The autumn equinox arrives in the northern hemisphere at the moment that the Sun touches 0° Libra 00′, which occurs at 2:20 pm EDT on 22 September 2025. Austin Coppock called the first decan of Libra The Blindfold and the Sword, and he notes in an appendix that this decan is associated with the Erinyes, or Furies — the spirits of Hades responsible for punishing mortals who offend the Five Relationships. T. Susan Chang called this decan Blind Equilibrium from its associations with the Two of Swords in Tarot — associated with indecision and the challenges of making hard choices with no easy answers. Pamela Colman Smith in the Rider-Waite Tarot deck showed a blindfolded woman carrying two swords crossed over her chest, seated on a corniche before a harbor or seafront. Another easy name for this decan might be Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. It lasts 10 days, 4 hours, and 33 minutes, and ends on 2 October 2025 at 6:53 pm as the Sun enters 10° Libra 00′.
The ancient Greeks, all through their period of influence from about the 8th century BCE to the third century CE, regarded Five Relationships as being of particular importance, and divined that the Furies (who they called The Eumenides or “kindly ones” to avoid attracting their attention unnecessarily) were the spirit-beings responsible for defending and upholding these responsibilities among mortals — by punishing those who committed them with madness, sadness, desperate regret, and ultimately death. It’s not a pretty possibility.
What are these Five Relationships? The Greeks thought of them as a relationship of three-to-two: three where the offense could go only in one direction; and two where the offense could start from either partner in the relationship. The three which were one-sided? First is the relationship between parent and child — the child is not supposed to transgress against the parent, or else face the wrath of the Eumenides. Second comes the youth to elder —obey your elders, suggests the lore, or else. Third, the relationship between slave and master — more than a bit dated now, but you can imagine how much the slave is constrained, and how little restrain the master must exercise. The two that were mutual? First was the crime of host or guest hurting or insulting or damaging one another. Last came the relationship between householder and polis — the citizen is supposed to obey the dictates of their own particular city’s government, and their city was supposed to protect them and their goods and households against foreign predation.
The first decan of Libra is administrated by the Moon under Venus’s rulership, which is to say that it’s a place of creative and changing rules. The Greeks obviously wanted the rules they imagined to give all power and possibility to the city, the host, the master, the elder, the father — while limiting and constraining the power of the householder, the guest, the slave, the youth, or the child. It’s always been thus in power dynamics, yes?
Yet if we’ve learned anything in the last three thousand years since Greek legal theorists started to mythologize the Five Relationships, is that there are tremendous powers, notable obligations, and deep responsibilities, on both sides of each relationship. The adult child abandons the unstable, abusive, difficult or unloving parent — but sustains an adult relationship with a father or mother that was decent and kind. Youths in need of guidance and dialogue flock to the wise elder, abandon the foolish one. The employee stays with a generous, kind, responsible and transparent employer — abandons the abusive or ungrateful one, just as slaves fled the hands of cruel masters. The guest abandons the hotel, AirBnB, or home where she feels threatened or unwelcome, but tips generously in the hotels that keep up with the little and big things. And increasingly, it becomes clear that the power to change governments lies in the hands of citizens rather than its political elites — even when the political establishment has other ideas.
The Erinyes, in a modern context, seem to stir our consciences and prick our ethics and morals hard. In a play from the 6th century BCE, Aeschylus presented the Erinyes as withdrawing from human affairs and forbearing to directly punish us mortals for the offenses of the subordinate against the superior. It may be safer to say that the Erinyes have adopted a more nuanced approach, though, and say that they remind us to look at both sides of each relationship we’re in — and understand where the line between the infernal and divine might actually be.
The Dodeks or twelfth-parts of Libra I are Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. Together they point to the role of the prosecutor in managing a complex criminal case. Libra represents the careful balancing of the evidence available, and determining if a crime has been committed in such a way that warrants trial. Scorpio represents bringing that evidence before a Grand Jury in secret for preliminary hearings, and to weigh the emotional and logical impact of the evidence against a mildly skeptical audience. Sagittarius is the swift release of the information before a petit jury in the confines of a formally convened courtroom; while Capricorn is the deliberate intellectual self control of the trial lawyer presenting the allowable information in the careful rules-bound environment of the court.
I’ve written about this Decan previously in 2024 – 2023 – 2022 – 2021 – 2020 – 2019.
