Leo 2 Decan

Full Moon in Leo

/ grayastrology / Leave a comment
The Lion of Saint Mark (c. 1490) by Martin Schongauer

Full Moon in Leo

Leo is bold and unapologetic in its radiant expression of self, style, substance, and strength. Like an amber caress of vivifying warmth, the Full Moon in Leo will embrace those risking the vulnerability of their creative expression. The pounding drums of the Leo Full Moon will mobilize ingenuity and inspired action in pursuit of far ranging goals in the months ahead. If you’ve felt blocked from fully implementing plans in recent months, stuck from overthinking or frozen with constraint, find ways to generate momentum with focused effort on smaller tasks that will build toward larger outcomes. As the Full Moon on 5 February 2023 will illuminate the sacred cross-quarter days that mark the turning of the season, let yourself turn toward the lodestar of your core purpose with committed dedication. The Lion of Luna longs to hear your song, witness your dance, and receive the revelation of your voice speaking the truth of your experience. It’s a sizzling syzygy that marks the end of hibernation and reflective retreat. The fiery light pouring down from the Moon will call for action and focusing the force of your will into participation with the immense changes rippling through the world.

The Leo Full Moon is separating from a jolting square aspect with Uranus in Taurus and applying toward a sobering opposition with Saturn in Aquarius. The Full Moon is also in the bounds of Saturn, increasing the influence of Saturn and necessitating confrontation with the limitations of your circumstances while Uranus simultaneously incites impulses of liberation. As Rollo May wrote in The Courage to Create, “creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations . . . forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work.” Forming a receptive relationship with the limits and forms of your life will catalyze as well as structure the creative potential available. Due to the Leo Full Moon clashing with Uranus, you may need to endure unexpected volatility and chaotic processes, yet by facing the complexity of your situation in all of its fullness, the blazing torch of the Leo Moon will bring awareness to the deeper purpose emerging from recent months of inner exploration.

The dramatic activation of Saturn and Uranus by the Leo Full Moon is the grand finale for their long-established square aspect that has dominated astrology in recent years and has correlated with immense breakthroughs and breakdowns in personal and collective events. As the final pieces of the Saturn and Uranus story fall into place under the light of the Leo Moon, you may gain deeper awareness of the lessons, losses, and overall metamorphosis you have experienced with Saturn and Uranus clashing in a square aspect since the beginning of 2021. Richard Tarnas in Cosmos and Psyche described the periods of Saturn and Uranus in hard aspect as involving “the exacerbation of tensions between authority and rebellion, order and freedom, structure and change” as well as “repressive revolution,” “erratically unpredictable authority,” “sudden collapse of structures,” and “grim awakenings.” While we have traversed a cataclysmic collective period that has lived up to the billing of Tarnas, in our personal lives it has also brought opportunities to break free of past restraints into exciting new directions full of promise and risk. Though it’s been a devastating and difficult time period for many, there has likely been major elements of your life that have become cleared to make space for a new phase of growth to emerge now that we are finally coming to the end of the waning square between Saturn and Uranus. The Leo Full Moon will shed light on how you have been reshaped by Saturn and Uranus.

Adding to the tumultuous intensity of the Leo Full Moon, Venus in Pisces will be engaged in a heated relationship with Mars in Gemini that will enflame relationships with passionate exchanges. The waning square aspect between Venus in Pisces with Mars in Gemini will reveal key issues within relationship that need attention and mediation. Whether you experience conflict or enhanced ardor within relationship, pay attention for signs and insight into how your desires and needs are changing. With Venus in a stronger position compared to Mars, revelations may emerge regarding the values that are most important to build your life around as well as the trajectory of your creative direction. The tension between Venus and Mars can be directed toward dynamic developments in creativity and artistic performance, as Venus will also be applying toward a harmonious sextile aspect with Uranus in Taurus that will become exact on 8 February. Listen for how Venus is guiding you toward experiencing more excitement and pleasure within your work and relationships.

In the Light of the Moon by Edward Balchowsky

Mercury in Capricorn will be increasing in speed in the light of the Full Moon, having recently reached maximum elongation as a Morning Star on 30 January. Mercury in Capricorn will be applying closely toward a creative sextile aspect with Neptune in Pisces that will become exact on 6 February, the same day that Mercury will move beyond the degree where it stationed retrograde on 29 December 2022. As a result, the Leo Full Moon will serve as a catalyst for embodying whatever changes in perception and creative direction you experienced during the Mercury retrograde in Capricorn phase that lasted from 29 December 2022 until 18 January 2023. The sextile aspect between Mercury with Neptune is the third of a sequence, and so you may realize an important arc of development stretching back to 24 December 2022 and 1 January 2023 when Mercury previously formed sextile aspects with Neptune. The interplay between Mercury and Neptune has brought opportunities for exploring imagination and opening perception to new creative influences. It also may have corresponded with disillusioning experiences. If so, the light of the Leo Full Moon will illuminate the lessons that need to be learned and integrated.

Following the fireworks of the Full Moon in Leo, the waning half of the lunar cycle contains a series of pivotal aspects that will deepen understanding. In the week following the lunation, Mercury will be applying toward a conjunction with Pluto in Capricorn that will become exact on 10 February while Mars in Gemini will be applying toward an activating sextile aspect with Chiron in Aries that will become exact on 11 February. Similar to the sextile between Mercury and Neptune forming during the lunation, both of these combinations possess a cyclical quality rooted in the recent past. Mercury stationed retrograde on 29 December in close proximity with Pluto, giving Pluto an overarching influence over its subsequent retrograde phase during the following three weeks. Now that Mercury will finally be forming its conjunction with Pluto, whatever process Mercury has been working within you since the end of December will come full circle with important realizations. Mercury and Pluto expose buried material, penetrating to the roots of dynamics and focused analysis. Their combination can also empower your voice and ability to confidently communicate whatever meaning you have been developing.

The sextile between Mars in Gemini with Chiron in Aries is also connected with previous aspects between Mars and Chiron due to the Mars retrograde period that stretched from the end of October until the middle of January. The first sextile between Mars and Chiron was on 17 September 2022 when Mars was direct and the second sextile was on 19 December 2022 when Mars was retrograde. The connection to last December with both aspects that Mars and Mercury will be making gives extra emphasis to whatever developments or difficulties you were facing around the time of the Capricorn solstice. With Chiron in the fiery home of Mars, the receptive sextile indicates that however your relationship with Mars has been sharpened and honed over the course of its recent retrograde can now be directed assertively through your work and creativity. Bring mindfulness to the ways in which old wounds were brought up to work through and how the tests and trials you passed through can now facilitate greater strength and empowerment in pursuing your core purpose.

