Preamble:
In astrology, the solstices and equinoxes occur when the sun enters one of the four cardinal signs: Aires, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, and the cardinal signs act as doorways for metaphysical energy to more easily influence the field; they tend to initiate change. For this reason, much like with eclipses, which are also liminal magical gateways, we can use a chart cast for these days to gather useful information about human evolution and its affect on the world. I use the term magical in the sense of spiritual energy shaping matter, or the power of Mind to influence outcome, and in the case of the equinox for about 3 months.
The sun is central to the evolution of consciousness on the planet, and is directly linked to sun-spot activity and the transmission of visible and invisible light, and throughout the year, pulses of energy pour into the human collective field and the Gaian energy system, much like notes played on a piano generating a shifting musical chord over time. In this way the forecasts are best understood together and not just as sole events, but rather as energy downloads that mix and merge with those that came before.
Astrological symbols express quite differently depending on one's core vibration of consciousness, so there are numerous ways we each can experience how the cosmic energies in play move us. In addition I work increasingly with the newer archetypes correlating to new celestial bodies discovered since 2000. These newer archetypes operate at much higher vibrations than the traditional more personal ones, and this means that the more we ascend in vibration the more we become conscious of these newer cosmic players, and the more they influence us.
I write from an esoteric foundation and aim to decode causative patterns rather than the effects. I am not trying to predict exactly what will happen in the world, but rather to unveil the nature of the energy unfolding and the evolutionary opportunity available to all of us, so we are better prepared to respond individually.
Introduction
The Libra Equinox initiates energy from the personal sphere to the social sphere. The Sun now transiting the social sign of Libra now energises a generalised social direction and the New Moon in Libra a little later on will also continue to energise Libra themes. Libra contains the lessons of balance between the personal and the social, between self and other, between inner and outer and so on, and whatever new personal innovations we might have been gestating in the safety of our personal inner world, may now be ready to be taken outward to a new level of expression and experience. So while we may be feeling more inclined to connect and communicate with others , we are also learning to do this in a mutually beneficial way. For example a new idea we have been toying with over the last few months and can't put down, may finally be shared with others as we move forward, or any changes in life perception we have been keeping to ourselves may now be brought out into the open as we attempt to integrate the new within our existing lifestyle. Libra experiences afford us the valuable manifestation of feedback, both positive and negative, and bringing something of ourselves out into the open can be much like the picture above; the dance can be joyful, exciting, stimulating, as well as stressful and competitive. Good dancers have to be on equal footing with each other - in a mutual collaboration of sorts, listening to each other, responding appropriately with each other and learning to stay harmonised.
The tense and energised quality of this years Libra Equinox chart is suggestive of more intensified activity, and for those who are ready this may be perfect time to birth significant lifestyle changes in ways that will alter the existing pattern of our lives; all actions have consequences.
Let's take a deeper look at some of the core themes running from now until December:
Chart cast for the Equinox - 23rd September 7.50 am BST/ 2.50am EDT
For a guide to the astrological symbols click here
Astro-technicals:
Conjunctions
Pallas conjunct the Sun in Libra
Vesta conjunct Asbolus in Cancer
Eris conjunct the lunar north node in Aries
Sedna conjunct Mors-Somnus in Gemini
Jupiter conjunct Albion in Taurus
Moon conjunct Quaoar, Pholus and Ixion in Capricorn
Venus conjunct Juno in Virgo
Oppositions
Sun opposing Manwë
Orcus and Mercury opposing Nessus
Vesta and Asbolus opposing Ixion, Pholus, Moon and Quaoar
Mars opposing Chiron
Uranus opposing Typhon
Squares
Neptune square Varda
Albion, Jupiter and Uranus square Venus and Juno
A Grand Cardinal Square featuring Asbolus, Vesta, Manwë, Ixion and the Sun
Yods
Venus & Juno sextile Mars with Nessus at the apex
Neptune sextile Uranus with the lunar south node at the apex
Trines
Varda trine Eris and the North Node
Chiron trine Venus and Juno
Sun trine Sedna and Mors-Somnus
Crisis initiates needed change
This Equinox chart captures a poignant evolutionary challenge for collective humanity carrying forward for at-least the next 3 months. A cardinal Grand Square aspect tied directly to the Equinox Sun highlights both crisis and tension at this juncture in time, one that will generate action and change in ways that can be productive or destructive.
