Evolving In The Sign Of...
As we approach the Aquarius Full Moon on Thursday, August 11, we are once again activating the Fixed Grand Cross last triggered in February this year and reignited with the new moon in Leo at the end of July. We are once again revisiting the “axis of ego” in addition to big wakeup calls where we might have remained slightly too “fixed” in our lives and need to change.
Let’s begin with Leo, ruled by the Sun with many tantalizing and alluring qualities. Warm, passionate, dynamic, brave, tenacious, generous, self-confident, at first sight, Leo gathers all the necessary traits of a natural born leader… except that at the core, Leo is not exactly meant to rule men and a greater truth very often lurks behind this appearance.
Leo follows the sign of Cancer, where we have learned to find emotional stability within, to live with our family and even build a household with a partner. Leo represents the next stage of our evolution, the BIRTHING OF OUR CREATIVITY. It is therefore associated to children, creativity, art and romance, all things that we can shape to our own image or where we can express ourselves unimpeded. Leo rules SELF-EXPRESSION.
With kids comes two things:
Leo is a fire sign, they will therefore follow their internal flame, moving from within and seek to impact the world around them. Now aware that time passes, Leo will try to build a legacy that can stand the test of time. And to do so, he will need to collaborate with others.
Except that without the self-critical qualities of the Virgo which will follow, he is not really good at that…Leo doesn’t yet know how to cooperate (this will come with Libra) so he will push his will onto others in a rather dramatic fashion, hoping that all with recognize his innate qualities and the important role they can play, bestowing upon them riches and power.
Thanks to their strong fixed flame, Leo’s enthusiasm and confidence is second to none and this is very often extremely welcome by others less gifted in natural optimism…
If Cancer rules feelings, the internal sensations that help us distinguish between good and bad, Leo rules EMOTIONS, the physical reactions and actions that follow the integration of feelings… or not if inhibited. Leo is the sign of the Heart.
Eager to impress and gain your approval, Leo will OVERDO, becoming a master of emotions, able to modulate them based on the affect expected, in fewer words: the ultimate drama queen. They very often know that the first one who will move in the light is likely to remain in that position so they will very often be ready to take any risk to do so.
Since Leo is unable to cooperate his only option is to RULE. He will do so mostly motivated by his social insecurity; not sure he will be accepted for who he really is. He will consequently tend to seek approvals and maintain or regain this favor by all imaginable means: including dramatic over-statements, lies and bribery.
Venus has just entered Leo, where the Sun has already spent the end of July and August. The energy of this full moon will likely be felt strongly for the next month and continue to be influential through the autumn eclipses. However, with this full moon in Aquarius we are not really interested in praising the quality of this sign but in integrating its failings, our failings since we ALL express this energy in one or more sectors of our life, depending on our planets placement.
Like all oppositions, this standoff between Leo and Aquarius is an excellent way to identify shadows and projections.
With this polarity, we explore the axis of EGO, the axis of AUTHORITY and ART vs SCIENCE.
Leo and Aquarius bring together big heart and big mind, as a polarity on opposite sides of the Zodiac wheel. The best of both is a playful, generous spirit, with heart intelligence.
Both are masculine and fixed signs, they both seek to act, focus the energy and stabilize it (i.e. limit the excesses of the previous cardinal signs: Cancer and Capricorn). A passionate Leo does battle with cool Aquarius, while secretly wondering what they see (that Leo doesn’t). And Aquarius chides the Leo as full of themselves but longs to feel some of that spontaneous enthusiasm.
Aquarius is an Air sign, as such it is very rational, mostly using their mind, interested in the domain of possible, running observation & conceptualization. They seek to understand and will demonstrate the utmost objectivity & discernment in doing so, both necessary for clear communication. Their realm is the future. Pushed to an extreme, Aquarius can end up looking completely detached, cold, standing far outside, losing touch with the personal experience over communal outcome.
Where Leo stands in the middle of the circle, passionately expressing themself and making sure their wishes are being fulfilled, Aquarius stands on the circumference, at equal distance from the center, linked to and supportive of all others standing there too.
Ruled by Saturn traditionally, Aquarius shows a strong sense of social responsibilities, perfectly understand how to collaborate and design the optimal processes for cooperation to strive.
Since the 19th century, Aquarius has a new modern ruler, Uranus, synonymous with liberty, equality and fraternity, all notions incredibly dear to Aquarians who will very often stop at nothing to bring the Sagittarian dreams of social justice.
On the ego side, we observe a self-centered sign (we never said selfish, let us be clear, both signs carry light and darkness) who will go all the way to see their personal wishes fulfilled (Leo) and a self-less or self-aware sign who will try by all means necessary to improve others’ life conditions and all institutional processes, including open rebellion. Both are bold, Leo when taking the initiative and sometimes bluffing, Aquarius when it’s about defending his or hers and others’ difference.
The invitation of this polarity is to
DARE TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART
and
BALANCE PERSONAL & COLLECTIVE.
On the authority side, we clearly deal with personal versus collective authority. Monarchy vs Democracy. Individual (self-expression) vs universal (larger group freedom to rule and express itself).
The main themes that this full moon will raise pertain to:
But most importantly, this full moon will bring its bright light on our Leo shadows, inviting us to leave behind the following tendencies:
