New Moon in Libra brings much more positive and light energy, despite being agitated by Mars. This energy isn’t as heavy as when the new moon was in Virgo. It’s time to think about what we want out of our relationships in the coming month and what wounds (Chiron in Aries) we might have to heal within our own identity to better integrate beauty, balance and greater receptivity in communion with another.

Are your exchanges with other people fair, balanced or ethical?

The new moon in Libra seeks to bring peace within one’s self and one’s immediate environment by turning inward. The light of the Sun is already weakened in Libra, yet when Chandra is swallowed by the Sun, the light is blocked by the Earth and we must set our awareness and energy upon the theme of relationships. It is an internalizing energy that externalizes through the Moon’s transit during the waxing phase, and finally culminates during the full moon.

Because Mars is in a tight conjunction to the new moon, and it is also the lord/ruler of Chiron and Venus (creating an interchange yoga: planets aid one another), there can be some discomfort or growing pains when coming to terms with the state of our connections.

Debilitated Sun with the New Moon

Remember that the Sun is weak during this time of year. The light and power of the soul fades. The Moon in Libra is also preparing to enter into her debilitation of fixed emotions: Scorpio. Libra is movable and changes the season, initiating the fall, where the solar power felt during the hot summer heat dies off and prepares us for a cold restrained winter.

Naturally, the Sun in Libra can offset a person’s vision, clarity and energy. Instead of living for something great in life, we sell ourselves short and live for something trivial or limited, like pleasing others: family, friends or society. Hindered from expressing our soul’s powerful vision, we are enslaved to the opinions of other people. Without feeling a sense of true purpose, one naturally gravitates towards pleasure-seeking, or just having fun in the moment.

Chronic compulsivity in one’s behaviors and even addiction can occur. The person may seek to escape from Saturn (suffering), rather than face it, thereby growing in wisdom, maturity and spirit. The addiction, in whatever form it takes, is spurred on by a lack of inner-clarity; weak rays from the Sun means one cannot perceive clearly. With “wrong view,” as Buddhists call it, there can come a lot of unnecessary suffering.

“Not all addictions are rooted in abuse or trauma, but I do believe they can all be traced to painful experience. A hurt is at the centre of all addictive behaviors. It is present in the gambler, the Internet addict, the compulsive shopper and the workaholic…”

— Gabor Maté, MD

On the surface, things seem fine. Beneath it all there is emptiness. If Venus is weak, fulfillment through the material becomes difficult. It takes a bigger dose of dopamine to do the trick. Additionally, those who seek to fulfill Venus through food, drink or sex, are running as fast as they can from themselves. They are alienated from the true authentic self (Sun), and quite distant from the power, stability and security that comes from identifying with this pure conscious awareness, the undying self which rests behind conceptual thinking.

Even great rulers and conquerers are trying to fill emptiness by obtaining power (Sun) over other people (Libra). Those who are illuminated and enlightened have understood the power of the Sun to be within one’s own self (Aries). Hence why many saints are depicted with halos of light around their heads, the area of the body ruled by Aries. I digress.

The need for approval is part of the burden of the Sun in Libra, both in natal and in transit. When it is with the Moon, which is related to our individualized consciousness and emotional self, the need for others to help fulfill needs that our soul normally would fill become amplified in the mind.

And when it is with Mars (anger and willpower), both in transit and in the natal, our willpower and energy to initiate change becomes dampened, far more dependent upon other people’s opinions. As a result, we become passive-aggressive within partnerships. We feel thwarted, insecure and unable get a fair deal out of life.

New Moon Intentions

• Building strong relationships
• Bringing confidence and passion into our lives
• Balance out your individuality and will with the needs of other people
• Negotiating our personal will with the universal will bring harmony

Libra is a sign centered on making healthy decisions that lead to ultimate fulfillment, making connections to others and, generally speaking, a sign that centers on themes of peace, harmony and balance — giving a fair shake for everyone.

But there’s something to consider here…Mars, Sun and Mercury (R) are conjoined in Libra. These planets, save for Mercury, aren’t too keen on getting along with others or cultivating relationship. They just want to get $#%^ done. There will be a powerful pull through the coming month balancing our own passions with the needs of others.

Though difficult, it is a good time to make peace with people, places and situations (when isn’t it?) and to build community or connection with others who hold a common objective or shared passion.

What Comes Before the New Moon?

