In the northeastern United States, Fall has arrived in all its auburn glory. As the leaves turn yellow, orange, and red, the winds of change blow, and we enter the final weeks before an unprecedented election.

The natural world orders and governs us with its perennial wisdom. Libra’s balance follows Virgo’s bounty. The harvest is counted, the wheat separated from the chaff, the blessings shared with equanimity.

Libra is the first house above the horizon on the far western axis where we enter the world and partnership. It is the Seventh/Descendent House, where relationship balances the First House/Ascendent’s individuality. In philosopher Martin Buber’s words, it is the “I and Thou”, the art of relationship and what makes us real to one another.

The Sun entered Libra at the Autumn Equinox, and the New Moon occurs October 16th at 3:31 pm ET. Libra is an air sign (thought, communication) and is ruled by Venus, the Roman Goddess of love and beauty.

In Latin, Libra means “weighing scales,” and the symbol for Libra is the Goddess Dice, who is depicted as a young woman carrying scales and wearing a laurel wreath. Myth tells us that Dice governed human justice during the agricultural flourishing of the Golden Age. When humans learned to sail, exploration brought it’s shadow – competition, conquest, greed, and disease. As temperamental Goddesses often are, she was intolerant of the messy human condition. She fled instead to the stars, becoming Astraea in the constellation Virgo. I’m reminded of the recent departure of one of our great proponents of justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who perhaps now reigns supreme in the skies above as well.

While most of us are familiar with judgment in its finality and retribution, the judge’s less recognized power is discernment. Like separating the wheat from the chaff, discernment comes from the Latin word “discernere,” which means “to separate.”

The Saturn-Pluto alignment of January 2020 continues to affect us. While the planets are slowly moving apart, their influence is still strong. We continue to face the breakdown of what is no longer sustainable, the reverberations and rendering of consequence. As astrologer Pam Younghans writes:

“Together, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn are providing a powerful reality check, designed to make sure we no longer ignore social issues that need to be addressed. We are seeing the downfall of many of the systems and structures that society has relied upon to provide stability – but the truth is, that many of these systems have deteriorated and are no longer functioning for the good of the people. This is where we are seeing the strongest effects of the Saturn-Pluto influence, as dysfunctions and decay are exposed.”

Mercury went retrograde in Scorpio this week as well, obliging us to slow down and review and expect not only missed but hidden (Scorpio) information.

The planets and astrological energies do not compel us, for free will is part of the earth game. However, they do impel us, providing the force and the momentum to use and move with them.

While it may seem a small contribution to such a vast and varied whole, our individual effort is no different than the tiny seed that takes root and in time grows. Though we appear separate, we are all connected and growing together. Much like plants emit carbon dioxide and oxygen into the atmosphere, we transmit our own essence energetically. As John O’Donohue says:

“The world is not decided by action alone. It is decided more by consciousness and spirit; they are the secret sources of all action and behavior. The spirit of a time is an incredibly subtle, yet hugely powerful force. And it is comprised of the mentality and spirit of all individuals together. Therefore, the way you look at things is not simply a private matter. Your outlook actually and concretely affects what goes on. When you give in to helplessness, you collude with despair and add to it.”

While the public world is embroiled in polarity, Libra lends balance and equality. She proffers right-relationship and harmonious spirit, entwined in a laurel wreath that joins us.

May we harness her beauty and love for each other and trust that these Autumn winds will blow with divine justice, whether it’s visible to our earthly eyes or not.

Yes, ‘n’ how many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Blowin’ in the Wind

Bob Dylan