Don't Sleep on Power Wishes — Especially on This Leo New Moon Solar Eclipse

Ok, I need to tell you about something that changed how I think about the moon completely. Years ago I stumbled onto this practice called a Power Wish.

Not a wish — a Power Wish, and the distinction actually matters. It was created by Keiko, a well-known astrologer in Japan, and the whole idea comes down to this: twice a month, on the new moon and the full moon, you sit down and ask for what you want.

Here's how it actually works. On the new moon, you're planting something, so instead of writing "I wish I could travel more," you'd write it like it's already decided: "I intend to travel regularly and expand my experiences." Then, on the full moon, you're not asking anymore — you're saying thank you. You take that same wish and write it like it already happened: "I am thankful for all the trips I've been taking lately. Thank you so much." You water what you planted with gratitude instead of asking twice. And here's the part I love most: the moon doesn't just do new moon, full moon, the same way every time. It moves through all twelve zodiac signs across the year, and every sign brings its own flavor to the wish. Cancer's good at home and family stuff. Capricorn's your career sign. Libra wants to talk about partnership. And Leo? Leo's about joy, confidence, being seen instead of shrinking. Keiko's own Leo examples in the book aren't shy about it — she has readers commit to leading with their best qualities and living more confidently, starting immediately, no hedging. And on a Leo full moon, the wish flips into gratitude for that exact shift already having happened — something like being fully thankful your confidence has come back, that people are finally seeing you the way you always hoped they would.

And then there's your own moon sign — this is the part that gets me every time Twice a year, the moon lines up with your personal moon sign — once as a new moon, once as a full — and when it does, you don't have to follow the themes of that moon sign at all. You can wish for whatever you'd like instead, just keep the same format: "I intend to..." for the new moon, or "I am so grateful for... thank you so much!" for the full moon. I'm a Leo moon, so my two days are the Leo New Moon during Leo season, and the Leo Full Moon during Aquarius season. I look forward to both every single year. But this year, August 12, is different — it's not just my moon sign's new moon. It's also an eclipse. so let's talk about why that mattersA new moon happens every single month, but an eclipse doesn't. An eclipse only happens when that new moon lines up almost exactly with the sun, and lands close enough to one of the exact points in space where eclipses happen. That alignment is tight enough to occur only a couple times a year, and when it does, the moon's shadow actually falls across the earth.

Now, a lot of witches, and folks who work with elemental magic more broadly, will tell you it's best to avoid doing any kind of magic during an eclipse. The reasoning makes sense and I typically agree — eclipses bring in fast, fated energy, even though it can take up to six months for a total solar eclipse's full impact to actually show up in your life. So when it comes to writing Power Wishes and working with eclipse energy specifically, my honest take is: be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Keiko writes about this too — she describes eclipses as basically supercharged moons. So for real, be thoughtful about what you're asking for when you work with one of these., because it does work. I've got several friends who regularly follow the new and full moons just to write their Power Wishes.

So what does a Leo New Moon paired with a solar eclipse in Leo actually help you tap into? Big stuff, mostly: building the life you actually want instead of the one you settled into, living boldly instead of playing small, turning whatever insecurity you've been sitting with into real appreciation for what makes you you. It's good for self-promotion, for finally getting seen and acknowledged for what you do, for stepping into a version of your life that just feels more luxurious and enjoyable. Got a hobby you've kept separate from how you make money? This is the energy that helps turn it into income. If life's felt monotonous lately, this can definitely shake it up. It's a strong window for leadership, or for anything entertainment-related, anything that puts you on a stage in some form. And physically, it tends to touch anything to do with the heart, the back, posture, circulation — the stuff tied to how you literally carry yourself. If you want to go deeper into her actual method — the real anchoring language, the specific wording she says plugs your wish into the universe — go read the book, or follow her at @keikopowerwish. But if you’re interested in this, you should definitely subscribe to the email list so you’re notified when the next post is released. And in the next one, I'm going to walk you through exactly how I'm using my New Moon in Leo/Solar Eclipse in Leo energy with a little candle magic ritual. Stay tuned!