If you read this title and automatically heard the words that follow this line from an old Neil Diamond song (‘I am I said/ to no one there’) then you’ve just grasped the essence of this Leo New Moon: we may end up feeling like we’re shouting into the Void, or at the crowd, or we may simply realize we are speaking, putting out info, sharing ourselves, to an empty room. The New Moon forms on the 4th at 4:12 AM PDT at 12 Leo 33. It doesn’t make a lot of aspects; that emphasizes the sense of Leo as a singular energy, one that sees the Self as spreading out into the Universe, with the Universe reflecting the Self, rather than the individual reflecting the Universe. The Leo energy glories in expression of the unique sensibilities, aware that its opposite (Aquarius) signifies the groups to which one belongs and one’s place in those groups, making for a kind of ‘othering’ of the individual’s obligations to everyone else, freeing Leo New Moon energy to be concerned only with the Self.

It’s important to note that between now and the New Moon, we’re in the Dark period, which calls for its own variation on low-key energy and a more contemplative-than-usual mindset. Rest and relax–not as easily done as it is said, but a good thing to aim for, anyway.

The New Moon prompts us to communicate assertively, to lay out the facts, to broadcast our ideas to the world (NM in wide sextile to Mars and Jupiter, widely conjoined in Gemini) and potentially to act on them–but there are some crisis energies in play right now that could distract, to the point where pronouncements are made but not effectively received by the intended audience—and yet what happens still shapes the future, whether we mean it to or not (NM trine NN/ sextile SN). Mars and Jupiter together in a Mercury-ruled sign could make for a racing mind, exaggerated Will, anger, or appetites, and may inflate our perceptions of the aggression or transgressions of others–we see a bullet coming toward us, propelled by angry words, rather than the tossed pebble it actually is.

What’s worse, our intuitive perceptions, and our experience of our own emotions (Lunar energies), may suffer as the mind (Gemini) insists on inserting itself–and we can’t get away from the ‘me’ focus of the the Leo Moon, which only encourages us to see ourselves as right, even perfect, despite any feedback to the contrary.

The energies in crisis are creative and relationship ones, ones where we are unsure of the value of things, ones where we are either worried that what exists will be destroyed, or that what exists isn’t what we think it is—both valid worries with Venus at 29 degrees of Leo, quincunx Pluto at 00 Aquarius, and quincunx Neptune at 29 Pisces. This draws a Finger of God in the sky; the apex (Venus) centers the effects on interaction, assets, and what we care about, while the base of Neptune sextile Pluto speaks of the power inherent in new knowledge, innovation, invention, or radical events (Pluto in Aquarius) combined with crises in the creative, inventive, spiritual, or in manifestation of the Universe itself (Neptune in Pisces–with this latter, think climate change, experiments or power generation that alters fundamental atomic structure, a shift in the magnetic poles, mutations, changes to the rotation of liquid layers near the Earth’s core, asteroids, comets, and space junk on a collision course with us–you get my drift). I have a totally irrational fear that gravity will stop working, right as I’m climbing a steep tower, counting on that downward pull to center me and keep me in place; this weekend would be just the kind of instance when that fear could come true. We must accept the stressful and inconclusive status of both creative and relationship matters at this time–walking a tightrope is tricky, but if we remain aware that the only way to resolve things is to get to the other side–that’s the beauty of not resolving these matters, right now.

One other thing I’d like to mention that’s not relevant to the Moon picture but will, for some of us, be distinctively, aggressively in the air: Eris and Chiron, conjoined in the latter third of Aries. Irritations and upsets we normally quash, ignore, bury, or otherwise have the Self-control to overlook come popping up, making for a kind of ‘instant anger’, and offering a fiery potential to hurt or be hurt. Try not to let anyone press your buttons if you can.

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘An Old Sea Captain Rocking Himself On The Porch Of His Cottage’. This is an image of someone who’s been through the storm, who knows the (sea=emotional) score, and now has retired his full interaction with the world in favor of enjoying a quieter existence. This suggests to me that a peaceful situation would be a smart one to surround ourselves with at this time. It’s not out of defeat, but out of care for our Souls and our own peace of mind, that we can embrace a calmer situation and participate in less assertive engagement–FOMO may try to panic you, or your own ego (Leo) may see a calmer demeanor as uncool, but remember, rest and a lower profile are only temporary, a necessary Self-nurturing that the Leo New Moon can be very good at delivering, once we can accept that gift.

