Element: Fire Modality:
Fixed Ruling
Planet: Sun
Personality Traits: Magnanimous,
Generous, Creative, Enthusiastic, Dynamic
General Compatibility: Sagittarius, Aries
Color:
Golden Yellow, Lime Green
Gemstones: Peridot, Diamond, Carnelian
Foods: Chicken, Peas, Beans, Garlic,
Onion, Oranges
The lion is (beyond dispute)
Allow'd the most majestic brute;
His valor and his gen'rous mind
Prove him superior of his kind.
—JOHN GAY
Leo is ruled by the sun and symbolized by the
lion. If you've recently been made a grandiose gesture of generosity,
been given a grand tour of the city in royal fashion, or been roused
to action by splendid oratory, you've probably come in contact with
the more familiar carryings-on of the big cat. Better not take these
gifts too lightly, though. The lion will expect tribute for his
condescension, and he'll feel sorely wounded if you don't show the
proper respect and appreciation for the bestowal of his regal charms.
In their bearing and manner, natives of this sign can show a
remarkable similarity to their zodiacal mascot. Just as the lion is
king of the jungle, Leos tend to rule over any situation they're
involved with. They'll growl, paw, or stand with regal dignity just
to make their presences known. If these fail to summon your dutiful
homage, they'll let forth a commanding roar just to let you know
who's boss. Not that the lion is an overbearing or dictatorial
autocrat, that would be too rash an appraisal of his sense of fair
play. Once his subjects come to know him better, they realize his
roar is worse than his bite. In his more tranquil moods, he'll yawn
lazily with self-contentment, contemplating his kingdom, quite
satisfied with the effects of his realm.
You can expect human cats to very much resemble their animal
counterparts. Many Leos will tend to be broad at the shoulders and
trim at the hips, resembling the lion's anatomy, and they'll often
strut when they walk, puffing out their chests and holding their
stomachs in. An unmistakable trademark of Leo is the very erect and
upright bearing of the upper torso, neck and head, as if to suggest
the stance of a monarch glancing condescendingly upon his subjects.
They'll usually have beautiful wavy blond or reddish hair that is
distinctive in some way, either sweeping gracefully up and out, away
from the face in mane-like fashion, or laying close to the head,
scooping decidedly across the forehead. The eyes, which are
commanding and fearless with sometimes a trace of haughtiness, are
soft, usually brown, with a slight tilt at the corners. The nose is
usually straight with a tendency to aquilinity, and the complexion is
rosy or flushed. The whole expression is what is generally recognized
as leonine, combining regal self-assuredness with an almost
disdainful nonchalance. The Leo native is generally robust, and all
his faculties and proportions, especially in regard to physical
appearance, are in balance and harmony. The Greeks instinctively
recognized this, making their Sun gods, Apollo and Hercules, models
of the human form.
Like the majesty of the sun which is their ruling body, Leos can
shine brilliantly among their peers, having an abundance of vitality
and an inexhaustible zest for life. Just as the sun is the center of
our planetary system, Leos tend to become the center of any project
they become involved in, and all activity seems to revolve around
them. It's their birthright to lead, and they'll naturally assume
center stage without your asking. Let someone question leonine
authority, though, or the whole group turn against the lion, and he
may cut himself off from a project entirely. Leos simply can't
function if they're not in a position to lead, and they'll brood
despondently until their regal status has been reinstated or they
find another group of loyal followers. Clouds of gloom will never dim
the Leo 's normally sunny disposition for long . His magnetic
personality soon gathers unto him willing subjects by the droves
ready to do his bidding.
Leonine rule is not given without justification. In the work
situation they'll exhibit marvelous executive capability, delegating
responsibilities according to the task at hand, never succumbing to
pettiness or favoritism. Owing to their natural largess and openness
of heart, they'll become much-liked executives not only for their
fairness, but because they can see a project in it's grandest
perspective, imbuing in it a nobility of purpose. Leo natives have a
disdain for details; those are left up to the specialized talents of
underlings to whom the lion has assigned specific tasks. Their chief
attribute in any job situation is the unique capacity for the overall
manipulation of talent, means and substance to produce a desired
result. This singular capacity is the mark of many industrialists,
magnates and tycoons, and it is not surprising that more wealth is
found under Leo than any other Sun sign.
The leonine tendency is to expansion, not in the abstract sense of
the Sagittarian, whose consciousness is expanded to breadth of
understanding, but in a more materialistic sense where the Leo
becomes aware that his own capability for physical manipulation
expresses his relationship to the larger world. Leo natives won't do
things unless they can do them in a big way. They'll hate amateurism
in all its forms, and will always want to work at the highest level
in whatever they do. Rather than be intimidated by a project of grand
proportions, Leos will be fired by the challenge, carrying out their
duties with confidence and style.
In money matters, Leos can be generous to a fault. Their hearts are
as big as their bank accounts, and if they feel your need is genuine,
they'll spare no expense, financial or otherwise, to help you out of
a jam. Even if their funds are temporarily depleted, they'll go out
and borrow from someone else if they have to, just to see you
through. They are no less open-handed when it comes to charitable
causes. The Leo native, however, rarely gives money anonymously.
