Rose's Astro Academy | An Astrology Podcast

E13 *Topic* Zodiac Series: Understanding Libra

• Rose Potts • Episode 13

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In this episode of Rose's Astro Academy, we take a detailed look at the sign of Libra. We explore Libra's association with balance, fairness, and harmony, as well as potential shadow sides, like perfectionism and people-pleasing. We also examine Venus's and Saturn's connection to Libra in the rulership scheme, look at how Libra expresses itself as a cardinal, masculine, air sign, and see how the qualities of Libra were derived from the symbolism surrounding the fall equinox.

We also look at how different planets in Libra may express and compare Libra to Venus's other home, Taurus. This episode is not just for Libra Suns; we all have a place in our chart where Libra energy expresses itself, so this episode is for everyone!

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to episode 13 of Rose's Astro Academy, where we demystify the system of astrology piece by piece. For our topic episode this week, to celebrate the start of Libra season, we will be exploring the qualities of Libra. This is part two of a 12-part series which will look at every zodiac sign as the sun moves through them. So if you're not a follower of the show yet, hit that follow button so you can stay in the loop and catch the rest of this series. In the meantime, we release a new episode twice a week. On Mondays we do a transit talk we just had our talk on Venus entering Scorpio and on Wednesdays we do a topic-focused episode where we explore a new layer of the system of astrology. So let's get into it.

Speaker 1:

This talk is not just for Lib Libra suns. We all have a place in our chart where Libra energy expresses itself. There are 12 houses and 12 signs, and so in the whole sign house system which I use and which was used by ancient astrologers, a sign will occupy the entirety of one of the houses. Each house represents a different topic or area of your life, such as work, home, family relationships, etc. So we all have a house representing an area of life where the sign of Libra will express itself. This is then accentuated if you have planets in Libra and accentuated more if you're a Libra sun, moon or rising. So we'll start off by looking at the qualities of Libra as derived from the season of the year during which the sun moves through Libra.

Speaker 1:

In ancient astrology, they used the qualities of the particular season of the year to speak to the qualities of that sign. Libra season begins with the fall equinox and this is when the balance of light and dark in a day is perfectly equal. Immediately following the fall equinox, so for the rest of Libra, there starts to be more darkness in a day than there is daylight. And this may seem like okay, whatever, what's the point, but ancient astrologers saw this as a very important symbolic turning point in the solar year. The switch into darkness being dominant over the light was seen as a symbolic crossing into the underworld or the afterlife. We know Libra as the sign of the scales, and what this means is that Libra is the sign of judgment At the threshold to the underworld or the afterlife, or however you picture it. The soul is said to be judged. The heart weighed against a feather. Now, it's okay if you don't believe in the afterlife. I'm not trying to say that it exists or doesn't. The point is that this belief served as the framework within which ancient people came up with the meanings and qualities for Libra. So, as the threshold to the underworld, where the soul is judged, libra carries the quality of evaluation. Libra is also the time where we harvest our crop, both actually as farmers and, symbolically, where we reap our karmic fruits, which are the results of our past actions. If you've already listened to my talk on Virgo, you'll remember that we spoke about Virgo carrying a sense of an impending evaluation. Well, that is the evaluation that takes place in Libra. So, as the equilibrium point between the amount of light and dark in a day, libra represents balance. With balance comes harmony. With balance comes fairness, justice, diplomacy. These are all things that Libra represents. These qualities are also most likely why Venus was given rulership over this sign. Now there are other reasons for the assignment of rulership of planets over signs. It's very complicated and intricate and beautiful, the rationales behind everything, but we won't get into that now. But we can see how the qualities of Venus who rules harmony and getting along and aesthetic beauty and things like that would naturally have rulership over the sign of balance.

Speaker 1:

Interestingly, as the sign of the scales, libra is the only sign in the zodiac that is represented by an inanimate object. The rest of the signs have either human or animals as their symbol. Now what can we take from this? As an air sign, like all the air signs, libra is concerned with intellect in the realm of ideas. Each of the air signs puts a different spin on their favorite type of thinking. For example, aquarius is known for looking towards the future and wanting to be on the cutting edge. Libra is focused on abstract ideals such as justice, harmony, balance and fairness. And now where we get into the inanimate object, part of this is that there is almost an inhuman quality to these values. They are beyond the messy reality of true humanity. These are high-minded ideals that we as humans can strive for but never truly attain. Later in this episode we'll speak more about the perfectionistic streak that Libra can have, but it's essentially because they are measuring things to these very high ideals. So perhaps this is why we can see Libra as the only sign in the zodiac represented by an inanimate object. The signs represented by animals are said to be more in touch with their instinctual natures and the signs represented by humans are more in touch with their humane side. Libra attempts to transcend even this humane side.

Speaker 1:

Libra is concerned with refinement, almost to a level of going beyond what is realistic for the realm of humans Other ways that we can view Libra. Libra is known as the diplomat of the zodiac. Libra is very concerned with social graces and that which is pleasant. Whenever I think of Libra, I think of a beautiful, white, airy yoga studio where everyone is striking these poses that are balanced and beautiful. But there's also an air of rigidity behind that as well.

