The New Moon occurs at 14:53 (UT) on the 14th August 2015 at 21°LEO30′
With the Sun shining brightly from its own sign and the dark of the Moon revealing the spectacular light show of the Perseids yearly meteor shower, this lunation has a distinct feeling of celebration around it.
Generally, the New Moon in Leo is a time to set your intentions around creativity and self expression. It’s the time to remember that you need to play, to create and that life is to be enjoyed. It’s the endless days of summer holidays when you were a kid; running to the ice cream van; water pistol fights in the garden; sand castles on the beach. It’s being the focus of attention, being noticed – whether by an audience or by that attractive person who puts a sparkle in your eye. It’s taking a risk and falling in love with life all over again.
The New Moon is conjunct retrograde Venus and trine to retrograde Uranus. This is about living what your heart desires. It’s about having the courage to be fabulously and uniquely you. Can you be spontaneous? Funny, I’m listening to music and the line that just came up was ‘sometimes you’ve got to give your heart whatever it desires‘. Can you do that? Do you listen to your heart or do you quash it with I can’t, I shouldn’t, I don’t have time? The New Moon is also in a tight quincunx to Chiron. It points to where the inner child still remembers being told :-
- No you can’t
- Don’t do that
- You’re not allowed
- Stop daydreaming
- People don’t like that
- Don’t be silly
There’s also a wide and out of sign square to Saturn. It’s barely there but it may bring back an echo of ‘that’s not good enough‘. Just enough to stop you in your tracks and remember how bad it felt when you and/or your creations were ignored or when your best invisible friend was derided, or when future dreams where discredited for being childish fantasies.
New Moon in Leo August 2015 – Chart

But the bright energies of Venus and Uranus filtering into this glorious Leo Moon are too tempting to ignore. There is a taste of freedom and it’s oh so sweet. The question is whether you dare to take it or are you going to let limping Chiron hobble you. If those old wounds are too painful to bare, inner child work may be the most beneficial way of using these aspects to free that part of you caught up in the pain of the past. The quincunx is about getting out of your own way. In this case, acknowledge the pain you experienced, the wounds you incurred that taught you that being you wasn’t enough or that being your true self meant no one would love you.
The New Moon is almost exactly trine to asteroid Angel and conjunct asteroid Eros. Fall in love with you. At this New Moon, do something that makes your heart burst into a shower of sparks of pleasure, even if it’s just listening to your favourite song. Joy doesn’t have to be elaborate and it doesn’t have to rely on anyone else.
Just over 24 hours after the New Moon, the Sun will conjunct retrograde Venus which marks a new synodic cycle. This will take place on the next degree along from the New Moon so these points are highly sensitised. It’s like a cosmic kiss blessing your journey towards self love. One compliments the other.
The New Moon is on the Sabian symbol :-
A Carrier Pigeon Fulfilling Its Mission
You came here with a mission: a soul purpose to live and learn and grow in experience. You chose this body, this life, these connections for a reason. What message are you sending out about who you are? Has your message or mission become bent out of shape in the school of hard knocks? Did the magnetic pull of the need to please meddle with your internal compass?
Or maybe you know the direction you want to go and you just need those hands to release you.
Just fly.
Just fly.
You are free.
Painting – ‘Hibiscus and Birds’ by Le Pho
Hi Leah,
I have my natal Jupiter at 24 degrees Leo. Is this too wide an orb for it to have an impact on me?
Hi Michael – In this case, as Venus is at 23 degrees and conjunct the New Moon, I would say it could have an effect. My own Jupiter is at 25 Leo and I can feel some of the feel-good vibes 🙂
Thanks, Leah. Didn’t think about the connection with Venus! It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out. However, my natal Saturn is at 28 degrees Scorpio (12th house) so still feeling the effects of my second Saturn return. So I’ve decided it’s got to be about self-love, self-belief and self-discipline bringing about self-improvement.
Thanks again. This really resonanted with me.
My natal Jupiter is in Leo 26.50R — What implications, if any, for it being retrograde?
Hi Mere, generally a natal retrograde planet tends to be more internalised experience.
You might find Erin Sullivan’s book ‘Retrograde Planets’ useful. She talks about natal retrogrades including Jupiter as well as transiting retrogrades.