In Mundane Astrology, the 2nd House is considered one of the Houses of Values (along with the 8th House) that concerns acquisitions and material possessions and the manner in which they are garnered. In some Esoteric Circles, the 2nd House cusp is believed to demarcate the GATE OF HADES. This sounds very ominous since humankind tends to think of any reference to Hades as evil and deadly, sorrowful and barren however, the reference to Hades and the 2nd House of Values refers to the obsessive unhealthy attitude towards acquisition and material gain that can derail the Soul.

GREED is one of the Seven Deadly Sins and its residence is the 2nd House. This is the place where human attitude towards “materialism” has been handed down to the present from past life actions and concerns. In essence both positive and negative karma regarding “wealth status” and “life values” will manifest in the present lifetime through beneficial or malefic patterns and habits. These patterns will also reflect the polarity of the energy of the 8th House which will provide a “control panel” through which materialistic passion and obsession will be channeled into constructive or destructive uses. Attachment to the material thus becomes the lesson for the Soul and the test becomes one of transmuting worldly desires into stepping stones of spiritual advancement and Soul Evolution.

ARIES ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP –

 “I WANT it and I want it NOW!”

The Higher Value of Aries on the 2nd House cusp is strong inner resources fostered by courage and initiative to defend and fight for that which is valued… not just for the Self but for others. This can turn detrimental if money and possessions become “symbols” of power and strength. The “get it and grab it” aggression of Aries can be very counterproductive particularly if the polarity control of Libra is used negatively as a “lure” through manipulation or entrapment for personal gain or gratification. With negative Karma at play, there is a propensity to try to benefit from the legacy of partners fostered by the attitude, “what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is mine.” Conversely with positive Karma expertise is spent to help others gain. Excess is an issue and the Arien influence will spend as soon as it acquires which promotes an impulsive viscous cycle of waste and get more.  There can also be some tendency to selfishly destroy what is valuable just so no one else can have it.

The opportunity with Aries on this cusp is to use entrepreneurial potential to garner success while using tact, timing and willpower advantageously for proper gain… then everyone benefits and wins. As the Great Initiator of the Zodiac this sign above all others is responsible for standing as an example of the “pay it forward” principle.

TAURUS ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP – 

“I own it AND I own YOU too!”

Taurus is the natural ruler of the mundane 2nd House and it loves to own and acquire things of quality. Luxury and possessions can easily become central to well being. The Higher Value of Taurus on the 2nd House cusp recognizes that this signature is the storehouse of life energy or prana and of the acquisition of spiritual resources and values. When it turns negatively bitter with greed it focuses upon the control of forms and people as the misguided expression of divine values. What is to be personally gained by marriage or business partner or a friendship becomes a game of strategy via the Scorpio polarity far beyond the need for security, tangled and tied to the web of possessiveness. The Karmic implication is attachment to the “material” which must be broken down and dispensed leading to a new reformulated focus on the proper use of life energies. The reorientation of the basic personal values system will actually occur through the destruction of nonregenerative relations. 

The opportunity of Taurus on this cusp is that of diplomatic service which is inherent through the lens of the ruler Venus. Innate resources include a sense of fairness and tact and the ability to attract what is truly needed not just for the self but for all involved.

GEMINI ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP – 

 “I WILL take it you WON’T see me do it!”

Gemini, the Loki of the Cosmos, is a skillful manipulator of money and finances when this sign appears on the 2nd House cusp. This placement is also adept at all sorts of arbitration due to cleverness, inventiveness, dexterity and the skillful and sometimes superficial or deceitful use of verbiage. Gemini is always in the think tank so the Higher Value of this sign on the 2nd House cups is that security comes from knowledge and learning how something works for the best benefit of not just the Self but for all. If operating negatively, time will be wasted before experiences are fully transmuted into full spiritual understanding regarding the best use and exhibition of skills pertaining to value. Cleverness and ingenuity are marketable assets as long as divided attention does not make the course run too thin and produce a “jack of all trades and a master of none.” The Karmic implications are associated with lack of truth – either blatant lying or lying by omission for the sake of gain. There is a reason for this aspect of Gemini and that is that Gemini always sees the multifarious possibilities there are to life and has the need to examine them all for good or ill. Gemini can literally rationalize and talk themselves into anything they wish to believe and then pass it on to others as truth robbing them of both their physical and spiritual values. It is a trait that exists through many incarnations. It is imperative that the Prince of Thieves becomes the King of Generosity in both words and deeds.

The opportunity of Gemini on this cusp is for the lower mind (Gemini) to learn through its polarity (Sagittarius) of the Higher Mind. In this way, the Soul can relate with to the material world with more clarity and direction. Gemini must learn that the mind is not the sole commandant of the Self, rather the mind must be transcended and made a servant of the Self. 

CANCER ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP – 

“It’s MINE because I NEED it!”

