NEW MOON IN LEO

Greetings friends,

Before I get into this installment, I want to first say “YAY!”—this is my first moon article in a short while, and it feels really good to send it out, even if it’s a little past the moon’s exact date. I keep thinking that I’m settled into my new living situation and will be able to just snap back into routine, but to be honest, it’s been really hard. This week has been the first one in several weeks that I’ve actually gotten to bed at a decent time, woke up somewhat early and got right to it, and gone grocery shopping, haha. It feels good though. There are not any horoscopes in this newsletter, but I’ll be sending out an installment about Leo season and Venus in Virgo tomorrow, which has horoscopes. I’m also sending out a Mercury retrograde newsletter, hopefully by the end of this week; that way you’ll be caught up on all of the big things happening presently, and I’ll be back on track. I’m finally ready to lock in and feel really energized to be more disciplined and organized. I’m in the middle of creating a Lion’s Gate Portal offering that you can use between August 8th and 12th, the final days of this portal’s energy. I’ll be sending that out with a little blurb about the Lion’s Gate Portal on the morning of the 8th, so keep an eye out for that if you want to get the practice and learn more! I hope you enjoy this installment, and as I’ve said in the past couple of newsletters, I truly appreciate your patience and understanding as I navigate this new chapter.

xx, Aspen

This new moon is a gentle breather from all the intense energies we’ve been encountering this summer. This is the first moon in a short while not to participate in a wild planetary formation, have many additional aspects active, or share any super heavy themes. And while it reaches its exact illumination approximately 17 hours before Mercury stations retrograde, there is a softness in this moon that will likely be subtly felt throughout the entirety of the retrograde. This is a blessed moon that encourages us to find sanctuary in our heart spaces. Unlike the stereotypical qualities associated with Leo—extravagant, bold, loud, theatrical—there is a sleepy quality to this moon, something humble and private. This is most likely due to Mercury’s slowing down to retrace its steps; when planets prepare to retrograde, they “lose their momentum”—symbolically, not literally, of course—which can lead us to slow down with them. Since Mercury governs the mental domain, thoughts, ideas, all forms of communication, documents, social media, technology, short travel, and transportation, among other things, this time before the retrograde actually begins may feel like all of these things are hanging in suspension.

No prominent aspects are happening alongside this moon other than a rare-ish formation called a yod, also known as “the finger of god” or “finger of fate.” This formation is rarer to encounter in an individual’s natal chart, but even when one is constructed by the transiting planets, something may feel like it’s being controlled by a bigger, unseen force. This yod’s energy, alongside Mercury preparing to station retrograde, is likely inviting us into a more muted, surrendered state of being.

While new moons are favorable to manifest under, I think the more favorable time to manifest would be between the final days of the Lion’s Gate Portal (between 8/8 and 8/12), which will happen alongside the moon’s entry into its first quarter phase, one that blesses the act of setting things into motion. You may find it helpful to consider what you’d like to call forward at this time and then do an actual practice sometime between the dates I mentioned, but whatever has come authentically for you—whether you’re waiting until then or have already done a practice—is perfect in its own way. The yod’s participation in this moon is advocating for us to stop trying to micromanage things and instead, consider how we might make peace with all that is in front of us at present. If you choose to call new things in, what is your motivation and reasoning? Some of us may feel inclined to do manifestation practices with this moon from a place of attachment or worry; we may be partaking in our practices to appease the ego’s desire to know what’s happening. That’s not to discourage manifestation altogether under this energy, but it is an invitation to check in with your intentions. This moon also reminds us that just because we are not consciously directing our energy toward a specific manifestation does not mean we are not manifesting. We are always manifesting the realities we’re living, even if we may not be fully aware of them. In the essence of Leo, we’re asked to simply tune into our hearts, embody our “star quality,” and allow the things meant for us to come toward us in perfect timing. If you want to learn more about this yod’s influence over manifestation, you can join the moon circle below! But let’s get into the major themes of this moon.

HERE’S THE BIG PICTURE

With the new moon occurring in Leo, there is an emphasis on the light of the sun, as the sun sits in its home sign in Leo. Because of this, when this lunation occurs, we’re gifted the opportunity to explore our hearts and egos from a softer point of view—we can observe the ego from the maternal perspective of the moon. This can be favorable for a couple of things. The first is to check in with how we are interacting with our egos’ expressions so that we might better understand how they are influencing and potentially discoloring the expression of our beliefs, perspectives, choices, and actions. We are asked to humble ourselves through this moon so that we might get to the core of our essence, the purest iteration of our identities. However, due to the maternal energy, we can empathize with why the ego may be showing up as it is while simultaneously “parenting” it by not allowing it to have free reign over our decisions and actions. The second beneficial thing from this moon is that it promotes inner child healing, the discovery of more authentic confidence, and the re-alignment with our inherent magnetism. With new moons signifying new chapters and new beginnings, this can be a beautiful time for us to write a new narrative for our self-concept to better reflect the true self we know ourselves to be.

Leo is a sign heavily associated with identity and self-concept, specifically pertaining to the way that we translate and channel our identity into the external world through our personalities, social presence, fashion, and self-presentation choices. This sign can also describe the “star quality” that we each possess and how we may utilize that quality to garner attention, praise, or celebration, or perhaps it is a quality that naturally gains attention without you even trying. But most importantly, it is like the breath of inspiration that courses through us, infusing even the most mundane moments of our days with a movie-esque quality. Leo is passion, artistry, and childlike excitement. Leo is the artist who creates not because they are obligated to, but because creation is a natural part of their very way of being—to create and express is a fundamental need. Whether Leo is or is not prominently integrated into our individual charts, this energy is one that we can learn from by tapping deeper into the artist that resides within each of us.

