New Moon in Libra 202

A Delicate Dance: Annular Solar Eclipse in Libra 2023

Sophia Calderone, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon @ 21 degrees Libra 08'

October 14, 2023

10:59 AM PDT

1:59 PM EDT

This month's New Moon in tropical Libra is also an annular solar eclipse that will be visible across portions of the western U.S. and South America. An annular solar eclipse is when the Moon does not completely eclipse the Sun, leaving a ring of light around it. Eclipses are most notable and significant for the regions in which they're visible. However, eclipses are symbolically relevant for the whole planet, symbolizing a more powerful than usual New Moon.

As such, and within the context of the Libra archetype, this New Moon/solar eclipse represents a potent restart, a new beginning, and seeding more broadly within relationships, partnerships, and interpersonal interactions. As a south nodal eclipse, it highlights certain shadows and blindspots we must address with those around us, within our commitments, and with those we entrust. With Venus currently transiting Virgo, consider ways to achieve more balance in the duties, tasks, and responsibilities we share with others.

Consider the point at which noble and well-intended servitude can become draining or unhealthy or whether hard work and efforts are being channeled in the right place. With Mercury aligned with the New Moon/solar eclipse and a t-square dynamic between Pluto, Chiron, and Eris, this eclipse can open challenging but important dialogue needed to sort out imbalances, grievances, and unexpressed thoughts, feelings, hurts, and needs. Libra, the sign of the scales, is all about correcting lopsided situations and challenging ourselves to see things from a more empathetic and nuanced perspective.

On the collective level, and in consideration of many current events, we can anticipate an amplification of long-standing wounds, crises, and divisive issues. Eris, the chaos goddess of strife, discord, and division, correlates with an empowerment of antagonisms but exposes an underlying unity or common interest. Over the next few years, the higher road of Chiron's encroaching conjunction with Eris can be an opportunity to begin healing critical cultural and interpersonal divisions through exposing and more deeply understanding hypocrisies and their root in unhealed generational trauma.

Libra ultimately reveals that no single organism or community is entirely autonomous. All things are interconnected and thus interdependent. The greatest challenges we face in life are finding ways to embrace our innate need and right for independence and individuality while acknowledging that we're better off supported and working together toward common interests. What stands in the way of that? Discovering that might begin with asserting needs and personal perspectives and, through honest dialogue and reflection, finding new ways to come together while respecting required boundaries.