You're not likely to find him dropping petty cash into the offering
basket at Sunday church service or donating trivial sums of money to
their favorite charities as the rest of us mere mortals. The kingly
Leo is given to much more extravagance, and the donation of a new
school wing, a hospital, or a concert hall is more in line with his
philanthropic persuasion. Rather than give to several charities, he'd
rather pool all his resources in one grand gesture of magnanimity,
and bask in the attending glory. Just be sure you spell his name
right on the cornerstone or plaque commemorating his contribution.
Leos love to take credit and be appreciated, remember, and the more
adulation the better.
Leos naturally have a flair for drama, and this sign is typically
associated with actors, actresses and the theatre in general. The
glint in the Leo's eye is a reflected glow of the limelight, and even
if the lion has not plotted out for himself a career on the
professional stage, you'll often find him taking a lead role in an
amateur dramatic society play or production. Though occasionally
there are one or two Leos who may fit the description of a ham, most
August-born will take their creative efforts seriously, accepting
applause only if they feel their job has been well done. Leos
instinctively understand the heroic-tragic nature of earthly
existence as typified in men's struggles with the forces of destiny,
and the talent for conveying this awareness on stage is uniquely
leonine. It is noteworthy that great character actors will always
have predominating planetary influences, if not the sun, under the
sign of the big cat. Leo natives have an innate capacity for
expressing themselves in an elegant, almost regal manner, and they
somehow find deep spiritual satisfaction in finding outlets for their
creative abilities.
No matter where they happen to be, Leos tend to create their own
dramatic scenarios, placing themselves in the leading roles, and you
and everyone else in supporting roles, of course. In the domestic
scene, the Leo native will expect to be king or queen of the castle,
and you can sometimes see the children almost bow with a respectful
politeness as they approach their regal parent. Though the average
Leo will come to expect such ceremonious homage, his love of fun will
easily take over, especially when it comes to children, and he'll
soon be rollicking on the floor with them like a big, playful cat.
Did I mention that Leos love children? Fewer things are more
important to August-born than their own progeny, and they have a
natural affinity for all children in general. Their attitude toward
them, however, is not like the doting Cancer or the permissive
Pisces. Leo parents will expect their offspring to emulate their
kingly ways, like little princes and princesses learning ascendancy
to the throne. The lion will lecture them endlessly about the do's
and don't's of proper behavior, but seldom punishes if they disobey.
For all their attempts at discipline and their insistent demands,
Leos will spoil them shamelessly. Though the lion may sometimes feign
indifference to children, the little ones themselves realize it is
only a pretense, and they'll end up taking advantage of leonine
over-indulgence every time. Leave it up to a child's intuition to
recognize that for all his grumbling and growling, the lion is really
soft-hearted at the core.
A group of lions is not called a 'pride' without reason. Leos have
their share of pride and then some, and the ruddiness in their
complexion is more apt to be a suffusion of dignity than a blush of
shame. Just try and pay your Leo friend's way next time you're out to
dinner with him. The lion can pay his own way, thank you, and he'll
probably end up paying for your dinner as well. You'll rarely see the
king of beasts accepting charity, even if he is in sore need of
funds, and the idea of collecting welfare or unemployment benefits is
really quite foreign to him. Besides, owing to his natural flair for
wheeling and dealing, he can usually come up with some quick cash if
he has to. Even in the face of adversity, financial ruin or failure,
the lion never lowers his regal mane because he knows these
conditions are only momentary obstacles to his rightful status.
Besides, his energetic resourcefulness will never allow him to stay
down for long.
There's hardly a lion or lioness who won't succumb to a sincere line
of flattery now and then. Even if your honeyed words fall short of
being all that sincere, the Leo will graciously accept them as
stated, thinking nothing to the contrary. After all, any comment of
praise or compliment must certainly ring true when speaking of
royalty; it was just nice of you to point out the obvious. It is this
tendency to believe deceptive flattery that is the Waterloo of many a
Leo. Even after they find out they've been duped, most Leos are too
big about it to retaliate. They themselves are incapable of actions
that are in any way mean, base or underhanded, and they'll find it
hard to believe anyone could be so insincere. In activities where
these lower qualities are essential for success, the lion will always
tend not to succeed. He has little understanding of baseness or
subterfuge. True to the qualities of his ruling body, the sun, Leo
goes into battle with his flags waving and his bands playing,
expecting the same openness of his adversary.
No sign has a greater flair for romance than Leo. Lions like to do
things in a big way, and this is no less true in affairs of the
heart. They love to be extravagant, and they have a special knack for
knowing what stirs the opposite sex. Female cats will dress
expensively with all the fire of their Sun sign, and they'll know
just how to catch their man, right down to the choice of jewelry,
make-up and perfume. The male lion loves to lavish the object of his
affection with expensive presents, knowing full well the meaning of
the song, Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend. He'll woo her in
royal fashion, taking her to the finest places in town. Lions of both
genders will expect to make their entrances with a flourish, getting
the best table or seat in the house. They are men and women of the
world, and they truly know how to partake of its pleasures.
———————————————
Excerpted from The Astrology Diet,
Copyright © by Jon Stevens. All rights reserved.
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