Leo: The Fifth Zodiac Sign

It's Leo season (typically 7/22-8/22), the fifth sign in the zodiac wheel -- and Leo might be a bit dramatically upset that I waited so long to shine a spotlight on it; after all, Leo is the archetype of the performer (among other things)! Since ancient times, as well, Leo has represented Kings/Queens/Monarchy including the "Divine mandate" to rule and lead kingdoms and empires. Leo, royalty, and self-importance often go hand-in-hand, which isn't always a negative thing!

As a template of human experience, Leo represents the eternal Divine Child -- that innate part of ourselves that desires to shine, to be seen and loved and applauded, to feel special and important, and to express our unselfconscious creative light and unique gifts out into the world! Leo represents a dimension of the Divine expressed through the human vessel that is full of light, laughter, fun, joy, and creative self-expression. Its energy can be more silly, fun-loving, goofy, and child-like. But there's also a dimension of Leo that focuses on individual power/authority, leadership, courage, and ego strength. You might say, Leo represents the "Divine Mandate" for us to be authentically and fully ourselves, to radiate our unique essence out into the world. With that comes the need for attention and recognition. Our sense of uniqueness and specialness, our individual gifts and talents, which, of course, all need a degree of attention, recognition and praise in order to be drawn out and given confidence and reinforcement. This is why Leo-energy is so sensitive to others' approval (or lack thereof); taken too far, Leo can depend too much on external validation in order to feel lovable and worthy and special (or basically, that it "exists"), without recognizing that these qualities actually exist intrinsically from within, because Leo represents the Divine Light that radiates out from our unique souls. Our specialness and worthiness isn't measured by the amount of applause; rather, attention and recognition is a mirror that allows us to see and know what our gifts and talents are, but we then use those gifts and talents to serve the Divine/Sacred rather than our just own egos -- a lifelong process for an archetype whose shadow dimension is associated with inflated ego, compulsive attention-seeking, tyranical/petty behavior, and grandiose self-importance.

If you lovingly tease a Leo, give them a compliment, make them feel special and worthy -- anything along those lines -- they will shine their light on you, and their light and generosity of spirit will feel good for your soul.