How to Honor the New Moon in Leo

What a time to be alive! The new moon in Leo is on its way, and it has some important lessons to teach us about identity, truth, and how we live in the world.

Who we are as people and as individuals has never been more important to understand, and yet life has never been more opaque and confusing. Personal identifiers represent so much, and yet leave so much else out of our concept of Truth. Information is more available than ever before in history, but the wise are too often drowned out by the noise of it all.

What a perfect time, then, to plant a seed of clarity in the garden of the mind.

The new moon in Leo is the new moon that occurs when both the sun and the moon are in the sign of Leo, our bold, outspoken lion. This will always fall some time between July 23rd and August 22nd, in the heart of summer.

This particular new moon in Leo takes place on August 16th, amidst a strong period of reflection on both personal and collective levels. How do we define who we are, how we are, and why we are, and what does this all mean about the way we treat ourselves and our relations?

How Will the New Moon in Leo Affect Me?

Leo, the Sun’s home, is a sign that is strongly concerned with selfhood, how we present in the world, and the idea of “this little light of mine” (remember that song from preschool?). In the same way that facial expressions can convey deeper meaning than words, Leo’s performative expression of self simply emanates; how you be is the single, all-important identifying and diagnostic tool. If the world’s a stage, how have you been performing?

A new moon encourages opening a new cycle around these themes and finishing the last one. As the curtain closes on the preceding act, we have a well-timed opportunity to think outside the corner we've backed ourselves into and begin again, with a renewed focus on hopes, dreams, and goals.

Ask yourself: How can I show up more authentically than ever in my everyday life and practices? What outdated patterns do I need to shut down so that I can shine even brighter? How can disciplined habits serve my highest Truth?

How Will the New Moon in Leo Affect Others?

Because this new moon is opposite to Saturn in Aquarius, we can guess that rule-making authorities, supervisors, and those who oversee the smooth operation of institutions might bristle at spunky individuals who prioritize their own sovereignty over the pronouncement of so-called “superiors.”

Managers at all levels may find themselves harried by upstarts who think they know everything and want to reinvent the wheel to their own liking, unaware of or unbothered by the march of the greater collective.

"Just who do they think they are, chest-thumping and talking so loud like that?"

Loud claims and hot takes (which can be hard to take back after the fact), bolstered by an echo chamber of self-assuring beliefs about what the world even is, can push us toward conflict and terse interactions with enemies, friends, and frenemies during this time. And why should those others be allowed to spew their opinions all over everything, anyway? Can’t they see their hatred coming out?

Opposing camps often approach the same outrage differently. Who wouldn't be upset with ever-increasing absurdity on the world stage, sharpened by high-definition imagery and inflamed by soaring fuel prices? They’re upset and I’m upset, and it feels cathartic—fun even—to point a finger and shout it out.

How Can I Best Honor the New Moon in Leo?

As always, when we feel judged and pushy, there awaits an opportunity to breathe, listen to the body, and reflect. Am I hungry? Tired? Lonely? Are there any more effective ways to solve these problems than by crushing my enemies?

Indeed, what outdated patterns do I need to shut down so that I might shine even brighter than ever before?

Excited about the energy of this lunar event? Try one of these five journaling prompts for the new moon.