August 1, 2019, 03:13 UT

Freedom and love – The sudden awakening of love and the element of love in life.

Rejuvenating body and soul

Self-love

A new lunar month begins in the fire sign of Leo. Leo belongs to the fixed modality, has the quality of fire that is consistent, and emits heat, characteristics that manifest as vigor, dedication, love, radiance, authenticity and vitality. Ruler of Leo is the Sun, the centre of our solar system, the most vital source of energy for planet Earth. Without the Sun there is no life. This lunar month focuses on the self, the relationship with what gives life, our ego, our creations, and our connection with our core being – the heart.

 

The lunar month that begins today sets a new intention as to where and how we receive validation, and activates the process of important decisions, triggers our leadership spirit, drives us to become creative and gain a more authentic contact with our souls.

 

The New Moon is the synod of Moon and Sun that marks a point of arrival and departure at the same time, a perpetual 29.5 day cycle, within the continuous motion of the planets in our solar system. It symbolises the inner soul level processing of experience that is perhaps the closest to our distinctness and individuality. Within this cycle, the phases of the Moon act as indicators of synchronicity between emotion and self-will: it is this synchronisation that essentially determines the decision making process in life. The Sun in Leo is in domicile, so it emphasises in particular what we focus on, what we regard as important in life, and how we honour life.

 The Moon enters the new cycle at 08 degrees of Leo separating form a conjunction with Venus, thus translating the light of love, relationships and pleasure to its meeting with the Sun. The New Moon speaks about a union and the expression of affections. The Sun is our spirit – the conscious mind (nous), as well as vision. Everything we see is because of the Sun. So, we enter a cycle that speaks about values (Venus), the pleasure principle, value of self, how we value life, and triggers the need to express ourselves more and focus on the creative and love element in our lives. The need to respond to what gives us joy, we feel we want and we are passionate about. Despite of what problems we are dealing with on an individual level, this need becomes more conscious, has spiritual content, and leads to actions and important decisions that will have stability. Stability, of course, is relative and may sound like an oxymoron, since there is Venus’s applying square with Uranus in Taurus in the New Moon chart. Yet, the planets are in fixed signs. The square speaks of an awakening, events that may shock or surprise us, and cause us to break free from attachments and habitual patterns in the realm of love, relationships, creations and material things including money.  How does freedom relate to love, how liberated and free are we to express affections? This aspect speaks of a need to act in order to sustain by changing attitude, being awakened on a sensual or creative level, and dealing with tension in affections and relationships that may require more freedom oriented thinking or attitudes. The Venus-Uranus synodic cycle began on May 19, at 04 degrees Taurus, and will give us the full picture of the processing of experience of the two energies at its opposition phase in October, but also the month of November that will determine the waning feel of the phase. The need to renew, to change, and to seek freedom in the way we experience love, the enjoyment of things, our creations or material possessions is triggered through tension. It is a time when we may feel the urge to do different things, to experiment, to express ourselves differently, regarding values, love, skills and creativity. It is a lunar month where we can expect sudden love affairs, unconventional relationships, break ups in existing relationships, or realise we need more freedom, renewal and independence both in our relationships and in the area of self-worth. The value we give to the things around us and to ourselves changes in a way that propels us into the future, sets up ground for innovation and opens the way to form alternative paths in our associations with other people. This process will further be developed on a practical level with Jupiter’s ingress into Capricorn in December 2019. The mythological Aphrodite was born as a result of the “castration” of Ouranos by his son Cronus. If Ouranos represents the Sky God, the spiritual part of cognition (as a higher octave of Mercury) but also the representation of the existing world order up until the act of his dethronement, then Venus’s dialogue with Uranus in harsh aspect, signifies the need for some kind of liberation in order for love and values ​​to emerge through an act of bravery that overthrows the established order of things. The need to detach the realm of love and values from the mental level maybe another theme here. Saturn, along with Pluto and the South Node in Capricorn will continue to show us where we are pressured, experience limitations, need to rebuild, to gain empowerment through elimination, and also where we must set very conscious boundaries and get rid of useless and unnecessary matter, which includes fears, and self-negating attitudes that preserve a reality that no longer serves us to evolve. It is perhaps the realm of life where we are potentially sabotaging or undermining ourselves. It is where we need to understand what is hidden, beneath the surface, what we are suppressing, and how we may “blindly” make efforts to control a superficial reality that requires purging, renewal and deep radical change. This particular month may be pertinent to especially observe all the barriers, and the “walls” we build that distance us from love.

 What we project, and what we attract in our lives, are central messages in the month of August, which is going to be temperamentally hot and extroverted through the concentration of the inner planets and Mars in the sign of Leo, as well as Jupiter in expansive Sagittarius which turns direct on August 11. Exaggeration and drama will not be lacking this month, but it is a cosmic setting that will provide a sense of optimism, passionate expression of enjoyment, and give outlets to relieve feelings, channel intentions and plans that worked internally or where brewing during July. We will also find that our self-will may not be negotiable. So, it is a month that self-confidence will be strengthened and thus decision making will be stable. There maybe  things that we have to overcome or worry about, yet the message now is to move away spiritually and on a soulful level, from limitations, fears, problems, obligations, as much as possible, and to focus on the will, the heart, our relationships, to love ourselves more; even if the validation does not come from others or our external world in a way we can appreciate.

