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Libra Full Moon: Peace, Love and Understanding

By Jessica Shepherd

These aren’t the easiest of times. Everyone’s cup is filled to the rim, and living with daily stressors can really wear you down. Paradoxically, stress lowers our tolerance for handling the complexity it brings into our life; science says stress chemicals hi-jack our brains, and narrowing our ability to think we literally become dumber. Under stress, we become reactionary and reductionistic. Even ordinary discussions are bigger, hotter and redder as, we, and the people in our lives, find it all to easy to forego nuance, ambiguity and instead jump to conclusions.

When life resembles a shaken up can of 7-Up, calm Libra rolls in like a smooth ocean breeze, passing out tropical drinks, soothing ruffled feathers. Libra is the civilizing force of society. A mental air sign, Libra rules objectivity, impartiality, neutrality, subtlety. When confronted with the conversational equivalent of a car full of screaming quintuplets who are all cutting teeth, empathic Libra deftly attempts to maneuver the topic onto reasonable ground.  By empathically feeling into a situation and thoughtfully, deliberately offering a calming word, a sweet, a gentle gesture, Libra relaxes and pacifies us.

Like an expert hostess or host, Libra accommodates, and often with panache and class. I loved the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel for this reason, as the head concierge of this grand hotel (wonderfully played by Ralph Fiennes) exemplified the civility, dignity, sophistication and mutual courtesy of a bygone era. I used to work in the hospitality industry, where accommodation is king. Yet even there I learned that no matter how respectful and helpful, when the there’s a hot-head freight train headed your way “nice” will never stop the train, only slow it down.

It’s a subtle art, being Libra. Libra expertly notices the nuances of a situation, and defuses bombs with sensitivity. Just imagine what this world would be like without Libra. Diplomacy would cease. Red-eyed emotions would run amok. A winner takes all mentality would supersede negotiations. But peace at any price is the shadow of Libra. And in these days of  Uranus in Aries, of  hard earned Truth-to-Self moments, Libra’s impartial gaze is not always met with warm eyes. When life is edgy, objectivity, graciousness and tact isn’t always welcome. To the hot, urgent, fiery Self it can even feel manipulative, slick.

I experienced this when I recently found myself in a discussion with a good friend who was feeling victimized, angry. Because of my closeness to the topic, I grew increasingly uncomfortable. I found myself playing out my Libra rising: countering her every angry statement with an objective and impartial one, she finally exploded, “I feel so judged by you!” I didn’t see it that way. My Libra Rising was frantically trying to maintain equilibrium and balance, trying to hold two different views instead of collapsing into extremism and self-righteousness. There we were, two people having very different experiences of the same conversation, a classic Aries-Libra scenario (and we were both having Mars transits that day).

At this Libra Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, we need to experience sweet release of tension, a spot of serenity, yet the other planets aren’t being so cooperative. The explosive tensions of Uranus, Pluto, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter loom nearby.  Pluto is station retrograde.  Old wounds are triggered. Eclipses shine light into the dark shadow corners of our psyche; we need to discover what’s impeding our peace, and because the nature of eclipses are unpredictable, revelations may be unsettling or surprising.  With Mercury in Aries conjunct Uranus at this Full Moon, revelations are fueled by fiery veracity; we can no longer ignore our bottom line, our truth. If we’re unhappy in our relationship, we may discover we need new relationship tools. We may realize we’ve been codependent, compromising too much, or conversely that there’s been a lack of teamwork, a unified “Us” togetherness. We may have run-ins with people who are irrational, high-strung, tense. We may feel that way. In short, at this lunation we may not feel peaceful at all.

When we’re on edge, misunderstanding looms large, especially while Mars is retrograde in Libra and casual social interactions can bring out our heat, fire, sense of injustice. As Mars continues his retrograde journey (through May 19, in Libra through July 24), we’re being given a crash course in learning the subtleties and nuances of every person and situation. Let’s aspire to keep balanced in the eye of the storm; let’s choose to carry love and peace in our consciousness. Considering another’s point of view is never mandatory, but it is extremely helpful right now. Aries/Mars forever aims for victory for the Self, but that’s a great way to live in a world of exactly one person. Ideally, there’s a setting at the table for everyone’s experience. After all, Libra’s endpoint is peace, love and understanding—and that happens when everyone is honored.

© by Jessica Shepherd

Image from DeviantArt.com, “Peace” by kalani1980

Filed under: Home Full Moon Featured Article

About Jessica Shepherd

Jessica Shepherd is a writer, astrologer and health coach who has studied and practiced modern astrology since 1992. She is the author of A Love Alchemist’s Notebook: Magical Secrets For Drawing Your True Love Into Your Life (Llewellyn, 2010) and the books Venus Signs: Discover Your Erotic Gifts and Secret Desires Through Astrology
(Llewellyn, 2015) and Karmic Dates and Momentary Mates: The Astrology of the Fifth House (Moonkissd, 2014). In 2018, after living in California for twenty years, she relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband, dog, and cat. Find out more about Jessica at Moonkissd (www.moonkissd.com).

Comments

  1. B says

    Apr 18, 2014 at 10:09 am

    OOHHHH…with my Libra Rising I came up against this with my Cancer step-mum in a very tenuous situation. With all my diplomacy we still felt totally misunderstood by the other no matter how I tried to weave through her grieving and loss. Spoke to me very clearly! Thank you. B

    Reply
  2. Grace Allison says

    Apr 15, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    With the eclipse on my natal mars and Neptune in Libra I feel exhilarated, had a much needed massage to smooth out the tension.

    Reply
  3. Jessica Shepherd says

    Apr 14, 2014 at 9:54 am

    Thank you, Mary! I appreciate the forum to share with readers like you, here at Mooncircles. Happy Eclipse to you. xo, Jessica

    Reply
  4. Mary McClain says

    Apr 14, 2014 at 9:30 am

    Hi Jessica,

    I loved reading your interpretation of this Libra Full Moon/Eclipse!
    All of the Moonprints writers/contributors are great astrologers/writers!
    I really appreciate the insights!
    Thank you!
    Mary McClain
    Portland, Oregon

    Reply

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The Moon is in its
Crescent Phase

in the
Sign of Libra


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

  • Moon opposite Jupiter, 1:13pm  Jul 6 2022
  • Moon square Sun, 2:14am  Jul 7 2022
  • Moon trine Venus, 5:54am  Jul 7 2022

Venus is currently
The Morning Star

in the sign of Gemini


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© 2000 - 2022 Mooncircles.com

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.