To those of us who are into astrology, we already know that a sun sign can only tell you so much. While looking into your moon and rising sign (found in your natal chart), some of us still want a deeper dive into more intricate concepts. Enter: Decans (also called decantes).
Decans are a subdivision of a sign - a way to break down each individual sign into periods of about 10 days each.
If you ever wondered why people born in the same sign can be so different, decans can help shine a light on this.
The first thing you need to know about decans is that each astrological sign occupies a total of 30 degrees of the zodiac, for a total of 360 degrees.
Your decan depends on where your birthday falls within that 30 days of your zodiac sign. Approximately speaking, the first 10 days are the of your sign is the first decan, the second 10 day span of your sign is the second decan, and the last 10 days of your sign is the third decan.
Each decan has a unique set of traits that all fit into the bigger traits of the sign. This is because second and third decans have secondary rulers, or sub-rulers, to their sign. First decans are the purest embodiment of that particular sign.
If you’re a second or third deacon, finding your sub-rulers of your sign is a little trickier. Each sign falls into one of 4 elements - fire, earth, air, and water. Each element holds 3 signs each, making it a total of 12 zodiacal signs.
Leo Season: July 23 - August 22
Leo is ruled by the sun which brings warmth, radiance, and attention to the sign. This is why Leos tend to have the confidence to light up every room they enter and enjoy widespread popularity. Typically extremely energetic, they can tend to create a whirlwind atmosphere around themselves and those in their circle.
JULY 23 - AUGUST 1 = FIRST DECAN
Leo’s in the first decan are the purest form of the sign as their subruler is the same as their ruler: The Sun.
With the Sun as both your ruler and subruler, you have a larger than life personality and likely enjoy being the center of attention. As a natural born leader, you’re sometimes seen as bossy. When you feel that you’re right, you will not back down.
First decan Leo’s love hard and they expect the same in return - you’re ego can be easily bruised but your bounce back game is strong.
First decan Leo’s are majestic and warm-blooded creatures - the cherries of charmers, if you will. There’s a powerful combination of passion, determination, + enthusiasm that happens with first decan Leo’s. This combo makes it easy to achieve success in whatever endeavor they choose to apply themselves to - add in their enormous amounts of creativity + ambition… MAGIC.
First decan Leo’s gotta watch out for the slippery slope that is perfectionism. Coupling this with the extreme ease they have at becoming a workaholic, it’s important for them to maintain balance + pace so that they do not neglect those closest to them. Perfectionism is not the same as competing with yourself and breaking your own limits. Competing with yourself to become better is a purely self-driven concept for betterment of Self; perfectionism is for external validation and involves constant comparison, unrealistic expectations, and inevitable let downs.
Confident and extroverted by nature, first decan Leo’s are typically rather outspoken and might even have a tendency to dominate conversations. This is why many perceive Leo’s to be narcissistic and attention-seeking, but don’t get it confused - first decan Leo’s possess an abundance of skills in understanding.
Extremely loving, caring, and loyal to those they deem worthy; only those who Leo adores and respects will get this side of them. When you do get in on this side of Leo, it’s not uncommon for them to show their love with pampering and thoughtful gifts as Leo will happily do whatever is needed to put a smile on your face.
A combination of skill, imagination, and variety - these first decan Leo’s tend to have some pretty big plans for themselves. They also absolutely hate to be seen as weak and have an extremely sensitive egos.
AUGUST 2 - AUGUST 12 = SECOND DECAN
Second decan Leo’s have the subruler of Jupiter which is what gives them a generally positive outlook on life. Second decan Leo is a seeker of knowledge and usually has some pretty good advice for others. Be careful not to become overly confident and stuck in your ways. Self awareness not to overindulge in things like eating, drinking, + spending money are also absolute key as these Leo’s tend tp take their love for a good time to the extreme very easily.
With Jupiter being the subruler of second decan Leo, they’re likely a combination of smooth talkers + very charming with a heavy dose of free-spirited, fun loving characters. Solid and tough, they do not back down from challenges easily - they’re actually often at their best when facing problems + difficulties.
Second decan Leo is an ambitious lifetime learner and always craving knowledge.
Opportunities for an increasingly more radiant future come easily to them no matter whether they create, attract, or find them.
Champions of the underdogs and protectors of the weak, these Leos are extraordinarily faithful to those they feel close to. They tend to have a delightful sense of humor which helps to brighten the lives of those who seem to be facing cloudy days. People tend to gravitate towards them for the jokes and funny stories as they’re filled with much charm, warmth, and wit.
Optimists who love the spotlight, they have a hard time finding the dull side of life and have a gift for finding silver linings. Their caring and generous hearts love to offer positive support to loved ones who seem to get tossed around by the ill tides of life. All problems are solvable with their encouraging words and can-do attitude. They tend to have a rather astounding ability to express their thoughts rather intelligently.
Playing just as hard as they work, they tend to be successful in whatever it is that they do. Biggest assets of a second decan Leo is their courage and philosophical thinking.
AUGUST 13 - AUGUST 22 = THIRD DECAN
With the sub-ruling planet of Mars, third decan Leos are very passionate + driven, unafraid to speak their mind, and tend to be direct and to the point. They can also be incredibly stubborn and hard-headed; though they will back up and stand behind those they love.
Mars has an extreme effect on these people which causes them to be driven and daring as well as completely diabolical when it comes to going after what they want. Their urge for change and desire to keep moving forward make laying around and doing nothing all day extremely unhealthy for these folks.
What separates these Leos from the other 2 decans is they depend on others to do things for them, make decisions for them, or for their self-worth. They have a tremendous amount of strength and courage, but their patience is fleeting at best. This causes them to jump into things with both feet and throwing caution to the wind. Lots of impetuousness and impulsiveness, not as much caution and care.
With big dreams and aspirations, its possible for them to make things happen as they posses excessive amounts of vigor, enthusiasm, and can be extremely dynamic. In order to accomplish these big dreams, they must prioritize taking action themselves, becoming more self-reliant, and becoming their own source and sounding voice for their self-worth.
Sometimes stubborn and opinionated to a point that they ignore well-meaning advice if it comes unsolicited. They tend to ignore good ideas when it proposes the idea that they may actually be wrong and they feel like they have to admit that - even if no one is requesting or requiring this of them. They also have a tendency to spend money in a careless fashion.
Very truthful and honest, people easily misread their words for being attacking and criticizing - this usually isn’t what third decan Leo is intending, they’re simply sharing what they truly feel can help them become better people. Third decan Leos should keep in mind the difference between brutal honesty and loving honesty is radical compassion - this is key into developing communication with the ones they care about.
Aside from their big, fiery, flame shooting temper - they’re generally well meaning, gentle and kind.
I hope you enjoyed this lil dive into the decans of Leo!
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