Each year, once a month, the sun transitions into a new sign on the zodiac wheel – starting with Aries around the spring equinox and ending with Pisces in late February. Most people (even those reluctant to learn about astrology) are familiar with their sun placement, but fewer have taken time to do a deep dive into their birth chart. These days, apps like Co-Star and The Pattern make it easy to learn so much about yourself and the energy around us with just the click of a few buttons. In the past, curious people relied on the knowledge of well-studied astrologers to keep them up to date with what the stars and planets are doing. As August begins, Venus in Leo is injecting some much-needed passion into the chaos around us. However, the romantic planet changes signs roughly every three weeks, meaning you can expect some shifts taking place in your love life and beyond this month!

What Should You Know about Leos?

Venus in Leo pictured: lion in the wild — (Photo by Francesco/Unsplash)

Leo season takes place from July 23rd to August 22nd, each year – it only makes sense for fire signs to be born under some of the hottest temperatures of the year. Of course, being born at this time doesn’t mean you’ll have Leo in Venus, just that your Sun placement is represented by the lion (more on that later) and consequently ruled by the Sun too. Leo is a fixed sign, indicating some stubbornness and pride that can sometimes be their downfall, but overall, their lust for life and ability to inspire others keeps them in good company most of the time.

Depending where Leo energy sits in your birth chart, it can indicate a natural ability to attract attention there. For example, Leo Moons might have a talent for dramatically expressing their emotions that leads them to become an award-winning actor, such as Halle Berry. A Leo Rising, like Drake, on the other hand, might attract envy and evil eyes due to their confidence and charm. When it’s not properly developed, lion energy can cause carriers to forget the needs of others on their climb to the top. At their best, the fifth sign of the zodiac is on a constant quest for self-awareness, learning to let others have their turn in the spotlight.

What Does the Planet Venus Represent?

As Allure reminds us, the origins of Venus in classical mythology are pretty wild. Cronus (also known as Saturn), castrated his dad Uranus (the Father of the Sky), thrusting the paternal figure’s testicles into the ocean. There, his blood, semen, and reproductive organs formed a thick, dense mist allowing Venus (also known as Aprodite) to emerge. Even with her grim background, the Romans named the planet after their goddess of love, beauty and money after picking up on its auspicious energy. “Venus is a passionate romantic who simply loves to be in love,” the outlet explains. “Within your birth chart, Venus governs courtship and adoration, as well as personal tastes and aesthetics. Venus represents your values, including your relationship with finances and material possessions.”

Black Celebrities Who Have Venus in Leo

Before we get into the latest Venus in Leo transit, let’s examine how this placement has impacted the romantic, professional and personal lives of some of our favorite Black celebrities.

Whitney Houston

There’s a lot about Whitney Houston’s birth chart that explains her star power, such as her magnetic Pisces Rising and fiery Aries Moon. Not only did she have her Venus in Leo, but the late vocalist was also a Leo Sun (born August 9th, 1963). As mentioned, it can be important for Venusian lion’s to have center stage in their relationships, but her marriage to fellow entertainer Bobby Brown unfortunately didn’t allow for this; his Venus placement is Aries, clearly shown in the passion he felt for his wife, but also in their relationship’s most tumultuous moments.

Donald Glover

Donald Glover, known also as Childish Gambino, tied the knot earlier this year to his longtime partner, Michelle White. They were first spotted on a baecation in Hawaii in 2016, and now share three young sons, though the actor-turned-rapper prefers to keep his personal life mostly offline. As mentioned, Venus in Leo can be notoriously boastful, but other details in Glover’s chart hint at him preferring privacy, like his possessive, sensual Taurus Moon and reserved, hypercritcal Virgo Mercury and Rising. Still, the father of three does have a Leo Mars hinting that he’s a passionate lover in the bedroom, and he’s hinted that the intimacy he and White share inspired bits of his Mr. and Mrs. Smith series.

Angela Bassett

Much like Houston, Angela Bassett is a legend in her own right and a Leo Sun with her Venus in Leo. Her immense passion comes through in every on-screen performance, from Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It to Queen Ramonda in Marvel’s Black Panther films. While she bares her every emotion at work, Bassett operates more like Glover (she’s also a Virgo Mercury as well as Moon) when it comes to her marriage and family. The 65-year-old has been married to fellow actor Courtney B. Vance, who has his Venus in Aquarius, since 1997. This creates a conjunction in the synastry of their birth charts, which is typically beneficial to a long-term relationship.

Venus in Leo: What Does It Mean and When Is It Happening?

Venus is currently finishing up a transit through the lion that began on July 11th and ends on August 4th. During that time, Saturn and Neptune have been retrograde (moving backwards) through Pisces, shaking up some self-esteem issues and questioning of judgments. Elsewhere, Pluto and Uranus are retrograde too, in Aquarius and Taurus respectively; this indicates a necessary shift in romantic perspectives, pushing the collective to evolve. Needless to say there’s a lot going on right now, but it’s nothing to be afraid of.

As Venus moves on to the next sign of the zodiac, take a moment to reflect how its transit through Leo has impacted you, your relationship with money, your friendships and any romantic bonds you’re experiencing. Refinery29 suggests placing rose quartz on your heart chakra for strength and healing while you meditate on this. “Change is challenging due to the fixed nature of Venus in Leo. But we must keep an open mind and heart to grow with the times and relationships. Doing so could lead to greatness so keeping ourselves receptive to all possibilities is essential,” the outlet notes.

Where Is the Planet of Love and Beauty Heading Next?

Venus in Leo pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — (Photo by Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

After Venus in Leo comes Venus in Virgo and later, in Libra. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are a great example of these energies interacting in real life; the Suits actress sees love, art and beauty through the eyes of the detail-oriented virgin while her royal husband’s well-known flirtatious charm and eye for aesthetics comes from the influence of the scales. The Venus in Virgo transit will be from August 4th until the 29th, when we begin tapping into Libra’s influence.

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