The seventh sign of the zodiac, Libra is symbolised by the Scales, the only zodiac sign to be represented by an inanimate object. If you have a Libra Sun or Moon, or your rising sign in Libra, you need to keep life in balance. Bosses, schedules, family and friends may demand time, effort and decisions from you, but taking sides is tough when Venus-ruled Libra sees everything from both sides. Libra-type qualities are also evident in people who have a strong Venus in their natal chart; for example, Venus rising in the first house, or in conjunction with the Sun or Moon, or Venus in the seventh house.
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Libra: Energy Type
The zodiac signs represent fundamental energy types, and each sign determines how those energies are expressed – ‘how’ being the key word. When the Sun, Moon, planets, cardinal points and house cusps in your natal chart fall in Libra, they express in that sign’s unique style. The luminaries and planets represent ‘what’ is being expressed and the natal chart houses signify ‘where’, but the ‘how’ part of the equation is always governed by the zodiac sign’s particular qualities.
In astrology, energy types are defined by the zodiac sign’s element (fire, earth air or water). Each element has a characteristic form of motivation and influence on behaviour. In addition, elemental energy is expressed in a particular mode: energy is one thing, but how it’s applied is something else. Modality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) determines how the raw energy functions. And then there’s polarity: is the sign positive or negative? Polarity determines how energy is processed, by being externalised (extroverted) or internalised (introverted). Libra energy type is air-cardinal-positive. What does that mean?
Libra: Key Qualities
Air
Air signs communicate; they’re clever. They make contact. For Libra people, that contact is personal. Libra’s air qualities are expressed through establishing relationships of all kinds, though one-to-one relationships are Libra’s favoured communicative medium. Establishing well-functioning interpersonal relationships is a Libra superpower, but Libra powered connections are just as valid at a business, professional or aesthetic level. Libra people negotiate spaces to bring people and ideas together; ‘together’ is the key motivator for Libra.
Cardinal
Libra is an assertive cardinal sign, reflecting Libra’s position at the beginning of a season. The Libra month falls at the beginning of autumn (fall) and it begins in a gentle manner. The season is still warm and looks its best during the Libra month, but cardinal energy is strong and focused on getting results. Libra’s mild nature and great presentation skills are designed to move things along, whether that’s a business deal or a legal agreement, or a joint decision, usually to a mutually satisfactory conclusion.
Positive
Libra’s air-cardinal energy is expressed outwardly, as this is an extroverted sign. I’m sure there are many Libra people out there who do not consider themselves to be extroverted, but fundamentally, you are outgoing, even if your energy is expressed with subtlety and tact. Libra is considered a ‘people-person’ sign and its positive energy is expressed diplomatically; however, Libra subjects will not shy away from drawing a line when they consider it necessary – and that line will be drawn with force if you feel your good nature or best intentions have been abused.
The Libra Myth
It feels appropriate that the sign of partnership does not have its own distinct mythology. The Libra myth is bound up in the Virgo myth. The goddess Astraea (who represents the innocence of the Virgo myth) was also a goddess of justice. Astraea’s legend states that the goddess was the only immortal to dwell among humankind during the mythological ‘golden age’. However, human nature being what it is, humankind descended into wickedness and corruption and this appalled the goddess so much she escaped to the heavens, where she became recognised as the constellation of Virgo.
However, Astraea left behind the scales she had used to measure and dispense justice and teach moderation and good behaviour. The scales represent core Libra themes: justice, fairness, balance and equilibrium. Libra mythology is also associated with the goddess Themis, the pre-olympian goddess, daughter of Gaia (the earth) and Uranus (the sky) whose role was to advise Zeus (Jupiter) on natural law, morality and truth. In mythology she is often shown as the mother of Astraea and to this day she represents the figure of justice, with her sword and scales.
Libra: Ruled by Venus
The sign of love is ruled by Venus. Venus rules two signs, Taurus and Libra, and Libra sees the airy qualities of Venus come to the fore. Libra is the most aesthetically aware sign of the zodiac, and Libra subjects appreciate beauty, art and design and often have a great sense of style. Their sense of harmony also drives them to make the world a better place. Many Libra subjects are involved with good causes and work to bring a greater sense of fairness to the world. And of course, being Libra subjects, they love to share their concerns with the one they love.