Speaker 1:

Libra is very concerned with aesthetics, maybe a little too much. As the sign of harmony and balance that is ruled by the planet of beauty, libra naturally has an eye for design. For example, people with dominant Libra placements can naturally be really good at graphic or interior design. They are really good at making spaces and things pleasing and conducive to feelings of harmony. They get how things are supposed to fit together for an aesthetic and balanced whole. Each sign can be seen as having a corrective function over the sign that precedes it.

Speaker 1:

Libra follows Virgo and in the Virgo episode you may remember that we spoke about Virgo being very concerned with the little details. But in this sense Virgo can be too zoomed in and miss the coherence of the whole. It's like Virgo is really good at gathering all the data and crunching the numbers for a work presentation, for example, but then Libra comes in and is really good at taking that data and putting it into a pleasing and eye-catching presentation. The emphasis is not so much on the substance of what is presented but on how it looks. Libra is more concerned with packaging things in the nice presentation as the sign of balance and justice. Libras naturally really value fairness. For example, I'm sure you've had this friend or partner who insists that the two of you split every bill 50-50. I will place my bet that they probably have dominant Libra in their chart. There's just this aiming for fairness ingrained in what they do. And now remember, unless someone has every planet in their chart in Libra, which I highly doubt, then their Libra qualities will mix with the qualities of the other signs that are dominant in their chart as well.

Speaker 1:

What I'm doing here in this talk is viewing this sign more or less in isolation in order to help us understand it. But when we're looking at a birth chart, we're always trying to pay attention to how these different layers fit together as a holistic whole. But before we can understand how they could fit together, we first have to try to understand each layer individually, which is what we're doing here. With Another way we can see Libra is as the sign where Saturn is exalted, as Saturn's exaltation, libra carries a definite air of rigidity, and we can see that there is actually a rigidity in that which is beautiful. For example, humans are wired to perceive things that are symmetrical as beautiful, and when we peel back this layer, we can see that there are actually precise rules behind which what we perceive to be beautiful and what we do not. This is the underlying Saturnian context of beauty and part of how we can understand Saturn being happy or well-suited to the place of Libra, which, on its surface level, might seem confusing. The conversation of Saturn in Libra reminds me of the art of ballet. It's very beautiful, but also very precise and rigid, and it's those elements which create the beauty. That's very Libran. So in this way, I see ballet as a very Libran type thing.

Speaker 1:

Libra is a masculine sign, which makes Libra outwardly expressive, as opposed to feminine signs being more internally focused Because of their innate sense of balance and harmony and the outward direction of their energy. Librans tend to be natural social butterflies. They are usually adept at social graces and excel in pleasant small talk. But there can also be a shallowness or inauthenticity here, or a sense of skimming the surface and chumming along nicely with people, but not knowing people at a deep level or not really desiring to go to those places. People at a deep level, or not really desiring to go to those places. Librans, or people with dominant Libra placements, have an innate sense of wanting to maintain harmony. Have you ever had a friend who is very blunt and says things that are true but are nonetheless off-putting? Well, this is a quality that's very opposite to that of a Libra. Libras would rather leave those off-putting things left unsaid in order to maintain the outward air of harmony, even when they're not feeling that harmony within. It can be very hard for Librans to speak authentically about difficult matters. They can even go as far as to, for example, ignore the hurt of their partner or having that difficult conversation with a partner and just maintaining an air of pleasantness instead.

Speaker 1:

As cardinal signs, librans are good initiators of change. For example, libra dominant women or even men, of course who are concerned with fashion can often be the types that are trendsetters of fashion. Or we can take this beyond fashion. We can think about Librans who are engaged with art. There's something about the way that they're doing the art where they want to initiate change, in that sense they don't want to copy what other people are doing necessarily.

Speaker 1:

A good way that we can reinforce our understanding of Libra is by understanding how the sign differs from Taurus, which is the other home of Venus. Taurus is a fixed feminine earth sign. In the sign of Taurus, venus expresses more centrally. Venus, as the planet of enjoyment, is focused more on enjoying the sensual experience of being in a body in Taurus, of indulging in sensory pleasures like the sense of touch and the taste of food. As an air sign, libra is more focused on the realm of ideas. Libra places more emphasis on social connections and aesthetic beauty. As a fixed earth sign, taurus wants stability and comfort. The earth elements make Taurus perhaps the most fixed of the fixed signs. Taurus individuals will often find something they like and stick to it, easily falling into habits and not wanting to stray outside of them. Libras, on the other hand, as cardinal signs, want to initiate and can be much more accepting of change. Taurus is kind of like the simple barefoot. Let's be out in nature enjoying the flowers. Expression of Venus and Libra is more about finding a refined sense of beauty, such as what we might see in an art museum or in things like ballet or things like that, where I see Taurus being very happy with the natural beauty of, say, a flower.

