Libra Full Moon

Libra Full Moon

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Le Premier Disque (1912–1913) by Robert Delaunay
audio recording of Libra Full Moon article

Libra Full Moon

Libra as the sign of the scales involves the perpetual balancing experienced within all of our relationships. The Full Moon in Libra on 6 April will activate the polarity between Aries and Libra during a period of accelerating collective and personal change. Aries and Libra are cardinal signs that initiate new directions and set things into swift motion, and so the Libra Full Moon is well suited for adjusting to the quickly changing currents signified by Saturn and Pluto entering new signs during the past month. As the entrances of Saturn into Pisces on 7 March and Pluto into Aquarius on 23 March have correlated with new storylines and rapid reconfiguration of dynamics, the relational capacity that Libra possess for coming to terms with the myriad intersecting lines of tension within systems is needed for effective adjustment and reorientation. The polarity between Aries and Libra involves the fiery surge of the Ram’s direct passion set against the thoughtful contemplation of the Scales that carefully measures myriad ways of addressing circumstances and relations, turning issues over and over again to explore every facet imaginable. The days surrounding the full moon can help with processing whatever has come out of balance and recentering, as Libra is an air sign that excels at contemplating available options and weighing the pros and cons of potential directions.

The Libra Full Moon serves as a fulcrum in between two consecutive lunations in Aries: the New Moon in Aries on 21 March at the first degreee of Aries, and the upcoming Solar Eclipse in Aries that will take place on 20 April at the final degree of Aries. Since the Libra Full Moon will be followed by a Solar Eclipse that will catalyze tension with Pluto and a Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio that will activate Uranus, there is a great likelihood of unexpected and fast moving changes occurring in the month ahead which will require additional adaptation and adjustment. Amidst whirlpools of volatile collective change, the Libra Full Moon can be helpful for gaining awareness of developing issues coming to a head that will require strategy and nuanced agility. As Libra is also the active, outwardly directed domicile of Venus, the Libra Full Moon can also direct attention to the needs of our relationships as well as forging bonds of fellowship that can be mutually beneficial in coping with the rising tides of change.

The Libra Full Moon will be separating from an opposition with Chiron and applying toward an opposition with Jupiter due to the close proximity between Chiron and Jupiter with the Sun in Aries. Chiron will form a conjunction with the Sun on 5 April roughly six hours before the Moon forms her exact opposition with the Sun, making the lunation acutely focused upon the regeneration of Chiron in Aries. Considering only traditional planets, the Libra Full Moon is separating from a disruptive square aspect with Mars in Cancer. As a result, the Libra Full Moon may illuminate difficult feelings of hardship in relation to changing circumstances, the uncertainty of present dynamics and where they may lead, as well as old wounds of identity and alienation. Yet with the Libra Full Moon in the bounds of Jupiter while also applying to Jupiter, the silvery reflections of the Moon’s mirror may illuminate ways of recovering, restoring, and revitalizing a sense of purpose and vision to work towards.

The Libra Moon opposing Chiron while Chiron is simultaneously connecting with the Sun will reveal key issues and patterns that can bridge your present circumstances with your vision for future developments. Although the accelerated pace of collective changes can fear over the potential of what could happen, the amplified quality of chaotic flux also means there is increased potential for exciting new creative directions to emerge that were not previously available. Chiron’s strange orbit extends beyond the orbit of Uranus when furthest away from earth while weaving within the orbit of Saturn when closest to earth. Chiron spends the longest time in the sign of Aries due to traveling as far away from us as possible within his orbit, picking up emancipatory messages from Uranus to transmit. As a result, Chiron in Aries can be an important ally in discovering how to break free from old restraints into a more authentic path. Yet Chiron often does this through revealing the symptoms of our deeper wounds that need to be addressed so that we can reach our next stage of development.

Many of the personal and collective wounds stirred by Chiron in Aries relate to the impact of past and present colonial empires. The work of Dr. Bayo Akomolafe is resonant with the guidance available through Chiron in Aries, as he has said that decolonial emancipation is not the work of struggling with what is, but a place of occupying what we are becoming. Further resonant with the Full Moon in Libra, Dr. Akomolafe has also taught the importance of contemplating our circumstances so we do not react in ways that reinforce the very systems of societal oppression we wish to change. Chiron in Aries can help foster increased agency in creative actualization, yet also warns of becoming overly focused on one’s own perspective and desires while neglecting the realities of others. The contact between Moon and Chiron can draw attention to the mystery of internal spaces that source our external expression. Rather than insisting we know best while obsessing over external achievement, the Libra Moon reflecting Chiron emphasizes the importance of listening and relating to the vibrant meaning found within the realms of visible and invisible nature surrounding us.

The Libra Moon’s opposition with Jupiter will also reflect a process of deep mystery and hidden meaning found within our own darkness. Jupiter is traversing its invisible phase under the beams of the Sun during which time it cannot be seen in the sky. Within the regenerative phase of Jupiter’s solar cycle, we may likewise discover ways in which the sense of vision and purpose we have cultivated over the course of the past year during Jupiter’s previous visible cycle is now undergoing a process of death and rebirth. Within a week of the Libra Full Moon, Jupiter will be reanimated by conjoining the Sun in its exaltation of Aries on 11 April. As Jupiter ends one cycle while beginning another, we can likewise discover a renewed sense of our purpose and a regenerated vision for what we hope to create in the year ahead. The Libra Full Moon opposing Jupiter will increase awareness for aspects of our purpose that need to be shed or released to make space for the revitalized vision that is presently in process of taking shape.

