Leo III
The Seven of Wands/Decan 15 of 36/12 August-22 August
Mars Attacks
Leo III | 12 Aug - 22 Aug | 20°00’ - 29°59’ Leo
Why does he have two different shoes?
In the Rider Waite Smith deck, the Leo III card/7 of Wands it shows a person holding a stave at an angle. If the wand/stave were hands on a clock they’d be at the 11/5 position, similar to the hands of The Magician card.
This character of the Seven of Wands looks determined with a focused, stressful face and body language signaling action. The art of combat is their alchemy of the moment and it isn’t by accident that they are in this position. The tools in their mind are like that on the Magician’s table. The high ground from which they stand is the higher mind of their ethos. They are both transmitting the power of the gods through their wand.
What power do we wield during Leo III?
Leo III
Tarot card: Seven of Wands
Leo III
Planetary Ruler: The Sun
Decan Ruler: Mars
Remember: Decans are a 10 day “week” & at some point during that decan/week if you take the time to honor the things you’re noticing, that’s all that is asked of you. Stay calm & keep walking.
Leo III is heroic, unyielding, tenacious, alchemical, armed, staunch
Austin Coppock names it “The Banner”
The Golden Dawn titled it “Valor”
Teucer of Babylon writes of the second and third decan of Leo “it makes depravity and prognosticates wickedness, and it brings harm to the one living abroad”
The Tower (Mars) & The Sun (Leo)
Decan Transit: This decan starts off with a silent bang: a new moon eclipse a mere 48 minutes into the Sun’s entrance into Leo III. At the ingress, Mars will have entered into Cancer less than 24 hours before.
It’s as if there is a guiding hand to make this decan a particular kind of decan in this walk.
Mars is fallen in the sign of Cancer, which can mean that it has to work extra hard to express itself as “Mars”. Mars absolutely loves a challenge though, who says a fallen planet can’t get up? The last time Mars was in Cancer was in 2024-2025 and it retrograded in this sign. Mars’ journey through the Moon’s temple will be fairly swift at least (just under 7 weeks)
The Sun, as the sign ruling this season, is being eclipsed at the same time though. This combination of the two most reputable fiery planets in our system having their knees knocked out simultaneously, gets my attention. There might to be some blood to spill, barking to do, some sacrifice we’re asked to make and I believe that if we assume this going in, with some ideas of what we’d like to place on the sacrificial altar, it won’t be as bad time.
It’s the Moon that is eclipsing the Sun. Mars being in the Moon’s temple (averse to this eclipse moment) so is the power of the night sect teaming up to clear out some old solar things? The South Node is now in Leo so it adds to this sacrificial chorus, inviting us to reveal and release solar things.
What’s burning your edges right now? What are you sick of thinking about, where’s your energy going that you (whispers) don’t actually care about anymore?
If you open up some space in your Leo house surrounding themes of legacy/authority/power then you might find that you enjoy the liberation of open spaces more than a tight grip on an illusory power. Take the action (Mars) and allow the light in (Sun).
The transits: Mars will immediately sextile Taurus Chiron on eclipse day, 12 August, then it will sextile the Virgo Moon the following day, square the Libra moon on 15 August, trine the Scorpio moon on 18 August (my favorite day of the decan tbh).
Mars will be in a whole sign square to both Libra Venus & Aries Saturn (as they perfect an opposition as the Leo Sun conjoins the South Node #goodtimes).
Natal Chart Consideration:
In your own chart, look to see if you have any planets or points in 20°00' - 29°59’ Leo. The Sun will be traveling through & activating these degrees. Also consider if you have your natal Mars in aspect to 20°00’ - 29°59’ Leo: Mars in Aquarius will oppose the Sun; Mars in Sagittarius & Aries will trine the Sun; Mars in Scorpio & Taurus will square the Sun; Mars in Gemini & Libra will sextile the Sun.
Personal Work:
If you’re writing during this decan, here are some journal prompts for this solar moment in the decan story.
Going into a stressful situation, what talismans or good luck charms do you keep on your person? Do you have any of those charms near you this week? Can you recharge them?
If you were to paint your own banner, shield or motto above your door, what would it look like? What would your motto be? Change your avatar to your new personal sigil and see what responses you get.
What element helps you find release of excess energy? Does this match your own Sun sign? How can you practice the release of energy in constructive ways this decan?
For further connection to Mars, as the decan ruler, you can focus your practice on Mars’ Day (Tuesday) & Mars’ Hour. August 18 is the only Mars day during this decan but you can work within Mars’ hours on any day. Find the planetary hours for your location with this link: Planetary Hours Calculator Link
Bonus points for choosing Mars’ hour ON their day for a special honor. They like symbols of your bravery, sharp points, sigils of protection, blood, peppers, red cloth, matches, nettle, cinnamon, burnt sticks, rust dust.
Encase your Mars’ altar with a spiky boundary & set it in a high, strategic & secret place.
Resources:
As a part of my 2024 Decan Walk, I interviewed other astrologers for my YouTube channel. Each of the visiting astrologers talked about their experience with the sign and the three decans. For Leo, I got to hang with my friend Taalumot for a fiery chat.
As a part of this project, I’ve invited new writers to share their voice on a decan. To close out this post, I hope that you will check out
Alison
Forest Light Astrology | Leo III
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Thank you for constellating with me
End Credits:
Leo III Natives
13 August Annie Oakley (sharp shooter) 14 August René Goscinny (cartoonist) 15 August Melinda Gates (philanthropist) 16 August Taika Waititi (director) 17 August Menelik II (Ethiopian Emperor) 18 August Meriwether Lewis (explorer) 19 August Orville Wright (aviator) 20 August Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen (explorer) 21 August Count Basie (jazz bandleader) 22 August Dua Lipa (singer)
🌙
spell it,
Christa