Waning Moon in Leo

Today's Moon Note covers today and tomorrow, Sunday and Monday, the waning Moon's transit through Leo.

The Moon assumed the mantle of dramatic, expressive Leo at 5:45am EDT, even as she entered her balsamic period, the last few days before the New Moon. How does a passionate Leo Moon feel about this waning time, when our experience is distilled down to its essentials and we release all that has been completed, preparing for the new cycle to come?

We can think of this as a Lion in Winter time, that marvelous, intense play about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, two aging but still powerful sovereigns locked in conflicts personal as well as political. Or even Lear, monument to the depth of loss we can experience when we hold tight to the wrong things in life. There is plenty of scope for the Lion Moon in a waning cycle.

Let's consider alternate readings. This is the dénouement, the untying of the knottier aspects of our plot. If we've done the work of attention and reflection, we now see the pattern in the weave. This is the time when we experience catharsis, released from tension and anxiety, and washed clean. Now we see this play as a whole, understanding the arc of its action from beginning to its approaching end.

This balsamic time has is poignancy, to be sure, but need not be tragic. Endings can bring peace, insights, and the boon: We gather the gifts from this adventure, invigorated and strengthened for the road ahead.

The Leo Moon flows energy in trine with expansive, fiery Jupiter (exact at 6:31am EDT): This Lion wants the leading role. A flow of energy in sextile with balanced, hard-working Saturn (exact at 1:23pm) adds gravitas and depth to the portrayal.

Tomorrow, the Leo Moon time continues. Creative expression, passionate action, and living from the heart are all supported today. The Moon flows energy in sextile with Mars at 9:38pm EDT Monday, linking action and emotion. Use the balance of Mars in Libra to express yourself beautifully and harmoniously.

The Rainbow Portrait

The Moon reaches an opposition with visionary Neptune (exact at 12:52 am Tuesday) and healing Chiron (exact at 2:12 am), seeking the balance between personal creative expression and serving the community. Look for intense dreams and colorful visions this night.

The Leo Moon's last aspect is a flowing trine with lovely Venus (exact at 4:17am Tuesday), another link between expressing what's in our hearts (Leo) and love of creativity (Venus). The Moon enters her time-between-time with this aspect, until arriving in practical Virgo at 5:52am Tuesday.

With the Moon in Leo, we feel things strongly and want to express them. We yearn for an audience, ultimately because we long to be seen, heard, and felt as the unique and special beings we are. During this balsamic time, the last days of this lunar cycle, appreciate the adventure, creativity and, yes, the drama of the play we've been in. We are all kings and queens, the heroes of our own lives.