Lady Lioness, Lit From Within
Leo New Moon + August's Leo Season
Your peace is worth protecting, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of all your energy, time and effort.
Leo is no stranger to respecting themselves. This inherit practice is in their blood and has absolutely contributed to their reputation for taking no shit. Respect is one of the most desired attributes in the world, a glittering gem booming jealousy in some, admiration in others or desperation for those who have none for themselves. Those who do not hold the esteem to appreciate themselves pine to learn the secrets, when in reality, respect is simply a crystallized expression of Love. However, respect can come with a price: personifying the very trait EVERYONE wants may attract an onslaught of energy vampires, riddling the daring adventure of Life with many tests.
We have no choice but to make choices in order to protect our own precious peace.
The act of being respected is magnetic, of course. I’ve spoken about the gaze re: its negative effect on those perceived as a beautiful prize, comforting companion or a supply of affection for the Cancer New Moon Muse… Now I’d like to recognize an opposite form of objectification that comes from a throne of reverence. I can only scratch the surface of this subject, knowing it can be both superficial AND complex, especially in the case of undefinable motives and positions of privilege. Please note we are in no way telling selfish people to be more selfish. Though I’m sure there are therapists telling opportunistic individuals to do so in sessions, being a jerk is not a good look.
Any form of accomplishment or even just an aura of positivity can attract a mixed bag of people with not-so-great intentions.
When a person is placed on a pedestal because of perceived power, popularity, credibility or other riches, objectification will persist in the same way it has for the pursuit of sex, love and comfort. This is another form of the gaze, resulting in a hunger to take a piece of the pie or steal shine. Prestige is a highly-coveted characteristic in the eyes of the masses; we see this in ALL economies (material and abstract). Leo Moons advance both external and self-appreciation; the act of self-advocacy and what we feel personally motivated to give our energy to follows.
With the limiting Saturn AND Neptune Retrogrades in Pisces splashing thru Summer and Mercury Retrograde starting ON the Leo New Moon, ignoring aforementioned gifts AND banes of Leo La-La-Land can curse us to spend the rest of August dazed and confused rather than soaking up the rays of the remaining sun-filled days. Luckily, August begins with Lughnasadh, a Summer ceremony honoring the season’s harvest. As the midway between Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox, just a few days before the Leo New Moon, intentions are abundant as we move thru the Wheel-of-the-Year.
Lughnasadh aligns with Leo's life-of-the-party levity and puts us in the mood to relish in our uniqueness and share in togetherness. Abundance is all around us: berries are ripe, crops are lush, fresh veggies picked, beer drank and sun tea set out to brew in the daylight, bonfires lit for dancing and merriment. Fire festivals spiritually celebrate the sacred power of peak energy, reinforcing our internal magnitude. Abundance also lives inside of us.
We will be hosting our Summer SYMPOSIUM poetry + party and zine release for Other’d Earth on Sunday 7/28 at Argosy EAV in the Brig. More info here.
WHAT: Leo New Moon
WHEN: Sunday August 4th, 2024 7:12 AM EST
THEME: Charisma, Confidence & Conviction
Ripe for renewal, rediscovery, tapping into what we love and how we’d like to stand up to injustices, Leo Moons hold priceless themes of greatness, shining light on what is good and what needs our love. The Lion has perpetually been a symbol of courage and Leos tend to find limitless luck as opportunities often arise around them often. More likely, the Astro Archetype has a keen artistic eye for noticing possibilities and the optimism to create options where it seems there are none! Within Leo Season, this wealth is shared and we can feel her golden energy everywhere, granted a rich window for inner growth as long as we’re not too dazzled by the glamour and drama that tends to accompany the kitten’s luxurious moment in the Sun.
Leo Season arrives with a bright burst of boldness, much appreciated after Cancer’s watery reign and the duo of rocky terrain Capricorn Full Moons.
PLUS Leo Season felt like it arrived early, sashaying into the astro-sphere with grandiose Goddess-touched poise as soon as Venus stepped into the Lion’s Den, weeks before the Sun itself did. Leo rules the 5th House of Pleasure, corresponding with romance, leisure and play. These cool cats are born performers and curate their lives with the same passion they pour into their pursuits. Most of all, Leo transforms through asserting choices that are meant to move into authenticity above everything. Leo’s charisma isn’t limited to flamboyant creativity; the Sign is dedicated to keeping the fire alive… if they don’t burn bridges or the whole castle to the ground first.