After the Mercury-Pluto and Mars-Chiron combinations form, the following week of the waning Moon will contain two powerful alignments: Venus will form a conjunction with Neptune in Pisces on 15 February and the Sun will form a conjunction with Saturn on 16 February. Though the combinations of Venus with Neptune and Saturn with the Sun have drastically different meaning, they can come together through deep contemplation, exploring ways to bring dream into reality, and becoming aware of illusions you need to awaken from. At the same time, Mercury in Aquarius will be applying toward a coalescing sextile aspect with Jupiter in Aries that will become exact on 17 February. Mercury in Aquarius transmitting the fiery spirit of Jupiter in Aries can bring clarity for the creative direction to pursue in the months ahead, drawing from both the idealistic imaginal power of Venus and Neptune and the deep wisdom of Saturn and the Sun that can bring the otherworldliness of Venus and Neptune into pragmatic application through concrete forms.

Vitally, the Leo Full Moon demarcates not only the end of the Saturn’s current cycle with the Sun but also the final month of Saturn occupying its airy home of Aquarius. Saturn experienced its heliacal set into invisible darkness in the days leading up to the Leo Full Moon, placing Saturn in an underworld process of exploring deep mystery while it burns off its past cycle that began on 4 February 2022 at 15°56’ Aquarius. The days surrounding the conjunction between the Sun and Saturn on 16 February at 27°44’ Aquarius will be an ideal time to actively reflect upon what you have built and what you have had to let go of during Saturn’s journey through Aquarius. The works of Saturn take time to fully form yet can also endure as long lasting foundations of support. Let the light of the Leo Full Moon illuminate what needs to be emptied and shed from Saturn’s present cycle, revealing the essential meaning that can be deepened and developed within the cycle to come.

6 of Wands by Pamela Colman Smith

Leo 2 Decan

The Leo Full Moon will illuminate the second decan of Leo associated with the Six of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. An image of triumphant victory, we see the strident champion being honored by an adoring crowd as well as a wreath of laurel.  As laurel is of the nature of the Sun just like the gold medals pursued by competitors, there is potential within the second face of Leo for not only expression of soulful radiance and creative power but also reception of honors for it. Fittingly, Jupiter rules the second face of Leo, revealing the potency found within this decan for achievements that bring acclaim. T. Susan Chang in 36 Secrets wrote that the Six of Wands often correlates with becoming celebrated in public, yet the good fortune and powerful luck associated with this arcanum and decan is not based upon the moral quality of the recipient. Indeed, the image of blind Fortuna spinning her great wheel is resonant with this decan, as Chang wrote that “the Wheel of Fortune is fundamentally amoral.” Moreover, since acclaim and fortune will not necessarily last whether earned or unearned, the second face of Leo emphasizes the need to align with the constantly changing nature of life and fortune with its ceaseless upswings and downswings.

Some of the traditional images for the second decan of Leo emphasize the amoral quality of fortune found within this face. In Henrich Cornelius Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy, the second face of Leo has “the image of a man with his hands raised, with a crown on his head. [He has] the form of an angry and threatening man. In his right hand he has drawn a sword, and in his left a round shield. [This image] has the significations over hidden quarrels, unknown victories, of vile men, and over occasions of lawsuits and battles.” In Demetra George’s translation of The Sacred Book of Hermes to Asclepius, the image for the second face of Leo is a “Naked man, sceptre in right hand, whip in left, crescent moon upon head.” Ibn Ezra as well as the Picatrix also fashioned images of a man crowned with myrtle holding a bow and arrow. The Yavanajataka gave the image of “a bold woman with loosened hair. She is on a mountain peak, proud in taking away the wealth of others . . .”

Austin Coppock in his book 36 Faces ascribed the image of “A Crown of Laurels” to this face, proclaiming it “holds within it the magical power of authenticity- here defined as a harmonious connection between the external sphere in which one acts and the spirit fire within each individual.”  Yet similar to the amoral traditional images found within this face, Coppock wrote that the pride and glory of victory in the Six of Wands image also reflects its shadow of hubris, declaring that “great works do not guarantee any greatness of character.” Coppock further noted that the second face of Leo can guide us toward realizing what elements of our public persona are out of alignment with our inner integrity, or instead how we may need to embody more humility within experiences of recent praise or glory. Coppock made the point that “recognition of one’s virtues does not dispel the reality of one’s vices,” since many images of the decan in traditional text show it is “the temptations of selfishness and cruelty which stain the triumphal nature of this decan.” Coppock declared that the promise and power of victory is so strong in this decan we must guard against becoming blinded by the solar light of success.

In contrast to other images found within traditional text, the great goddess Isis resides in the second face of Leo according to the Hellenistic text the 36 Airs. Isis became syncretized as the goddess containing all goddesses in the Hellenistic era, and just as she weaves many traditions together in her history, so does she weave a web of love through times of trauma to bring about an eventual retrieval and integration of wholeness. Isis in connection with the second face of Leo highlights the courage needed to resiliently persist on inner journeys to reanimate whatever aspects of your essential self have become fragmented. Similar to how Isis was able to re-member and re-animate her beloved Osiris, explore how the light of the Leo Full Moon illuminates desires and gifts that had become dismembered within your inner darkness and can now be regenerated through your creative work in the world.

Yet when doing the inner work needed to bring about empowered capacity to pursue ambitions, we need to remember the warnings found within the second face of Leo regarding the perils of power and privileged positions which also bring opportunity to harm others as much as they bring opportunities to reward ourselves with public acclaim and status. The strong influence of Jupiter upon the second face of Leo requires the generous and devotional qualities of Jupiter to remain in right relation with heart-centered focus. Under the light of the Leo Full Moon, may we commit to creative expression that inspires and uplifts others, sustaining alignment with the integrity of our core values.

If you enjoy my writing please consider supporting my work through a monthly subscription on my Patreon page. Take a look to see the benefits you will receive as a patron! On the Oak tier in our monthly classes we are exploring the fixed stars, including the mythology of the stars and how to work with them not only in natal and mundane astrology but also how to develop relationships with them through ritual and astrological magic.

become_a_patron_button

References

Agrippa, Heinrich Cornelius. (2021). Three Occult Books of Philosophy. Translated by Eric Purdue. Inner Traditions.

Chang, T. Susan. (2021). 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot. Anima Mundi Press.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

George, Demetra. (2021). Egyptian Decans: Star Gods of Time. Astrology University.

May, Rollo. (1975). The Courage to Create. WW Norton & Company.

Tarnas, Richard. (2007). Cosmos and Psyche. Plume.

New Moon in Leo

/ grayastrology / 1 Comment
Gold phiale (libation bowl), 4th – 3rd Century B.C. (Greek)

New Moon in Leo

The New Moon in Leo on August 8 will be brimming with the brilliant solar radiance that animates the Moon every year when she unites with the Sun in its fiery home of Leo, yet this year its inception will be strongly shaped by the potent force of Saturn and Jupiter occupying the opposite sign of Aquarius. Within the polarity between Leo and Aquarius, our urge to center upon the personal subjectivity of our passions must come into relationship with the plurality of multiplicities surrounding us internally and externally, including on the outskirts of our awareness. As the New Moon in Leo can facilitate connection with the creative desires we wish to pursue, its opposition with Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius calls for us to find ways of bridging the blazing sovereignty of our purpose with the needs of wider networks and communities. The darkness of the New Moon in Leo will provide fertile soil for what has been gestating in your heart, readying itself to transmit its fiery eros through the presence and work you bring into the world.

