Libra New Moon Solar Eclipse 2023: Insights & Ritual
- Jessica
- Oct 12, 2023
- 13 min read
Updated: May 22, 2024
The New Moon Solar Eclipse in LIBRA will grace the sky on October 14th reaching peak illumination at 1:55 pm EST.
This blog post covers everything you need to know about the Libra New Moon 2023 Solar Eclipse along with a simple eco-somatic ritual for you to explore and embody.
In this blog post you will find:
Introduction: Moon 101
The sun and moon are in a cyclical relationship as they weave through the seasons of the zodiac. This celestial dance provides us with an intuitive road map to explore our own inner/outer journey as we too make our way through the ebb and flow of nature's seasons and come into new and ever-changing dimensions of our lives.
While the sun is ruler of the day and influences our "outer" expression in the world, it is to no surprise that as ruler of the tides and queen of the night the moon is also ruler of our emotions and "inner" felt experience. Our emotions have long been associated with representations of water and the sea: fluid, ever-changing, ebbing and flowing. As the moon pulls at the tides, we also experience this influencing force on our emotions, desires, shadow realms, fears/worries, psyche, and dreams.
Self-knowledge arises through a process of uncovering hidden layers of self through revelation and integration. This process is mirrored in the ebb and flow of the moon which is why it's something we learn to observe and track. As the light of the moon waxes, more of what lies hidden becomes revealed - our deeper motivations, mechanisms, and feelings. As the light of the moon wanes, we are given time to integrate these new learnings and discoveries.
This New Moon falls within the sign of Libra. Keep reading to learn how you can use this moon portal to explore new dimensions of self seeking expression in the world.
New Moon Energy
Since the moon is the closest "planet" to Earth, this satellite zips around the zodiac very quickly, completing its round in less than a month. Actually, the entire trip takes 29.53 days, to be exact, and is measured from one “New Moon” to the next. We call this a lunation or lunar cycle.
So, this New Moon in Libra marks the beginning of another lunar cycle. During a new Moon, the moon is sitting between the Earth and the Sun, hence the Sun is shining on the side of the moon we never see. Both the Moon and Sun are in the same Zodiac sign during a New Moon forming a conjunction, which means that the influencing energies are united and enhance the other. In this case, both the sun and moon are conjunct in the sign of Libra.
You can think of the new Moon phase as the point of beginning again or returning to the conception stage of the lunar cycle. The darkness of the new moon represents fertile ground. New moon energy is a time for introspection, heightened intuition, surrendering to the unknown, releasing what no longer serves you, opening to magic and conjuring visions. At this time, you can plant your dream seeds or set intentions by consciously focusing on the "feeling' of your hearts' desires.
Eclipse Energy
Eclipses are an alignment of the Sun, Moon, Earth and lunar nodes that occur periodically as these celestial bodies dance around each other in orbit. Four to six eclipses take place every year and each one takes place during a new and full Moon phase.
Eclipses occur when the Moon reaches its upper and lower thresholds of its tilted elliptical orbit. These boundaries are the lunar nodes. The lunar nodes are not tangible objects but mathematical points in space where the Moon’s orbit intersects the Sun’s apparent path. When the Moon reaches these thresholds, it forms a perfect alignment with the Sun and Earth. It is here that a new Moon becomes a solar eclipse and a full Moon a lunar eclipse.
Despite the quality, this video does a good job of describing how Eclipses are related to the North and South Nodes.
Eclipse season supports us through any final shedding that needs to happen. The power of lunar energy is supercharged by eclipses and this is a time to embrace endings. If there are changes that need to be made in your life, eclipse season will set those in motion. Eclipses bring things to the surface and clear them away to make room for something new to emerge.
Libra New Moon 2023: Insights
SYMBOL | SCALES: symbolizes balance, the art of reciprocity and the dance of opposites.
PLANETARY RULER | VENUS: planet of balance, harmony, justice and beauty.
ELEMENT | AIR: element of mind and thought.
HOUSE | 7TH HOUSE: The House of Partnership rules the sacred space between two people, long-term commitments, companionship, friendship, business partners and more.
MODALITY | CARDINAL: represents initiation, taking action, and translating formless (thoughts, longings, intuitions) into form (embodiment, service, contribution).
The Libra New Moon occurs once a year when the Moon and Sun are both dwelling within the constellation of Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 23) forming a conjunction.
