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Let us now turn to the twelve house cusps of the natal chart, placing Leo on each of these in order to determine more about the Lion and its influences upon our daily lives:
Leo on the cusp of the First House (Ascendant):
The Lion rising in a chart needs to be appreciated and noticed. He therefore strives to cultivate a “high approval” rating among his friends and colleagues. People with this position in their chart usually take great pride in how they appear in public. There is a great fondness for clothes, jewelry and accessories and a strong attraction to having fun and leading the “good life.” Leo rising is keenly aware of the old adage, “Life’s a stage,” and Leo on this cusp knows that he is the star of the drama. This rising sign also bestows enormous creative potential, what is often required is the cultivation of a clear direction for the expression of this potency. Once activated, Leo rising makes for a fine organizer of both himself and others and is a continuous fount of strength, courage and determination. The greatest danger when this sign is acting negatively is pure, unabashed egotism.
Leo on the cusp of the Second House:
There is often the tendency to take great pride in owns own abilities when the Lion is in this position. Money is most often earned and possessions acquired through a very personal expression of one’s creative talents and abilities. Should Saturn be square, opposed, or conjoined the Sun, wealth may be delayed until one is much older and/or difficulties surrounding money are encountered throughout one’s life. At the very least, learning how to budget resources will pay off in the long run. People with Leo on the Second House cusp tend to play favorites with their resources. They can be overly generous with those they love and esteem while penny pinchers with people who are out of favor. People with this position tend to be quite magnanimous with their own offspring unless the Sun is poorly aspected by the ruler of the Fifth House.
Leo on the cusp of the Third House:
This sign/house combination gives the urge to state one’s opinions very firmly and there is little room for compromise when it comes to sharing one’s opinions with others. This would be especially the case if the Sun and/or Mercury were in a fixed sign. These people like communicating with young people. They often pursue education as one of their great pleasures in life, especially when what they are studying enhances their prestige among others. There is often considerable mental activity which leads to an abundance of intellectual outpouring. This is especially the case if the Sun is in one of the air signs and is well aspected with Uranus or Jupiter. Should the Sun be afflicted by either Saturn or Neptune, the mental dynamics tend to be slower and more foggy.
Leo on the cusp of the Fourth House (Nadir, IC):
There is no other sign/cusp combination that embodies with greater certainty the saying, “A man’s home is his castle.” This would be especially the case if the Sun or the Moon were placed in Leo in the Fourth. No matter what one’s economic circumstances, Leo on the Fourth describes a person who needs to take pride in his home and family. On a psychological level, this position indicates an individual who seeks to stand firm within herself. If the Sun is well-aspected in this position (especially by Saturn, Jupiter, or the Moon), the ability to hold one’s own under any circumstances is a natural gift. The relationship between the Sun and Saturn in any event will do much to describe the relationship the individual has with his or her father. The aspect between the Sun and the Moon as well as the sign of the latter, tell the astrologer much about the person’s relationship with the mother.
Leo on the cusp of the Fifth House:
Unless the Sun is debilitated by poor aspects to other planets, especially Saturn and Neptune, this position indicates an abundance of creative potential, along with the stamina and willpower to back it up. The latter characteristic is reinforced if the Sun is found in a fixed sign. Romance plays a very important part in the individual’s life, as does the pursuit of sensual pleasures. Children are usually well-loved and cared for, although there is a tendency to be a bit dictatorial in the way one interacts with them. The danger here is to see one’s children as “planets” that need to revolve around the will of the parent. Such a tendency would be reinforced if the Sun were in Taurus, Leo, Aries, or Capricorn especially if afflictions from Saturn were also present. The Fifth is the House of hobbies and pleasurable pastimes. Look for such interests to be very important in the life of this person, especially if the Sun is connected by aspect to Jupiter, Uranus or conjunct to Venus—in which case the hobby will be the art of love!
