Here's What Your North Node Says About Your Karmic Destiny In Life
There is a deep and rich history connected to the moon's Nodes and eclipse cycles, and your spiritual life path and destiny can be understood by looking at the Lunar Nodes in your own unique birth chart. Eclipses were long treated with reverence and awe by ancient astrologers, priests, and shamans — and their spiritual importance is still revered and studied to this day. "The Nodes of the Moon have been obvious to astronomers since the beginning, because when the Sun is near them in its apparent orbit around the earth, the new and full Moons tend to be eclipses," astrologer Robert Hand writes in his book "Horoscope Symbols." Hand goes on to explain that many cultures believe eclipses occurred when a mythical dragon swallowed the Sun and Moon whenever it ventured too close to the earth, drawing a colorful comparison to the Dragon's Head and Dragon's Tail that is still popular today.
The mythical themes tied to the Moon's Nodes have continued to gain popularity in both Vedic and Western astrology practices and add a richer depth of understanding of karmic life cycles for modern astrologers. "Solar and Lunar eclipses are dramatic turning points," professional astrology duo The Astro Twins tells Astrostyle. "They provide the cosmic kick in the pants to push us off the fence and into action." The Moon's North and South Nodes nearly always move in retrograde, meaning they travel backward through the Zodiac. This also means they will almost certainly be retrograde in your natal chart as well.
What do the Moon's Nodes represent in astrology?
Your spiritual life path and destiny can be understood by looking at your natal chart. And two of the most popular points for seeking your soul purpose can be found using the Lunar Nodes in your birth chart. In her book "Twelve Doors to the Soul," astrologer Jane A. Evans explains how the Lunar Nodes influence how we view reincarnation, karma, and astrology. "The North Node indicates new learning; where you are going; what you are going to develop and carry on with you. While your South Node shows what is instinctive because it is rooted in past life patterns." Astrologers believe everyone comes into the world with an experience to master through the expression of your South Node. And this cycle must be complete before you can embark on a new journey to grow into the talents of your North Node.
And as professional astrologer Martin Schulman explains it further in his book, "Karmic Astrology: The Moon's Nodes And Reincarnation," the North and South Nodes "reveal the track that your soul is running on in the current life, while the rest of the horoscope adds additional information as to how you are to make the journey." Regardless of where they fall in a chart, the Nodes never stray from their main objective, which is to push the individual toward spiritual exploration and refinement. Instead, the house placements and planetary connections that form aspects to the Nodes will show where and how the Nodes will have their influence on the individual.
How the North and South Nodes influence your life path
Your spiritual life path can be understood by looking at your chart, and the Lunar Nodes are often the first place astrologers look when seeking out the soul purpose of their clients. In their book, "Mythic Astrology: Archetypal Powers in the Horoscope,” astrologers Guttman and Johnson explain how there are karmic lessons tied to each of the moon's Nodes in your chart; and that it's not unusual to spend a lifetime finding a balance between them. "Both Nodes have value for us, and because they represent one of astrology's polarities, we are likely to bounce back and forth between the two extremes before we attain harmony and integration in the middle."
The Lunar Nodes move through each zodiac sign every 18 months and take 18.5 years to complete one cycle through the entire zodiac (via Astrology). This means that roughly every 20 years, you'll experience a 'nodal return' where the energy of the universe aligns with your chart to push you further toward your dreams and desires. "The area of life (as indicated by the Node's placement in sign and house) is underdeveloped, therefore, unfamiliar. When you work towards developing it, you'll find things tend to work out and the best of you will begin to shine," Vedic astrologer Arun Thareja says in a Twitter thread. The key to understanding the Nodes is to surrender to the Universe and understand that before you can become the teacher, you need to be the student first.
The importance of the North and South Nodes in your chart
As professional astrologer Alyssa Sharpe explains on her TikTok channel, the North and South Nodes will sit exactly opposite each other in your birth chart. She explains how overindulging the energy of either of your nodal placements will cause an imbalance in your life, creating a feeling of a snake eating its own tail. Finding the balance between where these two placements sit in your birth chart will allow you to find fulfillment in both the physical and spiritual realms. "The North and South Nodes are so important because they're going to tell you what past karmic debts you have, as well as what you're intended to accomplish in this lifetime," Vedic astrologer Camila Regina explains on her TikTok channel.
To find your own Lunar Nodes and begin exploring the path toward personal enlightenment, you'll want to create a copy of your birth chart using an online calculator or daily horoscope app. From there, look to see which zodiac sign and house in your birth chart the Lunar Nodes occupy to learn more about which area of life you'll experience continued spiritual exploration. "Within the natal chart you can see personality, drives, fears, parental relationships, siblings, children, psychological patterns, and more on one sheet of paper," astrologer Janelle Belgrave tells Refinery29. And once you understand how the Nodes of Fate influence your own journey, you'll be one step closer to truly understanding your own karmic destiny.