Why Leo Season 2018 Could Be More Dramatic Than Usual

Pump up the pomp and circumstance! Leo season is upon us as the zodiac’s fierce and regal lion rules the skies from July 23 to August 22. All the world is a runway for the coming four weeks. Pull those party clothes to the front of your closet—yes, the schmanciest, most maximalist, body-con numbers you own. This is also high season for romance, red-carpet dates and theatrical displays of affection. But get ready. While the celebratory and romantic vibes will be elevated, Leo season 2018 could deliver a few more dramatic arcs. Here’s why:

Mercury will be retrograde in Leo from July 26 to August 19

Three times a year, the planet of data, communication and transportation passes the Earth in its orbit, creating the illusion that it is moving backwards in the sky. During these annual (and sadly, unavoidable) cycles, all things Mercury seem to go in reverse. Phones get left in cabs and you waste hours tracking them down, wifi networks stop working seconds before you need to send off a big presentation, ghosters from the past reappear and general misunderstandings abound. Alas, Mercury will be moonwalking through the Leo zone from July 26 to August 19, bringing a double dose of dramz.

During this signal-scrambling three-week cycle, finding the line between “just enough” and “extra” will be challenging. We’d all be wise to follow the advice of lion queen Coco Chanel who chided would-be fashionistas to remove one accessory before leaving the house. Apply that rule to everything. Don’t overstay your welcome: a Leo season Queen knows when to make an entrance and an exit. Brevity will also be the soul of wit when it comes to all messaging. Keep it brief and save the flowery metaphors and epic stories for IRL hangouts. And even then…make sure your audience isn’t nodding off. Let others speak!

And since Leo governs romance and the ego, we’ll have to take care not to bruise or be bruised in the game of love. Maybe you shouldn’t send that gushing text to a guy after the first Tinder date—or offer “helpful hints” about their shortcomings. And if you want to discuss relationship issues, time it for when you’re both relaxed, instead of ten minutes after they’ve stepped out of a stressful meeting. Exes also have a special way of creeping back in while Mercury is retrograde—and this summer, it’s best to keep those heartbreakers permanently blocked.

There will be two eclipses during Leo season

For the second year in a row, Leo season will dovetail with eclipse season. The full moon on July 27 is also an Aquarius lunar eclipse, while the new moon on August 11 is a Leo solar eclipse. Eclipses reveal shadows; we see things that were previously blocked or hidden from our view. Relax, these illuminating insights can be life-changing in the best of ways! The Aquarius eclipse could reveal amazing groups of people or push for societal change, while the Leo eclipse could spark a romantic revolution.

But no stalling! Just as an eclipse lasts for a brief window of time, we’ll have to act quickly in order to capitalize on them. For those who have been resisting an overdue change, get ready. Situations may be “eclipsed out” of your life, in some cases, against your emotionally fueled wishes. Trust that these necessary losses are in your best interest, carving out the space for the new. PS: Next year, the eclipses shift to the Cancer-Capricorn axis, highlighting career and family. This summer, take advantage of the accelerated push to get involved in activism (Aquarius), acting (Leo); engage with community (Aquarius) or on Cupid’s playground (Leo). Developments will happen fast!

We’ll pass through The Lion’s Gate

August 8th (8-8) is known among the woo-woo community as The Lion’s Gate—a date, annually, where the Earth aligns with the Galactic Center and Sirius

Numerologist Felicia Bender explains that eight, AKA the number of infinity, “is an amplifier. When you see it, it’s always offering challenges and opportunities in the realm of personal empowerment. And once that’s achieved, then, it’s about material manifestation and abundance.”

While it’s going to be a bit less steady in the metaphorical Serengeti this Leo season, flexibility and fierce determination can help us all rise to our rightful thrones. Move over Sansa Stark!