As the Leo New Moon is separating from hard aspects with Saturn and Uranus while applying to an opposition with Jupiter, its zodiacal placement is strongly configured to the astrological movements which correlate with the uncertainty of being at a collective threshold while simultaneously experiencing our own personal process of metamorphosis. When feeling the tension of holding paradoxical perceptions while facing a crossroads or preparing to cross a threshold, it is natural for inner defenses to surface into awareness and lead us to question the direction forward. With the enlivening and steadying force of the Sun at the core of the lunation, we can utilize the Leo New Moon for investigating the nooks and crannies of our inner walls and exploring the ways we have built up layers of defense over time.

Within the dynamic strain between Saturn and Uranus, the propulsive force of Uranus may prod us to break free of old limitations or shatter forms of security in favor of whatever feels exciting and freeing, while the influence of Saturn may restrain us from making major changes due to fear of the unknown or feeling we are not ready. However, the profound contemplative capacity of Saturn in Aquarius can also help us reflect upon the ways in which we may feel blocked or inhibited from pursuing new directions, revealing insights regarding the past patterns sourcing our present. Now that Jupiter has returned to sharing the zodiacal terrain of Aquarius with Saturn, we can draw upon the growth oriented nature of Jupiter to find ways of integrating ideas of potential growth that may have felt too overwhelming in the past to expand into.

The fact that the Leo New Moon is applying to an opposition with Jupiter in Aquarius is additionally significant since the upcoming Full Moon in Aquarius on August 22 will be forming a conjunction with Jupiter. Allow yourself to sit with whatever issues may be arising regarding desires and plans, as the concentrated focus of Jupiter in Aquarius can assist in gaining a broader perspective that may reveal multiple sides of present circumstances that need to be considered. Whether patience or more urgent action is required, making space to reflect upon whatever challenges you have been contending with will help with grounding into the next steps to take. With Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Mercury, the Sun and the Moon all occupying fixed signs, you may find yourself more concerned than normal with ruminating over longterm plans and musings related to longterm visions. Between the Leo New Moon and when the Moon forms a conjunction with Jupiter while waxing into fullness on August 22, find ways to generate forward momentum on what you wish to create, gathering the courage to cross the threshold between how things have been and the unknown potential of what you are becoming.

Isadora Duncan at the Parthenon (1921) by Edward Steichen

In addition to the Leo Moon applying to an opposition with Jupiter, Mercury in Leo is also forming an opposition with Jupiter in Aquarius that will become exact on August 10 at 28°24′ of Leo and Aquarius. Mercury in Leo recently formed an opposition with Saturn on August 1 and a square with Uranus on August 3, and so the tension between Mercury with Jupiter during the Leo New Moon will make us more acutely aware of adjustments needed to be made within developing plans, aspects of ideas that need to be let go as well as new sources of inspiration that may open new potential directions. Mercury will then quickly move into its earthy home and exaltation of Virgo on August 11 and into a catalyzing square aspect with the transiting lunar nodes that it will complete on August 15. As Mercury is the ruler of the transiting north node in Gemini, the week following the lunation will place the star of Hermes in position to provide key insight into the issues surrounding the new directions we wish to pursue and however storylines are changing.

Meanwhile, Mars in Virgo is also applying to a tense square aspect with the transiting lunar nodes during the Leo New Moon, completing the aspect a few days after the lunation on August 11. The square between Mars and the lunar nodes comes less than two weeks behind the square formed by Venus with the lunar nodes on July 29 that brought awareness of important changes needing to be made within relational dynamics. It’s been less than a month since Venus and Mars formed a conjunction on July 13 and we are only at the beginning of a long process of coming to terms with the new creative and relational desires that will be taking shape in correlation as they will ultimately form two more conjunctions on February 16, 2022 and March 5, 2022 before fully initiating their new cycle. For now, with Mars forming a square to the lunar nodes we may feel frustration regarding what isn’t working or feeling like we haven’t made enough progress on what we desire to create. Allow the ingenuity of Mars in Virgo to create mutations in plans and actions to better fit the reality of changing circumstances.

As the Moon waxes toward the Full Moon in Aquarius that will occur on August 22, Mercury will form a conjunction with Mars in Virgo on August 18. The conjunction between Mercury and Mars in Virgo is unusually important due to the fact that Mercury will end up forming two more conjunctions with Mars in the next few months due to stationing retrograde at the end of September. Mercury will form a second conjunction with Mars in Libra on October 9 while Mercury is retrograde, with both Mercury and Mars additionally forming conjunctions with the Sun. After Mercury stations direct it will form its third conjunction with Mars in Scorpio on November 10 at the same time that Mercury and Mars will also be forming an opposition with Uranus and a square aspect with Saturn. As a result, the forthcoming lunar cycle will introduce a theme involving Mercury and Mars that will not only be playing out over the course of the next three months but will ultimately also serve as yet another catalyzing trigger to the immense changes in life structures taking place as Saturn and Uranus continue their change inducing, clashing relationship.

Vitally, the first conjunction between Mercury and Mars at 12°48′ Virgo on August 18 is notable due to it occurring at the same time that Uranus will be stationing retrograde at 14°48′ Taurus on August 19. Not only will the astrological atmosphere be saturated with the emancipatory impulses of Uranus at this time, but the conjunction between Mercury and Mars will be forming a flowing trine aspect with Uranus. Moreover, the conjunction between Mars and Mercury will be occurring around the same time that Mercury is rising into its first appearance as a visible Evening Star, intensifying the influence of the star of Hermes. As a result, as we approach the upcoming Full Moon in Aquarius there will be powerful support for breaking free from past restrictive patterns and choosing to pursue the uncertainty of change rather than remain in the normalcy of a comfort zone.

Isadora Duncan by Arnold Genthe

Venus is continuing to glow bright as an Evening Star following sunset and is applying to an opposition with Neptune in Pisces during the lunation. Venus will form an exact opposition with Neptune at 22°41′ of Virgo and Pisces on August 9, a day after the Leo New Moon. Moreover, Venus in Virgo is also applying to a flowing trine aspect with Pluto in Capricorn, forming an exact trine with Pluto on August 11 at 24°59′ of Virgo and Capricorn. The discerning analysis of Venus in Virgo can strip away illusory projections within relational dynamics so we may better orient to the actual needs and reality of our relationships. Yet there is also an ideal of love and devotion that Venus in Virgo can cultivate within her polarizing aspect with Neptune to express within our relationships, with the empowering trine between Venus and Pluto adding a depth of feeling that can connect with the inner soulfulness of each partner. If you have been experiencing difficult emotions or anxieties recently, let Venus direct you towards tangible sources of pleasure that can relax your mind and allow for greater ease in flowing with whatever changes have been taking shape in your life.

