Libra is ruled by Venus, goddess of love and beauty. That’s a natural match for the sign that’s always trying to create a life full of harmony.
They’re also known for their ability to balance and be fair to others. That’s why astrology has a symbolic connection to this air sign, too: The scales.
The Scales
The scales are an age-old symbol of divine justice, harmony and balance. The scales have a simple glyph in which the circle represents spirit and the cross represents matter.
Several thousand years ago, the ancient Babylonians associated the stars in Libra with scales or a balance. This made sense to them, because it is at the fall equinox that the world realizes its seasonal and temporal balance between the extremes of heat and cold, and with day and night of equal length all over the globe.
However, Judith Hill, a renowned astrologer and author of The Astrological Body Types: Face, Form & Expression and Eclipses and You says this connection was purely symbolic. “Libra is the halfway point in the season cycle, symbolizing autumn and sunset,” she explains.
She adds that the shape of the scales once represented Scorpio’s claws as they pointed downwards, but this association faded over time. The symbol of the scales is still a strong one for Libra, but it is no longer associated with the king of the scorpions.
Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of beauty, aesthetics, music and attachments. As such, it’s no surprise that Libra is a natural romantic.
They’re able to navigate the social mechanizations that exist in our society, and are adept at bringing disparate groups together. They’re also excellent conversationalists, peace keepers, social negotiators, cultural critics and writers.
Because of their sensitivity and intuitive nature, they are often the first to understand or predict when social dynamics are shifting. They’re also primed at keeping score and evening the scales of justice in their own lives and relationships.
The scales are an ideal astrological symbol for Libra, which is the only sign of the zodiac to be represented by an inanimate object. They embody a key aspect of the sign’s personality and are often used to depict the sign as a whole.
Depending on the artist, you may see different Libra symbols, ranging from a simple glyph of the scales to a detailed drawing of the Scales themselves. Whatever you choose, it’s important to remember that the scales are an age-old symbol of justice and balance, which reflects the Libran way of life.
The Goddess Themis
Themis was one of the Titans, daughters of Gaia (the mother of the earth) and Uranus (the father of the sky). She was married to Zeus. She bore him six daughters; Horai (Horae, Seasons), Dike (justice), Eunomia (order), Erene (peace), and Moirai (fates).
As a Titan goddess, Themis represented divine law, or the traditional rules of conduct first established by the gods. These laws were based on the principles of prudence, justice, fairness, and natural order. She was also associated with the Oracle of Delphi, which she helped to found.
During the Golden Age of the Titans, she was considered a major figure in Greek religion. Her natural laws and rules of justice governed the way people lived on Earth, and she was often invoked whenever someone gathered together.
She was also credited with prophecy, as she had the ability to predict future events. This helped to ensure that the Olympians would eventually defeat the Titans, and release the Cyclopes from Tartarus.
In later times, Themis became a goddess of wisdom and good counsel, and she was sometimes depicted with several symbols to represent her relationship with justice. These included scales, a cornucopia, and a sword.
As the goddess of divine law and order, she was often called upon to protect society from a tyrant or a villain. She also assisted with ceremonies and festivals.
She also served as the patroness of the oracle at Delphi. The Oracle was a place where the presiding seer could determine whether an event or situation was true. It was her job to help the priestesses and petitioners understand the truth of an issue.
Themis was a key player in Greek religion, and she had many temples across the country. Her temple at Athens, which was located on the south slope of the Acropolis, is still standing today.
She was also the mother of Prometheus, who had the gift of foresight. She gave him this knowledge so that he could escape punishment by Zeus. Themis also shared a temple with Nemesis, the goddess of divine retribution for those who ignore the natural and divine laws of life.
Justice
Justice is a complex idea that has been interpreted in various ways by philosophers over the centuries. It has deep roots in the realms of practical philosophy, including moral, political, legal and economic theory.
The word justice is derived from the Latin word justitia, meaning “rightness” or “goodness”. It refers to the quality of being fair and equitable in one's dealings with others, whether it be with a person, a group, a society, or a nation.
It is a principle that entails distributing or redistributing resources of various kinds to individuals in a way that produces a fair balance of benefits and losses. It is also a principle that entails correcting wrongdoing by restoring the victim to her previous position.
Some people have argued that justice can be divided into four categories: distributive (determining who gets what); procedural (determining how fairly people are treated); retributive (based on punishment for wrong-doing) and restorative (which tries to restore relationships to “rightness”).
If you've been treated unfairly or are facing some sort of injustice in your life, it's important that you try to be accountable. Don't blame yourself or try to escape responsibility, but instead learn from the situation and move forward a little wiser.
The term justice has been used in a wide range of contexts, from legal disputes to philanthropy and religion. It has been viewed as a universal virtue that encompasses all aspects of rightness, but has also been used in a narrow sense as the principle that requires us to respect individual rights.
It has been regarded as a necessary element of a ‘completely good' society and regarded as an essential component in Maslow's ‘hierarchy of needs' – he ranked it as number four on his list of 14 essential values, and described it as a fundamental part of the basic satisfactions that lead to personal development.
The concept of justice has been influenced by the views of philosophers such as Hobbes and Hume, who considered it a social construct relative to human needs and interests. It was also viewed as a virtue based on the protection of private property and a component of public utility.
Balance
Balance is the ability to achieve a state of equilibrium. It's the quality of being in harmony or evenness, and it can be found in all aspects of life, from physical to financial. It can be achieved through diet, exercise, and proper hydration, and can be a great way to improve your health.
In astrology, the zodiac sign Libra represents symmetry or balance. Its symbol is the scales of justice, and it's also linked to the goddess Themis in Greek mythology. Themis is the personification of justice, and she's often seen as a prophetic deity who interprets the will of the gods.
The sign of Libra is ruled by Venus, which is known for its love and harmony energy. Libras are often interested in the art of compromise and finding ways to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.
They're also concerned with fairness, and they strive to give people a fair share of what they've earned. That's why they're often good negotiators.
However, their desire for harmony can backfire. They may be afraid to speak up when something is wrong, and they can become passive-aggressive instead of saying what they really mean. This can be a point of weakness for this air sign, according to astrologer Sarah Montufar.
As a result, their tendency to want to avoid conflict can end up leaving them feeling burnt out and unappreciated. They're also susceptible to “analysis paralysis,” which can lead them to make decisions that they can't live up to.
Finally, the sign of Libra is a very people-oriented sign, and it may take a while for them to separate themselves from others, so it's no surprise that they can be prone to relationships that aren't as harmonious as they would like them to be.
That's why it's so important for Libra to find balance between their work and home lives. Having a balance between the two can help them feel happier and healthier, and it can also allow them to pursue their passions outside of work.
