Wow! This New Moon really crept up on me. I know I say something similar almost every month, but it’s always true. Time really seems to be speeding up.
So, Friday was the September Equinox, the first day of Autumn (or Spring, depending on where you live). At the Equinox, the hours of light and dark are equal – it is a day of balance. It’s also the first day of our journey through the constellation of Libra, the sign represented by the scales. New Moon in Libra is Tuesday September the 27th.
Libra, you may have guessed, is about balance; balance in relationships, balance in physical structure, balance in how we give and receive and balance in how we create and structure our lives.
Let’s look at balance in relationships first. When you look at your relationships, does one person hold the power or is there give and take? Do you respect the other persons’ feelings and point of view and do they respect yours? Is there negotiation around things that are important? Do you give and receive support as needed? For all of these things to happen, each person in the relationship has to have stepped into their power, has to know who they are. Otherwise, one person will be strong, the other weak. One will carry the load for the other. This does not represent balance. You may be strong in one area, and the other person may be strong in another, but you both bring strength to the relationship. That provides balance.
Having balance in your physical structure (where you live, work etc) is also important. Having beauty around you, something that is pleasing to the eye and psyche has a great influence on how you feel. If your house is not pleasing to you, you will feel uncomfortable. Sometimes, all you need to do is clear up clutter (left over from Virgo). A pleasing arrangement of photos, flowers, or other objects will create a feeling of welcome when you come home from a hard day at work. It will lift your spirits. If you move objects around in your home, you will find that each has a location that seems just right. It creates a balance. Sometimes, physical things that are out of balance can have a physical effect on the body. My mother was very sensitive, and looking at someone wearing two prints that did not go together, or a plaid and a print that just didn’t work, actually made her nauseous. Sometimes we’re not aware of the effect that our surroundings have on us, but they can certainly throw us out of balance, and if we are sensitive, or take the time to feel and look, we may realize this effect.
Another place where we can look for balance is in what we take in and what we put out. This can be looked at in a number of different ways. Let’s first look at giving and receiving. Most of us are givers. After all, were we not taught that it is better to give than to receive? However, if we are all giving, who is receiving? Somebody needs to stop and receive! Just joking. However, a little balance in this area is certainly called for. We can give until we have nothing left to give, and then we are no use to anyone. Some feel receiving is selfish, but it is the greatest kind of selfish, giving to yourself so you have an abundance to give to others. Receiving what is given in love, with an open heart, enriches you, and so enriches all of us.
The second part of taking in and putting out that we will look at is about food. Physically, Libra rules diabetes, so this is a good time to start monitoring our sugar intake and bringing balance into what we eat. Libra also rules kidneys and adrenals, which react non beneficially to excessive sugar intake. Maybe it’s time to investigate sour, bitter and savoury tastes, as well as sweet, and bring balance to what we ingest. This is the season of the Farmers’ Markets all over town, so we can enjoy fresh produce and fruit in abundance.
The last area of balance that I would like to bring to your attention is the balance between doing and being. We live in a society in North America where we are programmed to “do”. What we do in life equates to who we are. It is a huge challenge for some of us to do nothing. And please understand that reading a book or watching television does not qualify as doing nothing! When is the last time you sat on a park bench, closed your eyes, and let the sun caress your skin? Or sat and looked at the trees as the leaves changed colour? Those who have introduced meditation into their lives may have more of that balance than those who haven’t, but it is not necessary to start a formal meditation practice. Just sitting for a moment or two enjoying the feel of the sun, wind or rain, the smell of fresh baking or wet leaves on the earth, or feeling sand squishing between your toes will help to bring about that balance. These simple pleasures will remind you that just “being” can be quite delightful.
If you are setting intent for this New Moon, here are some examples:
I am asking for a relationship based on mutual respect, love, support and nurturing.
I am asking for and inviting beauty and peace into my life.
I am asking to be able to receive in love, joy and appreciation.
I am asking to make beneficial choices in food and in all that I bring into my life.
So enjoy your journey through Libra, and remember, Balance is a B word.