Leo on the cusp of the Sixth House:
Should the Sun be well placed in the chart, the health will tend to be very robust and there is an abundance of vitality present. This is especially the case if the Sun is well aspected to Mars and/or Pluto when Leo rules the Sixth. A great deal of attention will be placed on one’s job and the orientation will be to shine out and be noticed for what one does. The theater, the arts, fashion and work involving children are natural outlets but no matter what work this person does, there is a need for it to be pleasurable. Pets can be a source of pride and often are treated as children—cats, of course, will be a natural favorite of the Lion on this cusp.
Leo on the cusp of the Seventh House (Descendant):
As the sign of friendship, Aquarius is on the Ascendant when Leo is on the Descendant. The Lion on this cusp seeks and requires loyalty as a primary characteristic in all social interactions. The First/Seventh cusp axis speaks directly about how we relate to others. Leo and Aquarius are both fixed signs and as such prefer long-term relationships. Leo here gives the possibility for stability and consistency in the way the individual interrelates with others. This is a person who takes pride in his or her friends and lovers, seeking someone with a highly individualized creative spirit. But should the Sun be afflicted by Uranus, the need for personal freedom will supercede the need for steady relationship. This planetary combination will also tend to attract unstable people into our lives.
Leo on the cusp of the Eighth House:
This is a powerful and beautiful position in the life of an emotionally mature individual. It represents a source of tremendous creative potential that when applied to other people’s lives, brings out and augments their hidden potentials. Thus the Lion on this cusp can stimulate creative productivity as well as increase both oneself and others on material as well as psychological levels. When in the horoscope of more egocentric individuals, this sign/cusp position can overly stimulate the desire nature as the fire of the Sun ignites the passions of Scorpio’s natural domain. This would be especially the case if the Sun were in strong aspect to Mars and/or Pluto. Leo on the Eighth would then ignite the fires of transformation bringing challenging lessons to a life lived through the passions.
Leo on the cusp of the Ninth House:
The Lion brings gusto to any cusp it tenants. When on the Ninth, it adds to the joy of experiencing life as an adventure, stimulating the urge to travel. This is a person who tends to take a great deal of pleasure from the sensual joys of foreign sights and sounds, art and architecture. Higher education is approached in much the same way—as a gratifying adventure in self-development. Should the ego be immature, Leo here indicates people who take too much pride in what they know. Their knowledge can then be expressed with a great deal of pomposity, a trait that alienates and separates them from others. This would tend to be the case if there were afflictions between Jupiter and the Sun.
Leo on the cusp of the Tenth House (Midheaven, MC):
The Lion brings strength, creative vitality, and potency to the Midheaven. It indicates an individual seeking recognition through his place in life and by his professional achievements. This is a person who wants center stage in terms of what he does and as a result may dominate others in the career arena. Should Saturn and the Sun be in good aspect, the individual can expect help from people in authority and gradual but steady progress up the ladder of life. But should there be a square or opposition from Saturn in the chart, this will tend to delay success although not necessarily negate the personal will and drive needed to succeed. This sign/cusp combination is a natural for anyone involved in show business, the arts, and anything that has to do with young people.
Leo on the cusp of the Eleventh House:
When the Lion is in this position, the individual needs to stand out in all organizational and group activities. If this is done in an overly egocentric manner, the person will encounter conflicts and opposition in terms of these relationships. Hopes and wishes also suffer when egocentricity dominates as the individual would then tend to use friendships as a means for self satisfaction. When this sign/cusp combination is found in the horoscope of an emotionally mature person, it adds tremendously to collective purpose and success. We then find an individual who tends to be supported by friends and associates, one who is a strong contributor to the society in which he or she lives.
Leo on the cusp of the Twelfth House:
This sign/cusp combination brings forth lessons of humility and quiet service in life. It indicates a person who may possess an immense wealth of potent willpower, yet the will is not allowed to be used in obvious ways. Thus we find that such a person may either be quite manipulative, getting his way no matter at what cost, or it reveals a person who is a powerful but subtle supporter of life’s circumstances. As a result of this individual’s helping hand, she finds that life provides an abundance of deep inner strength available for her own purposes. Although the hot flares of the Sun may not burn in ways that are visibly apparent, these solar flames are nonetheless potent when the fire of self burns unselfishly. |