There is, however, another side to Venus: you want to be admired, and you want everyone to be on the same team, and you expect be appreciated for who you are – that’s one of the reasons why you present yourself well – but you can be judgemental of others, especially if they disagree with you. Disagreement is disagreeable to you because it upsets your inner harmony – an essential Venusian trait. You like agreement in all things, as that’s the ultimate Venusian virtue. However, Venus was also renowned for her envy; wanting what others have is a Venusian flaw.
Libra Archetype: The Lover
The archetype associated with Libra is – unsurprisingly – the Lover, but there is more the the Lover than romance. Connection runs deeper than the relationship between two people – though personal relationships are an important part of the Lover’s archetypal characteristics. Connection – the the Lover – means reciprocal desire, emotional bonding and physical intimacy, but it also means a wider and deeper connection to the Lover’s environment via the senses. This is a sensual archetypal figure, but – again – that means more than physical passion, indulgence and satisfaction.
The Lover is the Libra archetype, and although we associate personal, bodily or physical sensuality with the other Venus-ruled sign, Taurus, the Libra archetype’s sensuality is shown sensorily through, taste, touch, scent, hearing and visual appeal. The Lover’s world is arranged through the satisfaction of the senses; to create a unified and coherent whole, the parts must be complementary and balanced. The Lover’s inner desire nature is externalised through relationships of all kinds, including the aesthetic, artistic and natural world, and in that way the Lover is present at all times.
Libra Character
To be born under the sign of Libra is considered a blessing; the Venus signs are regarded as attractive, gifted and romantically inclined with great taste. That’s not a bad starting point. Add balanced temperament, charm and a preference for the good things in life and you’ll be thinking, what’s not to like? It’s true that Libra has built in quality control: you are concerned with appearances (which can lead to accusations of vanity) but you also like to be liked and that can lead to you being regarded as a ‘people pleaser’ who will say anything to keep the peace.
Keeping the peace is a key driver for this sign, and it’s one that leads to accusations of Libra’s famous indecisiveness, but as an air sign you’re essentially expressive and have a need to rationalise the world around you. It’s important for you to analyse and critically evaluate your environment, so you can create a rational, ordered and harmonious whole. Libra is a born mediator. You believe in talking things through to find a shared position. That is the true spirit of compromise.
Libra’s communication and social skills make you a great team leader, or the person who is best placed to front a project, because of your ability to establish good working relationships and bring things together. A sense of fairness makes you a good boss. Libra will always provide an informed and objective view on the issues that matter – and you do so in any context. However, you are notoriously indecisive. You may be so well-informed that you find it hard to identify the best option out of several, but you’re also wary of offending anyone who disagrees with your decision.
Libra Keywords
The keywords associated with this sign provide you with a useful checklist of all of the qualities we associate with Libra. The keywords are categorised as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ and if you have planets or natal chart angles in this sign, the parts of your life that they represent will manifest in ways that accord with the keywords set out below. You will probably recognise many of those qualities in yourself.
Positive
Adaptable, Aesthetic, Artistic, Balanced, Charming, Communicative, Conciliatory, Congenial, Considerate, Cooperative, Diplomatic, Fair minded, Graceful, Harmonious, Intelligent, Peaceful, Polite, Reasonable, Refined, Sociable.
Negative
Critical, Frivolous, Impractical, Insincere, Judgemental, Procrastination, Self-absorbed, Superficial, Vacillation, Vanity.
Libra In Love
Libra invests in partnerships; it’s one of the signs for which co-dependency is a lifestyle choice. Libra needs to be part of a partnership, so you may find it difficult to adjust to the single life if life’s circumstances place you in that situation. You prefer to be in a long term, committed relationship and you are the most loyal and devoted of partners. Your relationship means so much to you that you will support it through thick and thin. Beware of too much ‘thin’, as your gift for compromise could be pushed too far.