After moving through her opposition with Neptune and trine with Pluto, Venus will enter her airy domicile of Libra on August 15. Venus will remain in Libra until September 10 when she will enter Scorpio. After entering Libra, Venus will begin applying to a flowing trine aspect with Saturn in Aquarius that will become exact on August 23, a day after the upcoming Full Moon in Aquarius. Venus in Libra will be helpful for mediating any difficulties or tension within relationship as well as provide opportunities for meaningful and delightful social interactions. With Venus forming harmonious relationships with both Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius during her time in Libra, it will be an opportune time for making significant progress on whatever new creative directions become generated by the New Moon in Leo. The presence of Venus in her airy home will also create a supportive astrological climate for having conversations within relationships about changing needs and figuring out however the relational dynamics between partners need to be altered accordingly.

6 of Wands by Pamela Colman Smith

Leo 2 Decan

The New Moon in Leo is in the second decan of Leo associated with the Six of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. An image of triumphant victory, we see the strident champion being honored by an adoring crowd as well as a wreath of laurel.  As laurel is of the nature of the Sun just like the gold medals pursued by competitors in the recent Olympic games, there is potential within the second face of Leo for not only expression of soulful radiance, creativity, and power but also reception of honors for it. Fittingly, Jupiter rules the second face of Leo, revealing the potency found within this decan for expansive success.

Austin Coppock in his book 36 Faces ascribed the image of “A Crown of Laurels” to this face, proclaiming it “holds within it the magical power of authenticity- here defined as a harmonious connection between the external sphere in which one acts and the spirit fire within each individual.”  Yet the pride and glory of victory in the Six of Wands image also reflects its shadow of hubris, as Coppock wrote that “great works do not guarantee any greatness of character.” Coppock further noted that the second face of Leo can guide us toward realizing what elements of our public persona are out of alignment with our inner integrity, or instead how we may need to embody more humility within experiences of recent praise or glory. Coppock made the point that “recognition of one’s virtues does not dispel the reality of one’s vices,” since many images of the decan in ancient text show it is “the temptations of selfishness and cruelty which stain the triumphal nature of this decan.” Coppock declared that the promise and power of victory is so strong in this decan we must guard against becoming blinded by the solar light of success.

Thus we can utilize the New Moon in the second decan of Leo for gaining insight into how to refine the way we are expressing the indomitable light of our inner soul into the world around us. Fascinatingly, it is none other than the great goddess Isis who resides in the second face of Leo according to the Hellenistic text the 36 Airs. Isis became syncretized as the goddess containing all goddesses in the Hellenistic era, and just as she weaves many traditions together in her history, so does she weave a web of love through times of trauma to bring about an eventual retrieval and integration of wholeness. Isis brings the courage needed to resiliently persist on inner journeys to reanimate whatever aspects of our essential self have become fragmented. Within the darkness of the New Moon in Leo, be willing to descend into inner depths so that you may retrieve desires that had become lost or suppressed, arising again full of purpose and meaning to share in the world.

If you enjoy my writing please consider supporting my work through a monthly subscription on my Patreon page. Take a look to see the benefits you will receive as a patron!

become_a_patron_button

References

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Partial Solar Eclipse in Leo

/ grayastrology / 2 Comments

Lion Hermetic Child of Sun and Moon

from The Hermetic Child of the Sun and Moon (1752)

Partial Solar Eclipse in Leo

On 11 August 2018 we experience a Partial Solar Eclipse in Leo, the final solar eclipse in the series of eclipses in Leo and Aquarius we have been experiencing since 2017. Although it is not a “total” eclipse as we experienced a year ago, meaning that the Moon will not completely cover the face of the shining Sun in total blackness, the impact of the partially eclipsed Sun is more than enough to open gates to hidden, unconscious, or otherworldly visitation. Dane Rudhyar in The Planetary and Lunar Nodes wrote that “the past tends to obscure the present” during a solar eclipse, rooting interpretation in the living symbolism of the Moon obscuring the illuminating rays of our great solar star. This also means that all lunar content, which can relate to not only memories but also irrational thoughts and feelings, as well as previously unrecognized subconscious desires, will invade conscious attempts to keep them at bay.

Due to the Leo eclipse occurring on the side of the North Node of the Moon, these emerging desires and feelings may be linked to hunger for growth and development, as well as all sides of ambition including needs for recognition. As this is the final solar eclipse in Leo of the series, it will be wise to use the messages received through contemplation to reflect back upon one’s trajectory of development over the past year and a half. We may not only learn more about our path of development, but also discern a deeper underlying level of motivation behind why we have been doing what we have been doing.

The last time we experienced a solar eclipse in the saros series of this eclipse path was on 31 July 2000 at 8º Leo. Bernadette Brady in Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark analyzed this series as bringing difficult information in relationships, including ideas of separation, but that it also brings the capacity to respond effectively in a way that “can bring good results.” Her interpretation in part is due to the original eclipse in the series (24 June 792) occurring in conjunction with Jupiter while being on the midpoint of Mars and Uranus. Interestingly, the 11 August 2018 eclipse has a lot of meaning connected with Jupiter, Uranus, and Mars.

Vitally, the Leo Eclipse happens a few days after the inferior conjunction of Mercury retrograde in Leo. Thus a newly reborn Mercury retrograde is close by the eclipse, only four degrees away. This influence of Mercury amplifies our capacity to pick up, interpret, and transmit unconscious awareness and messages that are normally out of range without deliberate attempts to penetrate inner depths. On a practical level this means that many people in our environment who are not used to working with their shadow or rarely attempt to clarify unconscious feelings will be projecting and acting from their shadow without realization they are doing so. Again, because all of this is occurring on the side of the North Node of the Moon in Leo, there are many growth opportunities to be found in the awareness that can be gained from hidden material coming out to be processed in relationships. It doesn’t make the experience necessarily easier to deal with in the moment, but keeping in mind the larger picture and the passing nature of this time can help keep things in a larger perspective.

The other element of the eclipse significantly amplifying subconscious dynamics is that Uranus in Taurus stationed retrograde four days before the eclipse. Whenever a planet stations it saturates the astrological atmosphere with its influence in the surrounding week, and since this is the first time that Uranus has stationed while being in the sign of Taurus, it means that impactful events and messages will be arriving in our life that demonstrate what the transit of Uranus in Taurus is initially meaning for us. The saving grace of this stationing is that Uranus in Taurus is in a stabilizing, flowing trine with Saturn in Capricorn. As a result no matter how difficult the associated experiences are, the harmonious interaction with Saturn in Capricorn will facilitate responding and adjusting effectively as needed. Moreover, if the stationing of Uranus is coinciding with breakthrough thoughts and innovative ideas, the trine with Saturn in Capricorn will help bring visionary ideas into eventual manifestation.

