Let’s resume our Decan Walk by exploring the Zodiac Sign of Leo, and the three Leo Decans. Here, we are going to look at the 5 of Wands linked with Saturn in Leo, the 6 of Wands linked with Jupiter in Leo, and the 7 of Wands linked with Mars in Leo.

This stretch of the Decan Walk journey is a little personal for me because my Moon Sign and my Rising or Ascendant Sign is Leo. Additionally, I also have Saturn in Leo, which is one of the placements that we’re going to study. 🦁 I have a lot of Leo influence in my personality. I can’t help it, I love this Sign. 😍 Just a quick disclaimer, because if it comes across that I am a bit biased, it might be true. 🤷🏻‍♀️ So, with that out of the way, let’s begin!

Leo Decans: Saturn in Leo + Jupiter in Leo + Mars in Leo

Our adventure begins by understanding the Zodiac Sign of Leo, and then understanding its 3 Decans through the lens of the associated Tarot Cards: 5 of Wands linked with Saturn in Leo, 6 of Wands linked with Jupiter in Leo, and 7 of Wands linked with Mars in Leo.

Astrology: Leo ♌︎

The Sun is in the Zodiac Sign of Leo usually between 23 July and 22 August. Incidentally, the Sun is also the Ruler of Leo. Leo is represented by the Lion – the King of the Jungle. The StarCodes Astro Oracle Deck has given this card the keyword: Shine.

The big vibe associated with Leo is about being a Ruler, a leader, a King, a Conqueror. Leo people are said to be fearless and brave. They are very protective of their people. Leos are dignified and confident. They are charming and immensely creative. Leos have a very expressive energy, and they can be very extroverted. They’re fun and playful. They’re generous, passionate, and cheerful. They are bright, warm, and radiant. Leos are very loyal and faithful. In essence, Leos are akin to big, cuddly cats. They are very affectionate, loving, and fun-loving. Master organizers, Leos love to plan and organize everything on a grand scale.

The energy Leo also has a flip side. Leos love to brag. They like to be the centre of attention. They like to feel self-important. They love to dominate.

To be fair, as a Leo, I would like to clarify that I consider being dominant my love language. I tell all my friends that if they ever feel I’m being bossy, it means I really and truly love them. 🤷🏻‍♀️🦁💞

Leos can also be superficial and full of self-aggrandizement. They can be quite egotistical and vain. And they absolutely love drama. Leos love to show off. They can be very stubborn.

Altogether, we can say that the essential energy of Leo is about being grand, generous, and dominating in every aspect of their life.

Leo Decans + Tarot: Strength

The Zodiac Sign of Leo is linked to the Major Arcana Tarot card of Strength.

11: Strength

In the Rider-Waite-Smith Deck, Strength is Major Arcana 8, but in the Tarot de Marseille and the Thoth (and the Telos Tarot as well, because it is based on Thoth imagery), it is Major Arcana 11. To be fair, Major Arcana 11 was the traditional order of this card, but while making the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, A.E. Waite changed the order to match the order of the Zodiac Signs in the skies. Either way, the Major Arcana story makes complete sense.

Read more about it in my blog post about this interesting switch: Strength and Justice Cards in the Tarot to see how the Major Arcana story flows in each instance.

Now, if you glance at these four cards, you’ll see two common factors: a Lady and a Lion. In the Rider-Waite-Smith and the Tarot de Marseille card images, the Lady is taming the Lion. In the Thoth card image, she’s riding the Lion. And in the Telos card image, she’s playing with that Lion. In the Rider-Waite-Smith, Tarot de Marseille, and the Telos card images, the Lady either holds or pets the mouth of the Lion. Across all these cards, despite being a rather scary beast, the Lion is NOT biting or hurting the Lady. It feels as though the Lion has surrendered to her and may even be playing with her like a big cat.

I often look at the image of the Lady in the Rider-Waite-Smith Strength card and think that she is the Lady Magician, a female version of The Magician. She, unlike The Magician, doesn’t need any magic wands or tools in front of her. Instead, the Strength Lady relies totally on Nature. She also knows the Secrets of Energy Transmutation, just like The Magician, as evidenced by the Lemniscate above her head. And she can channel the energy of Nature directly through herself. We can see leaves and flowers wrapped around her body, in the shape of a Lemniscate, no less. The Lion has surrendered himself entirely to her – we can see him licking her hand, and his tail between his legs. He is not scaring her or dominating her. The strength that the Strength card is talking about is not necessarily physical. It is the strength of will. It is the inner strength. This is the strength of compassion. The Lady in the Strength card has tamed the Lion with her compassionate presence and strong will. Their feline energies have aligned with each other.

On the flip side, when the Strength card appears Reversed, we can see a very restless energy. Pride and ego take over. Reversed Strength can indicate being annoyed and losing one’s temper. Essentially, this resonates with the flip side of Leo.

