Photo by Pietro De Grandi on Unsplash
The Equinox will occur on Monday September 23, at 07:50 UTC/GMT. If you are in the northern hemisphere, this will be the autumnal equinox; in the southern hemisphere it will be the spring (or vernal) equinox.
From a Western astrological perspective, it is when the Sun crosses the ecliptic at 0° Libra (180°) in the sky. For those that honour and revere the spiritual significance of such astronomical events, it is said to be a time of balance and equilibrium, as it marks the half-way point between the two solstices of summer and winter.
This moment can be a good time to take a moment to reflect and evaluate what's happening in your life. We're now 3/4 of the way through the year, Christmas/NYE is only three months away now, and the change of seasons is well and truly noticeable.
While Astrology may not have any objective, scientific basis it can be a useful tool for personal gnosis and reflection. I like to use it as a map or a mandala, observing emerges as I meditate on the evocative symbols and patterns. And like any map, it must be understood to not be real, as Alfred Korzybski famously stated, "the map is not the territory".
Nevertheless, I have found that using this data can help us understand the zeitgeist, or general 'mood' of the moment, and how each of us can individually navigate our way through a collective, shared experience.
What I will present below is a generalised overview from both Western and Taoist Astrology, as together they are weaving an interesting tapestry of what we can expect over the next couple of months.
Image generated using iPhemeris
The above is the chart for the moment of the Equinox. It uses my local settings (Melbourne, Australia), with the time being in AEST (UTC+10). The planets' positions and their relational aspects will be the same globally; depending on where you are in the world, only the positions of the Houses will differ.
Keep in mind, what I am presenting here is a global, generalised interpretation. To gain more specific, individual insights, I find it best to overlay the "sky now" chart with your own birth chart in what is called a "Transit Chart". If you would like more information on this, please see below.
What stands out in the above chart is that the Sun at 0° Libra only has one aspect with another major planetary body: an opposition with Chiron at 3° Aries.
Chiron moved into Aries within days of the April Equinox of 2018, and will remain in that sign for a little under ten years. The significance of this is that we are in an ideal time for each of us to come to "know thyself" and become very genuine about healing our wounds and our trauma on a personal level. Chiron in Aries is the 'wounded hero'.
In Western Astrology, the Sun represents the archetype of the hero, and what Jung called the "libido". With the Sun opposite Chiron, it shines a bright light on our deep wound and exposes it to 'the Other'. Libra is said to signify the significant one-on-one interpersonal relationship where the individual-Self (Aries, its opposite sign) learns to accommodate the needs, wants, and desires of another.
Chiron has been bringing our 'wound' to the fore over the last 18 months, and this unique moment in its cycle sees the sun shining directly on it. The question I invite you to ask yourself is what major personal issue has been arising over the last year or two? Who has been the significant person in your life who has been challenging you, questioning your integrity, calling you out on your bullshit, or simply triggering the absolute fuck out of you?
Maybe there have been a number of people doing this; chances are it's the same essential issue thats arising, whether the characters are different or not. The reality is, they are just acting as mirrors, reflecting back at you some deep karmic wound that needs your attention. In many ways, this insight is the theme for your personal healing and growth over the next decade.
In the Taoist system based on the Chinese calendar, the day of equal light and darkness falls on the final day of the hexagenary (60 day) cycle. For a brief introduction and explanation of this calendrical system, please read my post on 2019 Year of the Earth-Pig.
Dominated by the yīn element Water, 癸亥 guǐhài signifies the moment just prior to when a seed begins sprouting. All its energy and life-force is condensed into the smallest, tightest space (like a singularity). It truly represents that moment just before something new is born.
In Taoist practice, it is one of most ideal — if not the best — days for meditation, contemplation, and deep introspection, with the following day (the first of the 60-day cycle) being the best day to begin a new spiritual cultivation practice.
It's somewhat inconvenient that this occurs on a Monday of all days. Most of us will have commitments that will drag us away from any opportunity towards deep, personal introspection. Keep in mind however, that from a Taoist perspective, this energy is being initiated. This is not something that can only be done on this day or at this time. In fact, given Chiron's near-10 year transit through Aries, this is a process of healing that is going to last a very long time. There is no excuse, the time is here now.
The themes of the Earth-Pig year are coming to the fore with this Equinox. What the Libran Sun opposing the Arian Chiron confirms at this time of balance is the need for 'me-time' within the context of intentional, mindful communities.
Are you spending quality time to understand and really know your Self? Who are you spending time with? Remember that 'others' inevitably reflect back to us aspects of ourselves, good and bad.
The other thing to consider is where in your life are you "leaking energy"? The combination of the elements all points to a time when it could be easy to use more energy than you actually have. This has a silver lining to it, because it's usually when we are at our lowest that we find we are forced to re-examine the various factors in our lives as we seek to re-energise ourselves.
While every moment is a 'time of change', moments such as this are particularly potent for making changes if they need to happen.
The big question I invite you to consider is this:
If you'd like to contact me for more personal understanding of Astrology, or need your chart drawn up, I invite you to contact me directly:
