This is an eclipse week. Let’s reflect on how we can take advantage of that spark of ignition the new moon eclipse brings.
Monday — We’re in the dark of the moon, moving toward the new moon. The couple of days before a new moon is ideally a period of reflection. We make decisions about what we’re going to carry into the next lunar cycle: the things we’re aiming to accomplish, continue working on, or finally decide to reboot — and the things we’re going to shelve, or decide, no, that’s just not happening at this point in time, or ever in my lifetime.
So Monday and Tuesday can be days of decision, or simply of listening. One thing I love about this dark-of-moon period is that I always think of the goddess Hecate — very old goddess energy. She was the midwife of both birth and death, standing at the portals of where we begin and where we end. At the end of every lunar cycle, we’re in this stage that you could call coming through the birth canal before the new idea, the concept, the baby, gets born.
It’s exciting, because we’re leaning toward something we want to initiate, take off with, give new perspective to. But at the same time, we’re leaving behind everything that came before. So it’s worth pausing at this dark-of-moon period to really consider: where am I putting my energy over the next couple of weeks once the new moon kicks off? And what’s pulling me back — kind of like that pull you feel in the ocean, pushing you back toward shore, or, when it’s really strong, pulling you out to sea. Do you want to be in that space? Where do you want to be?
So these couple of days are when we make conscious — or even unconscious — decisions about what we’re putting our energy into, and what’s just pulling us back.
The moon is void of course basically all day Monday. That means the moon isn’t making a geometric aspect to another sign or planet before it changes sign. We have the moon in Cancer, moving, but not connecting to anything else. When the moon is in Cancer and void of course, it’s a sign that’s fairly comfortable with that — Cancer is often totally okay with chilling, staying close to home, to the harbor, doing what needs to be done to take care of self and whatever comforts and nurtures. These are good concepts to lean into before we move into higher, more Yang, “out there and going” energy.
So I think it’s a very restorative day — ideally, that’s how we can spend it, though depending on your work calendar or what you’ve got going on, that may not be available to you. If you can, modify accordingly, and above all, pay attention to when your body needs meals and rest. That’s a great way to fuel up as we move into more decision-making days.
August 11th (all times Eastern — adjust for your time zone): the moon enters Leo at 4:38 AM and stays there all day, moving toward the new moon solar eclipse that’s coming shortly. This is a well-aspected solar eclipse.
Eclipses are volatile energy — they ignite, and they often point us toward something valuable to look at. It could be a dream, a symbolic reference, someone you haven’t thought of in a long time, or a recognition like, “oh, there’s a book I read when I was 18 — maybe I should revisit that.” Things come up. If the eclipse is actually touching something in your personal horoscope — it falls at 20 degrees Leo, 2 minutes — then if you have 20 degrees in any sign in your chart, you may feel a little jab, a little recognition from what’s happening in the sky.
We’ll keep seeing big movements and fast changes as we move through this year, because the eclipses continue to act as catalysts and openings for transformation — especially when they touch certain world leaders or countries. There’s a lot of powder-keg energy in the world right now, and people in governmental power are making decisions that ripple out well beyond their own countries.
In the United States, we’re being run by an eclipse president — someone born during an eclipse. Eclipses, by nature, bring volatility, so Donald Trump is certainly apt to make some sort of sudden decision or announcement this week. One could argue that’s just how he operates, but I’d expect some kind of activity regardless.
For the rest of us, with whatever power and control we hold over our own decisions, this eclipse and new moon point is a tremendous time to think about how you want to focus your creative energy. It has so much to do with self-expression. Leo is linked to the fifth house — the divine child. What I mean by that is: each of us is born with light and potential. We’re here to bring something into the world. It may be soft, not especially impactful, or it may be very impactful — but each of us creates a ripple effect through the decisions we make, what we contribute, and what we choose not to.
So with this new moon in Leo, especially with a solar eclipse, that recognition of self-potential is right there. It doesn’t have to be a big dynamic show — for some of us it absolutely will be, because that’s how certain people express themselves in the world. For others, it’s a softer energy, a softer light. It might be a big bonfire — “hey, look at me” — or it might be the soft little flicker of a firefly. Either way, get into your light. Think about what you want to express, share, and give energy to as we move through this lunar cycle.
The solar eclipse happens exactly at 1:37 PM Eastern on Wednesday the 12th, after which the moon goes void of course. This void of course feels different from Monday’s, when the moon was in Cancer. On Wednesday, after the buildup to the eclipse, we might feel tired, undirected, or caught in a lot of back-and-forth conversation that doesn’t quite take shape. That’s all totally fine.
Conventional astrological wisdom says it’s actually ideal not to kick off a new project or idea on the first day or two after a solar eclipse new moon (the exact window depends on the aspects). It’s better to let the flame build slowly. Think of starting a fire in a campfire or fireplace: you want to see it catch low and steady. If it flares up too big too fast, it may burn through all the flammable material — the bark, the kindling — without developing the strength to actually catch the log. Then it doesn’t have the staying power to keep burning.
So over the next couple of days, focus on building good structure — making sure you can actually sustain whatever idea or concept you want to focus on. With the moon void of course, it’s fine to gather material and share ideas, but hold off on commitments; put things in a place where you can revisit them before committing, because commitments made during a void of course moon don’t usually stick.
The moon enters Virgo at 6:18 AM on the 13th. At that point, it’s building toward something that can shift. A good way to use this day is to work on routines or things you’ve already planned, while knowing things may change. The last aspect the moon makes before shifting into Virgo is with Uranus — the planet of change, revolution, freedom, and individual expression. So even the best-laid plans, which Virgos are certainly good at making, can shift.
One great thing about Virgo energy: it’s an earth sign, but mutable earth. I think of Virgo as rich soil — not loose sand, but soil that moves easily enough to let a seed take root and grow into a stem. That’s actually perfect for a Uranus moment, where — oh, things change. The venue isn’t available. The lights went out from a thunderstorm. Something happens and the plan can’t come to fruition as expected. And it’s not that you can’t adapt — the important thing with the moon in Virgo is to allow room for whatever growth wants to happen.
Another image for Virgo and Uranus together: think about how, before humans had fire under control, natural fires would enrich the earth. Devastating, yes, but also renewing. In some places, this is still done deliberately — people let the land rest, then burn the old growth to enrich the soil. Uranus is like lightning striking the earth, electricity going into the ground and enriching the loam. These sudden ideas, revelations, epiphanies, or upsets can steer us in new directions — leaps from point A to point F — but only if we have the adaptability and willingness to land wherever we end up.
Keep that in mind heading into midday and mid-afternoon: pay attention to where you are in space, as I always say, because when Uranus is engaged, we’re often not paying attention to our surroundings — caught up in our heads, in conversation, or suddenly derailed.
The moon goes void of course at 3:24 PM on the 13th, and stays void from late afternoon into evening. So know that whatever you’re doing Thursday, things might shift — even things you thought were wrapped up and finished might land differently than you expected, or not be received the way you intended.
Friday is a full 24-hour void of course day, moon still in Virgo. The best way to use a long void of course like this — especially with the moon in Virgo — is to work on things already in motion. Don’t reinvent anything, and don’t start a new idea. Jot it down, plan it, but don’t launch it — void of course time isn’t well aspected for follow-through.
That changes when we hit Saturday. Saturday and Sunday are the deep, supportive days to fully run with the new moon energy. It starts at 10:20 AM on Saturday the 15th, when the moon enters Libra, staying there through Sunday the 16th into Monday. This is the window for kicking things off — having the conversations, focusing on the creative idea, engaging in play, fully expressing how you want to dance with transformation and change. It can also just be about restorative fun, setting you up to feel invigorated as you move forward with whatever you’re creating or sharing.
We’re in Libra energy over the weekend, but the underlying Leo new moon solar eclipse is still about self-expression — about being seen and recognized. Not all of us want to be center stage, and that’s fine; we all have different roles to play. The real question is: what role do you want to play that you haven’t had time for, or haven’t given enough energy or focus to? Because that role — even just the beginning of paying attention to it — is speaking to you, saying “look what I did.” Hey, mom. Hey, teacher. Hey, best friend. Look what I can do. It’s childlike, but that childlike desire to express can live in us well into our nineties — that excitement of wanting to share, engage, and celebrate what you’re capable of.
It may be small, or it may be “I’ve got this amazing concept and I need to find a team to get it off the ground.” That’s the energy of the Libra moon weekend — it can be as simple as, “hey, what do you think about this?” — bringing your ideas, enthusiasm, and contribution to a group, a family, whatever community you’re part of. It doesn’t have to be extroverted, but it does help to show up and shine, because it’s harder for the universe to meet us halfway when we’re not engaged in sharing.
So it’s a good weekend to make connections — online, in community, however you bring your fuel to the fire of something you want more light and attention on. Feel it in your heart. Remember, Leo is about heart and courage. Whether you’re a cowardly lion or someone comfortable strutting across the stage, it’s so valuable to share your gift. We each have one.
The rest of the week, more in-depth — when you listen to the podcast…
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