Dates to Watch
22 September, the day on which the Sun falls through the Celestial Equator into Libra, comes immediately after a solar eclipse at 29° Virgo, where it will be in opposition to Neptune. This opposition usually results in considerable confusion or indecision, which will be additionally emphasized by the metaphorical “darkening of the Sun” and his exile in the sign of the scales. Many people may be “waking up” to the realities of the present moment, but respond with alarm in ways that they haven’t fully thought through. Still more people may still be deluded about the present moment. Encounters with both the demoralized and the withdrawn may be a real possibility — be prepared to encourage others.
23-26 September sees Mars and Pluto in an ongoing square between Scorpio the sign of secrets, and Aquarius the sign of information. Squares are about conflict and competition, and this may be a struggle between your intentions and ambitions, and your pocketbook or wallet. You may find yourself also in conflict with others — bean-counters and accountants within your organization holding up important projects… or maybe you are the bean-counter, urging caution when others want to push ahead with genuinely risky endeavors? Be prepared for the square-off, and come prepared with facts.
24 September to 21 October, there’s an ongoing sextile between Uranus and Neptune. Outer planet aspects are always difficult to categorize, especially when they’re as long-lasting as this one. This one may feel like a turn away from material concerns toward questions of spirituality and mysticism — some folks like us astrologers may see an increase in business as people look for reassurances about the future or seek an edge in addressing the problems of their current socio-economic constraints. These conditions may also be affected by…
A Uranus-Pluto trine that began several months ago, and continues through 27 October. The fundamental questions of “who am I?” and “what am I doing here?” and “how do I fit into the lives of other people and beings?” resonate strongly with us these days. This may come up as a series of more practical questions about material prosperity and identifying individuals and communities that can improve your station and security — or it may be a more mystical exploration of the ways you can use your resources and knowledge to address the fundamental concerns of your social circle in current circumstances.
House Delineations
The First House of self and self-presentation is Capricorn, ruled by sextile Saturn retrograde in Pisces. the triplicity rulers are trine (Venus), sextile (Mars) and square (Moon). Sticking close to home and drawing little attention to yourself is a good idea. Save the outlandish outfits for conferences and classes where you need to stand out as part of your brand or identity; hold your tongue, even with friends, when in public places; choose a balanced approach at work between speaking your piece and toeing the line.
The Second House of money and possessions is Aquarius, ruled by inconjunct Saturn retrograde in Pisces. The triplicity rulers are either inconjunct (Saturn and Jupiter) or trine (Mercury). Pluto is present but retrograde. Old financial patterns keep hitting your bank account. You may have to calm a partner (romantic or business) and their concerns about the financial picture — but paying for upcoming travels may require some creative planning.
The Third House of extended family and intimate friends is Pisces, ruled by trining Jupiter exalted in Cancer. Triplicity rulers either oppose (Venus) or trine (Mars), or are in aversion (Moon). Saturn retrograde is present — and connects to the Sun by a loose antiscia — as is the North Node. Household and family issues establish harsh limits on career advancement; office politics introduce constrained on home life. A spouse or partner’s generosity and forbearance makes life easier for your friends but may cause hardship for you.
The Fourth House of home, household, and parents is Aries, ruled by inconjunct Mars in Scorpio. Triplicity rulers either oppose (Sun), square (Jupiter) or are in aversion (Saturn). Neptune is present but retrograde, spreading a dampness over all sorts of possible sparks. Family secrets come to light but are immediately doused. Professionals balance your need to know against both privacy concerns and the limits of the market. You may want to spend more time at home out of concern for what’s occurring in workplaces and campuses you visit.
The Fifth House of pleasures and pastimes is Taurus, ruled by trining Venus in Virgo. Triplicity rulers either oppose (Mars) or trine (Venus) or are in aversion (Moon). The Lunar Apogee is present. Some rules are meant to be broken, but first you must understand what consequences may flow organically from that process of breaking free from limitations. A friend may feel you deserve a stern talking-to about your how you handle your kids.
The Sixth House of daily routines, pets, and injuries is Gemini, ruled by trining Mercury in Libra. Triplicity rulers are either trine (Mercury), square (Saturn), or inconjunct (Jupiter). Uranus is present but retrograde. Thoughtful management of your time and employees are both necessary, but numerous disruptions may require you to backtrack and rethink old plans. Some of your daily routines face unexpected, unpleasant surprises unless you make an effort to stop up the gaps in your plans. Be hands-on to solve problems; don’t just stay in your head.
The Seventh House of spouse, peer partners, and rivals is Cancer, ruled by the squaring Moon in Libra. Exalted Jupiter is present. The triplicity rulers are sextile (Venus), square (Moon), or trine (Mars). Relationships with spouse, significant others, business partners are likely to be good; even rivalries are likely to be quiescent due to travel plans or settling into the new academic term. Be wary when careerist impulses or social drama pull you away from them.
