Astrology is less of a study of cause and more a study of solutions. In general, the planets are not “doing” anything to mess with our lives, but they are revealing macro patterns at play.
Astrology tracks psycho-energetic weather patterns of our collective and personal psyches.
An exception to this rule though is the Moon. We see this evident in tides that ebb and flow as the Moon waxes and wanes. We, like the Earth itself, are mostly water. The Moon likely can push and pull both the outer and our inner tides. Either way, the Moon represents the more watery and emotional elements of our psyche.
New and Full Moons are smaller cycles within the larger ones. New Moons offer conception and beginning, a time of contemplation, and the setting of intention. Full Moons, on the other hand, illuminate, magnify, and require both evaluation and assessment.
The last New Moon in Aries asked us to get clear on our intentions. This Full Moon in Libra (29° Libra) we are asked to recheck those by being offered situations that require us to look in all the nooks and crannies of our darkest layers.
With Libra, there is likely a calling for peace, balance, healing, fairness, and connection – a desired sigh after some turbulent time.
“Can’t we all just get along?”
“Isn’t the learning over yet?”
“This, again?”
Peace though is not given. It often must be claimed. In truth, peace is not found in the absence of chaos, but deep within the very chaos itself.
“Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.”
~unknown
So, if you are still riding some turbulent seas, take heed, Uranus offers us further direction as it stands with the Sun opposite the Moon. Uranus, the revolutionary planet of authenticity, suggests the peace we seek is found by steering more directly to our most genuine and radical selves, even (especially!) if that choice appears to further stir the water.
Dulling our sparkle only leads to resentment.
In form, this looks like situations where you must risk rejection to claim some profound uniqueness, uncompromising truth, or progressive path forward. Situations (likely relationship based) that challenge the status quo. Experiences that offer a choice point between habit or change.
Habitual ways in which we edit our being for external “acceptance” is one shadow aspect of Uranus. When our fear of rejection overrides our essence, we can shapeshift endlessly. An additional shadowy Uranus quality reveals identities so rigidly fixed with an idea we fear we cannot survive without it. Shadow revolutions are rooted in exquisite cognitive dissonance.
Enter Hybris. (Conjunct the Full Moon at 28° Libra)
Hybris is an Asteroid. In astrology, asteroids are important nuances of the sky representing nuances of our psyche. The goddess Hybris represents our sense of pride (aka “hubris”).
Pride, by definition, is not a negative trait. It can highlight our most profound gifts and offer a sense of grounded confidence. It allows us to shine for the entire world to see. It can ignite the very spark of individuation so needed right now.
Pride, though, also has a tendency to be a bit unruly. This is especially true if it is sourced in outside validation, a sense of lack, shame, or insecurity. This type of “false” or “toxic” pride is stealthily heady, exhilarating, intoxicating, and potent in its ability to mimic the real thing. This type of pride seems to fill us so wholly we feel empty without it. It gives us a false sense of grace so realistic we forget we are a mere extension of spirit and instead confuse ourselves with the divine itself. We become our own gods, all-knowing and omnipotent dictators in our own kingdoms.
Toxic pride can undoubtedly be loud and dramatic (and fall that follows equally as immense). It can also be elusive, shifty, and shrewdly subtle. Think judgment, criticism, gossip, attention seeking, selfishness, victim consciousness, stubbornness, vanity, and arrogance.
Shadow pride is a closed vessel where no new light gets in, and no light can escape. It is an attempt to bolster deep insecurity, doubt, fear and overall vulnerability with a facade of confidence, wisdom, and mastery. We fear our light will not shine unless we keep it “safe”. If we are not “enough”, we will not exist.
Of course, the opposite is true. It is only when we genuinely embrace the totality of our truth, both shadow and light, when we lean into change, when we are open to learning, and when we can admit we are wrong, that we trace the edges of our wholeness. Only then can we indeed become the lighthouses of our uniqueness.
Real pride is knowing you are not the source of light. You are just the container through which it flows.
“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God. ” ~Soren Kierkegaard
This Full Moon asks us to evaluate our intents through the lens of pride. Don’t be surprised of life offers us some pride checking moments. It asks us to notice where we edit our authenticity, where we vie for control, where we have to be right, and where we stoke a fire that isn’t our own. Where we compare, dominate, and compete.
Where we mistake ourselves for grace itself when we are merely extensions of it.
Why? Because shadow pride leads to a fall. Always. Over and over again. This fall is not a punishment of course. It is merely meant to slow us down long enough we can reevaluate and perhaps reset our intention. The fall of shadow pride reminds us we need to kneel in service of something bigger. It reminds us of our humility, empathy, compassion, and genuine humanness.
And we will be brought to our knees one way or another.
So, I suggest we kneel voluntarily. Lay down the ego goals and open to soul ones. Let us all reevaluate the intention behind all the actions we take. Stand in your “flawsome” without the facade of false pride. Because we were never meant to hold the burden of our unique expression alone. We were never meant to hold the responsibility of being right all of the time.
That is not where peace or authenticity is found.
The peace of true pride is the freedom to express the uniqueness of who you are not by elevating the self above another, but by simply being better than you were yesterday.