What to make of the astrological North Node? First, let’s talk about the technical parts of the astrological North Node. The North Node is not a planet. And, it is not a house, such as the twelve astrological houses that were set up. It is a mathematical point where the moon’s orbit intersects with the ecliptic. The same can be said of a person’s South Node sign. To simplify, your North Node is in the opposite sign, and house, of your South Node.
But there’s a deeper meaning of the North, and South, Nodes. They are extremely spiritual in nature. Barring the technical aspects of astrology, they represent your life lessons. If Earth was a school, the North Node, its house, aspects, and energy, are your lesson plans for this lifetime, or is it school year? A great way to look at the South Node and its energies is to see it as your last school year, or years’ class, or classes. So, okay, you took Algebra for the past twelve lifetimes? Okay, now you’re moving towards Calculus! So, your soul is sick of Algebra. Sick, sick, sick! It’s ready for Calculus.
But, in many ways, your soul could also feel ‘stuck’ in your South Node. Your South Node is your comfort zone and your strength. But now, it’s become your weakness. For example, you’ve learned to be confident, a star, a leader, and how to express yourself. This was your South Node in Leo. But that South Node in Leo may now cause you trouble. Because Leo’s energy can become pompous, overbearing, neglectful of details, too subjective, and overinflated. So now, the North Node is serving you a North Node in Aquarius class this lifetime.
The Nodes may cross many lifetimes, if you believe in reincarnation. And of course not everyone feels obsessed, or stuck, in their South Nodes. Some of you are ready to move on. In general, moving towards one’s North Node is a challenge, uncomfortable, and a process. There is no set time for one person to start their North Node journey, but usually most don’t really dip their toe in the pool until around the time of the Saturn Return. I’ve even read somewhere that we’re supposed to be in our North Node by our early 40’s. Some might just jump into it; some have reincarnated many times, and are now mastering their lessons. And some are just curious folks who want to try something new.
This is an introduction to a twelve part series I am writing about on the North Node in astrology.
What sign is your North Node? What about the house and aspects to it? Do you feel like you are moving towards it, or are you still struggling?
Well, this is a fresh insight, so it may be full of hooey. My North Node is in 12th house Cancer. The man I’ve been loving for 4 years is very 12th house – Sun Moon Mercury and Venus are all in his intercepted Aries and Taurus 12th. By Synastry my late degree Capricorn descendant almost conjuncts his 0 degree Aquarius MC. His progressed chart is my natal chart Cancer Rising… Our composite chart has our venus mars jupiter and Saturn all in conjunct in Capricorn all 7th, except Venus is just in the 8th… whereas my progressed chart shows my venus, mars in 5th house capricorn. Could it be that I have gravitated to the familiar of the south node lessons of my past? His north node is 6th house this lifetime….very close to my 3 degree scorpio 4th house natal venus. I want the spiritual! I find I don’t want the 6th house stuff much at all. I guess that’s good? It’s just odd that I would be attracted to this man who IS so 6th house. And that because of the attraction I’ve been trying to be more 6th house to please….
Don’t you think it’s perfect? You both are supposed to learn from each others’ skills. If you’re good at 6th house things, you might teach him. If he’s good at 12th house things, he might teach you.
Of course, everything is speculation!
YES! validation 🙂 <3 I will take it.
It is fabulous. LOVE
Meanwhile he exudes the spiritual while only expresses that he is practical and down to earth – which he excels at given he is a Taurus. Maddeningly attractive to me. I always feel like my head is in the clouds, and I’m trying to be grounded.
I have sun and south node in gemini. My nnode in sag is in the 12th house. I kinda doubt anyone meeting me at this point in my life would see me as a gemini. Im leaning in to my nnode lessons but ive become pretty boring on the outside. I dont even know how to have fun or a conversation anymore.
Gemini and Sagittarius have a lot in common. Sagittarius is pretty fun too. Geminis and Sagittarians like to talk…a lot!
I have NN Capricorn in the 4th house and SN conjunct Uranus in Cancer in the 10th house. I think the nodes act like a see-saw. There is always a up/down between them.
I had an exciting job (10th house), but I neglected my NN, 4th house Capricorn as boring, until I stopped working. It was a letdown for me, but I found my roots. It took my entire life to learn the basics. (4th house). The Capricorn energy really brought things down to earth for me. It made me realize that the simple things in my life gave me the most joy.
Oh, you have one of ‘those charts’! I would just might as well call it a seesaw chart! Hee. It’s like juggling two balls!
Reminds me of my friend who has a North Node in Pisces, in the 6th house. She said, “I’m probably good at sewing (6th house) my clothes in my sleep (Pisces).” She’s into astrology.
