Last season prepared us for transformations by establishing stability and routine. Now we fully shift into this next quarter of the year, Autumn— a season of harvest and letting go.
Libra season (September 23-October 22) is the midpoint of the Astrological year. Around this time you might find yourself guiltily saying, “Oh no, the year is almost over! I haven’t done anything I planned.” Try not to get yourself down from regret. You always have the power to do more and make the most of your present time. We can’t go back, we must move forward.
The Cardinal Air sign Libra initiates relationships. This sign is all about creating balance, harmony, and peace. It’s symbolized by the Scales— linking the sign to both institutional and personal justice. You can align with this energy by finding a balance between your inner and outer world. Notice the delicate back and forth between loss and new life, self and others, stillness and flow.
We see this natural balance at the Fall Equinox (September 22). Pagan traditions celebrate this day as Mabon— when the Earth experiences equal parts day and night. Fourth-generation Pagan practitioner Ginny Metheral explains, “This is the turning point for the trees. Instead of the sap rising, the sap now returns down into the tree’s roots. Staying there for the winter. Just like we now gather our fruits, labor, and families together. ”
The Fall Equinox begins the slow descent into darkness as we prepare for Winter. Traditionally this is the largest harvest of the year; where families gather crops, meats, and herbs to preserve for the cold winter. You may take part in these traditional practices with some Autumnal activities like canning, making ciders, drying herbs, or storing seeds for next Spring. Or you can think of this celebration more metaphorically: What do you need to collect and harvest to sustain you for the Winter ahead? Recipes, money, wisdom, books, motivation, or friends?
Venus, the Lover, enters its home sign of Libra (September 29). You may take this as an opportunity to meditate on your relationships— romantic, personal, and professional. See where there is a call for action or conversation that can bring deeper understanding, fairness, and empathy. Set boundaries. Know when to listen and when to speak up, when to engage or rest, when to let go and to open up. Libra energy is social and personable. It is a great time to extend your goodwill and unique gifts to others. Libras are activists and peacemakers with a calling to seek justice, soothe discomforts, and bring positive outcomes.
Use these reflections to guide your New Moon in Libra intentions (September 29). The New Moon provides an opportunity to release what no longer serves you and set intentions to bring harmony and abundance in the next period of the year.
Remember: “There is boundless, limitless love in the Universe, so know it is equally yours to receive and yours to give.”
On the shadow side, Libra can be overly diplomatic and agreeable. That is they may fall into the fantasy of trying to make everyone and everything fair and happy. Doing so can actually neglect the needs, feelings, and decisions of others and even themselves. Because of this, Libra energy may be indecisive and non-confrontational— fearful of uncomfortable emotions, disagreements, and authentic expressions. They also may change their opinion, manner of being, and even entire personality and aesthetics to keep the peace and fit in. These vices lead to idealism, unrealistic expectations, and people pleasing.
Remember, sometimes it is necessary and important to choose sides. The types of conflicts, though difficult, are where tuning into our inner values and wisdom is essential. Let go of the need for pleasing, accept that disagreements are part of life, and let go. For this Libra season, when making decisions and socializing with others make sure to stay true to yourself.
Ask yourself: What do I want? What do I believe in? How can I balance my own values and needs while encouraging peace and fairness for others?
This energy culminates at the Aries Full Moon (October 9). Fire sign Aries, the Warrior, energy brings expressive power to our intentions. Passionately pushing us into the new season.
Likewise, we are experiencing Jupiter, the planet of abundance, karma, and manifesting, moving through Aries (May 10-October 28). This alignment continues to feed our root passions and inner selves.
The Full Moon and Jupiter in Aries combination will ignite our hearts! If we work to align with this, it can guide our courage to let go and fully step into our abundance, power and embrace change in whatever way that may come. Remember, if we are always rooted and connected to our inner selves, it does not matter what happens on the outside. We must trust our values, emotions, and intuitions to guide us through these hardships, healing, and transformation.
While Libra avoids confrontation, Aries runs into battle. Ask yourself: Where do you feel this push and pull in your life? When are you called to fight and when to retreat?
There are no wrong answers here. A conscious and mindful balance of rest and rebellion is powerful. “There are some kinds of growth that are only possible in your comfort zone. Others are only possible out of your comfort zone. Growth requires balance- stability and strangeness, courage and confidence, certainty and the unknown.”
Lastly, Saturn stations direct in Aquarius (October 28). We have been following Saturn’s movement through Aquarius throughout these articles as it is one of the strongest energies connecting to us collectively. Since March 2020 (continuing to January 2023), Saturn in its home of Aquarius has been teaching and awakening us to collective, global lessons of hardship and healing. As Saturn moves out of its final retrograde, we can feel a final push from our teacher. During this time, embrace and express gratitude for the lessons, change, and wisdom that may have come your way through the recent years; through times of struggle, heartbreak, or loss we can find our deepest wisdom and connection.
This Libra season truly reminds us of life’s natural balance of loss and life. The world is always giving to us and taking away. We see the leaves begin to change colors and fall, the sap return to the Earth, and days become shorter. Now we embrace the flow of seasons, find peace and trust our inner power to guide us to abundance, harmony, and love.
Top photo: Bigstock
