Libra New Moon

Libra energy is all about harmonising our inner and outer worlds. Join me as I explore why these weighing scales are so much more than they seem. From Themis, to Shamash, to Ma'at - this humble sign rests on the crown of some heavy hitting gods across the ancient world. We'll also undertake a simple but very relaxing meditation exercise to marry our minds with our body before asking ourselves, 'how do I achieve and maintain equilibrium'?

Transcript

Welcome back to The Moon and You, the podcast that's all about the changing sign of the new moon and how we can connect with them to unlock our own potential. My name's Jonah. I'm an Aussie living in South London, and the focus of this episode is on the sign of Libra, the scales, and the seventh point of the zodiac.

Libra is an air sign that's ruled by the planet of Venus, and its name literally means weighing scales, or balance, depending on what you read. So the sign, as we know, is depicted by a set of scales, and the constellation is, uh, quite aptly in the shape of a quadrangle. And while it's not the brightest, one of the stars included in the constellation of Libra is named Methuselah.

It's called that because it's one of the oldest stars that we can see in the night sky from Earth. We enter Libra season pretty much in parallel with the autumnal equinox, and what I'm seeing around me are a lot of blooming crocuses, um, sunflowers still about, and squirrels getting more and more brave as they prepare for the colder months.

Just the other week, I had one brave squirrel actually come through the back door into my kitchen looking for food, which was very cute and reminded me of a Disney movie, uh, which I really enjoyed. So soon after the equinox, I did notice that the sky was quite a bit grayer. But over the past week or two, we've had a pretty significant heatwave in the UK.

So earlier, while I did feel the chill, And definitely the turning of the seasons. Right now it feels like we're back in late summer mode, and I can see that the plants and animals are all enjoying it as well, um, and getting, I guess, confused by the extended, the extended warm season that we're seeing this year.

In the countryside, we're seeing things like oak moss become more prolific at this time of year, and October tends to be the month that sweet chestnuts fall from the trees. Um, it's also at this time of year that things get a bit damper, so lots of natural, uh, fungi species flourish around now, um, that can be harvested if you know what to look for.

October literally means the eighth month, um, but be mindful that we did have a different baseline than when the Gregorian calendar was created. Um, and I can tell that by the time they got to October, whoever was naming these months ran out of steam. Um, so I did look at some other names, and in Old English, its name is Winterfylleth, which means wintry full moon. And that's an obvious nod to the onset of the colder months. 

So I've spent the past couple of weeks looking at local stories and customs about this time of year, and as you can probably expect, a lot of them focus on Halloween or All Hallows Eve on the 31st of October, but this date actually falls within Scorpio season, so I don't want to cover it in this episode.

Instead, there are some cute little local tales about things like apple tree spirits and chestnut spirits. And one that really stood out to me, which I remembered from my own childhood, was this idea or belief that there's an old man's spirit within the oldest apple tree in, uh, any apple orchard. And, uh, one custom is to leave the last fruit hanging on the branch as an offering to him, and to pour him a glass or a jug of cider when it gets really, really cold so that he stays happy and will produce lots of fruit in the years to come. 

So, moving on now to the sign of Libra, and what it actually means and represents. One thing to be mindful of is that it's the only sign in the whole Zodiac that is not a sentient being. It's an inanimate object, and that makes it quite unique.

Because of this, it doesn't really have a big, fancy origin story, but its cultural importance and symbology is still very relevant to the season, which we know basically started with the autumnal equinox. In Greek and Roman depictions of the Zodiac, the scales are the scales of Themis, who you might remember from the last episode was the mother of Astraea, who is the constellation of Virgo.

You'll remember that Astraea also carries her own set of scales, but while she represents community justice, Themis embodies law itself. She is a titan, she is older than the gods of Olympus, and all of her stories present her as a bringer of balance. In some stories she's even connected to Delphi, where commoners and kings alike would seek divine counsel.

Parables and legends about Themis are quite hard to find, but one thing that I found interesting is that she is the mother of two sets of triplets. The first are the Horai, which are the goddesses of time and the turning of the wheel of time and the changing of the seasons. And the second are the Morai, which are the fates, the ones that control the threads of destiny.

I think when you consider Themis as the, as the upholder of lore, um, her first set of triplets, the Horai, as the goddesses and keepers of time, and the second set of triplets, the Morai, and The sort of weavers of human fate and destiny. Altogether, I immediately get a sense of, uh, inevitability, and an element, I guess, of danger, uh, which makes sense when we reflect on the importance and the danger that was connected with colder months and winter, um, and the risks of a poor harvest.