Two weeks ago, the Aries Full Moon was emphasizing themes of inner de-cluttering, clearing away accumulation, shedding old skins and releasing heavy burdens. In doing so, the external gaze can finally turn inward toward the still flame of the central self. Occupying this place of center is the point of balance on Libra's scales of justice.
This Libra New Moon sets in motion a new lunar cycle (#2 of three lunar cycles in Autumn). The Libra New Moon always arrives on or after the Autumnal Equinox as nature's vital forces begin their descent underground. Libra sits across Aries on the Cardinal Cross of Initiation. During Libra season, themes of balance, relational harmony and justice are strong. These are important pieces when contemplating the energetics of the Libra New Moon Solar Eclipse.
Libra corresponds to the symbol of scales which speaks of balance, reciprocity and the sacred dance of opposites. Ecosystems exist within a constant state of dynamic equilibrium. Balance is not static, rather it is an emergent dance of reciprocity, an intuitive responsiveness to changing conditions. It is through the tension between opposites that life generates change and renewal. Libra highlights the necessary tension between the personal and interpersonal, giving and receiving. Balance can only be achieved when there is relational attunement toward reciprocity.
Attunement is the ability to orient toward another (and the ecosystem as a whole) while maintaining a rooted sense of self. That is what this new Moon Solar Eclipse is all about: orienting toward self while still paying attention to the subtle changes unfolding and influencing the relational field. It's about temperance; knowing when to express and when to withhold, when to give and when to receive. This self rootedness is what supports embodied wisdom. It allows us to determine how our needs have changed, what we have capacity for, and what needs to shift in order to meet the moment authentically.
As the Sun’s light wanes from the northern hemisphere, the scales tip toward darkness. As light and temperatures decrease, it’s not surprising that we witness behavior changes across the spectrum of life, from wind shifts and leaves falling, to birds molting and insects migrating. We too must listen and respond to the shifting currents, to play our role in regulating internal and external conditions.
More On Libra
THE CARDINAL CROSS
LIBRA - ARIES AXIS
CAPRICORN - CANCER AXIS
Initiatory energy, pushing forward, beginnings, equinoxes and solstices
Cardinal signs align with the seasonal cross points of light and dark. Aries aligning with Spring Equinox, Cancer with Summer Solstice, Libra with Fall Equinox and Capricorn with Winter solstice. The Cardinal Cross is considered a most important set of axis lines. It's the first sign of each element where things start off and begin.
"Cardinal signs are the initiating aspects of whichever element they represent. Like fire, they reach out and make direct contact with reality. They know where they are going. Geometrically, they correspond to straight line." - Vicki Noble, Motherpeace
Libra is the cardinal air sign (circled in the diagram), opposing it is the cardinal fire sign of Aries which creates one axis of the Cardinal Cross. The two feminine elements (Water and Earth) always create an axis and the two masculine elements (Air and Fire) create the other axis. Each cross contains each of the four elements. In this case the cardinal signs are represented by: Capricorn (Earth), Cancer (Water), Aries (Fire), Libra (Air).
ELEMENT: AIR
AIR: MIND
LIBRA, AQUARIUS, GEMINI
Air is the element of the mind. It is related to perception, the intellect, study, communication, music, harmony, inspiration and sound.
"Ideas come from somewhere unseen, and drift in and out of our minds like the wind. Air is also the breath of life. Each day we wake with new breath within us, we have the ability to experience the wonders of life. When someone is a 'breath of fresh air' they bring new perspectives and a renewed sense of life to our reality, not unlike the qualities of air." - Kayla White
Air signs feel at home in the imaginal realms of thought, poetry, philosophy and the arts like music and song. They thrive in the pursuit of humanitarian efforts and hold big visions for the collective. They are often called to contributing their voice to change as communication is often a strength and find enjoyment in articulating concepts and new ideas.
RULING PLANET: VENUS
Qualities: beauty, relationship, harmony, art, love, attraction
Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of love. She is the Goddess of sensuality, romance and pleasure and is the planet who embodies the feminine aspect. Venus helps us to understand our relationships; how we approach them and how best to express and communicate our love. Venus is the ruling planet of two signs: Cardinal Air of Libra and Fixed Earth of Taurus. These two planets share the same celestial body so they are both sensuous, love-making, pleasure-driven and beauty crafting souls. Libra’s essence is more about harmonization, ensuring reciprocity and balance within relationships. The air of Libra enjoys expressing its love through gifts, crafts, art and music.
