Libra II, Two Links of a Chain, ruled by Venus but administered by Saturn, begins on October 2 at 1:17 pm EDT, and lasts until October 12 2024 at 4:24 pm EDT — a total of ten days, three hours, seven minutes. Austin Coppock called this decan Two Links of a Chain, and T. Susan Chang called it Ties that Bind. Both of them noted its associations with the Three of Swords in Tarot… a heart-rending card if there ever was one, which the Golden Dawn taught its members to call The Lord of Sorrow. Representing rupture, quarrel, and separation, the card stands for the challenge of being connected to something or someone that no longer brings delight. That’s a similar idea to what Coppock’s name suggests — being bound or conjoined in some way with unbreakable chains, whether you liked it or not. What if you Marie Kondo’ed your house, and found that nothing in it sparked joy… but you couldn’t afford to get rid of it or change it??

I’ve written about Libra II before, in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Libra II plays host to a Solar Eclipse later today, at 2:44 pm EDT. Its path will cross the southern and eastern Pacific Ocean, and be visible as an annular (or ring-like) eclipse in the southernmost provinces of Chile and Argentina (some of the remote dependent islands of New Zealand will also see a partial eclipse); Antarctica will also see part of this eclipse.

Eclipses occur in two different series or sequences. The longer Saros Cycles can take 1100+ years to resolve. These begin with very short eclipses near the South or North Poles, which then gradually descend over the Earth’s latitude lines until they reach the equator; at the equator, eclipses last the longest and often have the most pronounced effects. Eclipses also occur in the shorter Meton cycles, which last either 18 or 19 years at a time, and indicate an eclipse that occurs on the same date (but not necessarily in the same place). It must have been bewildering to ancient peoples, that an eclipse was forecast but didn’t appear — but it’s the overlapping nature of these two cycles that creates such diversity in their effects. This eclipse is the seventeenth eclipse in Saros cycle 144, which began in 1736 CE and won’t end until May of 2980 CE. All seventy of the eclipses in this sequence are South Node eclipses, and the last three to occur (were in August 1970, September 1988, and September 2006 — and all occurred in Virgo.

It’s hard to ascribe a specific ‘flavor’ to any set of Saros cycle eclipses, but it somewhat remarkable how many anti-colonial efforts began under this eclipse sequence — many ‘lesser’ US Founding Fathers were born in 1736 — not the big names, but signers of the Declaration of Independence or prominent leaders at the local rather than national levels. The 1916 eclipse saw the founding of the first “home rule” project for India by the Theosophist leader Annie Besant, who wanted India to be ruled by and for Indians rather than by and for England — and the trial of the Easter Uprising rebels who tried to create an independent Republic of Ireland. The 1988 eclipse saw the launch of Amnesty International’s “music for human rights” campaign, which continues today in various forms, using ticket sales from popular musicians to raise money to campaign for human and civil rights around the globe. But the thing about these sorts of efforts is that they begin under this aegis, but rarely conclude… and we’re only a quarter of the way through this Saros cycle. It remains to be seen how it will play out.

For us on a local level, it’s likely to involve a lot of backtalk to customers and pushback against bosses and supervisors who ask for too much. If you’re an employer or have a team under you, be cautious about changing around team responsibilities; if you’re self-employed or work for someone else, be aware that you may be talking with a little more fierceness and sass than usual.

The cosmopolitan city of Alexandria spent time honoring Kairos at this time of year — a deity associated with “the right time” (as opposed to Kronos or ‘clock time’). Today, we might translate his name as Opportunity. He was depicted as a youthful and athletic god, sculpted at some moment in running a foot-race, perfectly smooth except for one long forelock of hair on his brow — either you caught him by the hair as he ran past, or you were out of luck. We say, “Opportunity knocks once,” and this is a similar idea.

Allison Chicosky recently posted a piece by Stefanos Chelydoreus, on the importance and relevance of deifying concepts and abstract principles. He talks about Zoe or Life, Elpis or Hope, Hygeia or Health, Khara or Happiness. We can add Kairos or Opportunity to this list, and ask him to run by our house this week… but we had better be on the front walk ready to catch him as he speeds past! While you wait, think about how you honor and deify other important abstract concepts — I’m thinking a lot these days about Sophia and Virtus, otherwise known as Wisdom and Virtue.

the Dodeks, or twelfth parts, of Libra II are assigned to Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, and Taurus — and magicians should recognize these four as being cognate with the Four Powers of the Sphinx as outlined by the 19th century magician Eliphas Lévi: the hidden knowledge of the Aquarian who carries the gnostic insight, the tremoring bravery of Pisces who decides to act even though the action frightens them, the fiery derring-do of the one who does and then succeeds at it, and finally the contented silence of Taurus who is able to relax that the thing is now done and complete.