When we look at the imagery of the Tarot de Marseille card, we can see the Lemniscate concealed in the design of the Lady’s hat. She knows that everything is connected and that energy constantly keeps transforming. Since the Tarot de Marseille conveys much of its symbolism through colors, we can observe that the flesh-colored Lion represents human desires or animal desires. Here we can see that the Lady is holding the Lion’s mouth open with her bare hands, and the Lion isn’t biting her. Symbolically, this depicts how she controls her human desires, or tames her animal desires. Alternatively, this also shows us that the Lady can also control the animal desires of people and situations around her because of her calming presence. She has courage, daring, self-control, and the necessary inner resources to dominate and control herself, others, and her environment. Using all the colors of the Tarot de Marseille palette, including red, green, blue, light blue, yellow, and flesh color, we see that she is a balanced individual.

When this card is ill-aspected, we can see her inner conflict. This can also show the male fear of female sexuality. An ill-aspected Strength card can also depict uncontrolled bursts of passion, rashness, carelessness, and risk-taking. These are very aligned with the negative Leo traits.

So far, both these card images show us depictions where the Lady tames the Leo ego. However, in the Thoth and Telos decks, we notice a completely different vibe.

In the Thoth Tarot, we see a naked Lady riding the multi-faced Lion of animalistic desires. Nudity shows us that she has nothing to hide. What we’re seeing is the purest, truest version of who she is. Here, she isn’t taming that Lion, but riding it. It appears that she is letting that Lion be itself as she rides it. In the background, we see stars and faces of Saints, which represent trampled moral virtues. The Lady holds up a red, glowing fire chalice that symbolizes the uterus. The light and the snakes that stream from it represent sexual energy, vitality, death and rebirth, and destruction and renewal.

The card is titled “Lust,” not “Force” or “Strength,” like the cards in the other decks. I think this image talks about the Lady embracing a lust for all sorts of things — lust for sex, but also lust for life. When she rides the Lion instead of taming it, we can see that she is actively embracing the various desires that life embodies. She questions whether moral values truly create a framework for a good life, or whether they restrict one from being fully authentically and wildly alive, embracing one’s desires and engaging with the creative energies of the world. Here, the Lady Magician embraces the tension, the push-pull of the creative and destructive energies of the world. She is confident in herself. She doesn’t tame her desires. She rides them with wild abandon, embracing that energy and transforming that vitality into new life. Here, the Lady represents courage, vitality, passion, and creativity. When ill-aspected, this card can then talk about excess, misusing personal powers, sexual debauchery, and trampling on people’s values.

In the Telos Tarot, the Lady is sitting next to the Lion, surrounded by beautiful red flowers. She also has the Lemniscate over her head, along with the symbol of Venus. Here, this lovely Lady represents rising energy and powerful forces harnessed. She is the form of Shakti power. She symbolizes passion and charisma, vigor, virility, joy of strength exercised, sexual ecstasy, kundalini, and the mastery over animal nature.

Now, if we look at all these cards, compare them, and connect them with the energy of what the Zodiac Sign of Leo is all about, we can see the connections. Leo is about rulership and domination. It is a creative Sign, happy to embrace pleasure and have fun. Leo also embodies a very feline grace. At the same time, it can be aggressive and even quite animalistic. We see different shades of these qualities in the Tarot cards. The Rider-Waite-Smith and Tarot de Marseille versions depict the Lady taming the Lion’s egotistical energy. In contrast, the Thoth imagery depicts the Lady riding the Lion’s lust-filled energy. And the Telos imagery shows the Lady being playful and harmonious with that Lion’s feminine creative energy.

Leo Decans: Three Kings

The Zodiac Sign of Leo is ruled by the Sun. However, the Sun doesn’t show up in any of the three Decans of Leo. Interestingly, though, the three planets that do show up, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, are inexorably linked with Rulership. When we explored these planets in previous Decans, we also looked at their mythological connections with each other. I find this connection pretty fascinating.

Very briefly, according to Greek and Roman Mythology, Ouranos or Uranus is the Sky God, who was the first ruler of the Earth. He was the father of Cronus or Saturn. However, Ouranos knew that when his children grew up, he would have to give up his rulership. Reluctant to relinquish the power of his position, he tried to ensure that his children never grew up. However, the cycles of life cannot be stopped. His wife, Gaia, managed to find help to end her torment at his hands. Cronus helped his mother stop Ouranos by imprisoning him in Tartarus, an infernal region. [Read the detailed story here.]

After taking over, Cronus or Saturn ruled the world. That period was considered to be “a Golden Age.”

Before going into Tartarus, Ouranos warned Cronus that eventually, Cronus’ children would also subject Cronus to a similar fate. Thus, carrying that infernal thought in his mind, Cronus ended up repeating his father’s mistake. He swallowed each of his children as soon as they were born. Upset with this, his wife Rhea, inspired by Gaia, hid Zeus from Cronus. He unknowingly swallowed a stone instead. When Zeus grew up, he received help from other Gods and gave Cronus a drink that forced him to throw up all the children that he had swallowed. Now, together, all the siblings united under Zeus and fought their father. Cronus was ultimately subdued and cursed to roam the Earth / the Mortal Realm, for eternity. [Read another version of this story here.]