The two-sides of Leo from a pop cult perspective are the Courageous Hero or the Superstar, cliches with very different implications, but what they have in common is a sense of certainty. Knowing what one wants despite the flux of the external world and accelerating it through initiative or by establishing necessary parameters, all in order to nurture a goal, is the Leo M.O. Lest not forget the know-how to persist or bow out as taking the high road to get a better view is always in their playbook, too. Cherishing their hearts and minds as sanctuaries ensures any disregard or flippancy WILL not be entertained in their domain. Leos have no issue challenging or walking away from those who dare to degrade, shame or belittle them.
Whether altruistic or seemingly prima-donna’d, Leo’s admirable confidence outshines every Sign in the Zodiac. Leo is also associated with Strength in Tarot, its card featuring a Lion being pet by a calm and collected maiden in a regal robe. This depiction is an accurate representation of Leo’s harmonious attitude that aims to create enthusiastic environments of veneration. To trust in oneself enough to not be frightened of the beast - but to live alongside it with warm-heartedness and guardianship - is a reflection of Leo’s honesty about who we (and others) are at the core. Leo appreciates the Lore, honoring that we are ALL made up of dreams AND needs and each have a story to overcome or a period of darkness to get through.
Leo believes Life is best served with fulfillment, kinship, well-being and an emphasis on Truth.
Many people approach me panicked on how to navigate predicaments in their work and relationship dynamics, unsure of how to conduct themselves long before gathering the full info a discussion would garner. We all anticipate disagreement in advance at times and while communication apprehension is normal, heightened levels of anxiety around self-advocation indicates a larger internal issue. There are many reasons for this resistance, one being a belief that we don’t have enough value to ask for what we need or the fear of communicating itself. Not having the skills to problem-solve or promote respect in an imbalanced situation is a huge barrier for many people.
Granted, situations with two people who communicate poorly or one who repeatedly makes unilateral decisions can create intense chaos-making. And always being on our toes, walking on eggshells, having to catch up with constant shifts as they are happening to us is extremely unpleasant. This sort of erratic environment of change is sadly common in business and industry. We’ve absolutely experienced this uncertainty in the macro of the larger political climate for a decade now as we deal with inconsistent “leadership” in the United States, both Republicans and Democrats a shit-show of shock.
All the more reason to aim for stability in the only arena we can control: ourselves.
Being in a position where I have to convince a person (or myself) to speak up breaks my heart a bit more each time I encounter it. We all need to know how to stand up for ourselves (or others) without being apologetic OR aggressive (unless you plan to undermine yourself or pick a fight lol). Hashing it out with a friend beforehand can aid in preparedness, but repeated helplessness due to a shaky sense of self stems largely from poor past experiences and negative self-talk that have not been worked through. And when we’re already convinced a confrontation will sour before we’re even in it, we’re doubting our abilities and value. Of course we could be dealing with a red-flag person or environment that doesn’t care or consider us, but the other option is worse: silence breeds resentment which festers when not feeling seen and heard, only eating us up in the end.
The idea we can avoid dealing with conflict forever is not sustainable either way.
Leaps for the Leo New Moon
7/2 Venus in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus. This pre-New Moon moment can singe stability in relationships and/or our finances with a rebellious wildfire to break free or passive-aggressively push protest behaviors. This square confronts both co-dependency and unrealistic expectations. Focusing inward in honor of the upcoming Leo New Moon and converting erratic emotions into playful work is an attractive option. Looking to personal or creative goals - especially those long neglected - can center us dearly and sweetly, transferring chaos to calm.
Leo wants you to know what you believe in. When we define our foundational values (emphasized in recent Cancer-Capricorn Axis Muses), we hold a roadmap to navigate sticky situations for the rest of our lives. Without this internal compass, we can expect to always be lost or in crisis. When we act within our set values, we are able to stay accountable to ourselves. When we actualize our values more often, we eventually function with less fear. Bravery is one of the most important attributes to Leo’s source of Light and only practice makes perfect.