Simultaneous Windows on the City (1912) by Robert Delaunay

The Full Moon in Libra is ruled by Venus in Taurus. Venus can directly express her essential nature in her earthy home of Taurus, and is applying toward a harmonious sextile with Neptune in Pisces that can facilitate experiences of pleasure, fantasy, and imagination as part of coping with present circumstances. Venus is not forming a major aspect with the Libra Full Moon, and so the otherworldly influence of Neptune may be more about finding sources of temporary respite to escape from stressful events stirred up by the opposition between Sun and Moon. While Venus remains in Taurus, we can look to her signfications of pleasure, friendship, aesthetic enjoyment, and artistic creation as ways to gain relief from difficulties.

Mercury recently entered Taurus on 3 April and will continue to benefit from Venus also occupying Taurus until Venus leaves her earthy home to enter Gemini on 11 April.  Mercury in Taurus is in position to deeply attune with the changing reality of circumstances as Mercury is separating from a tense square aspect with Pluto in Aquarius and a clarifying sextile aspect with Saturn in Pisces while applying toward a conjunction with the North Node of the Moon in Taurus as well as a creative sextile aspect with Mars in Cancer. The sextile between Mercury and Mars will become exact on 7 April and will be worth paying attention to associated events due to the fact that Mercury will station retrograde in Taurus on 21 April and form an additional sextile aspect with Mars in Cancer on 23 April. Since Mercury will station retrograde a day after an intense solar eclipse, the time period around Mercury’s stationing and second sextile aspect with Mars will be volatile. However, the sextile between Mercury and Mars that connects with both the Libra Full Moon as well as the Aries Solar Eclipse could also correlate with a dynamic project you persist in developing during a period of unsettling change.

At the time of the Libra Full Moon, Mercury is moving direct and visible while approaching their maximum elongation as an Evening Star on 11 April. After the star of Hermes reaches maximum elongation they will begin slowing down in anticipation of their retrograde stationing on 21 April, while also moving closer to Uranus in Taurus. As Mercury begins slowing down, pay attention to signs indicating areas of change and issues that will demand attention during the upcoming period of eclipses and Mercury retrograde that will take place at the end of April and first half of May. You may notice habits in need of changing, structures that need to be released or reformed, or issues that need increased focus.

Venus will enter the mentally stimulating sign of Gemini on April 10 or 11, depending upon your time zone. This date marks a pivotal point in the waning half of the lunar cycle, as Mercury will also reach maximum elongation and Jupiter will also be reanimated by conjoining the Sun on the same day. Gemini is a fluid and adaptable atmosphere for Venus and will be a transit that can prompt curiosity in diverse ideas and interests while developing skills in creative expression and communication. After Venus enters Gemini she will immediately form a flowing trine aspect with Pluto in Aquarius on 11 April followed by a square aspect with Saturn in Pisces on 14 April. Venus in the flexible and intellectual sign of Gemini can help attune awareness to the ways in which we need to make adjustments in our relationships to accommodate the larger societal and personal shifts that have corresponded with the recent sign changes of Pluto and Saturn.

3 of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith

Libra 2 Decan

The Full Moon in Libra will illuminate the second decan of Libra associated with the Three of Swords tarot arcanum illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. An arcanum known as the “Lord of Sorrow,” the Three of Swords contains an image of piercing heartbreak: swords stabbing through a heart set against a stormy sky. Its gloomy, rainy, and cold atmosphere fits well with the fact that the second decan of Libra is the face of Saturn. The meaning of the Three of Swords can indeed relate to betrayal, abandonment, and loss, yet its connection with Saturn also means we can link the transcendent fostering of strength and wisdom that can be gained through facing the inevitable and enduring painful experiences. Indeed, T. Susan Chang in 36 Secrets wrote that the rainy backdrop of the Three of Swords can also symbolize “the very water of life for everything that sustains us.” Chang linked the Three of Swords to Binah, the Great Mother who serves as the third sphere on the Tree of Life and whose “dark womb” gives birth to the “Pillar of Form.” Chang wrote that Binah’s “sorrow is archetypal and saturnine in nature, shaped by the love of creation and the indelible knowledge that all things must end.” Chang wrote that the Three of Swords can show up in readings as the signing and fulfillment of contracts as well as the termination of relational bonds; in one way or another, “there is something you have no choice but to face: hard-won knowledge, irreversible realizations, the thing you can’t unknow.”

Henrich Cornelius Agrippa in Three Books of Occult Philosophy wrote that within the second face of Librra “arise two men raging and angry, and a man ornately dressed sitting in a chair; these have the significations for anger against evil, and a restful and secure life with an abundance of good.” While one of Agrippa’s signfications and images involves rage against unjust behavior, the same face also involves the security of an abundantly good life. In comparison, the Picatrix pictured a man leading a wedding and described the second face of Libra as signifying “relaxation, wealth, good living, security, peacefulness and easy living.” The association with marriage also appeared in the Yavanajātaka, in which a woman who “is clever in the office of an intermediary (between lovers) for the sake of the bridegroom” resides.

