in taking care of my community, and can I let go of some of that? Can I trust that in following my thirst for higher wisdom right now will allow me to be of greater service?
You may be feeling both a longing to achieve a big financial goal or make a big purchase, yet have a hard time actually materializing it right now. It’s almost as if money slips through your fingers like water, or maybe you can’t let yourself have the things you want because you don’t trust they will last. Financial advice and input from others can feel overly critical or unhelpful at times, and yet and another perspective is critical to moving forward. Zero in on the ones who love and respect you the most, and be willing to listen to what they have to say.
Pisces
Ask yourself: How can I invest in my shared projects and resources at the moment? Which of my own goals for spending and saving, either time or money, do I need to let go of right now so I can invest in a shared harmonious future with another person or people? Can I trust that as I make space for other’s desires, my own will ultimately be met?
Your intimate relationship(s), whether personal or professional, may feel especially difficult at the moment. There are things that are being left unsaid for the moment, and your own personal dreams may feel especially neglected. We don’t know what’s possible until we are willing to speak the truth in love and have an honest conversation. Trust that as you are freeing up the flow of love, you’ll find room to balance opposing needs and desires.