Leo Season: The Heart of Summertime
By Catie Cadge, PhD
Welcome to the heart of summertime, Santa Cruz stargazers, when we frolic under the warm sunshine and embrace the playful spirit of Leo the lion! Time to let your soul shine with a generous heart and seek pleasure through self-expression and creative juju. August opens with a New Moon in Leo, 12°34’, on the 4th at 4:13 am Pacific time. Moon and Sun form a sextile, 60° aspect, with both Mars and Jupiter in Gemini. Set an intention to SPEAK your heart, to let yourself express love or to manifest a new creative project. Think of the old rock song, Turn on your Love Light, “let it shine on me, turn on your love light!” This New Moon triggers a need to be seen and cherished in light of new paths of personal discovery that Jupiter in Gemini is opening for each of us.
Also on August 4th, Mercury, planet of perception and communication, stops in the sky and turns retrograde at 4°06’ Virgo, while Venus enters the sign of the Virgin. Mercury retrograde and Venus conjunct August 7th. Mercury is very strong in Virgo, a sign the planet rules. There is a discriminating and possibly critical vibe to this combination, when we may question what we need in relationship and perhaps what isn’t working. Virgo can also bring out a desire for service and to sharpen one’s skills at courtship (Venus) or to hone one’s artistic skill set. The slowing down of Mercury (as the planet is perceived to move backward) coincides with the New Moon in Leo, be careful about recognizing a partner’s love or another’s creative work. Give a round of applause! ‘Cause I’m begging you baby, “Turn on your love light, let it shine on me!”
Mercury continues to move retrograde through the month until the planet slows again and stations direct at 21°25’ Leo on August 28th. Mercury retrograde is always a great time to reflect, reevaluate, and reconsider where life is taking us and what is essential for our own soul growth. When in late Leo in the latter part of August, Mercury moves from a critical self-evaluation of Virgo to asking, where do I need to be able to express myself more? Where am I worthy of being seen and cherished for my creative gifts, my love, my generosity and my fiery enthusiasm? Everyone deserves to have their love light shine and have that light radiate in full glory!
When Mercury is retrograde, it is a good time to be reflective and allow your mind to process inner voices. Don’t be in a rush to sign contracts or engage in critical correspondence. While your mind and heart are turning inward, it is easy to make mistakes or have communications go awry. Best to be introspective now.
August 14th, the day Mercury retrograde enters Leo, Mars catches up to Jupiter in Gemini and makes an exact conjunction at 16°40’ while both square Saturn in Pisces now. Gemini as an energy seeks fresh perspectives, a multiplicity of viewpoints, and a natural curiosity, along with a love for chatter and word play. This is a wonderful time for writers to tap into their inner muse, reimagine a writing project or explore with gusto what feels good in terms of expressing your voice. Saturn in Pisces will help with the visions you need.
The Full Moon in Aquarius, 27°15’, occurs August 19th at 11:25 am. Every summer, during Leo season, the Moon in the sign of the waterbearer opposes the Sun. In a nutshell, Aquarius, the sign of the genius, the eccentric, the humanitarian, is about freedom and authenticity. The Moon opposes Mercury as well as the Sun, and squares Uranus in late Taurus. Let your freak flag fly! True self-expression comes from a combination of both a fiery loving heart and following a true path unique to you.
Shortly after, Sun enters Virgo on August 22nd and it is time to polish our skills and bring our insights gathered during the month into creative works of service. “Let it shine, let it shine!” We work in Virgo season to make real our craft, building upon the introspective processes of Mercury retrograde.
***
Have a story to share? The San Lorenzo Valley Post welcomes your Santa Cruz Mountains news, story ideas, photos, and letters. Send us an email.
Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to news and events in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Catie Cadge, PhD
Catie Cadge is Dean of the Forrest Center for Evolutionary Astrology. Classes and more information: forrestastrology.center. Read about Catie and her work at caraevolutionaryastrology.com.
