Nodes - North Nodes and South Nodes

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The Nodes Know

The Moon’s Nodes are very confusing since they are not "planets," yet they are almost treated if they are. The Nodes have many different names with slightly different meanings. There is the North Node, the South Node, the True Node, the Mean Node, the Lunar Node, the Moon’s Node, etc. After a while, these terms begin to make some sense, but not without practice and ongoing use.

Let’s start with the terms, North Node and South Node. These are points calculated based on where the Moon’s transit crosses the ecliptic of the North and South Latitudes as it travels around the Earth, but in relation to the Sun’s placement. These two Nodes always (ALWAYS) travel in pairs. The North Node is always exactly opposite of the South Node.

For the sake of argument, we will try to keep this as basic as possible. Everyone has his/her own opinions about the nodes and what they do. For the most part, the Nodes make a regressed movement through the zodiac at the rate of approximately 1 degree in 18 days. Here, we can tease apart the differences between the Mean Nodes and True Nodes. The Mean Nodes are always in "retrograde" motion, while the True Nodes change direction frequently. Most of the astrology sites online refer to the Mean Nodes, basically because it is felt that this is the more "stable" reference to the Nodes. Some ephemerides report the True Nodes while others will report the Mean Nodes. Regardless of which are used, neither is very far apart. A good ephemeris will report both, the daily True Nodes and the monthly Mean Nodes. And speaking of using an ephemeris to find the Nodes, regardless of whether the Node types are True Nodes or Mean Nodes, only the North Node’s placement is shown. That’s because the South Node will always (yes, ALWAYS!) be exactly opposite of the North Node. As to whether we call them the Moon’s Nodes or Lunar Nodes, that is just a matter of preference. The two terms have the same meaning.

The Nodes have long been a source for determining when and where Lunar and Solar Eclipses will occur. Even though the Nodes’ points are considered to be "imaginary," it is believed that the Nodes are just as significant in a person’s chart as the Ascendant and the Part of Fortune, which are also imaginary points based on time.

It is believed that the Nodes indicate to us where we are most likely to have good fortune as well as troubles in life. The Nodes hold the Karmic clues to our destiny in this life. The Nodes are also believed to indicate Karmic connections between two individuals. For the purpose of this article, we will look only at the house placements of the Nodes to help determine where our karmic lessons rest within our charts. The signs of the Nodes will also hold some clues, but are less important than the actual house placements in determining what areas of our lives carry the karmic messages.

The North Node’s placement reinforces where life will be easier for us. The South Node’s placement will reveal where we are more likely to stumble or reinforce a rut. However, too much North Node activity can be just as detrimental to our lives as too much South Node activity. The significance of the two placements is to find balance between the two areas within our life. When we do achieve the balance we begin to feel the powerful effects of understanding the lessons.

As my friend, Sunny, points out, the house position of the North Node is a magnificent indicator of activities that will open up to us with ease once we have decided to venture out of the comfort zone of the instinctive action / reaction that is unconsciously related with the South Node placement. Since the nodes are always in opposition, the lesson of learning balance may not be so much of a lesson, but a constant reminder that we always have free will.

The delicate act of balancing the energy expressed by the nodes may not always become easier with life experience. Although so often, it is life-experience that pushes us to make better use of the high points of the South Node placement to open up and receive the gifts of the North Node placement.

I have created two charts below. The first chart is keywords in the house placements. The second chart is the North Node through the signs. Use the Sign chart along with the House placements to help you find the areas where your karmic lessons are stored in your chart based on the North and South Node placements. If you do not know your chart, you will need to create one or have someone explain your chart to you so that you can find this karmic information for yourself. There are many resources online, including on this site. Check out my page for some online chart calculators

North Node Benefits by House		South Node Detriments by House
1^st	Personality, outward appearances, temperament observed by others	7^th	Fears being alone, indecisive, over/under grooms self, resents advice
2^nd	Earnings, skills, self-worth, investments, material gains	8^th	Unusual sexual proclivities, extremist, uninterested in others’ money, resents needing anything
3^rd	Travels close to home, siblings, neighbors, mental acuity, communication	9^th	Ridicules others, religious zealot, unreliable, fears other cultures
4^th	Parents, real estate, private life, savings, childhood memories	10^th	Straitlaced, narrow-minded towards authority, dislikes being at home
5^th	Creativity, children, developing love, hobbies, talents	11^th	Excessive worries about others, egotistical, easily flattered, spiteful
6^th	Peers, co-workers, service to others, health and diet	12^th	Daydreamer, co-dependant, excessive moodiness, addictive tendencies
7^th	Close relationships, marriage, partnerships, open enemies	1^st	Impulsive, hyperactive, inattentive, cold towards others
8^th	Sexual tendencies, surgeries, legacies, financial transactions	2^nd	Extreme shyness, self-indulgent, lacks confidence, vain, introverted
9^th	Cultural exchanges, philosophies, advanced education, religion	3^rd	Immature, fickle, sarcastic, overly analytical, insensitive to others
10^th	Career, social reputation, destiny, public life, authorities	4^th	Childish or childlike, overly emotional, fears success, dismissive of authority
11^th	Friends and acquaintances, hopes and dreams, social associations	5^th	Exaggerates, hogs the spotlight, narcissistic, smugness, melodramatic
12^th	Latent talents, unknown enemies, solitude, confinements, rebirth, self-sacrifice	6^th	Jealous, compulsive, over critical, fastidious, hypochondriac

Zodiac Sign	Productively Applying the Nodal Energies
Aries	Striving for independence and self-sufficiency, self-confidence. Develop a sense of ambition.
Taurus	Develop a sense of practicality with material objects and values. Reduce greed and become more relaxed. Strive for self-worth
Gemini	Gather knowledge, not trivia. Use mind for inner peace. Avoid gossiping. Strive for wisdom
Cancer	Learning to nurture others. Develop self-mastery. Express sincere emotions towards others.
Leo	Understand selfless love. Develop appreciation for talents. Learn how to take risks without hurting self or others.
Virgo	Foster productivity without criticism. Mentor others. Develop good health habits.
Libra	Living & working harmoniously with others. Developing the art of cooperation and the art of forgiveness.
Scorpio	Moving beyond the physical pleasures into the mind and spiritual pleasures. Developing self-control. Avoiding manipulation and obsessions.
Sagittarius	Learning how to finish projects starting from the ground up. Act with honesty and ethics. Develop tolerance of others.
Capricorn	Master self-discipline. Accept self-responsibility. Develop emotional balance.
Aquarius	Develop acceptance without restraint. Build on commitment without possessive ideals. Learning how to fit into the bigger picture.
Pisces	Finding happiness with life as it is. Developing healthy emotional outlets. Building productivity without perfectionism.