August New Moon in Leo

August New Moon

August 14, 2015

This New Moon in Leo promotes love, creativity, joy and kindness

The New Moon sits with the Sun at 21 degrees of Leo.  Venus joins them at 23 degrees of Leo.  This new moon can promote love, creativity, joy and kindness with a trio of positive energy.  The Sun rules the sign of Leo giving us an emphasis of solar energy, life force, warmth, love and optimism.  We may think of Leo people needing to be center stage. After all the sign of Leo rules the performing arts. Leos share that stage with their generosity of spirit, warm glow and readiness to engage with others.

[Note to those following the political drama:  This new moon in Leo is sitting closely with Donald Trump’s Mars and Rising Sign, both Leo. He has plenty more to say and he will continue in the spotlight for some time to come.  This new moon fires up his Mars in Leo and at the same time gives him confidence to soften his language.  The new moon will not soften his ego.]

For some people this positive line-up of planets in Leo is damped by the presence of Saturn retrograde in Scorpio throwing suspicion and cold water on happiness and sunshine. People who are 59 or 60 years old are going through their second Saturn return—a time of reflection and confrontation with reality. Saturn in Scorpio squaring the New Moon in Leo with Sun and Venus is not all sparkles for everyone.  It might be a time of tests.  Will I have enough money?  Will I ever experience love again?  How do I sort out what is most important for my future and my growth?

Jupiter leaves Leo and steps into the sign of Virgo.  Can we learn to distinguish between criticism and discernment?

Meanwhile, planet Jupiter has said goodbye to the sign of Leo and stepped into Virgo’s house.  This happened on August 11.  Jupiter makes whatever it touches bigger.  In Virgo (ruler of analysis, ruler of health and wholeness), Jupiter helps us learn how to be discerning rather than critical of self and others.  This is excellent when applied to our work, problem solving, service and self-care.  Jupiter sometimes is the bringer of gifts and opportunities.  It is important to remember, however, that Jupiter can also make problems bigger.  Right now Jupiter sits close with Venus (late Leo) and Mercury in Virgo.  This can give us big feelings of love and can help us think things through better.  It can also give us an inflated sense of self. 

We are moving beyond arrogance. We get honest with self. We think bigger and embrace more spiritual moments.

Mercury and Jupiter are conjunct.  Together these planets can produce big thinking or big arrogant outbursts.  Planet Neptune opposes Mercury and Jupiter. One the one hand this is beautiful spiritual energy:  full of compassion and full of Divine manifestations.  If our ego self can step out of the way, this energy brings gifts of understanding, healing and conscious awareness. 

The sign of Leo is connected to the Sun. The Sun is connected to the ego. Moon is connected to the emotional flow we swim in every day. Venus is connected to what we value and what makes us happy.  Mercury is connected with our mind and how we think and communicate from that mind. Jupiter is connected to growth, expansion, enthusiasm, dogma, and belief systems.  Neptune is connected to confusion and lack of boundary.  When we let go of our boundary we can step into other experiences and dimensions.  Those dimensions include compassion for others and all sentient beings, connection with the bigger picture, creative expression and communion with the Divine.

As the new moon begins its monthly journey towards fullness, we have the opportunity (Jupiter) to connect with loving ourselves and knowing ourselves. We can also make time to let go of rigid boundaries that prevent us from loving others.  We can step into a bigger consciousness of love and compassion.  We are getting ready for a full moon coming together with Neptune on August 29^th. 

Enjoy the happy energies of this New Moon.  Also, we can meditate on the words of Dalai Lama:  “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.  Without them humanity cannot survive.”