Leo (23 July – 22 August)
It’s a busy month astrologically and with two eclipses on the 8th and 23rd plus Mercury retrograde from the 4th-25th, it’s important to pay close attention to the details and be ready for life to deliver some twists and turns.
This is a key Mercury retrograde phase for you as Mercury is the planet of communication and from the 10th-25th, Mercury is moving backwards through Libra and your communication sector. So it’s a double whammy of potential communication breakdown and misunderstandings.
Wise Mercury retrograde advice is to back up any important data before Mercury turns retrograde (on the 4th) and to double check meetings, key correspondence, social get-togethers, etc. whilst Mercury’s on go slow (4th-25th).
Mercury retrograde can also provide a let-off and a reason not to make up your mind or have to come to an important decision. Allow yourself the time and space to reflect, mull things over and slow down the pace rather than rush, rush, rush. Sometimes life looks different when you’re prepared to walk backwards for a while or reverse instead of dashing forward at breakneck speed.
Around the 5th-8th there will be one significant opportunity or a time when you do want to dash around and make the most of life. This is because of a glorious Grand fire trine in the heavens composed of Jupiter (expansion) in your sign of Leo, Mars (action) in Sagittarius and Uranus (spontaneity) in Aries. Put the three together and this is a whoosh of energy and a real chance to grab an adventure and do more of what you love.
The sectors of your chart under the spotlight are travel, study, philosophy and spirituality; in other words broadening your horizons and spreading your wings. You may find a good excuse for some hedonistic fun, a chance to let your hair down. Your kids may be involved as they bring out your own inner child and with Mars representing passion, you can’t rule out a love affair.
It’s about putting yourself and your own needs first and saying Yes to life. As this fire trine links in with the Lunar or Full Moon eclipse cutting across the Aries/Libra axis of your chart, it may be that you end up taking advantage when someone else drops out or can’t make a big event. Eclipses are notorious for triangle situations, closing one door and opening a new door and can be gloriously dramatic.
It is an excitable energy so sit up and take notice of who and what comes along to inspire you and persuade you to play big. As long as what you begin doesn’t compromise you in any way or endanger you, this is a brilliant opportunity to take risks and be spontaneous. It is a wild energy however so if you know you can be accident prone, take precautions and ground yourself before dashing off and doing something daringly different.
Even with Mercury retrograde, there hasn’t been a better month to share ideas and get excited about what next. Venus is in Libra and your communication sector up until the 23rd as is the Sun, your ruler. So think new places, new people and have a look at what your local community has on offer. There may be a chance to join together with others or give something back.
Jupiter in Leo is positively bouncing with energy this month and any form of social activity or community get-together on or around the 10th, 14th and 20th is well-starred. You may look back on the events of this month and realise how significant a turning point it was when you met someone new or joined in with others to network, brainstorm or be bigger and better together.
Notice too what buttons get pressed or which argument goes round in circles from the 8th-11th. If there’s something that you’re repeating and you’ve had enough of, especially with regard to your work or a bigger project in which you’re involved, it may be time to call it a day or at least do things differently. Look out for your own personal Groundhog Day and decide how you can change the record.
There is one other area of life that’s deeply important now and this relates to the sign of Scorpio, down at the base of your chart. Scorpio rules your home, family, your past and where you come from and as Saturn has reside in Scorpio since late 2012, there may have been a specific issue which has felt like a burden or your cross to bear.
Mercury begins the month in Scorpio but on the 4th turns retrograde at 2 Scorpio so right at the beginning of the sign. You may try to initiate a conversation on or around this date or perhaps want to buy, sell or move home. What’s likely to happen is that your plans stall and you need to wait and be patient and trust the timing.
On the 23rd of the month, the Sun, Venus and the Moon all move into Scorpio and almost immediately there’s a Solar or New Moon eclipse in this powerful sign. This links to your past and feels deeply sentimental and emotional. Venus and the Moon are feminine entities so trust your intuition and your feminine side as the month comes to a close.
You may find that you want to gather with the women in your family or create a community that focuses on women. Eclipses do bring dramatic events and at 0 Scorpio, this is a seed point in your life. As Saturn also moves on from Scorpio later this year, I expect for some this is about letting go, taking a step back and honouring the feminine or the women in your life who’ve shaped you and watched you grow. Wait a few days after the eclipse and then trust your inner knowing. What you do or begin contributes you in some shape or form to your own legacy and what you leave behind.