The moon wanes ever further day after day, retreating from the place of the past lunar eclipse and approaching her consort the Sun again to initiate a solar eclipse. We now occupy the interstitial time between the eclipses - the liminal, transitionary period where we manage the fallout of one major celestial moment while preparing ourselves for the next.

This solar eclipse will occur on October 2nd at 2:49pm eastern time, amidst the discursive, deliberative, and social winds of Libra. I wish all my readership a safe, productive eclipse season!

At its core, a solar eclipse carries the same significations as a standard new moon: as the heavenly queen is reborn in the fires of the Sun, the whole world experiences an energetic reset, this is a time to cleanse, revitalize, start afresh, and renew your spirit. For this reason, the eclipse remains a good time for purifying the psyche of unwanted old habits, setting new, uplifting intentions for the next cycle, and reinvigorating ourselves with enthusiasm for life.

But unlike a new moon, the solar eclipse also brings loss and disruption to our lives. The parts of our lives touched on by this alignment are, simply put, eclipsed: we often experience disruptions, changes, and some sort of loss as old patterns, behaviors, and relationships fall away in order to make room for new growth. For this reason, eclipses often carry more sinister overtones, and stories of the Sun being nearly devoured by twisted demons or dragons abound throughout the mythologies of the world. While eclipses aren’t evil in a moral sense, they do cause serious changes to our lives, and should be managed with a certain level of gravity.

Because they tend to stir up so much in our lives, spiritual practices and meditations done during eclipses are said to have greatly magnified effects. Psychologically, so much more gunk arises from the subconscious that spiritual disciplines can heal and integrate; externally, spiritual practices ensure that we respond to these major transitions in our lives in the best possible way, and achieve the cleanest, clearest outcomes. If we treat eclipses with mindfulness and respect, we can set ourselves up for a great deal of good fortune in the long run.

This solar eclipse occurs in the sign of Libra. Libra is the gate of the equinox; during Libra season, the nights become longer than the days - a literal manifestation of darkness triumphing over light. As we enter into the colder, darker half of the year, weighing and assessing our current situation in life becomes paramount in order to weather the upcoming months of lack.

This gives Libra its association with balance and the rational use of the mind in order to make proper assessments and judgments. Additionally, the weight that Libra feels in its decision-making process often compels it to seek out interlocutors and conversation partners as it goes through its process. This gives Libra its noteworthy communal and loquacious proclivities.

Libra has a strong penchant for its back-and-forth, contrarian attitude in its decision-making process. Libra’s wisdom teaches us how to constantly recalibrate and modulate our own intentions and desires according to the changing circumstances and situations around us. In fact, the Tarot card associated with Libra in Aleister Crowley’s Tarot deck goes by the name adjustment. Crowley - himself a Libra - understood very well the constant balancing act of fairness and justice that is involved in ensuring that everyone is being treated properly, and that our own intentions are constantly being indexed to interpersonal dynamics that are far more important.

Libra teaches us that many of our best decisions and assessments are made when we can run them by other people. While we may have to make decisions, they can be made while considering those around us. Thus, this new moon calls us towards balancing and assessing our lives within the context our relationships. Throughout the entire lunar cycle, you will be pulled to be more social and communally engaged as you follow through on your own intentions.

The new Moon in Libra rouses us to engage in the tasks of weighing and assessing every aspect of our life. The new Moon invites us to be more reflective, and to take more time with all the decisions that we make without rushing into anything. We can all set new intentions to be more thoughtful and deliberative in the way that we approach our entire lives.

This period is very much about interpersonal kindness. You will be best served using this period to go inward and ask yourself how you can be more fair and balanced in your relationships to other people - do you act in a way that honors and respects your close friends and family? Are you walking with a mind for how your actions treat people? Do you notice the ripple effect into the lives of others from your own choices?

As this an eclipse, the blockages, obstacles, and resistances that we have to our spirits’ wills become much more pronounced. Our shadows and darknesses will be reflected in the face of the other. Relationships and group dynamics have the potential to bring out the worst in people.

Compounding this is the square from Mars in Cancer. People will feel frustrated or feel like their boundaries are crossed, but they won’t be able to express their frustration. Old bitterness and grudges become aggravated. Make sure you commit to communication and staying in open dialogue with others.

On the bright side, this Libra new Moon sees a trine with Jupiter, and a conjunction to mercury. You will see helpful input coming from teachers and authority figures. A situation may arise where someone points out how your actions could have been more considerate. You notice how your own personal choices affects others more poignantly. You will have the right words when you need them.

To prepare for the aspects of this New Moon cycle that may be more challenging, be sure to examine the houses in your own chart that are currently being transited by the malefics. If, for instance, you have Mars transiting your 11th in Cancer, disagreements may surface with community figures, neighbors, coworkers, and siblings. If the 10th or 2nd, work and financial life may have more troubles, as well as disagreements with one’s boss.

Ultimately, the points of contention that arise will be non-issues in the big picture. This is an air sign - things tend to stay within the realm of discourse and potentiality and don’t actualize into anything serious long-term. Additionally, benefic signs like libra tend to bring lunar cycles that are at the end of the day pleasent and enjoyable, even if some difficult lessons are learned along the way.

As best as you are able, remain open with others. Don’t let grievances and frustrations force you to retreat into solitutde. If you commit to working through the interpersonal tension that arises, you’ll find your relationship life deepening and flourishing as a result.