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Equinox: The Quiet Power of the Center

By From Our Archives

On September 22, it’s Equinox. When the Sun enters Libra, we reach one of the  year’s two balance points, when the hours for day and night are equal.  Soon this special balance will tip, with night lengthening in the Northern Hemisphere and contracting in the Southern.

Around the world and here in the US, it’s hard to think of balance in the wild times we’ve been living through.  That’s what makes finding center all the more necessary now!   At this moment, on this day, for these weeks, you are encouraged to notice: There is something rhythmically deep in your DNA that wants to bring you into balance too.

Attuning to nature is one way to keep your life in harmony.  Libra is the peacemaker, the graceful aerialist, the mediator, the angel of “Let’s make this beautiful.” and “Let’s find our common ground.” Her action always brings new connections and peace. What a great way to enter the new season!

Astrology conveys the essence of each sign with its image. For Libra, that’s the scales. Of Chaldean origin, the scales are linked to matters of fate, guilt, and punishment. Indeed in ancient myths the scales are pictured at the critical juncture between life and death, just as the soul is about to pass into the next realm. In ancient Egypt, the soul was measured against the weight of a feather. In the Persian tradition, the angel Rashu weighed souls at the Bridge of Fate, while in the Christian faith St. Michael, Archangel of the Day of Judgment, is pictured with a set of scales. And in ancient Greece, the goddess Themis, the embodiment of law, was represented with scales.

Spiritually the scales represent the process of weighing and measuring our thoughts and actions against universal ideals of truth. As these ancient images teach us, we can’t move forward until we’ve examined our intentions and come to terms with our past. To accept the scales as your guide means to take responsibility for your experiences. Accept that your health and happiness are supported by your choices. And choose a lifestyle that includes equal portions of work and pleasure, exercise and rest, a balanced diet, intellectual stimulation, and positive social interactions.

Ritual for Equinox

My favorite way to celebrate Equinox is simply to watch the Sun, either rising or setting, or both if I have the leisure. If you’re more inclined to esoteric meditations, here’s a simple one that can hardly fail to work in some way. First, take yourself to a beautiful spot and imagine yourself seated in the cosmic Temple of Balance. This ability, by the way, is what has separated humans from every other species on earth: we can imagine things that don’t exist, things we’ve never seen.  Take some time to decorate your temple. You’ll learn about yourself that way.

However your Temple is arrayed, notice now, in a place of honor, the image of the scales. The scales were an ancient conjuring of homo sapiens. signifying truth, balance, imbalance.  Perhaps there was  a past life of yours, when your fate was weighed against a scale.  Perhaps enough gold or grain had to be paid to keep you alive.  How your heart must have beaten to see the balance reached! If you have memories of an ancient Egyptian past life, you may find yourself transfixed. This is how your soul was measured.

Gently contemplate the stability or swing of your imagined scales. If associations arise, follow them loosely. Intuitions may surface. When you’re ready, however, refocus yourself into the meditation.  Take your eyes to to the all-important fulcrum that holds and centers your  scales.  Feel its stability and calm. Imagine that your body is a similar focal point of stillness and strength. From this place, you’re going to summon the future.

Again, go gently. It starts as a thought. You’re going to invite a communication about the season ahead into your field.  You’re summoning a wisp, a scent, a quality.   Don’t try to direct how this information should reach you.  Just notice.  You’re asking for some sign of the future–an energetic message about  the joys, choices, routines, struggles, surprises and victories that lie ahead. After a minute or two, you’ll notice a new sensation or quality in the atmosphere gathering around you.

Maybe you see actual pictures of events. Perhaps it’s just a mood. Maybe you sense colors or feel the vibration of sounds.  However it wants to come, imagine the energy of the coming season is gathering around  you.  Remain at the center of your still point, letting this happen without trying to make it happen.  Does your future feel exciting? Heavy? Chaotic?  Is it peaceful?  Dull?  Satisfying? Colorful? Just notice without worrying about the meaning.

Still holding yourself at the fulcrum, as the energy swirls, now feel it gradually coming into balance, pouring into either end of your scale.  Let the scales tip from side to side if they need to. But eventually, quite royally and successfully, notice how everything steadies. You’ve balanced and harmonized your future. You’ve brought everything into a graceful flow. Your efforts, your relaxation, your work, your rest, your love, your play–all of it now is measured and swinging harmoniously forward.  Enjoy this feeling for as long as you want. Close your meditation by saluting the equal hours of night and day. Resolve to enter your future with the equanimity of the balanced scales.

