This is going to be a New Moon in Leo, but not as we know it. The new moon is flanked by two blue moons in Aquarius. One full moon is conjunct Saturn, the second is conjunct Jupiter. So we are going to be on a long journey from end to end. And August is going to feel like a massive, expansive and overwhelming month. It is life changing, profound, and contains all the elements of serious concern and involvement in the world of others. Our identity within and around groups is at stake. The Leo fire of individuation has started the beginning of a new dynamic cycle.

The New Moon is happening at 16 degrees and 14 minutes, on the 8th of August, and at 14:49 UK time. The messages we get through the Crystal Tarot are schematic and abstract, with cold, stencil-like, scientific geometric shapes, symbolic designs and an abundance of evocative colour. No figures, humans or animals appear, but red for fire, ciel for air, blue and green for water. These elements will, indeed, dominate the cycle of new moon in Leo. Deciphering and grasping the importance of this period in time is not easy but with so much fire and air energy we know events will unfold quickly. And it will feel destabilising and will be all consuming, either by outside forces, or through powerful emotions within us. There is water involved as well – remember.

First of all, the 4 of Wands suggests to us that a fair amount of conflict will permeate conditions. Up in the skies we have the square of Uranus to this new moon, followed by the opposition to Saturn. So both Sun and Moon, are caught up in a difficult and challenging relationship with Uranus and Saturn – who themselves represent conflicting archetypes. Sun and Moon want us to shine. Elderly Saturn, is ambitious and austere. Uranus will just not be contained in any shape or form. An energy that is unexpected and electric, as it is hostile and heavy. All voices say, we are at a breaking point as we pursue our path in life. Sudden shifts, convulsions or violent movement of any type will be tide up, in surprising ways, with anything that we try and start to do now. This can be good or bad. For better or for worse, we are already feeling it, and we are going to struggle to maintain a business as usual attitude.

Both the 4 of Wands and the 3 of Cups, are cards that can indicate a celebratory situation. One regarding achievement and the other regarding emotions. They create stable shapes of square and triangle. But within them they contain strife and instability, disharmony and dizzying repetition. With the Wands we are in the realm of desires. The element is heat. The number 4 tells us of collaboration. We can’t go at it alone. The Cups represent the element of water and, by association, spirituality and emotions. With the water everything dissolves. And so connectivity with others becomes the essence of interpretation. The number 3 represents overcoming duality and the power of manifestation through creativity. It’s a full circle in itself. It’s the beginning, the middle and the end. In this sense the new moon in Leo is a complete whole.

The 5 of Swords that comes up in the spread leaves little room for rejoicing, however. It represents a battle fought and lost. Along the way the new moon will bring loss. With the swords representing mental energy, this can be hard words, painful communications, trouble arguing and being convincing of our thought process. Putting our point of view across, will not be met with success. It’s a struggle of the mind. This is not to say that the repercussions are not real. We are going to feel the damaging impact of wrong speech or cutting words in our everyday life, in our profession, in our homes. We can find ourselves competing in a brutal fight that we can not win, and we are going to have to be strategic and logical about it. Not going all out, but choosing our battles will work to our advantage. Taking a less emotional approach, will be the way forward. And keeping distant and mature in our decision making will win the day.

The month looks likely to end on a more optimistic note. A butterfly will be the uplifting feeling of heading up to the skies. A crystal bejewelled egg is at the centre of everything. The possibilities are magnificent and are heart centred. The energy is more of groups and the community. How to belong while remaining authentic to the self. The 3 of Cups – flat and on the side – tell us that we are also going to have to say no to something, in order to create the yes we desire. We are going to find our way through negation to what is the positive we are looking for. What don’t we like? What we absolutely disagree with? What is ugly or ethically unacceptable to us, now will be staring us in the face. What feels wrong and needs to be eliminated, are some of the challenges that will come with the new moon in Leo. We are going to be working with these energies for the next six months, so what will come out of it is something we wont know for some time. It is an energy that is contained and that is building up. At the new moon, the sky is dark. Within a month we will have an idea somehow and things will start to make more sense. But the complete picture will take much longer to be revealed in its fullness.

Flavia