posted May 20, 2005 04:42 PM              

Every planet has nodes, but most often we think of the Moon's nodes. The nodes are the two points in a planet's orbit which intercept the Earth's path around the sun (otherwise known as the ecliptic).

The Moon's nodes always move in retrograde. It takes 19 years for the Moon's nodes to complete one cycle of the Zodiac. Node signs are always opposite one another in the Zodiac wheel.

The nodes always appear in pairs and each node has a name: The North Node is known as the Dragon's Head and the South Node is called the Dragon's Tail. Nodes are astrologically significant because they indicate an individual's propensity for growth.

The North Node is the physical embodiment of the path of the planet moving from south to north. In a natal chart it represents the direction in which our life is heading, the lessons we need to learn in our lives and methods by which we may create harmony and enhance our personal development. The Dragon's Head also represents the future.

The South Node marks the intersection of the Moon traveling from north to south. Where the South Node appears in your chart symbolizes lessons from past lives that have been carried into this life. In the past these tasks hadn't quite been mastered, so we bring along the same circumstances so that we may try to learn them again. Oftentimes we revert back to these habits from the past when we feel ill at ease. The Dragon's Tail represents the past.

In general, we need to evolve from the South Node into the North Node; from the past into the future. The deeply imbedded habits of behavior that we form can inhibit our growth and our ability to reach the next level in universal development. A risk is required to make this evolution and Astrology can instruct us how best to take that risk.

Look at your own chart to determine the position of the North and South Nodes of the Moon at your birth. Use these brief descriptions to help you understand which lessons from life you should aspire to learn. Keep in mind that nodes are only a single facet of Astrology and that single chart elements can change dramatically when positioned with other natal chart characteristics.

posted May 20, 2005 04:43 PM              

THE NODES OF THE MOON

By Maritha Pottenger
The Nodes are defined by the intersections of the Moon's orbit with the Earth's orbit. The North Node's position is based on the Moon moving into north declination (above the celestial equator) while the South Node's position is based on the Moon moving into south declination (below the celestial equator).

The two Nodes are always directly opposite one another (180 degrees apart) across the zodiac. As such, they define important polarities in our lives: present lives and past lives. Relating back to the Moon, the Nodes symbolize strong emotions. They are keys particularly to emotional residues which we have carried forward from past lifetimes. They point to ingrained patterns that we tend to repeat over and over again. Old insecurities are depicted here -- ways in which we seek safety and try to protect ourselves and others. Relationship issues are often prominent. People who "push our emotional buttons" often have Nodal connections between our horoscope and theirs. (Once integrated, the Nodes show potential sustenance and support-what "feeds" us.)

There are three major paths people take in coping with the emotional residues of the Nodes. Most of us try the first two paths before discovering the third.

Path One: Some people experience the Nodes as a seesaw: They swing from one extreme to the other. For example, with the Nodes across Aries/Libra (or 1st house/7th house), some people vacillate between being alone and being together. They get lonely, want a relationship and get involved. Once they're involved, they start to feel trapped, hemmed in and eventually leave. Then they start to get lonely again and repeat the cycle. Typically, people with each Nodal polarity have had some past lifetimes living out one extreme and other lifetimes living out the opposite extreme.

Path Two: Some people identify with one Node and "project" the other Node. That is, they are unconsciously attracted to people who will live out the qualities symbolized by that opposite Node. The problem is, if we express only one side of a polarity, the people we attract are likely to express the opposite in excess. They will overdo it! With the Aries/Libra example, if an individual identifies with the Libra end ("I want a relationship"), they may repeatedly attract "free souls" who won't commit, married people who aren't available or self-centered individuals unwilling to make the compromises necessary in a healthy relationship. One person is overdoing the Libra need to merge with another; the other person is overdoing the Aries need for self-assertion and personal freedom. Conversely, the individual who identifies only with the Aries Node wants to live life on their own terms and be independent, and keeps on attracting people who want to marry, settle down, be together and share everything (overdoing the Libra).

