Leo Monthly Horoscope

Happy, healthy New Year to you, Leo! The first month of 2022 begins with a decidedly productive focus. For starters, it’s Capricorn season, meaning the Sun is in your sixth house of wellness and organization until January 19. Several other planets are hanging out in Capricorn, too, urging you to get your systems in place. Just treat yourself to a little break at the Cancer full moon on January 17, a day to surrender all that managerial energy and go with the flow.

After that, get back to your spreadsheets and clipboards and checklists again. You’ll be especially glad you put things in order in the second half of the month, when the karmic north node returns to Taurus and your tenth house of career and achievement for the first time since 2004. This potent 18-month cycle will redefine your professional path and help you craft a new work-life balance. You’ll want to be ready to reap the bounty, and there’s no better way than decluttering your mental and physical space.

Take your time, though, as there will be a few cosmic curveballs to dodge. Venus is retrograde until January 29 and communication planet Mercury makes its U-turn on January 14, scrambling technology until February 3. Focus on getting your relationships back on track, especially once Aquarius season begins on January 19, putting the spotlight on your closest ties.

Self-care is the top priority for January. And yes, Leo, we know that term has become a catchall for everything from “treating yourself” to making wellness the central focus of your life. With the Sun in Capricorn and your sixth house of health, organization and support systems until January 19, you’re invited to define it for yourself. Does that mean a “dry January” after all the holiday libations, committing yourself to regular cardio or outsourcing time-sucking tasks?

The best approach? Experiment until you find your groove. In a stroke of perfect timing, the January 2 Leo new moon, a potent supermoon, opens a six-month window to help get your life humming. Sure, you may still feel the lingering effects of your NYE cocktails, but that won’t stop you from pricing out Pelotons or deep-cleaning your cabinets. (Where DID all those old supplements and canned goods come from?) This new moon will form a harmonious trine to innovator Uranus in your tenth house of career. Whipping your life into fighting shape could pave the way to professional opportunity!

Cosmic mandate, Leo: Be gentle with yourself. Beautifying Venus is retrograde until January 29, which can drive up perfectionism, body image issues and stress. You could be extra picky and critical of yourself and those closest to you. Fixating on flaws is counterproductive. If you catch yourself doing that, use the old HALT checkpoint (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) and do something self-loving to regain your equilibrium.

There are some instances where a brutally honest inventory of your less-than-stellar habits could be helpful, especially if guided by a compassionate coach. Up for that challenge? Set aside a little time on January 16, when the energizing Sun and penetrating Pluto make their annual conjunction in Capricorn, right before the full moon. This cosmic meetup shines a klieg light on all your systems and structures and reveals where a deeper transformation could take place. The key is to take responsibility but not blame or put yourself down. Make space for your humanity, then get the proper support in place to help you make sustainable (read: not overnight) changes. Lapsing into bad habits, especially during a pandemic, is not a character flaw.

Your self-improvement kick gets a jolt of rocket fuel when go-getter Mars blazes into Capricorn from January 24 to March 6. This biennial boost will restore your energy—especially your fitness mojo. But be careful because rash Mars can tempt you to take on too much too soon, and you don’t want to injure yourself. Make sure to stretch well before and after workouts. Paying special attention to digestive and gut health is favored now. Luckily, Mars happens to be “exalted” in Capricorn, a powerful placement that will amp up your enthusiasm even more. 

Monitor your stress levels and know your limits (not a word in most Leos’ vocabs!). The sixth house also rules helpful people. This month is a great time to upgrade Team Leo, adding new service providers and cutting any slackers loose. Make sure your policies and protocols are crystal-clear to ensure that anyone you hire gets the job done to your standards.

Make sure you’re clear and on the same page as your people in the first half of the month. On January 14, Mercury—the planet of communication, technology and travel—will turn retrograde until February 3, scrambling signals in your closest partnerships.

Quicksilver Mercury will reverse through Aquarius until January 25, disrupting your seventh house of committed relationships and contracts. During this time, an ex could appear out of the blue, or an old argument could flare up. You might have second thoughts about moving forward now. With love planet Venus also retrograde until January 29, tension could reach critical mass with a key person. If your usual strategies aren’t solving the issue, maybe it’s time to try a new approach—or even to go to a neutral third party for help mediating.

