| The North & South Nodes of the Moon: Indicators of karma and life 
      purpose
 � 1998 Terri 
      McCartney, all rights reserved
 
 The Moon's nodes are a very important feature of a Western astrological 
      birth chart because they answer that question we've all asked ourselves: 
      "Why am I here?" The Moon's nodes, or the lunar nodes as they are also 
      called, are the two points north and south where the orbit of the moon 
      intersects the path of the sun (the ecliptic). The nodal axis appears to 
      be related to events or people that have the quality of fatedness 
      (referred to as an axis because the North and South Node are 
      directly opposite to one another). The North Node is also called the 
      Dragon's Head or Ascending Node and the South Node is sometimes referred 
      to as the Dragon's Tail or Descending Node. The terms dragon's head and 
      dragon's tail come from mythology. The ancient people feared eclipses. 
      They felt that during an eclipse the sun or moon had been seized by an 
      angry dragon and swallowed. The two ends of the angry dragon are 
      symbolized by the north and south nodes of the Moon.
 
      The North Node is related to the soul's intent in this lifetime and the 
      South Node to the soul's past. Think of the nodes as designating a path. 
      The South Node is where you come in this lifetime, bringing forward both 
      your strengths and weaknesses from the past. The North Node lies at your 
      feet and is laid out before you. That is, it represents the path of the 
      present and the future, where you are headed. The North Node, by its sign 
      and house position, outlines what your soul came here to accomplish this 
      lifetime so that it might grow and evolve. The North Node represents your 
      soul's intentions and objectives for this lifetime: your path to 
      self-actualization. When transits or progressions make contact with your 
      North Node, it represents opportunities and lessons that assist you in 
      becoming conscious of needed changes in your life--changes that will bring 
      about growth and evolution.   The 
      South Node is the path behind you. By its sign and house location the 
      South Node represents the past, including the skills, tendencies, 
      strengths and habits your soul brings into this lifetime. The South Node 
      indicates the kind of behavior that is instinctive and automatic to you. 
      It can also represent a place of safe retreat, but that safety can also be 
      your stagnation and it might even represent regression if you retreat 
      there for too long. The South Node activities and behavior feel safe and 
      secure but offer no new vitality or meaning to your soul's evolving human 
      self. It's the past, it's finished, your work there is done. Too much 
      activity associated with the South Node results in frustration, 
      discouragement senselessness and aimlessness. When there are contacts to 
      your South Node by transits or progression, issues/things from the past 
      seem to resurface. The South Node also tends to relate to "deja vu" 
      situations.   The 
      path of the South Node is a more comfortable path to walk than that of the 
      North Node. This is because it represents all that is familiar to us. Its 
      familiarity explains why sometimes we are tempted to retreat in that 
      comfort and stay too long. The path of the North Node can feel strange and 
      uncomfortable to us because it represents the unknown, the unfamiliar and 
      the unprecedented. Yet, the paradox is that our joy is a result of walking 
      that path. Maybe you have heard it said that what we have come here to do 
      is not what comes easiest to us. But it is definitely what will bring us 
      the greatest joy and fulfillment.
        It makes perfect sense that it won't be easy when what we've come here to 
      do, become and experience are not anything we've been or experienced 
      before! Further, it is not easy because our ego fears the unknown. 
      However, if we are up to the challenge of growing (the growth represented 
      by the North Node) then we will feel fulfilled and joyful. When we stay 
      too long in retreat at the South Node, we feel a void in our lives and the 
      sense that something is missing. Therefore, even though the North Node 
      path might scare us and seem to present incomprehensible challenges at 
      times, when we rise up to those challenges, we feel vital and potent.
        