When the sign of Cancer occupies the 2nd House cusp there is an emotional tie to security and a need to protect what is owned physically and spiritually. This sign is the Cosmic Collector of people and things and when it appears on the 2nd House Cusp and the state of well-being is dependent upon material comfort and the support of others. There is also a dependence upon holding onto money and material goods to the point of being overtly stingy and covetous. The Karmic implications are the deliberate ignoring of the capability for adaptability and the disavowing of instincts that indicate what others need aside from the self because of selfish desires. In some cases this can operate in an opposite fashion where everything is given away in order to garner love and security from others. Either way, the tenacious hold of Cancer dictates that, “… this is mine … I need it.” Unwittingly this often causes separation from what Cancer needs most. It is imperative for Cancer on this cusp to detach so it is no longer attached. This includes reactions to personality responses as well as the obsessive stashing of material goods. 

The opportunity of Cancer on this cusp is to dispel fear surrounding issues of security while learning that the world is an unstable place and what has been secured away today can easily be gone tomorrow. The principle of “supply” (greed) and “supplier” (generosity) must be balanced. 

LEO ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP – 

“I KNOW how to get it and I WILL!”

Through Leo, the Sun brings power to whatever House Cusp it occupies. To the 2nd House, Leo brings vitality and force pressing the development of personal skills tied to values. There is a karmic need to define individuality and independence through what constitutes security. Power and self worth may be garnered from acquisition of money and goods and the proper organized control of them however there can be a karmic disposition towards status seeking and extravagance in order to prove self worth. What needs to be balanced is ego needs and accomplishment thus eliminating spiritual and material self aggrandizement. There is a strong warning in self promotion becoming the total expression of personality. The result is often loneliness and isolation … King Midas sat alone in his world of gold. Leo is the astrological messenger of love. The basic essence esoterically speaking is that of a loving source of creative focus that walks the path of discipleship of world service … a point of “light” on the horizon. 

The opportunity of Leo on this cusp is to be noble no matter how much cash is in the bank. This has more to do with collective stewardship than personal satisfaction. There is also an opportunity to manage resources in pursuit of the arts and social or philanthropic endeavors which is life enhancing for the many and not just the few.

VIRGO ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I Will METHODICALLY Take What I DESERVE!”

In mundane astrology, the sign of Virgo on the 2nd House Cusp emphasizes precision and attention to detail as innate resources worth developing. Karmic implications include shrewdness to acquire not only what is needed but what is desired. This can affect where importance is placed … is it on “quality” or “quantity?” If the answer is quantity, then the individual is working on undoing karma connected to unhealty entitlement. In all matters, the values system is based upon what can produce concrete, practical results. Of all the signs, Virgo is the most concerned with filling the void. The result is an excessive exteriorization of a wall of materiality to make up for fear of looking within and gauging spiritual value which is at the heart of the matter. This can be carried to the point of neurosis concerning the sense of lack. Excessive worry leading to narrow mindedness results in fear of evolutionary change. It can also lead to scheming and deliberate dishonesty in order to justify the wall of materiality which serves as a pseudo fortress of security.

The opportunity of Virgo associated with the 2nd House is to learn the importance of a healthy functioning balanced mind as the most valued of possessions. This realization can cut down pessimism and  lack of tact while promoting diplomacy and service.

LIBRA ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I Will FINNESSE My Way Into Your POCKET!”

The sign of Libra is the great procrastinator of the zodiac, weighing all the pros and cons concerning any deliberation. In mundane astrology, Libra on the 2nd House Cusp has a concern for fair and equitable distribution of goods. Karmic implications however point to self indulgence, idle luxury and meaningless social niceties. This is often a camoflage for hidden hypocrisy and conceit. Personal gain is the goal and that includes gaining favor via the opposite sex often used to influence the public for broader acquistion The opposition is always managed to be held in check via a pseudo ability to charm one’s way into another’s pocket. In essence this all becomes the ultimate battle between the higher and lower selves until the higher self is cultivated. Libra is challenged to maintain an allegiance to others without manipulation and false self promotion. In this way, Libra learns to be neither a king or a servant.

The opportunity for Libra on the 2nd House Cusp is to learn not to take things and especially people for granted and to learn true appreciation for the value of all things.

SCORPIO ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I DESIRE what you HAVE!”

In mundane astrology, Scorpio on the 2nd House Cusp involves issues surrounding the acquistion of money and acquiring of possessions for security. There is a driving ambition to acquire money, resources and goods and depending upon karmic response - a resourcefulness for doing so. Karmic implications involve selfishness and pure greed. This can result in loss of friendships, financial difficulties and lawsuits. What must be uncovered is the underlying motivations which promote strong feelings towards overall resources and how they are ties to feelings of security. Several factors may come into play such as money accrued and used to control and manipulate others, as a way to be more publically attractive and successful or simply a platform to extend overall influence. Regarding security issues, Scorpio here must discern if there is actually a real threat that is fostering counter effects against danger. Further, in this regard, Scorpio must also guard against unconsciously provoking externalized and unnecessary disaster. On the flip side, Scorpio here would do much better to to use innate skills to take things of little value and transform them into things or worth.