I have NN in Libra and I just cannot partner for shit in life. Nobody wants me that I can stand and I haven’t wanted anyone IRL in an extremely long time, and I made my past exes fed up with me. I just have no clue on this topic and don’t think I ever will. I find it very hard to believe I am supposed to go in that direction because nothing in my life supports that.
NN in Libra, ah, the troubles!
First sentence, me too. Abject failure.
Think I have NN in Scorpio along with my moon, mercury & Neptune… Can not tell how close I am getting to fulfilling lessons in this lifetime. I do know that when I decide to commit to a person or thing, I take it seriously & will move mountains to fulfill that commitment.
I bet you’re an intense person, in a good way, of course! 🙂
North Node in Gemini in the 12th house…Yes, I have been progressing toward 12th house matters as a dominating force. I’m now a Reiki Master…
I bet you have to think (Gemini) about it!
North node in Taurus in 8th house. I don’t quite get it.
Change in a practical way?
Do you use the true node or mean node? I have the mean NN in Genimi at 29 and the true NN in Cancer at 0 degrees, in the 11th house. I am excited about your series on the NN!
Nice article btw 😉
Thank you!
@La_sirena,
I gravitate towards the true node more, but just by a little bit.
As for your North Node. Wow, double air energy!
NN in Taurus in 7th house, SN in Scorpio in 1st house, both houses empty. A complete mystery to me.
Whole lotta nothin’ goin’ on!!!!
(Looks like Mike & I are in the same boat… paddling aimlessly. How far is Niagara???)
Satsun – I think with a 7H Taurus NN, material security with a partner is important to you.
My, my. What a very Venus North Node!
I met the love of my life when transiting pluto conjunct his 5th house NN. yikessss
It feels like the boat was missed and it’s off in the horizon. Uranus hit my SN and is having a hard time visualizing anything outside its Aries territory in the first. What to do?
I’m confused. So you met the love of your life, yet the boat is off in the horizon?
NN is Cancer, 3rd house, SN in Cap, 9th house. I’ve been teaching myself astrology, so the going is slow in putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. So if I have to gravitate towards my NN, what would that look like? More self-love and care over caring for the rest of the world? I do have a ‘top-heavy’ chart, but oddly, I’ve always been introspective.
Cancer, 3rd house. Home school? LOL.
Meenakshi – as you know, 3H covers all forms of communication, short travels, local neighborhoods and community, siblings, cousins, primary education. Sharing practical (Gemini) intelligence with others verses philosophical (Sagittarius) views. Being a “teacher” or go-to confidante for your immediate family members may be a positive use of your Cancer flavored 3H.
You may also feel great satisfaction participating in a local (3H) Habitat (Cancer/home) for Humanity project. And feeding (Cancer/food) the crew.
That’s incredibly helpful, Jayne! It pulls together things I’ve been doing, and have started to do, and makes sense of it it all in the what-is-going-on-with -my-life context. Much thanks! ??
You are very welcome, Meenakshi!
NN is 6th house Pisces. I find myself in the role of listening. People share their problems with me and though I may offer advice, usually I just listen…soak in their pain. I often feel that no matter what issues I am having in life, there is always someone in my life who is having a much worse time of it. I hear the words, “You are the only one I can talk to/tell this to,” often but though it’s great to be needed, it is wearying to be the only source. I’ve lost my “religion” in the last ten years but have gained in spirituality.
Oh yeah, being the only source can be exhausting!
Thank you for researching this topic, Anonymoushermit! I’m looking forward to your future columns! The Nodes are so informative in a reading. Like Jennifer, my NN is in my Libra 8H. It has been difficult for me to find a balance in my partnerships. I feel additionally handicapped having an Aquarius ASC. I have to learn to temper my attitude of “It’s my way or the highway, bub!” lol
Well, the 8th house is always a hard house for many.
Awesome topic and returning comments.
NN in 6th house conj Jup/Nept all at 4 degrees Scorpio.
SN Taurus conj Ascendant 13 degrees.
I’m deep, intense, study “everything”, have changed careers many times usually involving healing of people and their animals. At times it feels obsessive. But easy to do at the same time.
And it’s conjunct parts of your natal chart!
My NN is in 11H Aquarius. I think I read somewhere that means I’ll have a lot of friends, but for some reason I’ve always been more of a loner. Not a lot of friends (and some periods in life where I was pretty lonely and had zero friends), but I will say that the few friends I’ve had in life were extremely loyal and special. Many I’ve had for over 10, 20, 30 years – some spanning since childhood. So basically, I don’t make friends easily or casually, but when I do connect with someone on a deeper level I usually keep that person in my life forever. They’d pretty much have to betray me to be discarded. I’ve been lucky to have some special friendships. So maybe my life lesson is to reach out more, or learn how to function in a group and stop being a lone wolf? I’m not sure…
The south node is a habit that’s hard to get rid of.
