Libra Full Moon Lunar Eclipse

This week gave us another significant astrological occurrence ~ a Libra Full Moon with a Lunar Eclipse. Lots of big energy moves with this one. It completes, or continues, some cycles which have been on-going for the past year. The energy will ripple out for the next several months.

This March is providing several major charges of energy: a Solar Eclipse, the Spring/Fall Equinox, a Full Moon, a Lunar Eclipse, Holi, Purim, Good Friday and Easter. Every one of those events is about change.

Lunar Eclipses bring clarity, direction and a level of completion to what has been working its way through and in our lives. This particular Lunar Eclipse is in Libra, signifying balance, compromise, harmony, cooperation, and relationships. What it brings in is the space for us to connect with our inner and outer world in order to see our path forward and if we need to change course or not. However, because it is ending a cycle, it's important to make peace with our past, no matter what it's brought into our lives.

There is much to be considered with the energy of Libra in this Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse. First, remember to hold space for both sides: light and dark, good and evil, self and others. Learn from the combined aspects of these dualities, hopefully creating Jung's creative third path. Release the need to be right; embrace the possibilities of deep communication.

Remember that the dual energy also includes time to relax and time to play. We will be better off if we are gentle with ourselves ~ accepting and forgiving our own short-comings.

Personally, I found the energy of this Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse stunning. It expanded and exploded within and outside me in the most amazing ways. The day before, I woke from a dream of explosions and found there has been a bombing at the Brussels airport. The day after, I came face-to-face with how I will dance with changes coming in my life as well as what will continue to create those changes.

How do you feel about your own power? Do you see yourself as victim? victor? creator? How do you work with any of these images of yourself? How do you approach your inner demons? do you acknowledge them? befriend them? fight them? What happens when you face the power, overt or subtle, of others in your life? Do you take time to discern your own right path?

Using Your Voice

Today's Teabag Tarot: be heard

Being heard is about using your own voice to clearly express your needs, wants, desires and choices. It's about the firmness and directness of what is said. You don't have to be loud or obnoxious. You don't have to whine or chide. What you have to do to be heard is to be clear.

Of course there will always be people who will run over you with their own desires or choices. Being clear or firm with people like that may not change the outcome (like that co-worker who always follows you to lunch even when you say you want to be alone or you're meeting som). What it does, though, is remove the self-shaming, the self-blame ("Maybe I should have...."). If you''re clear about what you want, need or choose, then it's easier to accept that the response is not your fault.

Being heard is not about blaming others either. It's about personal boundaries and personal voice. It's not about giving you permission to be mean to the co-worker who follows or accompanies you to lunch without your permission. It's about giving you permission to continue to do what you need to do for yourself, to be clear that you are providing boundaries, even if they are being crossed. Eventually, even the most persistent pest understands being ignored and redirected because you are clear.

Being heard is also about speaking up for yourself. If there's a task you would like to do, ask if you could be in charge of that item. Or if there's a task you really don't feel comfortable doing, clearly state that you don't feel comfortable with it. That doesn't mean things will always go your way, but you know you're doing your best by yourself and others when you use your voice.

There are many opportunities each day for me to be heard. I can speak up on my job. I can tell my partner my meal preference. I can express without malice that a sales sign is misleading or misplaced.

How do you use your voice to be heard? How do you feel about speaking strongly for yourself? What next step would you like to take to improve your chances of being heard?