I'm mindful also that Themis is a Titan, and the Titans tend to embody these raw, primordial forces that keep the universe together. Um, in this cloak, I see Themis as a concept. She embodies the natural order of things, the ebb and flow of moment after moment after moment. And in a spiritual sense, I guess, the frame of existence, physics, of give and take, and this idea of equilibrium.

I love how Libra represents structure and orderliness when it's sort of balanced against its partner Aries at the opposite end of the zodiac wheel, which represents, I guess, an element of chaos, um, and force and drive. I feel like together they are the perfect marriage of space and structure and energy and propulsion.

So I think this, the imagery of the scales really embody this, but, uh, what I found fascinating is that in the oldest of old records from the Mediterranean, the constellation was depicted as the claws of Scorpius, which is the next sign in the zodiac. And this claw slash scale imagery is also how the Babylonians saw it too, where originally it was depicted as the claws of the scorpion, um, but then in time went on to represent the scales of justice.

Babylonian and Mesopotamian cultures attributed the sign of Libra to Shamash, who was the god of the sun. And, uh, he sort of gifted humanity with these principles, or may, of law, order, and truthfulness, which kind of makes sense when you think about the watchful eye of the sun, and the way that that sort of image or archetype is portrayed throughout different cultures around the world, even today.

We get even richer lore from the ancient Egyptians, which connected the sign of Libra to the gods Anubis and Ma'at. Anubis, you probably recognize from different films as being the jackal headed god of the underworld, often portrayed as a villain, but in Egyptian culture and context represented, I guess, the welcoming arms of Anubis.

death, and the transitory nature of life, death, and rebirth in perpetual cycle. So while she might not be as immediately recognizable as Anubis to us today, Ma'at was a very powerful goddess in her own right in Egyptian culture. She represents cosmic order, and she wasn't just a concept, but she was a defining cultural principle.

She brought the universe in order when it was created, quite literally, and she was a reminder that everything had its place, and we needed to respect that place, or we'd be faced with chaos. Ma'at wasn't just a goddess, but a way of being. You wanted to live in harmony with Ma'at. It was Ma'at that kept time in check, that kept the seasons in check, that kept the ebb and flow of the Nile in check, and also kept social structures and duties in check.

It was believed that when one died, Anubis would measure the weight of your heart against Ma'at's feather of truth, and those who upheld the principles of Ma'at, which were recorded in the Egyptian Book of the Dead as 42 confessions, would be rewarded with eternal life. These confessions included things like, I have not stolen, I have not lied, I have not closed my eyes to the truth, I am not deceitful, and I have not falsely accused.

Those who failed that test and were of wicked intent would have their hearts gobbled up by Ammit, who was this kind of greedy guts goddess that was personified by a number of dangerous animals including lions, crocodiles, and hippos. So, this common theme of scales and justice across Greek, Babylonian, and Egyptian cultures speak to this idea about upholding truth and personal integrity.

I should also mention that as a sign ruled by Venus, Libra is often associated with art, beauty, culture, and aesthetic pleasure as well. There was a belief and a saying that Rome was founded under a Libra moon, which embodies the energy of this sign perfectly. I think this idea of beauty, art, and aesthetic pleasure, uh, makes sense as well when we consider what's happening around us.

It's almost like the trees are being painted with a paintbrush to turn from gold to red to, to brown, and the skies are grayer, which amplifies the sort of green tones of the grass around us. And not to mention the sound of storms and rain, which become usually more frequent at this time of year. There's also an element of eager anticipation as we prepare ourselves for the coming of the first frost, which would normally hit us around Scorpio season, but this is really the last time to get out, enjoy, and celebrate the warmer half of the year before the cold really kicks in and takes its toll.

So, I've been reflecting on this idea about, uh, beauty, harmony, and balance, and, um, in my reflection and research, I came across this beautiful Confucian proverb, which ties all of this together in a neat, sort of, Libran bow, and it reads, 

If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world. I think this speaks of that common thread of beauty being balance, of balance being peacefulness.

And I can think of other sayings like, As above, so below. This whole idea of the universe within being reflective of the universe without. And to me, that's what Libra is all about. Equilibrium. I would also say that it's easy to fall into dualism and think that everything is a perfect match and exchange of energy, which I don't believe to be true, and I don't believe to be the message of Libra.

We know that it's a lot more complicated than that. What I need to find beauty, peace, and equilibrium in my life is going to be different to you. And the art of keeping our words, our thoughts, and our actions in good check should really be less of a seesaw of massive highs and lows, and more of a gentle series of nudges to keep all parts of ourself in alignment.