Manwë who has recently been transitioning from Pisces to Aires is now in direct opposition to the Libra Equinox Sun and will be for the next few years. Manwë as the transmitter of high frequency light and protector of the greater good, channels energy directly through the liminal gateway of the equinox mini-portal. This new energy coming in is stimulating a rebirth and a renewal within all of humanity, which is in direct opposition to the existing service-to-self global hierarchies operating within society. Manwë is awakening in us a restlessness and desire to break away from the old structures, to create something new in the world, which if we correlate to Pluto (soon to ingress full time into Aquarius), we can assume is meant to embrace universal values that serve all of humanity and not just a few.
This Sun/Manwë opposition forms a tight T-Square with Ixion (but also involves the Moon, Pholus and Quaoar), which indicates intense stress between the new frequency of being (now emergent), and the rivalrous paradigm of self-interest typical of the old systems; the new energy is going to put more and more pressure on those opposing decentralisation of power and redistribution of wealth for the greater good.
On a personal and community level, this same influx of energy is going to drive upward toward the surface, the shadowy aspects of human karma (past actions and their consequences) to be seen, acknowledged and integrated. This means more disclosure and more revelations related to corruption and failure within our institutions, systems and hierarchies, as well as in our own personal lives, where we acknowledge and review past actions that generated negative karma. We are all being stimulated to choose which side of the polarity we are on, especially if we haven't made a committed choice yet; do we want the world to become a better place for everyone, or do we want to climb the ranks of privilege and contribute energy to a global dystopian culture?
The Sun/Manwë opposition also forms a tight T-Square with Asbolus and Vesta in Cancer, generating evolutionary tension and pressure to put more attention on Cancerian issues such as the quality of life at home, connections with family and community, the way we look after ourselves and each other, and most importantly attending to our emotional needs as they arise from day to day.
Asbolus and Vesta oppose Ixion by exact degree, making for a strong integration challenge that has been already in play last month; bringing the light of awareness and understanding to the shadow in the world, with a degree of compassion both individually and collectively. This is highly suggestive of a new level of collective awareness arising with regard to the shadow players operating in the world, as the patterns of corruption and criminality continue to be exposed. Perhaps more relevantly, it is our own individual attention to the shadow in our own lives - the destructive and negative patterns within the psyche, where the personal inner work can take place, as the higher new frequencies require us to unveil and integrate lost or repressed aspects of our inner nature.
With the Moon nestled within the Quaoar/ Pholus/Ixion stellium in Capricorn, and thus square to the Equinox Sun, we can expect this Grand Cardinal Square to stimulate tension in our everyday lives as well as within ‘the people’ as a whole throughout the world. Combined with Eris conjunct the lunar North Node in Aires, this puts a lot of emotional energy into the collective field, which could express as energised activism and protest marches in some parts of the world.
In addition we might feel more emotionally affected by events this month than usual, which in turn can drive us to break new ground in terms of how we see the world and how we make sense of things.
The 2 Yods
The lunar South Node and Nessus feature as apexes to 2 yods this month, activating the processing and resolution of past karma, as well as the transcendence of destructive patterns of imbalance. These 2 yods add to the sense of crisis in the field, stimulating a call for healing and adjustment. I use the term crisis in a multi-faceted way, meaning it can express through acute tense and potentially traumatic situations, but more often as an internal struggle to find harmony and resolution, operating at a more subtle level. Crisis can present us with a dilemma, which until resolved leaves us feeling unsettled and uncomfortable; it provides us with the evolutionary grit to look for answers.
New awareness and the dissolution of illusions may have us looking differently at unresolved past issues, especially with regard to past relationships; perhaps new insights about ourselves can now allow healing to occur and more balance.
