On September 22, 2014, the Sun will move into Libra, the seventh sign of the Zodiac. Libra is a Cardinal Air sign, ruled by Venus and marks the midpoint in our journey around the zodiac, peering at Aries from the opposite side. The Sun enters Libra around the time of year as the Autumn Equinox and the origin of the word Libra derives from the Latin meaning, “balances” or “scales”. Libra is the natural ruler of the Seventh House of the Zodiac, commonly referred to as the “House of Marriage and Partnerships”. Libra represents our ability to relate to other people, but this is actually a very complex task. Before we can relate to others, there must be a sense of self to relate from. In Aries we saw the emergence and formation of our spirit essence in the form of the conscious ego, the basic building block of identity and ground that spirit essence in the physical world of Taurus. We developed self-awareness through mutual communication with our immediate surroundings in Gemini. The next building block of relationships, the basic ability to bond with another was accomplished by our work with Cancer and provided the foundation needed to express oneself as a separate entity through Leo. Having a strong sense of self enabled us to reach out beyond that Self, to others and thereby stretch the potential of who we can be was explored in Virgo. Now we arrive at Libra, in which we continue the exploration of our relationships with others from a more objective perspective. Libra teaches us that we are both connected and separate beings, being both intimately attached to others and isolated as distinct individuals. However, distances can also be deceiving and we must ask ourselves if we’re really seeing what we think we see. The danger to avoid is what we perceive is the other person, can often be what we project our own desires, needs, issues and agendas onto that person. This can mean we’re seeing only a glimpse of the real person, while filling in the blanks with our own hopes, fears and expectations. In Libra we must learn to navigate through this and decipher which is the reflection and which is the real thing. The best way to do this is to keep relating to others until we find a way that works. Ultimately, we must honor and experience both sides, just as the scales of Libra must be balanced from both sides. Libra represents this kind of objectivity, based on distance and separation. When we view other people as separate beings, we can see them clearer than when we’re up-close and intertwined.