: libra - your zodiac sign :
Libra is the seventh constellation of the Western zodiac. It was connected by the Romans with the balance or scales held by Astraeia, goddess of justice and linked with the adjacent sign of Virgo. Many centuries before the Babylonians believed this constellation was associated with the judgement of departed souls, so weighing things up has always been a major connotation. Today Libra rules the seventh house of astrology governing partnership, marriage and intimate one-to-one encounters. This house marks the beginning of the uppermost hemisphere of the birthchart, signifying a shift away from your inner life and towards increasing interaction with the outside world.

Librans, therefore, are not solitary. You are sociable, thoughtful and communicative, you belong to the air element and need the input of others to enjoy life fully. Just as your polar opposite Aries describes the expression of selfhood, so Libra affirms the importance of close interaction to render yourself whole. Some astrologers have been bold enough to suggest that while it undoubtedly takes a unique contribution from all the signs to make a world, the admirable characteristics of a constructive Libran expression mean that really, there is no better constellation to be born under. Before this goes to your head there is always a downside too, but it is a great start in anybody’s terms. Characteristically you are attractive in the truest sense, as well as gracious, diplomatic, easygoing, peaceful, relaxed, balanced, poised, placid and fair. As a cardinal sign the urge to initiate remains present, but here finds clear expression through your desire to interconnect.
You have good taste, an understanding of social conventions and the finer points of etiquette, an excellent sense of aesthetics and a fondness for life’s more refined and elevated experiences. There is a real need for beauty, for romance, for harmony and for the stimulation of cultural experience. You loathe untidiness, discord, discomfort, unpleasantness, coarseness, brutishness, noise and dirt. Rows and upsets leave you shaken and make you feel ill. Give you an attractive environment, a little love, a few friends around and something good to eat and drink. Then you’re really at your ease…

As with every sign, matters don’t always work out quite so easily. The association of Libra with the Scales means that while you undoubtedly have a gift for mediation, for peacemaking and for seeing two sides to everything, on a personal level this can be at the expense of swift and dynamic decision making. Here we discover another major driving force behind the necessity for Libran relationships. Bouncing ideas off others is a great way of making up your mind, a process that’s so much more difficult for you alone.

Look closely and you’ll observe that Libran decision making is usually accomplished in one of three main ways. According to the layout of the planets in the rest of your birthchart, every Libran has a favoured and a subsidiary approach just in case you can’t decide which one you prefer at the time. Firstly, you could wait for a quiet moment. You would then explain your current situation to a trusted confidant and simply ask for advice. You might heed this or not, but the outside perspective will prove invaluable when formulating your own viewpoint. You could well ask more than one person if you felt it might help. An alternative angle involves discovering what others would like to do instead. Using this as your starting point you can then suggest gentle Libran variations on a similar theme, gauging any feedback as a measure of the acceptability of your next move.
Symbol The Scales
Ruling planet Venus
Lucky day Friday
Lucky colours Pink, most shades of blue, paler
and lighter shades of green
Lucky number Six
Birthstones Sapphire, turquoise, marble, quartz
Metals Copper
Flowers Hydrangeas, big roses, all blue flowers
Trees Ash, balm, grape vines
Countries Argentina, Austria, Burma, Tibet
China, Canada, Japan, Siberia
Cities Antwerp, Lisbon, Johannesburg,
Frankfurt, Vienna, Copenhagen
Best partners Aries, Aquarius, Gemini
Worst partners Cancer, Capricorn
This and the initial more direct approach are probably those most favoured by Librans everywhere. They are certainly the most typically harmonious, after all. The final method is thankfully rarer, but is mainly based around the twin strategies of contradiction and confrontation. Once you have been on the receiving end of these tactics, you are unlikely to look at those traditional mild and moderate Libran traits in quite the same way again. This aggressive stance is probably the least constructive, since not only can it prove rather bruising for those who don’t appreciate the underlying motivation, but it is often perceived as being far from the usual Libran ideal. Underneath it all the essential principle remains remarkably similar, with the feedback of others now sought through competition and provocation, rather than cooperation.

Wherever Libra rises you’ll inevitably discover Aries on the descendant, so while clothed in a disarmingly Libran veneer, it is perhaps not entirely surprising that such a forthright manner can at times appear so prominent. For most Librans though, your extreme awareness of social niceties, the desire for peace and amity plus the urge not to unsettle others can in turn lead to their own difficulties. Gullibility, a susceptibility to the influence of stronger and less well-intentioned characters, over compromise, superficiality and silliness may all at times result. Ultimately though, you will benefit from the undoubted lashings of charm bestowed by Venus, your planetary ruler. In most cases your minor failings will soon be forgiven, by all but your most hard-hearted and cynical opponents, who wouldn’t want to be around you anyhow…
 © Paul Wade 2009 choose another sign?
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