Author: Virginia Castiglione

Leo has a controversial reputation. The opinion seems to be divided. Some love their confidence and how assertive they are. Others find them a bit much. What’s at the core of this Zodiac sign, though? Read on to find out!

Element

Leo’s element is Fire. Fire Sign natives are passionate, creative, daring, and resilient. Fire is a rather subjective element that has a close ties to the arts. It is an element that has to do with willpower and strength. Fire Sign natives love a challenge and rarely back off when things get too hard. Fire does occupy a lot of space. Fire Sign natives love to be the center of attention. They tend to be bold and crave attention.
Modality

Out of the three modalities in the Zodiac wheel – Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable – Leo belongs to the Fixed modality. Fixed represents the signs that are the most firm, stable, and have staying power as they navigate life. This is a bit of a paradox, as fire as an element doesn’t tend to stay put. Leo is the one fire sign that blazes through life with a strong and steadfast blaze.

Leo takes all the characteristics of Fire, both the good and the bad. They meet the bill for tpassion, artistic self-expression, the need for attention and drama.. There is a shadow side to all of this light. Leo natives are known to be stubborn, and sometimes selfish. This is due to their Fixed nature. However, this is also a potential gift. They can see the value in others and become great leaders by using their warmth to empower others.

Planetary Ruler

Leo’s ruler is not a planet but a Luminary – The Sun, the center of our galaxy. This makes Leo natives feel like the main character. They shine and draw attention to themselves like magnets. They tend to be charismatic as well.

Because they are ruled by the Sun, they are also warm towards others. They tend to have a pretty solid self-esteem and can easily shake off unkind things others say about things. They tend to attract a lot of envious stares, and they know it.

Celebrity/Notable Leo Suns

It is no wonder that there are a lot of Leo natives in the entertainment industry. Jennifer Lopez or J-Lo is an excellent example of a Leo. She turns head wherever she goes. She’s a diva in the best sense of the word.

The popular sitcom Friends owes part of its success to the star-quality of not one but two Leo natives in the main cast. Matt LeBlanc, who plays Joey, is a Leo, as well as Lisa Kudrow, who plays Phoebe.

The comedian and actor Maya Rudolph marches to the beat of her own drum and knows to command a room. It is no wonder she’s a Leo!

The Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Laurence Fishbourne is also a Leo. Heartthrobs Jason Momoa and Chris Hemsworth, as well as Joe Jonas, are all Leo natives.

The famous actor Halle Berry is also a Leo native, as well as the celebrated Antonio Banderas.

There are also Leos in the realm of politics. Former US President Barack Obama is a Leo, as well as the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

How Leo relates to others

High-vibrational Leos are pleasant to be around. They naturally gravitate towards the spotlight. The others don’t really mind. They know their Leo friend will be the one clapping the loudest when it’s their turn. They are warm, generous, and full of compliments.

Leo natives make excellent friends because they are fiercely loyal due to being a Fixed Fire sign. They are passionately your friend, and they will stay your friend. They also love to remind you of what you’re worth. They are dramatic, but their drama can be fun to watch from the sidelines.

In romantic relationships, Leo natives go all out. They are the kind of person that will sing for their partners at their wedding, even if they aren’t good singers. Being romantic and having traditional gestures towards their partners is important to them. They expect the same kind of devotion in return, though, and may need constant reassurance. They are also the kind of partner who will pick up a fight if they’re bored.

In the workplace, Leo natives shine as compassionate leaders. They see the best in every member of their team. If they are not yet leaders, they don’t mind giving you a hand if they hold you in high regard. You can always go to them for advice about how to make your voice heard or ask for that promotion. They are also great at personal branding.

Zodiac Signs with the Most Romantic Compatibility

Looking only at Sun signs will give you a very partial view of two people’s potential as a couple. The best thing to do is to have an astrologer make a synastry chart. However, here is how Leo relates to other Zodiac signs:
Fire Signs

Aries, Sagittarius and other Leo natives tend to have similar expectations from life as Leos. They tend to be drawn to the same activities and have the same core values. They all share a love for the spontaneous and some healthy competition, and they match each other when it comes to passion.

