Part I: General Vibe
Leo is a fire sign that relates to action, spirit and heartfelt joy. So fire up your life now! Leo season typically is about hobbies, recreation, entertainment, sports, romance, vacations, celebrations and parties. It’s time to do things that feed your spirit and make life FUN. Leo is all about play. So it is time to throw yourself into things that make your inner kid go: WHEEEE! Do things that make life worth living. Dance in the street, gallop around in the sunshine, take off on an adventure, or just hug someone and tell them you love them.
Leo is the sign that is related to children and youth, so it is a good time to do a lot of kid-related activities. If you don’t have any kids in your life, then babysit a niece or nephew this season or take your friend’s kids to the waterslide for the afternoon. Or simply let your own inner child out to play.
And don’t forget to do something creative. Leo is all about creative self-expression. It’s about doing your own special thing, whatever that may be. It’s about getting into the zone–that flow of creativity when you are doing something you love–something that feels really YOU, be it dancing Zumba, playing your guitar, journaling in your notebook or working on your current hobby. Spend more time doing something artistic, musical or theatrical. Don’t be a wallflower now. Jump into the spotlight and express yourself. Show the world who you are and what you can do. Let them see how fantastic you are. Forget about the haters. Leo rules the sun and this is the season for us to SHINE.
Make Stuff Happen
If you want something to happen, take a risk. It is not the time to sit back and passively let life just happen to you. It is time to make something happen. Grab hold of your courage and take charge of the direction your life is headed now. Steer your own boat. Become the leader of your own destiny. (Astro Tip: if you want to launch a new project, wait until Mercury retrograde is over on July 31st, though, and you will have even better success. More info on that below.) The point is, Leo Season is not the time to sit around, waiting for something to happen to you. It is the time to Make Stuff Happen. And make sure it is FUN Stuff!
Fulfill your Creative Purpose, Pursue your Heart’s Desire
Leo is the sign that governs the heart. So take a moment and ask yourself: “What is my heartfelt desire?” because there are a lot of planets urging you to pursuit it now. During this Leo season, not only do we have the Sun in its domicile of Leo, we also have Venus entering Leo on July 28th and Mercury entering Leo on August 11th. Mars is already in Leo and will be until August 18th. All these Leo planets will be getting inflated by Jupiter who trines them in retrograde motion from Sagittarius. The Leo planets will also get boosted because they will be apex points of yods formed by Saturn, Pluto and Neptune. This further amps up our drive to take action to fulfill our creative purpose and pursue our heartfelt desires.
Now this is a LOT of Leo fire energy to handle, and things could get wildly out of control. But thankfully, Saturn is here to keep things in check so that we all don’t become completely manic. Saturn will keep us grounded, realistic and will curb our egos–something that is helpful during a strong Leo season. Saturn will represent all those pesky limitations that are standing in our way as we strive to fulfill our ideals (Neptune) and change our lives (Pluto). Our previous commitments, relationships, responsibilities, chores and duties may seem irritating because we can’t just charge off and do whatever we want at full tilt. And we might feel tempted to blame others for limiting us. But that is not the right attitude to take now. More likely, it is your own attitude that is causing a lot of the limitation. You will need to pay attention to the irritating obstacles in order to succeed in your plans, and keep everyone in your life happy, including yourself. It might feel a little tricky melding together your heartfelt dreams with your responsibilities, but constant tinkering on the situation and making ongoing adjustments will help bring it all together.
Check out your chart and see what house Leo falls in (along with its ruler, the Sun) because it is time to bring some fun and a sense of play and adventure to that house. You are called on to be a leader in this area of your life and to take action. People might look to you for inspiration or as a role model here. Whatever house Leo falls in will be an area of life where you tend to attract the attention of others. Pursuing the activities of that house will often happen naturally because it feels fun. However, you will also likely feel a strong sense of pride in your accomplishments in that house and take them seriously because you wish to command respect for them.
Part II: Retrograde News
Mercury Retrograde Ends
This year, Leo season will be a little slow to get going because Mercury will still be retrograde at the start of Leo season. So use the time between July 22 and July 31st as a time to plan out all the cool things you want to pursue during the rest of Leo Season. For maximum success, hold back on starting those plans until after July 31st.
Although Mercury is no longer retrograde as of July 31st, it will still be in its shadow zone until August 15th. This means that issues that arose during the retrograde period (between July 6th and 31st) will come echoing back, seeking resolution. From July 31st to August 15th, you will finally get a chance to fix any mess-ups that might have happened when Mercury was retrograde, especially any problems you had with miscommunications, messages, computers/phones/communications equipment, technology, mail, travel, documents and paperwork.