To get the best from a partnership you need to value yourself as much as you value the person you love. So Libra, you must learn to take as well as give. You have the diplomatic skills to persuade your lover that you’re acting in the best interests of both of you – and actually, you are. Try not to be too judgemental of your partner; reciprocity is the key to your relationship success, and that can only come about with a little loving give and take from you both. Giving in to your partner’s demands will cause both relational and personal imbalance – and that’s not a good situation for you, as you need balance.
Libra & Family
Libra is invested in partnership, and partnerships create families. Families have their own dynamics, and Libra’s drive is to keep the peace, so the Libra family member strives to keep the family – and the family home – a harmonious place to be. Peace is high on Libra’s wish list, but meeting that objective depends on whether other family members agree. Libra’s negotiating skills are often honed at the kitchen table. Arguments are uncomfortable for Libra, but valuable people management skills are often learned through dealing with family conflict.
Libra also likes a good looking family – and that means more than superficial attractiveness. Libra parents will like their kids to be well-groomed and well-dressed, but the appearance of the family as a unified cohesive unit – a ‘united front’ – is also important to Libra. A good appearance also applies to the family home; style, taste and quality are important to Libra. If you’re the Libra homemaker, the family home is likely to reflect your tastes, but even a junior Libra family member will ensure their space within the home is tidy, stylish and fashionably decorated.
Libra & Money
There’s no easy way to say this: Libra excels at spending. The problem is, you like to look good, wear great clothes, have a good lifestyle, are culturally engaged, have a stylish home – and all of that costs money. There is always something new and fashionable to spend it on. Fortunately, Libra’s approach to day to day spending is fairly well regulated. For all their love of luxury, Libra is a financially astute sign and financial balance is as important to Libra subjects as any other type of balance: ideally, a Libra bank balance will see outgoings balanced by earnings.
However, this means that saving is not often part of the financial picture. Saving means foregoing some luxury item now in order to purchase a luxury item later. As a cardinal sign, Libra is not good at playing the waiting game; Libra prefers ‘now’ rather than ‘some time maybe’. One issue, is that savings and investment require some long term decision making – and that is not Libra’s strong suit. One way around this difficulty is to make joint financial decisions , or (if you’re able) take professional financial advice from a consultant you trust.
Libra Careers
Libra has many career options. This is an ambitious cardinal sign and your energy is well directed towards whatever ambition you may have. It’s often assumed that Libra subjects are predisposed towards careers in the arts, design industries or businesses concerned with personal appearance, such as the beauty and fashion industries. I have no doubt that there are many Libra people working in those sectors, but an overemphasis on one Libra- influenced sector sells Libra short. To decide on a good career choice for Libra, you need to understand what gives Libra a sense of purpose.
So, what works for Libra at work? A career that gives you the chance to be sociable, that involves creating working relationships. A career that depends on successful relationships. A career that gives you a good ‘life-work’ balance. A career that’s in an amenable environment. A career that is financially rewarding; Venus-ruled Libra subjects are good business people, especially in partnership with others. They are skilled negotiators, adept at reaching agreements and maintain good business relationships. Justice, fairness, equality and equity are also key career influences.
Libra: What To Look For
Hair, Hairdressers, Beauty Salons, Cosmetics, Jewellery, Mirrors, Fashion, Magazines, Coffee Table Books, Home Decor, Visual Awareness, Arrangements, Sense of Place, Matches, Matching, Personal Style, Grooming, Grooms, Bride and Groom, Weddings, Wedding Planners, Planning Committees, Architecture, Urban Design, Spatial Awareness, Parks, Open Spaces, Team Sports, Playing by the rules, Referees, Counsellors, Judges.
Next: Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces | Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo
Go To: Planets in Libra
Further Reading
Return to The Zodiac Signs main page
Libra: How To Get The Balance Right
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Sara Shipman
Sara Shipman is an astrologer and writer. She created Starcrazypie.com in 2020 and writes the content on this site. Sara Shipman is the author of the Predictive Astrology and Real Life Astrology series of astrology books.
© Sara Shipman