Tonight is the Leo new moon! This moon cycle is a time for unleashing your inner shadow-child & getting into dangerous hijinks with your girl gang. Lunar Leo energy is strong, glittery, & hot. This new moon is made for crushing the gravitas amassed through years of trying to act like your age & blend in with the crowd.

I’m stirring up dark moon energy with the most dangerous virgin of the forest: Artemis. If you’re trying to reconnect with your own wild Truth--maybe you’re feeling jaded & wanting to reclaim a little of the innocence you left behind--this is the Goddess babe to do it with.

Let me paint a portrait of how I vibe with the strange, dangerous, & strong Artemis, then share tips for creating your own Goddess-infused Leo new moon ritual!

ARTEMIS: THE STRAIGHT-EDGE PUNK WHO KEEPS US YOUNG & WILD

Artemis is the Virgin Hunter who prowls the unmapped terrain of the soul. She symbolizes self-reliance, confidence, & the soul of feminine intention. She is the emblem of personal authenticity & encapsulates the bravado needed to face down your shadow.

Most relevant, Artemis symbolizes the wisdom of instinct, reminding us of the frightening & untamable power of the darkest regions of our primal consciousness.

Artemis is the kind of girl who reinvents the entire scene. A natural tastemaker who plays rough & lacks self-consciousness. She’s one part Katy Perry, another part Kathleen Hanna, with a huge dash of Ru Paul thrown into the mix.

Artemis is no-holds-barred, splashy, & self-contained. Her aura shimmers like white gold. When Artemis stands near you, you can feel a powerful psychic echo resounding inside you: like the animal in her is roaring & you’re merely an empty cave echoing back at her. You can actually see heat waves moving off of her.

Artemis is DIY by principle, but can’t suppress her inner glamazon. Everything about her is sleek & voluminous: sheen-y tanned legs, tangly hair down to her waist, huge Jackie-O sunnies, & chewed up lime-green manicure. She carries a deck of Lisa Frank Tarot cards in her tote bag & wears chunky costume jewelry: strands of yellowing pearls, antique broaches refurbished into cocktail rings, dozens of cubic zirconian bracelets spinning around her wrists. On a Friday night, she might draw a pink lightening bolt across half her face á la Bowie. On Monday, she’ll wear nothing on her face but lipgloss & a pair of cat-eyed sunnies. She acts like a grown-up Lolita, if Lolita had pardoned the pervert & moved on with her life.

That’s what Leo Artemis stands for: choosing to stay free & innocent… no matter who’s pulled one over on you.

Her mantra: Prove you are worthy of your desires.

Her anthem: I’m Gonna Marry The Night.

Artemis has no tolerance for jaded cynics. And Artemis doesn't vibe with self-betrayal. She is ruthlessly impatient towards needy grown women. In her tribe, she’s the introverted one who isn’t afraid to throw her weight around, especially if one of her sisters is in need of an intervention.

She hangs out with popular, attention-seeking women who used to be music video vixens & reality TV show contestants. They kick off girls’ night at a wine bar downtown & always wind up in expected places--more often than not, on darkened playgrounds, up in the fort, secret-sharing & weighing in on one another’s contemplation of divorce.

Artemis is the only one not married & without kids. She is usually the first to arrive when a friend goes into labor & accustomed to middle-of-the-night visits from girlfriends looking for someone to talk to.

In the Tarot, Artemis corresponds with The Moon. The Moon card pertains to illusions, dreams, the Unconscious, & most importantly, the shadow. Confronting our shadow requires bravado & daring. You need your shadow: she is the gatekeeper of self-truths that no one else could ever teach you about yourself.

Your shadow is also your abused, suppressed inner-child. She’s the vulnerable part of yourself still crying & asking for mommy… though you’re likely only ever aware of her when she slips out to cause shadow-drama… the likes of which may range from merely mischievous to outright criminal.

The whole point of practicing Moon Magic--like we do in new moon rituals--is to unlock limitless free energy to do the impossible. We do magic to liberate our primal consciousness from the cage of identity. If your psyche were a realm or a kingdom, your inner-child would be the #HBIC of your subconscious. The only way to access the power therein is to make nice.

A Leo new moon is ideal for offering an olive branch: the time for self-love rituals, shadow-work, & commitment ceremonies to the grander vision we see for our lives. In a new moon ritual, Artemis asks us to evaluate our values & the actions they inspire. Is that really what matters to you? How’s that workin’ out?

ARTEMIS AS A PATRON GODDESS

“Watch out for people who are always bragging about who they are. A lion never has to tell me it’s a lion. ”

— Anonymous

As a Patron Goddess, Artemis is perfect for principled Goddess Girls who aren’t afraid of walking home alone in the dark & don’t flinch at the sight of of someone else’s shadow. The kind of girls who find their own confidence a little sexy & are turned on by the mysteries of the world. The kind of girls who don’t back down in a confrontation.

Artemis is affectionate towards punk rock, DIY babes who’d rather learn the hard way on their own than agonize through breaking-the-ice games. She favors eco-warriors, virgin priestesses, & defenders of the vulnerable.

In the Triple Goddess, Artemis corresponds with the Maiden: the self-reliant, instinctual, & self-initiating force of feminine intention. The Maiden archetype is sui generis in motion. She is young enough to still feel bonded towards the Mother, but old enough to take heedless charge of her own destiny. The Maiden symbolizes the very soul of feminine potential. (Click here to learn more about the Triple Goddess, but I’m going to point you towards the straight up authority on this topic in a sec.)