Jupiter goes Direct, Uranus goes Retro
Pursuing our heartfelt joy might challenge us to go against the grain of convention. If you are following your heart, remember that you can’t please everybody. Might cause a few waves, especially around July 29, 2019 and August 2, 2019 (when the Sun and then Venus square Uranus). Might feel hard on your ego or your pride, but never mind. You can take it. Go for the inner bliss and forget what others think is right or cool. On August 11th, Uranus goes retrograde in Taurus. For the next few months, this lends us extra fortitude to dance to our own inner music rather than worry about fitting in with the crowd.
Meanwhile, Jupiter goes direct on August 11, too, signalling an end to a period of rumination about our belief systems. Jupiter’s forward motion will help fuel our pursuit of all those Leo joys and heartfelt desires and will help to expand our creativity and our life even more. YES!
Part III: Global Events: Some Sabian Symbols to Consider
During this Leo Season, all the planets in Leo will be taking turns trining Jupiter while quincunxing Saturn, Pluto and Neptune. It’s interesting to look at some of the Sabian symbols of Jupiter and Saturn during this time. Here’s the Sabian symbol for Jupiter’s spot, which hovers around 14 degrees, 30 minutes of Sagittarius:
PHASE 255 (SAGITTARIUS 15°): THE GROUND HOG LOOKING FOR ITS SHADOW ON GROUND-HOG DAY, FEBRUARY 2.
KEYNOTE:The value of anticipating new turns of events and ascertaining future prospects.
In our modern industrial society where policy changes and decisions often take several years to reach full actualization, it has become essential to plan with an eye on probable future developments. Such planning requires a study of past trends and the extrapolation of the results. What above all is implied in the symbol is a sensitivity to social or planetary rhythms, and the need to ensure at least relative safety by planning ahead.
This is the last symbol in this fifty-first sequence. Something of the meanings of the first four is involved in the process it suggests. In its highest form the knowledge required is “eonic consciousness” — in modern terms the new science of PROSPECTIVE.
Our planet is in dire straits due to climate change, ecological destruction and the extinction of numerous species. As the Sabian symbol suggests, it is prime time to develop a sensitivity to planetary rhythms and to start planning ahead, if humanity wishes to have a secure future on planet Earth. And with Jupiter retrograde at the moment, it is asking us to all pause and re-consider this.
Unfortunately, most governments do not customarily plan ahead due to their short time in office. Instead, they ram through policies that suit their own needs and the needs of those who fund them. Society does not have much patience for policies that will do good “in the future”. The urge for instant gratification and to make as much money as possible in the moment has killed off our ability to plan ahead for our future generations. Currently, Jupiter is asking us to to re-think our values, become more sensitive to the rhythms of the planet (and society) and focus on future ecological safety.
Now here’s the Sabian symbol for Saturn who will spend some time hovering at 14 degrees Capricorn:
PHASE 285 (CAPRICORN 15°): IN A HOSPITAL, THE CHILDREN’S WARD IS FILLED WITH TOYS.
KEYNOTE: The responsibility of society to ensure the welfare and total health of the new generation.
The socio-cultural process must look to the future as well as to the past. It has created conditions which may harm the children who will carry forward its work, and it must try to repair these negative conditions through love as well as through physical care. In personal life, the individual should take great care of his fresh intuitions and his dreams of future growth. They are often fragile developments which the pressures of everyday life can easily distort or destroy.
This is the last stage of Scene Nineteen, which began with a powerful claim for socio-political power. The exercise of such a power can indeed produce social conditions which endanger the healthy and spiritual unfoldment of a community, and especially of its children. There is therefore constant need for TENDER CARE as well as skill to neutralize the destructive tensions of social living.
This Sabian symbol sounds very timely considering the headlines about the horrific abuse of migrant children and infants at American detention centers. And as I write this, the world is still reacting to photos of the drowned migrant father Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his baby daughter. And Greta Thunberg, the 16 year-old climate activist is currently travelling and speaking to politicians about how they have stolen the future of today’s children. Western society and its social structure no longer nurtures and supports human life and in fact, has come to endanger it. With Saturn in this degree of Capricorn (maturity, responsibility, goal-directed action) the cosmos is being very clear: either we wake up and look after the planet, our children and their futures, or the human race will risk having no future.
Make Activism Fun Again?