Austin Coppock in 36 Faces connected Saturn’s exaltation in Libra to the binding of “happy marriages and fruitful alliances” found in the second decan of Libra, as well as the breaking apart of such agreements. Coppock ascribed the image of “Two Links in a Chain” to the second decan of Libra, describing it as “a face of lasting unions and blended karma” in which “the power of obligation fixes volatile passions,” creating “a firm foundation for the good life.” Oaths and binding contracts are central symbols of this face that hold one of its central lessons: with whom and for what should one pledge themselves in oath. The second decan of Libra promises a bounty of abundance for those who stay true to their commitments in contracts of mutual beneficence. Yet it also contains the heartbreak of betrayal and becoming abandoned by the other side not holding up their end of the agreement. Coppock wrote that the “power of this face is nearly ideal for the binding of two things together, whether they be people in marriage, business entities, or merely a promise to oneself. It contains the formulae not only for knitting together, but continuing in happy union, and is therefore an arcanum of wonderful power.”

The Hellenistic text 36 Airs ascribed Kairos to the second face of Libra. Kairos in Greek mythology is the youngest son of Zeus as well as the lover of Fortuna, an embodiment of luck and favorable opportunities. Kairos was portrayed as moving with winged feet, carrying a razor or scales that represent the fleeting moment in which opportunity comes and goes, the moment we need to seize and not neglect. In modern culture the term kairos refers to the opportune moment for something to occur that is not confined to the demands of chronological time but rather connects us with a soulful sense of destiny thrust into the moment. We generally know to commit to blessed opportunities brought by the goddess Fortuna when they align with our purpose, but other times we can feel stuck and unsure if the opportunities presenting themselves to us are truly worthy of our commitment. The connection of Kairos with the second decan of Libra and the Libra Full Moon stresses the importance of contemplating the commitments you are forming so that you do not later face the torment of being bound to a contract you do not want to uphold.

The sacred, solemn and serious nature of oaths can be seen in the fact that even the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology were bound by them. The golden winged messenger and intermediary Iris, goddess of the rainbow, had the role of collecting the water from the underworld river Styx which was used by the gods to swear oaths by and put to sleep the deities who broke them. Oaths like Saturn necessitate limits and restrictions, yet their establishment and adherence create the trust and faith required to build enduring works in collaboration with others. The second decan of Libra holds both the benefits and abundance gained by those who remain faithful to their oaths as well as the discord that comes from unfaithfulness. In times of collective uncertainty, the oaths of intentions we make for ourselves as well as to secure bonds of fellowship with others are crucial for fostering greater stability and security. Let the light of the Libra Full Moon guide you in considering the goals, intentions, and relationships that deserve your full commitment due to aligning fully with your essential purpose.

If you enjoy my writing please consider supporting my work through a monthly subscription on my Patreon page. Take a look to see the benefits and learning opportunities you will receive as a patron! 

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References

Agrippa, Heinrich Cornelius. (2021). Three Occult Books of Philosophy. Translated by Eric Purdue. Inner Traditions.

Chang, T. Susan. (2021). 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. Anima Mundi Press.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Libra Full Moon

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Cygne Crépusculaire (Twilight Swan) by Joseph Cornell

Libra Full Moon

The Full Moon in Libra illuminates the polarity between Aries and Libra, the fiery surge of the Ram’s direct passion set against the thoughtful contemplation of the Scales that carefully measures myriad ways of addressing circumstances and relations, turning issues over and over again to explore every facet imaginable. Aries and Libra are movable signs that initiate new directions and set things into swift motion. With the Full Moon in the airy home of Venus and Venus in her watery exaltation of Pisces, desires and emotions may take on heightened importance and catalyze significant momentum along new pathways of development.

Libra is also the exaltation of Saturn, increasing the connectivity and receptivity between the Moon and her flowing trine aspect with Saturn. The patient endurance and mindful ponderousness of Saturn can help in slowing down desires amplified by the lunation in order to come into deeper relationship and embodiment with emerging creative directions. The discernment and discrimination of Saturn can further facilitate clarity in making decisions regarding which paths to follow and which relationships to invest greater time and attention to, as well as what aspects of life need clearer boundaries, greater space and separation.

While the Libra Full Moon is separating from a trine with Saturn, it is applying toward an intensifying square aspect with Pluto. The tension between Pluto and the Libra Full Moon may resurrect core relational patterns and themes that have been operating below the surface of awareness within dynamics with others. Feelings that have been buried or we have tried to be in denial of may erupt and demand attention. Opportunities may emerge to gain greater honesty and clarity regarding relational dynamics, with the propulsive force of Pluto facilitating an excavation of old entanglements to allow for greater freedom of movement forward. While the impact of Pluto upon the lunation can potentially dislodge overwhelming emotions, the transformative influence of Pluto will also allow us to penetrate into the heart of whatever matter we are facing.

The Annunciation (1887) by George Hitchcock

Venus in her exaltation of Pisces is the ruler of the Libra Full Moon, glowing bright in predawn sky within her morning star phase. Within the waves of her watery exaltation, the sensual nature of Venus is amplified by the boundless dissolution of Pisces to allow for release as well as sinking into sensations and knowing of the body. Although Venus is given an exalted status within Pisces, she is not within her celestial home and so does not possess the sovereignty she does in Taurus or Libra. However, during the waning half of the present lunar cycle the star of Aphrodite will be applying toward a conjunction with Jupiter, the planet responsible for her care due to her occupying his home. Periods in which Jupiter and Venus come together are stereotypically in stark contrast to the recent period in which Mars and Saturn came together in conjunction; while it certainly does not mean everything will go well and that there will in fact be many difficult events to contend with, the combination of Jupiter and Venus amplifies desires for procreation and creativity and delivers inspiration where it is needed most. Venus will ultimately form a conjunction with Jupiter on April 30 at 27°58’ Pisces, close to her exact degree of exaltation, at the same time she will be ruling a Solar Eclipse in Taurus at 10°28’ Taurus.

