Aspects for the week beginning 20 September 2015

Libra Animal Totems and Archetypes

The Sun enters Libra at 8.21 a.m. on Wednesday 23^rd September, ushering in the Autumn Equinox.  This is the fifth in the series where I look at some of the animal totems and Archetypes for the various signs. The traditional symbol for Libra is of course inanimate: the scales.  But Libra does have animal power to draw upon.  The emphases with many of these totems and archetypes are the Libran qualities of Love and Peace.  Do you, or someone close to you, have Sun, Ascendant or Moon in Libra?

Deer

The main quality which qualifies the deer as principal animal totem for Libra, is its gentleness, and there is also its elegance.

In “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams and David Carson we learn:

“Deer teaches us to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts and minds of wounded beings who are trying to keep us from Sacred Mountain…Stop pushing so hard to get others to change, and love them as they are.”

In “Animal Spirits” by Nicholas J. Saunders he tells us:

“A gentler approach to the animal is seen in Buddhist teachings, where the deer symbolizes meditation and meekness.  Deer on either side of the circle of the Wheel of Law signify the Buddha’s first sermon, which was preached in the deer park at Sarnath.”

Ted Andrews adds that deer represents innocence and return to the wilderness, while Nicky Scully emphasizes sensitivity and in particular sensing the environment.

Bambi is surely one of the cutest cartoon characters ever created!

Fluffy White Angora Bunnies

The fluffy white angora bunny represents Libra’s cute and fluffy side, soothing and comforting, as a child’s toy if not the real thing.  I have used this animal for Libra for over 20 years, but have a gorgeous photo taken a couple of years ago of my grandson’s encounter with just such a bunny across a garden fence – he has a Libran Ascendant.  It was quite an initiation for him, as the whiskers were right in his face!

Bird Totems

As an Air sign, there is an emphasis on bird totems.  Birds of Libra are generally very elegant, such as the long-legged flamingo and the avocet wading bird.  Then there are the lovey dovey ones…

Flamingo

Flamingos really are beautiful birds, a joyous sight to behold as they gather in the lakes, even for those who don’t like pink!  Pink is one of the colours associated with Venus, the ruling planet of Libra.

Angela Wansbury emphasizes the balancing qualities of flamingo, which of course is one of the attributes of the Scales:

“A flamingo is asking, have you recently been upset when you didn’t maintain your centre?  Did a person or situation throw you off balance and you got very hurt and angry instead of being poised and unfazed?  Look at what negative beliefs the situation or the other person invoked in you, and use them as a learning curve.”

Doves

Doves and Peace

Doves have traditionally been associated with peace, especially in connection with the biblical story of Noah and the flood, where the dove carries an olive branch in its beak.

Angela Wansbury advises:

“If you are fretting over a situation and a dove appears, it is telling you to quieten your mind and to stop worrying, because dwelling on the problem is not only making the matter seem worse but it is stopping intuitive thoughts and guidance coming through.  If you are currently going through a harrowing time, the appearance of a dove is reassuring you that peace is coming soon.”

Ted Andrews points out:

“The song of the dove speaks to all who hear it.  Its mournful tones stir the emotions, the internal waters.”

Turtle Doves and Love

Doves are sometimes released at weddings, which are Libran occasions as Libra rules marriage.  The turtle dove is associated with Love especially, and often depicted as a pair, signifying soul mates.  They form strong pair bonds.  They are referred to in the biblical Song of Songs, and as one of the true love’s gifts in the Christmas carol.

Cranes

“White crane!
Lend me your wings
I will not fly far
From Lithang, I shall return”

So wrote the 6^th Dalai Lama in a love song.

The crane is a bird revered in the Eastern countries of China, Japan and Tibet, and has the elegance in its flight that we would expect of a Libran bird.  In my work on Karmic Astrology, I associate Libra with these Eastern cultures, for example when looking at countries important in past lives.

Ted Andrews tells us:

“The crane was a powerful symbol to the ancient Chinese.  It is a symbol of justice and longevity, and it is one of many solar symbols…If the crane has shown up in your life as a totem, it could very well reflect that you are about to recover what had almost become extinct within you.…The crane can also provide possible clues to past life experiences”

Nicholas J. Saunders adds:

“Vigilance, longevity, wisdom and fidelity are prominent in the spectrum of the creature’s positive attributes….The elegance of their natural lines made them popular subjects with Japanese artists”

There’s a Japanese legend and tradition that folding 1000 origami cranes will grant a wish, and you might think this is too much effort, but my niece did just that for a wedding present to her brother and his wife last weekend, presented in a lantern.  Don’t try this at home if you do not wish to incur an R.S.I., was the implied message of her accompanying note.

