October 14 1:55 PM EST
Well friends, we have our first eclipse in Libra since 2016! And what’s more: we have our first SOLAR eclipse in Libra since October 3, 2005.
This is a HIGHLY unusual amount of time to *not* have a solar eclipse in a particular sign. The nodal axis shifts roughly 18 months, and the new moons and full moons that occur within 15 degrees of the nodal axis are considered eclipses. This generally spans two “pairs of signs” – so for example, in calendar year 2023 we have eclipses occurring in the polarities of both Taurus/Scorpio and Aries/Libra.
The last time the nodes were in Aries/Libra was between February 18th 2014 and November 11 2015. Normally there would be at least one (but usually more) solar eclipses in each sign during that time frame. And while there were several full moon LUNAR eclipses in Libra between 2014 and 2016, there were NO new moon solar eclipses during that entire eclipse cycle. Once again, I reiterate that this is highly unusual. And immediately draws our attention to the energetic *absence* of Libra, at least as far as “major reset”s and transformations, as eclipses indicate.
So what does this mean? It means that in a certain sense we can consider the long period between October 2005 and NOW, as a single chapter in time as far as Libra energy is concerned. Solar eclipses are potent “new beginnings” and we have had no new beginnings in this collective energetic realm since 2005. So we can consider this 18 year window as a massive ‘incubator’ for more slow and gradual changes related to many Libran themes such as balance, fairness, harmony, relationships, marriage, and contracts.
Indeed, these areas have shifted MASSIVELY for the collective since 2005, but in more subtle less obvious ways than eclipses usually suggest. The changes that come with eclipses can be swift, powerful, and final – a “no going back” kind of energy. And sometimes more public and visible. Whereas what has been happening in the Libra domain these 18 years has been happening more gradually, behind the scenes, but no less significantly.
So what now? A solar eclipse in Libra after all of these years. It is a VERY important re-set. Especially because “matters” in this realm have indeed been percolating for 18 years, rather than the customary 7 to 10.
Libra, as mentioned, has rulership over all matters related to fairness (hence their symbol the scales), and contractual relationships of all kinds (including marriage). The truth is, we are in a (Libra) relationship with way more people and corporations than we realize: we have contracts with our internet provider for example! This may seem a silly example but it is not. For shorthand we can consider, “do we get mail or bills from these people?”. If so, we can consider we are in a relationship with them, usually some kind of contract has been signed, and there are terms and agreements in place.
One thing that has shifted massively in the past 18 years is personal technology and the truth is that the “terms” of many of the service providers we are ‘in relationship’ with, shift constantly and (almost never) to the benefit of the user/client. So ‘behind the scenes’ for the past 18 years there has been a massive power grab on the part of corporations and government agencies to gain ‘contractual agreement’ (Libra) for what they are doing, without “the people” even really understanding what that is. How often do you read the new terms of service for an APP that you use on your phone?
If you are like most people, hardly ever. So what has happened is that since 2005 we have, as a collective, acquiesced to new ‘legal relationships’ with the world around us, the technology and corporations that are part of our every day lives, without understanding it as its been happening. We have signed on the dotted line (digitally) and allowed our privacy to be invaded, our personal information to be sold, and data mining to become the secret lucrative backbone of most Silicon Valley business.
These themes, of course, overlap with the themes of Taurus/Scorpio (the other two signs where we currently have eclipses) because Scorpio has to do with power, secrets, privacy, money, and trust.
Is it possible in the next few years, as this Libra solar eclipse reverberates, that there will be a more consolidated push back against this kind of abuse of power and manipulation of customer agreements? It is likely. Especially because this dovetails with Pluto entering the sign of technology and transparency, Aquarius. But it’s very interesting to note how closely this period of the ‘absence’ of Libra eclipses dovetails with Pluto in Capricorn (2008-2024). Pluto in Capricorn has shone a white hot spotlight on bureaucratic dysfunction and corruption as well as the abuse of power and predatory sexual behavior in general but specifically in workplace (Capricorn) settings. These MASSIVE Pluto in Capricorn shifts in the zeitgeist are the backdrop against which we must look at this first Libra solar eclipse since 2005.
Unsurprisingly, the new moon at 21 degrees of Libra is square to Pluto at 27 degrees of Capricorn. We are still excavating and clearing things from the past, as is also indicated by the fact that this is a south node eclipse. The eclipse is conjunct verbal Mercury at 17 degrees of Libra indicating the need for careful, balanced communication. It is also loosely conjunct Mars at 1 degree of Scorpio. In its highest vibrational state, Mars in Scorpio pushes us to let go of dead weight so that we can blast forward into our desired future with maximum power and focus.
And the eclipse is also opposite soothing Chiron at 17 degrees of Aries. This is a reminder of the deep inner healing that is possible when we make the adjustments to our life, our contracts, our relationships, that this Libra eclipse is prompting.
We simply can no longer afford to ‘wear rose colored glasses’ in our key personal and professional relationships. The rising consciousness within us and within the collective is no longer able to say YES to situations that feel unfair, unbalanced, opaque, or manipulative.
It is up to US to identify what these situations are in our own lives and do the necessary work for release or transformation (Pluto). This is echoed by the fact that Venus, the ruler of the eclipse, is at 5 degrees of Virgo, opposing Saturn in Pisces. Venus in Virgo pays attention to the details, it cares about who shows up and how they show up. Paying “lip service” is not enough. And Saturn opposing Venus strips away all illusions and reveals the truth behind the situation or relationship. Is there accountability and integrity here? Is this a person or company or situation that I want to commit to for the long term? We are getting the information we need to answer these questions now.
And what of old relationships and situations that have been on cruise control? There may be events now that ‘force our hand’. We may see clearly that we are not on the same page with our wife, our lover, our business partner, our main client- any longer. These can be difficult realizations to have, and Mercury in Libra conjunct the eclipse means that we need to bring the issues to the table and discuss. If resolution is possible, it is through the path of deep and meaningful transformation.
Otherwise we are in for some major release work. We need not pine for the past, or wish that things were different. People go in different directions and grow apart. These are facts of life. So is the fact that when we accept this and allow what is and release as gently as we can, including holding space for our own grief, then we can align to people and situation that are a better fit for us in the present.
And there are a whole LOT of new personal and professional relationships coming in to fill the void that is left by releasing the old. If you have noticed the spate of “break ups” in the mainstream collective since April (when we had the first eclipse in this Aries/Libra series), then you are tapping into the big picture of what is happening now. This will be followed by the new, which will be less publicly visibly, except perhaps in retrospect when we will be able to see this 2023/2024 period as a time when many important new alliances, business partnerships, and personal relationships/marriages have their roots.
It is no coincidence that we had a majorly significant Venus retrograde in Leo for much of the past few months, leading up to this Venus-ruled eclipse in Libra. In fact, BOTH this eclipse and the upcoming Taurus lunar eclipse in Scorpio on October 28th, are ruled by Venus. While Venus was in Leo between June 5th and October 8th, we were able to see certain patterns in our romantic and creative lives so we could course correct and up-level our self-love and self-expression. As we have shifted over the past few years what we need and what in our lives and relationships has also shifted and Venus Rx made this ever more apparent to us. The gifts of stronger self-love and self-expression are key ingredients in knowing how we want to navigate the new and old relationships that are center stage in our lives right now. When we combine these gifts with a commitment to transparency, trust, and fairness we are on the right track.
*art by @ehscapist
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