Finish 2021 in fine archetypal style with the imagination and support of Dana’s monthly  Moon workshop.   Start your exploring with your free Moon phase report in Chart Play.

Bring the planet energies to life! Learn astrology with me–the right brained way, through pictures and stories.  Check out Dana’s ebooks for colorful, soulful introductions to living gods. 

 

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MoonCircles has been publishing New and Full essays, meditations, and rituals twice each month since 2000. We hope you will enjoy this piece from our archives!

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The Moon is in its
New Phase

in the
Sign of Aries


Today's Lunar Aspects (Greenwich Mean Time)
(subtract: PST -8 hours, PDT -7 hours, EST -5 hours, EDT -4 hours)

  • Moon sextile Mars, 5:13pm  Mar 23 2023
  • Moon square Pluto, 6:42pm  Mar 23 2023
  • Moon sextile Saturn, 9:57pm  Mar 23 2023

Venus is currently
The Evening Star

in the sign of Taurus


Enroll in Dana Gerhardt’s Moon Workshop!
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Astrologers use a variety of house systems, or methods of dividing up the sky into twelve sections. I use the Porphyry house system; another popular house system is Placidus (this is the default on https://astro.com). If the chart I send you looks different from what you are used to seeing, then likely a system other than Porphyry was used. Whole signs, Equal House, Regiomantus, and Campanus are examples of other systems. If you find all of this confusing, do not worry. It is likely not critical to your report.

m  Conjunction:  Like peas in a pod, planets in conjunction tend to come from the same place. They act together, but it’s also hard to tell them apart. This aspect can increase talent, focus, and intensity (“two are better than one”). Or one planet can disappear as the other dominates. Their connection feels so natural, it’s easy to think everyone blends these planetary energies just as you do—but mostly, they don’t!.

p  Sextile:  Planets in sextile are compatible, though without any fireworks. This aspect doesn’t demand your attention. It quietly presents an opportunity. You can join these archetypal forces. Donna Cunningham has called this the “Oh, that!” aspect, because that’s generally what her clients say when she describes their benefits.  To get the most from sextiles you need to actively work them.

q  Square:  Squares are wild and wonderful—but difficult too. The power struggle between these planets was likely defined in your youth, when they were impossibly challenging. People are usually aware of their squares. They force the issues that make you to grow. And that’s their gift. They ensure you learn your lessons. When you rise to the occasion, they bless you with energy, action, and success.

r  Trine:  Michael Munkasey has dubbed this the “goddess aspect” because it’s so lovely. Identifying talents you may have perfected in a previous life, trines can bring you joy. There’s a nice flow of energy between planets in trine. They support and reinforce each another. But without any struggle, you might take them for granted—neither using nor developing their gifts. An unattended trine can sometimes trick you into negative behaviors.

t  Inconjunct/Quincunx:  Your quincunx planets are innately incompatible. Bringing them into harmonious expression requires constant adjustments. This can be stressful, also motivating. You’ve got to keep changing your process, opinions or attitude—which promotes highly creative solutions.

u  Opposition:  They say opposites attract—and planets in opposition are never far from each other, though they’re constantly bickering. You may be triggered into awareness of this aspect by other people who seem to resist or undermine you.  An opposition can make you feel uncertain, insecure, or discontent, until you can accept and see yourself in both energies. Typically people find it easier to identify with one side and project the other onto unsuspecting others in the outer world.

First House: Personality, physical body, beginnings. Includes the Ascendant and rules physical appearance, the image you project to others, your general outlook on life, how you start things; may describe your role in your family system, often guides your first impression of immediate environment.

Second House: Money and personal finances, sense of self-worth and basic values, personal possessions, talents.

Third House: Communication, thoughts, language skills like writing and speaking, early schooling, siblings and neighbors, short trips, coming and going around town.

Fourth House: Your home, psychological foundations and roots, family, parents, domestic life, instinctive behavior, ancestry, your connection with the past, sense of security, domestic life, real estate. conditions at the end of life.

Fifth House: Children, creativity, romance; pleasure, entertainment, self-expression; all forms of “play”, speculation, gambling, and attitude towards taking risks; hobbies, attitude towards romance, lovers as opposed to partners, attitude towards having fun.

Sixth House: Work and job (as opposed to career), daily life, attitude towards service and coworkers, helpfulness, pets, attitude towards routine and organization, how you refine and perfect your skills.