Right before this new moon, there is a dark moon in Virgo. Perhaps we’ll address some fears or delusions about what is good, healthy and pure for us to have in life before sharing our experience with another. We might even have an awkward moment of feeling uneasy about what structures bolster or hinder our ability to foster meaningful connection with another person.

What Happens After?

After the new moon phase ends, it waxes (growing energy) through the latter-half of the zodiacal belt, until it reaches the full moon in Aries; afterwards, it proceeds to wane towards unity with the Sun (dissipating energy).

Meanwhile, the lord of Libra, Venus, is situated in the late degrees of Scorpio, in its detriment. You’ll find others will be too lost in their psychological burdens to engage properly. But once Venus enters into Sagittarius, a sign of grand idealism, inspiration and freedom, we’ll want more excitement and experience in relationships, yet feel pretty emotionally removed from being able to actualize it (south node is conjunct it).

Once the moon leaves Libra and enters into Scorpio on October 8th, it transits between Venus in Sagittarius, and Mars, Sun, Mercury in Libra. This alignment, hemming of planets around the moon, provides an emotional environment of hope for a more free and spontaneous relationship, along with a balanced sense of passion.

Then, once the moon enters into Sagittarius and conjuncts Shukra, as well as the South Node, we might need to release conceptual attachments to cherished ideals and beliefs about partnerships and commitment.

Once the moon enters into Capricorn and conjuncts Pluto, you’ll be faced with making a critical decision. Emotionally sure up what kind of relationships you want to build and grow.

This can wipe out relationships that don’t work. It breaks things down and starts them all over again. Pluto in Capricorn wants to ensure a powerful foundational structure is there. Pluto doesn’t care about the ego, it wants the soul and the truth. Whatever relationship is built on a false power dynamic between people will be eliminated. Pluto is here to test your metal.

In contrast, however, if your relationship is fair and built on a foundation of respect, Pluto/Moon aspect will be an opportunity to strengthen and create a deeper emotionally fulfilling experience. Pluto aspects are not light and happy, but (similar to the nature of Scorpio) dark, emotional and intense. It is all or nothing, do or die, when it comes to this dwarf planet’s astral energies.

It’s not all trial and tribulation though. Jupiter casts a trine to the Libra stellium and gives plenty of hope, meaning and happiness to be had as well. Jupiter effortlessly expands our awareness of what or who we value.

Furthermore, as the moon travels on towards fullness, it conjuncts Saturn and casts a nice trine to Mercury. You’ll think about the weight of the decisions previously made. Finally, on the day of the full moon, a conjunction is made with Chiron (where we feel pain in identity and heal it) and opposes Mercury, how we communicate in a balanced or harmonious way what we value and want.

The Moon opposes both the Sun and Mars, signifying a need to integrate our masculine drive for independence and dominance, with the need to compromise and allow for others to have what they want too. Venus, the ruler of Libra, delights in bringing pleasure to other people. Mars, the opposite energy, situated in detriment when in Libra, wants to conquer, take and satisfy personal drives or passions. We must find a balance.

October 21st and 23rd:

The day after the full moon, the waning cycle begins with a conjunction to Uranus in Taurus, and shortly after, the south node: emotional release.

October 28th:

The final quarter lunation phase occurs in Leo. This is the final quarter square. And good lord, this is a grandiose emotional finality if I have ever seen one.

Major planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Sun, Uranus) that are associated with large-scale organizations, leadership, government and authority, both in the external material sense of the “real world” and in the personal psycho-spiritual sense of our ability to trust ourselves and be governors of our own conscious experience, will all lay down a rigid square to the Moon. They all look at the her, in the sign of Leo, the place of power and authority.

On the level of personality…This is the final decision about integrating the psychological archetype of the inner-child within context of our relationships. This is done in order to find harmony both internally (emotionally) and externally (healthy boundaries and standards). What ego-based identifications might we need to let go of during the waning cycle to become better in-tune with others and cultivate more successful relationships with them?

November 2nd and 3rd:

By the end of this lunar cycle, the dark moon is in Libra with Mercury and conjuncts Mars. This is where we confront our internal judge. It is here that we withdraw into our inner-sanctums, become curious and decide what has to be balanced out before entering the emotional crucible of Scorpio, where sex, death, mystery and emotional passion become paramount themes for the next new moon cycle: thirty days.