After taking over, Jupiter or Zeus ruled over the world. While he was married to Hera, he had many children with several other Goddesses as well as with several mortal women. One of those children was with the Goddess Juno, and was called Mars or Aries. Incidentally, Mars is said to be the mythical father of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

To summarize, Ouranos or Uranus is the father of Cronus or Saturn, who is the father of Zeus or Jupiter, who is the father of Mars or Aries. One after the other, all of them, except Mars, have been the Ruler of the Gods. In these Leo Decans, we are going to encounter Saturn, Jupiter, and then Mars — three generations — in the Sign of Leo, the Zodiac of Rulers and Conquerors. I find this coincidence quite fascinating! 🦁👑✨

Leo Decan 1: Saturn in Leo: ♄ in ♌︎: Persistent Bravery – Passionate Chaos

Let’s start with our first Leo Decan. Here we meet Saturn in Leo, and it is linked with the 5 of Wands in the Tarot.

The first Leo Decan spans 1° to 10° of Leo and covers the period from 23rd July to the 1st of August. According to the Picatrix, the Decan is described as: “A man wearing dirty clothes, along with a cavalryman who looks like a wolf, and a dog, is looking to the north.”

The keywords are: strength, rescue, stamina, action, attack, and triumph.

According to the Telos Tarot LWB, the keywords are: conflict, challenge, competition, strife, and pressure seeking release through struggle.

Astrology: Saturn ♄ + Tarot: The World

Let’s take a quick look at the energy of Saturn.

Saturn is associated with the element Earth, and it rules the Zodiac Signs of Capricorn and Aquarius. Aquarius also has another, modern Ruler, Uranus.

Saturn represents wisdom that comes through experiences, maturity through adversity. Saturn stands for responsibility, duty, karmic justice, and humility. Saturn also stands for service without expectations, boundaries, borders, structures, foundations, traditions, ambition, organization, control, discipline, determination, and steadfastly pushing through. On the flip side, Saturn is about restrictions, obstacles, struggles, delays, hard work, trials, and karma.

Interestingly, while some of these energies can run against the grain of the Leo energy, there are a few qualities that do align with that of Leo.

In the Tarot, Saturn is associated with The World card.

21: The World

The World – Tarot de Marseilles

Across all these cards, we see a circular Laurel wreath. This is a symbol of success, accomplishment, and the completion of cycles. We are looking at a big picture perspective. This circular wreath also reminds us of the rings of Saturn. Those rings are a symbol of borders and limits. Here, this represents the end of a big life cycle. This oval shape is also connected to the Vesica Piscis, a Sacred Geometric shape formed by the intersection of two circles with the same radius, where the center of one circle lies on the circumference of the other. This is a union of opposites that stands for the interconnectedness of all things as the cycle of creation and birth.

In the center of this circle, we see a figure, dancing and floating. In the Rider-Waite-Smith image, she holds two Wands, one in each hand. In the Tarot de Marseille, she has a single Wand. In the Thoth image, she holds a Snake, while in the Telos image, she is standing upon a Snake that surrounds her.

Understanding this imagery is all about understanding the different ways in which a symbol is interpreted. For instance, Snakes are associated with time, regeneration, sexuality, and even betrayal. It depends on different cultural perspectives. Similarly, when we look at the Lady in the center of this circle, we can either perceive her as being in the center of the Universe or being trapped within the borders of that wreath.

Another point to bear in mind is that back in the day, Saturn was the last known planet of the Solar System. That and the lovely rings around it were the reasons why it represented borders, boundaries, restrictions, limitations, and the setting of limits.

We also see four figures at each of the four corners in all of these cards. These represent the four fixed Signs of Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Scorpio. Each of them represents the elements of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water, respectively. Fixed Signs represent the purest qualities of each Element.

Astrology: Saturn in Leo: ♄ in ♌︎

Now, let’s look at Saturn and Leo in the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.

The LWB describes this image as: “an enthusiastic speaker addressing the crowd, passing on the words of a great prophet of the past,” and the image in the upper panel is of the prophet who inspired this speaker. The keyword on the card is “Generosity.”

Here, Saturn represents Ambition, and Leo is creative self-expression. Interestingly, Saturn is in detriment in Leo.

In my previous post about Cancer, I had said that the Moon was Exalted in Cancer (in the 3rd Decan of Cancer). However, as it was later brought to my notice, that was not the case. The Moon, being the Ruler of Cancer, was actually in its Domicile. This made me go look this up more thoroughly. Simply put, when a planet is in the Sign that it rules, it feels at home. So it is happy because it is in its Domicile. When a planet is Exalted in a Sign, it feels super special, like a very special guest at a friend’s house. There, it shows off all its best qualities and is quite happy. However, when a planet is in Detriment, it is usually in a Sign where it feels very uncomfortable and ill at ease. So it feels hindered from showing all its qualities. Finally, when a planet is in its Fall, it is miserable in that Sign, and we end up seeing the worst, negative attributes of that planet.

Saturn is in its Detriment in Leo. This means Saturn cannot be 100% itself in Leo, which allows it to be a bit relaxed, maybe. Along with that, we did notice that there were some overlaps between the qualities of Saturn and the qualities of Leo. I think that we are seeing that version or interpretation of this placement in the image of the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.

According to the LWB, people with Saturn in Leo use their tenacity and self-discipline in showy generosity that leads towards recognition and a better position in life. While tenacity and discipline come from Saturn, Leo wants to show off and ask for a better position. Here, ambition is powered by artistic potential. People with this placement want a showy, creative outlet. They experience professional success in entertainment management, creative, or educational roles. Ultimately, people with this placement can get the best out of this combination when they are not guarding their creative talents, and when their creative joy is shared with no strings attached, and for a good cause.

