The Lunar Nodes In Astrology Pt. 1 - The North Node and South Node, Why are They Important, and How Do They Work?

by Robert Wilkinson

This is a new look at an important factor in Astrology, currently stronger since we are in between two potentially favorable Eclipses. Eclipses are Lunations (New and Full Moons) that fall conjunct the Moon's Nodal axis as shown by the North Node and South Node. So just what are these things we call the North and South Node of the Moon, and why is their influence so powerful?

The Moon's Nodes are well known and important factors in any chart, there is very little published on how they work. There are many possible interpretations, but to put it succinctly, the sign of the North Node shows the quality of your line of greatest evolutionary development; the sign of the South Node shows the quality of your line of least resistance. In this regard, remember that often the North Node efforts are difficult, whereas the South Node patterns are familiar, and therefore usually easy. While always active to some degree in a chart, they are made stronger by Eclipses.

Eclipses bring the Moon, Earth, and Sun into physical alignment, creating a shadow somewhere on Earth, which supposedly shows the fall of old powers and the rise of new ones, whether personally, interpersonally, or transpersonally. While we get 13 New and Full Moons each year, only 2 of each conjunct the Lunar Nodes, creating a Lunar Eclipse or a Solar Eclipse.

Since the Lunar Nodes show when eclipses occur, they mark 4 points in the year when the Sun and Moon bring forth new long term emphases while beginning to shut down old lines of energy and activity. These changes occur when other transits makes aspects to the Eclipse Sun, Moon, and important planets.

North Node (Rahu in Vedic, or Jyotish astrology) is a magnet drawing you toward the unknown gold mine where you’ll work hard, sometimes it seems for little reward, though you’ll learn much through that practice. South Node (Ketu in Vedic/Jyotish astrology) is a magnet drawing you to what you already know how to do, and have nothing to learn except what to let go of, or demonstrate to your world because you’ve already “been there and done that” so much there’s only the doing, without learning.

The North Node shows difficulty, with growth into a larger unknown that will take you into arenas you need to develop. The South Node shows ease of repetition, and patterns that are already known, with a lot of releasing and demonstration of skills you could do without thinking, but not much developed at “the end of the day” except the North Node qualities you can demonstrate through the South Node.

Sometimes people feel following the North Node should be a good or pleasant experience, and dread the supposed manifestations of the South Node, which usually turn out to be a routinized or even ho-hum experience due to its familiarity. However, a "line of greatest development" may lead to forms of hardship and struggle, as it's where we're learning to grow, which sometimes stretches us to the limit. With the North Node we'll grow, often it seems whether we want to or not. But we will have to learn to live the positive manifestations of our North Node sign, since that's a factor in our evolutionary way this lifetime.

Regarding the South Node, just because it’s familiar and easy does not mean you will feel good about it, or like it, or get good results down the road. It’s just familiar. You’ve done that for lifetimes. Some believe the South Node is a black hole where there is nothing profitable to be found, with lots of wheel spinning but no progress. I don’t agree with that assessment, any more than I do with the North Node being some wonderful flowering energy that leads us to the land of milk and honey. Neither of these is true in my direct experience.

Life and experience are a series of in-breathing and out-breathing exercises in what we do, feel, and think. We take things in, then we release them. Each function is needed in the wholeness of the "circulation" of our Spiritual Pranayama, which we all do whether we are aware of it or not. The Nodes show where we move toward, deepening our connectedness with our Past-Present-Future evolutionary pull, and where we release, demonstrate, or let go of old patterns.

It is important to note one big thing about the Nodes from traditional teachings of long standing. They are said to be primarily active ONLY when the Moon makes aspects to them. Thus they were not considered big deals in birth charts until recently. While I believe they are constantly active due to the sheer number of aspects the Moon makes to them each month (both in our charts and the transiting Nodes), they may not function dramatically beyond a constantly fluctuating pull-release, pull-release, with giant steps made after Eclipses activate them in long term specific ways.

That they are associated with Eclipses clearly indicates this axis of activity exerts a powerful influence on long-term larger events. Yet they are not planets, signs, houses or aspects. They are an axis of the relationship of the Moon to the Earth and Sun. It is within that ever-changing complex interaction that we find their primary influence. Explore how they push and pull you in the light of how the Moon aspects them in your chart each month to learn more. Also note the Lunations and how they fall relative to your Nodes, since you may see larger 2-to-4 week activity in a clearer light as well.

Tomorrow in part two, we'll explore some ways to apply meaning to the Nodes in the signs and houses of a chart.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

(This incorporates elements of an article originally published April 14, 2006)

Comments

[Chickie]

Ok your HIGHNESS,

I've got my north node at 0 Aries.....12th house...sooo close to the eclipse....any suprises? Got an x boyfriend with his Saturn 29 pisces 10th house that ripped out my heart a long time ago. Think maybe he may get some just desserts? I have had all the Karmic crucifiction I can handle!

