Leo New Moon 2020

This New Moon period may influence the rest of the year.

By Norma Jean Ream

Summer peaks with the August New Moon at 26 Leo. Time to meet up with your friends and family (at least virtually) to have a good talk about things in general. Catch up on what people are thinking about. Mercury, the messenger is with the Sun and Moon. Mercury’s conjunction with the Sun while direct in motion establishes the beginning of a new cycle for Mercury. It is like a download period when the Sun gets a report. Use this time to take in data, discuss with others, listen to different views in a social setting that allows easy exchange. Leo is the sign of entertainment, socializing, and like an archetypal gathering at the King’s court.

The New Moon/Mercury in Leo offer a theme of leadership. They are the perfect hosts for a summer gathering. They trine Mars and quincunx Saturn and Pluto. This is the perfect position to quell tempers and mediate the heated square Mars is having with the heavies.

The strong and dominant square from Mars to Saturn and Pluto, illustrating the struggle between individual choices versus general rules of control over the masses, will hold its tension through the end of the year. Mars won’t leave Aries until January 7, 2021.

Mars represents how we express what we want, our actions and the skills we develop. Mars in fiery Aries is impulsive, willful, arrogant, loud, and stimulating. Mars usually moves through a sign quickly, having only a two-year cycle around the Sun. This year Mars will stretch out and get comfortable at home for a little over 6 months in Aries. That gives plenty of time for the planet of self-will, motivation, and action to make some plans and remodel the place.  Take the time to learn new skills or prepare for a change of job.

Saturn is in its own Earth sign Capricorn and hosting Jupiter and Pluto. These planets are retrograde, so their influences are continuing to be felt in the repression of general society and commerce. Each of these planets plays an important individual role in the world of business and governments. The time that they spend gathered close marks a period of history-making. The overlapping of their cycles means a period of consolidated changes that are relative to some very-long periods. In fact, Pluto is close to returning to the degree it was at the founding of America.

The stress of the outer planet cluster in 2020 has been difficult, but it may be priming society for even bigger shifts in how we live. So, this Leo New Moon is a time to take advantage of the social atmosphere of late summer and interact with others to get the sense of trends around you.

The Lights contact both Mars and Saturn, creating a structure that is called a Learning Triangle. The theme of the structure is a crisis that causes uncertainty and longing, that develops seeking and then understanding, leading to new decisions formed by gathering information that builds toward the resolution. The result is an informed decision. The aspect structure follows tension—conflict—resolution. It would be good if Congress used this period to find a resolution to the financial crisis of the people.

The New Moon and Mercury are trine to Mars. The Fire sign planets can empower each other with plans of action for the new season ahead. When Mars feels honored, it operates like a good soldier with proper orders and will strive to be a hero for the good of all. Moon and Mercury are good at bending the conversation toward the higher benefit, rather than fan the flames of anger and frustration. If we think of Mars as the Workforce, we can see the desire to be “doing what we do”. People need jobs.

Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto represent energies of the structure of authority and control. Lumped together, they can embody the center of decisions establishing the rules and their enforcement. They take their job seriously and have a great deal of influence. Also, nothing happens very quickly especially during their retrograde phases. Mars is holding its square aspect as it prepares to turn retrograde (Sep.9) which intensifies the tension into early October as the other planets station direct one by one.

This seems like a New Moon period that will make a difference for what happens the rest of the year.