Libra

September 23-October 22

This is the seventh sign, and eighth constellation, from the vernal equinox, and is situated in the Zodiac, next east of Virgo. The sun enters this sign, at the Autumnal Equinox, on the 23d of September. Throughout Libra, a Cardinal Air sign, the time of darkness increases as daylight fades.  Libra is the  social Air sign. Symbolized by the Scales, it represents the desire for peace, truth, justice, and fairness. From an astrological point of view, Libra symbolizes both public and personal harmony. Libra has that special ability to judge and weigh differences between people, things, and events.

Venus, the ruler of Libra, was said by the ancients to have arisen from the foam of the sea at the time of the wounding of Uranus. It is the planet associated with harmony, balance, and beauty. People ruled by this planet are usually of a gentle, loving disposition, fond of social life and entertainment.

The name Libra is Latin for pound. Pound is the unit of weight for the scales, and a pair of Scales is the glyph for this sign, signifying balance. The sign may also be represented as the base of the scales resting on the setting  sun on the western horizon, which is symbolically the realm of the past, serving as a reminder that the past is always with us.   

The Egyptians were the first of the ancients to recognize Libra as a constellation unto itself.  Prior to this, Libra had been considered a part of Scorpio's claws.  The Egyptians believed that when an individual died, Ma'at, the goddess of law and justice, would place their soul on one side of her scale and on the other, a feather.  If the soul tipped the scales, even just a wee bit, she would deem it not ready for the afterlife.   The Greeks, on the other hand, saw Libra as a set of scales held by Astraea, the Goddess of Justice in whom the fate of all mortals must be eventually weighed. 

Libra also represented justice as a symbol for equality in several Middle Eastern cultures, and in ancient Sumeria, Libra was known as the Balance of Heaven.  In India, Libra was regarded as a Balance, as well, and in the Zodiac of that country, the constellation was seen  as a man bending on one knee and holding a pair of scales. In China,  Libra was once known as the Star of Longevity, but later generations changed the name to Tien Ching, which means the Celestial Balance.

The time of Libra is a special time that can bring harmony and balance into our lives.  It is the time of the harvest, and, as the seventh sign of the Zodiac, it rules the seventh house...the house of marriage, partnerships, and intimate relationships deeming this a perfect time for celebrating and sharing with others.