the new moon in libra is exact on friday september 30th 2016 at 5:11pm PDT, commencing a new lunar cycle that focuses on relationship, partnership, balance, beauty, harmony and inner and outer peace. a new moon is a time to plant seeds and set intentions- and because this new moon is conjunct jupiter in this new home sign of libra (where he will be for the next year) it’s a time to plant seeds and set intentions about what you want to expand or grow into in the upcoming year! (look to the libra part of your chart and/or read the weekly horoscopes to get a sense of where this positive energy is unfolding).
this is an interesting new moon- as it does initiate us into the goodness of jupiter in libra but it also makes quite a few tense aspects (mars, neptune, pluto and the south node). jupiter in libra is excellent for growth via connection with others. libra is the sign of partnership so jupiter in libra helps us to grow via our partnerships and collaborations with others. libra is symbolized by the scales- which speaks to seeking balance between self and other, give and take, assertion and compromise. jupiter in libra wants to teach us how to be in relationship in healthy ways- so that we are not coming from codependency (too much other/give/compromise) but also so we are not coming from my way or the high way mentality (too much self, take and assertion). wherever we tend to err to far in either extreme- the coming year is the time to work on redressing the balance!
yet this new moon makes several intense aspects- all of which gives us a preview of when jupiter will make these aspects as well. the new moon quincunxes neptune and the south node, squares pluto and very widely opposes uranus- and guess what? jupiter will quincunx neptune and the south node 10/23-10/24, jupiter will square pluto 11/24 and jupiter will oppose uranus 12/26 (and jupiter will continue to aspect all of them into september of next year).
the tightest of these aspects is the quincunx to neptune and the south node in pisces- bringing the planet of spirituality and illusion and the karmic south node into focus. we have the neptune/south node conjunction approaching (exact in early november) and this alignment is exacerbating the shadow tendencies of the pisces south node: denial, delusion, avoidance of reality, playing the victim or the martyr, turning to addictions to numb out, spiritually bypassing our own shadow, and generally just not wanting to be accountable for the shadow dynamics going on in our lives. both libra and pisces are signs that focus on other people. they want to help others, be with others, save others! this comes from a genuine desire to be loving and kind- but it also comes from a desire to be loved and valued and at times a desire to not have to focus on the self ;) so this new moon in partnership focused libra actually has a message for all of us: focus WITHIN first. if you think jupiter in libra is magically going to bring you the perfect partner ever and you have not done your inner work- think again. we magnetize what we are- and if your relationship history is something you are not so proud of don’t think that the next person that comes in can change that if you have not done the work to change within.
another lesson with the new moon quincunx to neptune/south node involves us needing to take off the rose colored, idealistic glasses (that both libra and pisces like to wear) so that we can see reality as it is, not as it could be/should be/used to be/might be in 10 more years or 10 more lifetimes. relationships founded on seeing someone’s potential will take you down a long karmic road that will end the way it began. so think to your beginnings and see if that is how you want things ending- and if not then what do you need to change within? how something begins is how it will end. you cannot have a bad beginning and magically have a happy ending. start as you mean to finish and finish as you mean to start. transition points are really KEY- as they show how we end things and begin things and how we can stand in the empty space between them without grasping at something new to fill in the hole and also not running away from something to avoid dealing with the pain or wounds we are trying to deny. now is the time to be CONSCIOUS in our endings and beginnings- if we want to write good stories in our lives! (and with jupiter in libra we really can write good and even great new stories if we are willing to do our inner work!)
with the new moon square a slowing picking up speed pluto (he just stationed direct 4.4 days ago) there’s also some deep energy for transformation and evolution present- also perhaps for power struggles and intensity. during the lunar cycle this new moon initiates we have the sun/pluto square on 10/7 and then we have mars conjunct pluto on 10/19- making the 2 weeks between the two aspects POTENT. major evolution and transformation can unfold in relationships. or in situations where that is not possible major death and endings that prepare the way for new experiences in the future can unfold. this is not a libra new moon to be all nice nice and put a false veneer over things when really the root and foundation is toxic or stagnant. libra loves to see the best in things, people, situations- but if we are attached to living on the surface then pluto can pull us down and in!