As a result, the unique signature of Venus and Jupiter uniting in a sign in which they both have essential dignity will be set against the strange astrological atmosphere of an eclipse season as we approach the end of April. Eclipse seasons typically bring major shifts in circumstances and relationships, with pivotal new developments arising as older situations and relationships experience a recalibration and rebalancing to make space for the new to more fully arise. This will especially be the case with the eclipse on the side of the North Node of the Moon and in close proximity with the liberating force of Uranus in Taurus. Making the dynamic between Jupiter and Venus even more extreme, however, is the fact that Venus and Jupiter will simultaneously be forming conjunction with Neptune in Pisces. Venus will form a conjunction with Neptune on April 27 at 24°28’ Pisces a few days before the eclipse, with Venus moving in between Neptune and Jupiter at the exact moment the Sun will become blackened by the shadow of the Moon.

I previously wrote an extended exploration of Venus forming conjunctions with Neptune in Pisces you can read through the link here. Within the article I wrote the following:

” . . . These ideas connect to the transformative feelings of love that come with transits of Neptune and Venus, as well as destructive feelings of disillusionment that can awaken self realization. Projections in relationships can be most harmful when they do not have authentic resonance with one’s soul but instead have been conditioned by societal forces. These external conditioning influences are often wrapped up in systematic oppression, necessitating a need to shed the way they impact our gender, sexual, and other personal identities. The more we are able to take responsibility for this work, similar to Jung’s concept of individuation, the better we can gain self acceptance for the authentic desires of our soul. As we do so, we can attract partners who genuinely resonate with our inner life, drawing us into a deepening of the lessons we need on a soul level. We also can gain a healthier relationship with ourselves so that we can foster recovery and restoration when a relationship ends.

It’s not really possible to prevent our unconscious from shaping the relational dynamics we form with others, and this is a gift in terms of the creativity and growth cultivated by the commingling of unconscious fields. We can at least gain awareness that the phenomenon is happening and open to the actual presence and needs of a partner instead of confining them to our own projection . . . As Venus and Neptune begin a new cycle together . . . we can claim the opportunity to reflect upon our unconscious projections. It’s essential that once becoming aware we do not bury the realization in denial but instead sustain contemplation so that it’s pattern may mutate and we may receive insight.”

Furthermore, Venus is receiving both Mercury and Uranus into her earthy, stable home of Taurus. Mercury is applying toward a sextile aspect with Venus during the lunation, while Venus simultaneously is applying toward a sextile aspect with Uranus. At the same time, Mercury is carrying an intensified presence due to rising into visibility again as an Evening Star following sunset as it heads into a conjunction with Uranus it will complete a day after the Libra Full Moon. Altogether, the aspects between Venus, Mercury, and Uranus are full of enormous creative potency that can be directed into any sort of creative work of imaginative vision or practical application. In particular, the combination of Mercury with Uranus in Taurus can help bring down the flights of imagination that Venus within her exaltation of Pisces may gather into embodiment within material forms.

4 of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith

Libra 3 Decan

The Libra Full Moon will illuminate the third decan of Libra associated with the Four of Swords card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. In the image above we see what looks to be a knight in prayer, or perhaps a sarcophagus, under a stained glass window of “PAX” or “peace.” This image also evokes a pilgrim in meditative silence within a protected, sacred space, and likewise it can help us find our own balance at this time if we can manage to create our own space for solace in silence. Johannes Fiebig and Evelin Burger in their book on the tarot noted symbols in the image that contrast “inner and outer issues, the abstract world and daily life, perfect ideals and limited reality.” Within the balance of these dualities, we can sense how the figure’s positioning is like a re-balancing of our body and mind, the sword below the figure a tool to cut away the false in order to reveal our essential and genuine presence that can emerge now. In her book on the tarot and astrological decans 36 Secrets, T Susan Chang wrote that when drawing the Four of Swords, “consider it a complex invitation (a) to take a break from the toiling and spinning imposed on us by the external world, and (b) to explore the rich landscape of the inner world . . . the Four of Swords may call for meditation, active imagination, divination work, or sleep. Or it might simply be a general call to recreate and rest for awhile, so you can restore your natural equilibrium.”

Jupiter rules the third face of Libra in the descending rulership scheme, a decan that Austin Coppock ascribed the image of “A Gyroscope” to in 36 Faces. Coppock equated the third face of Libra with “equilibrating movement through a chaotic universe,” linking its meaning to the Four of Swords image with facing that “justice must reconcile itself to an injust world, and peace to a world riven with conflict.” Coppock notably pointed out that earlier images associated with the third decan of Libra as found in such text as the Picatrix and Three Books of Occult Philosophy featured images of “furious indulgence” and “extremes of revelry” such as “violence, gluttony, deviant sexuality, and boisterous joy.” If we can find balance within the wild forces moving through this decan, Coppock suggested it “allows one to see through the eye of the storm” to learn that “equipoise may be maintained in any circumstance- shelter in any storm.”

