Past Articles

AR 47 Once in a Blue Moon

AR 46 Sedna Enters the Arena

AR 45 Royal Stars of Persia

AR 44 Ancient Formulas for Immortality

AR 43 Twelve Gates of Heaven

AR 42 Jupiter in Virgo

AR 41 Geometry of the Spheres

AR 40 Saturn in Cancer, June, 2003 to July, 2005

AR 39 The Poles of the Zodiac

AR 38
Uranus In
Pisces
2003-2011

AR 37
Twelfth Planet, Plutinos or
Planet X

AR 36
Eclipses – Promise or Peril?

AR35
Solar Fire

AR34
The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology

AR 33
Children of the Gods

AR 32
Wheels Within Wheels

AR 31
Horoscopes of Destiny

AR 30
Zodicac of Dendera

AR 29
A Star Is Born

AR 28
Age of Aquarius

AR 27
Persia's Royal Stars of Ancients

AR 23
The Lore of a Shaman

“The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.” -
Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Libra, The Scales, is the only inanimate member of the zodiac and as such might be seen to represent pure principle. The Scales are those of Justice, weighing and measuring the fates of humanity. As the seventh zodiac sign Libra marks a turning point in the evolutionary process. Here the idea of cooperation is born, and we are challenged to move toward increasing group consciousness through the experience of the remaining signs.

Libra is a Cardinal Air sign ruled by the planet Venus, mythical goddess of love and beauty. The name Venus comes from the Latin “venustus, which means graceful. This ancient Italian goddess was seen as the growth and beauty inherent in nature’s bounty and spring’s rejuvenation. She was worshipped in Rome where Julius Caesar claimed to be her direct descendant. He dedicated a temple to her, expressing his gratefulness for granting him victory in war. Although Venus was equated with the Greek Aphrodite, she is more appropriately related to the goddess Charis (charity) who was the Greek goddess of grace and embodied the concept of human love.

Aphrodite, the earlier Greek goddess, derives from “aphros,” meaning foam. Aphrodite was born of the foam which bubbled up from the ocean after Cronus (Saturn) castrated his father Uranus, causing his phallus to fall into the sea. The blood gave Aphrodite’s hair its coppery color. This hints at the profound and symbiotic relationship between earth and sky, sea and clouds. Aphrodite herself emerged from a much older goddess with more profound mythic significance. The earlier goddess contained the triple aspect of Mother-Maiden-Crone and held sway over issues of life and death.

In myth Aphrodite was married to the lame god Hephaestus, the Blacksmith (Vulcan), but had a long-standing affair with Ares (Mars). Mars is the ruler of the first sign Aries, opposite to Venus-ruled Libra on the zodiacal wheel. Through their mythic exploits, these two famous lovers are trying to balance the scales of the extremes of gender. That Venus was married to the Olympian Blacksmith suggests the fires of transmutation, tempering us through the experiences of relationships.

According to R. H. Allen (Star Names, their Lore and Meaning), the constellation first appeared as Libra in classical times in the Julian calendar created by Caesar as Pontifus Maximus. He was aided in this effort by Flavius and Sosigenes, an Alexandrian astronomer. In millennia past the alpha and beta stars of Libra, which now form the pans of the balance, were the claws of the Scorpion and were perceived as a separate constellation. The stars still bear the earlier names of Northern and Southern Claws.

Although the Romans claim to have introduced Libra as the twelfth sign, these stars have an enduring symbolic representation as the Goddess Justice, dispensing judgment and regulating the affairs of dim-sighted humanity. In India this constellation was a kneeling man, holding a pair of scales. In the early zodiac of China this group of stars was a dragon, the national emblem, with ancient mythic origins to the Great Goddess. Later, following the Romans, the constellation became Tien Ching, the Celestial Balance. Libra’s theme of weight and measure also extends back to Egypt where the constellation was depicted as a scale beam, representing the Nilometer, which tracked the level of the Nile. Well before the time of the Romans this part of the sky was associated with the idea of light, or a lamp, representing the Assyrian god Bir. Similar to Jupiter, Bir was a father god of fire and great light and was believed to inhabit these stars. This suggests an ancient awareness of the importance of enlightened judgment.

Jupiter

As king of heaven Zeus/Jupiter ruled supreme over the Olympian gods, wielding his thunderbolts. In one of his aspects he was seen to bring rain and to oversee sowing of the crops. Jupiter’s positive qualities include a jovial expansiveness, a sporting approach to life and an unquenchable optimism. His influence is generally fortunate, benevolent and generous. Exaggerated or used unwisely these same characteristics can become extremist in viewpoint, wasteful and disregarding of resources, and trusting too much to luck which brings misfortune. This side of Jupiter can be too fond of a good joke and fail to see when matters are serious. Because Jupiter always wants to take the larger view, there is a risk of dismissing details as insignificant, also leading to misfortune.