[DianatheHuntress]

So happy to see this Robert..... I have always looked at the Nodes first when studying a chart for some reason. The Dragon or 'path of fortune' as the ancients called it.... the Dragon's Head (NN), and Dragon's Tail (SN).

The 'path' being the wealth from the past that we have come into this life with, and what we have been given to balance and fulfill in present/future..... it's truly a fascinating and enlightening part (the 'backbone') of the tapestry ....... many thanks! D. :-} ----

[chrispito]

Robert I am so freaking excited you're talking about this! I am just learning about NNs, and I value your site very much.

Thank you!

(NN, Pluto in Libra/9th...loooking...looking...looking)

[Aditya]

Hi Robert, many thanks for your article. If the North Node is in my 2nd House and The South Node is in my 7th House(Western Chart), then am i correct in understanding that some old practices related to my 7th House will come to an end, and will something new related to my 2nd House be revealed after the coming Solar Eclipse? Namaskar to you

[unuklahai]

Nice article, thank you, again :)

Good to see you point out that the south node isn't bad, so many who are getting familiar with their charts seem to think the south node is some evil vortex of doom, or something along that line. So many folks seem to think they need to avoid their south node placement and it's qualities... When the opposite is true. We must bring over the positive parts of the south node, and drop the negative parts, if we hope to work on the north node evolutionary path. The past and the future merge along this fruitful axis, and we must integrate them, in the same manner we must integrate the energy of opposing signs or houses!

[toni]

Hi Robert, This article leads me to a question I've been wondering about ever since the north node entered Pisces. My North Node is at 11:50 Virgo, conjunct Pluto. With the last lunar eclipse and the coming eclipse, the north node is almost opposite my natal north node, right on my south node. What do you suppose this means? Any ideas?

[Robert]

Hi chickie - I suspect your old line of development will be shut down, and you'll come out of the ocean, a mermaid on land. And no doubt your ex boyfriend will also have elements of his Saturn shut down, which could be painful or pleasurable depending. As for just desserts, I have no doubt life has served him up those that are perfect for his maturity.

Hi dianathehuntress - Yes, the Nodes are fairly important factors in a chart given they are not one of the primary four "building blocks" of the craft. There is a lot of mystery about them, and many take them to be as or more important than most other chart factors. Of course I don't ascribe to that, but they are very important nontheless.

Hi chrispito - Glad I could be of service in helping you understand these important factors that are not well explained anywhere else that I know of. NN in Libra in 9th shows a growth pattern through a balanced approach to all things "spiritual" or concerning "truth" expressed through the spontaneity and self-sufficiency and initiative of Aries. It also shows you'd do very well at the study of Law.

Hi Adytia - I'm not sure how you can have your Nodes in houses that don't oppose each other. Usually with NN in 2nd, SN is in 8th; if SN is in 7th, then NN is in the first. However, your interpretation is sound, once you get your house issues straightened out. Today's part 2 will hopefully clarify for others what you have noted here. And of course, namaskar!

Hi unuklahai - Yes, "evil vortices" in a chart is a discouraging way to approach any astrological factor. There is no "evil" other than human misunderstanding, thoughtforms accumulated over centuries into psychic globs that are still inherently impermanent and powerless to affect us unless we allow it. And yes, I agree with everything you say about integration of the opposites within ourselves.

Hi toni - In my opinion, it could mean that you're now learning how to release, and demonstrating what you've learned. You're at the end of a 9 year cycle of growth and release, and will find they flip into their complement. Perhaps you can now grow (at least temporarily) through what you're familiar with, and can let go of old lines of development that have fulfilled their time in your life.

[bettyann]

N.N 26 11' degree Sag.conjunct 7th house angle at 26 05' degree Sag. conjunct Pluto squaring 29 degree Pisces moon in 10th which also squares Venus in Gemini at 4 degrees in first house.

Marriage is not what I thought it would be.

[Robert]

Hi bettyann - Well, as one with vast experience in such things ;-) I echo your sentiment that "marriage is not what I thought it would be." It wasn't what I thought either, until I remembered that it takes two to make a marriage, both must be willing to give as well as take, and if they're not our friend, what are we doing entering into a contract and intimacy with someone who's NOT our friend? That's why I always encourage the friendship first, and romance later if at all. True friends are forever, and you can bet that if you hook up with a true friend, you'll never be left feeling like you need a psychic shower. Yours is a life of learning through freedom and max space to move in relationships, through with Pluto there, no doubt you've learned some extreme lessons. Don't let yourself get maneuvered out of perfectly good opportunities by failing to assert your deeper, subtle side. You're here to "awaken others to some emergency that will create your real place in life." And you'll be doing much better later this year when Jupiter rolls into your 7th. Just try not to allow Saturn square your Venus this Autumn and Winter to dampen your relations with friends. Re-write your address book, letting go of those who no longer accurately reflect your likes and values, and welcome in those who can feed your humanitarian side.