Jack Whitten broken plane

Jack Whitten (1972) Broken Plane #3

Another major factor in the Leo eclipse is that it is in range of a catalytic square with Jupiter in Scorpio, while applying toward an uncomfortable quincunx with Pluto in Capricorn. There is strong visionary capacity to be found within these aspects coupled with the difficulty of bringing the full vision into reality due to current responsibilities and limitations of time, space, and currently available resources. There is also a shadow of ambition to look out for here, and so it will be wise to reflect upon and investigate one’s underlying motives for whatever one becomes called to create and work on. If one’s ambitions are for the greater good, such as helping to empower others rather than have power over others, it will further be worth the time to reflect upon how to best go about achieving one’s goals, again keeping in mind the greater good of the collective and our relationship dynamics. Though there is a lot of emphasis on the North Node of Leo at the eclipse, we still must work with the South Node of the Moon in Aquarius as part of the process.

An additional star within the eclipse drama we must pay attention to is Venus in Libra.  At the time of the eclipse, Venus in Libra is separating from a square with Saturn in Capricorn (after recently completing a trine with Mars retrograde), and is applying toward a sextile with the North Node of the Moon in Leo and a trine with the South Node in Aquarius. Venus then heads toward a sextile with Mercury that will occur at the same time that Mercury stations direct on August 19. Venus is at home in Libra, yet she had her work cut out for her in the week leading into the eclipse as she engaged with first a wild Mars and then an overbearing and resolute Saturn. However, Venus in Libra can bring what we need to mediate relationship conflicts and harmonize whatever has been coming out of balance. In particular Venus in Libra will be able to facilitate creative actualization of whatever insights are gained as Mercury finally stations direct in Leo a week from now.

Jack whitten black monolith II

Jack Whitten, Black Monolith II: Homage to Ralph Ellison The Invisible Man

The Partial Solar Eclipse in Leo is the beginning of a new lunation cycle, and in particular demarcates a significant shift in the astrological atmosphere due to Mars leaving Aquarius and entering Capricorn a day after the eclipse on August 12. Mars entering its exaltation of Capricorn will lower levels of volatility somewhat due to Mars no longer occupying Aquarius, the sign opposite Leo that contains the transiting Mercury retrograde and the Sun. Mars is cooler and more effectively calculating in Capricorn, and as it settles into the same place that Pluto and Saturn are also occupying, Capricorn becomes an incredibly potent section of the zodiac for the rest of the month. There is incredible power in the place of Capricorn to reshape matter from the realizations of inner guidance we have been gaining over the course of Mars being retrograde since June.

Mars left Capricorn on May 15, the same day that Uranus entered Taurus. Previously, Mars had been in Capricorn from March 17 through May 15, and so the return of Mars to Capricorn brings added desire and willpower to return to any work we began to formulate then that for one reason or another we had been experiencing setbacks or difficulties in completing or further developing. Ideally, after sifting through all of the realizations coming into our awareness from the recent series of eclipses as well as Mercury being retrograde in Leo, we can then direct our clarified perception into productive work and effort worthy of the empowering strength Mars, Pluto, and Saturn bring to any endeavor.

6wands

Six of Wands by Pamela Colman Smith

Leo 2 Decan

The partial solar eclipse is in the second face of Leo, associated with the Six of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith. We find here an image of triumphant victory, a strident champion riding a white horse and hailed by a wreath of laurel and an adoring crowd.  Austin Coppock in his book 36 Faces ascribed the image of “A Crown of Laurels” to this face, proclaiming it “holds within it the magical power of authenticity- here defined as a harmonious connection between the external sphere in which one acts and the spirit fire within each individual.”  The pride and glory of victory in the Six of Wands image also reflects its shadow of hubris, a complex that deserves attention since the Leo Sun will be partially covered in lunar shadow.

Jupiter rules the second face of Leo in both the Chaldean as well as the triplicity rulership schemes. Jupiter in Scorpio is forming a square to the eclipse and calls us to look at the hidden elements under the surface of the prideful hero in the Six of Wands image. For example, we can observe that the very horse being ridden is concealed, as well as elements of the triumphant crowd bearing three of the six wands. As Austin Coppock wrote in 36 Faces, the spirit of this decan can help guide us toward realizing any elements of our public persona that are out of alignment with our inner integrity, or instead how we may need to embody more humility within experiences of recent praise or glory. Coppock astutely made the point that “recognition of one’s virtues does not dispel the reality of one’s vices,” since many images of the decan in ancient text show it is “the temptations of selfishness and cruelty which stain the triumphal nature of this decan.” Coppock declared that the promise and power of victory is so strong in this decan we must guard against becoming blinded by the solar light of success.

Thus it is imperative to search within during the shadowy time of the Leo eclipse, using insight gained to help refine the manner in which we project the indomitable light of our inner soul into the world around us. Fascinatingly, it is none other than the great goddess Isis who resides in the second face of Leo according to the Hellenistic text the 36 Airs. Isis became syncretized as the goddess containing all goddesses in the Hellenistic era, and just as she weaves many spiritual traditions together in her history, so does she weave a web of love through times of trauma to bring about an eventual healing and retrieval of our Self. Isis brings the courage needed to resiliently persist on inner journeys to reanimate whatever aspects of our essential self have become fragmented. As we regain communion with the eternal, indestructible nature of our soul within, so can we more effectively find ways to align our action and work in the world with our inner authenticity.

References

Brady, Bernadette. (1999). Predictive Astrology: The Eagle and the Lark. Weiser Books.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

Rudhyar, Dane. (1971). The Planetary and Lunar Nodes. CSA Press.

 

Leo Lunar Eclipse: Scythe of Ceres

/ grayastrology / 2 Comments

Sunflower clock

Sunflower Clock by Athanasius Kircher

Lunar Eclipse in Leo

The Moon will glow in rosy shadow as the Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo culminates on January 31.  Eclipses reveal the wonder of our living world through the stunning optics of our Moon not only appearing to be the same size as our Sun, but also mutating in color during the exact alignment.  During a total lunar eclipse the Sun casts a shadow of our planet upon the face of the Moon, creating a reddish light as opposed to the total blackness that manifests in a solar eclipse.  Venus joins the Sun in Aquarius as it casts shadows on the Leo Lunar Eclipse, bringing an influence of searching for inner harmony amidst the numerous corresponding changes that will occur in between the lunar eclipse and the Solar Eclipse in Aquarius arriving February 15.  We all know the Leo stereotype in astrology of the solar hero journeying for personal glory.  Yet the type of heroine illuminated by the Leo Lunar Eclipse willingly descends into shadowy inner depths in order to discover the essential value they may serve the needs of the collective with, helping to heal and strengthen bonds of community.

