Libra Full Moon: Welcome the Shadow

“Anything done for another is done for oneself.” –Pope John Paul II

Human beings can be profoundly contradictory. Take Pope John Paul II, who helped usher the Catholic Church into the 21st century. A passionate social activist and champion of human rights, Polish-born Karol Wojtyla was actively anti-Communist and played a big part in bringing down the Iron Curtain. A Taurus Sun sign with his ruling planet, Venus, conjunct Mercury in loquacious Gemini, he spoke eight languages, held multiple degrees, and once gave 25 speeches in one day without repeating himself. Thanks to a square between Venus and Neptune, he felt the pain of the world – and could sometimes be found kneeling on the ground in the middle of winter, deep in prayer with his head resting on an altar.

The 264th Pope, who had radical Uranus square his Leo Midheaven, was celebrated for founding and running a service that dealt with marital problems, family planning, alcoholism and abuse. Yet the dark, erratic side of that aspect showed itself as well when he refused to approve the use of condoms during the AIDS epidemic, denied ordination to women and participated in the cover-up of pedophile priests.

Whatever you may think of him or the Catholic Church, this Pope was a fascinating figure. But why am I spotlighting him now? Because he dominated headlines during the March 25 – April 8 2005 eclipse cycle, which is about to repeat. On March 27, 2005, the infirm Pope tried to deliver an Easter blessing but was unable to speak. Then on April 2, he died. Now we’re set to experience another lunar eclipse at 5 Libra on March 25, and another solar eclipse at 19 Aries on April 8. I’m not forecasting anything dire for the current pontiff, but the light-and-dark themes that Pope John Paul II personified are up for us once more.

When one of the luminaries is obscured at an eclipse, we are invited to explore our own shadows, the parts of ourselves we don’t usually see. At the upcoming Full Moon eclipse at 5 degrees Libra (March 25, 12 a.m. PDT), opposite polarities will be in the news. This eclipse is penumbral; as the Moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow, its subtle darkening won’t be as dramatic as the April 8 total solar eclipse. Still, it is apt to pack a punch in Libra-ruled realms such as relationships, agreements, fairness and justice.

This South Node eclipse urges us to let go of the old to make room for the new. Especially if it triggers a Libra planet or angle for you, you may become aware of people-pleasing habits or rigid thinking (shadow Libra traits). Perhaps it’s time for a banishing ritual in which you burn or bury a token related to what or who you’re releasing. Or, it might become necessary to tell someone what you’re no longer willing to accept. Alliances may suddenly be forged or terminated in the time leading up to this eclipse.

Peace is a Libra attribute worth cultivating, especially when it’s in such short supply in the world. Yet the Sun, now in Aries since the March 19 Equinox, is dominant at this Full Moon, so maintaining a sense of peace could be tricky. There is courage and decisiveness in the air – but also a tendency to get stuck in mental ruts or to become agitated if things aren’t clear or fair.  Stay flexible, and keep an open mind.

On April 8 we’ll have the Aries total solar eclipse, adding fuel to the fire. Its close proximity to wounded healer Chiron makes this a powerhouse eclipse, for better or for worse. And, the impending conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus, exact on April 20, is already making itself felt (more on both of those in my next essay.) Throw in the shadow phase of messenger Mercury, which is starting to get a bit wonky as it slows down to turn retrograde on April Fool’s Day (throughout most of April), and we’re in for a wild ride.

Meanwhile, let this Full Moon illuminate your path. Welcome both the light and shadow, and be kind to yourself and others. As Pope John Paul II reminded us, “Anything done for another is done for oneself.”