The Eighth House of obligation, duty and legacy is Leo, ruled by the sextile but exiled Sun. Duty and chore go hand in hand, but are somewhat performative rather than essential. There’s a kind of formalist procedure that has to be obeyed, but it may feel like going through the motions. However, consider putting on a great performance! Show up for the difficult things well-dressed (or dressed for the occasion, at least), deliver a great effort, and show that you can do these things well when you need to.
The Ninth House of higher learning and long-distance travel is Virgo, ruled by inconjunct Mercury. Triplicity ruler Venus is present but exiled, along with the South Node; the others are either inconjunct (Moon) or sextile (Mars). Travel and collegiate situations are complicated and face difficulties. Forge your new plans in ink like they were iron nails — but be prepared to go organically in the direction of your intentions around obstacles, like tree root systems move around boulders they’re not yet ready to crack.
The Tenth House of career and professional reputation is Libra, ruled by inconjunct Venus exiled in Virgo. Triplicity ruler Mercury is present; the others are either square (Jupiter) or inconjunct (Saturn). The Moon is also present and in the Fifteenth Mansion, a place excellent for career advancement — but so is the Sun, with his most recent eclipse on the South Node taking place on September 21. Career and professional issues are likely to be balanced with a mix of good and bad — clear communication is the superpower, but expect that a mix of hallucinated fears and emotional baggage of any issue is likely to be a thumb on the scale of decision-making; a kind of flipside-rationality of poor planning and dubious intellect may rule public affairs.
The Eleventh House of friends, associates, and allies is Scorpio, ruled by present Mars and hosting the lunar apogee. Triplicity rulers are sextile (Venus) or in aversion (Moon). It’s a good time to ask your friends to open up about their secrets, to talk about their greatest fears and desires, and to explore the deeper layers of the psyche and the more sinister aspects of our sensualities… but I must also caution you that this is happening in the specific context of an ongoing sociopolitical and economic shift in which people are being encouraged or at least expected to turn on their neighbors and turn in their neighbors. It’s a good time astrologically for revealing secrets, but don’t open yourself up by just handing over possible blackmail material to casual acquaintances… and work colleagues will not have the emotional maturity to deal with your crush on Pam in Accounting. Show some sense of self-preservation here.
The Twelfth House of both obstacles and opportunities is Sagittarius, ruled by exalted but inconjunct Jupiter in Cancer. Triplicity rulers are sextile (Sun), square (Saturn) or in aversion (Jupiter). Your big plans all seem to be on hold these days, as you struggle against day-to-day realities of professional advancement requiring constant stabbing in the dark at an unclear target, family issues limited or boondoggled by visions divorced from fact, and not seeing eye-to-eye with your partner or spouse. These conditions will pass, they’re not permanent, but this week may be unusually frustrating as your long-term vision is unusually clear at the moment.
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.
Capricorn: Personal identity matters a lot more on local fronts than on the world stage. How can you address your community’s needs and support your local social circle more fully and fairly? Consider whether you’d benefit from throwing a potluck or dinner party in upcoming days. In developing the guest list, think about what you want to learn, and where you’d like to travel in the near future, and what sorts of career opportunities you’d like to pursue. It might also be a good way to bury the hatchet with some low-key rivals that you’d like to have on your team. Even if you don’t hold the dinner — these are still good ways to build bridges in coming days.
Aquarius: Money — both the ways that you feel restricted by not having enough right now, and the challenges you believe are holding you back from a more prosperous future — are likely much on your mind at the moment. Solving both problems is going to take more than the next ten days. However, it’s still worth it to think about the ideal (what do you want your local life to look like in 3-5 years?) against the practical (what small steps will move you toward those goals this week)? Be generous in encouraging your partners’ daily actions and routines, and be more up-front and open about communicating your responsibilities to your whole household — don’t let those tasks or accountability slip off your radar, or theirs.
Pisces: There’s a strong desire to play and enjoy the things that bring contentment and peace right now; but you may feel that even play brings you down — you may be in the “muddled middle” of a project that was fun when you started it, and will be fun at the end, but the midpoint is quite the slog. A series of smaller objectives with mini-treats for completion may help you get to the finish line (or at least back to the fun parts). Remember that artists often take up side projects in other media, as well, when the major stuff feels too hard and too serious, in order to get back to the enjoyment. Balance your task list with regular forms of activity that you enjoy.