On the flip side, admiration makes these people overbearing and approval-seeking. They often suffer in seclusion and are disappointed in creative or love matters.

I think that Saturn being in Detriment in Leo puts it at ease, and allows it to be a little less restrictive, and not be very Saturny. It can just enjoy being the ruler and doing the right things simply for the joy of it.

Leo Decans: Observations

The Leo energy wants to receive admiration, while the Saturn energy wants to work hard. Here, you can see how this energy intersects and interacts with each other. Both Saturn and Leo love to be generous, although for very different reasons. Saturn is generous because that is his duty as the Ruler, while Leo showers generosity upon his Subjects because it makes him happy.

I have this placement, so I understand this vibe. If I could just share my knowledge without having to worry about anything else, I would do it all day, every day, and I’d be so delighted doing it. Every time someone thanks me or likes my posts and videos, I feel so happy! It totally makes my day! I know, it is silly, but it makes me feel like what I do is worthwhile and meaningful. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The Number: 5

A quick glance at the energy of the number 5 reveals that it encompasses challenge, discord, strife, crisis, interaction, communication, learning, and the five senses.

Leo Decan 1 + Tarot: 5 of Wands: Saturn in Leo: ♄ in ♌︎: Persistent Bravery – Passionate Chaos

In the 5 of Wands, we bring the energy of Saturn, Leo, and the number 5.

5 of Wands

In the Rider-Waite-Smith card image of the 5 of Wands, we see five people, all wearing different dresses. Right away, you know that these five people have different tastes, preferences, likes, and dislikes. Each of these five wands points in a different direction. It also looks like they are fighting with each other. They seem to be haphazardly trying to do something together. There is confusion and chaos. They each have different opinions, different ways of doing things. It seems they are conflicted about choosing the right way to go forward with their collective task. Every way appears to be the right way. We can see the energy of conflict and communication from the number 5. Meanwhile, Leo brings the ego, and Saturn drives them to finish the task at hand. Their dedication drives them to complete their goals, but their ego gets in the way.

In the Tarot de Marseille card image of the 5 of Wands, we see these four Wands crisscrossing in harmony, and then the 5th Wand inserts itself between them. We also see leaves growing around those wands, providing sustenance. But when that fifth Wand showed up, it didn’t realize that it was walking into a trap. This is a complicated situation, where one might stand to lose some advantage. So if you want to make your move, if you want to win, you’re going to seize that moment. You’re going to have to push through (like that 5th Wand), and make it happen. One needs to control that chaos.

The Thoth card image of the 5 of Wands is quite colourful. The big, upright wand with the wings and the snakes is an Egyptian royal symbol of the highest power. The Violet blossoms and wings stand for spiritual forces. The Phoenix heads on the crossed wands are creative, purifying energy. The Lotus blossoms are a receptive, fertile force. The flames and rays in the background depict the heat that feeds itself from the friction of opposing energies. The keyword on this card is “Strife.” Here, the creative and the receptive energies are clashing and combining, and then this big Wand comes in and takes charge. That’s the Leo energy in full force. Saturn keeps this fire burning bright and steady. The energy of 5 keeps this dynamic combination clashing and combusting. This card represents the courage to be responsible, persistent, and self-developing, as well as the comparison of strength, ambition, aggressiveness, challenge, overstepping bounds, competition, and the clash of different interests, leading to controversy.

Finally, in the 5 of Wands from the Telos Tarot, we see a cavalryman and a man with the wolf and the dog. We also have a bear and a bear cub. This card also has the keyword “Strife.” The LWB tells us that the associated meanings are: vigorous and dynamic conflict, aggressive challenge, competition, striving, trauma, contention for the top spot, and pressure that seeks release of tension through struggle.

I think the interpretation: “pressure that seeks release of tension through struggle” truly summarizes the core energy of the 5 of Wands. Initially, 4 Wands are stable and harmonious. But then that stability inevitably creates inertia. And then we have the fiery Leo and the disciplined Saturn come together, building up pressure. This fifth Wand creates the strife and discord that allows this pressure to be released. This is a way to let go of all the fire held within that stable structure of the 4. The only way to resolve the conflict of the 5 is to allow that pressure to come forth, creating the release.

Leo Decan 2: Jupiter in Leo: ♃ in ♌︎: Successful Accomplishment – Public Triumph

Now, we are going to look at the second Leo Decan, where we have Jupiter in Leo. This is also linked with the 6 of Wands in the Tarot.

The second Decan of Leo is described in the Picatrix as: “a man wearing a wreath made of white basil on his head and holding an arrow in his hand.”

The keywords associated with that Leo Decan are: heresy, ignorance, perplexity, idleness of idiots, and pulling out swords & fighting.

The LWB from the Telos Tarot deck adds the following keywords: efforts lead to achievement, rewards, public recognition, honors & laurels of victory.

Astrology: Jupiter ♃ + Tarot: The Wheel of Fortune

In this Leo Decan, we meet Jupiter or Zeus, the son of Cronus or Saturn. He is the new King who deposed the previous King (Cronus or Saturn) and established a new rule.

