Octobers New Moon In Libra - Sabian Symbols

Lynda Hill said:

Many promising reconciliations have broken down because, while both parties came prepared to forgive, neither party came prepared to be forgiven. - Charles Williams

Most of us can forgive and forget; we just don't want the other person to forget that we forgave.- Ivern Ball
We have only one person to blame, and that's each other. - Barry Beck, New York Ranger, on who started a brawl
No! No! Sentence first—verdict afterwards. - Lewis Carroll

This month's new moon brings up rather fascinating relationship issues, not only because it is in the relationship sign of Libra, but because it has some interesting reflections to the full moon we had a few weeks ago. In my last moon blog, I wove a story about the Aries-Libra polarity and the Sabian Symbols involved in that lunation. In a nutshell, the issues revolved around being in a relationship, being on your own and being with friends and people who share the same common interests and care about you. If you missed my blog on the Aries-Libra full moon read it here:

http://sabiansymbols.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/09/getting-the-bal.html
This new moon is likely to bring up some very serious soul searching for many people. The Sabian Symbol for the new moon is Libra 18: Two Men Placed Under Arrest, hence the pic of the handcuffs.

Handcuffs? Well, yes, handcuffs. With the Sun and the Moon both energising and illuminating Libra 18: Two Men Placed Under Arrest, handcuffs of one kind of another are bound to come into the equation in some measure or another.
The issues here involve locks and keys...The trick is to find the key.
People often gasp a little when they see this degree. Some imagine that it should be read literally, and, once in a while this Sabian Symbol might imply 'being arrested', but more often than not the implications are not quite so obvious.

This degree often brings with it issues to do with being bound to someone, something, some idea, some ideal, some drudgery, some obligation that's not wanted, some contractual arrangement that ties and binds, some something or another that robs one of their freedoms, denies spontaneity, dries up one's options, etc.

Of course, as always, a Sabian Symbol can't be all bad! There are some good things about this degree, but the outward and more obvious manifestations are that it (Libra 18) is generally a difficult degree, or, at the very least, one that needs some conscious awareness in order to get the best out of it.

Something interesting to note is that the Sabian Symbol of the Two Men Placed Under Arrest is inextricably linked with the one following it - Libra 19: A Gang of Robbers in Hiding. This link is not only because one follows the other (which creates a flow on effect in itself), but these two degrees were originally the other way around when Elsie Wheeler first 'channeled' them in San Diego in 1925. To explain: when Marc Edmund Jones was writing down the phrases that Elsie Wheeler, the spiritualist medium, saw, Libra 18 was A Gang of Robbers in Hiding and Libra 19 was Two Men Placed Under Arrest. Marc Edmund Jones switched these degree Symbols as he felt that a 'mistake' had been made. Regardless, one can see the similarities between the images of 'arrest' and 'robbers'.

Elsie Wheeler, in 1925, channeled this Symbol as Two Men Placed Under Arrest, but Marc Edmund Jones in 1931 lengthened the Symbol to read: Two Men are Placed Under Arrest, and Taken Away to Give an Accounting for Their Acts Before the Tribunal of Society. I do prefer this longer version of the Symbol as having the 'give an accounting for their acts before the tribunal of society' is a very powerful addition to the image.

Please do keep in mind that one doesn't have to be in a relationship for this to have an effect. It can be that your financial life is 'under arrest', perhaps it's your spiritual life that's 'under arrest', maybe you're spending too much time with people that hold you back, that keep you in 'handcuffs ', there could be issues in your life that rob you of your freedom of movement. It could be that you and another want to be in relationship, but one is married, has children, obligations, a job on some other part of the planet...whatever it is, identifying where you're tied up, held up, trapped, stalled, misunderstood or not able to move forward is a big step in releasing these ties that bind.
The following is my take on Libra 18: Two Men Placed Under Arrest from my book 360 Degrees of Wisdom: Charting Your Destiny With the Sabian Oracle (Penguin NY).

