Have you ever wondered about your purpose in life, why you've lived the life you have, where your happiness lies and what would truly bring you bliss? Or why you keep repeating the same behaviors that make your life more difficult? Or why you're never satisfied and believe there must be something more you were meant to do in life? Studying your North and South Nodes will always shed light on all of this.
What Are the Lunar Nodes?
Astronomically, the ecliptic traces out the apparent annual motion of the Sun across the sky, and the Moon intersects the ecliptic. Astrologically, the North and South Lunar Nodes are sensitive areas in a birth chart that oppose one another. They represent the personal drive of the Sun and the emotional habits and instincts of the Moon.
The Nodes in Your Natal Chart
In your life's story, you're a hero, wrestling with your emotional and psychological baggage from a past life. Both the gifts and limitations of this baggage express through the sign and house positions of your North and South Lunar Nodes. Evolutionary astrologers say your Lunar North Node is your soul's mission and purpose in life.
Symbols for the North and South Lunar Nodes
The symbols for the North Node and South Node of the Moon look like horseshoes.
- ☊ represents the North Node
- ☋ represents the South Node
Finding Your North Node
You can calculate a birth chart that will show your Nodal axis on AstroSeek. But you must have an accurate time of birth to know what house your North Node occupies.
- Go to Astro Seek.
- Enter your birth information.
- Scroll down and select extended chart settings.
- Check Lunar Nodes.
- Select create chart.
Your North Node
The South Node comes naturally to you. Still, your North Node is what you consciously strive for, often without success early in life due to your lack of experience. However, because the South Node is unconscious, you may not be aware of what's holding you back or the gifts and talents that come naturally to you. Like all polarities, the Lunar Nodes are all about balancing and harmonizing the opposing forces over time.
Your Evolutionary Journey
The North and South Nodes will be in signs and houses that oppose one another. Together they answer questions about your past life habits and traits, your soul purpose, and your life's direction. However, this isn't from the perspective of ego or personal ambition. It's from your soul's evolutionary need to heal the past and claim who you were meant to be. The South Node's sign and house represent the habit patterns that you wrestle with, while the North Node's sign and house represent where happiness and fulfillment are found.
Your North Node's Sign
The astrological sign of your North Node is probably different than your Sun sign. However, your North Node can be a powerful guide to making your astrological Sun shine more brightly. The sign of your North Node is where you're the happiest and fulfilled. But activating it means overcoming your fears and taking a leap of faith.
Aries North Node
You're called to develop independence, self-reliance, and develop the courage to take the initiative and act in your own self-interest. With the North Node in Aries, the solution can be found in trusting yourself.
Taurus North Node
You're called to develop a sense of self-worth, an awareness of personal values, and build peace and stability in your daily life. With the North Node in Taurus, the solution can be found in self-acceptance.
Gemini North Node
You're called to develop an openness to new ideas, the ability to stay in the present and seek factual information before making decisions. With the North Node in Gemini, the solution can be found in expediency.
Cancer North Node
You're called to acknowledge you're not responsible for everything and realize the ability of others to take care of their own life. With the North Node in Cancer, the solution can be found in communicating your feeling and taking the emotional risk of allowing someone to take care of you.
Leo North Node
You're called to develop a willingness to take center stage and follow your heart's desires and create your own destiny. With the North Node in Leo, the solution can be found in self-determination, self-acceptance, and taking actions that make you happy.
Virgo North Node
You're called to focus on the here and now and participate in creating positive results. With the North Node in Virgo, the solution can be found in self-sufficiency and building confidence through worldly experience.
Libra North Node
You're drawn to learn how to share and join with others, negotiate and resolve conflict in a cooperative way, and gently shift to a deeper awareness of others. The solution for North Nodes in Libra is found in partnerships.
Scorpio North Node
You're here to recognize the mysteries of life, to accept change, and to successfully combine with others to create mutual empowerment. With the North Node in Scorpio, the solution can be found in releasing attachments, finding solutions, and attuning to others.
Sagittarius North Node
You're developing a sense of freedom and adventure. With the North Node in Sagittarius, the solution can is found in taking the leaps of faith necessary to follow your inner knowing and philosophical leaning instead of your mental process.
Capricorn North Node
You need to take control, assume personal responsibility, set goals, and to turn off the flow of support from others when necessary. With the North Node in Capricorn, the solution is found developing mature, self-discipline, self-control, and using your emotional energy for self-empowerment.