Speaker 1:

We can also understand Libra by taking a look at how different planets may express differently in Libra. For example, let's look at individuals born with Mercury in Libra. Mercury is the planet of communication and we've already said that Libra is good at diplomacy and fairness. Have you ever spoken with someone who talked your ear off and had no understanding of balance in a conversation? A Mercury in Libra person would most likely not be like this at all. They are very naturally adept at the understanding of balance in a conversation. They may also keep things very light and on the surface rather than going into anything that feels deep or difficult. Now, we did say that with Libra in general, but if a person had Mercury in Libra, then this expression would most likely be dialed up. Mercury in Libra can also be very adept at beautiful communication, such as writing beautiful poetry or songs. They may have a naturally charming way of speaking and articulating, expressing balance and harmony through their voice.

Speaker 1:

Now, in comparison, let's look at some expressions for an individual with moon. In Libra, the moon represents, amongst other things, our emotional realm. The moon is also about how we find a feeling of comfort and security, so Libra moon individuals may find comfort in aesthetically pleasing surroundings. They may be especially adept at beautifying and harmonizing their homes and understanding what is needed to create a harmonious environment. Again, we did say this also about Libra in general, but for Libra moon individuals, they will also derive a great deal of comfort and emotional security from beautifying and harmonizing their surroundings. The moon also speaks a lot to caretaking and the sign of Libra a sign that is very in tune with balance and justice and harmony. We can see how these individuals would be very, very good at considering the needs of others. These individuals would be very, very good at considering the needs of others. They would also have a deep need for harmony and balance and connection in their emotional life, and they would probably be a lot more sensitive than others to the dynamics of balance and fairness in their relationships.

Speaker 1:

Finally, I'd like us to examine some potential shadow sides for Libra. Every sign has both good and bad aspects, so I think it's important to speak to that as well. I think the biggest thing I've noticed with Libra-dominant individuals is that their desire to keep the peace can lead to them not being authentic in connections. It can lead them to leave things left unsaid for too long because they are concerned with preserving a feeling of harmony, even if that harmony is only an outward facade. Essentially, this means that there can be an unhealthy avoidance of confrontation and where things are left to simmer beneath the surface for too long, libras can also be pretty strong in their people-pleasing tendencies. In order to try to keep the peace, they can give too much of themselves to others and even try to please others at the expense of their own needs and their own authentic truth. Libras can also be very concerned with outward appearances of themselves and of others. They may judge others for not being outwardly beautiful and, in a sense, write them off without bothering to know them more deeply. They can also be very concerned with their own beauty or attractiveness, leading to vanity. As having an inherent need for balance, I've also noticed that some Libra-dominant individuals can be incredibly indecisive, and I believe this stems from a fear of disrupting balance, especially when the decision involves opposing viewpoints. If they don't make a firm stance, then they won't cause any disruptions or imbalance.

Speaker 1:

Also, a Libra dominant individual can easily tip over into perfectionism. This can be in terms of their outward appearance, for example, in how they present themselves. This could be a person whose outfit always needs to be styled just right, their hair done, their makeup perfect, everything just to go grab a coffee at the cafe. This perfectionism can also be about presentation. When they're putting something together, they keep adjusting and adjusting and adjusting until it's just right together. They keep adjusting and adjusting and adjusting until it's just right. Perhaps, and this perfectionism can also be about those really high ideals that they hold, especially with Venus representing love and relationships. Individuals with Venus in Libra could have these really high ideals when it comes to love and partnerships, and reality may never actually meet their expectations, which could lead these individuals to move from connection to connection and never find the perfection that they're seeking in a partner. So that's a bit on potential shadow qualities of Libra.

Speaker 1:

To finish up, I want to leave you with a bit of a funny story on how a Libra's innate sense of fairness and justice can be dialed up a little too much. Earlier this year I was playing Catan with my mom, who is a Libra rising and bless her. She could not bring herself to place the robber on other people's squares to block their resources, which is like a key part of this game. She would just keep putting the robber on an empty spot because she didn't want to be mean or unfair to anyone. So we can see here an example of a Libra being very, very concerned with fairness and how that quality can perhaps go overboard. Like in a game of Catan, you're supposed to block other players and make things difficult for them. That's the whole point of the game. So, anyways, I was just noticing this as it was happening and internally laughing about it.

Speaker 1:

So this has been my talk on understanding Libra. I hope you enjoyed it and got something out of it. Remember, all of the different things I described today is not meant to speak to every single Libra in your life. It's more about the qualities of the sign of Libra generally, and then that will be toned differently by each planet that could be in Libra and also by the location of Venus in that person's chart. So there's a lot of nuance and differences here. So I'm definitely not trying to group all Libras into one category and say that they're all the same or that they definitely would behave or act in all of these ways.

Speaker 1:

So if you enjoyed this episode, then stay tuned for our talk on Scorpio next month. In the meantime, we will be releasing episodes every Monday and Wednesday, so make sure that you catch those as well. If you have any questions about today's talk or in general, you can get in touch with me via my contact page on my website at rosesastroacademycom. There you can also view my schedule and book of reading with me as well, and you can also follow along on my Instagram at rosesastroacademy. Finally, if you enjoyed this episode and you want to give your thanks for this content that I do put a lot of effort into on a weekly basis, and you also want to help this podcast grow and to reach a larger audience, then you can really really help us out by leaving a review. Well, that's all I have for you. See you soon for a new episode.