On Wednesday, Aug. 16, we have a new moon in Leo, falling at 23 degrees of the Sun-ruled fire sign.
Leo represents courage, the lion, the spotlight, and all that is warm and shiny.
This new moon comes at a critical time as Venus is retrograde in Leo. Venus made a conjunction with the sun on Sunday. At the time of the new moon, Venus is only 5 degrees away from the sun and moon, still close enough to be considered conjunct this lunation.
Venus represents value — money, relationships, love, self-worth. During Venus Rx, we reflect and reconsider these influences. An old lover may return, or an unrequited crush might finally be put to rest. Money might seem to slip away.
Mercury is about to retrograde, too (Aug. 23-Sept. 14). That means we’re already in a “shadow period” leading up to the retrograde. Mercury Rx slows down communication, including technology.
All that to say, this new moon, a new beginning in the sign of the fiery, courageous lion, feels like it’s dragging some dead weight.
But, that’s not the whole story!
Look at the degrees. The sun and moon are at 23 degrees of fixed fire sign Leo. Uranus is at 23 degrees of fixed earth sign Taurus. This makes a square aspect, marked on this diagram by the red line with the little square. It’s an exact 90 degree right angle. That’s also known as a “hard” aspect, and means there’s some tension that’s driving towards action.
Uranus is the planet of awakening, truth, innovation, ideas, and revelation.
Within this murky, backwards-reflection of Venus, there is a spark of imagination that reveals a new way forward.
Uranus likes change.
To honor this new moon, which is a way of saying, to move *with* the flow of life instead of fighting against it, consider your relationships.
What aspects are you grateful for?
What would you change?
What can you allow to fall like a leaf?
You can do the same for your main sources of income and top spending buckets.
As you reflect, be attentive to any sudden realizations. Notice if there is a choice there that hadn’t appeared to you before.
Coaching Update
I had originally planned to offer a 3-month coaching intensive this fall. Because of another project, I’m going to pause on that offering for now. If you were considering Soul Pathfinders or wanting a deeper, long-term program, please email/DM me and I’ll be happy to make recommendations to other coaches or come up with a solution that fits your needs!
I’ll still continue to offer single-sessions for astrology and reiki, with availability on Fridays and Saturdays.
Enjoy this post? Tap the 🤍 or share it so more people can discover it on Substack. Or, tell me what you think in the comments! 🙏