The Hellenistic text the 36 Airs linked Nemesis to the third face of Libra. Austin Coppock in 36 Faces linked the presence of Nemesis in this decan to her role as “a force which restored balance to life’s chaotic wheel,” acting “to consciously correct the injustices whirl of blind forces” by “restoring right proportion.” One way Nemesis restores balance is through bringing retribution against those carried away by hubris who arrogantly act out of balance with natural forces of change. Her presence with the Libra Full Moon emphasizes the need to rebalance whatever has become out of proportion in our life. We may recognize aspects of our shadow we have been denying, or realize we have been suppressing desires that need to be accepted and cultivated. There are many crises coinciding in collective events calling for action, but in addition to playing a role in creating the change we wish to see in external events, we likewise need to bring attention to tend to the changes occurring internally. May the Libra Full Moon illuminate what needs to be known within and without.

If you enjoy my writing please consider supporting my work through a monthly subscription on my Patreon page. Take a look to see the benefits you will receive as a patron – in addition to the normal benefits patrons receive, I have a new Oak Branch tier featuring an astrological learning group that will be meeting monthly and exploring various astrological topics and techniques on an ongoing basis.

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References

Burger, Evelin & Fiebig, Johannes. (2013). The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot. Llewellyn Publications.

Chang, T. Susan. (2021). 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. Anima Mundi Press.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Libra Full Moon

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Blake angels

William Blake (1805) The Angels Hovering Over the Body of Christ in the Sepulchre

Full Moon in Libra

The Libra Full Moon on March 31 arrives at the heart of a tempestuous Mercury retrograde period, bringing a gale of Libra winds to a tumultuous astrological environment dominated by the fire and earth elements. We stand at the crossroads of tense, dynamic aspects among the cardinal signs of Libra, Aries, and Capricorn. The volatile atmosphere stokes inner flames and the heat necessary to reshape elements of life to craft change and incite new movement and growth. Frustration can come from feeling we lack time or being overwhelmed by responsibilities that disperse focus. Yet the Libra Full Moon supplies illumination that can lift us above sources of stress for a larger perspective that will bring creative solutions when we question how we can rearrange things to move more with the flow rather than dissipating energy through resistance. Moving into space in which we can focus on what we want to work on brings enormous potency with the current alignments. In the heat of engagement we may cooly detach from expectations and allow the alteration of matter to guide our drive rather than trying to force control.

The Full Moon perfects a day before Mercury retrograde in Aries enters the heart of the Sun to be purified and reborn in its inferior conjunction. The fiery union of Mercury and Sun incites desire for expression yet this is also an inner, sacred moment of Mercury’s cycle that is more about the grace of regeneration rather than loud declarations. It is an ideal moment to commit ourselves to an intention, change in lifestyle, or development of a project. At the same time Mercury and the Sun are uniting, Mars and Saturn are also uniting in a a square aspect to Mercury’s inferior conjunction that can be utilized to instigate change while also needing to reconcile with shifts in external realities that are out of our control. When we exert ourselves toward a goal, commit the entirety of our being to manifestation of an idealized vision, we arrive at a balancing point of our self-centered motivations and the needs of others. The Full Moon is opportune for simultaneously clarifying what we want to create as well as how to modify our creative process to serve the needs of others.

Libra is the outwardly directed home of Venus, a place of calibration where we measure our sense of inner value against external realities. Noticing disharmony enlivens our feel for harmony, while witnessing injustice shapes our conception of justice. While the Full Moon will bring significant messages informing our perspective of external events, it also brings strong capacity to enter an inner dialogue with one’s unconscious, whether messages come from our dreams or in moments of solitary contemplation. Mercury retrograde in this time of its solar union can help us engage what Carl Jung called auseinandersetzung, German for “taking something to pieces.”  This refers to confrontation in dialogue in which two people verbally engage without running away from the conflict.  By staying engaged in the dialogue, the differences inherent to the disagreement become clarified and distinct, making an agreement or compromise possible.  Jung believed it was also possible to engage in such a dialogue with one’s psyche, clarifying the unconscious being projected into relationships and keeping us from perpetuating past relational patterns.

As the Moon lingers in its full phase from March 31 through April 2, there is a liberating lunar atmosphere to embrace. While the Libra Full Moon is in opposition to the union of the Sun and Mercury in Aries, a day after the exact alignment the Moon will oppose Eris and Uranus in Aries. Simultaneously the Moon forms a square aspect with a union of Mars and Saturn in Capricorn as the Moon waxes full and then immediately begins to apply to a square aspect with Pluto in Capricorn. Only Jupiter and Neptune stand apart in water signs that do not belong to the cardinal modality. However, once the Moon enters Scorpio on April 2 it will form a harmonious trine with Neptune while moving toward union with Jupiter, while forming an integrative sextile with the Mars and Saturn conjunction. As a result the days following the Full Moon hold potential to inject imaginative visioning into whatever difficulties or hardship arise in correspondence with the union of Mars and Saturn.