Lunar eclipses occur when a Full Moon aligns with the degrees of the transiting North Node and South Node of the Moon, meaning that the polarity of Sun and Moon aligns with the intersection of the orbital arcs of Sun and Moon.  The nodes of the Moon in this arrangement are symbolized by a great dragon that consumes our lights, since the Sun is overcome by shadow in a solar eclipse and the Moon is consumed with shadow during a lunar eclipse.  The dragon symbolism further links eclipses with the ouroboros imagery of a dragon or serpent consuming its own tail, mirroring the dissolution of nature that leads to the arising of new forms.  When eclipses form in our heavens, the corresponding changes similarly lead us to release fixation on the elements of our life in need of letting go, while a burgeoning promise of new form coming together can be felt.

The meaning of a Lunar Eclipse is rooted in the phenomenon of our Sun casting the shadow of our Earth onto the face of our Moon. Dane Rudhyar viewed this solar shadow as symbolizing the present overcoming the past, as our solar awareness and purpose veils the lunar impact of past conditioning on our present consciousness. Linking the Moon to what we carry with us in our body and mind, these memories of the past can be released to allow for the emergence of new ways of being embodied in the moment. Since the Leo Lunar Eclipse is aligned with the North Node of the Moon, while our fiery Sun is burning  on the side of the South Node of the Moon, it corresponds that growth will come from the resolution and release of old karma, patterns, and attachments whose time has come.  These themes are amplified by the ruler of the Leo Lunar Eclipse, the Aquarius Sun, being conjoined the South Node of the Moon.

The Leo Lunar Eclipse is “total” and particularly potent due to it being closely aligned with the lunar nodes, with both the Sun and Moon only three degrees away.  While the influence of the Moon residing in Leo brings an element of creative actualization, the weight of Aquarian leverage on the syzygy necessitates taking into account a wider perspective of humanitarian concerns.  Those who have been alienated or choose to inhabit the fringe will demand attention as our planet’s shadow slips across the face of our Moon.  Creative solutions are needed for the vast array of issues people are struggling with around the world; while those solutions will not be appearing magically in the eclipsed light of the Moon, personal and collective narratives will shift dramatically in its wake and force issues to surface awareness. Within the turning wheel of fortune we can gain clarity for what needs our full attention within intimate circles as well as within broader collective concerns.  The eclipse season we are entering swings toward an emphasis on Aquarius and the South Node, just as the eclipses in 2017 had more emphasis on the North Node side of Leo.

Ceres statue

Ceres by Augustin Pajou (1768-70)

The dwarf planet Ceres is closely conjoined the eclipse, only two minutes away from the eclipsed Leo Moon.  As an archetype, Ceres both produces the resources needed for vitality as well as bears the seeds of renewal. Yet the swing of her scythe that brings the harvest necessitates loss as much as it brings forth gain.  Just as the Leo Moon will be eclipsed by shadow, so was Ceres eclipsed by pain and rage over her own personal tragedy.  In an element of her myth that parallels the story of Isis and Osiris, Ceres was willing to incarnate into human form as part of fully embodying her grief.  Though she needed to take time away from producing growth in the world in order to process and release her trauma, Ceres ultimately mediated a compromise in which she returned to her service of providing fertile abundance for the greater collective.  Ceres reveals the importance of taking time and space away from production in order to grieve, while also illuminating the resolve necessary to return to the world of suffering in order to bolster strength in others.

As Ceres aligns with the Moon on the North Node side of Leo, Venus accompanies the Sun on the other side of the axis in Aquarius.  While Ceres and the Moon are in the Egyptian bounds of Saturn, the Aquarius Sun is in the Egyptian bounds of Venus.  We can find here the message Ceres received in her journey into the mysteries of darkness, that though life and love will return so will death and strife coexist.   The gravitas of Saturn that demands us to mature and be accountable for how we navigate cycles of change is amplified by Saturn in Capricorn ruling the Sun, South Node of the Moon, and Venus in Aquarius.    The influence of Venus in Aquarius upon the lunar eclipse is not about hedonistic desire for everything we find pleasurable, but rather brings a purification to our pursuits of pleasure and what we value.  Saturn in Capricorn hones the raw into the fine-tuned and essential, and so its influence on the Sun and Venus at the eclipse takes us into a process of clarifying the values to prioritize in our choices and discovering who we want to become based more upon internal authenticity rather than external acclaim.

Venus in Aquarius is also in the bounds of Jupiter at the lunar eclipse, while Jupiter in Scorpio is engaged in an impactful relationship with both the Leo Lunar Eclipse on January 31 and the Aquarius Solar Eclipse on February 15.   Moreover, Jupiter is in its own bounds, ruled by Mars in the home and bounds of Jupiter (4º of Sagittarius).  As I’ve previously written, Jupiter in Scorpio facilitates delving deeper into our own subconscious as well as gaining insight into the sea of collective unconscious swirling around us.   Combined with Saturn in Capricorn, Jupiter in Scorpio brings ample stores of determination and willpower to infuse into whatever we are developing, pursuing, or protecting.  Yet its challenging square aspect to the eclipses in Leo and Aquarius necessitates courageously facing difficult, disillusioning questions and allowing the answers we discover to help us shed beliefs that have been keeping us contained within illusion rather than being alertly aware in the present moment.

trident with naga

Trident with Naga, Bronze (11th – 12th Century)

Nodes of Neptune

The eclipse falls across the nodes of Neptune, with the Leo Moon and North Node of the Moon conjoining the North Node of Neptune.  This also means that the Sun, South Node of the Moon, and Venus are also conjoining the South Node of Neptune in Aquarius.  The nodes of Neptune being in Leo and Aquarius is something I have spent time contemplating yet still have difficulty putting into words. Like all archetypes, the best we can do in the end is observe how events and images emerge into form in correspondence. One element I feel involves the archetypal arc of Neptune being related to spirituality as an access point into the interconnected field of our reality, and how this connection with Spirit can both connect us to the needs of living diversity across our world, as well as often necessitates time in exile, as a hermit or recluse in order to connect with divinity from within.  It also makes sense that the North Node of Neptune in Leo goes along with the phenomenon of spiritual glamor, and how there has been many examples of people taking on spiritual guru roles revealed to be narcissistic abusers of power.  Ultimately, it seems the North Node of Neptune in Leo is about centering consciousness in our heart so that we can engage the interconnected field of our reality from a heart-centered place of love and compassion.

For another perspective, the evolutionary astrologer Mark Jones has theorized that the North Node of Neptune in Leo correlates with an evolutionary choice to re-integrate our personal and collective traumatic memories through a creative actualization in some way.  Part of this interpretation relates to the Uranus rulership of Aquarius developed by Jeff Green in evolutionary astrology, wherein Uranus is linked to both traumatic memories from past lives held by the soul, as well as our capacity to liberate ourselves from being incapacitated by them.  Two areas this interpretation could play out are found in art and activism, both art integrating activism and activism incorporating art.  There are powerful aspects found within the Leo Lunar Eclipse to facilitate dynamic creative breakthroughs, and its alignment with the nodes of Neptune brings the potential to release elements of tragedy and trauma fettering within our collective through artistic expression.  There is a lot of innovation within the aspects of the Leo Lunar Eclipse to wield in the process of making the change you wish to see in the world.

