Leo New Moon of Putting Essence to Practice with King Bolete

Welcome to this Leo New Moon of Putting Essence to Practice with Boletus edulis (King Bolete).

26°35' Leo
8:41 pm MST
Tuesday, August 18th, 2020
Fungus: Boletus edulis (King Bolete)

Ahhh, glorious new moon. It's so nice to see you again. This time in Leo and just 4 days before the end of Leo season. This new moon comes just after Mars in Aries squares Pluto in Capricorn, exact on August 12th and this is quite a powerful few days to soak in the rejuvenating and replenishing darkness of the new moon.

In our wheel of the year, the past couple of weeks have progressed through Lughnasadh -- halfway between the summer solstice and the vernal equinox. This is the first harvest of summer's diminuendo. Mercury and the sun have been traveling side by side, hand in hand, throughout the month of August. They are just moving out of exact conjunction the day before the new moon. From the places of stillness and silence, what have you just awoken to? We are imaginative, creative, and sensitive to our own and other peoples' thoughts.

Boletus edulis or King Bolete.

Hello, Virgo!

Virgo (tropical) season begins on Saturday, August 22nd at 9:45 am MST. Hello, Virgo! Virgo season will be a nice forested addition to our mountainous, Capricorn-heavy celestial experience. Virgo season is just a few days away, so this new moon time of restoration also leads us into intentions for the upcoming season (month). What could Virgo season serve for you? How might you serve Virgo season?

Virgo is an earth sign mentored by eloquent and detail oriented Mercury. Virgo, the herbalist, doses everybody with their medicine at the right time. Though focused and diligent, Virgo actually takes a lot more time than other zodiac signs to decompress and digest. When Virgo has a pure and clear motive, there is no stopping their nourishing and practical support. Sometimes Virgo needs to be reminded to zoom out and breathe. Only after Virgo has worked through insecurity and judgment can they use their skills and align with their essence to make a difference.

We've definitely had big celestial happenings all year long, and we are only in the thick of it. Let's reminisce: Saturn-Pluto conjunction on 1/12/2020; Saturn enters Aquarius officially on 12/16/2020; Jupiter Pluto conjunction on 4/4, 6/20, and 11/13; and we've seen 4 out of the year's 6 eclipses (the next on November 30th). Usually there are 4 or 5 eclipses a year. Our 3rd major celestial aspect that has yet to happen is called "The Great Conjunction": Jupiter-Saturn conjunction at 0° Aquarius on 12/21/2020. This Leo New Moon is opposite all of this new and upcoming Aquarius energy. As we enter Virgo season, what is essential? How, through your embodied spirit can you visit your essence throughout your days and nights? How can you put what is essential to practice?

Boletus edulis or King Bolete.

Squares, squares, and squares, oh my!

A square between Mars in Aries and Saturn (Rx) in Capricorn will be exact on Wednesday, August 26th. Our cardinal willpower, energetic force, and level of impact are going to be challenged by slow processes of maturation. Perhaps it's your emotions, your spiritual connection, your creativity, your work ethic, your communication, or your health. This is a gift of tension, though hard to see it as one. The obstacles you  work through will be rewarding whereas the obstacles repressed will burden down the road. What are your perceived boundaries? What can you let yourself know? What have you been denying? Think an inconvenient truth.

Just a few days before this New Moon, a different square formed with Aries, but with Pluto in Capricorn. Mars is squaring that big old Capricorn party, one by one. This has been a volatile week. We are faced with something ugly, something old, something decaying. We want to do something about it. The nugget of transformation is to take action without reflecting the same energy. Transmutation changes base metals into gold. (What Leo wouldn't appreciate some beautiful gold?). To let the process of transformation flow over us we must be consciously inviting it. It is quite tempting to demand what you want.

Speaking of gold, our fruiting fungus of this Leo New Moon is a plump and juicy King Bolete. Known also as Boletus edulis, penny bun, or porcini (little pigs), this fungus forms symbiotic ectomycorrhizal relationships with living trees and fruits some of the most revered and tasty fungal specimen. Mycorrhizal fungi are more fundamental to a plant's life than flowers, berries, leaves, wood, or roots. This intimate, reciprocal dependence was once nonsensical in the scientific community. Mycorrhizal fungi and tree roots do what they do only because of their relationship to one another. I wonder what might be happening beneath the soil for these King Boletes to taste so good.

As we pull away from Aries-Pluto square and into the Mars-Saturn, both energies are equally as important. Directed focus and passion towards projects and ambitions can be satisfying, obsessive, and perhaps very slow. It is very important to be gentle with yourself and with others. Do not punish others, or yourself. Do not demand of others, or yourself. What is essential?

King Boletes can also be called Penny Buns or Porcini ("little pigs"). They are known to resemble a bountiful, golden loaf of forest-floor bread.

This Boletus edulis showing its pores and stem (stipe) reticulation.

Venus in Cancer

Venus in Cancer will be opposite Saturn on Wednesday, September 2nd. Very simply, relationships will tend to be serious, protective, and emotional around this time. Remember to give yourself the intention to celebrate the incredible life of your relationships -- to all things, to your emotions, to your spirit, and to the people, animals, and fungi in your life. 

Mars in Aries square Venus in Cancer will be exact on the next day on September 3rd. This aspect is associated to anger and impulsiveness. Though, with awareness, patience, compromise, and inquiry this energy can be directed into physical, artistic, or sexual creativity.

Many beautiful bolete spores to you on this Leo New Moon and may you celebrate your essence!