Negotiating a deal? Think twice before signing on the dotted line. During this tricky transit, key information could be obscured—all the more so when Mercury backs into Capricorn on January 25 for the duration of the retrograde. Even after reading the fine print, you could still miss important details. Ask ALL your questions and conduct due diligence. When in doubt, wait it out! The sixth house rules employees and helpful people. You can’t be too explicit with instructions now. Make sure you have a solid system for checking people’s work (your own included) because things can easily slip through the cracks now. 

Health and wellness also fall under the sixth house domain. Wash your hands, reduce stress and wear that mask—this Mercury retrograde is definitely not the time to skimp on pandemic precautions.

On January 17, 2022’s first full moon lands in Cancer and your twelfth house of healing, closure and transitions. A situation you've been forcing or a pattern you've been clinging to does NOT belong in this brand-new calendar year, Leo. No amount of guilt, rationalization or denial will prevent circumstances from putting that truth right in your face today. With shadowy Pluto opposing the full moon from your analytical and health-conscious sixth house, your mind AND body will give strong signals pointing to where a core issue needs to be addressed.

Maybe you've avoided feeling some pain or grief, and now it comes to you in a powerful dream or through a rush of unexpected emotions. If you experience some aches or, say, your back seizes up, it’s likely the physical manifestation of some unaddressed upset. Do you need more support? Are you swallowing anger? Is it time to end a situation that’s dragged on for too long? Perhaps a difficult person's antics have you at wit's end. Or maybe you've just been handing your power to someone else, and you have a giant epiphany that it's time to step up and own that Leo prowess. Let this full moon be your cue.

Set your sights on a new dream career, Leo—and maybe even an entirely different professional path. From January 18, 2022, until July 17, 2023, the lunar nodes will shift onto the Taurus/Scorpio axis, negotiating a new balance between your professional (Taurus-ruled) and personal (Scorpio-governed) affairs. 

Over the next 18 months, you might relocate or change your living situation in a major way, perhaps buying a home or taking in a roommate. Leos of the childbearing set could expand their families, but if you do, know that career aspirations will be front and center, and you’ll definitely want lots of help with parenting and caregiving. Your relationship with your own parents or family of origin could be up for review, whether you go visit your ancestral homeland, research your roots or evolve into a new role with your mom or dad. 

The north node only visits Taurus every 18.5 years; it was last here from April 15, 2003 – December 26, 2004. If you can remember back to that time, you may see repeating themes arise again, from patterns in your professional trajectory to shifts on your homefront.

Step up and lead, Leo! Exciting professional projects could be on their way—and you’ll want to keep your calendar open. On January 18, changemaker Uranus ends a five-month retrograde through Taurus and your career zone, a backspin that began on August 19. This slowdown may have disrupted your ambitious plans or distracted you from your mission.

As Uranus corrects course and turns direct (forward), a chance to rise into a leadership or prominent role could come, perhaps unexpectedly. If you haven’t been able to express your pioneering ideas or to get others to buy into them, that could all change. With the north node also in Taurus until October 2023, it’s time to step into your rightful role. 

Whether that looks like owning a business or leading a team, the point is for you to be in charge of your terrain. You want to be able to look back in a year and say, “That milestone was met because of MY process” or “That happened because of me!” There’s a distinct line between taking pride in your achievements (that’s called mastery and self-expression) and being an ego-driven glory hog. Stay rooted in the former and you could make a powerful contribution, adding to your Leonine legacy. 

On January 19, the Sun shifts into Aquarius for a month, putting the focus on your closest ties. With el Sol heating up your seventh house of partnerships, dynamic duos become the focal point. Strengthen your most important relationships over the next four weeks.

While you’re at it, prepare to iron out a wrinkle or two. With communicator Mercury retrograde in Aquarius until January 25, some old issues—or even a former love—could resurface. Use this time for closure, especially with the added nudge from Venus retrograde. It’s not comfortable to bring these matters up, but let’s be honest: It never will be. So make the most of this cycle to diplomatically but directly clear the air. After the awkwardness passes, you’ll emerge with a better understanding of each other’s needs and priorities.