In 2002 there was a Leo “blue moon”, two Leo full moons occurring in July and August. This happens reasonably rarely, hence the expression “once in a blue moon”. As Leo is a particularly potent month for the influences of Sirius, there should be an extraordinary flowing through of these forces:

“August, which is ruled by Leo, is the month of the Dog-star, or of Sirius, which thus brings Sirius into close relation to Leo. Leo, in the cosmic sense is ruled by Sirius. Sirius is the home of that greater Lodge to which our fifth initiation admits a man and to which it brings him, as a humble disciple. Later, when the new world religion is founded and is working, we shall find that the major, monthly festival in August, held at the time of the full moon, will be dedicated to the task of making contact, via the Hierarchy, with Sirian force.” [1]

Sirius is of course the source for that which is translated as Love-Wisdom in this solar system, the indigo blue of Ray Two. The Solar Logos of our solar system is esoterically known as the “Blue Logos”, and it is said that all his perfected “children” resemble him when their third eye has reached a certain hue of blue. Our solar logos is developing “lion-like” qualities:

“A solar Logos is – a Dragon of Wisdom, and His problem concerns itself with the development of the principle of cosmic Will which will make Him what has been called a “Lion of Cosmic Will”.” [2]

The “greater Lodge” on Sirius has its reflection and “mode of spiritual service” on this planet as ‘The “Great White Lodge”” or the “Masters of Wisdom”. The Hierarchy of Masters work through a triangle of energies between Sirius, Leo and Jupiter. Jupiter is the co-ruler of Ray Two, along with the Sun, which is also ruler of Leo.

Even though the “new world religion” has not yet been established, many groups of disciples upon the planet have been invoking the energies of Sirius quite consciously over the last several decades. This is part of the externalisation process of the Hierarchy, as those aspirants and disciples are members of the ashrams of the Masters.

This process is now accelerating with recent events in the world: The fifth Shamballa impact in 2000, the Masters “Decision” of 2001, preceded by a few weeks with the events of September 11. Therefore the two full moons of Leo in 2002, will compliment this “quickening” time.

There is a double opportunity to contact the Hierarchy and for The Christ and the Masters to reach down to their incarnate ashramic members, to bring about a further consolidation of Divine Purpose.

If we consider Jupiter in the first Leo full moon chart, it is conjunct the Sun, giving both Ray Two rulers much power. Whilst the Sun is in early Leo, Jupiter is in late Cancer, the place of its exaltation. Jupiter in Cancer relates to the Love and Wisdom expressions of Ray Two, that connect to the spirit and form respectively. This is the soul’s intent, as the mediating principle between spirit and matter.

The analogy could be extended to the Hierarchy as mediator between Shamballa and Humanity, or the New Group of World Servers as mediator between Hierarchy and Humanity. Hence we see the great and powerful potential of this conjunction in the full moon chart.

As our Hierarchy is under the spiritual supervision of Sirius (“the brilliant star of sensitivity” and “that great star of Initiation”), the cosmic Christ is able to work upon the Christ principle in all the lives within this solar system.

On the reversed zodiacal wheel, Leo is the eighth sign, number eight being the number of the Christ. The soul ruler of Leo, Neptune is one the Christ’s esoteric names, having a close relation to the heart centre in both the solar system and individual human being.

Indeed, Leo is about individuality or intense self-consciousness, that through initiation becomes group conscious, reflecting its Aquarian polar opposite, the Moon’s position at these Leo solar festivals.

“Individualisation” saw the birth of consciousness many millions of years ago (when the Sun was in Leo), leading to another momentous time now (with the Sun going into Aquarius) where Humanity are taking the first initiation (ruled over by Leo) en masse.

So at this time the world is seeing many individualistic people who are making an impression upon the world through movies and music for example, distinct from the mass consciousness, yet vastly appealing to the mass.

At a higher turn of the spiral, those who are taking the first “systemic” (third) initiation are making their “mark” (to coin a Masonic term) in demonstrating their use of the fiery substance of the mental plane.