Currently, with all the planets in Leo, it is a great time to take up action for a cause. The “just go out there and make it happen” energies of Leo supports activists who want to make positive changes on the planet. With the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars all trining Jupiter, there is an opportunity to get creative about global activism, and to do it with great joy and love for the planet and our future generations. Thinking up creative solutions to global problems doesn’t always have to be an exercise in dread. At times it can consciously be made playful, fun and creative too. Here are a few examples of how we can help to heal the planet and still have fun at the same time:
- Make a game out of it, whenever you can. eg. “Let’s see if I can go the whole month without buying anything plastic.” “Let’s see if I can bike to work everyday for the next 4 weeks and save fuel consumption,” Or “Let’s see if I can get my family to eat meatless meals 2 days a week.” Etc. Pick something challenging but also something that you would still enjoy trying to do.
- If you have to do some shopping, or if you love to express yourself with fashion, head to a thrift store and pick up stuff for a bargain. You will have hours of creative and inspiring fun. Plus it keeps items out of the landfill and helps prevent waste from being produced in the first place. Don’t have a thrift near you? Try ThredUp, the huge online thrift store. It even carries brand new items with the tags still on, all at thrift store prices.
- Do activism with kids. Leo season is youth season, and nothing ignites fun faster than a bunch of kids getting together in a group. Know any young people who are into the same cause as you? Lend a hand helping them with their projects. Or start to teach your own kids about things they can do to help the planet.
- Get creative. If you are a a musician, you can busk your message from a busy sidewalk or peform at get togethers with friends. If you are an artist, you can get involved in chalk art activism to help spread your message. Find a way to take your special creative talents and gift it to the planet.
Part IV: Some Leo Season Highlights:
Jul 24, 2019 Mercury Retrograde conjunct Venus in Cancer
This transit will affect your love relationship or your relationship with a family member. It is time to talk about something that happened a while back. A situation that was broiling around the third week of June 2019 had tempers flaring. Emotions were high. There might have been a confrontation then. That same issue might have resurfaced again on July 20th, too. Now, on July 24th, it is finally time to sit down and talk about what happened and try to clear up any lingering problems. Try to speak clearly, calmly and directly to avoid miscommunication. It will be tempting to indulge your emotions now but that could lead to unproductive over-reactions so make an effort to use logic and reason when communicating.
Jul 25 and 26, 2019 Mars in Leo trine retrograde Jupiter in Sagittarius and qunicunx retrograde Saturn in Capricorn
You might be feeling an urge to spring forward and go after something you really want. Or an irritating situation might be forcing you to take action to improve your circumstances. The results might not be perfect–with Mercury still in retrograde motion, it is not quite the time to push forward yet. Plus, you are probably not totally free to do so, either. You still have to take into account your responsibilities to other people at this time. You will need to make adjustments in order to take into account other people’s needs, too. Resist the urge to blame other people or circumstances for holding you back and look to where your own attitude might be hindering you now.
Jul 28 and 29, 2019 Sun trine retrograde Chiron in Aries, and square Uranus in Taurus
A brief window of opportunity to heal exists now, especially when it comes to matters affecting your ego or sense of self. It is a prime time to let go of a past hurt now, and if you consciously make the intention to do so, it could happen quite abruptly and effectively. The healing result might come as a surprise to you, or you might surprise someone else by doing so. It might require seeing the situation in a way that is totally unique or eccentric. Don’t be afraid to be different now, but try to do it in a graceful and courteous way. Avoid acting in an abrupt manner–impatience will be interpreted as rudeness now.
Jul 30, 2019 Mars in Leo quincunx retrograde Neptune in Pisces
All your previously plans to take action might dissolve today, leaving you bewildered and wandering aimlessly. You might feel like things need to be more perfect before you can take action, or that you are not good enough to take action. Or you might just be feeling drained, tired and like you need a day off. Don’t scuttle you plans completely. Just rest or tread water for now and see how you feel in a couple days, after the New Moon.
July 31, 2019. Mercury stations direct
Mercury Retrograde is over. Hooray–you made it through another one. Some retrograde issues might re-surface in the weeks ahead as Mercury regains ground and climbs out of the shadow zone, but this is all good. The weeks ahead offer a chance to finally resolve any mess-ups that occurred.
Aug 1, 2019 New Moon in Leo, Venus in Leo trine retrograde Chiron in Aries
Fabulous New Moon for love relationships. Romance is highlighted now. If you are having issues with your partner, healing is favored, so try to patch things up now. And if you are single, it can be a good time for healing a broken heart. Regardless of whether you are coupled up or not, set some goals on how to inject more romance or affection into your life for the next couple of weeks.
Aug 2 – 4, 2019 Venus in Leo square Uranus in Taurus, Mars in Leo quincunx retrograde Pluto in Capricorn
A couple of days where life hiccups. Romance gets challenged by a hurdle that you did not see coming and that abruptly changes the norm. The situation might involve your finances and spending, too. You might feel the sudden urge to have more space and it could prompt you to do something out of character. This could make some waves in your relationship. Do you see how both of you are being very stubborn now? Neither of you will get what you want without facing and hearing what the other person needs, too. The situation is not perfect, but resist the urge to blame the other person. Adjusting to other people and outer circumstances is required now.
