Leo & mid-summer
Sun in Leo: Mid-Summer
We are immersed in these energies at this time, and we revisit the themes below at the full moon in Leo, during the Aquarius solar month.
A Time of the Heart
When the sun transits through the sign of the lion, it is time to live from our heart. One half of this story involves tapping into our purpose and vitality, and letting our speech and actions arise from that place. That's the heart expanding.
But the heart also needs to contract. This is how it draws in nourishment (or blood in the case of the physical heart), so it has something to direct outwards on that next beat of expansion. Half of our work this month centers around taking in what we love. Listen to what you love to hear, whether it's music or the voice of a friend, loved one, or teacher. Read what inspires you. Go to the places that feed you. This enables you to expand outwards from your strength.
The heart contracts:
How can you be more generous towards yourself?
The heart expands:
How can you be more generous towards others?
Take in What You Love
Why taking in what you love is so important:
Let's suppose you take in things that irritate you, whether through reading, discussing, listening to, or - especially - thinking about things you don't like. If you're just taking in the icky stuff, the tendency will be to react to what you don't like from a place of irritation, similar to how your digestive system reacts to food poisoning. If you have a stockpile of what-you-love built up inside, you can connect the icky stuff with the lovey stuff, and respond to what you don't like from a place of love and strength.
The difference:
React comes from a root word that implies driving out.
Respond comes from a root word that implies making a sacred offering.
Cultivating Childlike Joy
This is the time to awaken some part of us that is child-like - expressive, buoyant, and generous towards ourselves and others. Get out and play. It's summer. There are flowers blooming, fruits ripening, sunshine galore, love to be felt, friends available to play with, and time enough to explore it all. Drink this into your bones now. That marrow will see you all the way through the winter.
This "golden child" is different than the "wounded child" archetype. That's for another time.
What do you enjoy expressing and creating?
How can you share your joy with others?
How do you like to play nowadays?
Spine Time
Leo also rules the spine - that central column that keeps us upright, which in turn enables our heart-area to lift up, and be open to the world. Our spine defines and gives integrity to our shape.
What is the spine - the central backbone - of your life?
Does that spine feel true to you?
If so, how can you move through the world with more awareness of the spine that holds you up?
If not, what would feel like a truer, more supportive spine for you?
Herbs for the Leo month:
The Sun is in its strength in Leo, so you can embrace this energy by drinking solar infusions of herbs (a.k.a. sun tea). Here are a few suggestions of herbs to use this month -
Motherwort is a classic Leo herb - its Latin name is Leonorus, in fact. Motherwort is an excellent herb for the heart. It is strong medicine, and very bitter, so I recommend using it only in micro doses (1 drop of tincture, or a tiny pinch of dry/fresh herb). Taking motherwort is like getting a big hug on the inside. It calms the nerves, and is good medicine for folks whose heart races when anxious.
Calendula, an herb of the sun, heals deeply held heart-wounds and honors the sun, following it as it travels through the sky.
Chamomile is another solar herb, helpful for child-like personalities. It resolves crankiness, soothes the nerves, and calms.
Rose petals/buds encourage your heart to be open, yet protected.
Hawthorn berries are a nourishing tonic for the heart.
For a Deeper Exploration of Leo...
...feel free to schedule a consultation. Wishing you a month of heart-ful creativity and play, Rae