Leo is a fire sign, and like the other fire signs, esoterically always carries forward that which begins in a water sign. Cancer, the previous watery sign to Leo, is a sign of mass consciousness, and Leo is a sign of individual consciousness. Leo emerges as an individual from the mass of Cancer. Both signs have Neptune as their soul ruler.

Leo is the fifth sign and the mental plane is the fifth – and the seat of the soul. 5 is related to 10, the number of perfection, and the tenth sign of Capricorn, a sign of initiation.

Leo’s fiery mental body is represented by the Lion’s mane, depicting the mental aura, from whence Leo derives its power – but also its pride. The word “mane” is related to “manas”, Sanskrit for “mind”.

Leo is the “King of the Beasts” – which can be interpreted as the spiritually advanced soul who has “sovereign” rule over the subjects he serves and rules. Leo here is the Raja Yogi (Raja Yoga, the “kingly science”).

Or Leo can be the beast that lurks in that fifth chakra (counting from above down), the solar plexus, where is expressed the shadow, or all those untamed aspects of the animal nature. Here is the king who has learnt about power but not unfolded love sufficiently, and is a tyrant to those he rules.

The former has unfolded the love petals of the Leonine heart, serving his subjects magnanimously and with humility. This Leo is the true “sovereign”. Uranus (hierarchical ruler of Leo) is the energy into which this type of Leo is tapping, and which allows Leo to be rigorous with self-imposed discipline, to condition its environment and not be conditioned by it.

“Leo the Lion Heart” is a term that is often associated with courage and daring, qualities associated with the first Ray of Will or Power, which pours through Leo. The word “courage” derives from the French “couer” meaning “heart”.

Yet the physical heart and heart chakra are also associated with Love. Hence in Leo is a great capacity for developing more courage through expanding loving awareness, and through that gained courage, the expansion of a loving heart.

Herein lies one of the mysteries of Leo’s dual expression of Love and Will, the two major components of human living which are reflected on the mental and emotional levels. The mental (reflection of will) has already been discussed, in terms of Leo’s power, but Leo is also a passionate emotional (reflection of love) being.

It is said that Leo is connected with the astral permanent atom, that repository of the sum total of emotional experiences in all lifetimes:

“…for the reason that desire or the power to go forth and occultly touch that which is desired is the basis of all sense of awareness or responsiveness, and the underlying cause of progress or evolutionary movement forward; it is the keynote of the man who has achieved that true “self-centred” [Leo] attitude which makes him an individual.” [3]

The Leonine actor at centre stage is intensely self-aware, and has a reservoir of deep emotion to plumb. She may experience fear in the stomach (solar plexus) before a performance, but makes it “right on the night” as courage (heart) is evoked.

Her lines are learned, “burned in the brain”, firming a foundation for the creative act of performance to the audience, who are her Aquarian polarity.

Leo is the creative sign par excellence. The Sun is a giant furnace of ongoing explosions and reactions in a great cosmic drama which fuels this solar system physically and spiritually. The human Leo is infinitely creative, dramatic, life-giving and sovereign.

In the first Leo full moon chart, Neptune is prominent conjunct the Moon and opposite Mars. Both Mars and Neptune are co-rulers of the solar plexus centre, offering opportunity for humanity to counter the warring energies of Mars, desire and the emotions, raising them to the heart. Mars in Leo can be intensely selfish and is also in the Mars-ruled decanate of Leo, so this will be challenging yet resolvable.

Related to and perhaps behind this is a square of Pluto to Venus, a very challenging aspect about transforming human relationships. One can be very ruthless and critical with this kind of aspect, so it will be interesting to see how it works out among some of the warring nations in the world.

Of course India and Pakistan both share a stellium of planets in Leo, so perhaps there will be flare-ups again in their relations.

The second full Moon in August is in the last degree of Leo, conjunct the star Regulus: “The influences of Sirius, three in number, are focussed in Regulus, which is, as you know, a star of the first magnitude and which is frequently called “the heart of the Lion.” There is more real occultism hidden in the names given to the various stars by astronomers down the ages than has yet been realised, and here you have a case in point.” [4]

Regulus is derived from “reg”, meaning “ruler” or “lawgiver”, and was one of the “four royal stars” of ancient times,

“…holding in its significance the thought that man can now be a law unto himself, for he has that within him which is the king or the ruler.” [5]

Its name implies “regulate” a somewhat Saturnian keyword. Saturn in this extraordinarily powerful horoscope is placed in Gemini, which occultly forms a point of entrance (through Gemini’s pillars) for the energies of Sirius. Saturn is also a “Lord of Karma” who dispenses the greater Law of Karma which precipitates from Sirius the Source.