Aries: Household and family matters throw cold water on your ambitions and personal vision of yourself over the next ten days, but there’s contentment and peace in addressing family matters even when they involve going on journeys or learning new coping skills. Familial secrets rise to the surface: listen closely when the elders speak, these days. You may find it wise to collect and protect family heirlooms, too, even if it goes against custom. Keep an eye on any partners and their professional commitments; they may be more overwhelmed than they can let on right now. Unexpected obstacles may be building that thwart your long-term plans — seed opportunities for yourself and forestall difficulties through proactive practices.
Taurus: You should be having more fun than you are but your austere regimens are causing hardships that you may not be aware of; and silence from your partner or friends may be simple stoicism, or may be more complex than hurt feelings. It’s easy to address your emotional worries about career or your job by dealing with purchase orders and acquisition of merchandise, but remember that eveything you get also has to go out the door eventually. You must plan on an end-plan for what you gain, and think about both storage and disposal. Creative, original, and organic solutions will serve you better than purchased equipment.
Gemini: It’s a time for developing and maintaining daily routines, but it’s likely that you’ll face surprises and difficulties in doing that — past issues may be coming back to haunt your to-do list and in-box. Whatever wasn’t done right before, now returns in new forms. That subordinate you weren’t checking up on? Yeah, that’s going to have to be re-done all over again. Your financial situation is likely to continue to improve, but checking in with partner(s) in business or household might be a good idea. Mutual aid can only flourish in the world of accurate information. Your professional job might be to throw sand in the gears of an enthusiasm that’s divorced from facts. Get together with friends for a magical evening.
Cancer: The intersection of home, career, and partnership will be at the heart of your decision-making over the next ten days. You’ll need to be big-hearted but also develop a leaderlship style on the fly as you take over important roles from others who don’t seem to be doing what they need to. Draw together your besties and close out any projects that aren’t serving your long-term interests, as best you can. “Done” here is better than “perfect” — reap the harvest and plough what you can’t use back into the soil for future growth. Talk about your future efforts with friends and colleagues, and re-center home and family as the core of your professional life; learn what “work to rule” means and use it where you can.
Leo: Difficult and somewhat repetitive work may be one of the themes of the next ten days, but collecting a paycheck may require that regular input of labor to complete. It’s not going to be glamorous or enjoyable, but it’s likely to be necessary. Have your finger on the pulse of who you’d like to collaborate with on next steps, and figure out how you’re going to coach them into accepting your offer. You don’t have to enjoy their contributions or content to consider ways that your efforts and theirs might intersect favorably. Home may be somewhat disrupted by harsh or painful words from a friend; you may feel betrayed by a borrowing that becomes more permanent. Act as the sunshine of your neighborhood, but communicate clearly with close confidants about how you really feel.
Virgo: Travel plans may go awry if you’re not on top of your financial responsibility, but it’s ok to get creative about how you manage your time and resources if you can figure out how to mix business with pleasure; or how to mix your technical skills with your imaginative habits. A little tiff with a close confidant or family member has a risk of spiraling uncontrollably, but it’s worth keeping your focus on the three areas you can control: how you present yourself to the world, how you collect and spend cash and other resources, and how you communicate with your closest allies. DOn’t be lonely; reach out and touch someone.
Libra: Your professional efforts should be rewarded this week with substantial changes to your benefits, or at least communicated gratitude for your labors — even if the compensation isn’t ideal. However, it’s still a good idea to remember Reagan’s adage, “trust but verify.” Get verbal kudos and raises in writing; double-check your pay-stubs, and confirm that what you’re told is matched by what you get. Some long-term dreams may feel far away or less important than they did, but you can still mourn what didn’t work out or what couldn’t be. Focusing on yourself, and how you can still contribute, is more important than mourning what couldn’t come. Daily routines are difficult to complete, but stay on top of your routines. Lead in the workplace with emotional sensitivity.
Scorpio: Make it your mission this week to acquire more friends, or to speak more regularly with friends that you have but don’t communicate with regularly. It’s important to expand your social network at the moment. It may be worth traveling, or taking a class together with a colleague, to cement a tighter friendship. In professional matters, be thinking about your long-range plans: where do you see yourself in eight to ten years? Will that be the halfway point of your career life (say, age 20-60?) or a third or a quarter of the way through? What set of linkages will you need to get from where you are to where you’d like to be? Is it time to forge the next bond? Or to stay where you are?
Sagittarius: Long-term plans require updating as you think about dealing with personal obligations and completing efforts long-overdue. It may be difficult to see all the tasks that need to be completed, but your routine “honey do” list may be surprisingly over-full. The tasks that you should do for friends may also need buffering; completing some of those would relieve your mind substantially, as well. And home life, too, has a build-up of important but necessary labors. Family comes first, then friends, then personal — it might feel backwards, but it’ll lead to greater ease and less stress.
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.