[bettyann]

Robert, could you please comment on my info...I forgot to ask you if you had any insight...

7-11-55 3:30am
bettyann

[Aditya]

Thanks for that Robert, My NN is indeed in the 1st House. Your articles give a lot of us spiritual support. Namaskar

[Robert]

Hi bettyann - Well, first, upon checking your numbers, your Venus is in Cancer, not Gemini, which I should have caught earlier since late Pisces never squares early Gemini. Everything I said earlier is still true except for Saturn, which is and will be favorable to your Sun, Mercury, Mars, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. It's still semisquare your Venus, so the interpretation still fits. The Grand Fire Trines are working magic on your Mercury, so learn as much as you can for the rest of the year.

Hi Aditya - Sure. You're most welcome, and I'm glad I can be a source of support in our very weird times.

[Colleen]

Hello Robert,

Wow!! lots of interest in these nodes... I saw something about a Node on my chart and I tried to search for what it meant, but didn't come up with anything comprehensive. On the chart that I have it says: Asc Node Virgo 17.08 - Is that related to the North/South Node information above and What does that mean?

Also, a possibly unrelated question: what does "Midheaven Leo 9.35" mean?

Thank you for all you do here. You're an inspiration!
~Colleen

[bettyann]

Robert, a short sentiment but very sincere....thank you for sharing your thoughts and time.
bettyann

[Robert]

Hi Colleen - There is very little that is comprehensive about what the nodes mean. And I don't really get what you're describing, but I suspect it means your NN is Virgo 18 degrees. And that means more than I can address in a comment stream. Your Midheaven, or highest point in the chart is at 9 degrees, 35 minutes Leo. And you're welcome.

Hi bettyann - Sure. We're all here together. Embrace the Fire illuminate your Mind in the near future, and you could get some inspired ideas and visions.

[H]

Hi Robert, So excited what a Ka-ching moment of magic synchronicity. Been attempting to study nodes for a while & have a question as yet not clear on & wonder if you can shine your light of wisdom on....
A dear soulmate has Chiron Conjunct Jupiter natally in 10th in Pisces & this is part of their grand mutable cross... (they oppose Uranus which conjuncts Pluto) the transiting node conjuncts their Chiron exact on 11th Sept (solar eclipse time!) Any ideas about what this may be about? I have ordered a book 'Lunar Nodes: Keys To Emotions And Life Experience' which appears to cover node placements natally & transit issues though can comment no further as it's not arrived as yet, and not sure if will address Chiron. Blessings for your thoughts, love to all H

[Robert]

Hi H - Two more articles on the Nodes coming this week! Transiting Node shows overall line of development for everyone right now. It looks like it's impacting their healer, or that which calls them to their higher self. Also the expander/protector which is their healer natally. They're doing a lot of forgiveness work this lifetime, and learning how to be a compassionate angel behind the scenes.

Transiting Node is a general aspect which creates an overall atmosphere, so it's been working as an influence for some time now. The Nodes are most powerful when aspected by the transiting Moon, since after all, they ARE the Moon's Nodes. it is said they don't have much influence unless some lunar aspect is at work, but I'm willing to give them a general influence except when specifically triggered by the Moon.

[ian]

you always have a way of illuminating the kind of subjects i'm thinking about right right as i'm thinking about it. So very helpful!

[H]

Very many thanks Robert for your time & thoughts they're a HUGE help. Namaste H

[Robert]

Hi ian and H - Sure. Occasionally I get a hit to reprint something people may have missed, and sure 'nuff, it seems to fit the atmosphere. Of course, my take is only one of many, but at least I''m open to considering any reasonable interpretation. And everyone who contemplates a phenomenon will come up with unique insights after following some better known vector of investigation, so by all means, keep your imagination open to possible interpretations and we'll all learn more! We each and all are unique thinkers in our own way.

[Sita]

Hi Robert - Been a long while since i posted. Travel stars seem to be shining for me this year, as for you it seems, with all your moving!
Had a question about Rahu and Ketu which in India are the references for SN/NN right. I was told they represent the head and tail of a snake??
I was also told that all my plants are squashed in between rahu and ketu. what does that mean?

[Robert]

Hi Sita - Yes, they are said to be the head and tail of "the snake," aka, wisdom and transformation by shedding old skins and allowing new ones. Don't know about planets being "squashed" between the Nodes, since we ALL have ALL our planets between the Nodes, on one side of the axis or the other. It sounds like glamorous vagueness to me.

[pri]

Hi Robert,

I've been reading your work and I must say am very fascinated by your astuteness in observation.

I had a question regarding the nodes. Have you ever come across charts (when doing basic synastry) where the North node is conjunct the others South node. ie. Two chart have the Nodal Axis conjunct only in opposite directions?

How do you think such an aspect might manifest itself in a relationship?

Thank you for your work!

[Robert]

Hi pri - Please reference this comment for your answer. It's not a great aspect between charts. That said, there are other factors in the relationship that may be of more importance than the crossed nodes.