I’m not someone who lights candles for every new moon — but the eclipse new moons, I never miss. The first time I sat down and actually did the ritual properly, on a Leo eclipse a few years back, I wrote down something I’d been too scared to say out loud, and the months that followed genuinely rearranged themselves around it. So when the new moon solar eclipse in Leo arrives on August 12, 2026, I’ll be doing this again, and I want to walk you through exactly how.
Eclipses turn the usual new-moon “fresh start” energy up to a roar. This one lands in courageous, heart-led Leo, which makes it about authentic self-expression, confidence, and the nerve to want what you actually want. Below is the full release-and-manifest ritual I use, what to let go of, what to call in, and the mistakes that quietly waste the window.
Why This New Moon Hits So Hard
A new moon is always a clean slate — a dark sky, a blank page for the seeds of a new cycle. A solar eclipse new moon is that same energy magnified many times over, because the Moon lines up so exactly with the Sun that it briefly blocks it entirely. The reset button doesn’t get tapped; it gets pressed and held. Whatever you begin around now carries the momentum of the next six months behind it, which is why I take it seriously.
One honest caveat I always give: traditional astrology suggests waiting a day or two after an eclipse before doing intense manifestation work, because the energy can be chaotic and revealing rather than calm. I personally use eclipse day itself for gentle reflection and releasing, then set my boldest intentions a couple of days later once things have settled. There’s no single correct way to do this — trust your own read, and let your comfort matter more than any rule you find online.
Why Manifesting Under Leo Feels Different
Manifesting under a Leo eclipse has a particular flavour, and it’s not a modest one. Leo is the sign of the heart, the performer, the radiant self — so this isn’t the moment for small, sensible, safe little wishes. It’s the moment to name the things you secretly long for and rarely let yourself admit: the creative dream, the recognition, the bold love, the life that actually feels like yours. Leo rewards courage and honesty, so the more truthfully you name what your heart wants — not what you think you’re supposed to want — the more this window does for you. Let yourself be a little audacious. I always set one intention that genuinely scares me.
What to Release First
Before you can call anything in, you have to make room. Leo rules the heart and the ego, so this eclipse is especially good for releasing whatever dims your light. The things I find worth letting go of:
- The need for approval. The habit of shrinking yourself so everyone around you stays comfortable.
- Fear of being seen. Hiding your talents, your voice, or your real desires because visibility feels risky.
- Self-doubt and the harsh inner voice that insists you’re somehow both “too much” and “not enough.”
- Creative blocks — whatever’s been stopping you from making the thing you keep thinking about.
- Roles and relationships that dull your shine, the ones you’ve quietly outgrown but keep gripping anyway.
You cannot pour new dreams into hands still clenched around old fears. Release first — then receive.
What to Call In
Leo’s territory makes this a strong window for confidence, creativity, and joy. As you decide what to set your sights on, lean into Leo themes: confidence and self-belief, stepping into your power without apology; the creative project, art, or business you keep dreaming about; more romance, play, and heart-led love; visibility and recognition for your gifts; and bold, honest self-expression in everyday life. Pick the two or three that make your chest tighten a little when you read them — that flicker of fear usually means it’s the real one.
My Step-by-Step Eclipse Ritual
Here’s the ritual I actually do. Set aside about thirty quiet minutes and gather a candle, a journal, and a pen. If you have them, a crystal or two (citrine or clear quartz suit Leo’s sunny energy) and a calming essential oil are nice, but they’re entirely optional — your intention is the real ingredient.
- Create the space. Tidy your spot, light a gold or white candle, and take several slow breaths to actually arrive in the moment instead of doing it half-distracted.
- Release on paper. Write down everything you’re ready to let go of. Then safely burn the page over a sink, or tear it up, and feel yourself handing it over as you do.
- Write your desires as already true. Use the present tense: “I am confident, visible, and creatively fulfilled.” Don’t just write it — pause and feel what that would actually be like in your body.
- Choose one bold action. Pick a single concrete step you’ll take this week toward your biggest intention. Momentum is what separates a wish from a manifestation.
- Close with gratitude. Thank the universe and yourself, blow out the candle, and let yourself trust that what’s meant for you is already on its way.
The Mistakes That Waste the Window
To make the most of this, sidestep a few common traps I’ve fallen into myself. Don’t be vague — “I want to be happy” does far less than a specific, felt intention. Don’t fixate on how it will happen; your job is the what and the why, and the how tends to arrive sideways. Don’t quietly ask for less than you want out of fear of disappointment. And don’t set an intention and then live in direct contradiction to it — this is intention plus aligned action. Plant the seed, then actually water it.
After the Ritual: Let It Breathe
Manifestation isn’t forcing; it’s clarity, aligned action, and trust. After the ritual, keep your intentions somewhere you’ll see them, take small steps toward them, and stay open to things arriving in shapes you didn’t predict. Eclipse seeds can take weeks or months to surface — some of what you plant now will show up around the corresponding full moon and beyond, so don’t panic if nothing happens overnight.
Most of all, be gentle with yourself. This season is intense, and the bravest thing you can do is keep believing in your own light even when the path isn’t lit up yet. In my experience, that quiet faith is doing more work than it looks like.
What I’d Tell a Friend
This eclipse is a rare, radiant invitation to release your fears and claim your boldest dreams. Use the ritual to clear what’s been weighing on you and to plant real intentions for the six months ahead.
So light the candle, open your heart, and let yourself want what you want without apologising for the size of it. The timing is on your side — your only job is to be brave enough to name the dream and take the first step.