Archetypes

There are a number of Archetypes associated with Libra, and I have picked out just a few.

Knight

The knight is associated with the medieval codes of romance, courtly love, courtly manners and chivalry, but also with its polarity Aries through warriorship.  The term “gallantry” comes from the Baroque ideal of refined elegance.

Princess

The Princess Archetype is the Queen (Leo Archetype) in waiting, the desire for emotional power but with the lack of responsibility.  It is carefree and youthful.  Often a young girl will play Princess to a certain type of father, who is willing to play the game of pampering.  It can be a harmless Archetype, but is sometimes seen as a diva.  It can be a necessary stage of development for a female in trying to establish her own power.  In some ways it is the female counterpart of the Knight, in its pleasantries, and is related to the Damsel Archetype.

Advocate

Librans are well known for their love of justice and fairness.

Advocate – Traditional

Traditionally, the Advocate is squarely Libran, associated with the law profession and promoting equality.  In her “Archetype Cards” Caroline Myss defines it embodying “a lifelong devotion to championing the rights of others and a passion to transform social injustices.”

Advocate – Modern (with Aquarius)

In her book “Archetypes” Caroline Myss introduces new forms of Archetypes for the modern world.  For the Advocate, she progresses the picture:

“The Advocate may be the most unfamiliar archetype among our family of ten.  That’s because this is a relatively recent addition to the cosmic theatre, having emerged as a recognized pattern of power with the rise of civil consciousness and social action in the 1960s”

Her final thought is: “There has never been a time in history so primed for the talents of true Advocates.  Listen to your heart, find your cause, and commit to it.”

Famous Examples: John Lennon, Sun in Libra, Advocate of Peace, with Ascendant in Aries the Action Hero, partnered by Yoko Ono, Sun in Aquarius, the Social Activist.

Sting and Bob Geldof, Librans born in the same week of the same year, are Advocates for a number of causes.

Married couple Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas share a birthday in Libra, and have hosted a Nobel Peace Prize concert together.  He has been involved in supporting the causes of human rights, nuclear disarmament and gun control (specifically prompted by the death of John Lennon).

Diplomat

The Diplomat is related to the Mediator Archetype.  In my 2010 article which appeared as a guest blog on Joyce Mason’s astrological blog site, I identified an Archetype for South Node in Libra for a past life:

South Node in Libra

Venus conjunct South Node

Archetype: The Diplomat
Place: Ancient Greece
Time: 421 BC

My name is Demis. I live in Corinth and try to smooth relations between  Athens and Sparta. I can see both their qualities and greatness and feel that I can bring them together.  There are plenty of people practising the art of war, but not enough cultivating the art of peace.  I love justice, too, having been educated in philosophy and law and hope one day that all people will accept the balance it brings. I am proud, too, of the artistic achievements of my country, which I think are outstanding. For beauty is truth and truth beauty, as you can see on this urn that I have before me. Maybe one day a poet will capture that essence.

Fashionista

Another modern Archetype pointed out by Caroline Myss is “The Fashionista”:

“If you are a modern-day Fashionista you were formed out of two opposing forces.  One is the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which gave you an appetite for freedom of expression and appreciation for your body.  The other is the rise of the modelling and cosmetics industries and the fashion press…”

Under her Checklist for the Fashionista she offers the mantra “I consider my life my personal fashion statement.”

Famous Examples: Gok Wan, Style Guru – Though he is a meticulous Virgo Sun Sign, he has a forensic exact conjunction of Mercury and Pluto in Libra.

Maria Bueno, who in the 1960s wore groundbreaking tennis outfits and was the last word in elegance; Serena Williams is also Libran, and has a fashion house.

Gary and Martin Kemp, Libran brothers, leaders in the New Romantic(s) movement of musical style in their band “Spandau Ballet”.  Librans are collaborators, so where you have two Librans together, there can be a good partnership.

Mythological Figures

Aphrodite

Ted Andrews links the Greek Goddess of Love neatly with one of Libra’s bird totems informing us that “In the Greek tradition, Aphrodite was born from an egg brooded by a dove.”  Ancient Greece is another country linked with past lives in Karmic Astrology, with its elegant architecture and classical beauty.

Cupid and Eros

Eros was the Greek God of Love (sometimes known as the son of Aphrodite), while Cupid (meaning “desire”) was his Roman counterpart.

If you are Libran, and you feel these totems and archetypes are not edgy enough for you, it may be down to another element of your chart.  Rarely is a Libran 100% so in a totally hearts and flowers way, and will often for instance have some of its neighbouring sign Scorpio, which is very edgy.

