On the 22nd, the Sun moves into its home sign of Leo. In the natural wheel this fixed, fire sign resides in the fifth house. Leo will describe how and where you will be affected by influences of optimism, capacity for enjoyment and self-expression. Your Sun is arguably the most powerful energy in your whole chart. It represents your central sense of purpose and identity. The two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, together form the inner and outer dynamics of our most personal, conscious connection to the Universal Spirit. On one hand, Leo represents our self-esteem, playfulness, love and self-affirming purpose. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Leo is also the experience of feeling shame, humiliation, self-loathing and aimless cynicism. Which end of the spectrum we default to depends on how we were raised as children.
In Leo, we encounter a more crystallized sense of personal identity. This is different from the Aries form of identity. Aries is the outer personality through which we interact with the world, whereas Leo is more the person who is doing the interacting. Leo is our own experience of ourselves, as opposed to Aries which is what we show of ourselves to the world. In its purest form, this internal spiritual flame knows no bounds, no inhibitions, no limitations and no blockages. That playfulness is at the center of our creativity in the broadest sense of the word. We tend to think that creativity applies only to painting, music or other forms of artistic talent, but creativity is more an approach than an activity. Creativity, quite simply is the ability to create something that wasn't there before. Creativity is ultimately the expression of the Self. When you take a creative approach, you make a statement that comes from you. It says something about the creator as well as the created. When you deny your creativity, you reject or take for granted some of the unique essence of who you are.
Some Famous Leos: Barack Obama, Carl Jung, J.K. Rowling, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Amelia Earhart, Alfred Hitchcock, Andy Warhol, Keith Moon
Not just the Sun transits into Leo, so do the other planets. Since Leo is the sign of creativity and self-expression any planet placed there will tend to express itself dramatically.
The Moon in Leo: speaks to our “inner child”. It’s a warm, generous, loving position. Pride keeps us from pettiness, but it can also prevent us from opening up and revealing how we are truly feeling. We are on stage, our feelings are grand, and we appreciate some drama in our lives. We are easily threatened by anything that seems to be impersonal. This is a time when we seek attention; we want to stand out for our special qualities. It’s a strong time for romance and any creative activity as well.
Mercury in Leo: may not be the best placement for details, but it can get the big picture with little trouble. When trying to persuade someone, this Mercury won’t use logical arguments as much as it tends to use an appeal to the heart. This is different from the emotional appeal that works with Mercury in Cancer which is a more nurturing.
Venus in Leo: loves theater and makes love theatrically. Leo’s motto is "Nothing but the best". If you are dating someone with this placement, be prepared to put on a show. Love is magnificent and grand. This is a warmhearted, teasing, and expressive placement for Venus. Love is a bit of a game – a game that is perpetual, as Venus in Leo is forever stuck in the romance stage of a relationship. Venus in Leo loves to be adored, pampered, and admired. The negative expression of this placement is overstating our feelings simply for the effect, as well as extravagance.
Mars in Leo: this is a particularly vital position of Mars. Passions run high, and so does desire. Though Mars in Leo people will enjoy the pleasures of risk-taking, they generally have a strong sense of reason at the end of the day. This is one of the more sexual positions of Mars. While they are rather easy to arouse, their passion is long-standing. Mars in Leo natives enjoy sex more than most, as long as heavy doses of love and romance are part of the package. In partnership, they demand loyalty and admiration.
Jupiter in Leo: teaches us to embrace our more confident, brave, and outgoing selves. This is how we grow and expand. More specifically with Jupiter in Leo, we attract the most good fortune when we express magnanimity, are generous with others, inspire confidence in others, conduct ourselves with dignity and sincerity, and avoid the pitfall of excessive egotism. Particularly prosperous areas are creative ones, entertainment, children, and recreation.
Saturn in Leo: is considered challenging by traditional astrologers. Saturn as the original ruler of Leo’s opposite sign, Aquarius (until Uranus was discovered) is in detriment in Leo. Theoretically, this suggests that the planet and sign don't get along well. We can understand the contrast between the warmth and personal expressiveness of Leo and Saturn's utilitarian approach to life. But Saturn tends to put a damper on the energy wherever it is, yet rewards with concrete results for those willing to do the work.
Uranus in Leo: Uranus is genius and eccentricity. Leo is dramatic and theatrical. Isadora Duncan had this placement. She was a genius who scandalized her age. Carl Jung is another Uranus in Leo person. He turned the field of psychology upside down with his controversial theory of the "collective unconscious".
Neptune in Leo: Leo is an aggressive, idealistic sign. Neptune is dreams and imagination. This placement of Neptune produces a generation that can fight for ideals, literally. Neptune was in Leo the last time during the "Roaring" Twenties. The previous time was a few years before the American Revolution. Many of those born with this Neptune placement fought in the War of Independence and World War II. Remember, Neptune stays in a sign for about 14 years, so it influences an entire generation.
Pluto in Leo: marked a generation (1939 to 1956, and some in 1957 and 1958) that was obsessed with self-expression. These are the war babies and the baby boomers, and "Do your own thing" was (and still is) their motto. (I have this placement.) Before 1960, marketing experts could estimate a person’s income by what kind of car they drove and how expensive their house was. The Pluto in Leo people turned that topsy-turvy because they would splurge on the things most important to them and skimp on everything else. You would get people who would live in a small house but drive a luxury car or someone who would live in a big house and drive a Volkswagen. This generation was also the hippies and the protesters. Pluto in Leo will always defy authority, unless, of course, they are the authority.