Commentary: 'Two Men' are 'Placed Under Arrest'. They have to ' Give an Accounting For Their Acts Before the Tribunal of Society'. They are standing before some representative or authority and speaking about how they have acted against the rules and codes of 'Society'. The fact that they are 'Placed Under Arrest' doesn't have to mean that they are literally taken away by the police. It can be that they are held back by circumstances, people or experiences and they feel stuck, unable to move or stripped of their freedom. This can be rather compromising to one's integrity, ideals and strength of character.

Oracle:
People's ideas or actions may be under criticism or examination, to the point of feeling that someone has offended social responsibility and acceptability. They may have to justify or explain themselves, and relationships can be held in limbo until all the facts come to light. There may be a need to be thoughtful about the situation, because there may be nothing but suspicion at this point. The "case" could well be dismissed, with people forgiven or let off the hook, but with suspicion in the air, what permanent damage has already been done? Often a sense of trust and belief in the goodness of people is necessary. An attitude of forgiveness may be really important to move through this situation with one's sense of pride intact. Being charged with an offense can drive people apart, with each trying to save their own neck. How long can someone be "handcuffed", either to themselves or to another? Imagining the removal of "the cuffs" could lead to a turn around in the situation. People in positions of power, physical or emotional, should show mercy so others can also forgive and forget and get on with their lives. Ultimately, the goal must lead to freedom.

Keywords: Having to plead one's case. The need for "legal help". Unacceptable principles. Blowing the whistle. Pointing at others to get off charges. People unable to relate. The "Romeo and Juliet" story. Feeling caught out. Restrictions. Karma to be worked out. Being framed. Circumstances out of control. People in handcuffs. Identification parades. Police. The law. Lawyers. Judges. Juries. Tribunals. Police states. Breaking laws.

The Caution: Refusing to conform. Sabotage of relationship values. Feeling stuck, unable to move. Staying in relationships when one should go. Deadening emotions. Shutting off to cope. Not having one's point of view heard. Losing one's authority. Being bound karmically.

So, again, the key is to find a way to make your life, relationships, friendships, your commitments, whatever, freer and a more authentic reflection of who you truly are.

A good exercise is to imagine yourself taking off the handcuffs - to imagine that you are free from whatever's been having a grip on you. It can be that you've been kept 'under arrest' by a thought, a belief, a conviction, a desire, or something that just doesn't serve you. The Gang of Robbers in Hiding of Libra 19 often denotes where one needs to shed light, to identify dark areas, to free up stuck energy.

Interestingly, Venus, Libra's ruling planet, is right back on the degree is went retrograde some months ago on Virgo 3: Two Guardian Angels Bringing Protection. If you missed my blog on Venus retrograde, you might like to read it at http://sabiansymbols.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/07/retracing-the-s.html

I also wrote another blog about Saturn coming to the degree that Venus went retrograde - both of these blogs are primers to all that's going on currently. Read it here: http://sabiansymbols.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/09/under-the-hamme.html

Once again, it seems that having faith is a big part of the answer to getting the best out of these times. We definitely need that faith, particularly as the Moon's North Node (a karmic point) is on Pisces 7: A Cross Lying on Rocks Surrounded By Sea and Mist - which talks about dashed hopes, the need to resurrect ones ideals... but the kicker here is the fact that BOTH Uranus and Jupiter are on resurrection degrees (shades of the phoenix!). Uranus is currently on Pisces 17: An Easter Promenade and Jupiter is on Sagittarius 17: An Easter Sunrise Service Draws a Large Crowd. (These degrees will be impacting rather strongly on those who have planets or points at 16, 17, 18 or 19 degrees of any sign.)

So, connecting with faith, liberating oneself in any way or by any means possible and seeing possibilities instead of road blocks is the way forward (as always!).

The day following the new moon, Mercury goes retrograde (oh again, SHRIEK!). On Mercury's about turn the degree that's highlighted is Scorpio 10: A Fellowship Supper Reunites Old Comrades... time to be with those you love, admire, communicate with or want to break bread with.

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