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An Eclipse Portal Is Upon Us As The New Moon Arrives This Weekend—Here's What To Know
Each new moon offers us a brand new lunar cycle, highlighting different themes depending on the sign the moon is in, our astrological birth charts, and other planetary movements. And in the case of this weekend's new moon in Libra, it also happens to be a solar eclipse. Here's what to know about the astrology behind this new moon, plus how to work with this energy.
The astrology behind this new moon solar eclipse
The new moon solar eclipse will be exact on October 14, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. EST. This time around, it's in the sign of Libra, and according to astrology expert and author of Astrology SOS, Imani Quinn, the theme of this moon is to expect the unexpected. "The last solar eclipse portal we had was between April and May 2023, and now in October, we're paying attention to the lessons that are coming back up from that time—so we're closing a loop," Quinn adds.
Eclipses are known, if nothing else, for bringing about big change, and often unexpected at that. "Now this new moon opens up a portal for two weeks until the lunar eclipse on the following full moon in Taurus at the end of October, so this two week portal is creating space for unexpected changes that are sparked by destiny," Quinn tells mindbodygreen.
And speaking of destiny, Quinn also adds that the North and South nodes are shifting into the Aries-Libra axis. "The north node is where we're headed and the south node is what we're leaving behind, so our North node will be in Aries, and our South node will be in Libra," she says.
Now thinking specifically about this new moon, which is in Libra, Quinn notes that it will likely impact our relationships (or even contracts and legal matters, which Libra also rules over). "Our relationship dynamics are going to be on a highlight reel and we're going to be letting go of something in order to allow for something else to come in—and the Aries North node is going to encourage us to go on a new journey of self discovery, even if we don't know or understand the full extent of it yet," she says.
Two other notable planetary happenings during this new moon solar eclipse include: Mars recently moving into Scorpio on October 12, as well as Venus in Virgo squaring the new moon in Libra. Mars, Quinn explains, could help us ramp up the motivation to make some heavy shifts in our lives, particularly in matters of the home, while the Venus-moon square may force us to revisit any relationship baggage that came up during the recent Venus retrograde.
How to work with this energy
It's clear that we've got an intense weekend ahead of us, so how should we handle it? According to Quinn, when in doubt, you can always ask your tarot cards for guidance. She recommends laying out your deck and doing a reading with the following three questions:
- What unexpected change is happening with this solar eclipse?
- How is the Libra influence affecting my outlook on my relationships?
- What new cycle is opening up for me?
Beyond that, she says, anything you can do to rebalance under this new moon in Libra is a good idea, as Libra is a sign that's all about balancing those scales. She recommends yoga in particular, "because it allows us to get into our body while still thinking about the connection of mind, body, and spirit." It can also encourage us to check in with our thoughts, which could be influenced by Libra's airy energy right now.
Quinn suggests the following three yoga postures for helping you feel the connection between your mind and body:
- Mountain pose
- Chair pose
- Tree pose
The takeaway
This is not your average new moon, so be intentional this weekend with how you spend your energy and whom you're spending it with. The name of the game is to expect the unexpected, and all the while, find that balance between Aries self-assuredness and Libra's keen sense of balance and justice.
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