As I write this article today, the seasonal shift into autumn (in our Northern Hemisphere) has already occurred and the delicate balance of equal day to equal night has come and gone.  Gradually the nights will get every longer as we descend towards the Winter Solstice three months from now.  I always savor these lovely golden days as the leaves begin to turn color and gently fall.  Libra is that way; a sign of grace and charm.

This year’s Equinox chart, however, is defined by both the tightening grip of Saturn next to the Sun opposed by the lightening strikes of Uranus, so it is doubtful that we will ride easy into the intense time of transformation yet to come, which is Scorpio’s domain.  Pluto clearly now holds dominance in its tight square to the Equinox Sun, and with Saturn edging closer to that challenging waning square aspect we are already on red alert for something that furthers the contraction that most of us are already experiencing.  Libra is held within this vice-like grip between Saturn and Pluto with not much room to gracefully maneuver out of anything as confrontation as this.  Houdini, where are you?  We definitely need the Uranian magician’s touch right now for some breakthroughs, as well as Uranian nerves of steel to take some mighty risks.

The best advice I can give is ‘don’t forget to breathe’.  The old patterns and the old plutocratic elite can not bind us forever.  We each have the power to let go of that which is no longer part of our truth, and we each can embrace what touches our heart the most.  We each have the power to take action on what matters wherever we are.  When fear or anxiety freezes, keep breathing.  Breathe out the old gunk, and breathe in the new freshness of change that is coming.

Driving to a special gathering on the Equinox I heard a woman named Gale being interviewed on our local KVMR radio show called ‘Conversations’.  She said something that touched me deeply.  She said that so many now are overwhelmed with all the crises and problems facing the world today that they become paralyzed to try anything.  “Find whatever breaks your heart the most,” she said “and start doing something about changing that.”  Yes!  That is possible, and Libra is the perfect time to put such a plan into action.

Maat, the Egyptian goddess of truth, fairness, and justice, is a good guide to invoke during Libran days. Those of you who know your Egyptology may know her as the daughter of the sun god, Ra, and the consort of the great magician and scribe, Thoth.  She used her feather on a scale of justice to measure how heavy was the guilt or deceit of anyone’s heart who had just entered the underworld.  Call on her when you’re trying to discern the motives of others, or when you’re confused or undecided about what to do, or how to handle a situation involving right relationships with others.  She’ll bring insight, but only if you’re willikng to face the truth.

I just read one of the best articles I’ve seen thus far on the coming changes.  Jeff Jawer has written “Cardinal Consciousness: 2010 and Beyond” in the latest issue of The Mountain Astrologer. I’ll just quote a couple sentences to give you the flavor of where he takes you with his astute insights, “Cardinal signs begin seasons; they are starting points rather than climaxes.  These outer planets aligning in the early degrees of the cardinal signs show that we are coming to a beginning rather than reaching a peak or an ending…”  I confer.  Let’s keep thinking along new, innovative trajectories, and take action in those new directions.  Let’s continue to move beyond the old patterns that keep us stuck in fear and oppression by taking right action with courage and resolve.