PolyhymniA-Francesco_del_Cossa_001

Polyhymnia by Francesco del Cossa

The Full Moon takes place in the exaltation of Saturn, and Saturn furthermore has triplicity dignity in Air signs. Saturn is at home in Capricorn, in a strong position that pulls us down into earthly focus on how to build and develop supportive structures for whatever we want to implement.  Since Mars is in its exaltation as it unites with Saturn in Capricorn in the days following the Libra Full Moon, we have an incredibly powerful union of Mars and Saturn to work with.  When Mars and Saturn come together in their cycle, world events tend to be fear inducing while in personal realms we may feel like our driving desire has come up against a wall or blockage. Mars and Saturn last united on August 24, 2016 at 9°52′ Sagittarius, before that on August 25, 2014 at 17°40′ Scorpio, and before that on August 15, 2012 at 24°49′ Libra. These were difficult time periods in world events, yet you may also notice looking back that initiatives taken during these time periods have ended up having powerful staying power. Work developed under the union of Mars and Saturn may develop slowly at first, but patience and thorough follow through will bring a resilient, persevering quality to the endeavor.

Mercury’s interior union with the Sun in Aries is bound to the union of Mars and Saturn since it is occurring in the home of Mars. While imagination can be applied to whatever we engage with, this is not a lunation for wild leaps of fancy that lack grounding in real knowledge we have earned from actual experience. There is enormous potency for yoking inspiration to self-discipline and taking personal accountability for responsibilities. There are some responsibilities we may need to ease up on, however, in order to create space needed to focus on what feels most authentically resonant. Mars and Saturn together mean that it likely will not work to impulsively trail blaze or burn down obstacles in our way. Instead contemplate and discover what lesson the obstacle or limitation holds. Most likely with patience and analysis it will be possible to work around or through the restriction, with the work gaining increased strength in the process.

Taurus 1 Decan Aprile,_francesco_del_cossa,_07

Taurus 1 Decan image from Allegory of April: Triumph of Venus by Francesco del Cossa

Venus in Taurus

Venus rules the Full Moon from her sensual, stable home in Taurus. Venus enters Taurus hours before the Full Moon, making a dramatic entrance into her inner, earthly home. Venus enters Taurus immediately following a volatilizing conjunction with Uranus activating unconscious material she can ground, integrate, and wield while in Taurus. Its sort of like Venus just returned home from a wild, inspirational journey, and she has a lot of work to take care of once back home she must address immediately. Once in Taurus, Venus enters into facilitating roles with Mars and Saturn, forming a trine aspect to both. Venus as ruler of the Full Moon points to the lunation facilitating real progress in practical projects, as well as grounding support that can come from resonant relationships.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with stress you associate with Mars and Saturn, seek Venus and her pleasing, embodied significations. Focus on taking care of your body, making nutritious food, holding and supporting loved ones. Artistic works and projects can be especially potent to engage with as Venus moves across Taurus and into a closer trine aspect with both Mars and Saturn.  Venus will form an exact trine with Saturn on April 7 and an exact trine with Mars on April 10. As Venus forms these trine aspects with Mars and Saturn she simultaneously will be making her presence felt at the bendings, forming a square aspect to the transiting lunar nodes. There will be important messages and issues arising we will have to face involving Venus.

swords03

3 of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith

Libra 2 Decan

The Full Moon arises in the second decan of Libra associated with the Three of Swords card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. Saturn rules the second face of Libra, and in the piercing heartbreak and cold atmosphere of the image we can observe the transcendence through pain that can be brought by Saturn. In times of heartbreak we can access a newfound strength that can then increase our capacity to return to our love, as well as opens us to greater levels of empathy, compassion, and awareness of those around us.

Austin Coppock in his book on the decans 36 Faces linked Saturn’s exaltation in Libra to the binding of “happy marriages and fruitful alliances” found in the second decan of Libra, as well as the breaking apart of such agreements.  Coppock described it as “a face of lasting unions and blended karma” in which “the power of obligation fixes volatile passions,” creating “a firm foundation for the good life.” The importance Coppock placed on being faithful to commitments within relationships as well as to oneself is vital to bear in mind at the Full Moon if we wish to reap a healthy harvest.

The Full Moon opposes the Sun in its own exaltation, and the second face of Libra integrates the meaning of its polarity with an exalted Sun in terms of revealing the necessity of tempering our solar expression with the responsibilities of our binding relationships. Saturn in Capricorn receiving an exalted Mars into its home demands accountability and discipline. Yet as mentioned the presence of Venus in Taurus signifies we can make work pleasurable and fruitful, and the union of Sun and Mercury in Aries signifies we can also make it inspirational. These are not easy transits, and we will need to avoid self-criticism and being too hard on ourselves for not getting everything done. Allow yourself to rest and relax as needed, for revitalized energy will be needed in the weeks ahead. Though challenging, on the other side of these transits you may look back with satisfaction on how you overcame difficulties and made important progress.

References

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: the history, astrology, and magic of the decans. Three Hands Press.

Stein, Murray. (1998). Jung’s Map of the Soul. Open Court.

 

Full Moon in Libra

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max ernst whole city

La Ville Entière (1935/6) by Max Ernst

Oh, may I join the choir invisible
Of those immortal dead who live again
In minds made better by their presence; live
In pulses stirred to generosity,
In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn
For miserable aims that end with self,
In thoughts sublime that pierce the night
like stars,
And with their mild persistence urge men’s
search
To vaster issues.
So to live is heaven:
To make undying music in the world . . .