The New Moon occurs on 16 August at 2:38 AM PDT at 23 Leo 17, and forms a tight square to Uranus in Taurus, effectively making a T-square (when we include the always-opposed-to-the-Sun Earth in Aquarius). The tension involves our life direction, the surroundings this has resulted in, and sudden surprises or revelations about these, particularly about how the environment has been either Self or group generated. A Leo New Moon primes us to become aware of fresh feelings or intuitions about the role of the Self, about the identity, and specifically who we have become, with the dissonance of the T-square pointing to disparities between what we expected to become, the measure of our once ambitions and desires, and what we’ve actually made of our life (NM sextile Zeus-South Node), especially the identity we carry, both the one we see ourselves as having, and the one(s) the group may assign us or see us as fulfilling.

The New Moon forms just before the Black Moon Lilith point. That suggests the lunation brings a kind of dawning realization, accompanied by growing feeling, around some matter of equal treatment, particularly where you are being seen as ‘less than’. Leo can be prideful, too Self-involved, and way too Self-reverential, but it can also be healthy ego, the kind that reminds you you’re on (or should be on) an equal footing with others, and gives you the positive Self-regard that allows you to speak up, ask for what you need, and set boundaries–all very necessary, challenged only by those who will lose their advantage when you respect and honor yourself. This is reinforced by the NM’s sextile to Vesta; if you can muster the Self-respect it will become abundantly clear what you must invest your energy in, what you must honor.

Luna and Sol also form a semi-sextile to Mars=here’s the energy, related to the Warrior instinct, or maybe survival instinct, that can fuel Self-assertion, and deal with the identity/ role issues that will inevitably arise. And lastly, the New Moon trines the combo of Chiron-Eris-North Node=this is a potent grouping that could easily (the trine) lead us into reacting to circumstances with hurt or vengeful thoughts, but we need to remain aware that would shape the future–and nobody deliberately creates disaster (even as I write that, though, I think of the Self-important and the short-sighted–but even they don’t mean to pull the house down around them–or if they do, they’re thinking it’s constructive in some other sense, meeting some goal).

If we receive this Leo Moon energy in its most positive form, we can gain: admiration, purpose, a healthy respect for the individual, proper boundaries, and a much clearer idea of how we, uniquely, shine in the roles we take on. This requires, though, that we honor not just our own individuality, but that of others, as well, and it doesn’t mean we suddenly become a law unto ourselves–those with authority do hold it for a reason (though that reason can be corrupt, sometimes it’s because they truly know more, or are empowered to help in ways we can’t) and that’s true of others familiar with areas we are not: sometimes they will know more than we do, and we have to be able to acknowledge that, give them their due as individuals. It’s called humility, and Leo can show us examples of this, too (sometimes by example of what not to be like!)

The Sabian for the New Moon is, ‘Totally Concentrated Upon Inner Spiritual Attainment, A Man Is Sitting In A State Of Complete Neglect Of Bodily Appearance And Cleanliness’. This is an image of extreme imbalance, which occurs when we see some roles and functions as less worthy, when we put the physical and the spiritual at contrasting ends of the spectrum, and then totally fail to honor one end, and massively exaggerate the sacredness or importance of the other. Look for where and how you might be carrying this attitude; disdain for the physical and excessive worship of the spiritual, for instance, are seen by some as a ‘higher’ way of living, but it’s actually an ignorant way of living. Reality is the spiritual in tangible form. We need to honor the seen and unseen equally; it’s arrogance to believe we can judge the worthiness of anything, of the world or beyond it. Arrogance can be a Leonine trait, but it doesn’t have to be; use the Moon’s sensitivity of perception to take note of the ways the unseen manifests through the physical, how the what is aligns with thought, feeling, and intention–and note how all of it plays out against a background of Universal constancies, also known as Truth.

Next up: Mercury Retrograde! I hope you all got a glimpse of the Perseid showers, and have a wonderful New Moon!