In the name of balance and adjustments, let’s see what this first Moon-ruled Libra decan has to say about what that looks like on a more personal level.
Terminology:
Decan: A 10-degree section of an astrological chart
Domicile: Place in the zodiac where the planet is ‘home’
Detriment: Opposing sign to the ruler (domicile); uncomfortable energy
Exaltation: where a planet functions at its strongest
Fall: opposing sign to the exaltation; weakest positioning
Femininity: passive, receptive, still energy
Masculinity: active, action-oriented energy
Moon in Libra
Venus and the Moon have quite the symbiotic relationship with one another. Where the Venus deals with what we value, the Moon can show us how we nurture those things. The Libra moon’s desire for peace can be just as beneficial as it is hindering.
Remember, Venus likes calm and comfort. On one hand, Libra thrives when conditions support these ideals. On the other, the Moon’s emotional influence on can make this placement co-dependent on those relationships and vices that make them feel what they view as safe. The remedy is to remember the theme of the season: balance.
2 of Swords
We are at the early stages of development of this Swords energy in this decan. If you recall from Taurus season, we’ve had some experience with the Moon-Venus relationship through Taurus with the 6 of Pentacles (check the decans in the picture above). More about this here. Now, the Moon revisits another Venus domicile, except this time, it is through the masculine energy of Libra.
When I look to the 2 of Swords, I see a person who is stalemate. There’s some decision that needs to be made, and this card is that place where we need to analyze a situation from logic instead of emotion. The elongated swords reinforce the importance of logical and truth, and crossing them over the heart can be seen as protective or defensive depending on context.
When we think of those naturally led (typically women) by emotion and intuition, bringing in logic and reasoning can be difficult. The waxing moon shallow waters emphasizes the minimized presence of that feminine energy. That crossover from being led by the heart and now to the mind can feel as heavy as the swords she holds. We can’t always control what we think, but the 2 of Swords asks us to check in with ourselves to see if those thoughts are rooted in emotion versus truth, which isn’t necessarily mutually exclusive to one another.
To me, this further emphasizes how ‘balance’ doesn’t look like 50/50, but more like 80/20. Venus wants harmony, yes. But in its masculine form of Libra, that harmony must make sense. Apply this to relationships: if the best we can give is 80% in a partnership, how does the other partner fill in the gaps of that 20% to ensure the relationship functions at its best?
This is what I feel happens here with where the feminine is now positioned as that 20%, while the masculine is what drives the progression of the Swords suit. Still important, just not the main character here.
Thoth Tarot Integration
What I find interesting is that Crowley refers to the element of Air as “the result of the conjunction of Fire and Water.” Contrary to the masculinity of fire, the air element executes the vision set in place by those elements. When we go back to the Kemetic creation story, it is from the Nut (primordial waters of chaos) that Ra (fire) emerges from to create life. So when I think of the totality of mankind, I see us as that ‘air’ manifestation of the will of fire to unite with water.
When we look to the major arcana, they’re typically arranged where the fire (Wands) suit is what comes first, then water (Cups) followed by air (Swords) and earth (pentacles). Though they are distinct suits, this order shows how each elements builds upon the lessons learned from those preceding it. So its fair that the lessons learned from Wands and Cups is what determines how this air energy manifests along the way. Keep this in mind, as this provides context to why Crowley calls this card “peace”.
What we see here are two swords piercing through a blue rose with 5 petals, which Crowley links to the influence of the Mother and her attempts to harmonize that water-fire connection that births the air element, as previously mentioned. Though air and fire are both masculine, air does not contain the same initiating energy as air which can also speak to the peace felt at this stage of the Sword’s development. It is the peace above the chaos that takes place within creation (the union of fire and water) itself.
So when I look back to the RWS version, the positioning of the swords feels very much protective over the heart, just as the masculine’s role is to bring protection, structure, and form to the feminine.
Final Thoughts
I have to say, this was one of the most fun and interesting Tarot articles I’ve written in a while. Bringing the mythological and astrological perspectives to Tarot breathes a whole new life into how these cards come to life for me.
The 2 of Swords being the peace above chaos shows the purity of its intent at its inception, which degrades as this suit progresses, and from the context given here, we now understand why. As always, let me know your thoughts. Hope this helps.
With love,
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