Planetary Archetypes

Libra II can be characterized as a busy farmer’s market near the end of the harvest season, perhaps on the grounds of a locally important historic house with furnished rooms on display and a well-maintained garden. The market is crowded with people, and there is drama behind the scenes as well as in the aisles between market stalls.

The market-master is Jupiter, far from his post near the entrance under a 10×10 tent with the sign that says “market information” in beautiful handmade letters. He’s arguing with a vegetable seller whose scale is out of whack but who’s still charging prices based on incorrect weights and measures. So far the argument is happening behind the scenes, but Jupiter is running out of options before he has to call in larger authorities than himself. At the same time, the scale is off by a minuscule amount, less than a sixteenth of an ounce. Is it really worth fighting over? Isn’t this beneath his dignity?

Mars is the vendor in the next stall over, uncomfortably aware that the brewing argument next door is threatening his own business. Customers are overhearing bits of the increasingly heated discussion, and are considering leaving the market entirely. Mars would rather be at his martial arts dojo than trying to sell flowers from his mother’s private greenhouse anyway… but a promise is a promise, and so he’s here helping mom.

The Moon is in the prettiest stall where the best baked goods and prepared food is available, where a cluster of other farmers and sellers have clustered to discuss the weights and measures problem. The Sun, normally their leader, is listening to several points of view and is being quite non-committal… and everyone takes that as a bad sign. Mercury, the trans non-binary person who runs Rainbow Farm, is dressed provocatively in a black PVC corset with lots of silver buckles and chains, and is holding forth on why proper weights and measures are important. The Moon feels it isn’t a big deal… and friendships are fracturing here as the Sun sits back, reluctant to pick sides.

Venus has left her own booth in the care of some no-nothing intern and is feeling pretty anxious about it, but she promised Jupiter she’d look after the information booth… the trouble is that she’s pretty, and every man at the market is trying to make eye contact, talk to her, or pet her dog. She hasn’t been able to get to the information booth, and she won’t for some time.

Pluto is vending root vegetables only: potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, shallots, and that sort of thing, and he’s making a killing. He’s contentedly sitting on his throne watching the world go past, and pleased as punch at how his day is going.

Saturn is selling fish, but he’s made a tactical error in setting up his booth next to another vendor of fish and fish products, Neptune — who today, at least, appears to have the far superior product (although in reality, their catches are a little older than they should be… and are changing from frozen to … some things not quite as frozen as they should be). Their corner of the market is stinky and bloody. It’s like a scene from the Asterix comics, where the two vendors are in a constant argument about the value of surf versus turf. Saturn has more favor with Venus and with the other vegetable seller Mars… but Neptune has a long-standing relationship with the root-seller Pluto and the butcher Uranus. The Saturn-Neptune contest here has the risk of turning into a long-running feud.

Uranus is selling beef and sausages from the back of his truck, plastered with religious iconography and a Pray the Rosary bumper sticker. He’s encouraging people to make potato and beef stew for the fall, and every so often he erupts in enthusiasm for God. He’ll also recommend a surf-and-turf combo if anyone walks by with a bag from his friend Neptune; and if you express the slightest interest in Saturn’s wares, he’ll explain how oysters Rockefeller is a conspiracy by Big Shellfish® to sell lower-quality bivalves to unsuspecting consumers. That will lead rapidly down other conspiracy rabbit holes, too.

House Meanings

The first house is Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter from the opposition, and receiving additional support from the Sun at the sextile and Saturn from the square. Your connections to friends and associates are an important part of your personal identity but there’s a generosity you must show to a partner or spouse that feels difficult because of current household issues. Make the generous showing. The Lot of Fortune urges us to think about legacies and the next generation in our lives.

The second house is Capricorn ruled by Saturn from the sextile and supported by a sextile Venus — remember that money and possessions are tools for creating the kind of beautiful life that’s appealing to you; but don’t let desire for resources get in the way of achieving the kind of long-term lifestyle that will make you happy. Pluto makes money-management concerns a greater source of stress and contention than usual.

The third house is Aquarius, but Saturn is in aversion; the Sun and Jupiter, both trine, are the principal means of support. When it comes to matters of neighborhood, community, extended family, and close friends, your wider circle of acquaintances and your spouse are necessary components of your lifestyle — but you have to connect with them; they’re not coming to you unless you ask.

