Dates: 23 July - 22 August

Ruler: Sun

Natural House: Fifth

Quality: Fixed

Element: Fire

Polarity: Exaltation

Fall: None

Detriment: Uranus

Keywords: Endurance, regal, pride, enthusiasm, self-assurance, generosity, opinionated, playfulness, boisterous, conceit, drama, benevolent, overbearing, dignified, pompous, patronizing

Appearance

Leo is impossible to overlook. This is a dramatic personality who likes to make an impact. Above average height, the body is generous and shapely. The stance is commanding and authoritative, or playful and kittenish depending on mood. Leo's eyes are bold and inviting. Hair is styled to make an impression and clothes are expensive and elegant.

Personality

The lion is a great poseur. Possessing magnanimity of spirit and an infectious love of life, Leo belongs centre stage and demands adulation as of right. This sign is a natural ruler, put on earth to rule over everyone else, whether they like it or not. Fortunately, Leo has such a charming nature that most people forgive this intrusion into their lives. Megalomaniac or benevolent despot, there is something exuberant and childlike about Leo, even when bossy and domineering.

Leo believes him or herself to be special and will go to great lengths to obtain special treatment. There is enormous pride at play in this personality type. Others will often kowtow to Leo without thinking. This isn't someone people want to offend. When Leo is rankled, the temperature plummets, the looks are withering and it can be difficult to coax the lion back into the arena.

Mind

It is virtually impossible to get Leo to change his or her mind over anything. Often bombastic, this sign thinks in straight lines. The opinions of Leo formulated during youth remain into old age. Thought processes are slow and deliberate - and sometimes pompous. The lion may claim to have given matters careful consideration, and yet details are often overlooked and conclusions tend to be based on intuition rather than fact. What will make Leo look good and afford the greatest power are undoubted influences.

Emotions

Pride is the strongest of Leo's emotions. This sign's external face never shows anything less than confidence and joie de vivre. The situation may be different on the inside. When Leo has strong self-belief, amazing things can happen, but if that belief is knocked, Leo takes a long time to recover.

Naive and trusting, Leo is sometimes taken advantage of by others, mostly because Leo assumes that everyone has the same high standards of integrity and loyalty. Surrounded by the right team, Leo is powerful and creative.

Strengths

Leo's warm benevolence and good nature can bring sunshine into other people's lives. This is a highly creative spirit. Also as stated on the old astrology page have large phycic ability's and can vary from telepathic powers to telikentic powers some leo's are born with all phycic abilitys and cannot fully access them until their 16'th birthday but it is rare. Some will start to show these phycic abilitys at a younger age it is vary uncommon though,But some signs of this are preminitions will blank out and seem to be seeing something, they also may be able to sense ghost or any paranormal activity alothough most of this reside's in the female lioness.

Weaknesses

The lion is prone to lording it over others. Wanting to look good makes the sign vulnerable to false praise. Snobbery, pride and arrogance undermine this sign, as does a penchant for good living.

Shadow

This sign's tendency to organize other people can become a compulsive urge to control. The shadow side of the Leo character seeks to exploit other people's weaknesses.

Karma

Autocratic and unbending, Leo needs to recognize the responsibility of holding power. The karmic challenge is to become personally empowered rather than enjoy power over others.

Likes

Applause, shopping, good food, wine, the arts, the opera, anything with passion and verve.

Dislikes

Put downs, being laughed at, 'mousey' people, attempts at budgetary control.

Money

Leo is a spender and often lives well above his or her means. Money simply falls through these golden fingers. Not that Leo minds, since this sign has an innate ability to generate more and others always give support. Even when broke, this sign is generous and maintains an ostentatious lifestyle.

As a parent

Leo is a warm, playful and creative parent. This parental type prides him or herself on providing well for the children, who are encouraged to explore the world creatively. Children are expected to do exceptionally well, following the Leonian model.

As a child

This is the golden child who stands out from the crowd. Leo as a child always has a court of devoted admirers, which can lead to problems with spoiling. This child needs a school environment in which he or she can shine, with opportunities for dance and drama. Discipline is also important in order to keep Leo's developing ego in check. A Leo child soon turns into a drama-queen if thwarted.

Career

Leo is a natural actor, dance, television producer or presenter, fashion model, rock star, sportsperson or fashion designer. This sign also makes an excellent window dresser, heating engineer, goldsmith or gold dealer. Leo is happy exercising authority as a judge, youth worker, teacher, politician, president, managing director, lawyer, fundraiser or bond dealer. With the sign's strong connection with play and leisure, careers as a play-therpist or leisure centre manager are also appropriate; and given the link to the heart, many Leos become cardiologists or cardic surgeons.

Leisure activities

Leo combines indolence with energy, disliking sports that work up a sweat, but enjoying being seen at a fashionable gym. Aerobics keep Leo looking good, as does dance. Gentle team sports are acceptable, provided Leo is the captain.

A natural actor, Leo excels at amateur dramatics, debating and anything that involves performance. Eating out is always a pleasure. The lion's creative side shows itself in artistic hobbies, and working for a good cause warms Leo's heart. A sign that is surprisingly interested in strategy, Leo often prefers board games to computers.

Suitable gift ideas

Leo adores anything flashy and ostentatious, and preferably expensive. A box at the opera is good idea, or a suite in a hotel. Cashmere and gold also score highly, as would a picture of Leo in an ornate frame.

TRADITIONAL CORRESPONDENCES

Season: Late summer

Day: Sunday

Number: 1

Physiology: Heart, spine, lower back

Birthstones: Cat's eye, ruby

Crystals: Tiger's eye, amber, boji stone, carnelian, chrysocolla, citrine, danburite, emerald, fire agate, garnet, golden beryl, green and pink tourmaline, kunzite, larimar, muscovite, onyx, orange calcite, petalite, pyrolusite, quartz, red obsidian, rhodochrosite, topaz, turquoise, yellow spinel

Associations: Wine

Metal: Gold

Colours: Orange, golden yellow, red, green

Animals: Lions, domestic cats, lynxes

Food: Parsley, rich foods, meat, walnuts, honey, spinach, kale, watercress

Herbs: Eyebright, fennel, St John's Wort, borage, motherwort, saffron, rosemary, rue, anise, camomile

Trees: Citrus trees, cedar, bay, palm, laurel, walnut

Plants: Passionflower, celandine, sunflower, marigold, daffodil, lavender, yellow lily, poppy, mistletoe

Places: Italy, especially Rome; France, especially the Riviera; Czech Republic, especially Prague; Turkey; southern Iraq; Lebanon; Bohemia; India, especially Mumbai; Rome; North America, especially Chicago or Philadelphia; exclusive resorts; jungles; woods and forests; deserts and inaccessible places; anywhere near a fire or furnace; castles