Where Saturn was all about rules, regulations, restrictions, systems, discipline, Jupiter is about education, law, philosophy, travel, abundance, and expansion. Jupiter is about trusting life, discovering deep truths, and our personal meaning of life. Jupiter is characterized by its grand, expansive, and curious nature, along with fair, forgiving, and optimistic energy. Jupiter is very generous, and in the Sign of Leo, you could say that Jupiter is quite happy. Jupiter is about wisdom, higher understanding, values, and prosperity. Jupiter is about education & studies, religion & philosophy, and ethics.

On the negative side, we could say that Jupiter loves to receive attention. That energy is quite compatible with the energy of Leo until it overshadows Leo. Jupiter can also be a little extra with the positivity and excess of abundance.

Both Leo and Jupiter are connected with the Fire element. Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces.

In the Tarot, Jupiter is linked with The Wheel of Fortune card.

10 – The Wheel of Fortune

Interestingly, I notice all the circular imagery. While the Saturn / World card imagery features the Laurel Wreath, the Jupiter / Wheel of Fortune card imagery depicts wheels moving in a circular motion. The Wheel of Fortune is about the cyclical nature of life itself and everything within life. What an interesting repeating pattern!

Across all these Wheels, we see a lot of similarity: one creature goes downwards, one creature goes upwards, and one creature sits on the top of the Wheel. The downward creature depicts negative energies or evil deeds that bring you down, whereas the positive energies or good deeds bring you up. The one who sits on the top is balanced and detached, and thus able to remain there.

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, we meet the Angels of the four fixed Zodiac Signs, each holding an Akashic Record book. All our deeds are recorded in them, and all the good and bad experiences that come our way are the consequences of our actions. In the Thoth deck, we see stars and lightning bolts, which represent heavenly signs of hope and divine forces, respectively.

The Wheel of Fortune represents a time of good fortune and luck. All that happens is good and fortunate. However, it bears remembering that what one receives during this time is what one has created through one’s good deeds. When the Wheel turns, one will receive the consequences of one’s not-so-good deeds. That is how the cycle of the Wheel works. Thus, it makes sense to keep seeding the Wheel with more and more good deeds. This way, even when the Wheel turns, you won’t receive many harmful experiences, or the Wheel won’t remain reversed for long.

At the core, the Wheel represents all the cyclical, cause-and-effect energies of life. So this energy shows up wherever we have cycles: seasons, cycles of life, and life itself. Jupiter brings the philosophy, the knowledge, the wisdom, the fortune, the understanding, and the ethics. This helps seed the Wheel with genuinely good energy, allowing you to continue enjoying the expansive bounty of abundance that comes from doing good deeds.

Leo Decans: Observations

If we look at the repeating pattern of the stories of Ouranos / Uranus, Cronus / Saturn, and Jupiter / Zeus, we easily see the ancestral trauma cycles that have repeated. While Saturn (perhaps unknowingly) ended up repeating the pattern, Jupiter seems to have chosen to break away from that behavior pattern consciously. He has distanced himself from that negative pattern and hasn’t buried or eaten any of his children. Perhaps, like the creature sitting on the top of the Wheel, he can distance himself from the repeating pattern and avoid repeating his father’s and grandfather’s hurtful actions.

Astrology: Jupiter in Leo: ♃ in ♌︎

Now, let’s look at Jupiter in Leo. The keyword for this combination in the Oracle of the Radiant Sun is: Publicity.

While Jupiter doesn’t have any special status (Exaltation, etc) in Leo, I do think that Jupiter is quite happy in Leo. Jupiter’s big energy is that of Gain, while Leo’s big energy is creative self-expression.

Together, Jupiter and Leo love to put on an impressive show. Jupiter likes to share his wisdom and philosophy. This combination also manifests in people who are prominent members of a religious organization. People with this placement like to share and spread their ideas. They appreciate the arts. Children are a source of pride for them, and they will spare no expense for their children’s education.

With Saturn in Leo, the energy invites you to be generous with your wisdom and knowledge without any expectation of rewards. When we have Jupiter in Leo, the desire to spread warmth and wisdom comes naturally from their natures. Saturn is bound by duty, while Jupiter has a good time sharing his wisdom and abundance.

On the flip side, Jupiter in Leo can also talk about someone who likes to blow his own trumpet. There’s an attraction of fame, gambling, and over-optimism. This is the over-pushy parent who lives out their dreams through their children.

The Number: 6

6 embodies harmony, balance, connection, community, home, stability, service, responsibility, intellectual creativity, imagination, fantasy, and abstract thinking.

Leo Decan 2 + Tarot: 6 of Wands: Jupiter in Leo: ♃ in ♌︎: Successful Accomplishment – Public Triumph

In the 6 of Wands, we can see a combination of the energy of Jupiter, Leo, and the number 6.

6 of Wands

In the Rider-Waite-Smith imagery of the 6 of Wands, we see a man sitting on the horse, wearing a Laurel wreath on his head and on his Wand. He is leading a group of people, a team, perhaps the fighting people from the previous card. However, sitting on his horse, he leads them towards fulfilling their shared goals. While all the people he leads look up to him, there is one person who looks at him with an upset expression. This is where he attracts jealousy for his abilities. Embodying the energy of 6, he brings harmony. Jupiter spreads the philosophy and wisdom, which also brings out the leadership qualities of the Leo energy. He brings everyone together, taking a little from everyone’s thoughts & ideas, and mixing in some of his own to create the overarching philosophy that guides his team to success.

