Fate and Destiny in the Birth-Chart: The Lunar Nodes
The Lunar Nodes are mathematical points that, based on astrology, reveal the Grand Scheme of Things in one's horoscope and their destiny. Where are you coming from? And where are you going? The Lunar Nodes reveal the Grand Scheme of Things… They talk about Things Past and Things That Are Yet To Come… Sound Ominous? If you are not into notions such as Purpose and Destiny, or reincarnation and ancestral spiritual heritage, then read no more. But if you believe that each of us has a particular cross to bear and that we each have a unique path that is unfolding before us then read on. The Moon’s Nodes reveal memories of past experience that we carry on a deep cellular level, and point out in which direction true growth lies. They are a compass pointing from our past to the as yet uncharted future, stemming from the deepest desires of our soul!
What are the Lunar Nodes?
The Moon’s Nodes are mathematical points rather than planets. They mark the spot where the path of the Moon around the earth crosses the apparent path of the Sun (the ecliptic). Since these two symbolic circles are inclined to each other at about 5 degrees with a common centre – the Earth – they meet at two directly opposing points: the North Node marks the spot where the Moon crosses the ecliptic upward. And the South Node marks the spot where the Moon’s path takes it back down below the ecliptic. When the Sun and the Moon actually occupy these spots at the same time (i.e. conjoin the Nodes) we get an eclipse. And so the Nodes are directly linked to the power that eclipses have to precipitate events here on earth and assist in the evolution of the soul! For they represent the symbolic meeting point between the Sun (Spirit) the Moon (Soul) and the Earth (Matter). The Nodes move backward through the zodiac, taking just around 19 years to come full circle.
Nodal Transits and the World Stage
In 2017-2018 the lunar nodes are in Leo and Aquarius. In 2015-2017, the nodes transit Virgo (North Node) and Pisces (South Node). The symbolism of that in the current climate is profound. There is suffering on a mass scale (Pisces South Node) and lack of boundaries (e.g. the matter of refugees, terrorism & centralised economic policy) we seem at a loss as to how to handle. With the North Node in Virgo, this situation calls for careful discrimination, analysis and organisation, as well as a willingness to do what must be done to pull the world out of chaos. Before that, we saw the transition of the Nodes from Taurus-Scorpio into Aries-Libra. With the Nodes in Scorpio-Taurus 2012-2014 we saw a crisis in economic survival, as the gap between the haves and have-nots in society has widened. This affected people's livelihood but also their value system and their sense of self-worth. With the move of the Nodes into Aries-Libra 2014-2015, we saw a shift of focus from material survival to questions of cooperation versus antagonism (e.g. in the European Union).
The Lunar Nodes in Your Chart
The Lunar Nodes have profound impact on your horoscope, showing you your path of spiritual evolution. Like a spiritual compass, they point to your ‘Spiritual North’. The meaning of the nodes is best illustrated by thinking in terms of past lives, referring to an evolutionary past (and future) of the soul. You can think of this literally in terms of reincarnation or symbolically in terms of ancestral memory. The South Node represents what sort of memories you have carried forward into this life from your past. It reveals situations and experiences that feel familiar because you have gained a certain proficiency in handling them. Your North Node reveals the direction you need to take to break new ground, grow and develop. It shows, where you have no experience, as it were, needing to jump in at the deep end if you are to ever learn how to swim! This is the direction you need to take if you are to learn something new and get a sense of evolution and achievement. Notably, you can also often find echoes of the nodal story – especially the South Node – in the dreams and experiences of early childhood.
So what sort of past life memories do you carry? And where does your own personal compass point? Read on to find out! (To find out where the Moon’s Nodes were when you were born check out the tables at the end of this article!)
North Node in Aries – South Node in Libra
You were defined by your relationships with others in the past, deferring to your partner in all aspects of your life to the point where you lost your self-definition and sense of personal potency. You are here to discover what it is that you want and to just go for it! You need to develop courage in this life, and become a pioneer, boldly going where no (wo)man has gone before. Feel the fear and do it anyway!
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These are times that call for personal leadership to overcome indecision. (1911-13, 1930-31, 1949-50, 1967-69, 1986-87, 2004-06, 2023-24)
North Node in Taurus – South Node in Scorpio
Your have experienced extreme situations and trauma in your past, which left you somewhat raw and mistrustful of life, searing your senses. The challenge now is to get back to basics, recover a sense of solidity and substance, reconnect with your body and let yourself indulge in simple physical pleasures. You are here to cut through twisted knots, simplify and smell the roses.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times call for a return to simple values and a consolidation of resources to regain a sense of substance. (1910-11, 1928-30, 1947-49, 1966-67, 1984-86, 2003-04, 2022-23)
North Node in Gemini – South Node in Sagittarius
Your past lives were spent in the high and mighty realms of religion, philosophy and travel. Whether you were an explorer or missionary, or studying away in a monastery or university, the point is that you were cut off from the daily hustle and bustle of life and devoted to the loftier intellectual pursuits. You are now called to come back to civilisation and test your views in the marketplace, mingling with people and opening up your mind to ideas of all kinds in a playful spirit of non-attachment.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times may be characterised by dogmatic attitudes, which call for objectivity, tolerance and a recognition of the fact that there are as many walks of life as there are people. (1908-10, 1927-28, 1945-47, 1964-66, 1983-84, 2001-03, 2020-21)
North Node in Cancer – South Node in Capricorn
You have had too many lives 'out in the cold', as it were. Your high social position and the sheer weight of your responsibilities called you to harden your heart to effectively discharge your duties. You are here to shed this tough shell and let tenderness grow back in your bosom. Let others take care of you for a change! This way you will reconnect with your own source and relax into its nurturing embrace.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times call for a caring attitude and an outpour of emotion to wash away hardened attitudes and life-suffocating structures. (1907-08, 1925-27, 1944-45, 1963-64, 1981-83, 2000-2001, 2018-20)
North Node in Leo – South Node in Aquarius
Your past life identity was probably so deeply defined by your ideals, your political environment or the social group to which you belonged that you lost touch with your own sense of unique individuality and creative potential. You are here to rediscover your specialness, get in touch with your childlike innocence and creativity, and allow yourself to take a risk. You are here to shine!
