First Quarter Moon in Leo ☽ Apr 20, 2021

Artist: Willian Santiago

Tuesday, Apr 20 at 12.00am PST

Taurus Season begins Apr 19. About 12 hours later, the fresh Taurus sun squares the bold moon in Leo. We will see this same moon phase again on May 19, so consider this Part 1 of 2. The moon will rise at noon, peak at dusk, and set at midnight in all time zones.

At the first quarter, we decide what to carry forward from the new moon into the rest of the lunar cycle. Quarter phases help clarify our plans. The moon is waxing, gathering momentum for the full moon. Get ready for a giant Supermoon in Scorpio on Apr 26.

Will the heart or the ego guide your decision-making? When fixed constellations connect in the sky, we experience greater passion, strength, and conviction. Taurus is the earth mother of the zodiac, Leo the radiant prince. Together these two create a fountain of abundance. The moon in Leo makes us more playful and childlike, but an overdose of Leo can manifest as aggression or inflammation.

Leo’s origin story comes from the Nemean lion of ancient Greece. The lion’s magical fur was impenetrable, impervious to all weapons. Neither skilled warriors nor elemental energies could pierce its hide. Only the lion’s own claws could; only he could injure himself. A helpful Leo affirmation to keep in mind: I am my only opponent.

When I think of Leo, I also think of Sekhmet, the half-woman, half-lion Egyptian goddess of fire, war, and healing. She happens to be associated with Hathor, the half-cow goddess, so she is really the perfect archetype for this leonine-taurean quarter moon. Sekhmet is usually depicted naked, robed in red, or with rosettas circling her breasts. Festivals dedicated to Sekhmet were massive and boisterous. Wine was drunk freely to calm her bloodlust, to soothe her hot desert winds.

Go ahead, open that bottle of wine. Just keep in mind that one of the greatest challenges of this moon phase is self-control. Energetically this moon phase can feel very heavy or stagnant. There is always the question of sympathy and antipathy in astrology. If we know that a heavy, sleepy day is coming, do we work with it or against it? I say work with it, use sympathetic methods. Nourish your mind and body.

The Leo moon will be squaring not just the sun, but also Mercury, Venus, and Uranus in Taurus. It’s going to feel crunchy and uncomfortable, but of course squares also indicate the arrival of really great learning opportunities. Expect the unexpected. Open up your heart with Leo Yoga. In meditation, focus on the third eye chakra. To find your personal moon sign, click here.