—George Eliot from “The Choir Invisible”

The Full Moon on April 10 or 11, depending upon your location, is united with Jupiter in Libra and ruled by Venus retrograde in Pisces.  The generous pleasures we might expect from a Full Moon so strongly bound with Jupiter and Venus, however, are significantly altered by the catalytic aspects surrounding each.  The Full Moon forms challenging aspects with Uranus and Pluto, while Venus is slowing down to stand still within a hard aspect to Saturn.  There is both immense destruction and inspiring creativity occurring, with those grasping for power locked in unyielding combat just as others are joining forces in dynamic co-creation.  The constant theme weaving through all is accelerated change instigating amplified feelings and the need to adjust and rebalance within turbulent, swift currents.

The Libra Full Moon is not for the faint of heart, as it calls for a courageous response to current circumstances.   Uranus demands empowered radicality willing to burst free from restrictive conventions, Pluto demands acting from a place of secure inner authority, while Jupiter is magnifying a yearning for connection and shared generosity that can empower those with shared interests.  Jupiter aligned with the Full Moon also can provoke overwhelming emotional reactions to whatever feels unjust within the numerous struggles swirling within society.  These aspects also shine light on selfish quests for wealth and power by groups and individuals attempting control without regard for the repercussions of their action on others.  The Full Moon in the outwardly directed home of Venus supports organizing networks to aid those in need as well as channelling tensions into artistry, creativity, and inventive responses that uplift, empower, and express love.

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The Hundred Headless Woman Opens Her August Sleeve (1929) by Max Ernst

In Love and Will I pointed out that behind will lies wish. This does not mean that whatever one wishes will then become the goal of one’s resolution, but it does mean that the deeper levels of human motivation must include wishing, whether one calls it yearning, longing, passionate desiring, or something else. Otherwise the willing is merely applied from the outside and is never transformed into action. We must have a conviction before an act of will can be effective. “Wish” is part of the area in human consciousness which includes hoping, yearning, imagination, believing– all of which have to do with the innate dimension of feelings that give birth to motivation . . .

Wishing, longing, yearning, myth making– all these activities of human consciousness are as central as they have ever been, and any teaching of resolutions or guiding rules that does not include these activities is doomed to failure. Wishing and hoping come directly out of the functions of dreaming and making myths. “In dreams begin responsibilities,” as the poet Delmore Schwartz so rightly reminded us, and we could say with even more cogency, if less poetically, in myths begin ethics and aspirations. It was a wise person who stated, “I don’t care who makes a society’s laws as long as I can make their myths.”

— Rollo May from The Cry for Myth

Venus retrograde in Pisces rules the Full Moon in square to Saturn and conjoining Chiron while slowly moving backward across her exaltation degree.  Venus retrograde is not known for wish fulfillment, but Venus retrograde arising as a Morning Star shortly before sunrise in exaltation can bring clarity to our deepest desires, most cherished values and priorities, and the relationships deserving our commitment.  Under the influence of Saturn’s scythe we also more acutely feel the limitations of time available to pursue passions and the necessity of persevering through separations or trying circumstances. Saturnine traits such as patience, discipline, and hard work will be needed, as well as walking the virtuous path of integrity.  Lessons may arise around how our Venusian natures must descend into our unconscious feelings and innermost yearnings in order to arise and manifest what will bring us our true pleasures as well as empowered presence.

The Full Moon in Libra under the influence of Venus in this position will magnify the suffering of the world and those oppressed and victimized by dominant power structures. As Venus is holding counsel with Chiron in a cave near her most sacred water, the incendiary inferno of dogmatism and its persecutory rage swirl and snarl with Saturnine constriction.  However, Venus in her degree of natural abundance has many resources at her disposal to address the demands of Saturn.  We must accept fate and our destiny that has brought us to this point, yet as our hearts guide us to who and what we wish to commit to, we will discover not only what we want to build but how to further develop it in the months ahead.  After Venus stations direct on April 15, she will form her final square with Saturn on April 21 during the last quarter phase of the current lunation cycle.  The challenges of Saturn will guide us toward creating the supports needed to bring our inner dreams and visions into reality.

Hokusai-fuji-koryuu

The Dragon of Smoke Escaping Mt. Fuji by Hokusai

The tumultuous conflicts among world leaders that have been increasing in magnitude recently can be viewed in astrology through the current retrograde movement of Jupiter that has taken it from an opposition with Uranus back through a square with Pluto.  On April 7 Jupiter experienced the heart of its retrograde phase by forming an exact opposition with the Sun, and as a result key events on both collective and personal levels have been occurring that illustrate the current trajectory of development and expansion.  Just as storylines in world events can be traced back seven years ago when the square between Uranus and Pluto was first forming, so may we sense the roots of our current dilemmas in our experiences of the past few years of immense change.  The Full Moon in Libra will highlight not only where we have greater potential for growth to manifest, but also show us the foundational issues we must address if we wish to reach the full potential.  The volatilizing influence Jupiter is bringing to Pluto and Uranus will be continuing to play out until early October when Jupiter finally leaves Libra for the sign of Scorpio.

Vesta in Cancer has been engaging with the challenging aspects between Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto since the beginning of February, as Vesta stationed direct in mid March in range of an opposition to Pluto and a square to both Jupiter and Uranus.  Vesta in Cancer is in square to the Full Moon and as a result the full meaning of Vesta challenging Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto will be illuminated.  Vesta in Cancer has been bringing focus to what needs nurturing within us, whether that be a wellness or spiritual practice, opening to a relationship or tending to one’s own inner realm in private sanctum.  Vesta is able to sustain focus with copious amounts of commitment, and so brings the importance of making time and space each day to invest energy into passionate work or personal ritual that activates authentic spirituality and creativity.

