Is anyone else feeling honestly just over it all? Granted, today is Monday, scourge of the work week, but still — with everything that seems to be happening in the world right now, with awfulness underwriting almost every headline, just being a functioning human is draining. But tomorrow, Aug. 2, new moon is rising in Leo — and that, my astrologically curious little friends, is something to actually look forward to. Here's what a new moon in Leo means, because obviously we all absolutely need to know.
Generally, every month welcomes both a new moon and a full moon. During a new moon, the "Luminaries" (the Sun and the Moon) are aligned in the same zodiac sign, and the world is thus imbued with the characteristics of whatever sign is front and center. This month — this muggy, bug-bitten, trash-fire month of August — Leo is stepping up to the plate. And thank Goddess for that, because Leos are rad.
Leo is a fire sign, ruled by the sun and embodied by a lion. Because of these admittedly showboat-y elements, Leos tend to get a bad rap regarding their egos; however, Leos are passionate, generous, warm-hearted, and creative. They put forth beauty. They chase after what they want. And this month, consider taking on a few of these badass characteristics. Because, like, the universe is behind you on this one, so why not?
Here's how to make the most of the new moon rising in Leo this month. Big things are in store, so get ready for a burst of energy and purpose.
1. Take Heart In Yourself
Leo is a sign governed by the heart, an element that has both a physical and spiritual power. Turn that generosity inward, because let's be real, the person in our lives whom we most abuse is almost always ourselves. Be kind to you. Have faith in you. Why are Leos so often successful? Because they take self-doubt in stride and don't let it pummel them into the ground.
2. Set Intentions
New moons are great times to set intentions for the upcoming month (and beyond!). Give yourself permission to verbalize what you actually want. It's OK to have wild dreams — life is nothing without a little adventure.
3. Create Something
Try capitalizing on the creative energy that's flowing, and put forth a new something into the world. You don't have to paint a 10-foot masterpiece. It can be a three-line poem. It can be a singular cartoon. A tiny, embroidered flower. A nice meal, even! But I think there's a certain meditation that goes into creating with intention, and it's one that helps remind us, especially those of us who get very in our own heads, that we are here. We're still here.
4. Be Brave
In the musical Damn Yankees (I KNOW, but please listen for, like, one second please, though), a losing baseball team sings this song that still, embarrassingly, echoes through my head every so often. It's about maintaining confidence and faith and hope in the face of what feels like unending failure. It takes courage to fight through disappointments. It takes bravery to ask yourself, really, what are you doing here? What's your purpose? That's what this time is good for — asking those questions, and being strong enough to look for the answers. You don't necessarily havee to find them, but be brave enough to ask them. The search is part of what makes it worth it.
Images: Getty Images; Giphy (3); cybersnob1/YouTube
