Nodes of The Moon
In the book Astrology of Personality, Dane Rudhyar calls the North Node “the point of “swallowing” and assimilation”, and the South Node “the place of liberation and emptying”.
There are two Lunar Nodes: the South Node and the North Node are directly opposite each other in the horoscope. They are mathematical points on the chart that fall in two opposite zodiac signs. An individual is largely unconscious of their South Node habit patterns and is constantly striving to achieve their North Node.
- The South Node speaks of the challenges and gifts you bring in from a past life and where you feel the most secure. However, because they are unconscious, you may not be aware of or appreciate those gifts and talents.
- The North Node speaks of fulfillment and what you consciously strive for, often ineffectively due to lack of experience. It’s also where you can use your South Node gifts and talents to fulfill your life’s destiny.
- Together, they answer questions about your past life habits and traits, your soul purpose, and your life direction, not from the perspective of ego and personal ambition, but from your soul’s evolutionary perspective.
The Six Nodal Axis Themes
A good place for beginners to start with Evolutionary Astrology is to find out what astrological signs their Lunar Nodes occupy. You can locate your North and South Lunar Nodes at Cafe Astrology. Once that’s done, you can review the brief descriptions your life’s themes.
Aries/Libra Nodal Axis
General life themes on the Aries/Libra nodal axis are me versus you, leading versus following, having one’s way versus compromising, married versus single, and war versus peace. An Aries South Node indicates a past life as an independent, self-confident, and courageous loner. A Libra South Node indicates a past life of being coupled in a long cooperative partnership.
Taurus/Scorpio Node Axis
General life themes here are personal resources versus shared resources, simple versus complex, growth versus transformation, beauty versus the beast, and calm verses melodrama. Taurus South Node past lives have been stable, quiet, predictable or relatively prosperous. By contrast, Scorpio South Node past lives have been full of trauma, tragedy, persecution, and death.
Gemini/Sagittarius Nodal Axis
General life themes include knowledge versus ethics, skepticism versus faith, facts versus knowing, self-education versus academia, and student versus teacher. Gemini South Node past lives were often spent living in a city where they would gad about talking to and exchanging ideas and skills with others. A Sagittarius South Node indicates past lives with long periods of time spent traveling, as well as gaining and spreading knowledge.
Cancer/Capricorn Nodal Axis
General life themes on this nodal axis are emotion versus logic, home and family versus career, intention versus result, mother versus father, and roots and heritage versus here and now. A Cancer South Node indicates a past life that was ordinary, safe and full of the familiar. A Capricorn South node indicates a past life of hard work, achievement, social status, and authority.
Leo/Aquarius Nodal Axis
General life themes in this pairing are individual versus collective, autocracy versus democracy, limelight versus backstage, the prince versus the pauper, and egoism versus altruism. A Leo South Node indicates a past life of recognition, either inherited or gained through personal achievement, and a shining personality. An Aquarius South Node indicates a past life of living in a communal society where you lived and worked with others for the common good.
Virgo/Pisces Nodal Axis
In this case, general life themes may include substantiation versus abstraction, analysis versus inspiration, detail versus wholeness, clarification versus mystification, doing versus dreaming, and sobriety versus intoxication. A Virgo South Node indicates a past life that was helpful, humble, practical and focused on the routine and mundane details of life. A Pisces South Node indicates a past life in isolation from society or the ordinary world.