The New Moon In Leo Is Your Self-Love Wake-Up Call

To ship or not to ship — that is the quandary of the New Moon in Leo. The lunation brings an unexpected intensity, forcing us to consider our future. With our hearts on the line, we’ll find that the dramatic approach is the only way to make a point and capture attention. Being thirsty won't help matters. Instead we’ll find out that having the strength to let go of certain connections and start fresh is the best move because it empowers us to take control of our lives. To embrace the New Moon in Leo energy, we must reclaim our love for the MVP in our world: the person looking right back at us in the mirror. Who else would it be?

The day before the New Moon sets the vibe: on July 23rd, Venus in Gemini and Mars in Virgo square off, creating an intense internal energy. Finding the right ways to deal with inner frustrations might be difficult. Since Mars in Virgo can be repressive and Venus in Gemini is more expressive, we might be unsure of the best actions to take in relationships, with both signs’ mercurial nature adding to the uncertainty. It'll be hard to immediately figure out what we yearn for, but we can think things over and gather information that informs our decisions in time. Trust the process and give yourself a moment. 

On July 24th, the day of the lunation, Saturn retrograded in Aries, Neptune retrograded in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, and Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, are in aspect with the New Moon. Saturn retrograde brings emotional intelligence to the mix, allowing us to approach the situation maturely (even if we do not know how to). Neptune retrograde increases our sensitivity to the circumstances we’ll be feeling from Pluto retrograde, which will create power struggles and triangular dynamics in certain relationships. Uranus awakens us, clearing the haze and helping us see the areas of our lives that require change — particularly in the romance department. 

This doesn't spell doom for love matters. We may desire space from a friendship, partnership, or situationship to figure out our sentiments and uncover if we wish to deepen the connection or move on. There will be a push and pull between our heart and mind, and our needs and wants. We will find ourselves caught in the middle: unable to be delusional and ultimately compelled to accept reality. The cosmos is giving us a wake-up call to gather and process integral information to enlighten and improve our options. Along the way, there will be confusion due to Mercury retrograde in Leo, which is currently underway. 

We can use this New Moon to our advantage by digging deep to understand our motives and triggers. Finding out the psychological reasons that cause us to react in a particular manner will provide an understanding of our role in dealing with conflict and our feelings. We may even use this as a motivational time to speak up and assert ourselves. No matter what we do, we must evolve and transform. The old ways of handling matters aren't working and should be adjusted. Growth is challenging but necessary. Who we are becoming is a person of beauty, independence, and the freedom to make their own choices. For better or worse, we are leaning into our core values and beliefs to manifest what we deserve.

All in all, the intention we must set is one of self-love. Whichever path we take, the most important thing to know is that we are worthy of respect, kindness, and empathy. Receiving is just as important as giving and we should ensure that balance. Don’t overextend yourself too much to make someone else happy. The person in need of TLC is you. When you honour and respect yourself, others will too. But it starts with you: look at your fierce self in the mirror and blow a kiss to your image. Write love letters to yourself. Buy yourself a treat or gift. Talk to yourself like you would your best friend. When asked who loves you, bb? You'll know that you do!