The Leo Eclipse Is Asking You to Stop Performing. Here's the Ritual I Used to Actually Let Go.

Have you ever felt something shift before you could explain why? That's exactly the magic that was present in our She Rises Moon Circle last night. Women walked in tired in that specific way you get from holding everything together for everyone else, and walked out lighter, like they'd set something down they didn't even realize they were still carrying. If you weren't in the room, I want to bring you into it, because what we uncovered together doesn't expire when the circle ends. It's alive for the next few weeks, and it might be exactly what you need right now.

Here's the truth I see in almost every woman I coach: you are exhausted from being who everyone else needs you to be. You've gotten so good at reading a room, anticipating what will keep the peace, and shaping yourself into whatever earns approval, that you've lost track of who you actually are underneath all of it. You call it being easygoing. Being helpful. Being "not a big deal." But quietly, it's costing you.

That's what eclipse season is for.

This Eclipse Is a Course Correction, Not a Punishment

I want you to sit with that line for a second, because most of us were raised to believe that endings mean we failed at something. That closing a chapter means we didn't try hard enough to keep it open.

This eclipse isn't asking you to fix yourself. It's putting you where you need to be for a clean start. The identities, roles, and versions of you that have been quietly falling apart this year aren't falling apart because something is wrong with you. They're falling apart because they were never really you to begin with. They were the you that got approval. The you that performed acceptance instead of feeling it.

Bold, fiery, heart-centered energy is in full shine right now. And it's asking you to release perfectionism and choose courage instead. Not perfect courage. Just the kind that lets you dance, create, sing, or do the one thing that makes your inner child feel alive again, even if it looks messy.

The Questions I Asked My Circle Last Night

Before any ritual, before any release, we sat with these. I'd invite you to actually write these out, not just think about them:

• Who have I been seeking approval from lately?
• How might I give that approval to myself?
• Where have I been performing for acceptance?
• How might I give myself that acceptance and show up more authentically?
• Where have I been playing small?
• What would happen if I stopped playing small? (Let the fear that comes up talk. It's pointing you toward what still needs healing.)
• If I truly believed I couldn't fail, I would...

Answer that last one three times. The first answer is usually the safe one. The third is usually the true one.

The Ritual: Burning What You've Outgrown

If you want to work with this energy in a tangible way, here's the ritual we did together. It takes about fifteen minutes and it's simple, but don't let simple fool you. It works.

You'll need: bay leaves or small thin pieces of paper, a sharpie or pen, matches or a lighter, a bowl you can safely burn in (metal or ceramic), and a glass of water nearby.

Part one, the release. On your bay leaves or paper, write down the identity, role, or chapter that's ending in you, or the version of yourself you've outgrown. Go outside, somewhere damp and safe, and light it over your bowl. As it burns, say out loud, "With these flames, I release thee." Watch it burn into nonexistence. Keep the water close, and always burn responsibly.

Part two, the calling in. Take a loose piece of paper and write down the version of yourself you're stepping into, or the version you're finally allowing to exist. Fold the paper toward you, with the writing on the inside, sealing this new version of you in. Place it under your pillow tonight, and let it stay there through the rest of eclipse season, until August 31st.

What to Do With Yourself for the Next Few Weeks

Here's where most high-achieving women get it wrong. They finish a release like this and immediately start looking for the next goal to chase, the next decision to make, the next way to prove the transformation "worked."

Not yet. Eclipse season is asking you to pause on big decisions until August 31st. Instead, use this window to gather information. Feel out what's actually present, without rushing to fix it or act on it. When September 1st comes, you'll be ready to decide from a grounded place, rooted in who you are and what you want, instead of what's expected of you.

In the meantime? Play. Genuinely, unapologetically play. Sing badly in your kitchen. Make something with your hands that has no purpose other than delighting you. Summer is about fire, expression, and finally celebrating everything you've worked so hard for all year. There is no perfection in play. Let yourself have this.

Where to Start If You're Not Sure What You're Releasing

If you read all of this and felt something tighten in your chest, that's not a coincidence. That tightness is usually the first sign that people-pleasing has been running the show longer than you realized, quietly shaping your decisions, your relationships, and how much of yourself you've been willing to show.

Before you can release a pattern, you have to actually see it clearly. That's exactly what this quiz is built to do.

Take the People-Pleasing Personality Quiz →

It only takes a few minutes, and it will show you exactly where your people-pleasing shows up most, so you know precisely what to work with as this eclipse energy clears the way.

One More Thing

Want to be part of the next circle? Our next full moon gathering is August 27th, and it's the first of its kind. Grab your ticket before it fills up.

And if any of this stirred something up for you, I'm here. Reply to this post or book a chemistry call, no strings attached.

I'll see you at the next one.

Raina