Last Quarter Moon in Leo ☾ Nov 8, 2020

Artist: Cassandra Jean

Sunday, Nov 8 at 5.47am PDT

Imagine you are in space for this moon phase, looking down on the ecliptic plane. You would see the earth as a vertex of a 90 degree angle, with the moon at one end of the angle, and the sun on the other. This is the geometric configuration of each quarter moon, happening twice a month. At the last quarter, the moon rises at midnight, peaks at dawn, and sets at noon all over the world, no matter your time zone.

For this phase, the spunky moon in Leo squares the delicious Scorpio sun. Last quarter moons are turning points. They clear the way for the new moon / new lunar cycle. This phase prepares us for the seductive New Moon in Scorpio.

Leo is ruled by the sun, the center of our solar system, and Scorpio by Pluto, the planet farthest from center. And yes, Pluto, you will always be a planet to me. When these two archetypes intertwine way out there in some remote asteroid belt, it is the center of centers (the ego, central consciousness – the golden heart of Leo) which reaches out to the extreme limb of consciousness – the Scorpio underworld. It is this vast distance which must be crossed within our own psyche.

So what happens when macabre Scorpio emerges from her waters to meet Leo, sunshine prince of the zodiac? Leo and Scorpio belong to the fixed modality. This energy has a way of putting everyone on edge. Imagine being at a party and watching others dance and drink while you stand against the wall, simmering in some acrid old memory. You walk away, into the black night, alone, wondering why you can’t just get over it, let go, be happy like everyone else.

And so it is when we work with fixed energies. We are one or the other, not both. Fixed skies fix us in place, yoke us to our nature, to our most basic impulses. They do not accommodate change or new beginnings. They speak to what is sustained and solidified. They are forces of endurance, perseverance, and dogged obstinance. They are set in stone, immovable.

Scorpio fears nothing more than being exposed, i.e. losing her power – this is the fixed mountain within her that she must climb during her lifetime. I see ego clashes. I see ferocious hearts, burning feelings, insistence. The moon in Leo is bright, chunky, shining from the constellation the sun calls home. Normally it is the sun who flares from the lion’s cave. To have the moon here is a revolutionary inversion. For 60 hours every month the moon gets to see what it’s like to be the sun.

Great news: this quarter moon will form a friendly trine to Mars Retrograde in Aries. Should be a super invigorating and energizing moon phase for everyone. Power colors for Leo are warm colors like red, orange, yellow or purple to invoke the regal archetype of the lion. For diet I recommend staying away from nightshades, spicy peppers, or fried food as the body will hold more internal fire than usual. Check out some guidelines I have compiled for an anti-inflammatory diet. If you want more inspiration, look up “pitta pacifying diet.” In meditation, focus on the heart chakra. Stay loving with Leo Yoga. To find your personal moon sign, click here.