In the evening of October 6, we'll be greeted by October's New Moon, the third last New Moon for 2021. It arrives at 10:05 pm AEST in a cloud-free starry sky and will fall in the sign of Libra. And, owing to the currently placement of the rest of the planets in the sky, the effects will be felt in the lead up and days after.

On this day, the Moon will join the Sun, and also Mercury and Mars - who are all stewing away in Libra. Since the Moon rules our inner selves and the Sun rules our outward personality, expect to feel the effects of Libra on both sides of yourself. Likewise, with Mars, the planet of aggression and passion, and Mercury, the messenger planet, you should also feel Libra influencing your passionate emotions and also your communications. And with Mercury currently in retrograde, this celestial moment makes for an unusual astrological combination.

What to expect from the New Moon in Libra

If you had to choose a sign in which to cluster planets, Libra is hardly a bad choice. Talkative, social and laidback, Libra is a sign with many positive traits and beneficial energies. As the New Moon sets the tone and the themes for the coming Moon cycle, kicking it off with a healthy dose of Libran energy is not a bad thing.

New Moons are the close of the previous lunation (or Moon Cycle) and the opening of a new one. Where Full Moons are the energetic peak - the crest of the bell curve - New Moons are the energetic low point. A time of closure, renewals and rebirth, this is the time to rid yourself of the bad juju of the past weeks and only take what serves you in the future. It is also the time to set yourself up for success. Your manifestations will be more powerful at this time. Writing down and visualising what you want to achieve will work most potently at this time.

So how does Libra come into play? Well, a Libran influence is typically one of balance and peacekeeping. It is the sign represented by a set of scales after all. If you've found yourself struggling with a work/life balance, or with setting boundaries amongst your relationships, this New Moon marks a point of reset that will help you recalibrate. It will push you to weigh up the value in the things and people around you and find a better alignment in your own life. Think of this New Moon as a real opportunity to set out a healthier and more balanced end to the year for yourself.

Of course, any heavy influence in one sign always comes with pitfalls. As an Air Sign, Libra is extroverted, chatty and highly social. With Mercury currently in retrograde and confusing our lines of communication, now is not the ideal time to be embracing the overly talkative or even gossipy sides of ourselves. More than usual, things can be taken out of context. So, while you may feel more inclined to make a snide comment, for the next few weeks, it's best to live by the idea that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Lastly, Libra is known for being laidback - but don't let this Moon make you too laidback. Stressing less is always a good idea, but don't get to the point where you're ignoring deadlines completely. It's not something that will win you any friends.

Which signs are most affected?

With so many significant planets in one sign and seven planets currently in retrograde - all except Venus and Mars - all signs will be experiencing an array of energies around this time.

While it might seem natural for Libras to be relatively unaffected by such a heavy weighting in their own sign, the reality is that Mercury in retrograde is in your first house, the house of self, all the way until October 18. It means that communication, which is normally so natural for you, may feel difficult. Especially right around the New Moon.

For Cancers, the New Moon will be a rather aggressive speed bump in their smooth sailing. The New Moon makes a conjunct with Mars, which is likely to trigger emotional outbursts more so than normal. Try to keep yourself preoccupied during this time as a source for distraction - and don't stew in sadness.

Pisces will be having a witchy month ahead. The placement of the planets in your houses is the perfect recipe for heightened intuition, spirituality and transformation. With this in mind, the New Moon offers a big opportunity for you to best tap into this side of yourself and make magic happen.

To see what's in store for the rest of the signs this month and how your house and planets are influencing your path, head to our October 2021 horoscopes courtesy of Astrologer Clarisse Monahan.

Image: Niklas Ohlrogge on Unsplash