OCTOBER 2017 - MONTHLY FORECAST FOR LIBRA

Dear Librans,

Hi.

As I write this, on a worldly note, many deeply affective changes are afoot in parts of the world. And these movements concern Librans, arguably, to a greater degree than some others ( like our Piscean friends). This also concerns those especially with a Sun, Moon or personal planets like Mars, Mercury, Venus in Libra, with more immediate noticeable effects.

Ruler of Libra Venus is a much celebrated planet, for she comes with a mysterious air surrounding her appearance, which anthropologists have documented has changed over the past few centuries. In my 20s, my friend Peta Searle and I used to pour over Anthony Aveni's research in his book

Conversing with the Planets: How Science and Myth Invented the Cosmos, 

among other researchers on writers Julia and Derek Parker and the usual textbooks that for part of anyone interested in discovering more about themselves in relation to the cosmos.

Aveni's book has radical evidence for various theories about the planet Venus, how it has moved further from us on Earth, since there are paintings that show two orbs in the sky the size of the moon as it is visible to us on full moon days, and not just the one that we see today. So what was the other orb?

We (her Sun in Aries and mine in Scorpio, both ruled by Mars) pondered on mysteries such as these late into our nights back then and now, almost 15 years later, are still enraptured by Venus and the qualities attributed to her in the world of art, music, literature and generally, in the world of the mind.  I've also been following what it means to Venus to be exalted in the sign of Pisces, and I hope to soon publish my thoughts on exalted planets come the next 10 years :-) 

I've had a rich many wonderful nights, following the rising and evening star. I have also written about folk lore both written and oral that lives even today in Mexican, Indian (Vedic) and Nordic/ Gaelic traditions in previous monthly updates. 

Now in October 2017, after traveling separately for a while now, Mars and Venus are together yet again and stepping into the sign of Libra. what this means is that romance is certainly in the air, heightened by the sign's extra-ordinarily focused attention on what it means to use the words 'we', 'our', which comprise the basics of two-getherness. And is linked to the higher idea that there is really no separation, which is only an illusion. And in turn, to the idea that the highest form of love is compassion and from this space, the world is a perfect place and all things are meant to be as they are. 

Before I get into that though, here's a short review of the zodiac's peace makers and change bringers and what we need to understand about our dichotomous existence from a little corner in the art studio in Libran headspaces.

The thing about Mars and Venus is that actually attract one another for those seemingly opposite of energy and action of Mars and the somewhat more staying, rusy-ness of Venus - qualities which work very well together, often bringing about much needed change in support of fairness and justice, especially in terms of personal value and belief systems, money and financial security in areas like corruption and bribe-free bureaucracies, pay equality, laws concerning everything from right to inheritances by both genders, the recognition of the right to marry for the LGBTQ community, which have all been quite hair-raising issues for some time now. The proverbial glass ceiling is slowly shattering every day, in many ways and sweeping changes in policies seem to be closer than ever before, across societies, regardless of the differences. Libra has a very powerful sense of unifying odds and ends and the agency to disseminate its learning in both charming and extremely effective ways. 

Interestingly, one professor at Columbia observes the same themes in his book, which is out now and incidentally, for which he is currently engaged in publicity. To quote him, "The question is: What level of inequality is fair? Mainstream economics has offered little guidance on fairness and the ideal distribution of income. Political philosophy, meanwhile, has much to say about fairness yet relies on qualitative theories that cannot be verified by empirical data. To address inequality, we need to know what the goal is—and for this, we need a quantitative, testable theory of fairness for free-market capitalism. [sic]. 'How Much Inequality Is Fair?' synthesizes concepts from economics, political philosophy, game theory, information theory, statistical mechanics, and systems engineering into a mathematical framework for a fair free-market society." Here we are, making a case for fair inequality, if anything at all.  And this is so very far from the high ideals and structures that, at the very heart of all of us, we understand are not sustainable. But in the face of this very telling sign of the time, when Libran energies can do that thing which they very much dislike, which is to get a healthy dose of realism, they often find the most astonishing solutions. And I believe this book is an example of that. 

On a more individual note, any Libra's ordinarily inquisitive mind spends an inordinate amount of time, really following thoughts to where they may go and often they encounter conceptually, in an airy way, some of the most devastating conflicts, some truly brilliant ideas and resolutions, and so they tend to be people who are interesting in this way. Ordinarily, Libras can be social in this sense and this year, the balancing act seems to be testing them here and the polarities include the one to one relationship they have with their significant other and appearing as their congenial, warm, social personas, which, if all of us care to admit, can take a toll. 

Mars and Venus rarely get to spend time together and when they do, sparks are flying. Now more than ever, with relationships feeling so much pressure, the world over for all sorts of reasons ranging from daily stressors to laws governing 'marriage equality' and what it means therefore, to be in a relationship- being endlessly thought over by people, Venus & Mars entering the sign the Libra symbolises the need for this coupling, for this much needed time out from whatever it is that's begging for attention and to devote the full attention that a true partner deserves. This month's transit of these planets is truly special, in the context of the upcoming holidays and it comes to add a extra dash of love, of helping people who cannot know this somehow, to move themselves to the place where their priorities lie with that one special person in their lives, for whom they would do anything. Its a lovely conjunction receiving sweet moonbeams as the moon transits this duo dancing.

Anybody dating a Libran or who have Libran friends or whose chart has a strong Venus or Mars should know that some of the other pressing demands on their priorities are being taken of by the helpful presence of Sun, Mercury and Jupiter which has entered the sign of Scorpio. Mars rules Scorpio and Aries traditionally and is moving into Libra. Mars is an aggressor who imbues people with a sense of 'not okay' and the passion to act before thinking and to champion causes, and this is the very reason peace loving, studious, considerate and thoughtful Venus (who rules Libra and Taurus), together attract each other. 

All that said, there's something about being inside Libran air waves, for anyone who has been there. Praise aside, its a world we always come away from planning to visit again. It's a world becoming new all on its own, itself, a great construct of ideas charged by the sort of bright cracking connectivity of minds at work and at play. The kind you want in schools, in universities, in high office. The Libran mind, veering from the raving dialectic of courthouse scenes, of extraordinarily articulate points of view and perspectives to mad adventures, is one of the reasons why writers like Gore Vidal , author of the book Creation and of course the scathing satire of Oscar Wilde live on and on. 

PS: Can't wait to watch Suits Season 7, which is taking to release where I live, in India. What a wonderful production which I imagine is like the ultimate answer from a bunch of miffed Librans to' What would you like to accomplish?' and the question 'After Boston Legal, what?

Even if you didn't win the Emmy's, you have our full applause for satisfying the Libran appetite for the story of justice and fairness.  

References: 

'How Much Inequality Is Fair?' Venkat Venkatasubramanian is Samuel Ruben–Peter G. Viele Professor of Engineering at Columbia University. Published by Columbia University Press, August 2017.

A Writer's Astrology by Michael Alexander Chaney who has a rare and thoroughly satisfying blurb on how the art of astrology and writing intersect here: https://michaelalexanderchaney.com/2013/09/03/a-writers-astrology/

Andy Warhol, Warhol Birth of Venus, 1984

https://www.masterworksfineart.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/xwarhol-birth-of-venus-dark-blue.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Ku79-mDp9W.jpg

" There is an order here somewhere"
- My Libran brother, commenting on fb on a messy picture of my room. :-)

Have fun Librans!
Next month, we'll have more on Jupiter entering Scorpio. 

As always, a big thank you to Astrodienst for their wonderful support and guidance, for their charts and ephemerides and a wealth of knowledge on the site for beginners, researchers, teachers and writers practicing astrology in some form or other.