♎︎ The Myth of the "Soft" Libra: Why the Most Polite Sign is Also the Greatest Strategist Welcome to the world of Libra – the sign of harmony, beauty, and... endless hesitation. Ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, their day is Friday, and their colour is pink. But don't be fooled by their apparent softness. Their motto is "I doubt, I hesitate," not because they are weak, but because they are
extremely selective. Unlike Aries, who chooses impulsively, Libra initially always says "no." Then they start to think. Libra marks a key turning point in the zodiac. The signs from Aries to Libra are considered individualists, focused on working on themselves. From Libra to Pisces, however, begin the collective signs, which work in a team. Libra is the bridge between "I" and "We."
📜 Why "Scales" Exactly? The Myths Behind the Name Libra is one of the oldest constellations and is truly unique. It is the only one of the twelve zodiacal constellations not named after a living creature.
1. The Scales of the Equinox More than 2000 years ago, the point of the autumn equinox was located exactly in the constellation of Libra. On 23 September, the Sun would enter this point, and the day became equal to the night. It is this equality that likely gave the constellation its name in deep antiquity. The symbol (glyph) for Libra itself actually means equinox.
2. The Scales of the Harvest The constellation was also linked to the agricultural work of the ancient Egyptians. After the reaping and threshing, the precise measuring of the grain began before it was stored in the granaries. This was done when the Sun was visible in Libra.
3. The Scales of the Soul The Egyptians attached enormous importance to the pans of the scales. They believed that after death, the goddess Ma'at placed the person's soul on one pan, and on the other – a light feather. If the scales trembled, even slightly, it meant the soul had "excess weight" and had to be reincarnated to get rid of it. Libra is located just before Scorpio, the sign of death and the afterlife, and therefore the main goal of life was to balance the scales, preparing the soul for the next world.
4. The Scales of Justice Ancient Greek mythology connects the constellation with the scales of Dike – the goddess of justice. She was the daughter of Zeus and Themis, the goddess of law and order. While Themis convened the assemblies of gods and men to watch over order, the tireless Dike walked the earth blindfolded with her scales, watching over justice. She reported to her father Zeus about all unjust judges and people, and he punished them severely. Dike was an enemy of deceit and lies, and with her scales, she most accurately measured good and bad deeds. In the end, Zeus left his daughter's scales in the sky to remind people to observe laws and justice.
5. The Claws of the Scorpion Interestingly, Libra seems to have been "inserted" into the zodiac later. The Babylonian zodiac, for example, had only eleven signs. What we today call Libra was known simply as part of the scorpion's claws.
💖 Libra's Real Job: Not Balance, but Balancing Modern Libras are rarely interested in the weight of their souls. Instead, they are entirely occupied with the constant balancing of their partnerships. They are constantly weighing and measuring the qualities, honesty, and fairness in their current relationships. In medical astrology, Libra rules the kidneys. The kidneys are the two pans of the scales in our body, which regulate and balance the internal system. Their task is to keep the body clean of toxins. In the same way, the sign of Libra filters experiences and relationships that could be toxic.
The Focus on the "Other" (and the Hidden Egoism) Libra is the seventh sign, opposite Aries (the sign of the "Self"). Therefore, Libra rules the Seventh House, traditionally called the house of marriage. With Libra, the focus shifts from the "Self" to the "Other." They are such skilled diplomats that their sign is also called the sign of peace. In astrology, it is said that the Sun (the symbol of the ego) is in its "fall" in Libra. This means that the individual's ego dissolves for the benefit of others. Libra is considered the least egocentric of all the signs. But here comes the big catch! Libra is Aries reflected in a mirror. They are just as egoistical as Aries, but with them, this quality is masked and indirect. The motivation that prompts them to care for their partners is purely egoistical. They do it because, in this way, they satisfy their own desires. When their partner is happy, then they are happy too. If the relationship breaks down (the partner realises they are being manipulated), Libra will simply change the mirror (the partner) and find another one to reflect their desires.
