This sun is about to enter into the temple of Libra, heralding the autumn equinox, and the transition from the light-ruled half of the year to the dark-ruled half of the year. I wish you all a happy equinox, fellow mages, aspirants, and celebrants!
The passage of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Libra marks a pivotal shift regarding the amount of light in each day, and therefore the quality and nature of magic and energy that predominates over the world. Ever since the spring equinox six months ago, the days have been longer than the nights in the northern hemisphere. The Sun shines brightly, the flowers grow, and the harvest ripens. Food is abundant, community thrives.
Light has dominated the darkness. But despite the rulership of light, the days have continued to shorten every day since the summer solstice. A slow but steady descent from the warmth and brightness of summer towards the chilled gloom of winter has transpired around us in the background.
Now, on the Auutmn equinox, we stand on a precipice between the hegemony of light and the rising power of darkness. They are equally matched, but darkness will gain the upper hand and continue to grow in power throughout the season of Libra. Darkness begins to dominate the light.
From here until the spring equinox, the nighttime will outlast the daytime. We have officially entered the dark half of the year.
On a communal and agricultural level, this period of the year indicates the end of the harvest. Plants are starting to die and animals are starting to hibernate. Libra indicates a literal reckoning as the community reckons the amount of food that will be available for the rest of the year.
From this, Libra gains its associations with assessment and adjudication. It is a weighing - originally a weighing of food in the scales, and later adopting associations with balance and justice in general.
This reckoning carries very heavy, weighty decisions - literally deciding who will get food when wintertime comes and the food is scarce. The community must make life-altering decisions in order to properly prepare for the wintertime when food is scarce.
Forced to make such difficult decisions, Libra is very concerned with fairness and balance. They must deliberate properly in order to ensure that the best possible outcome for the network of relationships and community is chosen. This is why Libra is famous for its back-and-forth thought processes, as it continually weighs options, always trying to find the most balanced response to ever-changing circumstances.
As an air sign, Libra privileges dialectic and conversation. Such difficult decisions must be adjudicated amongst the commons, since the perspective and opinion of just one person is fundamentally limited. Decisions must be brought about through consensus, and dialogue partners are necessary for Libra to know the way forward. For this reason, Libran people can also be quite communicative and social. Its airy qualities make Libra focus on deliberation, discussion, and the use of the rational mind in deciding as opposed to direct action.
This emphasis on balance and interpersonal connection is very reminiscent of Libra’s planetary ruler, Venus. But here we see the more clinical, detached version of Venus - a focus on what is right and good in a very abstract, absolute sense, which also hearkens back to the cold ratiocination of air signs in general. This awareness offers Libra a talent for making tough calls and difficult decisions. After much deliberation, Libra can see a way forward that is best for everyone.
And as the leaves begin to change color, and the wind begins to bring with it the slightest, crisp chill, you may find your heart stirring with the beauty and aesthetic senses of Venus. But this is not a beauty that lasts - contained within the soul-stirring power of the changing of seasons is the reminder that death is real, and the force of life that dominates in the summer will always fade away again.
During this period, you will have more opportunities to focus on fairness and balanced relationships with other people. Interpersonal adjustments, changes in friend groups, and modulations of how you respond and relate to other people are all very common. You may find that the social dimensions of your life take a greater focus than normal, and questions of how you relate to other people and the world take top priority.
Because you may find yourself having to make more difficult decisions, decision paralysis can abound. Indeed, this is another thing that Libran people are famous for. This is understandable, considering the decisions being made traditionally during this time of year would have had people’s lives on the line - deciding who gets food and who doesn’t, for instance.
If you want to know more about how this Libra season will affect you, remember to examine your chart - especially the house that the Sun is transiting. If you are Gemini rising, your 5th house will be activated. If Aries rising, your 7th, and so on. This is your quickest way to find out what kinds of themes and topics in your life will show up most strongly.
Unless you live in the southern hemisphere, you will need to begin preparing yourself for the descent of the Sun, the darkening of days, and the increase of cold over heat. You must start this process now. By staying in attunement to the shifting of the seasons, your energy will stay integrated with the natural cycle of the spirits and larger energies around you.
This will make your meditation and spiritual practices more effective and grounded. Your mind will run amok less. Your body will also be healthier and more vital – fall and winter are not at all inherently draining if you can adapt properly to them. You will even find yourself growing in magical power.
Your baseline magical practical is simply taking walks in nature. Taking walks is perhaps the simplest thing that you can do to acclimate your body and soul to the shifting of seasons and the passage of time. While this is always important, it is especially important to prioritize during the beginning of each season as the energy begins to transform.
As you walk, feel your body sync up with the shifting of the season, with the changing of time. Focus as much as you can on your bodily and emotional sensations and responses to being in the natural world.
Chrysolite and Beryl are your best gemstone allies during this season. They are both ruled by Venus and bring you into a closer connection to your heart while also opening up your mind to see clearly.
When it comes to working with spirits, both the Libra and Scorpio periods are strongly associated with the dead and their ancestors. The Libra period is best for contacting ancestors who are well, especially for divination (necromancy in the strictest sense) and advice. This can be ancestors from more recent generations, or even spiritual ancestors and more ancient ancestors that you feel a connection with, perhaps different plant or animal spirits or even different Gods.
This is an extremely magical window - one of the four most pivotal gates of each year. I highly recommend prioritizing your spiritual practices during this time to completely align yourself with the new cycle that is beginning.
Sit back and observe. Discuss with others. Don’t make any rushed decisions, and don’t be afraid to change your mind. If you choose to be patient with the process, then you can ultimately initiate very well-informed and thought-out actions that profit you for a long time to come.