I am a Leo and proud of it!
As a Sun sign Leo, I have learned everything that I could about life as a Lioness, reveling in what I discovered. One of three Fire signs and ruled by the Sun, Leos are passionate, driven, feisty, and hot blooded. As Kings and Queens of the Jungle, we are dramatic, regal, confident, and flamboyant. We are royalty, larger than life, and love to be treated as such. Take Louis XIV of France. He embodied every feature of this dynamic sign! He wasn’t called the Sun King for nothing, yet he was a September born Virgo! Let’s be honest. You know when a Lion comes walking into a room. We command attention and adore basking in the spotlight. There is no doubt we are dominant and a force to be reckoned with. We roar just as ferociously with delight as we do with anger. I positively consider myself a textbook Leo. I love to perform, so I never met a stage I didn’t like. When it comes to my taste, I love flashy clothes, jewelry, and makeup, take great pride in my mane, and I am in all my glory in the scorching heat of summer, beaming with pleasure when the vibrant sun is blazing.
Most people know the basics of astrology pertaining to their Sun sign. Each is assigned an element (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water), quality (Fixed, Cardinal, and Mutable), polarity (Masculine or Feminine), and ruling planet. Let’s say you want to explore the zodiac even further. Where to begin? The perfect starting point is to get your natal chart prepared. This is your personal map of all your planetary positions. All you need are a few pieces of info to get an accurate portrait of your cosmic DNA: your date of birth, your place of birth (city, state or province, and country), and exact time of birth. Once you get that, the reveal commences!
Professional astrologers will tell you that there are three signs in your natal chart which are the greatest indicators of your personality: the aforementioned Sun sign, one’s Rising sign, and one’s Moon sign. How does learning these signs reflect you and how you interact with others? It’s more important and more significant than you may think. Take me, for instance. Once my natal chart was laid out in front of me, it was time to crack the code.
One’s Ascendant (or rising sign) is the sign that was coming up over the eastern horizon at your birth and gives others that first glimpse into who you are. This was my first foray past my Sun sign, so I needed to find it. I figured I would have an equally boisterous Ascendant, so I plugged my information in and my results popped up! My rising sign is in Scorpio?! Hold on! Are you kidding?! Now, in my experience, Scorpios tend to be rather moody, suspicious, and temperamental and don’t mesh too well with a Leo’s sunny nature, and I find that I have always had “complicated” relationships with them. As I read more about this Fixed Feminine Water sign, I realized that I have more Scorpio in me than I thought. They are guarded and private, not wanting to reveal anything about themselves right away, or maybe even never. There is a sensuality and intensity about a Scorpio that’s hypnotic,as their eyes seem to bore right through you. As you might expect from an insect born to sting, Scorpions certainly don’t put up with nonsense: be it disingenuousness or straight up arrogance, they will tell it like it is, and if they end up telling you off, so be it.
Your Moon sign indicates your unconscious personality, what can be considered as your emotional and spiritual core; the stuff you keep to yourself. Sun signs and Moon signs are each other’s second half. As a Fixed Feminine Earth sign, sources I have read state that Bulls want life to be secure and stable, and are known for their steadfastness and perseverance. A Taurus may be stubborn and struggle to express their innermost thoughts and feelings, but under the surface they truly desire to be in a committed relationship, where they want to feel safe and loved.
Having a family comprised of an Air sign parent, a Fire sign parent, and a Water sign sibling, I’ve had my work cut out for me. To this day, this affects how we communicate with each other. Surprisingly, most of my friends are Air, Water, and Earth signs, with only a handful of Fire. I am always excited to meet a fellow Lion, so talking shop with one friend minutes after meeting her, my curiosity stepped in and I asked how she dealt with someone that’s hurt her or broken her trust. Does she give them a second chance or is it one and done? (Most Leos will probably tell you the latter). I just discovered that we also share the same rising sign, so it will be interesting to find out if we have other similarities! A longtime friend is an Aquarius, which is the polar opposite of Leo on the astrological plane. Her cool, calm,collected nature and my rambunctious firecracker balance each other out.
When it comes to the romance department, astrological compatibility is quite intriguing! Everything I have read has pointed out which signs are most compatible with Leos: (obviously) the Fire signs (Aries, Sagittarius, Leo), as well as the Air signs of Libra and Gemini. While I shall continue to learn more about myself through astrology, I keep this in my heart and head whenever I meet a possible boyfriend: my Taurus Moon ensures I will charge on towards a loving and stable relationship, my Scorpio Ascendant showcases my passion in love, and as a Leo, I am playful, optimistic, and full of life. Just like that magnificent Sun, nothing will eclipse me.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of books, websites, and articles available where you can learn all about this mystical art. Here are some of my favorite books that I go to frequently to get insights and info, much of with I’ve just shared with you!
When you’re just starting to learn about the world of astrology, and you need some general information:
The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need, Joanna Martine Woolfolk
This is a great first book for those just starting to learn about astrology! You get all of the basics: the planets, the signs, polarities, houses, romantic pairings, rising sign info, what’s ruled by what planet, and so forth. You name it, it’s in there! Also included is a handy little CD-ROM of a corresponding program that gives you a great gift. All you do is plug in the information and bingo! Instant chart! Hover over each glyph in the house and you know what sign and degree that it’s in. Oodles of info just for you!
Sun Signs, Linda Goodman
Astrology, A Cosmic Science, Isabel M. Hickey
You meet someone and you’re itching to find out if you’re astrologically compatible in the romance department:
Love Signs and Relationship Signs, Linda Goodman
Sextrology, Stella Starsky and Quinn Cox (credited as Starsky + Cox)
If you want to get regular horoscopes and astrological advice, but you don’t feel like hitting the books, these are websites I frequent. They are from different corners of the globe, and they offer so many different perspectives and concentrations!
Astrology Zone (www.astrologyzone.com): Susan Miller is a New York-based astrologer that I have followed faithfully for several years. Her monthly horoscopes are very detailed, therefore lengthy! I always recommend her website as a one-stop shop for everything astrology. She gives you important dates for all types of events: from auspicious times to propose book deals to what days you shouldn’t go on vacation. She has written all kinds of essays on eclipses, Mercury Retrograde, and recently, the controversial “13th Sign” debate.
The Astrologer by Kelli Fox (https://new.theastrologer.com): Thanks to my trolling on a website dedicated to The Real Housewives of Melbourne, I found this saucy Aussie astrologer. She also has a large amount of articles on her website, so it would take you several days to read all of them! She runs the gamut from hobbies to seduction in her articles. My recommendations: “Just a Date or Your Soul Mate?” and “Turn-Ons and Turn-Offs by the Signs”.
Comfy Chair Astrology (www.comfychair.blogspot.ca):Out of Canada, this blog covers a wide range of topics based around astrology, from astrological planting, numerology, and even Hawaiian spirituality. Some posts that I find interesting discuss celebrity charts, including those of several couples that have gone through an acrimonious split. My favorite is Barbara’s blog post entitled “Famous Scorpios rising ”, which has been read by me many a time.
The AstroTwins (www.astrostyle.com): The newest addition to my online astrological library. I really like how the ladies’ horoscopes and articles are easy to read and very conversational. Right up my alley!
KATY KOSTAKIS 