Very nice, AH!! Look forward to reading more! 🙂
Yay!
My chart has my NN in Capricorn and the 6th house but RX. Can it be retro? What does it mean if it is retro?
Study ‘mean node’ and ‘true node’.
Good to see an article on NN! This is a mysterious topic for me. I have NM in Scorpio in the 12th at 10 degrees and SM Taurus. I do feel trapped in the workaday world – I have longed all my life to do something greater yhan schlog back and forth to work and now I have been 30 years in the same office!! I do love to cook snd love all things Taurus but feel liberated when I give away posessions. It’s like a breath of fresh air! So I work, buy stuff and then give away more stuff!…lol
Very watery.
NN not NM? again I blame my iPhone smart auto correct. And poor editing and texting skills…lol
Mercury is currently retrograde!
North Node in Libra in the 7th. Never married but have co-habited. I am much more diplomatic and co-operative than I was in my teens. I make time in my day for others needs in a way I wouldn’t have believed possible! Much less aggression and self interest. I spend less time alone.
Glad you’re moving forward.
My natal north node is in early Sag. Jupiter conjuncts my sun. So if I don’t get it I must be daft. Natal NN makes a slightly loose yod with some icky natal exos in Taurus and natal moon. It’s a deep subject so I won’t start elaborating.
Saturn is progressing to the degree of my natal north node in sag. And my north node is progressing to the degree of my natal saturn in scorpio. It’s something I consider. They met in the middle.
Awww, don’t know your North Node house? No official birthtime?
Bravo, anonymoushermit! Great post! Thank you!
My NorthNode is in Libra, in my 12th house, closely between Pallas & Juno… they’re all in aspect to my 10th house Uranus & Vesta (which are likely too wide an orb apart to act as a conjunction).
If you have any sudden inspiration, or whathaveyou, please share it? (Pallas, specifically, is faulty, or intermittant at best in 12th house).
Poppy, you rock!
Hi! This is a very interesting subject! As a beginner, how do I find my north and south nodes? My chart on astro.com only shows my True Node which is 15 Virgo 24’30” in the 10th house. Is there somewhere I can go to figure out what all this means because I have no clue! Thanks!
Google, or search all over the internet.
Learning about the Nodes was very enlightening for me. I have SN in Virgo right beside my Virgo/Libra cusp Sun. I am a Professional seamstress, it’s like I’ve done it for lifetimes 😉 After learning that my NN is Pisces in my Career house I started an Industrial Sewing workforce training program. Using my gifts to give others a hand up. Feels more on track with my Aqu moon too. I have no problem spending days in silent meditation anymore. Shifted from critical to compassionate, Detail oriented to Mysticism. My SO has a similar chart. His SN is in his Taurus Rising & Moon house with NN close to his Libra/Scorpio cusp Sun. We are finding that we learn so much about ourselves through our relationship. Healing layers of genetic debris. Digging deep into the psyche. Shedding residue from past lives. It’s pretty powerful! Unlike anything I’ve experienced before.
Seamstress? How Virgo is that? Haha.
North Node in Pisces at 2* in my first house with my SN exactly conjunct my Black Moon Lilith. I easily get stuck in my Virgo patterns since I also have Sun, Pluto, Mercury, and Mars in there too. My Sun sextiles my Neptune on my MC as well.
I am best when I am having compassion{Pisces} for others, but get locked into being critical {Virgo} of others.
Oh wow, that’s hard! Yeah, I’ve heard it’s harder to move away from the South Node with things touching your South Node.
Great post! Got me thinking about my lonely North Node in Taurus in the 5th House. It’s a process of moving toward; and the old habits are hard to change. My South Node is tangled up with a whole lot of Scorpio, including my Sun. At this point I’ve had a big opportunity to ground into Taurus with creative expressions (5th House) this weekend. It was your post that gave me the nudge to reflect on what else was happening … and wheww … here it is!
A fixed sign, is a fixed sign, is a fixed sign…..
hahahahaha. Muddy Water.
LOL.
Mine is in Scorpio in the 7th. I’ve always lived surrounded by security and certainty. Being alone, single, independent is what feels natural to me.
Taurus and Scorpio are both fixed, but in different ways. 🙂
I have mine in Libra in the 12th, conjunct Sun and Pluto, sextile Neptune. It’s always felt that I cannot push things into happening. Things happen for a reason that’s out of my control. Letting go of what my ego wants is not easy, but when I do, things fall into place, or so it seems.
North node in Pisces 1 st house w Jupiter
Capricorn sun, Venus , mercury
Gemini moon, Aquarius asc…
Lots of 10th, 11, 12 house stuff. Trying to learn astrology. Love the article! Very insightful. Looking forward to the next! Thank you all!