August 17, 2020

August 18: New Moon in Leo

By Nicole Macdonald
August 18: New Moon in Leo | Deuxmoons

By Straight Up Tarot

New Moon in Leo - August 18, 2020 7:42 pm PT // 9:42 pm CT // 10:42 pm ET

Each lunar cycle, we're reborn. We have a fantastic opportunity to align with our intentions during the New Moon and integrate our experiences from the last cycle into our lives. This work rejuvenates our souls, so we are ready to dive back in with the beginning of a new cycle. We're called to consciously clear away any obstructions to our dreams, get clear on our intentions, and ask for divine assistance in making them a reality. This time is incredibly meditative and introspective. It's the perfect time of the lunar cycle to journal, meditate, create art, and connect with your inner and spiritual self. It is also an excellent time to release ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and ways of being that no longer serve us on our path. 

This New Moon is in the sign of Leo. When the Moon is in Leo, it's an excellent time to focus on goals and intentions that mesh well with Leo's energy. For example, it's an amazing time to concentrate on ways to enhance our hobbies and creative endeavors, spice up our romantic lives, and maybe most importantly, focusing on building up our self-confidence and developing a healthy sense of pride in ourselves. This New Moon is the perfect time for indulging in Leo Season's energy by giving yourself the royal treatment re: self-care. Additionally, focusing on any passion projects you've yet to start will honor Leo's energy during this moon cycle. Leo aims to teach us the importance of assuming responsibility in our lives, giving of ourselves generously to others, and taking pride in our souls' uniqueness.

This New Moon is the perfect time to meditate upon Leo energy, and how it shows up in your life. Leo is an incredibly expressive fire sign, which can be described as proud, generous, warm, authoritative, caring, noble, and open to life. Where in your life can you start to cultivate these energies more fully? How could you improve your life by incorporating some of these things into your personality? When setting your intentions for this New Moon, take into consideration the lessons of this sign. Leo energy calls you to improve in these areas, to express your inner-child, and express yourself creatively without shame or restriction.

The Leo energy of this New Moon will help us make significant changes in our lives that will most definitely benefit us beyond this moon cycle. This is the time to make big plans and set the stage for reaping our work's rewards during this cycle. When the next Full Moon hits, you will definitely be seeing progress if you harness Leo's fiery energy during this time! 

That being said, this New Moon's energy may have a bit of "stickiness" to it. You may feel like you're about to release something big, but blocks keep appearing in your path. Keep with it, and let the challenges motivate you to keep going rather than discourage you from making progress.

Other Astrological Happenings:

  • Uranus Retrograde - Uranus turned retrograde on August 15th, and will stay that way until January 2021. This retrograde most likely won't profoundly affect your personal life the way that Mercury Retrograde does, but you'll still want to work with the energy of Uranus at this time to up-level your life. Uranus is the planet of innovations, breakthroughs, and awakenings, so when it's in its retrograde period, it creates an environment of immense growth and shifts in perspective. It aims to teach us how to be unique and progressive individuals by asking us to process, review, and adapt to whatever curveballs it throws our way. This Uranus retrograde will be in the sign of Taurus, so we'll likely be going through a period of mental reassessment and growth around how we view ourselves, money, and relationships.

  • Venus Sextile Uranus - Happening on August 18th during the New Moon. This aspect helps us create new friends, connections, and contacts with ease as we'll be more receptive to love. We may experience deep appreciation and excitement around art at this time, and we'll likely be very fond of pleasures and outward appearances.

  • Moon Trine Mars - Happening on August 18th during the New Moon. This trine creates significant willpower, courage, resourcefulness, and openness in our lives, and an appreciation for taking action and finding out the truth in situations.

  • Moon Conjunct Mercury - Happening on August 18th during the New Moon. It is an excellent basis for all things business because we'll likely be mentally active, capable of solving complex problems and will probably have stellar judgment—a great day for business preparations, client relations, and sales.

 



The Reading:

Deck: Modern Witch Tarot by Lisa Sterle 

Card 1: What intention should you set for the new moon?

