You may or may not have heard – yet – about Labubu, but the internet has. The Labubu fever is real – and yes, even grown-ups are losing it.
What’s Labubu?
Labubu is a toy from Hong Kong that has gone viral on the internet. The ‘Labubu craze,’ much like other collectible trends, started in Asia – and, like the Pokémons – has made its way into a world-wide phenomenon.
In many ways, the Labubu phenomenon is a great example of the energy of the New Moon in Leo on July 24th opposite Pluto.
Why Labubu in the context of the New Moon in Leo?
Let’s start with the obvious: Labubu – a toy – channels the child-like Leo spirit.
But what makes Labubu different and more than just a ‘cute toy’ is its grin and mischievous energy. Labubu basically captures the essence of the child – the inner joy and radiance – but also the wildness, the unpredictability, and the playful defiance.
It’s basically a ‘safe villain’ – a psychological stand-in for our inner mischief and weirdness – but without the real-world consequences.
The toy’s exaggerated expressions (big eyes, weird grin, “gremlin” energy) mirror how we might feel on the inside but can’t express in adult life. Labubu is both shadow and light – and in the balance, we find emotional resonance.
As children, mischievousness comes almost as a package with our cuteness and radiance. We don’t judge it – but we’re also not so self-reflective about it.
As adults, we judge it so much, that we can no longer tap – authentically – into it. The mischievousness is gone – and so is the radiance.
Growing up, we gradually distance ourselves from our basic wiring – and this slowly disconnects us from our sense of self and authenticity.
The integration of the mischief energy however is key to our psychological development, much like the Achilles’ heel of our individuation process. We now call it shadow – the parts of ourselves we repress, and project onto others.
Labubu’s little grin perfectly captures the Leo–Pluto tension between the desire to be seen in our full radiance, and the fear of what might be revealed when we truly express ourselves.
At some unconscious or symbolic level, we recognize this tension, and we are drawn to it. Childhood regression? Maybe – but if this is what helps us ‘own’ and integrate parts of ourselves we’d otherwise disown – why not?
Psychodrama is a therapeutic method that allows us to act out our emotions – and it has shown great success with people who might not respond to other forms of more ‘intellectual’ type of therapy, because it bypasses the rational mind and goes straight into embodied expression.
The regular adult is overly self-aware and of course, very much identified with our adult roles, and from that place, it’s almost impossible to face the shadow.
Even people who’ve done a great deal of work still have elements of the shadow to integrate.
In fact, the more work we’ve done, the more ‘intelligent’ we are, the better we become at rationalizing and removing ourselves from encounters with the shadow.
New Moon in Leo – Message #1
It’s safer – and very often, beneficial – to explore our shadow through play.
Look for playful outlets, act out your quirks and impulses. In the process of connecting to your creative mischief, you might encounter a part of yourself you’d otherwise overlook.
New Moon In Leo – Authenticity Vs. Fitting In
The New Moon in Leo is opposite Pluto in Aquarius, triggering the Leo/Aquarius axis.
The Leo/Aquarius polarity is about finding the balance between being true to ourselves (Leo) and feeling meaningfully integrated in society (Aquarius).
Something like: “I stand for who I am – zero compromises” vs. “Have I sold myself for the sake of being accepted, to the point that I forgot who I am?”
How can we stay true to ourselves and also keep up with the times?
We often hear things like: “He sold his soul,” or “She’s changed since she joined that group. I can no longer recognize her.”
But what’s the line between a person who’s truly lost themselves in a compromising tradeoff, and a well-adjusted adult who is simply evolving with the cultural currents around them?
Oppositions (like this New Moon opposite Pluto) will feel like it’s a binary choice – either/or.
But it’s not.
We are a unique individual on our own – there’s no 2 people exactly the same – and also the product of our times.
The same genetic makeup can express very differently depending on the cultural background or historical period a person is born into.
Like it or not, a significant part of who we are reflects the society we grow up in – and that’s entirely natural. We’re not born in isolation. We are social beings, shaped by our environment, and we need others to survive.
So yes – fitting in, belonging to a group, is very important. Yet it shouldn’t come at the cost of forgetting who we are. As with most things in life, it’s all about finding a balance.
Are you more in the Leo, authenticity-first energy? Or the Aquarius, group-first energy?
Let’s take Labubu as an example:
A strong Leo response could be: “Labubu? Not interested. The world has gone crazy.”
A strong Aquarius response might be: “It’s trendy. It’s cool. I too want a Labubu!”
As with all the waves – from music, fashion, or lifestyle trends that change with the times, to the technological revolution – do you tend to resist and stick to what you know? Or do you jump on anything new, while sometimes forgetting what’s truly you and what you really like?
New Moon in Leo – Message #2
Where are you on the me-society spectrum?
New Moon in Leo – The Role You Want To Play In This New Reality
Now let’s look at the larger picture of the New Moon in Leo. The New Moon at 2° Leo is not only opposite Pluto in Aquarius, but also trine Neptune/Saturn in Aries and sextile Uranus in Gemini.
The geometry of this New Moon is amazing – it literally aspects all the slow-moving planets: triggering the newly formed Pluto/Neptune/Uranus minor triangle – an auspicious configuration that will unfold over the next few years.
This New Moon in Leo is the first meaningful personal transit to activate this larger setup. With the New Moon in Leo, we are tapping into world 2.0 – the next version of reality, already downloading into our collective field.
There’s a world of opportunity awaiting the brave. The question is: will we rise to what it takes to make the most of it?
Because before we can fully harness the future-building energy of the Uranus-Pluto trine or the inspiring potential of the Neptune-Uranus and Neptune-Pluto sextiles, we must first move through the intensity of the Pluto opposition.
The world is changing – radically, irreversibly – and the deeper question becomes: What role do we want to play in it?
At this New Moon in Leo, we’re tuning into larger forces at play – and we’re being called to step in with Leo courage and claim our role in this emerging reality.
This is a time to remember and reclaim what’s unique about you – your voice, your life story, your gifts, your creative quirks, your boldness – the qualities only you can bring (Leo).
… and then ask yourself: How much of the new world – with its explosive progress, cultural disruption, artificial intelligence, or whatever the trend may be – do I want to embrace?
We always have a choice – however Pluto warns: right now, staying in the comfort zone is not our best bet. Times are a-changing, and it’s in our best interest to evolve along with them.
The Sun and Moon (New Moon) – our core identity – opposing Pluto might feel like an ego death. But it can also be an ego breakthrough.
Growth begins when we dare to let go of outdated identities – and step into the role our evolution demands.
This New Moon is an invitation to start becoming who we’re really meant to be. Because this new world needs the real you, at full power.
New Moon in Leo – Message #3
What role do you want to play in this new reality?
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The post New Moon In Leo – Labubu Craze first appeared on Astro Butterfly.