Jupiter was considered to be a god of Light, and therefore wisdom. Jupiter is said to deal with the realm of superconsciousness and therefore is a widener of horizons. In myth, the infant Jupiter was raised on the milk of a goat whose horns continually overflowed with food and drink. This is the origin of the cornucopia, the horn of plenty, and mythically encodes the symbolism that Jupiter embodies abundance.

Astrologically, Jupiter acts to expand the area he visits. Jupiter orbits the Sun in twelve years, so looking back in time that far we can get a sense how the planet affects our life. Every twelve years the king of the gods returns to the place he occupied at our birth, providing an infusion of growth and energy we can optimize. Those born with Jupiter in Libra will enjoy the benefits (or challenges) of this transit.

Jupiter in Libra

Jupiter entered Libra on September 26, 2004 just three days after the semi-annual balance of the scales of light and dark at the Autumn Equinox. Jupiter will transit through the Venus-ruled sign until the end of October 2005; about thirteen months. This transit will focus on relationships as that is Libra’s domain. In traditional astrology Jupiter and Venus are considered beneficial planetary archetypes. Expansive Jupiter, residing in the harmony-loving domain of Libra, augers a pleasant year. But a note of caution should be sounded; Jupiter’s optimism, relaxing with sensuous Libra, can alter our vision with proverbial rose-colored glasses.

Jupiter in Libra adds a quality of refinement and idealism, engendering a love of beauty and harmony, art, good taste, desire for happy conditions and pleasant relationships. This transit could bring a round of unusual creativity in music and the arts and make people feel more generous where endowments to the arts are concerned. Concert halls and museums may get a boost during this time. Jupiter in Libra should be also good for business, especially those that deal with art, beauty, women and partnerships. The flip side could signal potential trouble or lawsuits in partnerships if things haven’t been going well or issues haven’t been addressed fairly.

The stereotype of Libra is someone constantly weighing matters in the balance, taking forever to choose, and perhaps never making a decision at all. This is due to a deep and abiding desire to be fair to all concerned and a keen sense of justice. One lesson of Libra is the importance of timing. At the right moment, evaluation must end and action ensue. This lesson can be explored as we move through the next thirteen months. We’ll be encouraged to take a larger view, express fairness to all, but act when and where it’s appropriate.

The experience of Libra is more like shifting scales than the actual experience of equilibrium. There is a risk of too much compromise on the part of Libra which builds up resentment.Jupiter in Libra can be very like the high-flying falcon described in the quote at the beginning of the article. Isabel Hickey remarked that there is a fist of iron beneath Libra’s velvet glove, so it’s a mistake to dismiss the mild-mannered exterior, missing the falcon’s swift strike.

When the energies of this planet and sign come together we can hope for balanced abundance and the potential for wisdom in decision making. Happening before the November election Jupiter in Libra may help voters to look at all sides of issues, establishing equilibrium, and arriving at informed decisions.

These archetypes together create a love of order and a desire to see justice done. Since Libra is ruled by feminine Venus, it is likely that the concerns of women in relationships will receive more attention during this transit. This could see improvement in child care, equal pay issues addressed in the court room and a legislative focus on women’s “rights” in general. New legislation may be introduced which changes the way certain decisions are made relative to marriage and divorce. Women may be less likely to change their name when they marry, preferring instead the independent status of Venus’s reputation during this transit.

These two energies are similar in myth in that both Jupiter and Venus (which rules Libra), were known for numerous romantic liaisons. This emphasizes lessons of relationship and the importance of discernment. Looking at the archetypes in the most positive light, the potential exists in this energetic combination for enlightened love. Jupiter’s wisdom can see the most sublime joining of god and goddess in an eternal dance of creation, spinning worlds into existence, similar to Krishna and Radha in Hindu myth. Also on the idealistic side of this combination Jupiter’s potentially lofty perspective can yield a profound social consciousness which grows out of an enhanced ability to interact with others.

Still point

After Jupiter’s journey through introspective Virgo, which ended in September, the goal of Jupiter in Libra is to apply the same faculty of discernment to gain a wiser perspective in relationships. Contrasted with the deep and individual psychological work offered by Jupiter in Virgo just ending, this combined influence seeks to establish balance in relationships. While the scales sway and tip, searching for the balance point, relationships that are out of equilibrium will be tested.

Jupiter in Libra offers wisdom in relationships and an enhanced ability to see the big picture where loved ones are concerned, seeing our relationships in a new light. We are encouraged to seek more balance in our personal relationships, asking if we are spending enough time with friends and family? To withdraw and isolate ourselves from other people causes a withering of our psyche as we grow and learn through our relationships no matter how difficult. It’s also vital to our wellbeing to take time for our own creativity and express our artistic side.

At heart Jupiter in Libra asks that we honor the principles of truth, love and beauty in our lives, individually and collectively. For inspiration visit a museum, go to the symphony, or take a long walks in the woods with a loved one.