Bibliography:

“Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams and David Carson

 “Archetypes” and “Archetype Cards” by Caroline Myss

 “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews

“Animal Spirits” by Nicholas J. Saunders

“Birds Divine Messengers” by Angela Wansbury

Tags: Love, Peace, Elegance, Gentleness, Weddings

Aspects

First of all, I have to apologize to my dear readers for alerting them maybe prematurely to the shift of the karmic North Node into Virgo, because it is still at 0 degrees Libra (it moves backwards).  Some people do prepare that far ahead and sense such a shift earlier, but you may need your energies elsewhere this week.  It will reach 29 degrees 59 minutes of Virgo from 0 degrees Libra on 10^th October.  So I will repost some of that information on Sunday 4^th October, so that you will be really in gear.

This week is split into two halves: the first half, until Wednesday, is felicitous and smooth-sailing; the second half (Thursday to Saturday) is more challenging (or at best, mixed).  Perhaps leave some space in your diary in the second half, for the digestion of experiences.

The felicitous day is Wednesday (23^rd), the day of the Autumn Equinox, which brings two harmonious aspects.  In the early hours of the morning Venus trines Uranus, and you may be anticipating a super social day.  Even if your diary is blank, you may experience a delightful chance encounter, e.g. in the supermarket if your routine is humdrum.  It is a good day for social communication, and group activities.  If you are an artist, you may receive intuitions of a highly original order.

The Equinox occurs at 8.21 a.m. so you can start the day with celebration of the change of season, appreciating the mist and mellow fruitfulness.  The Sun is entering Libra, the sign of relationship, art and fairness.  We have worked hard perhaps at establishing our new term’s working schedules, and setting up activities for the Autumn, under the Sun in Virgo.  We can relax into those schedules now.

In the evening, the Sun sextiles Saturn in Sagittarius.  You may get a sense at this time of what benefits, if any, you can expect from Saturn’s entry into the jolly sign of the zodiac.  The tone may not be jolly, as Saturn is always serious, but there may be an uplift of something you have been struggling with, which may seem relatively jolly.  You may see a humorous side, or a silver lining, in a serious undertaking.  It is also a good day for planning in general.

Thursday (24^th) may start well, because the Sun conjuncts North Node, and if you have been eating your greens your hair may turn curly, or there may be some other karmic reward for some other good effort.

However, you may sense there is something else brewing throughout the day, because in the evening Mercury squares Pluto as it backtracks along its retrograde path.  You may remember that when Mercury was going forward on Wednesday (9^th) it ran into this problem:

“…we may be forced to re-think a course of action, or turn our consciousness round at least 90 degrees.  What we thought reasonable yesterday may come up against a glitch, or be opposed by authorities.  Perhaps you had an idea about improving community relations, and it proves unworkable due to government cuts.  Some deep thinking about causes and effects may bring about a breakthrough in how to proceed.  In the meantime, if the stand-off brings about a headache, lying in a darkened room may allow more inspiration to arise.” That one – maybe you recall the issue.  With Mercury retrograde, there may even be a return to the same issue.

The aspects of Friday (25^th) are reasonable enough: First Mars enters Virgo, so our energetic expression turns from show and spin to something of more substance and practicality.  The last vestiges of holiday mode are laid aside, and we knuckle down to achieving our life’s work, mind, body and spirit.  We are motivated to having something to see emerging from our aspirations.

Then Pluto turns direct, which is very useful indeed, like the Universe backing us up and supporting what we are trying to do, instead of the constant challenges it sometimes feels are thrown at us.  With Saturn having been in Scorpio, and Pluto having been retrograde, our psyches have been put through a mill and tested to the hilt recently.  Maybe you can give yourself a pat on the back for something you’ve done recently which you didn’t think you could do.

Finally, on Saturday (26^th) we again need to exercise caution because Saturn is squaring Mars, and frustrating attempts to implement the actions we intend as part of our life’s plan, or seasonal plan.  Maybe we planned for a round hole and find ourselves with a square peg.  Or there is a hole in our bucket.  We know what we want, but someone else has a different idea, and their will needs to be honoured just as much.  Our desires come up against reality.  So it may be a question of compromise, or patience, or negotiation. Or you may need to obtain a new spare part.

There may be an impasse, and that might contribute to some pre-eclipse fever or tension building up towards the following Monday (28^th).  You need plenty of breathing and meditation at the end of this week to aid problem-solving and keep you equinanimous and buoyant in the run up to that eclipse.

The week in bullet points:

• Wednesday – a gold star day
• Thursday – karmic rewards, then stressful debate
• Friday – hard work, and psychological breakthrough
• Saturday – impasse