In the Tarot de Marseilles card image of the 6 of Wands, we see two groups of three wands crisscrossing with each other. Along with the leaves that provide nourishment, we also have two beautiful flowers. So a creative project has flowered. 3 is the number of creativity. We see two groups of 3s crisscrossing, which is essentially double creativity or a collaboration of two groups. The creative energies interweave, creating an alliance between two parties that have different goals but common interests. A taste for luxury made possible by favourable conditions. This energy drives the advancement of favourable conditions. It encourages one to find an ally. Right.

Now, let’s look at the 6 of Wands image from the Thoth deck. These 6 wands are similar to what we saw in the image of the 5 of Wands. We have wands with Phoenix heads that stand for creative power, and we have wands with Lotus blossoms that stand for fertility. Along with those wands, we now have two wands with the Egyptian winged discs, which are the symbol of rulership. Here, too, we have two different groups of 3 wands, harmoniously intertwined. Thanks to the energy of the 6, this energy is stable. Thus, we see victory, success, reward for accomplished efforts, recognition, good news, promotion, overcoming hardships and difficulties, and a blossoming relationship. On the flip side, this energy can be associated with someone who is condescending or someone who flaunts their success. We can easily see the energies of both Jupiter and Leo here.

Finally, the 6 of Wands card, titled Victory from the Telos deck, shows an image of a triumphant culmination. We can see public recognition with all the roses being thrown at the rider. That brave rider’s efforts have led to achievement and reward. Overcoming the struggles of the previous card has led to triumph, exaltation, pride, and honors, among other good things.

Leo Decans: Observations

While tense, Saturn is somewhat relaxed in Leo. Jupiter, on the other hand, is happy and gives the best results in Leo.

The energies of the numbers, from 1 to 9, we do notice that while odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) can be pretty active and changeable, the even numbers (2, 4, 6, and 8) tend to bring stability and harmonize the unstable energy of the previous number.

Leo Decan 3: Mars in Leo: ♂ in ♌︎: Forceful Victory – Brave Retaliation

Now let’s look at the 7 of Wands. This is linked with Mars in Leo.

According to the Picatrix, this Decan is described as: “an ugly man who looks like a black man with a fruit & a piece of meat in his mouth, and a kettle in his hand.”

The associated keywords are: friendliness, rewards, affection, participation, and harmony.

The keywords from the Telos Tarot LWB are: boldness, attack from a defensive position, bravery, and rise to the occasion to prevail.

Honestly, I have started to wonder about what the Picatrix Decan descriptions have to offer in the way of meaning. There are numerous instances where the Decan description and keywords don’t align. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Astrology: Mars ♂ + Tarot: The Tower

Let’s take a quick look at the energies of the planet Mars.

Mars is connected with the Greek God Aries. He is the God of War.  Mars represents very masculine energies, often about physical energy, aggression, sexuality, drive, temperament, animal attraction, dynamic, competitive, and an action taker. On the flip side, Mars can be very aggressive, insensitive, hostile, quick-tempered, and prone to anger and rashness.

Interestingly, Mars and Leo energies have many harmonious overlaps. Leo is also passionate, courageous, brave, impulsive, and dramatic.

Leo Decans: Observations

If we were to compare, there is a slight overlap of qualities with Saturn and Leo, and a little more with Jupiter and Leo. However, with Mars and Leo, we see a lot more qualities overlapping. And while Saturn is in Detriment in Leo, neither Jupiter nor Mars has any such association (good or bad) with the Sign of Leo.

Mars is linked to The Tower card in the Tarot.

The Tower card is all about the sudden events that happen, and about the breakdown and destruction of all the walls and structures that we’ve built around us, imprisoning us within them.

Across all the cards, we see a bolt of lightning striking the top of a Tower, causing it to collapse and break, throwing the people within it outside, with fiery blessings raining down upon them as they fall to the ground. This calamity symbolically represents the annihilation of the ego. The structures of this Tower are the structures that we’ve built in our lives: these could be our rules, principles, routines, habits, patterns, and on a macro level, they could be our governments, political, and religious belief systems.

As we build these systems and structures around us, we unknowingly end up enclosing ourselves within those walls and fail to see the world outside of those walls. We become trapped within the darkness of the Tower. So the Universe steps in and sends down the lightning bolt of insight — breaking that Tower to pieces. We can only find release once we are out of that Tower.

Mars is a dynamic and shocking energy that creates the breakdown. This Mars and Tower energy represents sudden events, collapses, destructions, economic and political crises, upheavals, interventions, revelations, earthquakes, release, disasters, liberation, breakthroughs, insights, shocking developments, war, stress, storms, and the dispelling of illusions.

Leo Decans: Observations

In Greek / Roman myths, we saw how Cronus / Saturn ended up following a behavioral pattern set by his father, Ouranos / Uranus. Zeus / Jupiter managed to stay aloof from that behavior pattern by detaching himself from that cycle. Mars, however, just breaks it all down. He doesn’t detach. He just brings it all crumbling down to dust.

Astrology: Mars in Leo: ♂ in ♌︎

Let’s look at the image of Mars in Leo from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun.