As Saturn has much to do with materialisation and the making of forms, whilst Gemini is related to etheric blueprints, the combination of both makes for a great manifestation and externalisation of subjective patterns or plans from the inner planes, or the One Great Ashram.

Saturn makes harmonious aspects to both Sun and Moon in this chart, but a difficult square to Mercury in its own sign Virgo. The meaning here is similar to the foregoing, bringing thought into form using discrimination, constructing thoughtforms from the blueprint. This square will provide the needed spiritual tension to bring all these themes into reality.

The Sun-Moon opposition sees Mars conjunct the Sun in Leo on one side, opposite Moon and Uranus on the other, a potentially volatile but enormously creative combination if utilised rightly.

Uranus in its own sign of Aquarius can only but stimulate the higher aspects of Leo and its Uranian hierarchical influence, of a mental or soul quality. Whereas the first Leo full moon stimulated the soul ruler Neptune, relating more to the emotional nature:

“Uranus – Occult consciousness or that intelligent, fusing condition which produces the scientific at-one-ment of the two factors, higher and lower self, through the intelligent use of the mind.

Neptune – Mystical consciousness or that innate sensitivity which leads unerringly to the higher vision, to the recognition of the inter-relation involved in man’s essential duality during the process of manifestation, plus the activity of the mediator.” [6]

Jupiter is also in Leo at this full moon, opposite Neptune in a very complimentary way, both planets relating to religious or metaphysical belief systems and devotion to them. Pluto, in Jupiter’s sign Sagittarius, has been breaking down all the old belief systems and superstitions, and is conjunct the south node or dragon’s tail of this chart, pointing to a destruction of the past.

Therefore this horoscope holds within it in a more powerful way than ever before the seeds of the new world religion or the synthesis of all other systems. Perhaps some new dispensation based upon cosmic laws will emerge, or a further consolidation and manifestation of the Ageless Wisdom.

Interestingly, the square of Pluto and Venus in the first full moon chart has moved to an harmonious sextile aspect in the second full moon chart, indicating perhaps some resolution or “grace” around the theme of human relationships.

For a chart set in New York, indicating trends for the West in general, the sign Scorpio rises, indicating the burning ground of experience for many, the vanquishing and victory against the nine-headed Hydra, by Hercules, the World Disciple. As the first initiation is ruled over by Leo, and as humanity’s sensitive response is awaited from these impacts, let us recall:

“The outstanding theme of Leo is the activity of the self-conscious unit in relation to its environment or the development of sensitive response to surrounding impacts by the one who stands – as the Sun stands – at the centre of its little universe. The whole story and function of Leo and its influences can be summed up in the word “sensitivity,” and this sensitivity can be studied in four stages:

1. Sensitivity to conditioning impacts from the environment, i.e., to the impacts of the world of human evolution, the three worlds or planes, through the medium of the three aspects of the response apparatus of the soul;

2. Sensitivity to the will, wishes and desires of the personality, the integrated self-conscious man, the lower self;

3. Sensitivity to the soul as the conditioning factor instead of sensitivity to the environing world as the conditioning factor;

4. The spiritual sensitivity of the God-Man (the soul and personality fused) to the environment. At this stage of unfoldment, the liberated man is not conditioned by his environment but begins the arduous task of conditioning it in relation to the divine plan and purpose and at the same time to cultivating sensitivity to the higher impacts of those worlds which lead to the final goal.” [7]

1  Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.299.
2 A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, Alice A. Bailey. pp.305-6.
[3] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.302.
[4] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. p.300.
[5] Labours of Hercules, Alice A. Bailey. p.104.
[6] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. pp.306-7.
[7] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey. pp.294-5.