Today is the first day of 2025, and it’s been difficult for me to sit down and focus on Leo, the zodiac sign. I live in New Orleans, and I was awakened early this morning by a text alert about a mass casualty incident in the French Quarter. More messages from friends and family followed over the coming hours.
My heart aches for all the people impacted by this senseless, violent act. While I’m not directly impacted, the trauma reignites my memories of similar past events and the way they influenced my life. It shakes my core. Because I am an astrologer, I am not surprised by today’s news, the collapse of a building on Magazine Street yesterday, or several other ominous news stories. I know Mars, retrograde in Leo, is opposing Pluto in Aquarius, and that aspect often corresponds with conflict and violence in the collective. The Moon highlighted this tense opposition today.
Twelve months ago, I scribbled “not a happy new year” on my calendar for today. Knowing removes the element of surprise, and I suppose it kept me away from crowds last night, but it doesn’t prevent harm or heal the pain in the world. I guess it allows me perspective if not full understanding. There are always periods of greater difficulty and greater ease, and there is some predictability to the cycles through careful observation of the heavens. The Divine offers clues.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, The Bible
Leo is the home of the Sun, the central life-giving force for our planet. It’s categorized as Fixed Fire, an eternal flame of vitality and strength. The Fixed mode implies stability, loyalty, and resistance to change. Fire represents the qualities of hot and dry. We associate it with passion and action.
The heart is associated with Leo in the human body. It contains the electrical impulse that generates life and pumps blood to keep our brains and bodies alive. Stable rhythms create homeostasis, and erratic rhythms cause all kinds of problems.
When planets are in Leo, the environmental influence can be compared to being in the royal throne room. Often, that is an empowering place to be, in the good graces of a ruler. Classical astrologers associated Leo with many positive social characteristics, like being well-tempered, intellectual, notable, good, and just. Every sign also has less desirable characteristics, and for Leo, it can be stubbornness and laziness (hating work) and behaviors that are attention-seeking, entitled, arrogant, and tyrannical.
For a planet like Mars, which is already hot and dry, passionate and heated actions can be channeled toward the Leonine virtues or more challenging vices. Either way, the fire grows hotter, more dangerous, and more volatile.
I sat in the sunshine to contemplate the tarot cards associated with Leo and its three decans. Despite the tragic news, the weather was beautiful, warming my body and comforting my heart.
In the Thoth Deck, Leo is associated with card 11, Lust. This is a bit different than the Rider-Waite tradition, where card 8 is labeled Strength. The imagery has some similarities; both feature a regal lion and a feminine figure. In Rider-Waite’s version, the woman is gently and chastely taming the lion, while Thoth’s card shows a woman riding it in a more passionate posture. Both cards are heavily yellow-gold.
It’s interesting that while Leo is a traditionally masculine sign, tarot links it to feminine power and archetypal goddesses of love and war. One of the card's names is Daughter of the Flaming Sword. Courage, purity, strength, and passion are themes, whether taming a passion or directing it for a purpose.
The three Leo decans correspond with the 5, 6, and 7 of Wands. The 5 of Wands represents Decan 1, known as Strife. Many writers associate this card with a playful competition between peers and the struggle to achieve recognition and power. The decan is ruled by Saturn, who creates restrictions and limitations. A person has to follow the rules and work to overcome them.
In the 6 of Wands (Decan II), there is Victory. With Jupiter’s blessings, someone rises to the top, achieving recognition and power and enjoying their day in the sun. Victory represents honors, fame, and fulfillment.
Mars rules Decan III, Valour, represented by the 7 of Wands. No one stays at the top forever; challenges arise, whether from the ravages of age and illness or competitors who want the position. The challenge to one’s achievement is represented by the 7, showing the need for protection and defense. Effort is required to maintain the status quo.
A couple of weeks ago, I did a year-ahead tarot reading for myself, and the 7 of Wands was the card that represented 2025 in summary. It showed up in the reversed position, and I’ve been mulling over what that might mean for me in the year ahead. It is a card of courage, showing how one responds to challenges and challengers.
Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.
Brene’ Brown
Perhaps this newsletter and the act of sharing my personal reflections with you - even on tough days like today - is a good first step.
Thanks for reading.
XOXO,
Denise