Mars represents Action, while Leo stands for Creative Self-Expression. The keyword on this card is Egotism.

On the card, we see a strange bird: half cockerel and half man, who wears a crown and stands proudly for all to see. We also see the Leo Sun and the Royal Egyptian Scarab to show the eminent position of the cockerel.

Coincidentally, there is a certain President of a certain country, who has this placement in his Natal Chart. You know who I am talking about? 😏 Doesn’t that embody the egotistical energy perfectly?

People who have this placement feel most fulfilled when using energy in expansive and showy creative ways. They love to do all the things on a big scale and in front of an audience. People with Mars in Leo are all about drama and great creative enterprise. They love to take over and lead others. They have great creativity. People with Mars in Leo excel in competitive sports and are often well-suited for coaching young athletes. They have talent. They can be competitive. This is that very Mars and Leo energy. And it comes across as egotism in this one.

On the flip side, Mars in Leo can be about forcing oneself into the lead, bullying, being authoritative, dictatorial, egotistical, and exhibiting over-the-top behavior.

Leo Decans: Observations

I’ve noticed that this desire to be in front of an audience is a common trait among all the planets in the Leo Decans and within the Sign of Leo as well. However, there are some marked differences. Saturn wants to be in front of an audience to understand their needs and to give them what they need generously. Jupiter wants to be in front of the audience to educate, to spread his philosophy, and to receive accolades for his wisdom. Mars wants to be in front of an audience because their admiration and praise feed his ego. Mars receives significant validation from the audience’s praise.

The Number: 7

The number 7 is associated with luck, opportunity, spirituality, the desire to cross various limits, and to explore what’s beyond those limits. They love negotiation. They have inner conflicts and secretive material attachments.

Leo Decan 3 + Tarot: 7 of Wands: Mars in Leo: ♂ in ♌︎: Forceful Victory – Brave Retaliation

Now, when I look at the image of the 7 of Wands, I can see this Mars energy in full bloom.

7 of Wands

In the Rider-Waite-Smith card image of the 7 of Wands, we see a young man standing on top of this mountain. He looks quite overwhelmed and hassled. One thing I noticed about this card image was that he wore two different kinds of shoes on each foot. That tells you, so eloquently, that he was in such a hurry that he didn’t even bother to check if he was wearing matching shoes! He’s so flustered, but he’s ready to do that battle. He’s prepared to fend off the 6 Wands coming at him. Luckily, he’s on higher ground [Star Wars reference anyone?] and so he can be in a position of power over those wands coming at him. Thus, despite being overwhelmed and dealing with multiple things at once, which makes it hectic and prevents him from focusing on other aspects of his life, he’s fighting it out and succeeding against all odds because he stands his ground.

In the Tarot de Marseille image of the 7 of Wands, we see the two groups of three wands from the previous card image. As they come together and sort of work harmoniously, the seventh wand comes in and butts right in there. There are only leaves on the outer side, no flowers. What we see here is a struggle. They can’t find harmony. Even though their interests did overlap somewhat, their goals were different. Now, they start to struggle. They tried to overcome those difficulties, but they ended up having to pay a price. This situation pitted one against many, putting up a fight against many opponents. However, he wants to keep his position because he wants to take over and dominate. That explains why there’s all this resistance. And yet, he has the endurance to persist through these times.

On the Thoth card image of the 7 of Wands, we see the 6 wands from the previous card. Now there’s a new Wand in the picture — and it looks very different to the ones already in the card imagery. This represents taking a single-handed risk, growing beyond one’s limits. That’s the energy of the number seven. Mars aims to surpass existing limits and break them. He wants to see what he can do and what he can get away with. This describes people who stand up decisively and alone. They are courageous for a lost cause, saving the relationship via a daring act.

In the image of the 7 of Wands from the Telos Tarot deck, as with the Thoth, we see the keyword Valor. We see a brave soldier standing alone on the mountain top, defending the flag of his country. He faces all the Spears coming at him with a sword and a shield in his hands. He stands his ground and braves the attack from a defensive position. He meets his challenges and achieves a breakthrough. This card is all about rising to the occasion and prevailing despite being outnumbered or unpopular.

The Mars and Leo energy is pretty intense, and the whole violence of Mars comes through to Leo, where Leo tries to either tame or ride that animal energy, the ruler energy, that vibe.

Leo Decans: Observations

As I’ve been working through these Decans, I’ve often felt hard-pressed to find connections between the Astrological connections and the card imagery. However, for these Leo Decans, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Each of the cards resonated with the astrological placements we studied during this time.

Leo Decans + Tarot: The Supporting Cards

Ace of Wands + Page of Wands + Knight of Wands + King of Pentacles

Meanwhile, let’s not forget our supporting cast: the Ace of Wands, the Page of Wands, the Knight of Wands, and the King of Pentacles. While the Ace and Page of Wands support all the Leo Decan cards, the Knight of Wands supports the 5 of Wands and the 6 of Wands, while the King of Pentacles supports the 7 of Wands.

The Ace of Wands is pure Fire energy. It is the root of fire energy. Leo, being the fixed Sign of Fire, is delighted with the support of the Fire energy. The passion and desire, the creativity, sexual energy, impulse, and the efforts empower us. The Page of Wands is the budding, fresh energy that supports this energy, too. They like to show off their skills and talents. Driven by their desires, these dynamic, young, and high-spirited Pages are a daring and energetic force of nature. They are the Earth of Fire.