The opportunity for those with Scorpio on the 2nd House Cusp is to purify motivations regarding financial responsibilities and realize that they are universal stewards for material resources that must be used unselfishly for the collective good.

SAGITTARIUS ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I OVERREACH and take what is yours for GRANTED!”

The sign of Sagittarius is free loving without much care for the future … the perfect epitome of joie de vivre. Under good circumstances regarding the mudane 2nd House there is often substantial business ability and a knack for securing fortune in money and property matters. The esoteric view however is quite different. The Karmic implications include too much overreach, lack of responsibility, selfishness and bohemianism taken too far. Sagittarius here can be truly morally bankrupt incurring spiritual debt along with material gain that simply seems to disappear. In a sense Sagittarius is oblivious to contingencies in both departments. Enterprise in general nearly takes on a religious outlook where resources are considered the be all, end all of existence tied to the happiness of life. Sagittarius can and will pick the pockets of others in many senses because the acquisitive instinct is heightened in this position but just like a pocket or purse that empties quickly to waste so does spirtual fortitude. The formula is no sense of guilt along with an appetite that cannot be whetted and this formula spells spiritual disaster.

The opportunity for those with Sagittarius on the 2nd House Cusp is to use their innate resources of optimism, natural enthusiasm and the abilily to inspire others to teach and impart practicality to the meaning of life.

CAPRICORN ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I know HOW to get it BEFORE you do!”

Capricorn influencing the mundane 2nd House indicates ambition and drive to acquire money and goods along with the status associated with “having” and “hoarding.” The karmic indications include a shrewd frugality that is laced by stinginess and feelings of lack. There is the possibility that in past lives the individul developed cautiousness that arose from a fear of poverty. The result is a built in expectation of difficulty, possible failure, limitation and the need for self testing that easily leads to selfishnes, possesiveness and greed. This sign knows how to be first at the gate and get whatever it is that is required to fill a void  before anyone else even tries. Capricorn in this house is tied to Dharma and character building through tests and trials and innumerable stumbling blocks so the individual can gain strength and above all widom. The process is difficult and requires the giving up of ideals, images and material objects in order to raise consciousness. 

The opportunity for those with Capricorn on the 2nd House Cusp is to realize that all growth financial and otherwise requires flow and the constant processing of in and out for material and spiritual wealth to amass. This will help them to understand that they have innate worth and value and do not need to “over” prove themselves.

AQUARIUS ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I can MAKE you WANT to give it to me!”

In mundane astrology, Aquarius on the 2nd House Cusp often indicates a corporate connection and in keeping with the erratic tendencies of Aquarius,  those who can also have unsettled finances. They either land admirably or end up penniless. This is most likely Karmic residual from past lives where too much involvement in impractical financial ventures occurred and coercion of acquaintances, friends and family for loans or even ‘expected’ gifts ensued. The coercion was the easy part however, these impractical ventures failed miserably with regards to materialsim but taught the soul much about where real value lies. A dichotomy of what constitutes ‘values’ is the current result that still wages often disrupting personal security enough to instigate the re-evalution of the personal life. The values system of Aquarius on this cusp varies and is different from the ordinary person. Positvely on the spiritual level, they often regard conventional values as wothless because they are envisionig the bigger picture on a collective level. This attitude is often misunderstood and scorned by others because Aquarius here shuns what others actually seek materially. 

The opportunity for Aquarius on the 2nd House Cusp is to develop the innate resources like inventiveness, originality and the capacity to accept progressive ideas thus manifesting their genius so what takes shape on the higher plane of existence can be brought to Earth to help than many rather than the one. 

PISCES ON THE 2nd HOUSE CUSP

“I can GUILT you into GIVING it to me!”

Easy come, easy go could well be the theme of Pisces on the 2nd House Cusp. In mundane astrology, Pisces here generally constitutes one who is idealistic about money and resources yet more than capable of making money and acquiring great wealth. Karmically, issues surrounding a liberal attitude with resources comes to the fore. This includes past lives where money easily slipped through the fingers usually via mysterious or odd circumstances including scandal. Odd as it may sound, Pisces on this cusp indicates one who on a deep level worships money not necessarily for wealth or fame but because it offers a ways and means to indulge fantasy. The unrealistic/ideaistic Neptunian vibe working through Pisces can constitute one of two options – either the indviviual is easliy taken advantage of financially OR they can easily take advantage of others financially with woven tales of woe and desperation and “poor pitiful me.” Laziness is also a key factor of successfully pulling one smooze job after another which is also a karmic implictaion. 

The opportunity for Pisces on the 2nd Hous Cusp is to focus more on practicality in order to step out of the swamp of financial muddle. Balance is probably more important for Pisces posited here than any other sign for they need to seek security from within rather than from without.