When I first began studying Western astrology on my own for five years through books and learning how to cast the chart by hand back in the day before computers made it so easy for us, I knew very little about the Moon’s Nodes. Since they were not planets, I did not take them too seriously until I found a mentor who I needed to guide me through the rest of my learning. Her name is Nicki Michaels and she is still a professional Astrologer and Life Coach in San Francisco. I owe her a great deal and respect her tremendously. She told me that you can tell as much from the Nodes as you can from the whole chart and the interaction of the planet with them.
North and South Nodes – The North and South Nodes of the Moon show where you’re going in this lifetime, and where you’ve been. They’re also known as Your Soul’s Path. A Lifelong Journey. As we mature during a lifetime, the values of the North Node start to seem more and more important.
I find it difficult to explain what these placements are and so I turned to astro.com to get an interpretation of exactly what they are.
“At the moment of your birth, the Moon’s nodes were at a point that intersected the plane of the ecliptic. Mathematically, it’s where the lines of the Moon’s monthly path meet the lines of the Sun’s yearly path around the Zodiac. The Moon’s nodes in the birth chart tell the story of its relationship to the Earth and Sun. In astrology, these very important points are indicators of your soul’s evolutionary path.”
The South Node is the direction you’re coming from, and the North Node is where you’re heading. The South Node can be considered your inheritance, and that includes karma from past lives. It’s like a distant echo that reverberates into this life and has an irresistible pull.
The sign and House of your South Node hold insights about the instinctual behaviors and a hidden history that’s impressed on your soul. It’s easy, but not very fulfilling to replay that drama, since the groove is there and it comes naturally.
I believed that we were to always navigate our lives to the placement of the North Node and that the house shows the area where we are to work on it, the North Node is how we are to get there. South Node is where we have already been in previous lifetimes. Notice I said previous lifetimes and not a lifetime. The reason for this is that I have since learned that some of us come to this lifetime to repeat the lessons of the past. If a chart shows many planets conjoined to the South Node, then they are pulled to that and must repeat it for they did not fulfill the previous life’s goal.
Many Astrologers believe that these Nodes hold more importance than the rest of the chart. To a qualified expert knowledge of the Sun, Moon, and Nodal positions can reveal the entire lifetime of the individual. I am one of those Astrologers.
It is through the Nodes that Western astrology is now able to make its first inroads into relating this divine science to the Hindu concept of reincarnation.
As a firm believer in reincarnation, which is eternal life, we must go through trials and tribulation to bring us to perfection in which heaven will greet us. At eight years old my brother-in-law asked me what I believed happened to people when they die. Immediately I responded that they go to another planet. He found that most interesting coming from an eight-year-old child and explained to me that there is a belief and that it was called reincarnation. I had no idea that others believed as I do. I was always searching for the key to life after death. I attended many churches trying to find where I fit in, but none seemed to work for me. At the young age of 53, I became an Episcopalian. I chose that religion because they didn’t believe in Hell, but did believe in Heaven. They also allowed me to continue my work in astrology and did not think it was the Devil’s work. Despite our belief in the afterlife is a bit different, it met my needs.
I will give you a brief understanding of two Signs of the Nodes but one should really get the book ” Karmic Astrology”, by Martin Schulman to really understand the meanings of the placements. He opened up a whole new world for me understanding myself, my children, my family, my husbands, and my friends. It is rarely complimentary but is the best I have ever read. It also talks about the aspects to the Nodes and how they affect our journey through this life.
The South Node is our Achilles heel and is symbolic of our past. It is our most deeply ingrained behavior pattern. It is where we feel most comfortable because we have already lived it and can just sit on our laurels and not go through the needed transition required to reach a spiritual understanding and love of ourselves and others. God, is of course first, and we are the masters of our own destiny, but as Evangeline Adams stated, “The stars don’t lie.”
The North Node is the symbol of our future. It is a new experience as yet untried. It represents the highest qualities of the sign and house in which it is placed. It is always best to strive toward this Node in your current life unless of course, you have Planets pulling you to the opposite Node because you did not finish the work of the previous lifetimes.
Aries North Node, Libra South Node; These individuals are attracted to music and art and cannot feel comfortable in an environment that is coarse or brittle. This individual does not like to live alone, but likes to be left alone. The Libra South Node brings out contrariness that prevents the individual from finding one’s true self. Once they learn to give of themselves willingly, not expecting anything in return can they reach their highest potential?
Taurus North Node, Scorpio South Node; Here the soul is confronted with some of the most difficult karmic lessons in the Zodiac. Past lives have been strewn with endings as the Plutonian force of Scorpio South Node worked through its process of transformation. Now so frightened by the rug being pulled out from under their feet that they are almost glad to aid in the destruction of whatever little remains. In past incarnations, they literally went through the fires of hell to burn away their false values. Nearly all with these Nodes have at one time touched the force of Witchcraft, and so in the current life, there is a rude awakening about any remaining residue left over from the lower self. This individual has a powerful sex drive which usually leads to trouble. As one strives to the North Node of peace, the sexual desire is transmuted into Devine Love. The Scorpio South Node must learn the lessons of Lot’s wife and not look back.
Note: I have this position in my chart and can attest to the accuracy of this interpretation. Luckily, for me, the North Node is conjunct my Sun and Mercury, which has to lead me on a path of righteousness. However, I have many squares to both Nodes and my struggle to free myself from the pull of the South Node had to be a conscious decision. My youngest daughter has this position also, but she is pulled toward the South Node. She is reaping the results of not striving for the North Node but feels comfortable and accustomed to a peculiar intensity, when not allowed to express itself, turns to anger. She will make much progress when she sees the actions of others as a reflection of her own subconscious!
I have only given a very brief synopsis of the Aries and Taurus North Nodes and their opposite, the South Node.
These Nodes are also known as the Dragon’s head; (North Node) and Dragon’s tail; ( South Node). In every ephemeris I have seen, the Nodes are represented, so they are as important as the planets and in my opinion, more so.
Credit is given to Martin Schulman for much of the writings here. He is indeed the best I have read on Karmic Astrology.
Peggy Willmott Baker -President- Texas-USA