Winds of Change: Libra Lunar Eclipse

The full moon illuminates the Libra-Aries axis between March 24th and 25th. At 2:59 am EDT on March 25th, the WInds of Change rustled through this axis with the Libra Lunar Eclipse, poised to highlight the transformations we’ll need to make for our highest good and potential. 

The Libra-Aries axis emphasizes the balance of how we relate to others, ourselves, commitments, relationships, self-agency, and empowerment. It evokes the imagery of Libra’s Scales, originating from the Ancient Egyptian concept of weighing the heart against the weight of the goddess Maat’s Feather of Truth. If burdened by living a life either stifling personal agency or shrugging off relational responsibilities, the heart would weigh more than the Feather, preventing passage to the Afterlife. Between Libra’s Scales and Aries Ram, the delicate balance prompts us to assess what needs releasing and changing.

In the ancient traditions of the Celtic peoples, they revered this time of the yearly cycle as the Time of Winds or the Cutios Moon, according to the Continental Celtic Coligny Calendar. The significance of this full moon is further heightened by the rare occurrence of the first Lunar Eclipse in Libra happening in 37 years, heralding profound shifts in the Libran energies that shape our individual and collective lives. 

Adding to the cosmic phenomenon, this lunar eclipse coincides with a Micromoon, where the moon appears smaller in the sky due to its alignment with the apogee, the greatest distance between the Earth and the Moon. Astrologically, the energies may manifest subtly, yet the potential for profound transformation remains.

Through the balance of the Libra-Aries axis during the lunar eclipse, we navigate the intricate interplay between our relationships with others and ourselves, our sense of responsibility to our commitments, and personal agency. Against the backdrop of modern challenges such as Cancel Culture and the pervasive influence of social media, this lunation beckons us to reassess how we connect with others while remaining true to ourselves.

Libra Lunar Eclipse

What makes this lunar eclipse special? It's happening in Libra. Surprisingly, we haven't witnessed a full moon lunar eclipse in the sign of Libra occupied by the South Node for 37 years. That's quite weird.

Eclipses occur in pairs: Solar Eclipses on New Moons when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align, and Lunar Eclipses when the alignment is Sun, Earth, and Moon. On astrological charts, you can observe this phenomenon when the Moon is opposite—for Lunar—or conjunct—for Solar—the Sun with conjuncts the Nodes. 

Although the Nodes changed mid-July of 2023 from Taurus North Node and Scorpio South Node to Aries and Libra, respectively, the eclipse pairs didn't align with on the same axis. The last lunar eclipse took place on October 28th, 2023, with the Moon in Taurus and the Sun in Scorpio. Its Solar Eclipse partner occurred on October 14th, with the Sun, Moon, and South Node conjunct in Libra. The previous Aries-Libra North-South Nodal cycle, between 2004 and 2006, also didn't see a lunar eclipse in Libra during the relevant season—Aries Season since Full Moons oppose the Sun.

In 2004, the first lunar eclipse of the year occurred on May 4th at 15° Scorpio. In 2005, it took place on April 25th at 4° Scorpio, and in 2006 the nodes started to shift to Pisces-Virgo so the first lunar eclipse happened at 24° Virgo on March 14th. 

The last Libra Lunar Eclipse with the South Node occupying the same sign—Libra—graced our skies on April 13th, 1987. It’s also the only Libra Lunar Eclipse with the South Node in occupancy we’ll see until April 5th 2042.

Cosmic hijinks make this lunar eclipse significant.

The South Node eclipse highlights what needs to be released, surrendered, and let go to distill our instinctive, habitual reality into one with spiritual value and connection. In Libra, the Lunar Eclipse emphasizes what no longer works and introduces new dynamics to all relationship types—business, contract, family, friend, romance, etc. Looking back on these dates helps us perceive the pattern of the spiral, reflecting on past events that may echo into the present and future.

Personally, I was only a couple of months old during the April '87 eclipse, but soon after, I gained a cousin who grew to become and remain a great friend beyond the familial ties and obligations. In 2004-2006, I graduated High School and started college where I met and befriended Megan, her wife Sam, and many others who have had significant impact on my life. 

These lunations brought important changes to my inner circle of relationships, with Libra intercepted in the 7th House of one-on-one interactions, conversations, relationships, contracts, and commitments. 

An intercepted sign—paired with its axis sibling—is a sign that doesn’t have dominion over its own house in the chart. For example, if a chart goes from Pisces 10th House, Taurus 11th House, Aries is intercepted or hidden in the Pisces 10th House, adding flavor to it, but doesn’t act as the ruler of the 11th House as it is completely encased in the 10th. 

Even within a loose 10° orb of conjunction, the significance of the Libra Moon and South Node Lunar Eclipse cannot be understated as it illuminates what we can release and strengthen in the Houses that Libra presides over and resides in.

The Moon

With a Lunar Eclipse of such significance, the first celestial body that demands attention is the Moon. Positioned at 5° and 7 minutes of Libra, the Moon casts its illumination on our emotions and thoughts, particularly in social interactions and one-on-one engagements.

The Libra Moon epitomizes harmony, serenity, peace, beauty, and balance. In its natural state, Libra prefers dialogue over monologue, valuing mutual exchange and shared responsibilities.

During this lunation, a heightened awareness of these shared and balanced responsibilities may emerge, delineating the boundary between our needs and others' expectations. It's a time to discern when responsibilities veer into conflicts that compromise either personal agency or communal equilibrium.

