Libra I: Justice & Grace

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” 1967

I continue my exploration of the 36 decans of the Zodiac today with Libra I, the first 10 degrees of Libra. Libra is an air sign ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and harmony, but also the goddess of justice. We're really going to see this energy play out in this first 10 degrees of the sign. People who have points or planets in this part of the Zodiac are oftentimes trying to make the delicate balance between the desire for relationship and harmony and the desire for justice and fairness.

We'll see this played out, for example, with Sidney Poitier, who had his rising degree in this part of the Zodiac. The famous actor broke barriers around racism in Hollywood as the first Black actor to receive the Oscar. But beyond that, the way he approached the desire to express the need for justice was relational. He was actually a diplomat, serving as the ambassador from the Bahamas to Japan, which is also a very Libra type of energy.

I'll explore the ancient esoteric texts and what they have to say about this 10 degrees of the Zodiac, as well as the tarot cards and the Kabbalah. And then, of course, we'll talk about Sidney Poitier’s chart, which is fascinating. There's a lot to discuss. I hope you enjoy the video. If you do, like and subscribe. I'm trying to grow my channel, so I’d really appreciate it.

Transcript (Revised)

Libra I: Venus-Venus-Moon Decan

Let me bring up the whiteboard. I've started trying to have some illustration for these talks because it really helps us understand the astrology and the signs to have little visual clues for all different kinds of learners.

So let’s start off with the sign of Libra. It’s always good to get grounded in the sign before we get into the decan. Libra overall is ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, relationship, harmony, beauty, art, justice, and balance. It turns out Venus is also one of the rulers of this 10 degrees, serving as the decanic ruler under the triplicity system. So Venus does double duty in this part of the Zodiac. Harmony, beauty, and justice are very important for Libra.

Libra, of course, is an air sign. It’s the second of the air signs. The first was Gemini, ruled by Mercury. Now we’re getting into an air sign that’s about communication, thought, ideas, and sharing knowledge, but it has that Venusian quality of wanting to ensure the language is beautiful. This is why we often find diplomats and sometimes politicians, like Bill Clinton, who, of course, had—I believe—his Sun in Libra, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as well, folks like that. These are people who tend to speak in a beautiful, balanced, and diplomatic way, which is often appreciated politically.

It’s a cardinal sign. Cardinal just means it likes to start things. All the cardinal signs appear during moments of the equinox when we’re shifting seasons, so there’s this beginning energy and a desire to initiate action. Cardinal signs set things in motion.

Now, let’s look at this part of the Zodiac, the decanic rulers. We have Libra I, and of course, we talked about Venus being the triplicity ruler. But then we add in the Moon. And what is the Moon about? It’s about our needs. It’s about our emotions. It can be that maternal energy. It’s the body and memory. It’s the unconscious—the images in the background that may be motivating us without our full awareness.

Emotions are stored in the body, which is why we get the idea of memory involved when we talk about the Moon. And of course, the rhythm and cycles of the universe are related to that lunar energy.

Ancient Texts

If we look at the ancient texts associated with this part of the Zodiac, we see right away that it brings in ideas around justice and fairness. Maybe I should go back a little bit and just talk about the decanic rulers. We have an air sign that’s about communication, ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, but also influenced by the Moon: memory, emotions, and situations where there may have been harm.

We store that in the body. Oftentimes, we suppress that energy because it’s uncomfortable, so there can be a memory of difficulty. We’re going to see this reflected in the tarot card associated with this part of the Zodiac. When we understand the reality of the mother or the maternal lunar desire to protect life and connect that with Venus—the goddess of love and beauty, but also the goddess of justice—it becomes clear how these energies intersect. Venus, in fact, when in her morning star phase (rising in the morning sky), was seen by ancient rulers as a signal that it was time to go to war. So Venus can have a very Yang, outward-moving energy, especially when it comes to justice.

When we look at the ancient texts, we see this energy of justice and the desire to protect people. Ibn Ezra describes a man in a shop in the market with scales in his hand, symbolizing balance, as he wishes to buy and sell. This points to the commercial aspect of Venus, as she is associated with money and exchange. Picatrix adds another layer, describing a man holding a lance in his right hand and a bird hanging by its feet in his left. This decan is described as a face of justice, truth, good judgment, and the completeness of justice for the people, including aiding the weak and doing good for the indigent. There’s a clear connection here between justice and the nurturing, protective lunar energy. Agrippa provides yet another image: an angry man holding a pipe and another man reading in a book. This speaks to the operation of justifying and helping the miserable and weak against the powerful and wicked. The lunar desire to protect and nurture combines here with the Venusian desire for balance and fairness. The reference to the book also connects to the intellectual and idea-driven realm of air signs, bringing wisdom and new insights into the world.

Tarot: Two of Swords, “Peace”

Now we get into the tarot cards, which are fascinating and filled with complementary ideas. The card on the left is the Rider-Waite Two of Swords, while the card on the right is the Thoth deck’s Two of Swords, which calls this card Peace. It’s interesting to note the juxtaposition of peace with swords, as it connects peace and justice. In the Rider-Waite card, we see the Moon in the background, pointing to its rulership of this decan under the Chaldean order. The creators of the Rider-Waite deck intentionally integrated astrological symbolism into the cards. It’s nighttime, and the central figure can be seen as the Roman goddess of justice. She holds two swords crossed over her heart chakra, symbolizing the heavy weight of protection and balance. The water in the background is disturbed, representing the unconscious and emotions, with ideas and memories pushing forward, often related to the need for justice and protection. The figure’s posture suggests a reflective, meditative quality, indicating a turning inward, perhaps to find balance and clarity amidst this emotional and intellectual tension.

