Moon into Libra: Inner Balance

Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning

The Moon is finishing her last hours in Virgo, in a void-of-course period that began yesterday evening. Early this morning, Jupiter stopped and turned back to retrace his steps in early Taurus. During this retrograde, he'll travel all the way back to 0 Virgo, stopping there on Christmas Day to turn direct.

As the Moon moves toward Libra, she reaches perigee, her closest approach when her pull on Earth's waters and our emotions is strongest. During the Moon's time in Libra, the early days of this waxing cycle, she'll encounter a series of challenges: opposite Uranus, square to Pluto, conjunct Saturn, and square to Mars.

All this points to a time of finding (and holding) our center in the midst of change. Are we connected to our core values strongly enough that we know who we are in the middle of tumultuous energies?

Jupiter in Taurus is a warm, stable, generous force who reaches out his arms inviting everyone to his table. Turning retrograde may not diminish the warmth of his welcome; instead, we're invited to explore the reasons for our generosity and its limits. Do we give to others to meet their needs, or our own? When do we close down, and why?

finding a safe path

The Moon is the ancient gate through which all celestial energies come to Earth. When she dips closest to us, we feel her effects most strongly. At the border between Virgo and Libra, we have a chance to connect to larger patterns in a direct and possibly unsettling way.

Years ago, I was caught in a rip current with my young daughter. We were close to shore and there were people around to help, and yet, in that moment of the turning tide, feeling myself in the grip of an overwhelming force over which I had no control, one that could take my daughter from me, was terrifying. Right now, life can feel like a rip current, and holding on to our center a mighty challenge.

The Moon in Libra has the strength and clarity to walk in beauty. Illuminated by revolutionary Uranus, challenged by alchemical Pluto, aligned with karmic Saturn, and challenged by forceful Mars, she can gracefully bend to superior forces and still keep her core. We can enter that space by walking with her.

Here's a lighter image: I took a salsa class last night. The instructor went over the basics, then taught us turns and dips. For a dip to work, both partners have to stay balanced while moving together. If either loses balance, both can wind up on the floor. It takes trust! (And no, as a beginner, I wasn't there yet––when the instructor tried to dip me, I froze––I'm working on it.)

By Wednesday evening, the Libra Moon will have weathered her challenges, reaching a flowing sextile with Mercury in Leo. This is a passionately creative connection for learning and communicating. Thursday morning, the Moon flows in trine with Neptune in visionary Aquarius, placing what we've learned into a cosmic context.

The Neptune trine is the Moon's last classical aspect in Libra, beginning an hour-long void of course period before she enters mysterious Scorpio at 2:48pm EDT.