Wendy Cicchetti

Leo New Moon

The Leo New Moon brings an energetic, dramatic development to a scenario that may have already been quite colorful. If life has seemed lackluster lately, the momentum is about to pick up. Leo adds boldness, increasing visibility and opportunities to ensure that something vital isn’t overlooked.

The spirited atmosphere around this New Moon is supported by a sextile to Mars — linked with the fire element — in the air sign of Gemini. The Twins help with spreading the volatile energy of fire through breeze — literal or abstract — in terms of finding the right words and joining conversations to carry actions forward. It could be as straightforward as picking up the phone for an important chat, sending a neglected email, or realizing “yes” or “no” is the answer to a request or offer. Whatever the case, the emphasis is on self-created opportunity, rather than something rolling in.

The Moon–Mars aspect is separating, so some ground may have been covered already. Either way, the Moon is applying to sextile Jupiter, the planet of faith, hope, and charity. Given last month’s Moon– Pluto conjunction, this looks like the equivalent of finding hope at the bottom of Pandora’s box! Occasionally, we must go through a difficult phase before we can get to a better one. And this does seem like discovering the brightness again after a dark night of the soul.

The lively Leo Moon is disposited by the Sun in its natural sign. We may be able to emphasize the positive qualities over the negative in a relationship or situation, which could feel meaningful if the connection’s been difficult, in a low patch, or created doubts and conflict. Last month’s Moon–Pluto conjunction may have felt like a bomb hitting the environment around us, and now that something was aired, we see it as part of a passing phase.

Perhaps not all situations can survive the annihilation of a bombing, metaphorical or otherwise! So, there’s also the potential of simply starting fresh. This could be actively walking away from devastation and heading through a new doorway. With Mars in Gemini conjunct Jupiter, we may make a new friendship, or a romantic or business connection that has a feeling of equality about it. As Gemini is the sign of the Twins, some people may meet their true match, or twin flame. Gemini encounters can also be fleeting, delivering needed information or connections to people and places, then dissipating. The sextile aspect echoes taking action when an opportunity is open to us.

Venus is co present in Leo at 29°13′ and quincunx (inconjunct) Neptune in Pisces — continuing the focus of planets at critical degrees and underlining a sense of urgency to complete a mission. Venus and Neptune matched together might relate to a need for intimacy or escape, depending on the situation. Pluto is also quincunx Venus, albeit out of sign at 0° Aquarius. A Finger of God (a.k.a. yod or Finger of Fate) forms among these three planets. This pattern is best analyzed by focusing on the focal planet, the one receiving or making the two quincunx aspects — in this case, Venus. Considering this focus in a natal chart, Sue Tompkins describes it as the nib of a pen, “as the action point of the pen overall” (The Contemporary Astrologer’s Handbook, Flare Publications, 2006, London). We can take the same view of the transit, pinpointing the action we commit to with that instrument of communication — whether with ourselves or others. With the Leo focus, this brings us back to acting from the heart, ensuring we don’t let anything vital slip — for we need to keep the heart beating!

This article is from the Mountain Astrologer by Diana McMahon Collis