In ancient lore, Artemis helped birth her twin brother, Apollo, who rules the Sun & Masculinity. Artemis rules the Moon & Femininity. Together, Artemis & Apollo rule the Ego & Instinct. Artemis was granted autonomy forever--she would never be forced to marry. Instead, she prowls the forest & hangs out with nymphs. Because she has been granted permanent autonomy, she rushes to help women in childbirth. It’s one of her sacred duties.

Leo is ruled by the Sun, which outwardly is dramatic & vivacious. Lunar Leo energy leads with instinct more than ego, so if you consider yourself to be quiet & reserved, you can still vibe with Artemis. It’s all about how you project & illuminate the dynamism naturally occurring around you. Picture Artemis crouched in the dark, absorbing the chitters & ruffles of the forest around her. She is both of the forest & a steward of it. The best way for Moon Goddesses to steward their realms is by staying receptive, rather than being demonstrative. She knows how to amplify the still, small voice of intuition into a giant force to reckon with.

The Goddess Artemis is my go-to example when explaining Patron Goddesses to the uninitiated… because of The Hunger Games.

Patron Goddesses are archetypal--they’re symbols of the vibe we feel that our lives are evolving along. The vibe is universal, but how our Patron Goddess appears to us is totally individualistic. I think everyone has a pretty clear image of Katniss Everdeen, the archer who volunteers herself in the stead of an innocent to do battle in a dark forest. (Yeah, the forest was human engineered, but doesn’t that accurately represent the conflict in our actual psyches--between what’s true & wild & what’s been implanted by manipulative GroupThink? Think about it.)

For newbie Goddess Girls wading into spirit craft, you’re free to imagine your Goddess as whoever makes the most magical sense for you. (My Patron Goddess, Inanna, looks like Milla Jovovich’s character in Resident Evil for me, so why can't Artemis look like JLaw or however you envisioned Katniss in the novel?

Click here to find out more about finding & invoking a Patron Goddess.

And to learn more about the beauty, power, & wisdom of Artemis--a.k.a. Diana via the Romans--check out The Holy Book Of Women’s Mysteries by Zsusanna Budapest.

HOW TO CREATE A LEO NEW MOON RITUAL

Your Leo new moon ritual should be exultant. Feel free to be flashy, self-indulgent, & flagrantly desirous, even if it flies in the face of the rigid persona you’ve spent your entire adult life ironing out.

Be an animal. Be a child. Be weird & raw & unfiltered.

Your magic intention should commit you to unlocking your raw, feminine power. The Leo new moon is perfect for self-love rituals & shadow magic. This is the cycle for claiming Sovereignty & for deconstructing the artifice layered over your true-blue core authenticity. Read my Rules for Sovereignty post to get ideas for crafting a magical intention that perfectly resonates with what this celestial season is trying to beckon out of you.

Light white candles & use silver instruments in your ritual. Surround your altar in animal-shaped figurines. Place one or more framed pictures of yourself from a time where you felt freer or truer. Strew the altar with chunks of Selenite, Rainbow Moonstone, Rose Quartz, or Hematite. Selenite & Moonstone are popular in moon magic, while Rose Quartz & Hematite vibe with the heart & spine, which Leo rules over.

Sticking with the raw, authentic, & wild theme, wear nothing but a set of racy underwear, jewel-toned eyeshadow, & pile on a few dazzling diamond necklaces. (Zirconia suffices.) Use scarves to light your ritual space in oranges & pink, like a California sunset, or splurge on a couple of neon lights shaped like flamingos or palm trees. Spritz Cotton Candy scented body mist to evoke your inner child. If possible, bring in a full length mirror, so you can watch yourself. Don’t be afraid to see yourself performing the ritual--even if you’re in your skeevies! Celebrate the weird, audacious child that’s been locked up inside.

In fact, your Leo new moon ritual should draw out that inner shadow-child, so you can try to understand her. Create a space that makes you feel equal parts silly & sexy.

Make an offering on honey cakes (here’s an ancient Hellenic recipe & here’s the recipe I’m using) or on behalf of wild animals. Donate to the World Wildlife Fund, then print your receipt & place it in your devotional bowl.

Artemis’ realm is the forest, so consider taking your ceremony outdoors, at least for burying your magical intention in the soul.

Fill your ritual chalice with moon water (find the recipe here), which is where you’ll submerge your magical intention, written on a piece of paper. Your choice whether to drink the water or pour it out in a special location. (A forest or wooded area, if possible.)

During this cycle, delve into your core desires. Revisit Danielle LaPorte’s The Desire Map & sprinkle Post-Its or index cards around your space with words / images of what you want to feel. (The 2018 Desire Map Planner also just became available for preorder!)

If you’re looking to pile a little more onto your summer reading, this is also a good time to pick up Women Who Run With The Wolves: Myths & Stories Of The Wild Woman Archetype & don’t forget to check out The Holy Book Of Women’s Mysteries. These are must-reads for any Goddess Girl who vibes with Leo sun / moon energy! If you can, get a few of your best spiritually-activated girlfriends to read them with you, because you’re definitely going to have thoughts to share!

Make a date with your sexiest, most aggressive, & glamorous friend. Make it bigger than grabbing a coffee: plan a daytrip to an amusement park or taking the commuter train to a deluxe shopping center. If you’re daring, plan an overnight trip, so there’s the opp for a grown-up slumber party!

Most of all, take every opportunity to violate your own boundaries. Offend your own sensibilities. Let your hair down & shake it loose. Leave the cardigan at home.

Remember, your life is an experiment. Don't just walk through the door you're most afraid of, kick it down.

I wish you hella ferocity on this new moon!

Love & moonshine,