New Moon in Libra / Solar Eclipse
The phrase ‘Life is born only of the spark of opposites’ first appeared in a dissertation by Basarab Nicolescu and C.G. Jung, exploring the concept of opposites. During significant transits in Libra, I’m reminded of the six pairs of opposites in astrology and how Libra helps us balance them. We often hear in personal development that the key to so many of our problems is ‘balance,’ but rarely do we analyse what exactly we’re balancing. This is where the six pairs of opposites can be particularly illuminating.
The New Moon Reflection beautifully addresses the Aries-Libra opposition: ‘Past relationships (Libra) teach me valuable lessons about myself (Aries).’ This illustrates the need to balance the tension between independence and connection — the ‘me’ and ‘we.’ The other oppositions in astrology offer similar lessons. Taurus-Scorpio integrates safety with uncertainty. Gemini-Sagittarius encourages learning through both theory and experience. Cancer-Capricorn supports growth through nurture and challenge. Leo-Aquarius inspires us to find harmony between self-expression and collective contribution. Virgo-Pisces urges us to serve both ourselves and the divine. As we approach the Solar Eclipse in Libra, it’s worth considering whether any of these oppositions are asking to be integrated rather than seen as separate choices in your decision-making. Libra teaches us to depolarise by showing how we often frame paradoxes as problems needing either/or solutions, when instead they may require both/and thinking. Perhaps you’ve believed your current dilemma was a matter of choosing Aries or Libra, when it’s actually about embracing both. It’s about your autonomy and your relationships; your identity is shaped within relationships, not in isolation from them.
In the Solar Eclipse chart, a Grand Water Trine among Mars in Cancer, Venus in Scorpio, and Saturn in Pisces beautifully contextualises these ideas. When all three water signs interact through Mars, Venus, and Saturn, we have the opportunity to discern what belongs to us, what belongs to them, and what is shared. This is very much in the spirit of Libra, where the scales hold multiple truths — not to prioritise one over the others, but to honour all equally. This Eclipse’s square to Mars in Cancer suggests we must take more responsibility for our emotional states; recognising what is ours to feel and heal. As this is the third and final Libra Eclipse until 2033, there is a gentle urgency to seize this moment, allowing it to transform the way we hold paradox and opposition — not as problems requiring a single solution, but as energies needing integration.
Jung also said that ‘The individual… creates a tension of opposites that provides the stimulation which culture needs for its further progress’. As you hold the tension of opposites in your life and in your relationships, the only place you can go is forward.