Can a Leo Be an Introvert? Astrology Says Yes
If you’re a Leo like me but you’re sensitive and genuinely adore time to yourself, read on! As an astrologer, I’ve observed plenty of people not fully relating to their Sun sign, and to some extent, that includes me. While some of my (not so close) friends will undoubtedly view me as the quintessential Leo; boisterous, playful, and oftentimes, dramatic, that isn’t necessarily who I really am…
That rather confident appearance changes as soon as I walk through my front door because at heart, I’m an introvert and I can’t manage life without plenty of quiet alone time. I’m also an HSP (highly sensitive person) and as such, I have to be mindful of the company I keep in order to maintain a sense of inner harmony. Those who are closest to me, like my family, know what I’m really like but I do tend to wear a mask, like many people, when I’m out and about in public or dealing with people I’m not close to.
So, while astrological lore dictates that Leos should be extroverts, many are in fact quite reserved, shy, and sensitive deep down. And there are plenty of explanations for this, as I’m about to share with you.
Feminine Energy Dominates the Birth Chart
Perhaps there are one or more feminine signs dominant in the birth chart. There’s a big debate surrounding gender these days so I think it’s important for me to mention that the astrological meaning of masculine and feminine is not the same as our understanding of them in every day language.
Masculine energy is viewed as an energy that initiates and is extroverted, while feminine energy is a more cautious and introverted. The feminine signs are the water signs—Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces, and the earth signs — Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. If there’s a lot of feminine energy in the birth chart, that might make you more of an introvert than an extrovert.
In school, I had a Leo friend with Mercury in Leo who was painfully shy. She disliked sports, which Leos are supposed to love and be great at, and devoted most of her time to her studies. She wasn’t playful, and was often too frightened to do things too far out of her comfort zone. She was very emotional and easily hurt.
As we got older, we drifted apart, but she’s now a very successful dentist with her own practice. And yet, I had always wondered how someone with such powerful Leo placements could be so un-Leo-like. Sure, she had always been smart and determined but what about everything else that’s associated with Leo? Where was the fun-loving attitude, fearlessness, and loud laughter?
Well, recently, we met at a baby shower a mutual friend held. As I knew her birthday, it prompted me to take a look at her chart once again, all these years later. Almost instantly, I understood. There was an abundance of Virgo and Pisces energy in her chart. As a curious teenager with only a vague interest in astrology, I’d missed all that. As an experienced astrologer, it was immediately obvious.
The Natal Moon and Rising Signs are Feminine
The Moon sign, along with the Rising sign (also known as the Ascendant or first house), are two very important parts of the birth chart. Not many people know this but in old astrology, the Moon was considered the most important part of the chart. Yes, even more so than the Sun sign! The Moon in astrology represents our inner world and true emotional nature. It’s easy to see why ancient astrologers valued it so much.
The Rising sign is the sign that was rising in the East at the moment you were born. Mine is Gemini and I can certainly feel the effects of it — sometimes even more so than my Leo Sun sign. You should also check to see what degree the Moon and Ascendant are in on your birth chart as some degrees (critical degrees) are considered more influential than others.
Considering how influential both of these are in the chart, it’s no wonder why you don’t necessarily feel as extroverted as your star sign (aka Sun sign) suggests you should.
Your Mercury Sign is Virgo
Planet Mercury rules the mind and communication. It also rules over several other domains in astrology but these are by far the most crucial. If Mercury was in the sign of Virgo at your time of birth, then your thoughts, intellect, as well as the way you communicate, pass through the filter of Virgo. This sign is, as I mentioned above, feminine, but also one of the shyest, most introspective and apprehensive signs in the zodiac.
People who have Mercury in Virgo spend a great deal of time thinking about all sorts of things and analyzing (if not over analyzing) conversations, situations, and people. I have this placement and this is precisely what I do. I analyse virtually every single word I exchange with others, oftentimes, no matter how mundane the conversation may have been. I also spend a lot of time thinking and picking situations apart.
Being a sign that is associated with shyness and extreme caution, it’s no wonder why those with this placement might be reserved and introspective! If Mercury is also heavily aspected, meaning it forms certain significant angles with other planets in the chart, then its influence is greater still. A professional astrologer, or a really detailed automated birth chart should be able to show you how its aspected. The most significant aspects are the conjuncts, trines, squares, sextiles, and oppositions.
The Sun is Aspected by Feminine Planets
Aspects are a very important part of the birth chart because they have the power to influence the way each planet behaves. Here, the Sun is in Leo, which is also the sign of rulership, so it’s the most influential Sun sign in the zodiac system. That said, it may be aspected by a few different planets. It may be heavily aspected, in fact.
The energy of the planets (or chart points) it aspects may be very different to that of the Sun, which is considered a planet in astrology. For instance, it could form a strong aspect with Neptune, which rules Pisces. This could make the native gentler, more sensitive, and introspective. If the Sun opposes the Moon, meaning you were born on a Full Moon, you will feel deeply and be influenced by the Moon and its associated sign, Cancer, a sensitive water sign.
Challenging Aspects Involving the Moon
Above I suggested looking at the aspects the Sun has made in your chart — especially the strongest ones, regardless which planets they involve. But, the Moon, which governs our emotional nature and inner world, may have some challenging aspects. These aspects may indicate a very sensitive, emotional inner nature which can sometimes lead to a tendancy to withdraw.
Your Upbringing Plays an Important Role
The way you were raised will invariably play a role in shaping your personality. If you were raised by quiet, cautious, considerate parents, you might naturally follow suit.
Other Social Conditioning
A Leo who has experienced trauma — including social rejection — early on in life might be quite hesitant around others, especially people they don’t know very well. This is a normal coping mechanism that many people who have experienced trauma use to navigate life. Being wary of others is how they protect themselves.
Ever Evolving Self-Expression
Leo is universally considered one of the most extroverted, dramatic, and expressive signs. The quintessential lion is loud, proud, flamboyant, and perfectly self-confident. But in reality, we’re all a mix of many different star signs. It’s rare that someone has just one dominant sign in their chart; it’s usually three or more, no matter what their Sun sign is. And many people have a more or less even distribution of the elements (fire, earth, air and water) in their birth charts. So while a Leo might think it strange if they don’t feel and act like one, it’s actually pretty normal.
I’m a Leo and sometimes, depending on the situation and people, I can be quite shy and unsure of myself. I also need a lot of time to myself every day as I find other people’s energies can really bother me. So, you really aren’t the only Leo out there who isn’t always wonderfully bold and self-assured. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that there are a lot more people out there who are just like us.
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