“Never, never give up”, said Winston Churchill. Saturn, like Churchill, is a planet that at its best, believes in patience, persistence and fortitude.
Recently, as Saturn completed a quincunx aspect with Neptune (the planet of letting go, release and surrender), we may have experienced a strange juxtaposition between forces encouraging us to “Never give up” and other pressures which told us to “let go” or “surrender”. This paradoxical pull between different cosmic energies makes for a starry soup that is a bit hard to swallow.
Why? Blame it on the quincunx. The quincunx as an aspect is confusing precisely because its hard to see the parties (planets) involved clearly. There’s a disconnected feeling between the two energies as they try to make sense of each other’s differences as well as their places of understanding. We have to gently wear a groove with the quincunx, taking time and building trust. This is a slow aspect that works better over time, as we grow comfortable, or at least more understanding, about the wedge that it forms.

Currently, we are moving into a whole new wave of Saturnian energies as the ringed planet moves into its place of exaltation in Libra and forms another opposition to Uranus, now in Aries.

Unlike the quincunx, the opposition is bold and obvious. We know exactly what’s involved with an opposition: conflict, tension, challenge. Call it projection, love, or hate, the opposition stirs up strong feelings that are designed to help us experience the extremes in life. With the opposition it’s always black or white, hot or cold, left or right. There are no shades of gray, no uncertainty. The truth, (at least on one side of the equation), is obvious. Oppositions offer us lovers or enemies, but rarely anything in between.

The Saturn/Uranus opposition which began under the Virgo/Pisces regime and has since moved into Libra/Aries, brings us into a place of stark awareness of the places of polarity in our lives. This opposition, like all oppositions, asks us to learn how to integrate two seemingly different paradigms and find a place of understanding somewhere in the midst of it all.

The Aries/Libra theme fits the relationship oriented nature of the opposition aspect perfectly, carefully enhancing the planetary pattern already so nicely laid out. These two cardinal signs evoke the energies of self/other, peace/war, justice/corruption, beauty/ugliness, etc.

Where will this drama play out in your life? Look to the houses of your chart with the signs of Aries/Libra on the cusp for further understanding of how these themes will effect you.

Below are listed a few brief tips about some of what you might expect during this Aries/Libra time:

Aries/Libra on the 1st house/7th house-Defining your own identity in the context of a relationship, or defining your relationship in the context of your identity.

Aries/Libra on the 2nd house/8th house-Defending and asserting your values, skills and resources, while finding balance with shared resources, or finding balance with your own resources while courageously exploring the resources you share with another.

Aries/Libra on the 3rd house /9th house -Bravely speaking your own truth while diplomatically learning to listen to others truths, or, learning to defend your beliefs and philosophies with balance and moderation.

Aries/Libra on the 4th house /10th house -Forging new territory at home, while keeping the peace at work or out in the world, or, blazing trails out in the world, while keeping the peace at home (or within yourself).

Aries/Libra on the 5th house /11th house -Acting on your creative breakthroughs and new inspirations for self-expressing and using these to seed beauty out in the world for others to share, or, bravely taking action on behalf of others while continuing to make time for yourself to have fun and relax.

Aries/Libra on the 6th house /12th house -Blazing new trails in your health routines, or taking risks to serve others while you maintain a sense of inner peace, or, having spiritual adventures while keeping your body in balance.

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!