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Libra tarot cards

23 Sep – 22 Oct (approximately) · Cardinal air · ruled by Venus · suit of Swords

balance · fairness · partnership · decision · people-pleasing

Libra is cardinal air at the autumn equinox, when day and night stand equal. Justice is its trump: the scales and the sword, a decision made by weighing honestly. Its decans are the Two, Three and Four of Swords: a blindfolded stalemate, a heart pierced, and the rest that recovery needs. Venus rules it, so it seeks harmony and beauty, and can give too much to keep the peace.

The cards of Libra

JusticeMajor ArcanaJusticefairness, truth, accountabilityTwo of SwordsDecan 1Two of SwordsMoon in Libra · 23 Sep – 2 Octstalemate, a difficult choice, truceThree of SwordsDecan 2Three of SwordsSaturn in Libra · 3 Oct – 12 Octheartbreak, painful truth, separationFour of SwordsDecan 3Four of SwordsJupiter in Libra · 13 Oct – 22 Octrest, recovery, retreatQueen of SwordsCourt card (modern scheme)Queen of SwordsCardinal airclear sight, honesty, boundaries

Libra cards in a reading

Libra cards bring questions of fairness, agreements and relationships. Justice asks you to look at cause and effect plainly; the early Swords show the pain of avoiding a decision and the need to rest before making it.

Reading for a Libra

Reading for a Libra, lay out both sides fairly and let them decide. The Two of Swords often appears for them as the decision they have been postponing to keep everyone comfortable.

A Libra season spread

Libra season (about 23 September to 22 October) is for balance and relationships. Draw this to look at what is fair, given and owed.

  1. 1. What I give: What am I putting in?
  2. 2. What I receive: What comes back to me?
  3. 3. The weighing: What is out of balance?
  4. 4. The fair decision: What would be fair to everyone, me included?
  5. 5. Restored balance: What can balance look like after this season?
Draw the Libra season spread

Questions

What tarot card is Libra?
In the Golden Dawn system used by the Rider–Waite–Smith deck, Libra is Justice. Its three decans are the Two of Swords (Moon in Libra, 23 Sep – 2 Oct), the Three of Swords (Saturn in Libra, 3 Oct – 12 Oct), the Four of Swords (Jupiter in Libra, 13 Oct – 22 Oct).
What court card is Libra?
In the modern scheme that gives cardinal signs to Queens, fixed signs to Kings and mutable signs to Knights, Libra (cardinal air) is the Queen of Swords. Older Golden Dawn tables split each court card across two signs, so you will see other answers.
What planet rules Libra?
Venus rules Libra in classical astrology, whose tarot card is The Empress.
Can I use tarot without knowing astrology?
Yes. The astrology is one layer of meaning built into the cards; every card can be read from its picture and its written meaning alone. The correspondences help when you want another angle, or when several cards of one sign or planet turn up together.

Correspondences follow the Golden Dawn system the Rider–Waite–Smith deck was made within (tropical zodiac, dates approximate; they shift by a day in some years). Other traditions assign some cards differently. See the full table for all 78 cards.