Draw: The Emperor

The Emperor represents authority and structure, logic and reason, and the safety that these energies provide. Though the energy of the Emperor is comforting considering the chaotic nature of the world around us right now, it can create stagnation and rigidity if it goes unchecked. For this New Moon, examine your relationship to the energies of The Emperor. How do you feel about rules and logic? Do you thrive in these areas, or do they make your skin crawl? Do you try to rule your world with an iron fist, unchanging and unmoving? Do you feel the need to control everything? If you've found that your life-flow/creative energy has been strangled to death by your own control, this is your sign to loosen your grip a little. Stability is definitely a good thing, but life needs an open channel to flow through you! This New Moon, open yourself up to a bit of chaos. It'll be good for you ;)

 


 

Card 2: How you can best manifest this intention throughout the moon cycle?

Draw: Page of Wands

The Page of Wands represents new ideas, learning new things, new skills or hobbies, and the very beginning of a new journey. This Page calls us to experiment with everything and just to take the time to try new things. If something you've wanted to play around with has been on your mind in life or business, just take a chance on it! Have fun experimenting! Nothing has to be set in stone right now, and you're being called to take the time just to play around. Through this playtime, you'll eventually find something that sticks that will move your life or business forward. Additionally, by allowing yourself to play, you nurture your inner child, your creative energy, and you release the iron grip you have on your life-force (depicted in the first card, The Emperor), which will help breathe new life into all areas of your being.

 


 

Card 3: How will the energy of the new moon affect you?

Draw: Four of Cups

The Four of Cups represents feeling disappointed, cynical, and generally unhappy. The Four of Cups represents typically feeling "over it" (amusingly depicted on the hoodie of the lovely Four of Cups girl in the card!) and like nothing ever works out. You may have the feeling of being "unlucky," or that life is working against you. During this New Moon, you may end up feeling down and out, but please remember that your outlook in life brings forth your reality. GIRL! What you focus on grows, so quit focusing on failures and disappointments! Things are not going to change until you change your relationship to failure and setbacks. Failing does not mean you aren't worthy or capable of success! When inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison said this when asked about his previous failures: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -- During this moon cycle, do your best to develop this outlook in life. All the power to change your reality is in your hands. All the potential to succeed is in your hands, as well.

 


 

Card 4: How to best integrate and work with the moon energy.

Draw: The World

The World represents the successful end of a journey, completion, fulfillment, and the unification of body/mind/spirit. This card is calling you to appreciate how far you've come on your journey and learn that you are more capable than you think you are. Look back at the challenges and hardships you've overcome, and how the journey you've been on lately has changed you as a person for the better. You should feel much more centered in yourself, and clear on your desires and purpose in life. (If you're not feeling this way upon reflecting, are you embodying too much of the Four of Cups? Focusing too much on how hard and difficult the journey's been, rather than how amazing you are for getting through it? Cut it out!) To work with this moon energy, you should do your best to remember that you have come SO FAR, and if you feel that you're still in the middle of your journey, you are more than capable of getting to the finish line successfully. You are filled with magic. You are amazing. You CAN do this. Additionally, If you're thinking of setting a significant intention for this moon cycle that scares you a little bit, this is your sign to go for it!

 


 

Card 5: What lessons does this new moon hold for you?

Draw: The Magician

The Magician represents turning dreams into reality, literal magic, and having everything you need to bring your ideas to life. This card is calling you to recognize that you have everything you need in life to succeed right now, and the universe is ready and waiting to support you in your creations. Now is the time to bring your dreams into reality, so don't wait! It's time to start taking action! If this card brings to mind a particular goal or dream, THAT IS THE ONE you should be working on during this moon cycle! Believe in yourself, and know that you're ready to start creating! Allow inspiration and creative energy to flow through you, and use every tool you have (spiritual OR literal!) to make your dreams reality. 

 


 

Card 6: What do you need to release during this new moon?

