Leo decan 1 is ruled by Saturn. The sun shimmers through the constellations of the Great Bear, the Crab and the Great Ship from July 23 to August 2. This section of the zodiac contains most of Sidereal Cancer, known as the Gate Of Man, where souls entered into incarnation. Directly opposite in Capricorn is where we find the Gate of Souls where the man leaves his physical body. In the heart of Cancer we find the beehive cluster of stars, which do resemble a little star nursery. This is an industrious zone though, and with Saturn ruling this decan we find a strong work ethic, family pride and a dutiful spirit.
Leo decan 1 are extremely dedicated to their field of endeavor. Some may pursue a career for the sole reason of achieving high status. They need to be seen as the boss, the leader of the pack or the queen bee. They do not like to play the role of the underling. However they will doff their hat and play the loyal servant if they have to, anything to get up the ladder. Watch your back though Caesar, these folk are trying on your crown when you are not looking. The biggest problem for this decan is coveting what others have and greed.
Stately Elevators & Busy Bees
Leo decan 1 can be overly defensive. If threatened, the Cancer shell can harden into Saturn armour. This is when the famous Leo pride only intensifies their resolve never to show their vulnerable soft core. Encased in that hard skull though is an incredible brain. The Egyptians saw the crab as their sacred scarab beetle. If you look at it from above it resembles a brain, and represents the path to enlightenment in balancing the right and left hemispheres. Leo decan one have equal amounts of logic and intuition and they use this to create practical objects that are also beautiful. Everything they create is built to last and has a solid foundation and their craftsmanship is second to none.
With this brain-balancing ability these Lions also have the ability to teach others meditation and other mind-harnessing techniques. They can also be fascinated by psychology. Sometimes their logic takes over and they can be skeptics. However their wonderful intuition is a great back-up when science cannot explain it for them. This is because they have a hotline to the wisdom of their ancestors through the star cluster in the heart of Cancer. The pineal gland in the Scarab “brain” maybe? Leo in general is supposed to have prophetic ability and I think this comes from this past/future connection. Bringing up the new generation and leaving a legacy to them is hugely important to Leo decan 1. They are very proud of their roots and ancestry. Feeling part of a continuum in history and preserving family traditions and talents seem to be a theme with this decan.
Leo 2º 48’ ~ Talitha in the front paw of Ursa Major the Great Bear 3.0*
Leo 4º 15’ ~ Al Tarf in the southern hind foot of Cancer the Crab 3.8
Leo 6º 02’ ~ Azmidiske in Puppis of Argo the Great Ship 3.5
Leo 7º 20’ ~ Praesaepe in the Beehive Cluster in Cancer the Crab 3.7
Leo 7º 32’ ~ Asellus Borealis the Northern Donkey In Cancer the Crab 4.7
Leo 8º 43’ ~ Asellus Australis the Southern Donkey in Cancer the Crab 4.2
*Magnitude. Star positions for the year 2000.
Talitha in the bear means “daughter of the assembly”. Robson gives no meaning for it, but it is associated with a bible story where Jesus is called to revive a dying girl. Jesus says “Talitha arise”. So this star can bring healing and compassion along with Ursa Minor’s other protective, nurturing traits. This side of Leo decan 1 is less obvious, as mostly the natives of sidereal Cancer are keen merchants and not seen in the soft, maternal Lunar light as they are today in tropical Cancer. Al Tarf resides in the Crabs foot. Manilus says of this constellation gives “skill in making profits; he enables a man to carry his investment of foreign merchandise from city to city and, …to search out under foreign skies fresh sources of gain, and from the high price of his goods to amass sudden wealth.…His is a shrewd nature, and he is ready to fight for his profits.” 
Al Tarf is sometimes translated as the Glance of the Lions eye, for the Arabs constellation Leo was much larger and comprised of gifted Spica in Virgo and even some of Gemini. One can imagine that “glance of a Lion” could easily overpower a business rival. Azmidiske is found in the stern of Argo. This great ship is “said to give prosperity in trade and voyages, and strength of mind and spirit.” The Puppis is the stern at the back of the ship where in antiquity you would find gorgeous elaborate woodwork. Leo decan 1 have a great appreciation for beauty and the arts. The Latin word Puppis means “a doll or small image, the Romans and other ancient seafaring peoples had a small sacred idol or image affixed to the stern, where the deity it represented could watch over the vessel” Often these protectors were beasts and frequently they were indeed depicted as Lions. Of course it is common to see lion statues grace the gateways to the houses of the nouveau riche. We are definitely getting a strong protective lioness theme here. The Great mother bear of Ursa Major symbolizes quiet, female strength that only turns violent if she has to defend her cubs.
