What are the Nodes of the moon?

In your birth chart, you will have a North and a South Node, located directly opposite one another. The Lunar Nodes are determined by the two points where the moon’s orbit crosses the path of the ecliptic.

In Astrology, the placements of the Lunar Nodes are the way we interpret the evolution of consciousness both collectively and individually. Sounds like a big deal? That’s because it is. These two points in space are used by Astrologers to read into your evolutionary trajectory and that’s no small thing.

It has to be noted that life is of course one big mystery and Astrology is one of the many languages used to bring meaning and understanding to the unknown. When we look through the lens of Astrology, it’s understood that you are a soul within a body, you have been here before and you will come here again.

Sounds far-fetched?

Well, look at it this way; the first law of thermodynamics states that “energy can neither be created nor destroyed; energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another.”

Do you have energy in your body? Yes.

What feels obvious then, is that the energy that is “you” has never been created nor destroyed. From here, it’s easy to appreciate the idea that our consciousness would exist after our death and has existed long before our birth.

The Nodes of the Moon represent the notion that you have come into this life with an evolutionary intention. Astrologers will look at your Nodal placements and the planets aspecting them as a storyline to gain an understanding of what this trajectory is. The North Node acknowledges that your soul has a purpose for incarnating; there are deeper layers of integration and discovery. Your South Node is where you are coming from, representing a place of familiarity, you know this area of your chart well. It highlights your talents and what comes as second nature to you. The South Node is the toolbox you came into this life with and you are learning that you don’t have to be limited by this toolbox alone.

I’ll use an analogy to support the understanding of this somewhat intangible notion; imagine that you often go kayaking and you frequent a 3km stretch of the river. You know that 3km stretch really well because you have paddled through that section over and over again. You know that after the first kilometre, you will hit some rapids – you know exactly what turns to make and when. You know that as you hit the second kilometre, you will meet crocodiles. You know exactly where to get out and exactly where to re-enter. Finally, at the third kilometre, you know there will be a waterfall – of course knowing when and how to brace just in time. Because of your repeated experience of this stretch of the river, you have a thorough knowledge of all its qualities and details.

The thing is if someone asks you; “What’s down the river past the point you frequent?” You wouldn’t know and that unknown scares you. You would rather go back because it’s safe, predictable, easy, and familiar – that’s your South Node.

Here is the point that you ask yourself the question, is this what life is about? Sticking to what you know, what feels safe?

If you want your heart and soul to grow and develop, you have to be willing to move beyond what you know. You are going to have to get in the kayak and paddle down the river towards the unknown. You have no idea what it will involve and that is the nature of life – that is the calling of your North Node.

Look around; you don’t have to try very hard to see how society is built on the attempt to preserve what is known. You are conditioned to maintain what is predictable and safe. As you succumb to this conditioning, you experience the same stories and challenges repeatedly presenting themselves.

The South Node placement supports you to interpret the programming and script that keep you paddling in the familiar. Giving you clarity on what fears will come up and what beliefs will attempt to terminate your mission down the river. Your South Node will undoubtedly attempt to persuade you to ‘stay here’.

Your North Node has the intention to call you towards something different, “maybe you could do it this way?” Each sign speaks to a unique calling and what the soul is learning in this lifetime. Writing a new story of going into the realm of the unfamiliar is what motivates us to get in the kayak and journey down the river. This journey is the great quest of the astrological North Node. The suggestions and qualities of the North Node invite you to travel towards unfamiliar realms.

The Soul intention is of personal self-empowerment and self-love. You are learning to develop courage, to gather your personal power and that it’s okay to put yourself before others. It’s okay for your feelings to have weight.

With a South Node in Libra, there is a familiarity and safety in putting other peoples needs before that of your own. There is a fear to be lonely.

“I don’t want to be the only one going down this river.”

“I can’t do it alone.”

“I’m not worth it.”

“I love myself.”

“I’m important.”

“I can do it.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn to trust as well as release your addiction to drama, intensity and pain.

With a South Node in Scorpio, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in pain, tragedy and drama. The fear is that if it’s not dramatic, intense or painful, then it’s not real.

“If I relax all hell will break loose.”

“I can’t trust anyone.”

“The pain will kill me.”

“I am safe, I am calm, I am patient.”

“Its aloud to be easy.”

“There are calmer waters ahead.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn to open your mind to the understanding that truth lives in a multiplicity of beliefs, perspectives and opinions. You are learning that you can never know anything for sure.

With a South Node in Sagittarius, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in attaching to you belief systems and opinion.

“If I don’t have the answers, who am I?”

“There is only one right way.”

“My worth is attached to my wisdom.”

“It’s all a mystery.”