Aquarius North Node
You need to strike a balance between doing for yourself and doing for others by discovering how your unique gifts can contribute to the good of all. With the North Node in Aquarius, the solution can be found in seeing the larger picture and relating to others as different but equal individuals.
Pisces North Node
You're learning to relax, free your mind, and surrender to the flow of events without having to figure everything out. With the North Node in Pisces, the solution can be found in letting your feelings and intuitions flow, using your imagination, and letting your dreams emerge.
The North Node's House
The houses are the areas of life where your happiness and fulfillment can be discovered. Please note, you must have an accurate birth time for these to be accurate.
North Nodes in the First
If your North Node is in your first house, your happiness is found in developing your persona and self-image.
North Node in the Second
If your North Node is in your second use, your happiness lies in developing self-worth and a right relationship with money.
North Node in the Third
If your North Node is in your third house your joy can be found in improving your ability to communicate with others.
North Node in the Fourth
If your North Node is in the fourth house, your happiness can be found in creating a home and family and developing the ability to nurture and care for others.
North Node in the Fifth
If your North Node is in the fifth house, your happiness can be found developing your creativity and in all forms of creative self-expression, including children.
North Node in the Sixth
If your north node is in the sixth house, your happiness can be found in the day-to-day life of problem-solving, making decisions, and serving others, as well as in paying attention to your health and daily routines.
North Node in the Seventh
If your North Node is in the seventh, your happiness can be found in developing relationships with others including close friendships, marriage and business partnerships
North Node in Eighth
If your North Node is in the eighth, your happiness can be found in having an intimate knowledge of others, their sexuality and psychology, but also their possessions and money.
North Node in the Ninth
If your North Node is in the ninth house, your happiness can be found in gaining knowledge and understanding of life by communicating with individuals from different religions, foreign cultures, and political persuasions.
North Node in the Tenth
If your North Node is in the tenth house, your happiness can be found in your career, accomplishment, fame, and authority.
North Node in the Eleventh
If your North Node is in the eleventh house, your happiness can be found in developing friendships with people of like minds, be they work associates or group affiliations.
North Node in the Twelfth
If your North Node is in the twelfth house, your happiness can be found in developing faith in the unseen and in dedicating yourself to expanding your spirituality.
Transiting Nodes
The Lunar Nodes travel primarily in retrograde motion. As an example, instead of moving from Aries into Taurus, they move from Taurus into Aries. They spend about a year and a half in each sign and take 18.6 years to circle the entire zodiac. In the table below, you can locate the Lunar North Node's signs through 2024.
Transiting Nodes to Natal Nodes
When the transiting nodes conjunct, square, or reverse their natal positions, you may feel fate has come calling. Node to Node transits propel you toward your purpose in life and challenge you to recognize the qualities and limitations of the South Node. These are often times when you meet individuals who change your life or have some other type of life-changing experience.
Nodal Returns
A Nodal return is when the transiting North Node conjuncts your natal North node. Everyone has a Nodal return at ages 18, 37, 55, and 74, etc. These are often considered a date with destiny. Your life's calling or purpose is illuminated. There can be fated encounters, a feeling of déjà vu and you begin to move in the direction of your North Node placement
Nodal Squares
The transiting North Node squares your natal placement at ages 4, 13, 23, 32, 41, 51, 60, and 69, etc. These ages are years when you feel pulled in different directions. You're at a crossroads. Do you stay with what's familiar and secure, or do you take a leap of faith?
Nodal Opposition
The transiting North Node opposes your natal North Node at ages 9, 27, 46, 65, and 83, etc. These are ages Life can be turned upside as the past meets the present. You can gain closure on the past or retreat into the same ole, same ole life. If, by trial and error, you've developed your North Node these can be the years when you'll discover the gifts and talents of your South Node placement and use those in attaining your North Node calling.
Make Your Sun Shine
If you're a novice when it comes to astrology, the easiest and most entertaining book about the Lunar Nodes is Sunshines, The Astrology of Being Happy, by Michael Lutin, Vanity Fair's astrologer. Though Lutin does not mention the Nodes by name, he concludes this very entertaining book by saying: "While your Sun is always the heart and soul of everything you're trying to be, once you've gotten a handle on how the Moon's path crosses your Sun's path (the Lunar Nodes) you have the weapons and resources to be who you were always meant to be."
