With two Kings and Judgement upon us, we are getting battle ready. October is pivotal and is fierce. We are set up for a fight while still negotiating. So, apparently, no action as such yet. But it’s coming. With the new moon in Libra our thoughts would, generally, go quickly to otherness and contractual agreements, looking for ways to harmonise, in search for abstract aesthetics and sublime attractions. Perhaps a King or a Queen of Swords, and a symbol of duality. Instead, we are faced with excess masculine energy, undertones of conflict, pursuit of self realisation, empowerment and judgement in the outcome. And it’s all on the mental plane. Welcome to the New Mon in Libra, on 6 October, taking place at 13 degrees and 24 minutes, at 11:06 GMT.

The sky is active with rare and intense configurations. At the time of the new moon the big, slow planets are all still in retrograde motion, but within a week, one after the other, will station and go direct. First Pluto, then Saturn and lastly Jupiter. By the full moon in Aries later in the month, they will all be direct. Neptune will go direct much later in the year, while for Uranus we have to wait until January 2022. But for now in our immediate and direct environment, it is Mercury who is retrograde, going over the Sun and travelling in close proximity to Mars. An old, dying and burnt up Mars that will take some time to come back to health. But Mars will regenerate in Libra after the conjunction with the Sun around the 9th, and he will gain dignity on his new journey, by moving into Scorpio at the end of the month. This is a toxic situation altogether, while Venus, the ruler of the lunation, is in her detriment in Scorpio unable to help out. We have a recipe for angry communication, cutting words, hasty decision making, abrupt behaviour, poisonous thinking, within an overall confusing landscape and in our dealings with others. Libra is sociable, wants to bring people together and wants to be with people. But doesn’t want to be told, and is reluctant to decide on anything that is not pleasing. In Scorpio, she’s still Venus, but she has to do without.

The way the planets are travelling through Libra, certainly, are not making for an easy transit. To complicate matters more, with a Mercury retrograde, every issue that comes up is a blast from the past. Expect old friends, partners of any kind, mates, lovers or spouses to make an appearance in challenging circumstances and demand our attention.

So get ready for battle. In true form, we have the King of Pentacles facing the King of Wands, with Judgement in the future position. How we behave, what decisions we take, the words we speak now, at the inception of the new moon will have such strong repercussions, of which the outcome will materialise at the full moon in two weeks time, that will be all consuming. And, in fact, the energy will still carry through to the new moon in November. But in terms of action, and everything Martian, we are looking at a two year cycle. We are at a very important time in the year. Do not underestimate exchange of words, positions or goods, the role of authority, self determination and freedom. Things are still going on in subterranean fashion, things that we are unable to see or know, and so we are ourselves feeling rather indecisive which way to go. Both Kings are standing immobile imposing themselves. So we are told: stand your ground. Do not get in the middle of others.

Know what you want for yourself. This is an invitation to choose sides and stick with it. Libra is an air sign, which in Tarot would be represented by swords. And yet we see no Swords in the reading. Instead we have the elements of fire and earth. The material – and all its associations on the planet – against the inspirational and everything that is pure force. Each element has different tools, techniques and resources. It is a conflict of modalities. And Venus who is the ruler of Libra, and the ruler of the new moon, is in fact our values. Our values are being tested, what we want may be changing, old ways of thinking may be rejected or underscored. We could be looking at scorched earth of values, of everything we consider beautiful. The King of Pentacles is represented as pure serenity and abundance, and he is opposed by the King of Wands, of war, of destruction of devastation and of regeneration. What there is in our lives that needs a resolution, brought back from the past but unable to be carried into the future, will have to be confronted.

The outcome is not going to be an earthly justice according to rules and regulations but a heavenly judgement based on higher, noble and eternal values. Ultimately, decision making will be life changing. This is a time in our lives when we are judging and re-evaluating what is worth preserving and what is worth giving up, discarding, destroying. The battle is not an easy one as most damaging things in life are embedded in us in the form of repetition, daily routines and habits. But now we have to accept that we are better, more mature and more knowledgable than ever before. With it comes the responsibility of acting upon it. No easy solutions. Hard reflections. Learning from the past and then release it. We can believe that others will back us up. As Kings, we’ve got what it takes. Good solutions for the long run, that will benefit us and others around us, will be determined on how we act now. Judgment is sounding the trumpets of a total, all encompassing and absolute transformation.

Flavia