Degas 1873 {{PD}}

This year ambition and desire fulfillment take center stage for you, dear Leo; everything else pales next to goal attainment. You’ll have an intense need to build something, to create something lasting, to make your mark–and who can blame you, you’re ready! Show who you are, your uniqueness and your skills, and aim for empowerment that opens the door to other, bigger prizes. Still, important as this is for you, and primed as you are to move forward, remaining sensitive to partners, mates, and those with whom you cooperate is vital to real success, for how much fun will it be for you to attain glory if you’re alone? The lion seeks isolation under only the most extraordinary circumstances; this coming year, through to your next birthday, you’ll act with passion and discipline, and appreciate those who surround and support you, if you want to make those dreams a reality.

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Go after that dream, dear Leo. ‘Affiche Salon des Cents’ 1901
Alfons Mucha {{PD}}

Dear Leo, I’ve got some unusual advice for you concerning this coming Solar year, through to your next birthday: pursue your ambitions and desires, and your reward will be circumstances that heal and that bring forward unique skills. Now, notice I didn’t say you’d achieve those ambitions–maybe you will, maybe you won’t–but in going after what you want you’ll create some wonderful side effects. Important too will be the people you partner with, pursue romantically, and/ or whom you meet along the way; you may form some life altering and forever-after attachments during this year. There’ll also be a significant ‘surprise’ factor or a mandate for you to express the individuality in material form–one or the other will be instrumental in adjustments you make to the life Path, and so to where you end up by your next Solar Return. One caution: discipline yourself, avoid needless rebellion, or the Universe will stick its fingers in and hold you back–don’t let that happen! Happy Birthday, Leo, and good luck!

It won’t all be frantic activity–you can take some time off, too, Leo. Oscar Bluhm ‘Pergola’ 1892 {{PD}}

You’re awaiting that ‘big idea’, dear Leo, but it’s not here quite yet; in the meantime, balancing the emotional life and the life of the mind, the physical needs and the spiritual ones, and exploring those facets of your Beingness that make you uniquely you, are all good ways to prepare. You’ll need to be ready to act when that idea hits, and you’ll also need to know who you are, inside and out–how else will you create from that big idea something only you could’ve done? It’s likely to be an action-filled and exciting period, and if you make the right choices and do what needs to be done this coming year through to your next birthday, you’ll be more than ready to make of the inspirations that come to you something exceptionally special. Happy Birthday, Leo, and good luck!

Cat by Isoda Koryusai (1766–1788) Only lived to be 22, but still managed to leave us something of note. {{PD}}

You may feel a little like you’re living in the proverbial fish-bowl this coming year, through to your next birthday, dear Leo; thoughts, feelings, and actions will all be both exaggerated and broadcast, in one way or another, during this period. In a way, it may seem like you can’t catch a break; from your point-of-view if could feel as if you’re just expressing yourself, but others may see you as having dark or hidden motives, as trying to be deliberately mysterious (and so deliberately provocative), as grabbing for power, or as trying to change the world (or just your corner of it), which can on its own attract both praise and accusations of pretentiousness. What’s a Lion to do? Whatever the f*ck she wants, that’s what. Let them talk; you need to spend the year acting and being who you are to the fullest, and if that means things soar successfully or go wonky once in a while, well, that’s the only way you’ll learn, isn’t it?

On the use of an asterisk to tone down profanity: I think it looks like a little sparkle, which is what you get when you use that kind of spicy word in the first place–so rather than feeling like I’m dodging the word, I’m making it more graphic, like those terrible poems trendy 50 years ago, where the word ‘bottle’ fills the shape of a bottle–it may be a tad tiresome, but you get the picture–

‘Music’ Matisse {{PD}}

What happens when we are caught between enacting our social role and turning away from it in order to deal with things we’d rather avoid, or to establish ourselves in a position respected by others? We live a year like the upcoming one for you, dear Leo! You may be entirely caught up in identity and role matters, and so have little time or mental room to accommodate those emotional, home, and mate issues that may arise. That’s okay; the partner will give you some slack when they see how important it is (and extra so for a Solar Leo!) for you to make it clear to all just who you are, what you want to do, and how you want to be treated. Don’t forget to thank your support system, and to offer them empowerment through your own gains and advances. You may end up making a lot of changes this year, through to your next birthday, and they will be permanent ones–take your time as you do change things, and you’ll finish the year in a much more suitable power situation than when you started it. Happy Birthday, Leo, and good luck!

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‘At the Moulin Rouge’ Henri Evenepoel 1897 {{PD}}

This may be a very interesting Solar year for you, dear Leo, as through to your next birthday you may be dealing in equal measure with opportunities and those matters you’d rather ignore–and sometimes these will be one and the same. Interacting with others, and especially their level of cooperation, will take on added importance for you–you are working out a creative power arrangement that allows you the greatest productivity and latitude, and you’ll find sometimes that you’ll need the aid of others to make this happen. Pay special attention to this: emotions will be the key to everything this coming year–how you handle feelings will make or break your success at this time, so good luck, and Happy Birthday, Leo!

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Francesco del Cossa – Allegory of April – Triumph of Venus (detail) {{PD}}

Dear Leo, this coming Solar year, through to your next birthday, you may be in for experiences that reveal what’s been in your blind spot and that delivers some serious wisdom–and, as much as you’ll benefit from this, it might be a little bit stressful. Communications may be stressed, too, and material matters may force you to stand up for yourself and to face what you’d rather not–but what comes from this is a firm identity, true respect for yourself, and the discovery of just who in your world loves and supports you and who doesn’t, which should help you sort out where and with whom you want to spend your energy and your time. The best thing that comes from this period will be a growing sense of personal power and effectiveness, which will pave the way for you to bring dreams from their place in the imagination and into reality.