Sep

22

Let’s Dance

Filed Under Aries, Equinox, Full Moon, libra | 3 Comments



Let’s dance/put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let’s dance/to the song they’re playin’ on the radio
Let’s sway/while colour lights up your face
Let’s sway/through the crowd to an empty space
David Bowie

Last week I had a dream in which I danced an unusual version of a square dance. Surrounded by others, twirling and whirling in circles, my partner and I danced. I felt confident and happy even though I didn’t know the steps, because the man who I danced with led me with such skill and grace.

When I described this dream later at my dream group and mentioned how effortless my dream dance had been, someone made the point that there is an art to following as well as leading, and suggested that part of the reason our dance went so smoothly was because I knew how to follow.

The Fall Equinox and the Full Moon in Aries that occur tonight (September 22nd 8:09 pm pdt) and tomorrow morning (Full Moon exact September 23 at 2:17am pdt), perfectly highlights this interplay between leading and following. Now, as day becomes perfectly balanced with night, we transition from enjoying the bright light of the sun, to embracing the growing darkness that peaks at the Winter Solstice. The leader (light) has now become a follower and the follower (darkness), has stepped forward to lead.

In astrology, Aries is the sign of leadership. Bold, brave and confident, the ram faces life head on, stepping off into the adventure of life without doubt or hesitation. Libra, Aries’ opposite sign, is a natural follower. Effortlessly attuned to others moods and needs, Libra is the perfect helpmeet, ready to accommodate, negotiate and mediate.

Combine the energy of the Equinox, with the Full Moon and add in transits to Pluto and Saturn this next week and the final result may see us all engaged in a crash course in leadership, with some of us leading and others trailing close behind.

Though the Aries archetype certainly plays a part in this planetary story, Saturn’s prominent placement in Libra especially highlights our need to pay greater attention to the art of following. Saturn solidifies and adds weight to whatever it touches, grounding us in the lessons of whatever sign it happens to be transiting through. In this case we will be growing more and more aware of the particular Libra attributes that we each need to develop.

Following is one Libra quality that may appear to come naturally, without much thought or effort. But when Libra becomes Saturnized, it may be necessary to take another look, to get serious, to “grow up“ in regards to the issue of following. Pluto’s transit through Capricorn also squares the Sun in Libra now, adding even more depth to our awareness and forcing us to ask questions that may uncover the more shadowy parts of our Libra nature:

“Do we resist following others lead, or do we instead mindlessly go along with whoever seems to be in charge?How do we hand over our decision making power to others, letting them set the pace, rhythm and timing of a dance we’re not sure we even want to do?

What does it mean to gracefully yield to life? Is it hard for us to let go of control (Capricorn) of a project, relationship or problem and hand it over to someone else to deal with? Or how do we fight against a leader who we intuitively know is doing a good job,but whom we resist simply because we‘re having a hard time changing and letting go?“

Learning how to follow means knowing who or what we want to follow and also making choices about what kind of dance we want to be engaged in. To follow well, we must be receptive and open, ready to respond and yield with grace. To follow well means sticking with the commitments we‘ve made and seeing them through to the end.

The planetary square dance that has been taking place all this year changes steps now, as the Saturn/Pluto square eases off. But this Full Moon, which comes so closely on the heels of the Fall Equinox, is a potent reminder of the lessons we’ve learned. We have a chance now to not only integrate and understand the changes we’ve experienced, but also to make last minute adjustments and emergency repairs to our plans.

As the scales pause in a breath of perfect balance tonight, take a moment to meditate on your own dance of life. Is it square or is it round? Are you leading, following or dancing alone? Maybe it’s time to change the steps or learn new ones. Or perhaps you even need a new partner and a different beat.
The Fall Equinox offers us the chance to stop and notice how we move into the approaching darkness, feeling gratitude for what we have and taking stock of what we might need to gather before winter approaches.

Sep

22

Fall Equinox 2008

Filed Under Equinox, libra | Leave a Comment

I’m just going to be transparent and acknowledge right away that I love Libra energy. Why? Well, let me review….I’ve got Libra rising, Jupiter in Libra, Uranus in Libra, my progressed Sun in Libra, a boyfriend in Libra (really, he’s in Libra….), and yes, even a Libran dog……

So when the transiting sun moves into Libra, I feel soothed, supported and very at home. You can probably only imagine my delight that this Autumn Equinox, the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are all in Libra as well, creating a sort of Libra cadre, and bringing out some of the best and worst of my own Libra qualities. For example, I’m feeling rather peaceful and balanced, but also can’t wait to lay around the pool this weekend and just do the leisure, Libra spa thing at the Fool’s Journey retreat.