Draw: Four of Swords

The Four of Swords represents putting too much energy into your life's outer aspects while neglecting your inner world, neglecting yourself to take care of others, and generally feeling exhausted. This New Moon, you're being called to release any thoughts or beliefs that you and your needs should come last. There is no way that you can create a beautiful reality for yourself, your business, your family, your friends, etc...without taking care of YOU first. This is a big lesson in the importance of self-care because you've definitely not been making it a priority. If you've been feeling drained and irritable, resenting others because they keep taking and taking when you have nothing left to give, you need to release your lack of boundaries during this New Moon. The Four of Swords calls you to set up firm boundaries around your time and energy. This means that during your "self-care time," you need to not be bothered. Period. Lock the door, put on headphones or put in earplugs, and don't come out until you've finished! This doesn't have to be a long stretch of time, but you should be able to create a 30 min period for yourself every day. Use this time to relax, take a nap, meditate, take a bath, do some Netflix and chill (by yourself!), or whatever activity is deeply restful to you. This time really needs to be non-negotiable. When you've filled yourself up again, you'll be ready to give to those that you love or who depend on you, and you'll be able to contribute so much more energy to your dreams and hobbies when you're not trying to function from a place of exhaustion. If you're thinking, "I literally don't have time for that," then this message is ESPECIALLY for you. And, if anyone has a problem with you taking care of yourself and your energy, do they really still need to be in your life? Maybe it's time to release them, too!

 


 

Card 7: How to best release this (whatever comes up as card 6)

Draw: Two of Pentacles

The Two of Pentacles represents balance, handling the challenges of life with ease, and juggling responsibilities like a pro. This card calls you to create more balance in your life around your time and energy, since it relates to the previous card, Four of Swords. As I mentioned above, a great way to do this is to create firm boundaries around your time and energy by making self-care time a non-negotiable part of your day. Additionally, this could mean saying "no" to things when your plate is already full, or if you just simply aren't remotely interested in helping/participating in something. This doesn't make you rude, it makes you extremely clear on your priorities, and a good steward of your energy. Why spend your creative energy on something that doesn't feel like a "hell yes!" when it could be spent on something much more important? This card calls you to take stock of all your responsibilities, your "have to's," your relationships, your to-do list, etc. And see where you can cut some things out of your life to create more balance. Take pleasure in saying no! There are many blog posts and even email/text message templates out there on the interwebs about how to say no gracefully or how to back out of a prior commitment without pissing everyone off. Take a browse, and put them to use! And again, if someone is mad about you taking care of yourself and your energy in this way, then maybe they don't need to be a part of your life!

 


 

Card 8: Affirmation/energy for the new cycle

Draw: King of Pentacles

Affirmation: I openly accept and relish my success, and I generously help those who need my assistance.

The King of Pentacles represents big success, fulfilled wishes, and material dreams and goals manifesting into reality. This cycle, you're being called to embody the energies of the King of Pentacles. Though incredibly successful and abundant in the material sense, this King is not miserly or stingy with his riches and success. He is exceptionally generous and loves to see others succeed and reach the same level as him. During this cycle, see where you can help others succeed in their lives. This could look like mentoring someone, donating your time or skills to a worthy cause, or literally donating money or other resources to those in need. The underlying energy here is to be open and generous with your success. There's a quote about how it's "lonely at the top," but it doesn't have to be if you do the work to bring others up to your level. Other people's success doesn't mean less for you. Being generous in this way will help you feel incredibly fulfilled on your journey. All that being said, remember to keep your boundaries secure, as the more successful you are, the more likely you are to encounter those who may work to tear you down. The King of Pentacles is deeply grounded, as he's the King of earth energy. Remember to embody this side of him, too, to become unmovable and unbothered by haters on your path. 

 


 

Summary:

Affirmation: I openly accept and relish my success, and I generously help those who need my assistance.

Action Steps:

  • Examine your relationship to authority, logic, stability, and rules
  • Release your rigid grip on life and your creativity.
  • Make time for play and experimentation
  • Adjust your outlook on life re: setbacks and failures
  • Remember that thoughts create your reality.
  • Appreciate your journey and all the challenges you’ve overcome
  • Recognize how incredibly capable you are
  • Understand deeply that you are magical and have the power to create anything you want
  • Know with all of your being that you have everything you need to succeed.
  • Stop neglecting your needs in order to take care of others
  • Put some strong boundaries in place around self-care
  • Create balance in your life by releasing things from your life/to-do list that don’t feel aligned for you anymore
  • Learn to say “no” gracefully, yet firmly. (look up scripts and templates if you need!)
  • Accept your success, and don’t be afraid to help others on their path to success
  • Stay grounded in your reality of success, and don’t let haters shake you up.
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