The stars of the constellation of Cancer are all quite dim, but the star cluster Praesaepe in the heart of the crab, M44, is a striking feature. It is known as the Beehive Cluster because it contains a swarm of forty-plus stars which are visible to the naked eye as a dust cloud. Praesaepe also means crib, stable or enclosure, and indeed surrounding this cluster are two donkeys. The stars Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis guard the beehive crib. “ This might be the origin, as seen in nativity pictures of the birth of Christ, of the positioning of a donkey always behind the manger” [2.] Since this constellation of is thought to be the gate of men, this interpretation it being the crib and birthplace of Christ is entirely appropriate.
The Beehive Cluster
There are some incredibly negative interpretations for this sacred birthing place however. Early 20th century astrologers seem to focus on the grasping, shifty, sideways gate of the Crab and the fact it is a mere animal. And as usual anything with a spiritual connection seems to bring in addiction problems too; Ebertin says of the crustacean “One can observe a craving for and abuse of stimulants, luxury foodstuffs, narcotic, drugs and heavy smoking.” While Robson maintains Praesaepe “causes disease, disgrace, adventure, insolence, wantonness, brutality, blindness” But he doesn’t forget the busy beehive connection, so he then adds it gives “ industry, order and fecundity; and makes its natives fortunate though liable to loss through others, and the founders of large businesses.” Robson brands anyone with the Sun Praesaepe as having an “Evil disposition (used to be a term in astrology for homosexuality), murderer or murdered, blows, stabs (operations nowadays for blows, stabs, wounds), serious accidents, shooting, execution, banishment, imprisonment…..” Also for Praesaepe rising “Blindness, injuries to the face, sickness, violent fevers, wounds in face and arms, stabs, violent lust, imprisonment, exile….” Oh dear. Violent lust? One could say this may be the case for Aleister Crowley who had it rising by 17′.
Since Praesaepe is a nebulae then we must give it a very tight orb and remember there is always a high vibration alternative. Blindness of the Nebulae and clusters can also be inner vision and the ability to “see” into other dimensions. Remember in ancient times this “Blindness” could be short-sightedness. Which would’ve been a real handicap before the invention of glasses. Here is an interesting interpretation for both the beehive and the asses from Ebertin; “the Chinese gave this group of stars in Cancer the name “the spirit of the ancestors” and were of the opinion that if conjunct the Moon they would have peculiar experiences with the realms of the dead.” 
Leo decan 1 has prophetic ability because they have an unusually strong connection with their ancestors and recently passed relatives. They may even travel with an entourage of spirit guides which means their lives could feel very fated. These Lions may have near-death experiences or be guided away from a fatal situation just in the nick of time. This gives them the famous Lions courage. They may feel like they are the proverbial cat with 9 lives and be quite fearless because if this. Some may even make a career from the connection to their guardian angels. A good example of Praesaepe in action is an astrologer. They deal with birthcharts, very appropriate for the Gate Of Men birth place and the symbolism of the nativity scene.
At first glance this Saturn ruled decan of Leo may seem quite unassuming since it is not filled many large or famous stars. Leo decan 1 has an stately, serene power due to its connection with Christ consciousness. You can see it in the quality of some of the famous people below. There are some great seers. This section can be very materialistic, but once its subjects have achieved high status and wealth, their motivation to elevate becomes more spiritual.
Sun: Carl Jung, Demetra George, Gwen Plumb, Jessica Adams, Amelia Earhart, Benito Mussolini, Henry Ford, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Helen Mirren, Wes Craven, Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Jennifer Lopez, George Bernard Shaw, George Grosz, Marcel Duchamp, Louise Brown, Alan Whicker.
Moon: Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Ringo Starr, Peter Ustinov, Paul Hogan, Nancy Reagan, David Cameron, Michael York, Marlene Dietrich, Mark Rockefeller, David Bowie, Jack Osbourne, Jason Donovan, Gloria Steinhem, Captain Smith of Titanic, Cindy Sherman, Charlotte Church, James II Of England, James I Of England, Joseph McCarthy, Jimmy Swaggart.
Ascendant: George W Bush, Michael Moore, Aleister Crowley, Edgar Cayce, Aaron Spelling, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Russell Crowe, Jack Nicholson, Ian Holm, Jeremy Irons, Julie Waters, Steve Martin, Sandra Bernhard, Kenneth Williams, Robbie Williams, Alanis Morrisette, Lisa Marie Presley, Nancy Sinatra, Keith Emerson, Chris Buckley, Ennio Morricone, Erik Satie, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Charles Prince Of Wales, George III Of England, Neil Kinnock, Dominique Strauss-Khan, Edwina Currie, Dylan Thomas, Evelyn Waugh, Pablo Picasso, M. C Esher, Yves Tanguy, Moses Annenberg, Pluto Discovery.