When Arielle Ford met Brian Hilliard, she knew he was “the one.” In fact, they were both so certain they were soul mates that they got engaged within three weeks. Yet there were obstacles to their bliss. Arielle was aware that Brian was athletic, but she soon began to see the full magnitude of his sports fanaticism. When he wasn’t watching games, he was obsessively making notations in the sports section of the newspaper. Arielle realized that their marriage was doomed if she didn’t find a way to appreciate this aspect of Brian. So she opened herself to the possibility of actually loving sports. She made an effort to learn about her husband’s passion, and soon they were enjoying games together.
In her book, Wabi Sabi Love: The Ancient Art of Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships, Arielle explains, “Early on in our relationship, we decided that our union would be our number one priority. We promised each other that our choices would be based not on what Arielle wanted, or on what Brian wanted, but on what was ultimately best for our relationship.” The couple took a Wabi Sabi approach to their marriage, adopting the ancient Japanese principle of finding beauty in what could otherwise be perceived as imperfection. And now, 14 years later, they’re more in love with each other than ever.
This level of unconditional love represents the highest potential of relationship-oriented Libra. Even though it’s a mental air sign, Libra’s task is to balance and reconcile opposites—something which can only occur in the heart. The upcoming Libra New Moon (Oct. 4, 5:34 p.m. PDT) offers a chance to open your heart, connect deeply with others and drink in the magic elixir of love.
The New Moon squares nourishing Jupiter in Cancer, opposes electrifying Uranus in Aries and squares transformational Pluto in Capricorn, creating a dynamic Cardinal Grand Cross that can crack open the most stubborn heart. If this sounds painful, imagine filling in the cracks with 14 karat gold—the Wabi Sabi technique for highlighting imperfections in ceramics. Simply breathing love and healing into your heart may be enough to do the trick. Or perhaps you’ll need to shed some tears and forgive someone or have a long-overdue talk with a loved one. Soon Mercury will be going retrograde (Oct. 20 – Nov. 9), which is an especially good time for breathing new life into long-standing relationships.
For an infusion of self-love to jump-start your love life, try this Libra New Moon ritual from my book, Astro Feng Shui: Making Magic in Your Home and Life. On that page, you’ll also find a mini-slide show showing how one woman transformed her Love Gua to breathtaking effect!
Painting by Claudia Fernety. See more of Claudia’s work at her website.
I am just reading this article now, but had very similar thoughts regarding a new relationship of my own. It can be challenging for me, but we are supportive of one another in our current struggles. From the outside we look improbably coupled, but that is part of the fun! My tough young guy is a marshmallow inside 🙂 and we are very happy!
So glad you’re happy, Barbara! That’s all that counts.
Thank you Simone!