Leo & Kawakawa

Leo is our vitality, our inner Sun. In medical astrology, Leo rules the heart, cardiovascular system, the muscles of the back & parts of the spine. Areas that hold our life force & help us to stand tall. 

Flamboyant Leo has a flair for living the good life, & when it shines it radiates warmth & confidence. As a fixed fire sign, they are naturally strong & athletic with good endurance. They run hot, & can be prone to inflammation, especially if they are taking a decadent lifestyle to extremes. Herbs & foods that are high in antioxidants help to balance & nourish their bodies. 

The Sun in astrology also represents our identity or ego. When our ego takes a hit, or we experience heartbreak or trauma, this impacts on our confidence & self esteem, & we may look to others for validation. For those with Leo placements, when the inner Sun has been dampened, it may manifest as heart & circulatory issues, back pain or depression.

A rākau I find to have a special affinity with Leo anatomy is Kawakawa. It's a wonderful heart tonic, used to support the heart & reduce high blood pressure. As a warming circulatory stimulant, it improves blood flow around the body. It has an adaptogenic quality, being restorative for those under high levels of stress & suffering from fatigue. 

In te ao Māori, there is a pūrākau (story) which traces the whakapapa (origin & lineage) of Kawakawa directly to the prime creator Io, who gifted Kawakawa to Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) to soothe the heartbreak of her violent separation from Rangi-nui (Sky Father). 

Kawakawa also happens to be supportive of organs that absorb the impact of heartbreak & trauma- the lungs, which hold grief- & kidneys, associated with holding fear in TCM. There is so much depth to our traditional pūrākau, & Kawakawa is an amazing native panacea of Aotearoa.