 

wands06

Six of Wands by Pamela Colman Smith

 

Leo 2 Decan

The Leo eclipses falls in the second decan of Leo associated with the Six of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith.   We find here an image of triumphant victory, a strident champion riding a white horse and hailed by a wreath of laurel and an adoring crowd.  Austin Coppock in his book 36 Faces ascribed the image of “A Crown of Laurels” to this face, proclaiming it “holds within it the magical power of authenticity- here defined as a harmonious connection between the external sphere in which one acts and the spirit fire within each individual.”  The pride and glory of victory in the Six of Wands image also reflects its shadow of hubris, a complex that deserves attention since the Leo Moon will become engulfed in blood red shadow.

Jupiter rules the second decan of Leo, and so with Jupiter in Scorpio as well as Saturn in Capricorn in the background of the eclipse, its more likely than normal that those who seek glory and fame without inner integrity will fall or be cut down from heights.  Its worth contemplating the question of what does victory truly mean for you, and what degree of external validation is actually needed.  Allow the redness of the Moon to take you within the purity of heart, and let the authentic presence you discover there take the helm of navigating through the sweeping tides of the coming eclipse season.

References

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.

 

 

Leo New Moon

/ grayastrology / 1 Comment

Anselm Kiefer midsummer

Midsummer Night (1980) Anselm Kiefer

The Leo New Moon on August 2 is as black as all new moons go, but the dark night sky will be bejeweled with more glimmering objects than normal as all five visible planets will be on display following the setting of the Sun.  Mercury is more briefly aglow at sunset while Venus sustains her brilliance through twilight, with Jupiter also shining above as Mars inches toward Saturn in the depth of each night.  This is also the pagan holiday time of Lughnasadh, one of the eight sabbats that in the Northern Hemisphere is our Mid-Summer, a traditional celebration of harvest and communal festivities.  There is a harvest to reap and share with others in the coming lunar month, and in the twilight hour when cobalt shadows nourish imaginative vision the visibility of all five planets likewise beckon visions of love and creativity.

Leo signifies the radiance of the Sun, the radiance of the heart that expresses an audacious glow in the face of the unknown future.  The Leo New Moon is separating from a trine with Saturn in Sagittarius and marks the return of Mars to the fiery sign of Sagittarius, with Venus co-present in Leo.  This New Moon is an opportune time to figure out what you want and then set your life in motion to go after it through heart-centered expression that unites mind, body, and soul.  Saturn continues to be square to the transiting lunar nodes and Neptune, and is slowing to a standstill as it will station direct on August 13.  As a result, Saturn is at the crossroads similar to Hekate, serving as the guardian of the threshold holding the wisdom of what needs to be both released and given birth to.  The creative actualization of the Leo New Moon needs us to access Saturn through being honest about our essential needs and taking the responsibility to seize the moment with flair and immediacy.  The emphasized element of fire in this New Moon is a torch held by Hekate to illuminate a karmic path forward, while disintegrating the fogginess of former illusions.

It is important to realize that there is absolutely nothing in the air element at this New Moon, and that in contrast there is a great deal of fire with the Sun, Moon, and Venus in Leo, Saturn and Mars in Sagittarius, and Uranus in Aries.  Fire signs are passionate, inspirational, and direct in ardor, and this is great as long as our relationships are aligned with similar goals and needs.  Fire signs are not as adept in patience and empathy, or being able to listen to not only the words but the emotions of others and communicate with compassion.  Since there is nothing transiting in air signs to help facilitate communication, it will be vital to focus on listening with active presence to the underlying message from others without taking personally the language form or undertones that trigger sensitivities.  This is even more the case considering that Mars is in range of a square to both Mercury (separating) and Venus (applying).

Magritte,_The_Palace_of_Memories,_Le_palais_des_souvenirs,_1939

The Palace of Memories (1939) by Rene Magritte

Uranus stationed retrograde in Aries a few days before the New Moon and so is saturating the lunation in shattering Uranian impulses and insights that bring liberating clarity.  Venus in Leo is separating from, but still in range of a trine with retrograde Uranus and so whatever the immediate impact was of Uranus stationing in trine to Venus has already been felt.  Oftentimes Uranus stationing can bring an unexpected shock or an upsetting event, yet the catharsis of released emotion and thought can break us free from a past repetitive pattern we realize was underlying the troubling issue.  As a result the Leo New Moon has an amplified charge of facilitating a fresh start in an area of life that had become stagnant or limiting.  Uranus in its early stages of slowly creeping backwards is potent for opening to unconscious forces as best we can, surrendering to the messages from dreams or the stillness of a moment that gives access to whatever is arising from within.  Uranus here can bring sudden revelations that feel more like remembering rather than striving to learn something new.

In recent years Uranus has been stationing retrograde toward the end of July, last year stationing retrograde simultaneously with Venus stationing retrograde.  In contrast, this time Uranus is stationing retrograde in trine to Venus increasing in light as an Evening Star.  Uranus stationing with so much in Leo surrounding it can spark playful rebelliousness and wild abandon, taking whatever opportunities present themselves for claiming the freedom to act from the heart without consideration of societal constructs and conditioning.  In the drama of life, the stage is set at this Leo New Moon to imbue your role in life with self-assured panache.  Uranus will be retrograde until December 29, 2016 when it will station direct at 20º33′ of Aries.  The astrological landscape will be completely different then, with Jupiter in Libra opposing Uranus, and Saturn in Sagittarius in trine to Uranus and sextile to Jupiter.  Thus the curtain lifts at the Leo New Moon to unveil the storylines that will coincide with these next five months of Uranus retrograde, and so there is no time like the present to courageously initiate the actions you want to take without reservation.

At the same time that Uranus stationed retrograde in the days leading up to the New Moon, Mercury at the end of Leo formed an exact last quarter square with Mars at the end of Scorpio.  The square between Mars and Mercury has been a pivotal theme of 2016, as the year began with Mercury forming a square at the beginning of Aquarius to Mars at the beginning of Scorpio.   In addition, because Mercury will be retrograde in September there will be two more squares between Mars and Mercury in coming months that could tie back to this time:  in September with Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Mars in Sagittarius, and in October with Mercury in Libra and Mars in Capricorn.  Mars and Mercury forming a square can correspond with intense arguments, conflicts or anger, yet the volatile nature of these planets are also intrinsic to forcing change.  In combination with the stationing of Uranus, the Leo New Moon follows significant catalysts for growth that may have felt uncomfortable but forced an issue needing to be revealed in order to create a necessary shift.

titan's goblet

The Titan’s Goblet (1833) Thomas Cole

The re-entrance of Mars into Sagittarius at the same time as the Leo New Moon seems to be one of those cosmic messages of a vital initiation into a new level of our journey.  Mars being in Sagittarius will start to make the movement of Mars moving forward again since being retrograde feel faster and like events in life are picking up again with everything set in motion.  Unlike the time period of March through May in which Mars entered Sagittarius only to then stand still and slowly move backwards into Scorpio, this time Mars is on a quest straight through the sign of the Centaur that leads to a conjunction with Saturn and the fixed star Antares at the end of August.  Bernadette Brady in her book on fixed stars said that Antares being a Royal Star “offers great success” but “also indicates that the person may well cause their own undoing,” stating that the essentiality of Antares “to generate success by going through a cleansing life-and-death experience can cause a person to seek this intensity even when it is not required” (p. 287).  Since Saturn is also involved in this triple conjunction, the trine of Saturn to the Leo New Moon is opportune for responsibly getting a handle on desires as the month begins in order to creatively manifest whatever is in the highest good rather than set things up for a fall into destruction.

