Our Youthful Exuberance

click on the image to read about the art

The Scorpio lunation cycle that began our investigation into self-honesty is nearing completion reflecting the face of the Leo waning Moon  and the innocent exuberance of our self-expression. Every month, the waning phase of the Moon offers us a time for self-reflecting and integrating the creative energies we have released during the lunar cycle. When the waning Moon is in Leo our self-reflection is accompanied with a certain restless anxiety at having to shine for our self alone. Leo is that aspect in each  of us telling our self how boring it is to be an audience of one, and yet, this is the grace  and beauty offered  Leo; bringing to conscious awareness a blossoming self-assured confidence not dependent upon the approving applause of another. When we are under the influence of a waning Moon we experience the dark face of our unconscious, and in Leo this dark face reveals the past rejections and exclusions we have experienced that are in need of healing in the present.

When under the influence of Leo we feel the vitality of life pulsating through every cell of our being sincerely wanting to share with others the warmth and vibrancy of our solar light, yet, we can behave like an unaware child basking in the radiance of our solar light blind to the effect we have on others and insensitive to their individual needs. The solar radiance of Leo can scorch the sensitive receptivity of the Moon alienating us from our deeper emotional needs. The Leo waning Moon brings the opportunity of contemplating our deeper needs by bringing to the surface our self-doubts and insecurities.  Leo is that aspect in each of us seeking security within our self and the greatest lesson learned from Leo is the self-love expressed in our giving love freely from our heart to our self and unequivocally to everyone else.

The waning Moon always makes a square with the Sun suggesting an internal conflict requiring a creative solution. Before making a square to the Sun the Moon conjoins the South Node in Leo, opposes the North Node, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius, and makes a square to Mercury in Scorpio. The insecurity of Leo expressing our need to impress others is clouding our capacity to see an inner truth about our self. Leo is that aspect in each of us seeking self-respect regardless of what others think or say and the emotional distance and objectivity offered Aquarius can help us become less vulnerable to the approval of the group. This waning Moon seems to be challenging us to embrace our unique individuality without loosing our sensitivity and awareness of the needs of others. The Moon-Neptune opposition suggests that emotional deception is creating the unrealistic expectations we harbor about what others can give to us. This waning Moon is gently reminding us that the illuminating gift of Leo is our capacity to give love to others and the illuminating gift of Aquarius is our capacity to receive love from others; a realization  guaranteed to mark our inner transforming if we resist the temptation to remain complacent with the ways of our past.