Libra New Moon

Libra New Moon — Reason and Judgment

"If we are always arriving and departing, it is also
true that we are eternally anchored. One's destination
is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things."

— Henry Miller,
Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch

At the beginning of this week, Mars moves over the 'hot spot' of 4° Leo which Jupiter notably reached last July when it initiated a coordinated series of interactions between Jupiter and the three 'Outer Planets' — Uranus at 4° Gemini, Neptune at 4° Aries, and Pluto at 4° Aquarius. Those connections have waned for the moment (the Outer Planets will make 'follow-up connections' in June, 2027 at 6° of the same signs). But Mars is working through the same connections that Jupiter already initiated last July — a sextile to Uranus and a trine to Neptune, as well an opposition to Pluto that completed at the end of last week (but which continues to agitate the atmosphere this week). Mars is energizing the idealism and optimism that Jupiter initiated last July — but also 'stress testing' the optimism from a much more personal perspective. We are still dealing with the significant tensions stirred by the Mars-Pluto opposition this week. But the sextile that Mars forms to Uranus in Gemini midweek offers new insights that help us to unwind some of the tension. As well, our perspectives have shifted significantly since the connections that Jupiter made last July. Venus has now joined Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto moving in retrograde motion — 5 planets as well as Chiron, Pallas, and Vesta all moving retrograde! This represents dramatic shifts in perspective that are especially challenging to the Libra Sun which is seeking to understand how to weigh and balance these shifts in the most effective way possible. Since Venus (now retrograde) rules the Libra Sun, we are prone to experiencing particularly wild swings in our responses as we try to come to grips with our new perspectives. There is certainly a high degree of freeing inspiration that comes with our 'new view' but we are also prone to going to extremes and find that we are inadvertently contradicting ourselves. The Libra Sun opposes Saturn at the beginning of the week, injecting elements of uncertainty as well as frustration — the presence of obstacles that seem to be intractable. Mercury's conjunction with the retrograding Venus on Tuesday seems to keep a 'lid' on our frustration and encourages us to 'put on a happy face' in order to avoid admitting any fear or discomfort. The waning Moon produces a sense of aimlessness at times this week. As the lunar cycle comes to a close, we are still learning how to stabilize our self-confidence and courage. By the end of the week, Saturday's Libra New Moon (8:49 AM PDT 17° Libra) injects an encouraging note of judgement and reason into the intense swirls of tension and uncertainty that we experience this week. While not anything approaching a clear new sense of purpose or direction, the New Moon — which features an auspicious, developing sextile to Jupiter — offers some effective tools that can help us to begin to unwind our complex emotional responses to the shifting situations and circumstances — particularly as they have evolved since the expansion that was initiated last July through the connections that Jupiter made to the outer planets. There are budding new insights and innovative new ideas that begin to gain 'oxygen' — breathing room that allows expansion and development as we consider where we go from here.

We find ourselves determinedly thrashing about in an attempt to maintain some semblance of stability on Sunday. We are likely to see some especially unsteady emotional outbursts and uncomfortable overnight tensions. There is quite a bit to 'grab hold of' on Monday — quite a bit to work with as we seek to make sense of our new perspectives and fully engage with the wildly unstable atmosphere. There is hope that we can gain a more realistic perspective but we need to maintain our self confidence — without pushing into arrogance. There is likely a great deal of 'bravado' on display on Tuesday, leaving us "whistling a happy tune" in order to avoid admitting any fear or discomfort. There are amiable interactions that help to keep any impatience 'under wraps' for the moment. We find insights on Wednesday that help us to unwind some of the tensions that have been swirling. However, trying to explain too much is only likely to lead to defensiveness arising out of 'impertinent' questions or criticism. We're likely to struggle to maintain any clear sense of direction on Thursday and may find that we're being especially hard on ourselves for not making more clear progress. Perhaps the best that we can hope for is a 'stoic' persistence. What may be most surprising on Friday is how the inner uncertainty isn't very obvious on the surface — which may seem to be quite serene. The swirls of uncertainty are more likely to stay just beneath the surface. We are finally offered some effective tools on Saturday that can help us to begin to unwind our complex emotional responses to our situation and consider where we go from here. There are budding new insights and innovative new ideas that begin to gain 'oxygen' — breathing room that allows expansion and development.