Seventh House: Partnerships, one-to-one relationships, marriage, the first marriage, the “significant other”, business partnerships, competitors, open enemies, lawyers, mediators, counselors, contracts, negotiations, agreements. clients/the public.

Eighth House: Transformations and crisis, your ability to meet and rebound from crisis and change, sexuality; sex, death and rebirth, rituals and personal growth, your partner’s resources, addictions, psychology, other people’s money, taxes, divorce/alimony, inheritance.

Ninth House: Attitude toward expanding horizons, religious beliefs and personal philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel, morals, foreign languages and cultures, personal truths, publishing, commerce, advertising, your sense of adventure.

Tenth House: Career and profession, your contribution to society, social status, public reputation, material success, how you carve out a public identity for yourself; attitude toward authority figures, parents, caregivers, bosses, governments, attitude towards responsibility, desire for achievement.

Eleventh House: Friends, groups, organizations; hopes, wishes, aspirations, personal goals; your philanthropic attitude, concern for the collective, humanity; like tenth, can bring recognition and honors for fulfilling hopes and dreams.

Twelfth House: What’s hidden beneath the surface, karmic dustbin, limiting childhood/past-life messages, self-undoing, hidden enemies, hidden weaknesses, dreams, secret affairs, lost items, hospitals and prisons, hidden strengths, spiritual studies and soul growth.

A  Sun: Our vitality and magnetism; self-identity, ego.
Roles: The Self, the Hero, the Performer, the King.

B  Moon: Intuition, emotion, nurture.
Roles: The Mother, the High Priestess, the Child.

C  Mercury: Mind; physical dexterity and mental agility.
Roles: The Thinker, the Communicator, the Student, the Trickster, the Merchant, the Thief.

D  Venus: Our capacity for pleasure, receptivity, creativity, and social connection. Also indicates our relationships, self esteem, and financial abundance.
Roles: The Lover, the Seductress, the Artist.

E  Mars: Desire, initiative, anger.
Roles: The Protector, the Athlete, the Warrior.

F  Jupiter: Luck, opportunity, expansion, higher learning, religion.
Roles: The Scholar, the Gypsy, the Traveler, the Monk, the Professor.

G  Saturn: Hard work, commitment, focus, inadequacy, leadership, suffering, loss.
Roles: The Task Master, the Grim Reaper, the Wise Old Man, the Builder, the Cynic, the Boss.

H  Uranus: Change, breakthroughs, upsets, discoveries.
Roles: The Revolutionary, the Humanitarian, the Visionary, the Snob.

I  Neptune: Imagination, spirituality, idealism, addictions, deception, compassion.
Roles: The Artist, the Romantic, the Guru, the Addict, the Martyr, the Victim.

J  Pluto: Transformation, power, psychological dynamics, helplessness.
Roles: The Terrorist, the Detective, the Psychotherapist, the Dictator, shady people.

a  Aries: Pioneering, competitive, selfish, impatient, courageous, reckless, independent, dynamic, domineering, “Me first!”

b  Taurus: Patient, stable, lazy, dependable, practical, sensual, stubborn, artistic, possessive, greedy, gentle, loyal.

c  Gemini: Intelligent, curious, adaptable, quick-witted, restless, clever, scatterbrained, lacking follow-through.

d  Cancer: Nourishing, intuitive, protective, moody, sensitive, maternal, domestic, childish, cautious, creative.

e  Leo: Proud, dignified, vain, expressive, romantic, generous, childish, overbearing, self-assured, creative.

f  Virgo: Perfection-seeking, practical, methodical, petty, critical, studious, discriminating, cautious, never satisfied.

g  Libra: Charming, sociable, peace-loving, refined, diplomatic, artistic, indecisive, apathetic, easily deterred.

h  Scorpio: Passionate, secretive, penetrating, resourceful, suspicious, manipulative, jealous, sarcastic, intolerant, determined, aware.

i  Sagittarius: Freedom-loving, philosophical, optimistic, enthusiastic, careless, impatient, talkative, a know-it-all, broadminded, athletic, honest.

j  Capricorn: Serious, responsible, practical, hardworking, stubborn, brooding, inhibited, status-conscious, domineering, unforgiving.

k  Aquarius: Progressive, individualistic, unpredictable, cold, intellectual, artistic, eccentric, shy, impersonal, scientific.

l  Pisces: Compassionate, intuitive, ungrounded, romantic, impractical, self-sacrificing, seductive, musical, artistic.