Leo: I Play (Starry Sunday)
Hello, everyone! Apologies for the long wait between this and the previous update. Been a really strange few weeks for me. Anywho, for this week’s Starry Sunday post, I will be talking about the sign of Leo. The Sun has been transiting the sign for the last few weeks, and this is my last opportunity to discuss the sign while the sun resides within it!
Leo may be second only to Scorpio in terms of their reputation for being powerful, and for good reason. With the proud Sun ruling this sign of fixed fire, and the symbolic archetype of the Lion, Leo is ferocity of spirit personified. No matter what your other planetary placements, being born with the Sun in Leo will be felt by you and by those around you. How? Mainly in a singularly determined ego, in good ways and bad.
Let’s start with the good. The Sun represents the most vital, positive, and life-loving parts of every one of us. The ego is capable of doing great things, and the Sun will indicate in what ways you will function best, what will bring you fulfillment and pride. It is not exactly the same as your destiny, however. That is ruled by your North Node. Rather, the Sun is personal pride and personal fulfillment. You don’t need to be a standout in the things which fill your life with purpose. Depending on the house and aspects, this will mean different things.
The Lion is the archetype of Leo. Proud, animal, and fierce, the Lion knows what they want and will fight hard to get it. The lion also adorns the major arcana card Strength in tarot, which is fitting as Strength represents the astrological sign of Leo. People are rather afraid of ego, but I don’t believe this to be fair. It is dangerous to have an unfulfilled ego, or to not understand how to fulfill one’s ego. A person with strong Leo influence will usually have no trouble understanding their needs and will be in touch with the more spirited parts of themselves, pending inharmonious aspects.
When discussing Leo, it is crucially important to discuss the narrative of this sign, and when I say narrative, I mean in the literary sense. Leo sees themselves as the protagonist of their story. Aries does as well, but in a more active, directional sense. Leo is in constant spiritual search of its great destiny, its great fulfillment, and seeking its moment of narrative glory. The Lion does this by spending a great deal of time with itself, searching inward for where that fulfillment comes from. A strong sense of identity and self is crucial for Leo in particular. In fact, I would argue that Leo is the most introverted of the fire signs. The perfect, glowing Sun is in a perpetual state of roiling explosion just under the surface. To be fixed is to look inward and have a great deal of inner depth.
Of course, that the best life stories can be told through performing arts is no coincidence with this sign. Leo has a reputation for loving the stage. Speaking in honesty, I have drawn greatly on this part of Leo’s energy in my inspiration for my catchphrase for Leo, “I play.” The Lion lives its life with the same amount of fire and desire and will for life as the lead characters in the best stories. Like the Sun, Leo radiates life force, and both craves and earns admiration. The 5th house rules fun as well, and what is more fun that creating joy and entertainment out of life? “Joie de vivre” is the name of the game for this glowing sign.
Unfortunately, the bright energy of this sign casts a great shadow, and the love for attention rules this shadow. Leo is easily very offended by the negative opinions of others. Of the fire signs, the spirit and vitality of Leo is the quickest to recoil. All who dare to offend these natives, fear the teeth of the wounded Lion! One must be careful to be gentle in their criticism of this proud sign. They are one of the signs most invested in being good and kind and worthy. The Self must achieve its greatest potential and meaning with this sign, and really, isn’t that dream worthy of all the admiration in the world?
