On the afternoon of August 2, (4:44 pm EDT, 1:44 pm PDT, 9:44 pm in Ireland), the New Moon in Leo arrives. Not a moment too soon, you may say. With all the Watery energy around lately, a little Leo fire could feel welcome. Heartfelt, courageous, playful Leo arrives in the middle of summer. Ruled by the Sun, this is the sign of hot days, warm nights, school breaks, family vacations, and barbecues. What could be better?
And yet, it feels like we’re getting a little too much heat lately. Temperatures and tempers are soaring this year, breaking records for heat and rhetoric. The New Moon chart is filled with planets in Fire: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, asteroid Eros. We also have Water: Neptune, South Node, Chiron, and the asteroids Pallas Athena, Lilith, and Juno. And some Earth: Mercury, North Node, Jupiter, and asteroid Ceres.
There’s no Air. In some circles and situations, we may feel logic, clarity, and perspective are definitely missing. No wind to fan the flames can be a good thing, but elementally speaking, there are no cool breezes calming the hotheads either.
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Is this New Moon a “sign of the times”? Are there positive ways we can work with this energy? Of course there are:
Leo is the sign of the heart, holding our courage. Each of us came into this life with a unique gift. Part of our life’s mission is to bring that gift to the world. Leo is creative, expressive, playful, joyful. Who doesn’t need more of those qualities? Leo is about standing up for what we believe, having our say, maybe even our fifteen minutes of fame. No matter what, a New Moon in Leo invites us to plant seeds of creative expression and courageous integrity.
At the New Moon in Cancer, we explored our boundaries, our circles of care. We wanted to find home and family. At the Full Moon in Capricorn, we were offered a place to stand in a sea of emotion, and urged to stand tall and be counted. Now at this Leo New Moon, we have the chance to grow into that person who can step up, step out, and express ourselves.
The most prominent aspect to the New Moon is a flowing trine from Saturn in Sagittarius. The connection to Saturn lets us know that Leo success doesn’t always come easily. Planning and hard work will be involved. The fact that Saturn is in Sagittarius provides an ego check. If we’re a little too sure of ourselves, too quick to ‘splain how things really are, we can plant seeds to encourage our minds and hearts to stay open. Mars has finally, thankfully, left Scorpio and entered Sagittarius. There is new energy available for actually getting things done.
The Sun and Moon are also at the apex of a yod, with Pluto in Capricorn, and Neptune and the South Node in Pisces, at the other two points. Yods are awkward patterns, linking planets who have a tough time communicating because they share neither element nor mode.
In this case, Pluto is pushing for transformation and won’t let up until we comply. Pluto has a low tolerance for wiggling, maneuvering, and manipulating. He wants straight talk and straight action. Neptune and the South Node carry vast reservoirs of wisdom, often in the form of mythic tales. They want depth. They want creative expression that aligns with ancient knowing.
It’s said the answer to a yod lies at the base of the triangle, opposite the apex. For this yod, that is Aquarian territory, a sign that also pushes us to embrace our uniqueness and bring it out front. That “do your own thing, your own way” energy is echoed in a trine between Uranus and Venus. Uranus, currently in Aries, rules Aquarius. Venus is in Leo, like the Sun and Moon. These two bring passion, power, and pride to the mix.
Opening our hearts to let the world see our gifts is never easy. Venus also links to Chiron the wounded healer via an inconjunct, the awkward aspect that makes up the sides of a yod. Expressing our creativity is scary and sometimes brings hurt. Chiron reminds us of this, while also pointing out it’s worth doing anyway, because the growth and wisdom we gain far outweigh the pain.
Remember this is a New Moon, a quiet, dark time for planting. We’re not being asked to go out and share with the world today. Instead, we’re nudged to plant some seeds. We ask questions like: What do I wish I had the courage to say out loud? Where do I need to strengthen my skills so I can realize my creative vision? What work do I need to do, so my gift can be shared more widely?
We don’t want to pass up this opportunity. September will bring another pair of eclipses, so we want to be ready. Take the time at this New Moon to look within, see what your heart would like to express, and figure out what’s getting in the way. New Moon wishes can also ask for things to be released. So, questions like: What fears are blocking me from sharing my gifts? How might criticism, shame, or guilt from the past be keeping my heart closed? and, What transformation do I need to be brave enough to embrace? can also lead to excellent New Moon intentions.
This is a time of great change. We are not all called to be famous or change the world. And still, living our own lives, however insignificant they might seem, calls for courage, creativity, and daring. This is the New Moon to plant seeds so we can live the lives we imagine in our wildest dreams. Let’s live like that, all of us.