Jupiter moved from the detail-oriented mental sign of Virgo into the relationship-oriented sign of Libra on September 9th 2016 and will remain in that sign until October 20th 2017.
Jupiter, the Great Benefactor
Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system – filled with expansive gases and generating twice as much energy as it receives from the Sun, it is a powerful influence that demands attention. Everything about Jupiter is big. It has more moons than any other planet in the solar system (60!) including Ganymede, the solar system’s largest moon. It has the strongest gravity of any solar system planet, and a faster rotational speed.
Jupiter has sufficient mass and power that it was almost a star – just as the astrological Jupiter is in some ways like a second Sun. We must honor the energy of the Sun in our charts to feel nourished and alive; we must honor the energy of Jupiter to feel whole and to give our lives meaning. Jupiter is called the “greater benefic” – inspires confidence and faith, it inspires us to expand the boundaries of our mind to break down limitations and gain greater understanding. It can bring good luck and good fortune and so can Venus, the “lesser benefic” and ruler of Libra, so the next year offers the potential for expansion and great positivity in our lives.
Libra, balance and harmonious connection
Libra is the sign of balance, harmony and justice. While it is known as the sign of lovers and relationships, that association is not like the water element which promotes emotional connection but more of an intellectual idea. The Libra focus on relationships asks “How can I enhance myself through my connection with others? How can I balance my needs against the needs of my partner?” While as individuals we must find balance within ourselves. there is a need under the Libra influence to find balance with a partner as well. The downside to this need for a personal mirror is the danger of looking only in the mirror, and failing to look within and develop the interior self.
The balance that Libra seeks doesn’t happen automatically. It often comes as the result of a swinging from one extreme to another in order to find the balance in between.
Libra also is concerned with matters of aesthetics – beauty and the harmony of all that we can touch, feel and sense. But Libra is an air sign – it relates to these matters of sensation from an intellectual point of view rather than an actual sensation perspective such as Taurus would have. It’s more about the idea of relationships, partnership, beauty than the actual experience of these things that guides Libra.
Jupiter, as the planet of expansion, tends to enlarge the matters of the sign that it travels through. For example, while Jupiter was in Virgo, the sign of organization, the Bullet Journal (arguably the most detailed and thorough way to organize your life) took on a cult following. Jupiter in Libra is already calling attention to the ways in which we perceive beauty in our culture, such as the emergence of Ashley Graham, a plus (Jupiter)-sized model who has taken the world by storm. The last time Jupiter was in Libra, back in 2004, saw the launching of Facebook which has arguably created more relationships around the world than any other single event in history. Libra is famously diplomatic and able to see both sides of every question, yet the world is currently in a turmoil of oppositional battles. Can Jupiter in Libra help us to overcome this global stress and find greater diplomacy?
During Jupiter’s journey through Libra it will be challenged by Pluto (mid-November to mid-December) which could knock the winds out of our sails for a month or so and deflate any of our dreams that may have become a bit too glorified and unrealistic. Jupiter will then oppose Uranus, creating a cycle of dramatic change and potential upheaval that will be super exciting but not always comfortable. The Uranus/Jupiter cycle will last from mid-December 2016 through mid-March 2017 due to the retrogrades of both planets, and then again in October 2017 just before Jupiter leaves Libra.
Questions to help you get the most out of this Jupiter in Libra cycle:
- Where do I need to change my interactions with others so that they offer more balance and harmony? Have I been giving too much or too little? When Jupiter moves into Scorpio these questions will begin to blow up relationships, so finding that balance now will be helpful.
- Jupiter often acts as the “Great Liberator,” and it’s not uncommon for relationships to end under a Jupiter transit, especially if they aren’t really working the way they need to be for true satisfaction. Are you involved in a friendship, business partnership, or family dynamic that isn’t working, and if so, is it worth the effort to bring the partnership back into harmony?
- How do I really feel about myself? Do I need to be surrounded by others in order to feel whole, and if so how can I regain my center? In order to find balance in our partnerships we need to find the balance and affection for ourselves.
- Part of loving ourselves is embracing and enhancing the way we look and feel. Where can we enhance our appearance in ways that will help us to feel better about ourselves in all ways?
- Are we able to stop in the middle of an argument and see the other person’s point of view? Under Jupiter in Libra this will become more important and sometimes necessary.
- Where do I need to find more balance in my life? What do I need more of, and where can I let the less important things go?
Potential pitfalls of Jupiter in Libra
- Be careful not to become too complacent or lazy, especially where financial matters are concerned.
- Avoid the temptation to be lost in superficial attractions or obsessions about looks that may drive us to seek unhealthy cosmetic enhancements.
- It may become more difficult to make decisions while Jupiter is in Libra. Because of the airy quality of Libra it’s easy to be stuck in the mental need to balance the scales. Sometimes we have to allow our gut instinct to override the mind!
so helpful and articulate. a post to return to often!
The Standing Rock struggle comes to mind. The struggle to live in balance with the planet. The struggle for the Sacred and to live in a meaningful way.
That was spot on ! I never dreamed that my friendship of 41 years would come to such a screeching halt as it did on Oct 22 . In fact almost at that very same moment , my husband escaped with only mild injuries from a near fatal car crash . The other driver T Bonef him after running a stop sign . I couldn’t stop crying for 3 days and still feeling very somber and sad. Definitive time to give myself some extra tlc .
Thank you Lynn !
It sounds like you have had a rough time of it Nancy. Take care of yourself! 41 years is a Uranus cycle, so that’s an interesting number for the termination of your friendship.
[…] beloved by many as the planet of beneficent good fortune, is in Libra now where it is bringing its expansive qualities into the realm of diplomacy, beauty and a search for […]
[…] real and supersedes our own ideas of what is true. Jupiter stays in a sign for about a year and has been in the sign of Libra since the fall of 2016 where it expanded cultural ideas of beauty and relationships. Jupiter will […]