I also wouldn’t say no to a little clothes shopping. Though the times are rare that I would say no to a little clothes shopping…..that’s the Libra addiction to beauty and shallowness rearing their head.

Anyway, moving away from clothes and on to the season….lucky me, there’s even a sort of holiday to celebrate this notable Libra event. We call it the Autumn Equinox, but those on the more witchy end of things probably also know it as Mabon. A holiday in honor of Libra only adds to my Venusian pleasure…..

And pleasure is just what I recommend today.

Don’t know about you, but here in Fairfax, CA it’s 82 degrees, a little breezy, a lot sunny and really just about perfect. Fall leaves turning, sunflowers blooming, and I’m sitting outside with my two sweeties, canine and human, feeling grateful, abundant and blessed.

The Autumn Equinox introduces the season of Libra, when we turn our attention towards the reflections in our lives. The sense of “otherness” or the mirrors to ourselves that show us who we are, both light and dark.

This is the harvest season, when what we have planted, tended, weeded and watered bears fruit. This Mabon, the harvest quality of the holiday is emphasized, falling as it does during the time of the waning moon. This strenghthens the focus on reflection and meditation of what we are grateful for in our lives.

The seeds of self that were planted at the Spring Equinox, when the Sun moved into Libra’s opposing sign of Aries, are now coming to fruition.

Look around you. What is in your life that you feel grateful for? What are you reaping? Celebrating and giving thanks for? Which projects need a little more time or care? Which can be let go of?

This is the time of the crossroads, when we stand at a perfect balance between light and dark, when the sun is equal in length to the night. This moment is a moment of beauty, of stillness, of life. Breathe it in, there will never be another like it.

Happy Equinox!

Mar

20

Spring Equinox 2008

Filed Under Equinox | 6 Comments

The force of life that drives the green fuse through the flower (thanks Dylan Thomas), is flowing this week with the Spring Equinox on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 9:48 pm pdt and a full moon on Friday all squaring Pluto newly in Capricorn at 1 degree.

The Spring Equinox begins as the sun starts its yearly journey into Aries. The zero degrees Aries point is like the Fool card in the tarot: innocent and untried, bold, passionate and ready to take a leap into the unknown, with raw instincts and an open heart. As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries represents the birth of consciousness and awareness of self. Aries is pure life force energy, initiating action and movement.

Spring Equinox 2008 is notable not only because of the full moon two days after the exact equinox point (the last full moon at the spring equinox occured in the year 2000), but also because of the tight square involving Pluto, the sun and the moon.

Pluto is the planet which symbolizes life and death, deep transformation, sex, power and mystery.
This planetary relationship puts the fiery force of the sun in Aries in opposition to the airy harmony of the moon in Libra, with both planets square the intensity of Pluto.

Like the Fall Equinox, this is a time when light and dark have reached a perfect balance, with the light growing stronger from now to the Summer Solstice. Springtime brings the birth of new budding life, the first steps of projects, ideas and relationships. The equinoxes represent a crossroads, a moment when we stand between the worlds, gazing forward and back simultaneously. As we pause at this particular turn in the road, Pluto forces us to look at the lessons of winter with more awareness than ever of the gentle fragility of life that we celebrate and nurture in these early days of spring.

This week may be a particularly good time to remember and honor those who may have died over the winter, or relationships and circumstances that have passed. In order to fully move into and embrace the growing light, we will need to pay careful attention to the gifts and losses of the shadow, noticing what we have learned and gathered from the darkness of winter.

In many parts of the US winter time has lingered, with storms and colder temperatures hanging on and extending the winter season. This year we are spending more time immersed in the lessons of winter, enduring the colder and harsher temperatures, and sustaining ourselves until the spring fully arrives.

Capricorn is a sign associated with deprivation, survival, and the strength and power that come from knowing how to stay alive in harsh circumstances. We may feel this shadow from the Pluto square, influencing our otherwise triumphant welcoming of warmer temperatures, flowers blossoming and new life. As financial markets crumble, and survival fears become part of the mass consciousness, it is important that we learn from the Capricorn gifts of perseverance, patience and ability to nurture long term goals.

The Sun in Aries calls us to celebrate the feisty beauty of cherry blossoms that relentlessly bloom despite war, financial woes and other human mayhem. As we cultivate the sober reality of the Capricorn perspective, it’s also important that we integrate the joy of life of Aries. Finally, a Libra moon asks us to remember our relationship with the “other”. Libra is a sign concerned with justice, partnership and cooperation.

A question to ponder this Equinox season might be: “How can we realistically and sustainably continue to live together in a way that celebrates and honors the life force?”