Self-Love Ritual for the Leo New Moon

Shine Your Light and Open Your Heart

Once a year, the new moon is in Leo.

It’s always when the sun is also in Leo.

That’s part of the magic of new moons. In addition to (obviously) being the beginning of a fresh new cycle of energy, every new moon is a time when both the sun and moon are in the same sign. This creates an amplification of the sun’s already considerable magic.

While all new moons are appropriate for setting your intentions for the new moon cycle ahead, this particular new moon is appropriate for setting intentions related to loving and approving of yourself. This includes intentions related to shining your light: the ways you would like to be seen, known, admired, and appreciated.

When Leo gets a bad rap, it’s often for just this reason. These sorts of intentions, after all, can initially seem self-centered and vain. But just like the characteristics related to every sign, these characteristics have both a healthy expression and a not-so-healthy expression.

In Leo’s defense, the sun truly is the center of the solar system. It’s the solar system, right? Not the terrestrial or lunar system. All the other planets really do revolve around the sun.

And it’s no mistake that Leo is the sign of the self. As individual points of consciousness, we are each the center of our own experience. In other words, everything you see and experience literally revolves around you.

Leo is also the sign of the heart. At the center of our being, it is the core of us. Our bodies need it in order to live, and it energetically radiates our love and unique personal essence out into the world.

The healthy expression of Leo, then, is one of loving yourself in such a way that you are empowered to positively, generously, proudly shine your light. What is your uniquely beautiful core essence, and how would you most like to share it with the world? This is not a selfish act: it is a loving one.

Leo reminds us that we are social creatures who naturally want to be admired. This is not a defect, but a natural aspect of being a human on earth.

Whether or not you have Leo in your chart, when the moon, sun, or (in this case) both are in Leo, you have the opportunity to learn the unique wisdom, and express the unique magic, of Leo.

So this ritual is about setting intentions related to loving yourself, shining your light, and opening your heart.

You can do it any time on the day of the Leo New Moon.

Ingredients:

A yellow candle and holder
A lighter or matches
1/4 cup sea salt (if you have a bathtub)
One stick of cinnamon incense and holder or a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil and a diffuser
Paper and pen
A clear or citrine quartz crystal point

First, take a shower or bath. If you have access to a bathtub, dissolve 1/4 cup of sea salt into it and light the yellow candle nearby.

After bathing, dress in something clean, comfortable, and – if possible – white. (Or, if you prefer, don’t dress in anything at all.)

Light the yellow candle on your altar (it can be the same one from the bath). Also light the cinnamon incense or diffuse the essential oil.

Sit in front of your altar. Take some deep breaths. Close your eyes. Come into the present moment and relax.

When you feel grounded and centered, say:

Great Goddess, Great God, Great Holy Mystery, All That Is, I call on you.
I choose now to open my heart to love for myself and others.
I choose to open my heart to both giving and receiving love.
I choose to shine my light beautifully and generously like the sun.
I know, absolutely, that these choices are in alignment with Divine Will, so I give thanks for the divine support that is already here for me.
Thank you.

Imagine that you are the sun. Feel your heart transforming into blinding sunlight, and expanding outward. Imagine your entire body and aura transforming into light. Sense yourself shining brightly for the world to see.

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Now, on the paper, write your intentions related to self-love, shining your light, sharing your gifts, loving, and being loved. Be sure to write them in the present tense, as if they are already true.

For example:

I am radiantly beautiful.
I love and approve of myself unconditionally.
I am confident.
I laugh deeply and my laugh is contagious.
I spread joy wherever I go.
I am kind to myself and others.
I love everyone and everyone loves me.
I love fearlessly.
I receive love fearlessly.
I offer my gifts to the world with love, and the world appreciates what I offer.
I bravely share my gifts through my work (or my art, or my hobbies), and they are received with gratitude.

(Obviously, your list will be suited to your unique desires and situation.)

Now, connect with the Divine once again. Feel as if everything you’ve written is already present in your life experience. Feel immensely grateful. Say:

Thank you, Great Goddess.
Thank you, Great God.
Thank you, Great Holy Mystery, All That Is.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Blessed be. And so it is.

Fold up your intentions, being sure to fold the paper toward yourself each time. Then put the folded up paper on your altar and place the crystal on top.

Extinguish the candle and incense, or allow them to burn a little longer if you prefer (and if you can keep an eye on them so you don’t burn the house down). Feel free to continue to burn the candle and incense as desired over the next few days or throughout the moon cycle.

Leave your intentions and the crystal on your altar until the next new moon. Then you can (safely) burn or recycle the paper and cleanse the crystal for future use. (This post includes instructions for how to cleanse a crystal.)

Notice how expansive and loving you feel over the coming days and weeks. Feel the joy of shining your light generously, for the whole world to see.

Are you going to try this ritual on the Leo New Moon? Or do you have any questions about it? Please don’t hesitate to speak up in the comments below.