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times call for charismatic leadership to fight against abstract systems and impersonal ideals that have become life-destroying. (1905-07, 1924-25, 1942-44, 1961-62, 1980-81, 1998-2000, 2017-18)
North Node in Virgo – South Node in Pisces
Your past lives have probably called for self-sacrifice and ego-dissolution to the point that you experienced a total loss of self. You may have been far-removed from mundane concerns, therefore having no need for personal boundaries. Your destiny is to develop greater self-definition, take care of your physical body and develop the powers of analysis and discrimination that can help you become productive and efficient.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? Humanity may feel lost at these times, calling for cold and rational thought, strategy and discipline to pull everyone out of the mire. (1904-05, 1922-24, 1941-42, 1959-61, 1979-80, 1997-98, 2015-17)
North Node in Libra – South Node in Aries
Your previous lives were defined by aggressive self-assertion. You were a pioneer, doing your thing and not giving a hoot about everyone else! You now need to learn to cooperate and relate to people as equals, taking their wishes into account. You are here to soften and gentrify your boldness, civilise your wild attitudes and find balance through relationship.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These are times when aggression may be rife, calling for cooperation to resolve conflict. (1902-04, 1921-22, 1939-41, 1958-59, 1977-78, 1995-97, 2014-15)
North Node in Scorpio – South Node in Taurus
Your past existences were overly concerned with physical survival and material security. The habits you have developed need to give way now to an attitude of non-attachment and a less materialistic and conservative outlook, stripping away of all that is dead and calcified to make space for new blood to flow through your veins! You are here to experience empowerment, regeneration and renewal through crisis, and to open yourself up to the full range of human experience.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These are times of crisis, survival, regeneration and radical change. (1919-21, 1938-39, 1956-58, 1975-77, 1994-95, 2012-14)
North Node in Sagittarius – South Node in Gemini
You have spent too much time meaninglessly interacting with many people and ideas, and living by your wits. Your past lives were in a kind of constant flux that required you to develop agility, dexterity and absolute non-attachment in order to survive. You are now called to develop far-reaching vision and a personal philosophy of your own. You must elevate your mind and have the courage of your convictions!
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times call for vision that can cut through the noise and cacophony of disparate voices and endless chatter. (1918-19, 1936-38, 1955-56, 1973-75, 1992-94, 2011-12)
North Node in Capricorn – South Node in Cancer
You have lived in a sheltered environment in the past, belonging to some sort of family or clan where everyone looked after each other. In this sense, you have never had to ‘grow up’ and take full responsibility for yourself. You are here to leave your safe, protective shell behind and test yourself in the real world. Your soul longs for maturity through life-experience. It seeks to develop accountability and self-sufficiency, and to occupy a position of authority that allows you to earn others’ respect.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These are times of immature behaviour that can only be corrected by the assumption of personal responsibility and by sensible, mature and accountable government. (1916-18, 1935-36, 1953-55, 1972-73, 1990-92, 2009-11)
North Node in Aquarius – South Node in Leo
You were a central figure in the past and everything and everyone revolved around you! You therefore express yourself freely and spontaneously, following your every impulse with almost childlike abandon! You are here to get a sense that you are part of a greater human whole, to develop collective ideals and to learn to cooperate with others as equals, working toward a common goal.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These times call for a collective effort and for a sense of brotherhood to repair the damage caused by autocratic systems and excessive pride. (1914-16, 1933-35, 1952-53, 1970-72, 1989-90, 2007-09, 2026-28)
North Node in Pisces – South Node in Virgo
You probably spent many lives simply doing your duty, bogged down by your daily chores and working hard to put food on the table. You just didn’t have the luxury to let your mind soar above practical concerns. You are now called to relax your grip on life's practicalities and to allow yourself to feel a greater sense of spiritual connection. You are not alone. Take time out of your rigid schedules to recharge your batteries, reconnect to your spiritual centre and sense yourself as a part of a greater united whole.
What goes on in the world when the Nodes are in this position? These are times of excessive automation and systematisation that call for greater compassion and unity to make humanity whole again. (1913-14, 1931-33, 1950-52, 1969-70, 1987-89, 2006-07, 2025-26)
Lunar Nodes: Tables (True Node)
Find out where the Nodes where when you were born, below. Then discover your own personal destiny in the above descriptions!