Element: Air Modality:
Cardinal Ruling Planet: Venus
Personality Traits: Charming,
Harmonious, Suave, Diplomatic, Social, Artistic
General Compatibility: Aquarius, Gemini
Color:
Blue, Cyan
Gemstones: Opal, Toumaline, Lapis
Lazuli, Sapphire
Foods: Wholegrains, Breads, Pasta,
Lettuce, Strawberries
We get back our mete as we measure,
We cannot do wrong and feel right,
Nor can we give pain and feel pleasure,
For justice avenges each slight.
—ALICE CARY
Libra, the seventh sign of the zodiac, is ruled
by the planet Venus and symbolized by the Scales of Balance. In Roman
mythology, Venus was recognized as the goddess of love and beauty.
Similarly, the natives of Libra are the very personification of
refinement and affection, endearing you with their genteel manner and
melting your heart with their ingratiating smiles. With all the
sugary sweetness of a box of chocolate Bordeaux cremes or the
enchanting fragrance of a fresh-picked bouquet of daisies, the Libran
personality blossoms forth, leaving proclamations of love, tokens of
affection, and a host of smiles in its wake. Such may be your first
impression of the indomitable Libran charm, but don't let all that
sugar and spice fool you. October-born can be as quarrelsome, as
irritable, as intractable as any sign in the zodiac, and then some.
Sound a little confusing? It is at first, but not after you
understand the subtly paradoxical nature of this Sun sign. Libra, you
see, is the sign of balance, and just as a set of pharmaceutical
scales will teeter back and forth before achieving a new balance,
October-born will vaccinate to and fro between extremes— mental,
emotional or physical— until they achieve the harmony they seek.
Just tilt their scales out of balance by playing your radio too
loudly or by puffing your cigarette too profusely in their direction,
and these natives can turn from peace-loving doves into cantankerous
crocodiles. When everything is in harmony, however, there is nothing
quite like the Libran's congenial charm.
Just watch your Libran friend closely next time, and you will
invariably catch his subtle balancing act. You can almost see his
mental see-saw in action as he carefully surveys a situation or
problem. His eyes will move back and forth, much like the inertial
swing of his zodiacal symbol, as he considers the pros, the cons, the
maybe's and the possibilities, all with intelligence, exacting logic,
and painstaking perseverance. Don't expect him to give you the fruit
of his mental efforts right away. The Libran will have to mull it
over in his mind a while, making sure he has considered all the facts
and that no stone has been left unturned which could affect his final
analysis. When he does make a decision, however, you can probably
bank on it for its correctness and integrity as a judgement based on
a fair evaluation of the facts. As polar opposite of the subjective
Aries, the Libran is quite capable of objective judgement,
irrespective of his own tastes, mores, philosophy, or preferences.
Perhaps this is why there are more judges born under Libra than under
any zodiacal sign and why the Scales have come to represent our
system of justice.
The Libran's sense of balance and equilibrium is no less noticeable
in his physical appearance. The typical Libran physique will be very
evenly proportioned, rendering a balanced bodily appearance. Even
when these natives put on weight, their weight gain will occur more
or less evenly over the entire body rather than in one specific area.
In fact, because there are usually no exaggerated or pronounced
physical characteristics, it may be hard to recognize the Libran
frame at first, but the very aspect of regular bodily proportioning
can be your first clue. The bodies of both sexes will be of medium
height and average build, with a decided tendency to curviness, and
there will be a certain litheness of movement which can only be
called graceful. There may be a tendency to robustness in the females
or effeminacy in the males, further exemplifying the Libran penchant
for balance, even between the sexes! This is not to diminish in any
way the sexuality of October-born; quite the opposite is true, but
you won't find many Libran males whom you would call surly, or many
of the females whom you'd say were petite. Suffice it to say there is
a certain refinement in the frame and features of both sexes which
can be said to express some of the qualities of the opposite sex.
Despite planetary misgivings, Libran beauty is in a class by itself,
and the reputation these natives have as lovers may in part be due to
their ability to see in the other person some aspects of themselves
while at the same time reflecting some of their partner's qualities.
If there is any one physical characteristic which is typically
Libran, it is the Venusian dimple. October-born will usually have a
couple in the cheeks or one in the chin. If not in the face, try
looking in the knees; even the elbows can be a good hiding place for
this Libran trademark. Some Librans' dimples won't show until they
smile, and then these Venusian beauty marks come shining through, one
on each end of the Libran's grin. And while we're on the subject of
smiling, that is another telltale sign of the sons or daughters of
Venus. The Libran smile can melt even the coldest of hearts, or
brighten the most melancholy of moods. It beams; it projects, and
transforms the Libran's face into a beacon of sunshine, making those
around him feel good all over. From its warmth and sincerity to the
way it crinkles up the corners of the eyes, it proliferates the
irresistible Libran messages of peace, love and beauty wherever it shines.
Whoever came up with the phrase, "Better weigh your words
carefully," must surely have been talking about a Libran, for
October-born are forever doing just that. For one thing, the mental
scales they constantly carry with them certainly make them equipped
for the job, and you'll rarely see a native who isn't using them to
the fullest. When in an argument, for example, the Libran will not
only weigh his own words, but he'll weigh his opponent's too. He'll
know just how much force to apply in his favor so as not to cause his
opponent to balk and throw the whole matter out the window. In
business, diplomatic relations, or in negotiating of any kind, this
can be a most valuable asset, for the Libran is able to accomplish
what he desires without destroying a relationship which could be
valuable to him in the future. It is little wonder then, that so many
public relations people, diplomats, politicians and statesman are
born under this sign.