Air Signs

Air Signs are more of an “opposites attract” type of situation. Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius can all make great partners for Leo because they can help Leo grow and foster in themselves certain virtues they lack. However, they are not too different. Air feeds fire, helping the blaze to burn brighter and longer. Just like Leo, all three of the Air signs share a taste for fun and spontaneity. Aquarius is Leo’s complementary opposite.

Zodiac Signs with the Least Romantic Compatibility

Earth and Water signs, on the other hand, present various challenges when Leo falls in love with them. They can, however, be overcome.

Earth Signs

Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn may seem a bit dull for Leo. They may also be judgmental of Leo’s constant need for attention. However, things don’t seem as bad once you take into account that the Earth signs will happily take a seat in the back if it means their loved one gets to shine. Of course, this is with the notable exception of Capricorn if they’re due to receive some accolades at their job. They also make up for the lack of spontaneity by being very devoted to their partners and generous with gifts. Unless unlucky Leo crosses paths with a financially conservative Virgo.

Water Signs

Fire and Water signs are both subjective, so they should speak the same language, right? While what you’re saying is technically correct, this pairing lacks an element of logic and grounding. Both Leo and Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces, can easily get swept up by the drama of a situation. These pairings can end up having never ending arguments. The fact that most Water signs are unforgiving doesn’t help, either. But Leo may fall in love with a Water sign because of how romantic they are.

Light Side of the Sign

High-vibrational Leo natives are assertive. They know how to make themselves heard and respected. But they do so without overstepping any lines. They also avoid building a reputation as despotic or authoritative. No one can set boundaries quite like a high-vibrational Leo native. They have a healthy self-esteem that is still connected to reality and doesn’t rely much (if at all) on the ego. They know the only person they must please is themselves. High-vibrational Leo natives are also the best suited for leadership of the 12 Zodiac signs.

Leo natives tend to be talented at some form of artistic self-expression. Even if it’s not their profession and just a hobby, they are innate artists, especially in performance arts. High-vibrational Leos understand their need for artistic self-expression and make time and space for it, even if it’s just a past-time. They need to make art to continue being their best selves. High-vibrational Leo natives are extremely generous. They have an abundant mentality. They are big on expressing their love, affection, and appreciation through compliments and gifts.

Shadow Side of the Sign

Low-vibrational Leo natives are self-absorbed and all about the ego. They can be quite selfish. They can’t stand it when others are the center of attention. In contrast, a high-vibrational Leo patiently waits for their turn.They understand this is what they would like others to do when it’s their turn to shine. They are all about the drama and tend to cause drama in their personal lives out of boredom.

They crave attention and external validation. Even though they may have a vain exterior, their self-esteem is fragile and depends on the constant approval of others. They tend to talk a lot about themselves and are almost blind to other people’s qualities. As Leo rules over the fifth house of childhood, a low-vibrational Leo native may be childish. They may even be a full-on grown child who never learned how to view things from an adult perspective.

Other Leo placements

Perhaps you weren’t blessed with a Leo Sun, but you can find this Zodiac sign in other placements in your birth chart. Here are the explanations of some of them:

Leo Rising

The rising sign doesn’t “blossom” until after your first Saturn Return, which happens around the age of 29. Before this age, if you don’t have any other Leo or Fire placements, you may find this energy rather foreign. You may be tempted to stay backstage. You’re comfortable being a bit of a wallflower and not drawing too much attention to yourself. People who crave attention seem cringeworthy to you. Why be the center of attention when you can quietly and discreetly do as you please?

However, you will attract plenty of people who embody the energy of Leo, both in a high-vibrational and low-vibrational way. They are teaching you how to embody (and how not to embody) the energy of your Rising Sign. It's important for you to learn the lesson before time’s up and the events of your Saturn Return force you to take center stage.

Being born with a Leo Rising forces you to take center stage and take ownership for your actions as the protagonist of your life. It also encourages you to advocate, first for yourself, and then for others who are voiceless. Assertiveness will be a lesson you will have to learn during your life.

