Happy Leo new moon! This three card reading (using images from my forthcoming Magic of Flowers Oracle) provides guidance for what to focus on for spiritual growth and positive personal unfolding during the brand new moon cycle ahead.

Card 1: Devotee of Beauty (Tulip)

From now until two days before the full moon (August 14-27), we are being called to recognize and honor our true, divine beauty, and to recognize and honor the true beauty of other people and this entire human existence. True beauty, after all, is not superficial or shallow, but is an aspect of Divinity. Look, also, for the deep beauty hidden within that which at first may seem to be undesirable or unlovable. And finally, let yourself be a spiritual devotee of beauty even in the seemingly tiny details of life: when you brush your teeth, you are expressing devotion to the precious beauty of your mouth. When you sweep, you are expressing devotion to the clear and simple beauty of your home. When you speak to others, you are expressing devotion to their most beautiful selves, while allowing your own inner beauty to shine. Indeed, when done with the intention to glorify and magnify beauty, everything can be an expression of spiritual love and devotion.

Card 2: Irresistible Attraction (Hyacinth)

The day before the full moon, the day of the full moon, and the day after the full moon (August 28-30), we are being called to surrender to the full sensuality of the final moments of summer, or - for those in the Southern Hemisphere - to find the kernel of summer sensuality within your heart during the final throes of winter. It is the very nature of hyacinth to magnetize the attention of devotion of other beings (such as bees and humans) with her exquisite beauty (like that which we have cultivated during the first part of the cycle) and irresistible fragrance. Like the blossom in this image that beguiles the bee with a dizzying sweetness and beauty, during this time in the moon cycle we will possess a particular ability to magnetize not only attention and love, but also the truest desires of our hearts. To get in touch with this attractive quality, it's important to relax your mind, body, and spirit, to release any limiting self-talk, and to remember that you are a divine and magnificent child of the Goddess. 

Remember: a hyacinth brings great blessings and grace to the world, merely by virtue of being a hyacinth. In the same way, when you simply emanate your magnificently mesmerizing beauty, everyone benefits.

Card 3: Assert (Snapdragon)

Finally, from two days after the full moon to the day before the next new moon (August 31-September 12), we will be called to speak our truth and stand in our power even more strongly than ever before. Rather than being rude, this is a way of being authentic and of giving the people in your life the opportunity to know who you really are. This way, the relationships that are in alignment with your truest good will benefit, and the relationships that are not in alignment with your truest good will fall away. And this is exactly as it should be. 

Furthermore, this period of the moon cycle is particularly suited to:

  • Letting go of attachment to how others will react when we assert what is true for us,
  • Releasing the need to control people or situations by withholding our true thoughts and feelings,
  • Questioning authority and speaking out against customs, beliefs, or behaviors that we don't agree with, and
  • Valuing honesty and truth over politeness and caution, even if we have to brave some unpleasant or awkward moments.

Setting this boundary with ourselves and demanding a deeper level of authenticity will have far reaching benefits in every aspect of our lives, and will prepare us to enter into the next moon cycle with clarity, energy, and enthusiasm. 

P.S. The deck comes out in October! You can pre-order it here.