The Sun’s ingress into cardinal air-sign Libra heralds the first day of autumn (for those of us in the northern hemisphere). Beauty surrounds us in the changing colors of the leaves, the deepening blue of the sky, and the subtle change in the air that we can’t quite explain but signals the arrival of the new season.
Libra Season.
The planetary rule of an astrological sign gives us some information about the nature of that sign. Venus is the planet associated with love and beauty. It shows us what we appreciate. Venus is the planetary ruler of two signs: Taurus and Libra. When Venus is in earth-sign Taurus, that which we value is of a more physical nature. For example, the delight we feel on a lovely spring morning or the pleasure of sipping a cup of coffee are ways we sensually experience things that bring us pleasure. In air-sign Libra, we experience Venus in more abstract ways. Venus in Libra is the perfect pitch of a musical suite that brings tears to our eyes. It is the way an artist’s use of color and saturation takes our breath away. Venus in Libra is how the poet strung words together that we read once but left an impression on our heart for years.
Goddess Guidance: Aphrodite.
Venus to the Romans and Aphrodite to the Greeks, like the planet who is her namesake, she has much to teach us about that which we appreciate, delight in, and find beautiful. However, she also teaches us about the shadow of these values: that which we reject, envy, or deem unacceptable.
Each goddess had her own unique genius: Hera, the regal and majestic matriarch, Hestia, the kind kindler of the home’s hearth, and Athena, the wise, diplomatic warrior. Aphrodite was said to be the fairest of the gods. She was desired by humans and deities alike. Feeling undervalued and unappreciated, Hera, Hestia, and Athena were jealous of Aphrodite. In fact, the feud between these goddesses was at the center of the Trojan War!
There is often a tension between the polarities of our active, outwardly-expressive and receptive, inwardly-experienced nature. When we assign more or less value to one way of being, we cultivate disharmony. If we remain lost in our own unconscious bias, we create chaos, as did the goddesses when they could not come to terms with their own judgements and feelings of self-worth, leading them to project the darkest aspects of themselves onto one another.
We are not meant to live in competition with one another. Collaboration is the path that allows us to find value and cultivate appreciation of the unique expression beauty takes through us… and everyone around us!
Libra Season Questions for Reflection…
Symbolized by the scales, Libra season is a time to practice balance. Balance is not a fixed state. It is the practice of tapping into a place of inner stillness even in the midst of a dynamic environment. One way we practice balance is by learning to discern and care for the different facets of who we are, listening to each aspect of ourselves and honoring its messages in healthy ways so that we do not negatively project our wounded parts onto other people.
Consider the goddesses: Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty; Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war; Artemis, the goddess of the moon and the hunt; and Hestia, the goddess of hearth and home….
· Regardless of our own sex or gender, which of the goddesses do we most identify with?
· Which of the goddesses make us feel triggered?
· What do we notice about ourselves -our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors- when we are in the presence of someone whose goddess essence is different than our own?
· How might we integrate the energy of goddesses we are less comfortable expressing into our own experience in a way that feels healthy and authentic to who we are in this moment?