Leo Moon

You find attention and reassurance comforting. The Moon is all about our instinctive reactions and our inner worlds. Of course, our childhood often informs how these are built. You were probably a bit of a spoiled child. Maybe you were used to being the center of attention. On the other hand, they may have paid you little to no attention as a child, and you look for what you lacked as an adult. The strengths of this Moon lie in the expression of emotions and artistic talent.
Leo Venus

As I have this placement in my own birth chart, I am speaking from personal experience here. Venus is the planet of romance and aesthetics. However, it goes deeper than that: Venus rules how you value yourself and others. A high-vibrational Leo Venus knows exactly what they are worth as a person and a professional and are not willing to settle for less.

In romance, it translates as the need to be admired and almost worshiped by their partners and lovers. They hate to be someone’s second choice. They want their partners to make them feel special. The back may be an erogenous zone for people with this placement.

Leo Mars

Mars influences the way we act, sexual desire, drive, passion,and the way we pursue romance. A person with a Leo Mars acts in a bold way and turns heads, even if they don’t mean to. They are driven by artistic or creative endeavors, and feel a push to express themselves to others. When they are into someone, they let them know. They do extravagant things to woo them over. Like Leo Venus, the back may be an erogenous zone for this placement.

Crystals for Leo

Leo natives that may wish to bring out the best qualities in themselves can work with certain crystals. In the long term, these crystals will lead them to both embody the positive and soften the negative:

● Carnelian: Carnelian embodies the best qualities of Leo. The wearer will reconnect to the joy and pleasure of everyday life. They will also become magnetic to all sorts of people and opportunities. It makes the wearer sensual and charismatic.

● Emerald: This crystal from the Beryl family will help low-vibrational Leo natives step away from their ego. It will expand their Heart Chakra and guide them to become less selfish. For high-vibrational Leo natives, it will expand their already existing warmth and generosity. For them, it will also be a constant reminder not to lose sight of their own value.

● Morganite: Also from the Beryl family, this stone has a similar energy to that of Leo’s complementary opposite, Aquarius. Morganite teaches about Divine, emotional love. This love can be directed towards a single person or towards the collective. Working with this stone can help Leos recognize that all is One. It can help them let go of their ego when they love others.

Leo’s Corresponding Colors

Leo’s color is definitely gold, like sunshine. I have yet to meet a Leo native who doesn’t look amazing in this color. Some other colors associated with Leo are red and orange, which express the fiery nature of the Zodiac sign. Orange, being the color of the Sacral Chakra of creativity, has connections with creativity. All three colors are warm, expressing the warmth of Leo natives.

Leo’s Flower

Leo’s flower is definitely the sunflower. Named after Leo’s ruler, the Sun, because of the similarity between their petals and the rays of the Sun. Ancient cultures in different continents have associated this species of flower with the Sun. The Incas recognized this resemblance and worshiped the flower for this reason.

In ancient Greece, there was a myth around this flower. It was believed Clytie, a nymph who once loved Apollo, the Sun God, retaliated out of jealousy towards a new lover of his. As punishment, he turned her into a flower. Her love for him was stronger than the punishment, and, as a flower, she still follows his rays.

Tarot Cards for Leo

All of the cards in the suit of Wands can represent a Leo. A special shoutout goes to The Queen of Wands, who Pamela Colman Smith decided to depict with Sunflowers in the background in the Rider-Waite Smith deck. However, the more representative cards of this Zodiac sign are found in the Major Arcana:

● Strength represents the Zodiac sign itself. The card represents a lion that’s being gently disciplined by a woman. Despite the lion being a fearsome, dangerous creature, the woman in the card doesn’t fear him. She is gently closing his snout. She is not only brave, but she believes in her own power to discipline the lion. She is compassionate towards him. This shows Leo’s potential as a leader.

● The Sun represents Leo’s ruler. Leo’s flower also appears in the background of this card. A child is riding a white horse. The sun is shining and everything seems to be going great. This is a card of joy and celebration.

If you don’t have a Leo placement, you probably wish you did after reading this article. Tell us all about your favorite Leos in the comments!