Aug 7- 9, 2019 Sun and Venus in Leo trine retrograde Jupiter in Sagittarius and quincunx retrograde Saturn in Capricorn
You might feel like you are chomping at the bit to go out and have a great time or make something wonderful happen, but perfection seems to elude you now. You feel the urge to make things bigger and better, but irritating circumstances require that you spend a lot of your energy adjusting to reality. Obligations, duties, work and commitments might feel overly tedious and restricting, as if they require too much time and energy. However, if you pay attention to these practicalities, they will actually help you get closer to the goals you really want. They are all part of the whole package. Similarly, love and romance matters swell on the 8th and feel great, only to hit a snag on the 9th. Perfection is not happening now. Try to be practical and realistic about the situation–that will bring you more happiness now than striving for unrealistic perfection.
Aug 10, 11, 2019 Sun and Venus in Leo quincunx retrograde Neptune in Pisces
You might have big dreams about what you “deserve” out of life now. You have a sense of how things could be ideal, if only you were good enough–if only you were better, or more perfect somehow. But focusing on how you are not good enough or not prepared enough is not really a helpful way of looking at the situation. Rather, try to look at it this way: enjoy your current dreams and ideals. They are giving you vital info about what you think is important to pursue in life. Then take a few small steps toward these goals, in whatever way you can.
Aug 11, 2019 Uranus goes retrograde, Jupiter goes direct (see “Part II: Retrograde News” above)
Aug 13, 2019 Sun conjunct Venus in Leo quincunx retrograde Pluto in Capricorn
A pair of important days as far as karma and soul evolution goes. The cosmos is giving you an opportunity to improve a situation that is bugging you. The way to do it is to realize that other people or outside circumstances are not the problem so much as the way you are looking at things. And if you have been looking at things only from your own limited point of view, the Universe might press you now to see the folly in that. You have to look further and consider other people’s perspectives now. Things would go better if you make an effort to adjust to your environment, rather than rage against it. It is a pain, but is necessary in order for you to learn something valuable about other people and the society in which you live.
Aug 15, 2019 Full Moon at 22 degrees Aquarius, Mercury in Leo trine retrograde Chiron
It’s a full moon all about love. Love for the people in our personal lives, and love for humanity in general. At this time, many of us will come to see that what we desire in life must fit with the needs of the rest of the world, too. It’s not just all about “me, my wants, my needs, my family, my kids, and my life.” The simple truth built into the cosmos is that what is good for the whole of humanity also happens to be good for you, too. None of us are free from suffering until we all are set free.
You might find it easy to show or speak your affection now or demonstrate your generosity. With Mars in the picture, there might be some tension and conflict, too, but only when we become overly concerned with our own needs and forget about the needs and of others.
It’s a dandy time to have a healing conversation now and to talk things through with someone. If you are still trying to fix situations that broke down during Mercury retrograde, this transit will help you clear up the confusion and repair what was damaged previously. Now you can finally move forward and put the whole mess behind you.
Aug 16, 2019 Mercury in Leo square retrograde Uranus in Taurus
Sudden news might arrive today, changing all your plans. Your immediate response will be to resist the change but it is probably better to try to stay flexible. Communications might feel overly speedy and terse. Egos flare easily today, everyone is in an extra stubborn mood and there might be conflict over money. On a more positive note, stay open to any flashes of intuition that hit you today– you might get some keen insights on future trends. If you are dealing with children today or young people, be prepared for some extra surprises. Don’t take your eye off small ones even for a second today–it could only take a split second for them to find trouble!
Aug 21, 2019 Mercury in Leo trine Jupiter and quincunx retrograde Saturn
Conversations, reading and writing are highlighted now. You might feel an unusually strong need to communicate your personal beliefs today. However, something (or someone) is limiting your attempts to do so. You might proudly speak your thoughts only to be surprised by the negative reaction they receive. If other people are smacking you down in conversations now, try to listen to what they are saying. Don’t just write them off as haters–they might have a point. It might be time to adjust your view about a certain situation. Your limited personal experience might have blinded you to the truth of other people’s experiences regarding the matter. Try to listen and learn now.
Stay tuned for the next article in the Cosmic Alignment series: Virgo Season, coming at you in a few weeks! Until then, don’t forget to seek out fun and do things that make life worth living!
In the meantime, if you want to know more about Leo Season and how it will affect your own astrology chart, you can book a personal consultation with me. Click here for more information.
KISMET 