The fourth house of household, residence, and family is Pisces, ruled by Jupiter from the square but receiving support from trining Venus and Mars… and currently hosting Neptune and Saturn. Underlying conflict with a spouse or significant other — or a noticeable absence of such a person — places strains upon our living situation, with one resident eager for adventure or beauty, and the other a reluctant homebody ambitious to complete obligations. The balance is found in recognizing the push-pull, and achieving an emotional compromise.

The fifth house of pleasures, hobbies and children is Aries, ruled by Mars from the square, but experiencing tension from the opposing Sun while getting support from Jupiter at the sextile. The North Node promises hunger to divide, separate and sort materials (and possibly destroy them). Duty and tedious obligations pull time away from our hobbies and children, and social expectations rob us of time with our pastimes — but the desire to work on our personal pleasures doesn’t go away; negotiate with your spouse for craft time and entertainments.

The sixth house is Taurus, ruled by opposing Venus and with only Mars bringing in support from the sextile. Uranus wants upheaval of day-to-day routines, and is convinced that buying or acquiring is an easy way to solve the challenge; long-term visions and a sense of the weight of current commitments get in the way of achievements.

The seventh house of spouse, work-colleagues, and open foes is Gemini, ruled by trining Mercury and supported by trining Sun and squaring Saturn — Jupiter though in detriment here does his best to provide everything he can for his partner, or to make peace with opponents. Talking to partners and allies is essential, but widen your circle too: depending too much on one person isn’t doing you much good, and you’re going stir crazy within the walls of home.

The eighth house of commitments, obligations, and duties is Cancer ruled by the squaring Moon and hosting Mars at the garden party — a bit like having a bull in a china shop. Trining Venus provides support, but it’s a gothic attachment to loneliness — oh, let me mourn my solitude and my obligations here on the castle battlement… quick, is anyone noticing me? Suffering through autumn in silence isn’t as much fun if nobody’s watching how good at it you can be.

The ninth house of travel, learning, and religion is Leo, ruled by the sextile Sun and supported by Jupiter alone from the sextile. Travel and learning opportunities are needed… with your partner. With your friends. You’re looking for connection to others; your spouse or significant other is looking to connect to their hobbies. If you’re single and don’t want to be? Go sightseeing. Sign up for a pottery class or a painting workshop or a workshop on financial literacy — you have to meet people who are also interested in what you’re interested in, to meet that special someone.

The tenth house of career and reputation is Virgo, ruled by inconjunct Mercury and experiencing tension and conflict from opposing Saturn and squaring Jupiter. Whatever you want to do in your career or in your workplace, seems to be facing a kind of passive aggression from familial or household commitments, and active expansion of those duties from a spouse or significant other. Wild enthusiasm can’t replace deliberateness; ground expectations in realistic possibility.

The eleventh house of friends, acquaintances and social groups is Libra ruled by inconjunct Venus and receiving support from present Mercury and trine Jupiter. The Sun and Moon, along with the South Node, prepare for their eclipse later today — while the Lunar Apogee (“Black Moon Lilith”) and the Midheaven promise contention in your social circles and a public outbreak of formerly private feelings and information. Secrets may be blabbed, and hurt feelings may ensue.

The twelfth house of long-range aspirations and perceived obstacles is Scorpio, ruled by trining Mars and getting support from present Venus: the beautiful vision of the future is worthy and worthwhile, but identifying the “to do list” that arises from that vision, and then putting the steps in the correct order, is challenging to one’s expectations and goals. Make the vision, but then figure out what steps, in what order, will lead to that result.

Horoscopes by Rising Sign

Decan I of any sign (usually covering the 21st of the month to the first of the following month) is free to all visitors; Decan II is only available to Patreon and Ko-Fi.com subscribers; and Decan III is available to Patreon, Ko-Fi, and MailChimp subscribers.

I recommend reading your Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign for best results. I write them with rising sign in mind, but several people have told me they find that they do better with all three.

Colophon

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If you want to read some of my astrologically-oriented poetry, the largest collection is called A Full Volume of Splendor and Starlight, available through my Etsy shop, and containing poems and hymns to the planets, constellations, decan deities, and Moon Mansion angels. While not astrological, Festae contains hymns to some of the older Roman gods and spirits from the calendar created by Numa Pompilius, the second ancient King of Rome.

I use iPhemeris for my charting software, and screenshot it to make charts. I want to thank the team that develops iPhemeris for the addition of Terms and Decans to their charts. I also use Hugh Tran‘s Physis typeface to craft logos for this blog, as well.

I use Christopher Warnock‘s The Mansions of the Moon as the basis of my Moon placement delineations, and Austin Coppock‘s 36 Faces for much of my planetary delineations. Neither gentleman endorses me.