August 2024: Tarot spread for the new moon in Leo

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, journaling questions and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the new moon in Leo.

The August 2024 new moon falls in the sign of Leo. The bold and dynamic Leo archetype infuses us with a passionate zest for living. It is the archetype of the fiery creative who is confident and unafraid to stand in the spotlight. But this infectious dynamic can also succumb to its shadow aspects of overbearing pride, drama and arrogance.

Spiritually, the Leo archetype teaches the principle of creative manifestation. Clarity of thought and focused energy, which points to the spiritual principle that your beliefs about life tend to shape your life. You can see this spiritual principle at play with a regular gratitude practice. When you cultivate an active gratitude practice, you tend to experience a shift in your life and circumstances. And while your life may not change dramatically, your outlook to life can certainly shift.

This Leo new moon can also usher in a new cycle of change, encouraging us to release old patterns, blocks, and goals that may be going nowhere. That is the only way to let in some fresh energy and vitality — and this new moon definitely encourages that. What excites you? What feels vital and juicy at this time? Focus on that, letting anything that is holding you back from following those clues fall away to the wayside.

This new moon is also a good time to refresh our rituals. Our small daily rituals can anchor us, providing touchstones on which we structure our days. But it’s all too easy to let them fall to the wayside when things become chaotic, or for our rituals to start feeling stale. How can you refresh your daily rituals? How can you invite moments of daily magic into your days? Recommit to your daily rituals, or design new ones during this new moon cycle.

Astro-tarot influences for the August 2024 new moon in Leo

To throw some more light on the astrology of this new moon, let’s take a look at the astro-tarot influences of this lunation. The Leo new moon falls in decan 2, which is represented by the 6 of Wands. This is to be interpreted in conjunction with Strength, which is associated with Leo.

The 6 of Wands depicts a victory procession, a hero crowned with a wreath of laurels, parading proudly through the streets. There’s a definite sense of achievement, perhaps a decisive battle has been won. But the story is still far from complete, and in the days ahead, the hero will need to draw on all of his strength for the trials still to come {Strength}.

After the celebration and the feasting, the wine and the dancing, the hero will retire to his study to analyze the strategy that led to this victory and draw up a strategy for the upcoming battle. He will study the terrain and poke and prod and the enemy’s strength and weaknesses.

And then he will analyze his own actions on the battlefield: remember how his hand trembled before he stepped into the battle, the initial steely determination as he entered the fray, how well his battle strategy worked until it eventually fell apart in the heat of the battle, the quick thinking and regrouping that helped him save the day.

The fears that dodged his every step will now need to be consigned to the flame. The hero will need to don his battle armor and his mental armor as he steps out to face the enemy once again.

The hero fights for love: to defend his city, keep safe his beautiful home and lovely family {Venus, which is very active during this new moon}. He will rely on the scouting party to report back the enemy’s movement and position; on fleet footed messengers to pass crucial information to the front lines {Mercury}.

The battle will be fierce, and his actions will need to be precise and swift, but if all goes to plan, the victory is most likely to be his {Mars and Jupiter form a beneficial sextile with the moon}.

Sabian Symbol for the August 2024 new moon

The Sabian Symbol for Leo 12 degrees is An Old Sea Captain Rocking On The Porch Of His Cottage.

This feels like a quiet, reflective symbol of a full life. A time to reflect on past experiences, to take some time for restoration and solitude, and to contemplate the life you’ve lived so far. When you do, you can get back into the business of life in a more relaxed manner with, perhaps, a better idea of how you fit into the big picture.

There’s also a sense of tiredness or exhaustion. Maybe a need for a break from the fast paced lives we tend to live. There may be a need to take time out to consider your home and environment and see how you fit in.

While things may be quiet right now, you will soon be ready to get back to it. And when you do, it can be really easy to get back into the swing of things. For now, enjoying the ‘Porch’ can lead to inner calm and quiet after many years of work, struggles or difficulty.

Tarot spread for the August 2024 Leo new moon

Here’s a tarot spread to tap into the energy of this new moon.

1. The upcoming battle: This card indicates a situation or energy that is emerging with this new moon

2. The battle plan: This card will help you create a strategy or plan of action to tackle the emergent situation

3. The armor: This card is like your guardian, helping you navigate whatever is coming up for you at this time

4. The message from mamma moon: This is always an encouraging message

If you share your spreads on Instagram, please tag me @moderngypsy.in so we can connect with each other.

Journaling questions for the August 2024 new moon

Not a cardslinger? No problem. Here are some journaling questions for you instead.

Instead of specific journaling questions, read the story in the Astro-tarot section and see how it applies to you at this time. Make some notes or reflections based on this story.

Learn how to work with the cycles of mama moon!

Are you interested in spending an entire year cycling with the moon, creating art, journaling, and deepening your connection with mama moon? Would you like to learn art witchery, establish your own art witch practice, and use mixed media art as a spiritual tool? Join me on Moonshine 2024 – a year-long journey into the realm of moon-based art witchery in all its glorious forms, hosted by Effy Wild!

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Here’s what you get:

• Membership in this year’s Moonshine Coven + Lifetime membership in Moonshine Cafe (both on Facebook).
  
• Lifetime access to the course materials.
  
• A monthly PDF of written musings, including an art witch primer with suggested activities and resources that, when collected over the course of the year, forms a complete training system in art witchery. Included within the course materials are art witch tips, new essential oil blends, astro-tarot forecasts, oracle reading layouts, herbal lore and crystal lore.
  
• A full-length monthly painting tutorial (downloadable video + PDF walkthrough).
  
• Documentation for each full and new moon, both of which include astro-tarot forecasts and oracle reading layouts.
  
• A new painting demonstration for the new moon (filmed live on Zoom so we can paint together + offered as a downloadable replay for those who can’t attend live).
  
• A new painting demonstration for the full moon (offered as a downloadable pre-recorded speed painting) with notes on how I’m engaging the current energies. 
  
• A live activation gathering on Zoom in the first week of the month (also offered as a downloadable replay). In these gatherings, we read the content together, do Q&A, check-ins and draw a tarot card to establish our ‘coven work’ (optional) for the month.
  
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