The Leo full moon supports us in going deeper into our consciousness to discover our Soul's purpose for this lifetime. As we meditate upon the Leo full moon, we contemplate the illumination that the light of Leo brings. Leo rays enlighten every human heart with love and wisdom. We have only to accept it and to share it. 

According to the Ageless Wisdom, it was in the sign of Leo that • 
the first awakening of individual consciousness occurred. The 
development of mass consciousness was completed in the sign of Cancer. This prepared the way for the birth of humanity and the beginning of the long evolution of individual consciousness. For eons the evolutionary focus has been on the development of an integrated, intelligent and functional personality. Gradually, we become more self-aware, more sensitive to our environment and better able to perceive finer and finer frequencies of energy.

In her book, Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey states: 
"In the evolutionary process there is, therefore, first the form, gradually prepared, adjusted, aligned and oriented during many aeons of time; behind this active form, as it steadily improves and becomes more responsive to environment and contact, stands the slowly awakening consciousness. This is the thinking, intuiting, loving soul, which tightens its hold over its response apparatus, avails itself upon every possible occasion of the advance made by the form, and employs every influence for perfecting of the great work which it undertook under the Law of Sacrifice."

The symbol for Leo is the Lion. The lion "King of the Jungle" symbolizes leadership skills and the power of persuasion over others. However, as human evolution proceeds, the impulse to control others is redirected toward self-control. When Leo power is focused on subduing the ego rather than identifying with it, a complete shift in consciousness ensues. This shift causes a new type of inspirational leadership, motivated by altruism and the desire to serve.

Leo's egotism is replaced with an inner recognition that personal ambition alone will not satisfy a deeper need to understand the purpose and meaning of our earthly existence here. The persistent evolution of individual consciousness, eventually and inevitably turns toward humility and an open heart which leads toward the development of the intuition and empathy.

Little by little we become more sensitive to the needs of others. Slowly we begin to feel the burden of human suffering and our responsibility to help ease it. We begin to shift our life's work toward the alleviation of suffering. Our focus in life now becomes altruistic. With an open heart we experience compassion for all beings.

Gradually it has become clear to many of us that there has to be a spiritual context in which we live and move and have our being. The movement of Leo energy pushes us toward the insight needed to see through our perceived personal limitations and illusions. With more light, we begin the spiritual search for the true meaning of our existence. That search inevitably leads to self-realization. The knowledge that I am the Soul. 

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Even as "the great illusion" of separation is exposed and the unity of everything is realized, individuality is not lost. As we shift our awareness to the vastly expanded field of soul identity, we see that we are participating in an ordered plan that is manifested through group consciousness. Group consciousness is created by the coming together of individual souls in service to God's plan. Group consciousness is governed by Leo's opposite, the sign of Aquarius. Although Aquarius is located across the zodiac from Leo, the relationship between the two signs is not an opposition, but a continuum from individualism to inclusion in a greater whole.

In esoteric astrology, Leo is governed by the Sun on three distinct levels. The names of each level are symbolically associated with an expansion of consciousness. The first image is the "Physical Sun" representing the personal level, the second image is called the "Heart of the Sun" representing the soul level and the final image is the "Central Spiritual Sun" representing the Life aspect. These three rulers direct the entire story of the evolution of individual human consciousness. Beginning with egocentric personal consciousness (ruled by the Physical Sun), soul consciousness (ruled by the Heart of the Sun), and finally fully conscious God-realization (ruled by the Central Spiritual Sun)

The Keyword for Leo is: "I am That and That am I."

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Astrological Readings by Ron Thurlow, Ph.D., Esoteric Astrologer 
Astrological Sign Paintings by Sandy Thurlow