CONSTELLATION
In the northern hemisphere, Libra appears high above the southern horizon on May evenings and is most visible in the evening sky from mid-March to late June. This is the best time of year to view this constellation, which is the largest of the zodiac. In the southern hemisphere, it can be seen in autumn and winter.
According to EarthSky, you can find this constellation in the northern hemisphere on summer evenings (and during the winter evenings in the southern hemisphere) along the sun’s path. This path is known as the ecliptic.
LIBRA MYTH
This is an excerpt from Constellation Guide:
"The constellation Virgo is usually associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike. Dike was the daughter of Zeus and Greek Titaness Themis. Virgo is usually depicted with angel-like wings, with an ear of wheat in her left hand, marked by the bright star Spica. She is located next to Libra, the constellation representing the scales of justice. Dike was also sometimes known as Astraeia, daughter of Astraeus, considered father of the stars, and Eos, goddess of the dawn.
In Greek mythology, Dike lived in the Golden Age of mankind. She was born a mortal and placed on Earth to rule over human justice. The Golden Age was marked by prosperity and peace, everlasting spring, and humans never knowing old age. When Zeus fulfilled the old prophecy and overthrew his father, this marked the beginning of the Silver Age, which was not as prosperous. Zeus introduced the four seasons and humans no longer honoured the gods as they had used to. Dike gave a speech to the entire race, warning them about the dangers of leaving behind the ideals of their predecessors and saying worse was yet to come. Then she flew to the mountains, turning her back on humans. When the Bronze and Iron Ages came and humans started warring among themselves, Dike left the Earth altogether, and flew to the heavens."
Libra Ritual Elements
Libra New Moon Ritual
What You'll Need
1. Elements for your altar. Drawing on the Libra Ritual Elements above, consider what you might want to bring to your altar. Start simple. There is absolutely no need to go out and "buy" altar items. This is something that we encourage you to unlearn. Everything we need is within us and can be found around us. A simple candle will do, or a yellow flower for example.
2. Candle & lighter for the eco-somatic practice
3. Journal & something to write with for the journaling portion.
Important Considerations & Prep
1. RIGHT RELATIONSHIP: being in right relationship with your spiritual practice means approaching each aspect with humility, curiosity and reverence. This includes checking yourself on the nature of how you relate to "objects" as things and the process itself.
For example, if you feel called to stones as part of your ritual, consider WHY first. Then contemplate the impact of whatever action comes next. For example, instead of mindlessly purchasing cheap precious stones from somewhere like amazon (which have more than likely been harmfully mined/extracted and then shipped across the world as part of the consumer machine that's destroying our planet), perhaps part of your spiritual practice is to resist such a prompting and instead take the time to go for a mindful walk in your backyard, or a nearby stream and see if the right stone presents itself to you.
2. CLEANSE & PURIFY YOUR SPACE: Cleansing, also known as purification, is the practice of clearing out and releasing negative energy from your space, as well as energy that’s just old, stale, stagnant, or no longer serving you. Here are a few different methods:
Physical cleaning: dusting, vacuuming, opening windows for fresh air
Salt: a common element used for purification and protection in many different cultures. To use, simply sprinkle salt along doorways and windowsills to protect them from negative energy entering or just keep a small bowl of salt on your altar or nearby surface.
Smoke cleansing: light incense or burn a bundle of dried herbs such as rosemary, cedar, or mugwort. Choose plants that you have grown yourself or that grow abundantly wild nearby, plants that you have ancestral tied to or just those that have been grown and harvested ethically.
NOTE: If you do not have meaningful/authentic relationships to Indigenous culture and customs, "smudging" with white sage cultural appropriation and is dishonoring to Indigenous nations across Turtle island. It is important to understand that smudging is not just about burning sage to purify the negative energy from your space but is a sacred ritual that is culturally specific to tribes such as the Lakota Sioux, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Navajo. If you have been gifted sage by an Indigenous friend, use to your discretion in how to engage with this medicine. This sacred plant is being abused, exploited and mass-harvested for commercial and consumer use which perpetuates the violence of white supremacy and settler colonialism. Take some time to locate yourself within a settler-colonial context interwoven with the land you currently occupy. Check out Native Land to learn the name and more about the territories you occupy.
