"Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray." — Rumi
The Buck Moon – 29th July
The Full Moon on 29 July, traditionally known as the Buck Moon, falls across the Leo–Aquarius axis, illuminating the tension between individuality and belonging. Leo asks us to bring forward our warmth, creativity and courage, while Aquarius reminds us that our gifts are not ours alone, but part of something larger.
This Moon invites us to notice where we have made ourselves smaller to remain connected or sought recognition at the expense of genuine contribution. Its question is both personal and collective: How can I belong without disappearing, and shine without making everything about me?
Gate 31 — Influence
You don’t manufacture influence with this Gate; you become ready to receive it, and it arrives when the people around you are ready to be led. The shadow is arrogance, leading from ego rather than readiness, mistaking the invitation for an entitlement. The gift is leadership itself, guidance offered because it’s needed and because you’re the right person to offer it. The pinnacle is humility, holding real influence so lightly that it never occurs to you to grip it. The dilemma is choice: once you’re recognised as a leader, you’re also handed the discomfort of deciding, and there’s no version of leadership that lets you dodge that.
Line 5 is Being Farsighted, the capacity to hold a clear intention for a good outcome and stay with it. Some people manage this through quiet inner certainty, simply knowing the direction is right. Others need the scaffolding of discipline, a structure that keeps them pointed at the outcome even when certainty goes quiet. Both routes are valid. What matters is that the outcome stays clear enough to lead others toward it.
Bottle 31 — The Hermit
The Colour Mirrors system pairs this Gate with Bottle 31, The Hermit, in pale green over deep green. It’s named for the Tarot card of the same name, and it speaks to a need most leaders are reluctant to admit: the need to withdraw.
If you’re drawn to this bottle, it’s often a sign that life’s responsibilities have piled up faster than you’ve had time to digest them. The invitation is to stop, go inward, and let whatever you’ve been through settle rather than being yet another thing you’re carrying. This bottle works at the level of the heart, and its real gift is the capacity to make a difference in the world from that grounded place. Left unexpressed, that same capacity can tip into martyrdom, giving and giving until there’s a grievance underneath the giving.
Gate 31 asks you to lead. Bottle 31 insists you can only do that sustainably from a full cup. Withdraw first, rest properly, let the lesson land, and the influence that follows will come from genuine capacity rather than obligation.
Working with August's Energy
You might like to ponder:
- Where have I made myself smaller to stay included, and what would it look like to take up my space instead?
- Is there somewhere I’ve been chasing recognition when what I really wanted was connection?
- What would proper rest look like for me right now, before I try to lead, give, or influence anything else?
Book Corner
This month I’m recommending Letters to a Young Seeker: Departing Thoughts from an Elder by Neale Donald Walsch, a book Heidi Tyler kindly pointed me towards. It’s twenty-one short letters, the insights he considers most worth passing on after a lifetime spent asking life’s biggest questions, each one paired with a poem by his wife, Em Claire. There’s something delightful about an elder choosing to lead simply by handing over what he’s learned, no fanfare required, which felt like exactly the kind of influence Gate 31 is pointing us toward this month.
Listen In
I recently joined The Intuitive Writing School podcast for a conversation about Human Design and writing, exploring how understanding your own energy can change not just what you write but how you go about writing it. If you’d like a listen, you’ll find it here:
The Inner Forge — August's New Moon Circle
Our next New Moon Circle is on Wednesday 12th August at 7:00–8:30pm BST. These monthly gatherings with Kit Mills, Mark Stevens, and myself are a space to pause, tend your inner fire, and reconnect in good company. We’d love to welcome you.
Final Thoughts