Then the Knights of Wands and the Princes of Wands arrive, riding on their horses and driving their chariots, bringing their active energies, and making things happen. They are active and able to put things into motion. They are the heroes and risk takers. They are also impulsive and sexual. While they don’t complete what they start, they certainly initiate something. They are the Air of Fire — both elements support each other.

Finally, supporting the third Decan of Leo, we have the King of Pentacles. Suddenly, it is a very different energy. The King of Pentacles is Fire of Earth. Now we see a very materialistic vibe enter the energy. The King of Pentacles represents Mars in Leo’s military-industrial complex. He is a very stable person who is reliable, pragmatic, materialistic, ambitious, and cautious. This is the financier who will loan the money required and invest in all the wars and conflicts that Mars in Leo wants to set into motion. They are stable, sober, straightforward, have a strong business sense, and are very driven by materialistic energies. They have the patience to wait things out. They truly believe and invest in the long game. On the flip side, they can be a bit dull and routine-oriented.

Leo Decans: Putting it All Together

📸 The Infographic + ⬇️ The Download

Leo Decan 1 + Tarot: 5 of Wands: Saturn in Leo: ♄ in ♌︎: Persistent Bravery – Passionate Chaos

Leo Decan 2 + Tarot: 6 of Wands: Jupiter in Leo: ♃ in ♌︎: Successful Accomplishment – Public Triumph

Leo Decan 3 + Tarot: 7 of Wands: Mars in Leo: ♂ in ♌︎: Forceful Victory – Brave Retaliation

🎞️ The Video

Here’s the video I made about the three Leo Decans, exploring the astrological associations through the card images of the 5 of Wands, 6 of Wands, and the 7 of Wands, of the Rider-Waite-Smith, Tarot de Marseille, Thoth, and the Telos Tarot Decks.

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📣 Shoutout

Please do take a look at Valerie’s amazing posts!
To my surprise, I discovered that she has the Saturn in Leo placement as well! Isn’t it interesting that we first interacted with each other because of the Decan Walk, and now I discover that we share a placement! ✨ Magic is everywhere, you just have to look! ✨

• 5 of Wands: Trial by Flame: Saturn in Leo
• 6 of Wands: The Light I Raise, the Solitude I Know
• 7 of Wands: [TBD]

📚 Homework

📓 Things to Think (or Journal) about the Leo Decans

5 of Wands [Saturn in Leo]

• What are your thoughts about working with others in a Team? Do you prefer to work alone or in a group? Why?
• When you work with a group of people, what, according to you, is the ideal and harmonious way for collaborative efforts to proceed?
• How do you deal with situations where, within a group, everyone has different ideas and goals?
• What lessons and ideas did you gain from your study of the 5 of Wands and its connection to Saturn in Leo? How will you apply them to your life?

6 of Wands [Jupiter in Leo]

• What, according to you, are the qualities of an ideal Leader? Do you have those qualities? Which ones?
• When you are in a group of people who aren’t harmonizing, do you take charge and lead them, or do you wait for someone else to do so? No judgment either way — but how empowering does each approach feel for you?
• What lessons and ideas did you gain from your study of the 6 of Wands and its connections to Jupiter in Leo? How will you apply them to your life?

7 of Wands [Mars in Leo]

• Have you been in a situation where you were overwhelmed, but you stood your ground and faced an onslaught?
• Do you seek out situations where you will have to face down many people aggressively? Or do you avoid such situations? Again, no judgment either way — but how powerful or powerless did each approach feel for you?
• What lessons and ideas did you gain from your study of the 7 of Wands and its connections to Mars in Leo? How will you apply them to your life?

Saturn + Jupiter + Mars + Leo

• Spend some time contemplating the energies of the planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, and the Zodiac Sign of Leo. Consider their myths and my observations about how each handled the familial behavior patterns that they were born into.
• Which approach made more sense for you? Which approach felt more do-able for you?
• Look at the different familial and other behavioral patterns that you fall into. How would you apply the lessons and insights gained from these planets into your life?
• If you are a student of Astrology, or if you have your birth chart, take a look at the House in your Chart where the Sign of Leo shows up. How has the energy of Leo shown up in that area of your life? Does it match the energy of the connected Tarot card: Strength?
• Do you have any of these placements (Saturn in Leo, Jupiter in Leo, and Mars in Leo) in your Chart? In which House? How has this energy shown up for you? Does it match the energy of the card(s) we just looked at? Or does another card better align with the energy?
• How about the placements of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars? In which House have these planets shown up in your Chart? Does this energy match their respective Tarot Cards: The World, The Wheel of Fortune, and The Tower?

👩🏻 What Do You Think? Please, Share Your Thoughts… 💭

What a journey! These three Leo Decans with Saturn in Leo (5 of Wands), Jupiter in Leo (6 of Wands), and Mars in Leo (7 of Wands) certainly brought a fiery and majestic energy to our adventure!

Did you have anything that you’d like to share about these Cards, Planets, and Signs? Please share your thoughts and insights with me in the comments section below.

Enjoy the royal fire of the Leo Decans, and bring your special ruling style to your domain!