the best use of the pluto energy in the coming weeks is to DIVE DEEP and be willing to confront, name and own shadow within- as well as be willing to see and not take on the shadow without. big changes in structures and foundations in our lives- things we thought would endure forever but are clearly showing that they are not healthy and not supportive of growth can unfold. luckily the new moon is sextile saturn- helping us to take responsibility and anchor into a solid sense of ourselves, our values, our worth and self-Love. when we come from a deeply grounded place within- we are not looking for others to complete us. when we come from a place of feeling complete from the inside out- our energetic charge changes and we no longer attract our opposite but instead attract others who have done the work on their wholeness as well. relationships tend to recapitulate old childhood wounds and the degree to which you don’t do your inner work is the degree to which you will keep on having the same old karmic patterns play out in partnership. with jupiter in libra for the next year- now is the time to step up your growth game and be willing to change from the inside out!
the new moon is conjunct a fixed star called diadem- which is about sacrificing oneself. positively this can speak to doing things for the benefit of others- not for personal benefit or personal desire. yet it can also speak to where we over sacrifice ourselves- which is something both libra and pisces can overdo (the signs of the new moon and neptune/south node conjunction). the call here is to know when we are sacrificing from the correct place with Spirit leading versus sacrificing from a wounded ego (i am not worth it) or from a spiritual ego place (oh look at me sacrificing for everyone!). with the neptune/south node quincunx- really pulling back the veil to see where we do this but paint it over with pretty colors so that it looks differently is so key. it’s not easy to see our own self delusions and self deceptions- and very often we learn how to lie to ourselves about key things we don’t want to see or own. but this new moon challenges us to use the sword of Truth to cut away the illusion so we can then fully see and accept what remains. interestingly the evolutionary north node is on zosma- which is another fixed star that relates to a victim or a savior. for me the key is to save the only person you can save- which is yourself. if we each committed to doing our own inner work, waking up, integrating shadow and becoming whole- there would be no one else to save!
the new moon is also conjunct the asteroid arachne- which is spider medicine. the first that comes to mind is the tangled webs we weave- with a need to look at the whole picture formed by the actions we have taken in the past and the present and where that will lead to in the future if we stay on the same course. with jupiter on this new moon the webs we weave can expand big time. so looking to see if what has been created is something we want amplified or not- and if not then taking an honest look at what led us to create the reality we have is key. spiders are the Great Weavers and are linked to the Great Mother as well as to the fates. the Goddesses that are seen as birth/death goddesses are often seen as weavers or spiders- or have spiders associated with them. they measure out our lives and then cut them off when it’s time for the end (of this life). so this new moon can also be a time to really look at our personal timelines- looking at the fate in our lives and how we have created it, as well as looking back into past lives to see the repercussions of the past in the present day. some people think we should not go into past lives as that is in the past- but actually accessing the akashic records helps us to understand patterns that play out in all of our lifetimes and also allows us to see the continuity between lives with clear information about what needs to change.
last but certainly not least we have neptune fast approaching the solar eclipse degree from 9/1. neptune will oppose the last new moon/solar eclipse degree on 10/30 and again on 12/9- making these last months of 2016 very powerful. the call to discernment, clarity, integrity, self honesty, humility and deep commitment to inner work is STRONG. yet equally strong can be the desire to check out, avoid reality, deceive the self and others, play the victim or the martyr, turn to addictions to numb out and spiritually bypass the deep work that is calling to us now. there are two forces vying to get our attention- how very libra (the sign of the scales). which path will you choose? which truth will you live? choose wisely. and call on the egyptian Goddess maat to help you stay aligned with Truth and integrity- as the energy you set things into motion under will determine the outcome!
blessings…
~divine harmony