I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my brand new weekly Sun-Sign column, that will be posted to this blog - beginning this weekend, on the New Moon!


The New Moon this month occurs in the sign of Leo (3’ 52) on Saturday, July 26th, at 2:41 pm (PDT).  Leo is the archetype of the Queen/King and embodies the principle of Sovereignty – the entitlement to freely express one’s unique personality with radiant confidence and self-possession.  Leo has faith in the abundance of life, and is associated with the heart center, echoing themes of love, courage, affection, and luminous warmth.  Leo is also associated with the pleasure principle: living with intent, and luxuriating in the fruits of life with unshakable joie de vivre.  The Arts, entertainment, recreation, creative expression and romance all fall under the sign of the Lion.  Creativity in all its forms, including our children, is also Leo terrain.  Leo is radical self-expression, and delights in dramatic displays of personal adornment.  Leo loves to play dress up, and is usually not shy about flaunting their personal style, whatever his or her personal tastes.  This doesn’t mean that every Leo is a fashionista; you’re just as apt to see the characteristic Leo flair for costuming fun at Burning Man as on the catwalk.  It’s all about playing with possibilities.

Ishtar Gate

Leo is a Fixed Fire sign, meaning that it is a sign that exemplifies the heart of the season, and resonates with the visionary and ardent element of Fire.  This is the time of year when the earth is generous, fecund and rich.  We gather together to celebrate the bounty of the season, and the glorious golden days that blend into the lingering afterglow of summer’s twilight.  Families have the opportunity to spend more time with their children now that school is out, and we build fires on the beach, and camp in the mountains.  The evening air is warm and caresses our skin, each breath an embodied pleasure.  We play, dance, laugh, and celebrate, feeling the abundance of the season like a benediction.  It is no coincidence that the cross quarter holy day Lughnasadh, or Lammas, falls in Leo season.  Lughnasadh is also the first of the three great harvest festivals, and farmer’s markets here on the west coast are bursting with ripe cherries, lush blackberries, and juicy peaches.  It is also a traditional time for handfastings between lovers.  In fact, my husband and I were handfasted last Lammastide, and will be celebrating our first anniversary!

Every New Moon is Unique

Although once a year, the New Moon occurs in each sign, every New Moon is absolutely unique.  Yes, this New Moon is in Leo, but it is a totally different animal than the New Moon in Leo last year.  This particular New Moon is conjunct Jupiter (and of course, also conjunct the Sun, as all New Moons are) and together, this Leo stellium squares Mars, newly minted in Scorpio. The first word that comes to mind is transformation.  Mars in Scorpio has the propensity to be healing and regenerative, and it does not flinch when asked to look at the dark side of life.   Mars in Scorpio is also sexual, giving this Leo New Moon a decidedly erotic edge.  New Moon intentions around reclaiming your sexual Self, and delighting in the pleasures of your erotic being are supported now.  Leo is romantic and passionate, while Scorpio is seductive and intense, creating a heady brew that is perfect for sex magic.  Jupiter’s influence on this New Moon magnifies and expands the intentions we set.  Jupiter is the principle of faith, and impels us to seek real meaning in our lives.  Expect to come up with fresh inspiration, and insight about your unique path or purpose this weekend.


Guiding Goddess Archetypes

Because of this New Moon in Leo’s connection to Mars in Scorpio, the goddesses associated with it are not only queenly (Leo) but carry the undercurrent of the Dark Goddess.  The two goddesses that resonate strongly with this New Moon are The Morrigan (The Great Queen), and Inanna (The Queen of Heaven) in her aspect as the Lover.

Astarte - Rosetti

New Moon in Leo Affirmations

  • I am Queen (or King) of my own life
  • Pleasure is my birthright, and I indulge freely in it – harming none
  • I delight in my appearance – it is a potent form of my self-expression
  • I am a creatively fertile being
  • I have the confidence to go after my dreams
  • I sing, dance, paint and play just for the fun of it

New Moon in Leo Ritual: Ready for Love

 

      I bathed for the wild bull,
     I bathed for the shepherd Dumuzi,
     I perfumed my sides with ointment,
    I coated my mouth with sweet-smelling amber,
    I painted my eyes with kohl.
    He shaped my loins with his fair hands.

Excerpt from the Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi (Wolkstein)

The Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi is a truly luscious banquet of Leo motifs: royalty; highly erotic fertility symbolism, and enticing rituals of self-adornment - and let’s not forget that one of Inanna’s symbols is the Lioness.  Reading this ancient love poem is an opulent and deeply sensual way to begin any New Moon in Leo ritual.  Leo is the match strike that kindles romance and passion.  And, with the sign’s gifts for self-expression and drama, there is an innate knowledge of how to make love special.  Let this ancient text be a pathworking or a prelude to celebrate your union with your lover, call a lover to you, or to bask in the pleasures of your own sensuality.

Read the translation here: http://www.piney.com/BabCourship.html

 

 

Inanna and Dumuzi