At the 2016 Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), Jason Holley gave an insightful talk about Leo entitled Leo and the Solar Field: Creative and Destructive Forces of Narcissism.   Holley illuminated both the creative potency and pitfalls associated with Leo through exploration of Herakles wrestling with the Nemean Lion and gaining its impenetrable skin to wear as armor in his following labors. Holley compared the wrestling of Herakles to wrestling with the archetypal field, as the Nemean Lion was an archetypal force that fell from the Moon at the bidding of Hera to destroy Herakles.  Holley also focused on the rejection felt by Herakles after returning to King Eurystheus to proudly show off the lion skin he was wearing, only to have Eurystheus become so frightened he hid in a subterranean wine jar.

Archetypes are forces that move through us, yet in the myth Herakles merged with the Nemean Lion through wearing its skin, akin to over identifying with an archetypal force in order to inflate the self.  Holley linked the narcissism that can come from Leo to prior rejection of the self in childhood or relationships, leading to the compensation of putting on the lion skin and becoming an archetype to generate a field of magnetism for others to orbit around and mirror.  Feelings of failure in the ordinary world lead to withdrawal into the extraordinary world in order to preserve a feeling of specialness through charismatic channeling of the archetype.  Yet the resulting disconnect with the ordinary brings relational isolation, as becoming a performer adored by an audience also means people are not necessarily connecting with the real person underneath the persona.  Holley said while this can be a soul saving gesture in terms of protecting a sense of specialness, the act of making oneself into a performer possessed by an archetype can lead to pressure to perform and no identity outside of achieving ambitions and acclaim.

One of the antidotes for destructive narcissism Holley brought up is the need for relational mediation, in which the relational field created with another helps step the archetypal force down into metabolizable parts so that both one’s specialness and ordinariness are embraced, and the individual can feel gifted while also an interdependent part of the group, a star amongst a vast field of stars.  This is an important point that can be further connected to the month ahead that also features Mars and Saturn coming together in Sagittarius in addition to the Sun in Leo and Uranus in Aries.  Finding and valuing the relationships in which both our ordinary and extraordinary sides are accepted will help us embrace being ordinary, instead of becoming so upset or impatient that we are not achieving our extraordinary ambitions that we sabotage or neglect important areas of our mundane reality and responsibilities.

Fire by Kircher

Diagram showing the interconnectedness of fire within the earth by Athanasius Kircher from Mundus Subterraneus

Mercury will play the role of mediator with great aplomb in the coming lunar month, as the planet of Hermes has returned to Virgo, both its home and exaltation.  Because Mercury will station retrograde at the end of August, Mercury will continue to be in Virgo through October 7, an excessively long time for Mercury to inhabit one sign.  Currently Mercury is both dignified and increasing in light as an Evening Star, a herald of the twilight hour who can help reflect upon and digest the essential learning of each day’s experience.  Mercury has also been making pivotal aspects by transit, having moved from conjoining Venus to being square to Mars in the recent past, and in the week following the New Moon will move forward to engage the square between Saturn and Neptune.  Mercury opposite to Neptune and in a superior square to Saturn will help clarify any disorientation that has been occurring in sync with the ongoing square between Saturn and Neptune.  As Mercury will then cross over the North Node of the Moon, Mercury is not only mediating but guiding awareness toward new opportunities for growth.

Returning to Jason Holley’s talk Leo and the Solar Field:  Creative and Destructive Forces of Narcissism, Holley made a brilliant point about Virgo and Mercury rooted in the concept of the natural zodiac utilized in Evolutionary Astrology.  Holley stated that when there has been too much narcissistic Leo identification with archetypal forces, then the Virgo Mercury role will become overly perfectionist due to the pressure of needing to perform at a high level, feeling both stress and inner judgment in relation to achieving ambitions.  Furthermore, just as Herakles performed his labors as an act of atonement so can Virgo Mercury succumb to overworking from a place of guilt more so than intrinsic desire.  In contrast, if the mediation of Virgo Mercury can help bring down the narcissism of Leo to being special while also grounded, then the Virgo Mercury can have genuine humility (instead of self punishing humility) and the sort of magical attention to detail and the moment that imbibes the mundane with all of the enchanting Leo magnetism and wonder.

wands06

6 of Wands by Pamela Colman Smith

Leo 2 Decan

The New Moon falls in the second face of Leo associated with the 6 of Wands card illustrated above by Pamela Colman Smith, in which we see a victorious champion riding a triumphant steed and hailed by a wreath of laurel and an adoring crowd.  Austin Coppock in his book on the decans 36 Faces ascribed the image of “A Crown of Laurels” to this face, analyzing the second decan of Leo as holding the triumph of great acts performed by those who have created an authentic persona and ego-structure through which to project their spirit.  This is fitting as Jupiter rules the second face of Leo.  Coppock emphasized that the victory signified by this face “comes through authenticity, not the perfection of character or moral virtue,” and that it is “the temptations of selfishness and cruelty which stain the triumphal nature of this decan, for nothing tests the character so much as victory” (p. 128).  While Coppock wrote that few can rejoice in the light of a lavishly fed ego without becoming blinded, he concluded that the potential of the decan necessitates the alchemy of mediating an authentic connection between the persona one projects into life and the spirit fire within.

Jupiter in Virgo at the time of the New Moon is within a degree of where it stationed retrograde in January 2016, and as it has been moving away from its conjunction with the North Node of the Moon and its square with Saturn, it is applying toward an opposition with Chiron and a quincunx with Uranus.  There is an essential adjustment to be made in tandem with Jupiter to fully engage with life in all of its mundane details, projecting soulful spirit into the world through our heart-centered essence instead of projecting everything into a relationship or other external dependencies.  The bold, passionate immediacy of Leo is a thing of beauty, paraphrasing John Keats, that is a joy of increasing loveliness forever.  Find this place of joy within at this fiery Leo New Moon and share its love and beauty with life.

References

Brady, Bernadette. (1998). Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars. Weiser.

Coppock, Austin. (2014). 36 Faces: The History, Astrology and Magic of the Decans. Three Hands Press.