Autumn is an especially beautiful time of year here in Maine, and by no coincidence, we’re also in the thick of Libra Season: a sign ruled by Venus, planet of pleasure and — you guessed it — beauty. While Venus also rules Taurus, an earth sign embodying the more sensual, physical side of pleasure attained through our “earthly appetites,” the Libran brand of Venusian energy is more concerned with aesthetics, balance and harmony.
So, fashionistas and people-pleasers of the world unite: This is your month.
I must ask the contrarians of the universe to kindly step aside so we can take a collective look at the beauty unfolding around us. The decidedly out-of-balance, unfettered capitalism we live under can make it hard to trust attractive things, because so much of what we experience via mainstream culture is packaged with the sole intent of enticing us to buy it. It’s time we loosen up a little and allow ourselves to love what’s beautiful and pleasant and harmonious without fear we’re being suckered.
The stars support this approach. The Sun continues to luxuriate in Libra through the 24th – a sign also of judgment, of weighing all sides of a question – making October a time of sacred reflection, when you can really look at yourself in the mirror. Does your life reflect your values? Is the look you’re repping aligned with the energy you want to bring to the world?
Merely a week beyond the fall equinox, the daylight and darkness are also mirroring each other in near equal length. As October begins, we call our energies back from the wild expansion of summer and assess our progress through this mortal coil, deciding where to go from here.
Be honest in your assessment. What’s no longer a good look? I’m not just talking about clothes and whatnot; I’m talking about the energy you’re bringing to the spaces you occupy. We all outgrow phases, styles and stages, so without too much probing, let outdated ways go. Choose your best angle, dress the part, and — capitalism be damned — enjoy a pumpkin-spiced latte on your IG feed if that’s what truly makes you happy. Just remember: whatever style you choose to embody this month, you’ll get the most traction if your outsides mirror your insides.
This October also ushers in an eclipse season, with both a solar and lunar eclipse this month. In Western astrology, eclipses are special times of year when the sun and moon dance in each other’s shadows, alternately illuminating and hiding qualities of our inner (Moon) and outer (Sun) lives so we can get a better perspective on where we’re at.
On the 14th we’ve got a new moon solar eclipse in Libra. This is the primo moment to right any listing boats and rebalance relationships that feel out of wack — with others, and also with yourself. When the sun hides in the moon’s shadow, we see the not-so-pretty side of how we appear, and it can be hard to face this stuff. Luckily, airy Libra offers a sense of objective remove, making it easier to simply note the imbalance, tweak our look and move on.
The second major rebalancing moment is a full moon lunar eclipse in Taurus on the 28th. Here we engage even more Venusian themes, albeit to a slightly different tune. As noted earlier, Taurus evokes the more earthy, appetite-based sides of Venus’ pleasure queendom. And since the moon is all about internal landscapes, a full moon here illuminates the ways in which we feel most abundantly resourced. This lunation is also an eclipse, however, so we may also find ourselves asking, At what cost have I reaped this abundance?
Just a few days prior, on the 24th, the Sun will have sailed into Scorpio, a sign that (among other things) is about other people’s resources. We may have rebalanced some dynamics earlier in the month, but by October’s end it’s time to pay the piper. Yes, we all deserve to have resources, and yes, we all deserve to satisfy our desires. But by satiating our appetites, how did we impact the resources of those around us?
Only you can answer that question, but it might be time to skip the pumpkin-spice latte and instead throw a fiver into someone else’s cup. Or plant some actual pumpkin seeds and pay homage to the ultimate resource-giver we all too often forget to repay: Mother Earth herself. Regardless of the time of year, that’s always a good look.
Caitlin Scholl is a writer, artist and intuitive astrologer living in Yarmouth. For private consultations, inquiries or comments about Astral Tides, e-mail her at coaching@friendenergies.com.
