History, although sometimes made up of the few acts of the great, is more often shaped by the many acts of the small. Mark Twain

History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon. Napoleon

When
Moses was alive, the pyramids were a thousand years old . . . Here
people learned to measure time by a calendar, to plot the stars by
astronomy . . . Here they developed that most awesome of all ideas—the
idea of eternity.
 Walter Cronkite

All we know is still infinitely less than all that remains unknown. William Harvey

Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject. Thomas Mann

The hallmark of our age is the tension between aspirations and sluggish institutions. John W. Gardner

Nobody even knows what a “henge” is. Eddie Izzard—on Stonehenge

December’s Sagittarius new Moon falls on December 5 in the United States and December 6 in Australia. The Sabian Symbol for the new Moon is Sagittarius 14: A Vast Panorama Of Sand And Time Is Unfolding: The Pyramids And Sphinx In Their Glory Rise Before The Eye.
This is a deep and complicated degree (as are most degrees!), and it
infers things all the way from building edifices of spiritual practice
all the way up to multi-level marketing, big business, exploitation of
labor and people’s time, energy and resources. The following is from my
book The Sabian Oracle: 360 Degrees Of Wisdom – 

Commentary:
The ‘Pyramids and Sphinx’ are a picture of grandeur and history. They
stand as testimonials to days long gone. The Pyramids were built some
4,500 years ago, but probably not, as many believe, by slaves. Evidence
suggests that social organization built the ‘Pyramids’. The ‘Pyramids’
at Giza were the foundation of the first nation state and the
beginning of modern civilization. To participate in the building of the
king’s ‘Pyramid’ was an honor that was sought by families right across
Egypt. People, goods and livestock came from all corners of the
country. The workers were respected, educated and healed if they were
injured. This Symbol can speak of any large edifice, especially those
that seem to hold some mystery as to how or why they were built.
Ancient history is full of such human and spiritual wonders:
Stonehenge, the great stone walls of Macchu Picchu and the Great Wall
of China. They provide intriguing puzzles into the human mind and just
how vast human accomplishment can be.

Oracle:
There may be a feeling of the need to establish some type of monument.
It can be something that makes a huge impression, something that won’t
easily be forgotten. Organization of people and labor towards a common
goal on any scale can lead to great accomplishments. You may need an
architect or a tour guide, and inner wisdom, as this will guide you.
The resources that are available can bring re-evaluations to current
dilemmas. However, slave labor has very few real rewards. Be wary of
merely being used for someone’s grand agendas. Further, matters could
have a lack of clarity about them. Is something in this situation so
big or so difficult, it can hardly be approached? Is it really becoming
outworn or outlived? Are you seeing the huge gulfs between the haves
and the have nots?

Keywords: Ancient histories
and mysteries. The power of the past affecting today’s world. Spiritual
ancestry. Mysteries that enrich. Decoding. Magicians and prophets.
Secret messages or tricks of perception? Majestic properties. Riddles.
Ingenuity. Plans and the executing of them. Egyptian things. Levels of
power. Pyramid marketing. Taxes. The rich versus the poor. The American
monetary system. World finances. The World Trade Centre. Masonic
mysteries. Cement, sand, plaster. Tools. Architects. Builders.
Corruption.

The Caution: Treasures robbed by the
greedy. Monuments that belittle other, lesser achievements. Aloofness
through perceived superiority. Proclaiming treasures from the past more
worthy, or grander, than present perceptions allow. Slave labor.
Anonymity of the masses.

The Karmic Condition (the degree before) this new Moon is Sagittarius 12: A Flag Turns Into An Eagle; The Eagle Into A Chanticleer Saluting The Dawn. This
speaks of declared idealism, trumpeting ideals, national pride, peak
experiences, flags, symbols of strength, unity and power, truths, big
political displays, issues of nationhood, issues of world domination,
elevated views and perspectives, forceful voices, nobility and pride,
successful outcomes, national anthems, new empires, messages from the
president.

