Eleanor Roosevelt was a fierce hell-raiser who revolutionized the position of First Lady. Born on Oct. 11, 1884 into a wealthy New York family, she began life as a shy, serious girl who preferred books to parties. Eleanor was raised by a mother who considered her ugly and an alcoholic father who continually disappointed her. After her parents’ death,  ten-year-old Eleanor went to live with a stern grandmother who later sent her to school in England. There she began to develop self-confidence and a social conscience.

At 21, marriage to her distant cousin Franklin brought Eleanor into the political sphere, where her concern for the downtrodden had her volunteering for the Red Cross and working toward women’s suffrage. With her high, shrill voice and awkward bearing, she shrank from speaking in public. But after her husband’s crippling bout with polio, and once he became president in 1933, Eleanor was thrust into the spotlight. Overcoming her timidity to give voice to her idealism, she soon became something the country had never seen–an activist First Lady. She helped develop the United Nations, aided disadvantaged black Americans and provided jobs to the unemployed.

Ladylike yet tough as nails, Eleanor Roosevelt was a classic Libra. Not only was her Sun (essential self) in the sign of the scales of justice, but so was her Mercury (mind, voice). With Mercury conjunct radical Uranus and trine to political Pluto in persuasive Gemini, Eleanor used her unique platform to bring about social change—though she made many enemies in the process. As a fearless humanitarian and civic leader, her contribution is unequaled.

The upcoming revolutionary New Moon in Libra (Sept. 27 at 4:09 a.m. PDT) echoes the most prominent energies in Eleanor’s chart. The Sun and Moon will be conjunct Mercury, opposed Uranus and square Pluto. Falling four days after the Fall Equinox, a time of balancing the darkness and light which begins a new phase in relationships, this New Moon highlights the approaching square between incendiary Uranus and Pluto. This may spark a crisis in consciousness, as it kicks off a phase of liberation and social justice not seen since the mid-Sixties, when those planets were conjunct, and prior to that in the early 1930s (Eleanor’s awakening to power), when they were square.

On the Sept. 23  Equinox, we entered the Sixth Night of the Mayan Calendar—a time to journey within to attune to instinctual knowledge and cultivate our connection to divine love. Due to this shift as well as the Libra New Moon, October is a month to open our hearts, speak up for what’s right, initiate creative projects, entertain radical new perspectives and cooperate with others to achieve a higher goal. It’s also a stellar time for aligning with kindred spirits and soulmates. To get you started, here’s an Astro Feng Shui ritual to strengthen your love for yourself and others by activating your Love gua.

When Mercury opposed Neptune this Thursday, Southern California slid backward a few centuries as a massive power outage knocked out electricity to about five million of us. Folks were left in the dark from Orange County down to Tijuana and as far east as Yuma, when an Arizona Public Service employee inadvertently caused the problem by tripping a high-voltage power line while switching out a malfunctioning piece of equipment.

How quickly life can change when we’re deprived of what we take for granted. I thought about those east of here, sweltering in the 100 degree-plus heat with no fans or A/C, their food rotting fast. Yet on a late-afternoon walk through my San Diego neighborhood, I saw neighbors who rarely spend time outside bonding with one another, swapping bits of news and conjecture – was this related to a terrorist attack? Where can I find a generator-powered gas station to fuel the car? I stopped to pet Bella, my favorite cat, who was luxuriating in the cool breeze, blissfully unconcerned with our human travails.

Back home, as darkness descended, I pondered Neptune. In one fell swoop, the Great Equalizer had slowed the pace of life so we’d be forced to connect with one another, get outside in the fresh air and enjoy simple pleasures like resting or reading by candlelight. Neptune works in mysterious ways, often presenting “negative” circumstances so we remember to be grateful for our blessings. And, this opposition was particularly spacey, as Mercury was at the last degree of Leo, void of course until it entered Virgo at 11 p.m. on Thursday night—45 minutes before the lights suddenly switched back on.

Despite traffic jams and delayed flights, I intuitively felt that all would be well. Personally, I was glad for that eight-hour pause. It gave me a chance to introspect. This morning’s Facebook posts echoed similar sentiments. People had been feasting on ice cream (before it melted) and playing guitars—activities of which Neptune would approve. As one person put it, “Seeing a bunch of kids reading a book quietly is a beautiful thing. Now for candlelit board games and wine under the moon and stars.” Said someone else, “Sometimes it pays to pull the plug, just to realize the extent of our foolish dependency on technology. Some farmer, a long time ago uttered the words, ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.’ If we didn’t relearn that yesterday, we hardly learned anything at all.”

Let’s cultivate this thoughtful state as we build toward Monday’s Full Moon in Pisces (Neptune’s sign). The take-care-of business Virgo Sun opposing the compassionate Pisces Moon brings a deeper sense of humanity into daily affairs. What might that look like for you? Can you simplify your life a bit? Live more sustainably, or become more connected to community? Let this Full Moon (2:27 am. PDT on Sept. 12) illuminate your path.