🏛️ Love Stories: From Troy to Psyche Libra is ruled by Venus, but her role here is very different from that in Taurus. In Taurus, Venus is earthy and enjoys raw, sensual pleasure and eroticism. In Libra, Venus is more of an archetype of aesthetic beauty – she is like a museum exhibit, admirably beautiful, gentle, but also somewhat unattainable. Although Venus is the goddess of love, the sign of Libra seems to have more to do with the institution of marriage than with love itself.
1. Paris and the First Beauty Contest According to some astrologers, the Trojan prince Paris symbolises Libra. As often happens to Libras, he was asked to be an arbiter. He had to judge a beauty contest between three goddesses: Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite (Venus). Hera (the goddess of marriage) offered him the whole world. Athena (the goddess of wisdom) offered him victories as a great warrior. Aphrodite (the goddess of love) promised him the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite. The gift, however, turned out to be Helen of Troy, who was already a married woman, and her abduction led to the Trojan War. These types of conflicts, related to love and beauty, often arise in the lives of Libras.
2. Eros and Psyche: The True Myth for Libra The most fitting archetype for Libra, however, is the story of Eros (Love) and Psyche (Soul). Psyche was a mortal woman, so beautiful that she rivalled Aphrodite herself. Angry, the goddess ordered her son Eros to punish her. But when Eros saw Psyche, he was so struck by her beauty that he shot himself with his own love arrow and fell in love instantly. He took her to a secret castle, but on one condition: she must never see his face and could only be with him in the dark. Her sisters, however, convinced her to break the prohibition. One night, Psyche lit a lamp and saw that her husband was the god of love himself. Eros woke up and instantly flew away. Crushed, Psyche prayed to Aphrodite to return her love. The goddess relented, but set Psyche a series of seemingly impossible tasks. With the help of nature, Psyche completed all the trials. Aphrodite had no choice but to reunite the lovers, and they lived happily ever in. This legend is a symbol of every relationship:
"Blind" Eros: We fall in love "with stars in our eyes."
The "Awakening": After a time, our "eyes are opened," and disillusionment comes.
The Trials (Saturn): The relationship goes through trials and challenges (it's no coincidence that Saturn is exalted in Libra).
Equal Partnership: If the relationship is strong, it becomes even stronger and turns into a union of equal partners.
⚔️ Libra's Secret Weapons: Don't Be Fooled by the Smile The illusion that Libra is a soft, compromising, and yielding sign must be abandoned. This is a cardinal air sign. Cardinal means they have a drive to impose themselves, to organise, and to arrange. Air means they do it in the sphere of thought and ideas. They pretend to be good and compromising, but they are actually driving their ideas into you through the charm of Venus. Their strength is in arbitration. They try to build trust with everyone, to step into the role of a natural arbiter, because they don't enter into conflict with anyone. They have the gift of slipping out of direct confrontations. How do they achieve this? Through small, strategic sacrifices. Like a good player, they sacrifice small things to achieve a big gain later. They understand your pain, but mentally, not with the heart – they don't empathise. But what happens when you corner them? When things get rough, the Libra "hardens" and defends itself very powerfully, adequate to the blow. All compromises disappear, and Libra becomes Aries. They will destroy you very calmly and won't even feel guilty about it. Do not delude yourself that they are a soft or cowardly sign.
Planetary Forces: The Strong Saturn and the Weak Mars Mars (War) is in detriment: Mars, the planet of aggression, is muted here. Libras hate conflict. Physical aggression is very difficult for them. The energy of Mars in them goes only towards intellectual activity. Their aggression is intellectual – mockery, irony, sarcasm. Saturn (Order) is in exaltation: This is their secret power! Saturn is the planet of fear and the word "must." This reveals Libra's fear of being alone. They are not self-sufficient. For them, work means, above all, contact with people. They are capable of inventing a business partner, just so they are not alone.