My call to reflect on that more than anything else under this sign. So this month's meditation is quite a simple one, which seeks to bring about that harmony and that connection between mind and body. It's super relaxing and a helpful one to keep in your toolbox before bed, if your mind is whirring. So, find yourself somewhere comfortable and get ready to go inwards.

We'll start as always by drawing attention to our breath, breathing in to the count of three, two, three, holding for the count of three, two, Three, and exhaling to the count of three. Two, three. Holding, two, three. And in, two, three. Hold, exhale. Hold, inhale. Hold, exhale. Continue this rhythm. Let your body relax and find yourself slowing down to a state of inner and outer peace.

Now slowly draw your attention to the very tips of your toes. Send your consciousness there and let it spread to your feet. Wiggle your toes and clench the muscles in your feet. Holding them, and then releasing. Being one with your feet.

Now draw that consciousness up, through your ankles, to your calves.

Drawing your attention to the muscles there, and giving them a squeeze, being fully present and conscious in your calf, and then releasing. Letting your consciousness rise further, up your knees, to your thighs.

Spend some time feeling conscious and present with your thighs, squeezing the muscles and paying attention to the sensation, being wholly conscious of it with your mind and your body, and gently releasing. Drawing your attention up through your hips, and lower back, following the same principle. Breathing, squeezing and drawing your attention to the muscles, and relaxing.

Now again, bring that consciousness up to your core. Clench the muscles in your core. Holding them tight, being present in your core with your mind and body, and slowly releasing to relax.

Now bring it up again to your chest, squeezing the muscles in your chest, holding it for a few moments, being present, mind and body in your chest, and gently release.

Up again to your shoulders, paying attention to the muscles in both shoulders, clenching them, feeling your shoulder blades tighten, breathing, being present, and release. Send the consciousness down your arms, to your forearms again, be really present. Focus on the muscles, clench them if you can, and release, down to your fingers and your hands, forming small balls, clenching the muscles, tightening your fist, and releasing to relax.

Now bring your consciousness up to your neck and your head. Tighten your neck and your jaw, being conscious of the sensation with your mind and your body, and slowly releasing to relax.

Now this time, I want you to draw your attention to all the muscles in your body, and three times we're going to tighten them, clenching our hands into fists, curling our toes. Tensing our muscles. Breathing, being in our body, and exhaling to relax.

And again, breathing in, being fully present in our body, activating all the muscles that we can with our conscious mind, being one with our body and our thoughts, and relax. And one more time, on your next inward breath, breathe into your lungs, clench your muscles, your fists, your toes, your thighs, your back, your shoulders, and relax.

Now draw your attention back to your breath, back to the steady, rhythmic in and out. Feeling totally at peace, in a perfect state of equilibrium, where the mind and the body are inseparable. And when you're ready, draw your attention back to the waking world. And open your eyes.

Welcome back. I hope you're still with me and I haven't put you to sleep. Before we go into the sort of reflections and lessons of Libra and what we can do to put it all into practice in the coming month, I did want to just recite another quote that I came across when I was looking into this sign and reflecting on what it meant to both the world around me, but also, um, what it means in terms of, uh, my inner Libra.

And, there's this great saying by Gandhi that is, 'happiness is when your actions, your words, and your thoughts are in harmony'. And I feel like that's really what we're trying to achieve here, with the energy of Libra. So, with that said, it's time for us to reflect on what brings us equilibrium, so what I'm going to challenge you to do is to reflect on how you balance speaking and listening, how you balance home and work, how you balance social time and downtime, and importantly how you live in good relationships with friends and partners and family.

Activities to try this month include things like critical self reflection, so reflecting on Themis scales, Maat's feather, and Shamash's watchful eye. Um, try writing a list of things that bring you joy, meaning, or purpose, and things that detract from that. We of course can't expect everything to be perfect all the time, but perhaps it might shed some light on where you are focusing your energy, and inspire some ideas on how to rebalance it, or mitigate some distractions so you can live in a better state of equilibrium.

Linked to this, I think that Libra season is a really good time to, uh, speak the truth, to be truthful, to sort of challenge some of the big gnarly things that we might want to put off. Um, and to have those difficult conversations, even if you find them uncomfortable. And to end on a much lighter note, it's a, uh, really great time of year to explore new creative pursuits.

So. What a great way to break away from the constant streams and demands of 21st century life than picking up a paintbrush or a piece of clay. Let that bring you the balance that you might not know you need. Or you could do what I'm doing and take up a silly dance practice that balances all of those hours that you spent hunched over at a desk for work.

That brings us to an end of Libra, um, but next month is ooky spooky Scorpio season which I'm really looking forward to, so until then, enjoy the changing of the season, and I'll catch you when you're back