It’s interesting to note that these two degrees
together reflect the current issues of the leak of government papers
and secrets with their recent publication on Wikileaks.org. The Pyramid
degree often talks about big business or government and issues to do
with control and domination. 

The Quest Degree (the degree after) this new Moon is Sagittarius 15: The Ground Hog Looking For Its Shadow On Ground Hog Day.
Many will feel drawn to look at their lives to see what effect they
are having on the world, and, what effect the world is having on them.
The Ground Hog degree often brings up ever repeating cycles of activity
and the need to look forward, not back. Looking back can bring up
‘negative weather’, pushing us until a colder, frostier place. Looking
forward heralds the arrival of spring (or renewal). 

A question
that might arise now is what are you working towards? What are your
aims? Where is your passion? Are you building something of worth for
yourself or are you working hard so others get the rewards?

Jupiter, the ruler of this new Moon, has been for some time on the getting along with others and issues of living together degree – Pisces 24: An Inhabited Island. Moments after the new Moon, it moves onto Pisces 25: The Purging Of The Priesthood.
This speaks of revealing people for who they truly are, cutting people
off, throwing out things that don’t measure up, retirement and
redundancies, dismissals, opting out for moral reasons, holes left where
someone took up a lot of space. There can be a battle over who’s in
charge, something revealed, scapegoating others, corruption and scandal
that threaten collapse, cover ups, the burning of books, perversion.

Issues
of people falling from grace, losing their position or stepping over
the boundaries of decent behavior may be around. Perhaps you’re
deciding to leave behind people in your life that don’t live up to your
ideals or your vision of the future. 

Venus is on Scorpio 3: Neighbors Help In A House Raising Party In A Small Village.
This is community or family cooperation, real estate deals, community
concerns, renting apartments and homes, neighbors, parties, having to
consider the needs of people, making a village, communal governance or
being blocked by rules, laws and regulations of bureaucracy, homeless
shelters, tools, building expertise, helping hands. (This is Hilary
Clinton’s Sun degree and she wrote a book titled It Takes A Village.)

Mars is on Sagittarius 29: A Fat Boy Mowing The Lawn.
This speaks about looking after appearances, cleaning up your house
and yard, doing chores because they should be done. Have a squeaky
clean vs a messed up life, not dealing with the reality of life, things
looking respectable, issues to do with weight, lawn mowing and
tidying, doing odd jobs, signs of affluence, laborers, hired hands,
issues to do with children pitching in and helping. 

Between the
House Raising Party and the Boy Mowing The Lawn, we have issues to do
with cleaning up our acts, our domestic situations. Perhaps we’re
preparing for the festive season by getting our house in order.

Saturn is on Libra 15: Circular Paths.
This is an interesting degree and dovetails with the Quest Symbol of
the Sun – Ground Hog Day. Where are you going around and around in
circles? What patterns do you repeat? What can you drop? What have you
learned?

Life seems set to be meaningful, deep and interesting,
especially as Mercury and Pluto are conjunct on the same degree. This
conjunction can dredge up deep passions, anger, answers, problems,
memories, and, possibly, things said out loud that should perhaps have
been more considered.

Mercury and Pluto are on Capricorn 5: Indians – Some Rowing A Canoe While Others Are Dancing A War Dance.
This speaks of some getting on with their lives while others do not,
vehicles of discovery versus arguing and bickering, threats and
intimidation, making a show of power and mobility, mobilizing forces,
psyching oneself up, group efforts, traffic. 

Mars, Mercury,
Pluto and the north Node are all lining up to bring something to a head
in the weeks following the new Moon. This is a very meaningful time. I
hope I’m wrong, but I can hear war cries on the horizon. Perhaps it’s
more an internal war that we’re dealing with. Whatever is going on, the karmic Moon’s North Node is asking us to manifest ourselves, our talents, our dreams and visions. The Node is on Capricorn 3: The Human Soul, In Its Eagerness For New Experiences, Seeks Embodiment. This is a time for being true to yourself, giving birth to yourself yet again.