Adding complexity to the lunar dynamics, Makemake conjuncts the Moon and South Node in Libra. Makemake symbolizes manifestation and environmentalism, urging us to consider not only our relationships with fellow humans but also with Nature itself. This alignment underscores the necessity of fostering holistic connections with all inhabitants of our planet, from animals to plants, fungi, insects, and bacteria. Conjunct the South Node, it emphasizes the imperative to relinquish past patterns of interaction in order to pave the way for a future grounded in spiritual value and interconnectedness.

The Sun

As the focal point of our Solar System, the Sun inherently embodies a self-centeredness. At 5° and 7 minutes of Aries, the Sun infuses the self and our individual identities with vitality and fortifies our willpower and motivational drive.

In action-oriented Aries, the Sun symbolizes leadership and assertiveness. Conjunct the North Node, which represents  what we want, what we’re reaching for, and what we’re motivated to acquire, it calls us to embrace self-assurance and confidence in areas where we possess experience, expertise, or passion. While it may seem tempting to defer to a leader, this alignment encourages us to recognize our own capacity for pioneering and leading the way.

Neptune, nestled in its home sign of Pisces, forms an out-of-sign conjunction with the Sun. The out-of-sign nature of this conjunction makes the aspect subtle and easily overlooked, even as it provides support and energy as the Sun charges ahead in Aries. 

In Pisces, Neptune embodies spirituality, psychic abilities, and intuition. As the Roman god of the sea, Neptune delves into the depths of our subconscious and unconscious realms, dredging up treasures and resources that empower us to cultivate a stronger sense of self-agency. It invites us to find our rhythm and stride in roles of authority or expertise.

Harmonious Aspects

The Winds of Change gather momentum with the rare Libra Lunar Eclipse, but Pluto's presence in the innovative realm of Aquarius adds a potent gust to the cosmic breeze.

Pluto's orbit, spanning approximately 240 years, infuses Aquarius with transformative energy, echoing significant cultural, democratic, and technological revolutions from the past. In Aquarius, Pluto catalyzes the exposure and transmutation of societal corrosion and outdated generational traditions. It empowers us to effect necessary transformations for the betterment of society, culture, and civilization.

Aquarius Pluto exposes and transmutes corroded aspects of society and habitual generational traditions. Pluto also adds power to the Aquarius themes in order to perform the transformation necessary to improve society, culture, and civilization. 

The Libra Moon and Aquarius Pluto make an air trine—a 120° aspect—bringing mental and verbal stimulation regarding our lifestyles and relationships with technology. This includes our interactions with the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence. Pluto in Aquarius supports the Libra Moon by highlighting elements that harm us while empowering us to reinforce connections that enhance our lives and well-being.

Sextiling the Aries Sun, Pluto invigorates independence and self-authority in Aquarius, fostering awareness about our personal data in the digital realm. It prompts us to consider how we share or withhold information, particularly in relation to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. While these advancements offer undeniable advantages, Pluto's influence urges us to reconsider our dependence on third parties and reclaim control over our personal data.

Pallas, named after Pallas Athena, the Greek Goddess of wisdom, craft, and warfare, symbolizes strategy and problem-solving in astrology.

Positioned in Sagittarius, Pallas forms a sextile with the Moon in Libra and a fire trine with the Sun in Aries and Vulkan in Leo. Offering strategic insights, Pallas guides us in harnessing the lunar eclipse energy efficiently and effectively. Like her mythological counterpart, who remained independent yet contributed to the collective, Pallas advises on maintaining autonomy while fostering meaningful connections within relationships and communities.

Vulkan, transiting Leo, forms a sextile with the Libra Moon and a fire trine with the Sun in Aries and Pallas in Sagittarius. Reflecting the Roman god of smiths and forges, Vulkan in Leo embodies creative, artisanal energy. He assists us in forging new paths and fortifying existing ones, facilitating interconnectedness within networks of trails.

Sedna, transitioning through Taurus, offers a range of energies, from the brutal to the life-giving, mirroring her mythological portrayal as a deep-water underworld Inuit goddess.

In an out-of-sign trine with the Libra Moon and the lunar eclipse, Sedna encourages us to release attachments to comfort, fostering healthier relationships with ourselves and others. Meanwhile, the out-of-sign sextile with the Aries Sun provides stable rhythms to act and rest in the ebb and flow as we navigate forward with motivation and determination.

Squares

Stoking the fires of growth and development, Vesta in Gemini and Ceres in Capricorn present challenges to the Libra Moon and Aries Sun through their squares.

Named after the Roman goddess of the hearth, Vesta symbolizes the divine spark that fuels our passions and motivations. Positioned in Gemini, Vesta engages in an out-of-sign square, wielding sharp words and quick wit. Whether through humor or debate, Gemini Vesta calls attention to the inconsistencies surrounding the Libra Moon, insisting that all perspectives be acknowledged in any argument, debate, or challenge. As it squares the Aries Sun, this verbal sparring turns inward, prompting us to examine our internal narrative and identify moments of self-criticism, judgment, victimization, glorification, and excuse-making.

On the other hand, the dwarf planet Ceres embodies nurturing and caregiving energies. In Capricorn, Ceres seeks to nurture through structure, discipline, and practicality. This placement forms direct squares with both the Aries Sun and the Libra Moon, compelling us to confront instances where we may be enabling, rescuing, nurturing excessively, or stifling ourselves and others.