Leo’s element is fire and their symbol animal is Lion. Taking pride in their tribe, Leos are the ones who beat their chests, exclaiming to all who would listen (and most do), “I am a member of THIS tribe”, and everyone wishes they also were a member of THAT tribe.  They are the Ambassadors (think Barak Obama) of the zodiac.  Around the lunch table at work, they flourish photos of their loved ones and if they have children… brace yourself because it’s going to be a session. Leos come in two distinct brands.  The gregarious, life of the party who loves to tell jokes, dance and sing.  Oddly, they never appear to change much no matter how much alcohol they consume. The other Leo is the shy Lion, quiet-spoken and seemingly self-effacing.  No matter what outer manifestation their personality exhibits, all Leos consider themselves number one. Sporting a mane of lush locks that you can’t help but notice, you find yourself vying for their smile. I’ve never met a Leo who didn’t love music.  Putting on costumes and dancing around the campfire – probably a Leo.  They are enchanting! Everyone has a Leo friend or lover because Leos have so many friends and lovers.  But beware! They can be a tad high and mighty and belittling to those they consider beneath them. This means they can be fiercely competitive, envious and vain.  In a temper, they’re fearsome indeed. That’s when all the shouting, shattering and scattering starts.

The Dark Side of the Sun Tarot Card

The Tarot card for the fire of summer is naturally the Sun card.  It’s hard to imagine the dark side of the Sun.  It doesn’t appear to have one.  When the Sun is shining in the northern summer sky, it’s glorious.  As summer is drawing to a close by late August, early September, the Sun has made significant strides towards the southern hemisphere, so its shine is a little softer, muted, and gentle. The classic Sun card depicts a child or two, with arms and legs spread wide, naked, embracing the warmth and light of a brightly painted Sun which typically dominates the upper half of the card.  It means pleasure, positivity, enlightenment, joy, freedom in vulnerability, and carefree happiness.  What’s not to love about that? As Jung would say, however, the brighter the light, the darker the shadow.  Someone who exhibits positivity all the time often suffers the darkest depression.  Alone.  In the warning position, the Sun means there are things lurking in the shadows that threaten your vulnerability and trust.  It’s watchful in the deep, darkest shadows and when it leaps out to pull you down under.  Beware!  The shock will be electrifying.  What’s hidden from the Sun doesn’t have access to its gift revelatory and purifying properties.  It’s dark, damp, moldy and potentially deadly. In the ancient, Egyptian faith, the God Ra or Sun God and was all-powerful.  The Egyptians believed that a person would be wise to pay heed to him! His shine warmed the ground and played a crucial role in crop success.  Ra was LIFE. But he was DEATH too. He would melt you to a puddle when he was shining bright and hot at midday in the desert.

The Darker Side of the Sun

1982 was the first year I put on sunblock. It was classified as a “15” and I wore it daily in a month long trip to Mexico in February. When I returned, no one could believe I’d just spent a month in Mexico, I was as white as I normally am at winter’s end.  Zip forward 36 years and I now make my own sunblock using a mix of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and mineral make up (so it isn’t a stark white powder which would make me look even scarier than usual!) and dust it liberally everywhere before stepping outside the door.  An SPF 15 would now fail to protect me at all.  The sun is a wondrous celestial body but one best taken in measured, small doses. A friend of mine recently had a melanoma mole removed from her upper lip; my husband’s ex-boss just had his third melanoma removed from his upper nose and cheek; and many of my clients have had run-ins with this deadly disease. Its prevalence is escalating at alarming rates across the northern (and I would imagine the southern too) hemisphere as people farther distances from the equator learn to grapple with the life giving and potentially deadly sun’s rays. Being a sun worshipper demands that we also take measure of its power to maim and kill.  The brighter the light, the darker its shadow, as Jung would advise us to heed. Read more of Kathleen’s articles and watch her instructional videos on her web site https://www.psychicanada.com.