At the same time, Venus is applying to its superior conjunction (cazimi), which will take place at 21 degrees Leo, on August 14, and declares a significant beginning, a kind of regeneration of love, but also a beneficial and generous occurrence for those who are affected, on a material, spiritual or creative level,  that can renew the relationship with self-esteem. The cosmic picture culminates with the Full Moon the day after, on the Aquarius / Leo axis, which deals with the theme of friendship and love, as well as how we give and receive love.

Mercury stations direct at 24 Cancer, on the degree of the July Lunar eclipse, may have a message to announce something important, and as it appears to accelerate it will start to activate contacts, ideas and communications we have re-processed and re-examined during its retrograde period. Mercury in a Water sign and in combination with the planetary placements in Fire signs (Wet and Hot qualities produce steam). So we may find that we are in full steam ahead to externalise intentions, communicate ideas, feelings, and plans, with enthusiasm and zeal. The use of our “ego” is central to all of the above throughout the lunar month, due to the emphasis on Leo placements. It can manifest as childish, dramatic, confident, authentic, heroic, generous, arrogant, bossy, or proud, depending on the level of consciousness we are at. Without ego we cannot know who we are, we cannot create anything, we cannot assume leadership of our own life, so this is about the right dose of ego that will determine the balance with our external world. An opportunity to regain confidence in life and restore our sense of pride and self, if we reconcile with the fact that we have to leave something behind and take some risks in the process. It could be our old self, the past, maybe something we thought was at some point significant to us. As the planets in Leo gradually form trines in the Fire element with Jupiter, will also form waning quincunx aspects with Saturn and Pluto (which are of a Scorpio-like nature). We maybe reminded of the myths of Narcissus, and of Orpheus and Eurydice, with their respective lessons. The right dose of ego, and trust play an important role in the developments we are about to witness in our love, professional or social lives. Generosity and healthy confidence, will help us more, while imposition of ego, the overwhelming need for validation, may lead to exaggeration, excess, wastefulness, dogmatism and lack of boundaries.

We will also feel the significant benefits of the trine aspects, for we will find ways to gain love, pleasure, regain some sense of optimism, and ease, or understand more about what is ultimately of worth, and what is meaningful on this journey called life. Venus in a trine aspect with Chiron in Aries, works very therapeutically in relationships and in love or unlocks alternative avenues of cooperation and expression of talents. We can love ourselves more by renewing our contract with our heart through recreational avenues, authenticity, love, joy, fun, laughter, children, and creativity.

 

The more we detach from our heart, the more we lose the sense of joy, the feeling of who we are, and the joie de vivre. If you notice you are full of anger at this time, it is important to realise that this anger becomes a negative way to attract attention for all that you feel you are being deprived of and expect from others. Now, you can discover and become more aware of how you can give yourself some of that attention, through a change of attitude, but also by loving and honouring yourself more. Once you illuminate and honour yourself from within, you will project it and your external world will potentially begin to gradually find the balance you were seeking for.

We are also in the month where the rejuvenation of body and vitality comes through the relationship with all those things we love and enjoy doing. Our heart demands our attention!

 

On a collective level, themes of to do with issues of leadership, major decisions at the higher rank of world leadership, but also sudden disruptions in agreements or unexpected alliances and events related to the economy will be of concern. Plus, growth, expansive investments, speculation, tourism, sports, culture, artists, creativity, and children. 

 

(If you are familiar with your natal chart the house in which  08 degree Leo is placed is the area of life that you will focus on this lunar month. Where you will set a new intention and need to exercise some important decision making in relation to the themes described above. The area of life that will be affected is the house with Leo on the cusp. Your natal Sun will be more activated this lunar month, as well as the themes of the house it is natally located.)

 

I wish everyone a very loving, passionate and creative August!

 

The energy of this Lunar month may have a more personal feel for you:

 

If you are a Leo Sun born July 30 – August 03, an Aquarius Sun born January 27 – 31, a Scorpio Sun born October 30 – November 3, a Taurus Sun born April 27 – May 01. You may also be affected if you have personal planets, points, or angular house cusps at 08 degrees (+/- 3) of fixed signs, and/or at 04-06 degrees of Leo-Aries-Taurus. Also if you have planets, points or angular house cusps at 14 degrees Sagittarius, and/or 21 degrees Leo, this lunar month has a special message for you.

Themes: Love, Play, Creativity, Rejuvenation, Decisions.

Watch out for: excessive arrogance, too much ego and pride, and what you promise.

Tip:  Be attentive on the roles you play in your life in order to get validation. Whatever you do be yourself.

© Eleni Kostika 2019

Photo by Abby0427 Yoga on Unsplash