I think one of the most interesting things about Leo is that they get easily caught up in the physical aspects of self-expression, which is also why they are known for being so image-focused and appreciative of attention. They can easily become absorbed into their perceived opinions of others, which may have them dwelling on their outfit, hair, teeth, mannerisms, posture, word choice, and all sorts of other things more than the average person, because there is always that voice within them asking, “Are we appearing the way that we want to be seen? Do we look like how we feel?” The issue in this is that Leo may allow this desire to “appear as they feel” to consume them, creating extreme self-criticism and obsession over being the sparkliest, shiniest, most unforgettable person in the room. What Leo may find to be so confusing is that, despite trying so intently, they will perhaps never be able to find the perfect expression of how they know themselves to be, as they are easily influenced by trends, others’ styles, and the world around them, which means that they too are ever evolving in their external presentation to be able to translate themselves accurately all the time.

The satisfaction that Leo may be seeking in such scenarios is non-material and non-physical—it is a state of being that radiates from within, and this is what the Leo new moon intends to remind us of and invite us to recenter on. This moon asks us to return to our pure essence that has perhaps been drowned by clothes, accessories, curated personalities, social reputations, and other things that make us believe we are more interesting to the rest of the world. While there’s nothing wrong with loving the way you appear or the qualities that make you most notable, this moon asks us to clarify what we are placing our sense of identity in. If all of the more 3D aspects of your sense of self were to be stripped away, who would you be? Do you present yourself in the ways you do as an extension of your authentic essence within, or to receive attention, validation, and approval? This moon asks us to release the material aspect of life for a moment and return to the potent energy that we each possess at our core. We’re asked to consider where we place our sense of worth and confidence.

Similar to how the sun is the center of our solar system and the additional planets revolve around it, our sun signs and sun energy are the center of who we are, and the things we surround ourselves with (hobbies, aesthetics, other external factors to describe who we are) are merely additional things that orbit us. The things revolving around the sun add extra layers to it and our whole being, but if they were to be erased, the sun would be just as bright, warm, and radiant, and so would we. While this moon may inspire you to explore your sun placement with greater curiosity, this is a time for us to embrace simplicity and celebrate who we are when all of the things that make us make more sense to others are stripped away. While manifestation practices can be useful with any new moon, this moon advocates more for embodiment—to view ourselves as the magnetic beings we are and simply allow what is meant for us to approach us. This moon is for us to reconnect with the heart, inner child, and authentic self, so that we may remember who we are. It’s for us to remember the star quality that is inherently ours; there is nothing you have to do to receive it, all you must do is allow it to be. While Leo is extravagant, the new moon urges us to simplify things so that we may embrace the full potency of who we are to be reignited, especially if we’ve drifted from it recently.

JOIN THE MOON CIRCLE

If you’re interested in reading a more detailed analysis of this new moon and want to receive the heart connection practice I created to be utilized alongside it, you can join the Moon Circle through the button below. By joining the moon circle, in every moon newsletter you will receive:

• Detailed discussion of additional planetary influences and any prominent aspects that will be active during the lunation

• Manifestation practices, release rituals, journaling prompts, and other moon-related offerings

• Description of what it means if the new or full moon is contacting your sun, moon, ascendant, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron, Lilith, North Node, or South Node

If you aren’t interested in the Moon Circle but would like to one of my manifestation practice tools, you can get them through the buttons below.

MONTHLY COACHING IS NOW AVAILABLE + LION’S GATE LIVE EVENT ON TIKTOK ON 8/8

I have been super excited to announce this, as I’ve been feeling really called to connect with 1:1 clients on a more consistent basis to help them grow and thrive. I recently closed my mini-readings for the foreseeable future, as I want to dedicate my reading time to more in-depth conversation (if you have a mini-reading booked with me, however, and have not yet received it, I will be wrapping up all incomplete bookings next week!). If you’ve received a mini-reading from me, thank you for your support of my practice and your trust in me. I’m excited to embark on this new chapter.

If you are a business owner, a creative, are preparing to start a big project, or are just curious to understand how the transits affect you specifically as they progress through the zodiac, 1:1 coaching is a terrific and expansive opportunity for your growth and success. In each 1:1 astrological coaching session, we’ll meet for an hour or so over Zoom, either at the beginning of the month or the beginning of a new astrological season, and discuss:

- How your long-term transits are going and what they’re revealing to you over time
- What the new and full moons of that month/season are bringing up for you and how they’re interacting with your natal placements
- How the short-term transits are activating your natal chart and how any aspects they form to your natal placements are manifesting in your personal experience

You’ll also receive a follow-up email with detailed notes and a recording of your session. If this is something you’re interested in, to learn more, you can send me a reply to this email or send me a DM on Instagram. You can also schedule a free discovery call with me through the button below so we can assess your goals and identify how we can work together to help you achieve them. <3

TIKTOK LIVE EVENT DETAILS

I’m hosting two live events this Thursday, August 8th, 2024, on TikTok (@aspensuniverse)—the first will be between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm PST, and the second between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm PST. I will be doing live mini-readings covering one question addressing whatever you’d like—just no compatibility questions regarding you and another party. Readings will last between 5 and 10 minutes and will be $40 per question. I’ll be accepting payment through Venmo, Cashapp, and PayPal. If you are interested in getting a mini-reading from me, you can pre-fill out the intake form below and notify me once you’re in the live! Readings will be first come, first served. I’ll also be answering collective questions about the Lion’s Gate portal, August’s astrology, and Mercury retrograde, so if you have a question or just want to stop in and say hi, I would love to have you!

I’m hoping to do live events more frequently so that mini-readings can still be available to those who are interested in one—I’m curious to see how this event goes. Hope to see you there!

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