There is additional martial force underlying the Libra Full Moon as its ruler Venus is receiving Mars in Taurus through a sextile.  Mars is also separating from a conjunction with Ceres in Taurus, bringing both Mars and Ceres into contact with Venus retrograde.  On the one hand this means the widespread conflicts and violence that have been enflaming world events will continue to intensify.  On personal levels, however, the sextile between Mars, Ceres, and Venus makes a lot of desire available to inject into building supportive structures as well as guarding and protecting who or what we hold most dear.  This is not a fast and impulsive Mars vibe but rather one that is slow, steady, thorough, and capable of patiently developing goals rather than acting rashly and impatiently.

Giorgio_de_Chirico,_Merkuriusun_Derin_Dusunusu

Mercury’s Meditation (1973) by Giorgio de Chirico

Memory is the mother of creativity. This is a myth worth pondering. For it is in memory that one saves and savors the significant experiences, the dazzling sights, the critical events. In memory these precious experiences form themselves together into a myth which tells us a story. We say we “sleep on an idea,” and when we wake up we may feel we have arrived at a new insight, as though it were a gift from the gods. And who is to say it is not? Mnemosyne, or “Memory,” is the goddess who puts together our materials with which new discoveries are made and poems are written and great books and enduring paintings are inspired.

— Rollo May from Crying for Myth

Mercury is bearing a potent witness and influence to events surrounding the Full Moon, as Mercury stationed retrograde in Taurus a day before the lunation and is also symbolically descending into the underworld at sunset as it will be disappearing from view until reemerging again as a Morning Star around April 29.  These conditions were known as being phasis in ancient astrology and gives Mercury retrograde in Taurus increased prominence to deliver a vital message we are in need of receiving.  We may gain awareness of thoughts and memories buried within our inner recesses that dramatically alter our current perceptions, or a potent omen may cross our path while slumbering in dreams or journeying through our environment that proves to serve as a powerful guide in the time period ahead.

Mercury has some natural strength where it is stationing, for Mercury rules the first decan of Taurus.  The astrologer Austin Coppock in his book on the decans 36 Faces noted that the Mercurial first face of Taurus holds resonance with the thorough and patient planning necessary to develop future harvests.  Yet Mercury is under the full influence of Venus at the Full Moon as it is in both the home and the bounds of Venus, drawing us into our bodily senses to find meaning through our subjective sensual faculties.  From the Full Moon in Libra through the last quarter phase of the forthcoming lunation cycle, Mercury will be in the process of being purified and regenerated under the beams of our Sun, and while we may notice some delays in Mercurial significations in our lives, we will also be able to strip away old mental habits and patterns in need of release.  Around April 19 or 20, Mercury will enter the heart of the Sun at the first degree of Taurus, uniting with our solar light and becoming empowered to bring about everything to do with the Mercury archetype in our lives. The powerful Venusian influence upon this moment further amplifies potential to reveal inner desires and values needing to emerge into awareness, with the last quarter lunation helping us dislodge from old preconceptions.

4 of Swords

4 of Swords by Pamela Colman Smith

Libra 3 Decan

The Full Moon in Libra falls in the third face of Libra, associated with the Four of Swords card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. In the image above we see what looks to be a tomb with a statue of a knight in prayer, under a stained glass window of “PAX” or “peace.”  This image also evokes a pilgrim in meditative silence within a protected, sacred space, and likewise it can help us find our own balance at this time if we can manage to create our own space for solace in silence.  Since we are in a time of Mercury retrograde, we also can integrate the duality within this image, the concept of peace that necessitates the concept of conflict, the pilgrim/knight in prayer surrounded by swords.  Within the balance of these dualities, we can sense how his positioning is like a re-balancing of the chakras and re-integration of our body and mind, and the sword below him is a tool to be used to cut away the false and inessential in order to reveal our essential and genuine presence that can emerge now.

Jupiter rules the third face of Libra, a decan that Austin Coppock ascribed the image of “A Gyroscope” to in his book on the decans 36 Faces.  Coppock equated the third face of Libra with “equilibrating movement through a chaotic universe,” linking its meaning to the Four of Swords image with facing that “justice must reconcile itself to an injust world, and peace to a world riven with conflict.”  Coppock notably pointed out that earlier images associated with the third decan of Libra as found in such text as the Picatrix and Three Books of Occult Philosophy featured images of “furious indulgence” and “extremes of revelry” such as “violence, gluttony, deviant sexuality, and boisterous joy.”  If we can find balance within the wild oscillating forces moving through this decan, Coppock suggested it “allows one to see through the eye of the storm” to learn that “equipoise may be maintained in any circumstance- shelter in any storm” (p. 168-70).

Jupiter stationed retrograde in its own face around February 6, turning back within a place of strength to eventually station direct on June 9 in range of a square to Pluto.  As we experienced the heart of the Jupiter retrograde when it directly opposed our Sun a few days before the Full Moon in Libra, the Full Moon is illuminating important information for us to focus on in order to bring about the dynamic visions that have been entering our awareness since Jupiter turned retrograde back in February.  As the lessons of the third face of Libra suggest, we must strike balance within turbulent and contending forces surrounding us in worldly events, finding center within the true desires and love of our burning heart.

References

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Eliot, George. (1926). One Hundred and One Famous Poems. Chicago: Cable.

May, Rollo. (1991). The Cry for Myth. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.