New Moon in Leo... Finally!!

   Today's New Moon takes place at 11:54 a.m. as the Moon joins the Sun in its' glory in Leo. The most wonderful time of year for fun in the sun is upon us, but there are other things to consider as well. This has been a tough week for a lot of people, with hard aspects from Venus (love or money) to Pluto (transformation) and Mars (aggression) to Saturn (responsibility) on Wednesday and an overnight square into Thursday of Venus to Uranus (the unexpected). When the Moon moved into dramatic and fiery Leo late Wednesday it worked hard to lift our spirits, reminding us to let the light back in to our lives and to have a bit of fun as Luna supported optimistic Jupiter in Gemini. That was just the prelude to the Moon  joining the Sun today for a new vision of possibility when the inner and outer can come together!

   With Mars and Saturn still in Libra, we are reminded that not everyone is on vacation, some are hurrying to their destinations and some are hurrying to work. When these two planetary energies collide we see their impact on relationships all across the board. Mars wants to poke and prod and stir things up, while Saturn shakes a finger and scolds, saying you must do it this way, which only makes Mars react with fight or flight and then Saturn gets more stern, tightens the reins and shuts down. With these two pulling in different directions we can have difficulty knowing what to do, but the secret lies in Libra, seeking balance and harmony. Remember, Saturn is exalted in this air sign and when we truly strive for fairness, not just having it our way... progress can be made. Slow down, breathe and put one foot in front of the other; you do your part and let others do theirs. You may not like their choices but you can choose how and whether to respond, or not.

    In the very wee hours yesterday morning, Venus in Cancer (home, feelings, water) squared off with Uranus in Aries (innovation, sudden changes, new starts) and may have made it harder to sleep through the night. I hope you wrote down any good ideas when you awoke, because Uranus will present them but they are fleeting if not captured quickly! Don't worry that you may be considering a quirky new way of dealing with an old issue, as that may be just the answer you need and you won't know if you don't at least try it.Venus in Cancer cares about home and family, making beautification projects top priority; try not to sulk if things don't exactly turn out the way you had planned.

   We'll see an inactive Moon at 1:55pm before it enters practical Virgo tonight at 8:33 p.m. While we want to ride the coattails of a Leo New Moon, wait until Saturday, or better yet, Monday afternoon or Tuesday, to begin anything important. Virgo is good for organizing and focusing on things that really need close attention to detail, so if you've been putting off a particular project you can get completely absorbed in it this weekend. Just know that the Moon is once again in a long void-of-course phase all day Sunday - better to follow through, do spiritual work or try completely relaxing for a change!

   The late degree of the New Moon, 25 Leo 08, means that the Sun only has five more days to express itself in this creative and strong fire sign before moving into Virgo on the 22nd. I hope you get to carve out some FUN time to be playful and encouraging with your loved ones, especially the children in your life. The fixed nature of this dramatic sign can come across a bit pompous so watch out not to let your pride get in the way or exclude anyone from feeling your warmth and generosity of spirit.

   Remember to keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground!