Here’s What Leos Can Look Forward To Most During Their Season

Get ready for Leo season! On July 22, the sun is coming home to the cosmic lion’s den — its native sign of rulership — which also marks the start of Leo season 2024. Having the bright sun in its fiery zodiacal abode is giving all zodiac signs a glorious boost of confidence, charisma, and creativity until August 22. This peak summer sunshine is drying your Cancer season tears and paving the way for the exciting and fun-loving magic of Leo’s solar reign.

As the zodiac’s fixed fire sign, Leo's energy is bright, bold, and enthusiastic. It’s the sign ruled by the sun, so being the center of attention and soaking up the spotlight is definitely the vibe right now. You may even find yourself more willing to put yourself out there and express your ideas more creatively. After the emotional swells and sentimental musings of Cancer season, Leo season brings a fiery blast of inspiration, optimism, and gregariousness.

There are lots of special cosmic alignments taking place during Leo season, but one you’ll have to watch out for is the next Mercury retrograde period. This backspin kicks off on August 4 and lasts until August 28, so it’ll span the latter half of Leo season. When this retrograde begins, communication planet Mercury will be in the earth sign Virgo, but it’ll backtrack into Leo on August 14 — and that’s when all the cosmic lions will feel its mix-ups and messiness most intensely. Mercury retrograde may not usually be something to look forward to, but a few auspicious alignments are happening alongside it that are ripe for taking advantage of.

Everyone can enjoy the Leo season sunshine from July 22 through August 22, but if you’ve got a lot of Leo placements in your chart — specifically as your sun, moon, rising, or Venus signs — then expect for things to feel even more steamy and significant. Here’s what Leos can look forward to during Leo season, as the sun lights up their sign.

Embracing Your Authenticity

Leo season is almost always an exciting and high-energy time for the cosmic lions — especially people who are Leo suns or Leo risings — because it marks the sun’s annual month-long journey through its astrological domicile. The sun symbolizes willpower, vitality, and authenticity, so when it’s in its home sign of Leo, things feel especially vivacious.

Everyone can tap into this vibrant and spirited vibe, but it’ll be even easier around August 7, when the Leo sun blows a big kiss to the abundant planet Jupiter. Under these cosmic conditions, your enthusiasm is contagious, so you should believe in yourself to the fullest and feel free to toot your own horn. Luck is on your side, and you have every reason to show up with confidence.

A Sexy Summer Glow-Up

Venus is the planet of romance, beauty, and attraction, and it’ll be in fun and flashy Leo until August 4. This bestows you with an especially magnetic allure for the whole first half of the season, making it easy to catch eyes, manifest more passion in your relationships, and pull your desires into your orbit. Venus only visits Leo once a year, so use this cosmic glow-up to your advantage and get yourself glammed up. Perhaps post a thirst trap or two — glitzy Leo loves a lights-camera-action moment!

Healing For Your Heart

Speaking of Venus, the love planet squared off with wounded-healer comet Chiron during Cancer season’s new moon, trudging up the sting of heartbreaks and triggering sensitivities in relationships. But on July 30, Venus in Leo will connect with Chiron again — except this time it’s forming an auspicious trine aspect, bringing a sense of resolution and harmony to any struggles that came up at the beginning of the month.

This beautiful alignment should make you feel like you’re healing from old wounds and rising above painful situations from the past, so extend an olive branch to someone if needed. After all, Leo governs the heart in astrology, and this season will make you feel a whole lot better.

A Moment Of Retrograde Clarity

The rumors are true: Mercury is retrograding throughout the second half of Leo season, causing its typical slew of delays, miscommunications, and crossed wires from August 4 onward. If you’re a Leo sun, be sure to plan any birthday festivities early, be extra clear about party details, and leave some wiggle room on timing!

But retrogrades aren’t all bad. Mercury’s intermittent backspins can bring you a chance to revisit past conversations or projects with fresh eyes, and even bring seemingly missed opportunities back into your life again. The very best time to take advantage of the retrograde perks is during the Mercury cazimi in your sign on August 18. This marks the sun’s conjunction with Mercury retrograde, bringing a moment of mental clarity and connection that can help you see how to act on whatever lessons this backspin brings.

Nina Kahn is Bustle’s resident astrologer and tarot reader.