The Libran flair for tact and diplomacy is unparalleled in the
zodiac, but the ease with which they pursue their argumentative
techniques can sometimes make you wonder where they really stand. If
you argue the need for relief to the starving throngs in Africa, your
Libran friend might purposely take the opposing view, stating that
giving food only perpetuates the problem, and the programs of
education and agricultural reform are too long-range to provide real
answers to the people's immediate needs. If, on the other hand, you
were to take the position that relief should be abandoned, that same
Libran friend would argue that ultimately the problem of hunger could
be solved if the programs of education and reform were implemented
simultaneously with immediate relief, and that work begun now could
be of help to future generations. The task of sorting out the
Libran's true feelings or motives can sometimes be a dizzying
prospect. Too often they are accused of being wishy-washy, two-faced
or without moral values, but in reality they are just trying to
balance out their scales, and yours too. Nothing irritates the
Libran's harmonizing intellect more than thinking which is narrow or
one-dimensional. If they think your line of reasoning is too pat or
simplistic, they'll purposely take the opposing view just to correct
any incongruities in your thinking and to put things in a more
balanced perspective. Being able to see both sides of a situation,
the Libran sometimes finds it difficult to make a solid commitment
one way or the other, and his stand on issues may be only temporary
or serving his immediate needs. His own true feelings he may keep in
abeyance, awaiting further input which could again tip his scales to
the opposite view. These qualities will make him seem very much the
procrastinator, and you may have a difficult time getting a
unconditional opinion from him one way or the other. If a woman were
to ask her Libran husband which dress she should wear to a formal
function, he might reply, "Well, the red one goes well with your
hair, and the blue one goes well with your eyes, but they might be
too gaudy for a formal affair. The green one is subtle enough, but it
might clash with my blue shirt. Come to think of it, maybe the blue
one will be alright... or maybe the beige would be better." She
might as well have saved her breath. True, she will have heard every
possible argument for wearing each style of apparel, but by the time
this son of Venus had balanced his scales over the matter, the
function might be half over. Librans seem not to have so much respect
for time as natives of their zodiacal predecessor, Virgo. They
understand perhaps too well the meaning of being fashionably late,
but unless there's a Virgo or Gemini Ascendant, their tardiness can
begin to wear like last year's fashions. Sometimes their tendency to
procrastinate can draw out for years what other signs could
accomplish in two or three months. That room addition which has stood
in different stages of incompletion for the past year or that
unfinished patio are projects which may have fallen prey to a
Libran's indecision, but rest assured when they are finally finished,
they'll be sterling testimonials to the Venusian sense of beauty,
balance and style.
'Lazy Libra' is a phrase common in astrological vernacular, but those
who would ascribe laziness to October-born have never seen them in
their more productive moods. Once their scales have stopped dipping
to and fro, and they have committed themselves to a goal, Librans can
become powerhouses, using their well-ordered intellects to accomplish
in leaps and bounds tasks that might encumber other signs. Once
they're motivated, they'll burn the candle at both ends, working
tirelessly if necessary, to achieve their avowed goals. The trouble
is that in planning any endeavor, October-born can get so lost in the
endless labyrinth of strategies, factors and options which have to be
weighed and evaluated by their logical minds, that they'll put off
starting until it becomes old hat. A Libran in this state of
procrastination can give you the best portrayal of laziness you've
ever seen. He'll watch TV, yawn, stretch, and then lie down as if
half-exhausted all with such convincing lassitude, it'll make you
tired just watching him. He's not as idle as he looks, mind you.
Though he may not be moving a muscle, his mental scales are busy
weighing strategies for his next burst of activity. The Libran
obsession with balancing can be as much a hindrance as it is a help
to these natives, on the one hand serving as protection against
impulsiveness and error, but on the other, providing an all too easy
excuse to avoid getting things done. Fortunately, Librans ultimately
appeal to their sense of logic, realizing that thoughts must be
balanced by action, and these natives will apply themselves to their
tasks, accomplishing much in spite of themselves.
When it comes to the subject of love, Librans are on home turf
indeed. Loving has been second nature to these individuals ever since
they could say "goo" or manage a smile. Venus herself
smiles beneficently upon October-born imparting her qualities of
loveliness and charm, and these individuals seem to have an
instinctive knack for winning your heart. They'll know just how to
woo you as the object of their affection, lavishing you with
thoughtful presents, reciting exquisite lines of verse (which they've
probably written themselves), or whispering sweet nothings to you in
the wee hours of the morning. A few select words from the natives of
Venus can be more devastating on the battleground of love than real
gunpowder, and many a lover has fallen captive to their seductive
charms. The recipient of Libran affection, however, can do well to be
wary. For all their adeptness at love, Librans can sometimes proffer
more fluff than powder, more perfume than substance, and their
romancing can amount to many superficial trappings of love rather
than real love itself. October-born are well aware of their adeptness
as lovers, and they may find the prospect of testing their prowess on
the opposite sex now and then irresistible. Although Librans seem to
possess the natural equipment for loving, they have by no means
cornered the market on love, which belongs to all signs.
——————————————————
Excerpted from The Astrology Diet,
Copyright © by Jon Stevens. All rights reserved.
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