Libra in the tarot

Libra begins at the autumn equinox, when day and night are equal. It is cardinal air — the mind turned toward other people, weighing, judging, making peace. In the cards it is Justice, with her scales, and the early Swords, where the balance is hard to hold: stalemate, heartbreak, and the rest that follows.

Justice

Libra belongs to Justice, card XI of the major arcana — truth, consequence, a fair accounting. It is the card to choose for someone born under Libra, if you want a card to stand for them in a reading.

Its ruling planet, Venus, is The Empress: love, beauty, pleasure.

The three decans

The ten-day slices of Libra are three Swords, the suit of air. If your birthday falls in one, that card is yours.

• Two of Swords — 23 September – 2 October, the first decan: the Moon in Libra. stalemate, a difficult choice, avoidance.
• Three of Swords — 3–12 October, the second decan: Saturn in Libra. heartbreak, painful truth, grief.
• Four of Swords — 13–22 October, the third decan: Jupiter in Libra. retreat, recovery, contemplation.

The court

Two court cards share Libra. The Queen of Swords — water of air — rules its first twenty degrees, coming in from Virgo (13 September – 12 October). The King of Cups — air of water — takes its last ten and carries on into Scorpio (13 October – 11 November).