Libra New Moon: Maybe, Maybe Not

There’s an ancient Taoist parable about a farmer*, which goes something like this:

Once upon a time, a farmer – who earned his livelihood with the help of his horse – found that the horse had gone missing.

The neighbors felt sorry for him, and offered condolences, “Oh no! Your horse ran away – what bad luck!”

The farmer, who had gained some wisdom in his years, replied, “Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?”

Months went by, and the horse returned – with other wonderful horses in tow! Horses meant a wealthy house, and so the neighbors were happy for the farmer, who now had not only one horse, but many. They exclaimed, “What great luck!”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?” the farmer commented once again.

Soon after, the farmer’s son became injured while riding one of the new horses and broke his leg. Upon hearing this news, the neighbors said, “That’s terrible – how unfortunate!”

Again, the farmer responded, “Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?”

A little more time passed, and the military came through the village, drafting all the young men to fight in a war. But upon seeing the farmer’s son’s injured leg, the son was exempted from military service and allowed to stay home.

The neighbors proclaimed the good fortune of the farmer anew. And the farmer once more stated, “Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?”

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As we welcome a Libra New Moon – occurring at 3 degrees on September 25th (4:54pm CT) – this contemplative tale is probably not an obvious choice for sharing info about the essence of relational Libra, especially at a time of year in the northern hemisphere when the focus is on sharing the harvest. But I think this story does offer some important food for thought.

And maybe it’s because I was born under a Libra New Moon, but I love this time of year: The Sun entering Libra always arrives when the light of night vs. day surrounds us in near-equal measure, which speaks to the equilibrium of the season. As such, this New Moon offers a good time to plant seeds of intention related to balance, relationships, and how we connect with one another. How are your one-to-one relationships doing (this includes spouses, partners, good friends, close colleagues, even “frenemies” and the like)? Fair-minded Libra is represented by the Scales, and is also associated with equality, beauty, and harmony; it’s a sign that will stand up to injustice.

Come to think of it, I suppose my Libran worldview is partly what made me so good at finding adoptive families for teens in foster care**: I knew the traditional arguments regarding why teens weren’t being placed into permanent families, but I also knew the grim long-term outcomes for youth “aging out” of foster care. And although Libra is known for keeping the peace and sometimes sweeping things under the carpet, what I found for myself was that when those who were vulnerable and disempowered were marginalized and treated as less-than, my diplomatic Libra planets would come out metaphorically swinging. (There’s a reason Libra is known as “the iron fist in the velvet glove,” after all.) This Libra New Moon is asking: How can you lean in and help those who’ve been disenfranchised?

Libra also has a reputation for being indecisive, and sure, that rings true sometimes. But that’s not the whole picture... which brings us back to the farmer: Is he being indecisive? Or, is he simply able to see and weigh that there are many possibilities in the unfolding saga? Perhaps he understands that although things might look one way, sometimes they play out in a manner we can’t predict. And that’s not indecision – it’s understanding that there are many layers and twists to this thing called life.

As we kick off this fresh 4-week, 6-month, and 2.5-year Libra cycle, ask yourself: How can you begin a new path regarding relationships, both old and new? Amiable Venus is the ruler of this lunation, and is currently in the discerning sign of Virgo, prodding us to clean up any relationship detritus that surrounds us. Joined by overthinking Mercury – who is currently retrograde and looking at all things past – the two are having a conversation around love and value, and are inviting us to review and rebalance relationships that are out of alignment. The two are also opposite Neptune in Pisces, bringing compassion and spirituality – or maybe it’s a little foggy delusion? – into the mix.

Ruler Venus may be aiming for some self-mastery and healing, as well: Together with traveler Mercury, the two are in a potentially friendly chat with powerhouse Pluto. This trio’s intertwined discussion began in mid-December 2021 and lasted until early March 2022, when Venus and Mercury each joined Pluto three times in Capricorn, starting a dialogue around love, value, self-worth, relationships, and transformation. Are there themes from then that stand out to you now?

The Sun and Moon are also opposing generous Jupiter in brave Aries. Jupiter tends to amplify, to enhance, and to sometimes go over the top, and the big dude’s involvement here is urging: How can you balance me with we? Are there ways to reach across the aisle (Libra), instead of burning the bridge (Aries)?

As Jupiter opposes the luminaries, the planet of bigger-is-better is at the midpoint of a close Saturn-Uranus square. This brings back echoes from 2021, when staunch Saturn squared revolutionary Uranus three times. How are themes of tradition vs. innovation playing out in your life? Are there ways you can step out of unhelpful auto-mode and transition into healthier responses that offer more freedom?

After all, as the perceptive farmer knows, things don’t always turn out how we envision – but choosing how we respond is one thing we have control over. By widening the camera lens to try to see the bigger picture, perhaps we’ll gain more equilibrium and wisdom in our evolving relationships – both to others and to ourselves.

This gracious Libra New Moon is offering the opportunity to rebalance relationships and to come back into harmony wherever we feel out of alignment – and to see the many possibilities in our own unfolding story. Is this a good thing?

Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?

This Libra New Moon invites you to recalibrate, refresh, and reset – and maybe you’ll find out.

Essay ©2022 Jen Braun, JJ Boots Productions LLC

Artwork ©2022 Carol Braun 

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*I’ve read different versions of this parable, but this Wikipedia article gives some history, and this CNN piece from The Wisdom Project offers thoughts on the good-or-bad dichotomy.

**To learn more about my past work, visit my about page.