And so we see the desire to connect and achieve balance, allowing those emotions to come forward and motivate us toward justice, while also ensuring that the way we pursue justice is balanced and harmonious. It’s not just about our own emotions; it’s about staying in relationship amidst the fight. On the right, in the Thoth deck Two of Swords, one striking symbol is the five-petaled blue rose at the center. Blue is often associated with reflection and intellect, tying into the air element of Libra, which emphasizes thought and communication. The number five is associated with Venus, and flowers are also symbols of Venus. The white rays emanating from the rose suggest harmony and equilibrium while also pointing to the creative energy that emerges when attempting to find peace in the midst of challenging, unsettled waters. This card reflects the Libra I energy of bringing forth new ideas about justice in a balanced and intentional way.

The number five also ties to creativity. For example, in astrology, an angle in a chart that is one-fifth of 360 degrees (a quintile) is associated with creative energy. People with such angles often have a natural ability to bring new ideas or innovative solutions into the world. This creative energy aligns perfectly with the number five petals on the rose, reinforcing Libra I’s connection to generating thoughtful, harmonious resolutions while navigating the complexities of life.

Hermetic Kabbalah and the Tree of Life

Moving from the tarot to the Kabbalah, we encounter the Tree of Life, a mystical diagram representing the descent of divine inspiration into the physical world. Spirit enters through Kether, the ineffable realm of pure divine essence, and flows into Chokmah (the second Sephirah), which corresponds to the Two of Swords. The Tree of Life as a whole symbolizes the path of creative energy descending into manifestation, culminating in Malkuth, the material world. In Libra I, we connect to the second Sephirah, Chokmah, which emerges from Kether’s infinite potential. Kether represents unity, the formless ground of being, and the ultimate source of creation. When divine energy reaches Chokmah, it manifests as divine wisdom and the first spark of creation.

Chokmah is the realm of dynamic, active force—the flow of inspiration and primal creative energy. It represents the first point of manifestation, where the infinite stillness of Kether begins to take shape as the expansive energy of creation. In Libra I, we see this creative spark mirrored in its cardinal energy, which initiates new beginnings, and its intellectual air sign qualities, which bring ideas, wisdom, and reflection into the world. Moving from Kether to Chokmah is the transition from unmanifested divine will into the first outward flow of inspiration, where creation begins and polarity is born. In Libra, this energy manifests as the beginning of a new thought process or idea, emphasizing harmony, balance, and justice as we contemplate the energy of this decan.

Example Chart: Sidney Poitier

So if we take all of what I said and try to put it together using the example of Sidney Poitier, we see an amazing actor, director, and activist as an embodiment of Libra I energy. Before diving into his biography, let’s get the big picture. If you’ve seen his films, like In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, you’ll know these were edgy films at the time of their release. This was in the 1960s, a period of great racial tension in the United States. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, and people were beginning to confront questions of race relations. Martin Luther King Jr. had started his work in 1954, with Brown v. Board of Education marking a major legal victory. Amidst this social upheaval, these two movies came out—entertaining, beautiful, and gracious in their storytelling, while also troubling the waters and raising significant questions about justice and fairness. This perfectly reflects Libra I’s drive for fairness and harmony while maintaining a relational approach to expressing these desires.

Libra is the sign of “you and I,” of relationships and partnerships. If Aries is about “me” and asserting existence, Libra is about existing in connection with others. In Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a young white woman brings Sidney Poitier, a Black man, home to meet her liberal, progressive parents. Their self-image of being open-minded is challenged, and the film parallels the Two of Swords tarot card, with its imagery of troubled waters in the background. Similarly, in In the Heat of the Night, Poitier plays a Black police officer working alongside a white cop. The film drew audiences in with its compelling detective story, but it also brought racial tensions and questions of justice to the forefront. This reflects the subversive quality of Libra I energy—using diplomacy, beauty, and grace to deliver challenging messages. Poitier’s films were not only entertaining but also raised consciousness about racial injustice, embodying the Libra I balance between fairness and relational harmony.

Sidney Poitier won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963 for Lilies of the Field, becoming the first Black actor to receive this honor. He shattered racial barriers in Hollywood, and his work continues to inspire. Additionally, Poitier served as the ambassador to Japan from the Bahamas, where he was born, further exemplifying Libra’s diplomatic energy.

Astrologically, Poitier’s rising degree was at 8 degrees of Libra, making him a Libra Rising. This means Venus ruled his chart and guided his life purpose or Dharma. His Venus was exalted in Pisces, giving it extra power and influence, despite being placed in the sixth house—a house often associated with service and powerlessness. As a Black man and actor facing systemic racism, Poitier knew what it meant to lack power. Yet, he found extraordinary roles that awakened public consciousness, a testament to his powerful Venus.

His Venus was further strengthened by Jupiter, the ruler of Pisces, which was in its own sign, giving it extra authority. This sixth-house stellium—Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury—reveals so much about Poitier. Pisces is about universal oneness, compassion, and spiritual perfection, which we see in his work and life. Venus conjunct Uranus brought the energy of awakening and shaking up societal norms. I call Uranus the Great Awakener, and Poitier’s life awakened consciousness around race and justice. Venus with Mercury gave him his beautiful voice, as Mercury rules communication and Venus adds an element of grace and beauty. This combination often produces eloquent orators or singers, and Poitier certainly had that gift.

I hope you enjoyed this exploration of Libra I and Sidney Poitier. If you did, please like and subscribe—it helps others find my work. Stay tuned for my upcoming full moon video in the next few days, and after that, we’ll move on to Libra II. Have a great day!