      Astrologically, the nodes represent the major key toward understanding our 
      lives as part of a continual thread. The North Node pulls you toward the 
      future and the South Node toward the past. Ideally, we blend the two. That 
      is, we draw upon the skills and strengths represented by the South Node 
      while walking the path of the North Node. A good way to view the South 
      Node is as your Achilles Heel. It is one of the weakest spots in your 
      horoscope because it represents footsteps you've already taken. You are 
      meant to draw strength from what it represents in your birth chart, but 
      you are not meant to dwell there.   The 
      North Node represents the path we chose to walk this life. At the very 
      deepest levels of our being, we all feel a sense of purpose and direction. 
      This is the North Node. It is that inner sense of purpose that keeps us 
      walking despite all obstacles. As we take up the challenge and walk the 
      North Node path, we reap benefits and each obstacle becomes a stepping 
      stone to further self-growth and actualization. The primary challenge of 
      the North Node is to be willing to walk where we see no footsteps before 
      us. How do we know if we are on that path? You might be frightened but 
      your heart will know the "yes!" Your energy level will soar, you will feel 
      the inner rightness in where you are going. When you walk the North Node 
      path there's this huge YES in your experiences.   
      Following is a table of general information about each nodal placement. 
      Blend the meaning of the North Node by sign location with that of the 
      house locations. Generally, the house location theme is most prominent. If 
      you'd like to read more about the North and South Node, I recommend 
      reading Jan Spiller's, Astrology for the Soul. It's a brilliant book and 
      provides a comprehensive and practical accounting of each of the nodal 
      placements. 
 Interpretations of the 
      North Node by Sign and House
 North 
      Node in Aries North Node in 1st House
 Yours is the path of courageous independence and the establishment of your 
      individuation. This lifetime, too much attention on others affairs, 
      relational dependencies or compromising of self lead to sorrow. You are 
      experiencing personal power this lifetime, and must not relinquish your 
      individuality and authority to others.
 North 
      Node in Taurus North Node in 2nd House
 Yours is the path of the builder and your goal is that of abiding inner 
      peace and security that are derived from valuing the self. Seeking 
      self-worth "out there" brings sorrow - the completeness you seek can only 
      come from a meaningful relationship with your self and the natural world. 
      The only person you need to prove yourself to is yourself.
 North 
      Node in Gemini North Node in 3rd House
 Yours is the path of information gathering and sharing. You want to 
      cultivate curiosity and probe the world for more information, verbally or 
      intellectually. Learning to really listen to others can be a challenge. 
      You do not fare well when you follow blindly. The more experiences you are 
      open to, the better. Deal squarely with life in the here and now.
 North 
      Node in Cancer North Node in 4th House
 Yours is the path of thoroughly understanding your own motivations, needs 
      and fears and the establishment of roots in the form of home, tribe and 
      attunement to your inner self. Your focus is on the fulfillment and 
      nourishment of your emotional self. Engender a sense of belonging and 
      nurture and validate your own as well as the feelings of others.
 North 
      Node in Leo North Node in 5th House
 Your is the path of ego development and creative self-expression. Seek out 
      the stage of life where you can really shine your light and roar! Delve 
      deeply into all matters of the heart. Nurture the playful child within you 
      and others. Play with life and take risks - look at life as a game. 
      Cultivate personal dignity and self respect: recognize the specialness of 
      you.
 North 
      Node in Virgo North Node in 6th House
 Yours is the path of discrimination and attention to details. Your focus 
      is on practical matters, self-improvement and full development of your 
      gifts. Duty, devotion, and discipline are important. Develop your personal 
      skills and be of service to others. Seek to understand the details and 
      mechanics of things. You have grand visions all you need to do is ground 
      them--make them here and now.
 North 
      Node in Libra North Node in 7th House
 Yours is the path of commitment and partnership. Identify with others and 
      form equal partnerships. This is not meant to be a strictly independent 
      lifetime for you - the focus is on interdependency. Go it alone and you'll 
      feel empty. Commitment and equality in partnerships is key. Discover 
      cooperation, affinity and magic in intimate relationships.
 North 
      Node in Scorpio North Node in 8th House
 Yours is the path of regeneration and transformation. You are learning the 
      power of letting go of your attachments: releasing and eliminating that 
      which is no longer meaningful to you. You must be willing to risk what you 
      have to reach higher levels of attainment. Seek that which is deep, real, 
      spiritual, and abiding. Cultivate passion and self-control.
 North 
      Node in Sagittarius North Node in 9th House
 Your is the path of cultivating faith, pursuing spiritual understanding 
      and trusting your intuition. You have a direct line to Spirit - learn to 
      trust that. When you put logical analysis to work, you get trapped in 
      indecisiveness. If you ignore your intuition and act on logic, you lose. 
      Seek adventure, liberation, and Higher Understanding. Cultivate directness 
      in your communication with others.
 North 
      Node in Capricorn North Node in 10th House
 Yours is the path of cultivating a meaningful career and to direct your 
      energies toward society. Do you feel a sense of purpose and destiny? This 
      is because you are meant to cultivate your professional ambitions. You are 
      forging a path toward a broader base of influence. Become an authority in 
      your chosen field. Stand strong in your personal integrity.
 North 
      Node in Aquarius North Node in 11th House
 Yours is the path of cultivating friendships and group associations that 
      support your dreams and aspirations. Do not seek the approval of others - 
      risk disapproval and be willing to speak out and share your own 
      unconventional visions. Commit to working for the good of the whole. 
      Assist others in realizing and celebrating their authentic self. Cultivate 
      a plan, have a specific goal and direction for your life. Nurture your 
      humanitarian impulses.
 North 
      Node in Pisces North Node in 12th House
 Yours is the path of ego-transcendence. You are experiencing consciousness 
      itself - the mind/ego observing the world. You are letting go of the 
      contents of consciousness - the worries, preoccupations and noise that 
      distract the mind. Cultivate your dreams and imagination. Your inner world 
      is as real and solid as the outer world. Cultivate compassion and the 
      appreciation of the perfection in imperfection.
 Terri McCartney is a teaching and consulting 
      astrologer with twenty years experience. Her approach is both practical 
      (Capricorn Sun) and visionary (Pisces Moon). It is expressed as a strong 
      work ethic and desire to be of service (Virgo). Her north node is in 
      Sagittarius and the 4th house. Visit her at 
      
      www.astroresources.com.
 
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