Leo’s bravery can somersault into bravado though! Leo’s Big Ego is notorious for starting shit. Attention economy hinged on being “seen” can have roots in a small hidden seed that just wants to be appreciated, but this ravenous hunger for acknowledgement can come across as punishing, even if at the core it’s just an aversion to neglect. As Chani says, “Leo gone wrong demands our gaze, derails dinner parties with its tantrums and shuts out everyone else from the spotlight.” Be aware of this fine-line to avoid conceit and social destruction and stay resolute!
Knowing your limits is a strength, not a weakness. In order to shield from bad intentions (or simply learn how to be a functioning adult), direct communication and boundary-setting are vital to a Life well-lived. Attunement requires picking our battles wisely, assessing what’s worth our rage and when to let go or stand strong in the face of obstacles. However, if you don’t know your own limitations then it’s nearly impossible to do any of these things intentionally.
Evolve or stay stuck. At the same time, the Leo New Moon encourages active development of the Self. Being objective about situations while acknowledging discomfort AND stepping out of our cozy zones can result in seemingly inconvenient but endless growth. No easy feat but the life-long skill of honesty with oneself sets us on authentic motion in all areas of our story. First try might not be a “success”, but if it’s important to you to grow out of a limitation, having the courage to try is half the battle.
As much of cliche as it is, self-acceptance is truly liberating. This process includes some degree of deprogramming social structures and disregarding blind honor of hierarchies that don’t really contain any soul substance. Being accepting and PROUD of who you are underneath it all is a powerful practice to commit to in the sparkly magick of the Leo New Moon. Embrace of creativity and expression is a small salve, working in tandem with acceptance and love of ourselves in a simple way. Try it!
No one hates themselves into change. Feeding negative self-talk can be just as self-indulgent as self-obsession and influences self-sabotage, risky behavior or poor excuses that only hold us back from our own radiance. When we have gratitude and appreciation for ourselves in all our uniqueness, the world opens up. When we can appreciate the beauty in the community around us, we are humbled and happy to realize we’re a part of something wonderful. You would not talk to your friends the way you talk to yourself, would you? Don’t stand in your own way, honey!
Venus enters Virgo on the New Moon in Leo, a 3-week period of consideration around how we’d like to move into Autumn, especially re: finances and relationships. Prioritization for our routines and mental well-being becomes clearer, even against cumbersome Leo-at-large feist. Choosing the path of long-term growth, rather than distracting strides at level the playing field out of spite, is value-based self-respect that requires Virgo’s knack of prioritization instead of pettiness.
Mercury in Retrograde begins in Virgo. The devil is in the details, literally! Ignoring important tid-bits can derail our plans dramatically. We cover more detail for the Mercury Rx period in our Summer Retrograde guide (which includes a Mercury Retrograde zine download) and have some new materials upcoming for this particular Mercury Rx for our special paid Substack subscribers. Stay tuned!
August Leo Season Astrology:
8/7 Leo Sun sextiles Jupiter in Gemini for pursuing our dreams, a light-hearted lift after any trifling Leo New Moon messes. Additionally, Mercury Rx in Virgo conjuncts Venus in Virgo helping us hone in on smart strategies and decision-making for business and pleasure.
8/14 Mars conjuncts Jupiter in Gemini, a double-whammy of Mutable Air mayhem in arguing perspectives instead of trying to understand one another. Mercury Rx will enter Leo and this combo of Air and Fire can be quite combustible. Process before tearing through anything of value.
8/18 Mercury Rx in Leo squares Uranus in Taurus urging us to not get involved in others’ drama despite Leo’s love for both gossip and clap-backs. This temptation is luckily discouraged by Mercury Rx conjunct the Leo Sun, influencing artistic inspiration and/or showcasing. Though it is not a great day for planning as Venus in Virgo squares Jupiter in Gemini, thus decision-making will be difficult and focus may be scattered.
8/19 Full Moon in Aquarius arrives at the end of Leo Season! Along with quite a few additional aspects that I’ll break down in the next Muse. I absolutely adore the Leo-Aquarius Axis and can’t wait to explore the next lunation with you.