The new Moon

At this new Moon, Sun and Moon occupy Scorpio, which is ruled by Pluto; Pluto is positioned in stern Capricorn, but there is no aspect between it and the Sun-Moon dyad. The sign Scorpio is mostly about power, as explained in this article at Cafe Astrology, which gives some excellent insights into the sign.

Looking for some inspiration on Pluto in Capricorn square its ruler Saturn (in Libra), I came across a gem by Elsa Elsa, titled "Saturn Square Pluto - Amputations Left And Right!" Part of it is quoted below; be sure to look at the whole article. Cowabunga!

It is possible to take energy in (even very negative energy) and transform it into something fantastic. People do this all the time and we all see this happen on a daily basis. It may be a beautiful love song that was born from the pain of a failed relationship years prior or it may be a man who is called a "Fat Pig" who then proceeds to lose 100 pounds and spend the rest of his life helping others do same.

At the time of the new Moon, there is also a stellium in Scorpio, composed of Venus, Ceres, and Sun-Moon. Within this group Venus and Ceres are conjunct and square Mars to the east in Leo; and the Sun-Moon dyad is square Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune (all conjunct) to the west in Aquarius. Ceres is also square Jupiter and maybe Chiron. The quadrant opposing this Scorpio stellium, Aries-Taurus-Gemini, is empty.

I read the following into this empty quadrant:

• No perspective or balance in the matters represented by these bodies in Scorpio. Hence Scorpio's intense presence is unmitigated.
• A building of energies between Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius with possibly a sudden, or unexpected release when a body transits Taurus. On the evening the November 30th, the Moon will be in opposition to its new Moon position, 2 days before the full Moon.
• The empty quadrant is what are called the "personal signs" (Aries, Taurus, Gemini), suggesting that the matters at hand deal with one's view of others, social issues, and universal matters.

Referring back to the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunct that is square the Sun-Moon, here is an interesting article by Lynn Hayes at Astrodynamics.

For the U.S, the new Moon event emphasizes 1st house matters. In mundane astrology the 1st house indicates "The country and its inhabitants as a whole; its general condition of prosperity and health or the reverse. (skyscript.co.uk)" Personally, I see this stellium in the U.S's 1st house as a birthday signature. Nothing to back it up, just do.

At this full Moon, the Sun-Moon dyad occupies and activates the Sagittarius/Gemini axis. Clare Martin at Astrodienst describes the interplay of these two opposites clearly. Notable to me is the following:

This axis of exploration concerns the relationship between information and meaning, facts and knowledge, the student and the teacher, the primary school and the university. The poles of this axis complete and complement each other. If the Gemini end loses touch with the bigger picture, with the value or purpose of the information it is gathering, then everything can become trivial, superficial and meaningless, even to the point of nihilism. If, on the other hand, Sagittarius loses touch with Gemini, the sense of having privileged access to the one truth can lead to arrogance and fundamentalism, cut off from the detachment and relative truths of Gemini.

Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, accompanies the Sun and adds weight to the Sagittarian side of the opposition.

Square both Sun and Moon is Vesta, which has entered Virgo during the time between the new and full Moon. This may indicate a new emphasis on productivity and efficiency, especially with respect to the gathering and release of information.

In the U.S. chart this Sun-Moon axis occupies the 2nd/8th houses, and is conjunct the nodes of each. The 2nd house indicates the national treasury; the 8th, the treasurer as a government official. Expanding this, we can view the 2nd house as indicating money and assets held and the 8th as the agent appointed/positioned to control/oversee them.

Mercury, as Gemini's ruler, is in the 2nd house and approaches a conjunct with Pluto, also in the 2nd house. Pluto is the natural ruler of the 8th house.

To me it seems we're so busy looking at the financial situation (treasury) that we've lost our perspective. Maybe we should back off a little and look at the agents, the factors that are affecting and/or controlling the financial situation.