3. CLEANSE & PURIFY YOUR BODYMIND
Take a shower our bath; visualize any negative energy that has accumulated in your auric field to be washed away as the water goes down the drain.
Meditate, center and take some time to ground in stillness and embodied presence.
Write or speak your intentions for your ritual out loud
4. BE MINDFUL & STRIVE FOR INTEGRITY ALWAYS.
Altar Creation
Creating an altar is optional. Altar tending is a beautiful practice, especially if you have a designated area in your home that you can tend to over the course of each moon and seasonal cycle.
Tending to an altar is an intentional practice that supports your exploration of nature spirituality and carries the potential to deepen your relationship to the energetic archetypes of each moon cycle.
To set up your altar, simply play with any number of the ritual elements offered above in the chart by using symbols, colors, precious gemstones, symbolism, etc.
There is no right or wrong way to go about creating, tending or being with your altar, however we do not condone cultural appropriation or theft of any kind.
Eco-Somatic Practice: Breath & Gestures of Balance
For this eco-somatic we will be drawing upon the qualities of AIR since Libra is an air sign. To amplify your connection to the element of air, perform this part of the ritual outside or next to an open window. If being outside is not accessible to you, no worries! Remember, YOU are the embodiment of the elements and that is enough.
If you would like to take it a step further, read through the following instructions and draw upon the image of scales, where light and dark are in perfect balance. Draw upon this imagery as you perform the following movements.
STEPS:
Begin by finding a comfortable standing posture with your feet in a stance that is wider than usual. Sense the stability of the ground beneath you and take a few minutes to come into stillness. Allow earth's gravity to receive you. Notice the quality of your breath as you inhale and exhale. Allow your face muscles to soften as you close your eyes.
Bring your awareness to the left side of your body. Scan the left side of your body from head to. Notice any sensations or feeling tones on this side of your body. Next, gently lean your weight onto your left foot. Come back to center, standing still. Repeat this a couple more times, leaning into the left foot and bringing your awareness to the left side of your body. Come back to center, standing still.
Repeat on the other side. Bring your awareness to the right side of your body. Scan the right side of your body from head to. Notice any sensations or feeling tones on this side of your body. Next, gently lean your weight onto your right foot. Come back to center, standing still. Repeat this a couple more times, leaning onto the right foot and bringing your awareness to the right side of your body. Come back to center, standing still.
Now bring your awareness to the sensations in both of your hands as you slowly and gently begin to rise your arms out wide to both sides of your body. Sense the balance you are creating in your posture as you do this. With as much softness and unity as possible, slowly rise your arms above your head until your hands meet in prayer position. Slowly bring your hands down, following the center line of your body until your hands meet at the heart.
Next, begin to breathe in a way that creates balance between the in and out-breath. Inhaling for 4 counts, exhaling for 4 counts. Do this for 10 rounds. If you'd like to add a gesture, hold your hands out in front of you, turning your palms to the sky. As you inhale, gently lift your palms in front of you following the movement of the breath. As you exhale, turn the palms toward the ground and bring them down, following the movement of the breath. Repeat for every round of breaths.
Notice how you feel. At this point you might want to lie down on the ground for a few minutes of intentional breathing and integration
Journaling
What came up for you in the eco-somatic practice? Take some time to reflect on anything you'd like to hold onto.
Further self-reflection:
Where do I need to create more balance in my life?
What am I making more space for in my life?
What must I release>
Finish the following sentences:
A habits of thought or behavior that I am releasing is....
A new practice that I would like to incorporate into my routine is...
Something that I am letting go of is...
Something I am welcoming in is...
Reading
I am her.
"Guided by the element air, she is both the push + the pull, a fluid dance between dark and light, her effort and ease.
Soft, but not delicate. She is a peacekeeper, though unafraid to declare her truth for what she believes in.
A polished vase. Vintage wine. The pages of her favorite book. She is a loving gaze, the pause between dusk and day, Where the past lets go and steps into tomorrow.
Her power lives in her ability to love and be loved in return. Her heart is ready. And willing. Able to give freely. And open to receiving.
Expansive, still, grounded. Passionate, but gentle. She views life through the lens of harmony and balance. Her spirit is something we all carry inside of ourselves. The desire to let our hearts fall, yet still fly."
- Danielle Doby
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