A synergy between the masculine and feminine modes; the inner and outer; the passive and assertive; needs and desires etc may bring us to a new and improved level of inner coherence, but we might have to process toxic low vibrational energy we have been holding on to.
Relationship Healing
Venus and Juno are in close balsamic conjunction in Leo, while trine Chiron in Aires, and sextile Mars in Libra (opposing Chiron). Energy is available from now until the new year to really sort out relationship issues, especially pertaining to deep soul wounding; patterns may suddenly become clearer than ever, in relation to relationship karma connected to selfishness, when we took actions without considering others. Above all there is a real opportunity now to heal the relationship we have with ourselves as we prepare to level up in terms of relationships, and in particular to the way we enter into commitments founded on mutual trust and loyalty. Central to this process is the act of forgiveness through the healing and activation of the heart chakra. This requires us to know we are inherently lovable and deserving of love.
Are we willing to account for past actions and discern with objectivity if they unnecessarily hurt others?
Are we willing to make reparation for any damage we may have caused?
Can we recognise destructive behaviours as linked to an undervaluing of the feminine principle?
Can we also recognise how past relationship hurts gave us a chance to burn off attachments and impurities and helped us know ourselves more?
If we can, then the Jupiter/Albion square to Venus will energise a rapid expansion of awareness connecting to deep internal resources and strengths we may not realise we have.
[Of note the British comedian Russel Brand made headline news in the UK over past relationship indiscretions including one allegation of rape, just a few days before the equinox]
Collective awakening through continuing chaos and disruption
Typhon and Uranus are in an exact opposition (one of 5 other oppositions) generating a lot of energy for challenge and change. Some of this will be connected to the balancing of past karma occurring on a collective level. These disruptions could manifest as Earth changes such as quakes and storms. Repressed collective energy emerging from the deep, in relatively powerful ways, must now be integrated through objective awareness.
On a personal level this opposition makes a T-Square with Venus conjunct Juno in Leo, which indicates that for some of us, repressed memories may erupt into our awareness stimulating withdrawal and introspection, and altering our sense of identity or sense of purpose. The key nutrient in these cases will be a healthy dose of compassion and self-love.
Varda in Sagittarius square to Neptune in Pisces and in exact trine with the North Node in Aries, implies that through expanded understanding of life, especially through metaphysical and philosophical lenses, we can overcome any current life confusion, to take practical action in our lives through insight, revelation and a liberation into greater possibilities. For some of us, strong instinctual impulses to take action can come directly from higher spiritual guidance, which only later make sense.
Final thoughts
Overall from now until the December Solstice we can expect a more energised period, with tension and challenge both in the world and personally. We are collectively finishing up the Pluto in Capricorn cycle by the end of this year. The more challenging nature of this time period serves to put evolutionary pressure where it is most needed; resistance to needed change is not advisable as it will generate more life turbulence. The new evolutionary energies coming in 6 months ago at the March equinox, punctuated by 2 New Moon cycles in Aries, are now building in momentum; each of us is in a process of responding to changes emergent within the field, as we move ever upward in frequency of vibration. This of course expresses in a myriad of ways, depending on the core vibration that each one of us is operating from, which is to say the nature of the new paths of self-discovery being birthed this year will be unique to us, tuned to where we are currently at in our lives; there is no easy way to predict what this will be from the astrology, although over the last 6 months, if we have been paying attention, we will have received clear clues and indications of what new endeavours we most need to focus on. For some of us, this equinox may represent a time to take the new impulses forward and begin integrating them into the existing structure of our lives. Suffice to say the dynamic energy of this Equinox chart will be moving us forward, even if at times it takes us out of our comfort zone. If you feel the inner conflict and pressure building towards the end of this year, my advice is to remind yourself its all part of the collective energy, it serves a higher purpose, and rather than contracting over things not working so well, instead to expand into what is being asked of you and responding accordingly; most often resolution is found in balance.
I will finish on a good note: Jupiter in exact conjunction with Albion in Taurus provides a potent beneficial influence supporting abundant tangible expansion, for anyone with a service-to-the-whole orientation, who has the betterment of humankind lit up in their hearts - all we have to do is feel worthy enough to manifest in this way.