Leo: Introduction
Grab your shades. Leo has entered the building. If you have a Leo Sun, Leo Moon or Rising Sign in Leo (or are close to someone who is unmistakably hotter than the Sun), you will know what I mean. Sun ruled Leo has presence, charisma and, like all fire signs, does not do shy. You are there to be noticed and you generally make sure you get noticed at every opportunity. Blending in with the crowd is not for you. You want to be up there with your name, in lights, at the top of the bill – after all, life is not a dress rehearsal.
In this section, I’m going to tell you all you need to know about taming the big cat – the keywords associated with Leo and the stuff that Leo people find important in their lives. Whether or not that cat is a roaring lion or a sweet little kitty, all Leo influenced people have the propensity to be all shades of feline – and if you’re in love with a Leo, you need to know what makes them purr. Leo’s qualities can also be seen in those who have the Sun in a particularly strong position in the Natal Chart – e.g. close to the Ascendant or in the Fifth House, it’s natural domain.
Leo: Key Qualities
Fire
Fire signs are creative, inspiring and exciting and you are no exception. You love to be the centre of attention – whether this is as a leader, entertainer or party animal. You have huge amounts of charisma and charm and are naturally dramatic in your expression. However, your natural dominance can easily slip into arrogance and egotism – and when a Leo’s ego has been pricked, the lion’s roar will always exceed the scale of the perceived injury. Naturally romantic and passionate, Leo loves to be in love and relationships mean a great deal to them. Unlike the other fire signs, you are surprisingly loyal – if somewhat high maintenance.
Fixed
Fixed signs are exactly that – fixed. Stable, loyal and consistent, they build on the promise of each season – and you are no exception. Leo is where summer reaches it’s peak. It’s hot and everyone wants to holiday and have fun. Leo loves nothing more than fun and they love that fun to be a shared experience – with them at the centre of it of course. It’s this desire to shine their light on the world that makes them so creative in so many fields – enriching our lives with their contributions to our cultural capital. They may demand our applause but, basking in their light, the warmth we receive from Leo makes everything worth it.
Masculine
Masculine signs are active and Leo is conspicuously so, being confident, friendly, extroverted and dramatic. However, such qualities are not exclusively ‘male’ in a traditionally gendered sense. Lionesses are generally quite as comfortable with expressing and asserting their Leo characteristics as their male counterparts and all Leos are more than capable of being a diva – star power is where it’s at for Leo.
Leo: Ruler
Leo is ruled by the Sun, the most dominant male archetype. In the Sun we find our father, our boss and all of those who we look up to and aspire to be. In that sense, once internalised, the Sun represents our own sense of power – for it is the most powerful life force – and without it we would freeze and die. It is, quite literally, the centre of our personal universe and symbolises the ego, our essential being. For all of us our Sun is who we are. It empowers us and lies at the heart of our individuality. Without the Sun we are nothing – no wonder humankind has always worshipped at its altar!
Leo: Keywords
Positive
Affectionate, Attractive, Benevolent, Cheerful, Childlike, Courageous, Creative, Determined, Dignified, Dramatic, Entertaining, Enthusiastic, Faithful, Funny, Generous, Joyful, Leadership, Likeable, Magnanimous, Playful, Regal, Self Expressive, Sincere, Strong Willed, Sunny, Theatrical, Trustworthy, Vital, Warm.
Negative
Authoritarian, Bombastic, Bossy, Childish, Conceited, Dogmatic, Domineering, Egotistical, Flashy, Impatient, Lazy, Loud, Naive, Opinionated, Overbearing, Overthinking, Patronising, Pompous, Proud, Self Indulgent, Show-off, Snobbish, Unrelenting, Vanity.
Leo Sun
The Sun determines your sense of self. It is who you are at a deep level. It is the fire that keeps your spirit burning. With this Sun sign you really identify with Leonine traits – they represent who you are. The Sun lies at the heart of the Solar System – and that’s where you like to be, at the centre of everything. You thrive when you are the centre of attention. Always the star performer, you find it natural to command an audience. However, it’s just as easy to demand attention if you feel the world isn’t taking enough notice of you.
There is no doubt, however, that you are naturally warm and creative. You will find yourself with many friends and admirers as your generosity and enthusiasm lights up the life of those around you – but watch out that you don’t get too overenthusiastic as some people may find your boundless positivity just too much. However, your loyalty, ambition and sense of fun are never far from the surface. You are, at heart, a happy and spirited soul who, more than most, finds endless joy and pleasure in life itself.
Leo Moon
The Moon symbolises our deepest needs, all of those things we feel instinctively comfortable with – and with the Moon in Leo, you need Leonine people and things in your life – even if your Sun Sign gives you a completely different character. For you, this presents you with a bit of a conundrum as you are a child of the Sun – you need to shine to feel good about yourself. This means that whatever you do, you prefer it to be done with flair, panache and a sense of humour.
You need to be noticed but you also have a strong sense of your own dignity – which is just as well as your ego may be easily damaged and it is all too easy for you to flare up in response to some slight – real or imagined – and cause a scene. Your emotions are nothing if not theatrical. However, once the scene is over your usual happy demeanour returns as soon as you leave the stage – your audience however may be left wondering, ‘What the heck just happened there?’
Leo Rising
You can’t buy charisma so it’s just as well you were born with a lifetime’s supply and then some. Regardless of your Sun Sign, the way you express yourself is, well, exactly that – expressive. You express yourself probably better and more effectively than most people you know. Courageous and extroverted you will never feel shy of being yourself – and you will expect the world to accept your way of seeing things – if not, your roar will be heard for several miles.
You may look – or aspire to look – Leonine. Your hair will receive a lot of attention, you will want a lot of attention and you will be fond of jewellery and things that glisten and shine – even if it’s only in your eye. You will dress well and take great pride in your appearance and you may exude a natural confidence in all you do. Beware, however, of blowing your own trumpet a little too hard – you may bring music into people’s lives, just don’t turn the volume up too loud.
Leo in Love
If there were prizes for being an incurable romantic, Leo would make the shortlist every time. Sincere, loyal and generous, you need to lead in the relationship – and you ensure that your relationship is centre stage in your life. Your partner will need to be suitably regal as the partnership will be a highly visible one and you will not stand for anyone who may compromise your status. You are, therefore, incredibly choosy when it comes to partner selection!
Once your choice has been made, however, Leos expect to be able to retain some independence. It’s not that you’ll be disloyal or unfaithful – you will have played enough prior to commitment to get that out of your system. However, you simply won’t allow your partner to usurp your position as top cat and that means staying slightly aloof sometimes – or simply demanding your own way at others. A word of warning – don’t take your loved ones for granted because you need close loving relationships more than most.
Leo: Things To Look Out For
Hair, Yellow, Blonde, Sunflowers, Honey, Gold, Purple, Heart, Spine, Back, Cats, Vocal, Voice, Perfect Eyesight, Lamps, Lights, Ruby, Jewellery, Orange, Oranges, Plays, Theatre, Actors, Acting, Drama, Appearance, Shopping, Spending, Gifts, Luxury, Brands, Branding.
Next: Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces | Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer
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© Sara Shipman
Picture credit: Image by Christine Sponchia from Pixabay