“I don’t need to know.”

“My way is not the only way.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn to establish internal safety, to feel and to heal. You are learning the value of rest and self-care. You are coming back home to your inner world.

With a South Node in Capricorn, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in working hard and being stoic. There is a fear that if you allow your emotions to be, you will lose control of your life. There can be lifetimes of unexpressed tears that are looking to be felt.

“There isn’t time to cry about it.”

“You’re being a victim.”

“Toughen up.”

“Its safe to feel.”

“Its okay to rest.”

“Life doesn’t have to be hard.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn to express yourself freely and authentically with the world. You’re learning to love, recognise and take up space with your expression. You’re learning to validate your subjective experience.

With a South Node in Aquarius, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in detaching from your subjective experience and relating to life objectively. The fear is that shining bright and taking up space will result in judgment and alienation.

“What will they think, what will they say?”

“No one understands me.”

“I don’t belong.”

“It’s safe to want to be loved and seen.”

“My uniqueness is a gift to the world.”

“There is enough love for everyone.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn the art of being human. You are learning how to acquire skills so you can be of service to others. You are naturally spiritually connected and you are learning to ground that into you human experience.

With a South Node in Pisces a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in escaping your reality. The fear is that if you really experience what its like to be human it will result in deep pain and agony.

“What’s the point of it all?”

“Nothing really matters.”

“There is no need to try.”

“I’m lost.”

“I am here with a purpose.”

“My breath keeps me anchored to my body.”

“I am capable.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn that you don’t have to do it all alone. You are learning to reestablish equilibrium through trusting others to support you.

With a South Node in Aries, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in doing it alone and relating to your life as a battle to conquer. The fear is if you let down your guard, all hell will break loose.

“I must always be strong.”

“I can’t trust others.”

“Nobody else can do it but me.”

“I am safe to let down my guard.”

“I’m allowed to ask for help.”

“I don’t have to do it alone.”

Your Soul’s intention is to engage with the richness and depth of life. You are learning to get out of your comfort zone, become friends with fear and experience the full spectrum of human emotion.

With a South Node in Taurus, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in attaching to physical resources and comforts. The fear is that if you let go of attachment you will die.

“If I let go, I will not survive.”

“Its too painful.”

“Its not worth the risk.”

“I will not be safe if I engage in intimacy.”

“I trust my body to be with pain.”

“I am safe to open my heart.”

“My self worth is not attached to my resources.”

Your Soul’s intention is to learn to trust what you know in your heart, that you cant know with your head. As you learn to follow your intuition, you develop a broader and more philosophical perspective of the mystery of life. You learn to discern the difference between your heart’s knowing and our heads habit.

With a South Node in Gemini, there is a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, in relying on the logical mind for guidance and answers. The fear is that if we trust our intuition, then we are going to have to engage in constant chaos management.

“I still have more to learn.”

“I don’t know enough.”

“I need to figure it all out before I make a decision.”

“I don’t need to have all the answers.”

“I release the need to know.”

“I trust I am guided by something greater.”

“Life is an adventure.”

Your Soul’s intention is to find the pleasure in hard work and to mature into a wise elder. You are learning the value in responsibility and creating a protective environment for yourself and others.

With a South Node in Cancer, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in staying close to home and family. There is a fear of a threat to safety and becoming emotionally overwhelmed.

“It’s too hard.”

“I’m not capable.”

“My emotions are overwhelming.”

“I am safe as I scale my mountain.”

“I can hold myself in uncomfortable emotion.”

“My work here is valuable.”

Your Soul’s intention is to develop confidence in your unique genius and learn to break free from the status quo. As you decondition from societies constraints you strengthen your unique opinion and way of being, which ends up supporting the greater whole.

With a South Node in Leo, a sense of familiarity and therefore safety, lives in gaining the applause and validation of others. The fear is that if you do things your own unique way you will be rejected and alienated.

“If I express myself authentically, I will be rejected.”

“They will like me more if I tell them what they want to hear.”

“I really need them to like me.”

“I can’t be weird.”

“My freedom and honesty are more important than your opinion.”

“I’m safe to be me.”

“I am a genius in my own way.”

Your Soul”s intention is to learn to remember that universal love is absolute. Your work is to release judgment, control and forgive yourself. You are learning how to surrender to the flow of life and remember the perfection that exists in each moment.

With a South Node in Virgo, you can let self-judgment prevent you from being present with your life. A sense of familiarity and therefore safety lives in control and order. The fear is if you lose control, everything will fall to pieces.

“I don’t think I’m good enough.”

“It won’t work no matter how hard I try.”

“Its all wrong I need to fix it.”

“It’s all perfect.”

“I release control.”

“Life is a mystery.”