Path Three: People find the happy medium between the Nodal polarities. They realize that life is an "and," not an "or," and fit the drives of both Nodes into their lives. They turn potential enemies into allies by not going to either extreme. They face their inner insecurities (including those from experiences in past lifetimes) and muster the emotional courage to reach a constructive balance point. By bringing together the best of both sides, they are more effective and more emotionally poised. A positive equilibrium is reached.

Some authors interpret the Nodes as "where we've been" and "where we should be going." This can be misleading. The Nodes are primarily an opposition! The goal of any opposition is synthesis -- to turn the enemies into allies, to combine the best of both into a golden mean. Talking about one Node as your "future" and the other as your "past" encourages people to fall into polarization and projection -- exactly the problems to which the Nodes are susceptible! Both Nodes relate to past lives and polarities we are striving to balance. Both Nodes relate to the future which can be bright when we achieve a pleasing synthesis!

The ancient tradition was that the North/South Node was more like Jupiter (in the sense of being easier to handle, more subjectively comfortable) and the South Node was more like Saturn (in the sense of feeling more stressful or demanding). In my experience, that is generally true but with individual exceptions. People with the South Node in the 1st house, for example, are usually prey to self-criticism and inhibiting tendencies similar to Saturn in the 1st, and more so than people with North/South Node in the 1st. One must, however, consider all factors. (North/South Node in Capricorn, in the 10th house or conjunct Saturn will obviously carry a great deal of karmic pressure.)

Because both Nodes relate back to the Moon, either can be a point of insecurity (where we feel needy, whiny, vulnerable, infantile) or a point of emotional sustenance and support (where we've laid a good foundation, can trust, give and receive nurturing to and with other people).

Conjunctions to the Nodes
Any conjunction to a Node will, first and foremost, emphasize the polarity involved. Secondly, the nature of the planet making the conjunction becomes more tied into that polarity. Continuing with the 1st/7th (or Aries/Libra) polarity, if the Sun is making a conjunction, the polarization between Self and Other will revolve much around issues of ego, self-esteem and who gets center stage. If Saturn is making the conjunction, the push/pull of assertion versus accommodation will center on professional questions; issues of who gets to call the shots, dictator tendencies and criticism may be used to push the other person away. Power issues are significant in relationships.

Following are some brief notes on planetary conjunctions.

Sun conjunct North Node: Ego and pride are tied to security needs. This person may feel safest when on stage or otherwise at the center of attention. Nurturing becomes connected with praise and admiration (both in terms of what person wants from and gives to others). Close, intimate connections are expected to stroke one's ego. Creative urges are strengthened within family contexts or close ties.

Sun conjunct South Node: A degree of insecurity is likely. This individual may fear the limelight -- or have problems ever getting off the stage. Negative feedback is likely to be extra tough on this person. They may feel creatively blocked or have fears or phobias connected to children, childbearing, love affairs, romance, men, leadership, etc. They can gain sustenance through expressing themselves and receiving positive regard.

Moon conjunct North Node: The need for home, family and emotional security is extra strong. Issues revolving around dependency and nurturing are highlighted. The mother figure (and the nurturing role) have a strong impact on this person's sense of safety. Food may be their security blanket. They're vulnerable to the moods of people in their environment. They may strive to protect themselves or others, and are working on the balance between the two.

Moon conjunct South Node: Emotional vulnerability is accented in this person. They may be too protective, overly needy, very susceptible to the emotions of a mother figure or other family members. They may feel lacking in unconditional love. They may fear family, dependency, parenthood, roots or emotional connections. They find more safety and sustenance by establishing strong ties, getting and giving trust to others.

Mercury conjunct North Node: Emotional security is tied to this person's mind. If healthy, this individual finds sustenance and support through reading, learning, discussing and exercising their brainpower. If unhealthy they may be afraid to talk, write or learn -- or afraid to stop talking or exercising intellectual skills. Their verbal expression may be an indicator of their sense of safety. They could articulate their emotions well.

posted May 20, 2005 04:49 PM              

You are an individual quite comfortable in personal relationships, sometimes to the point of being a little too dependent on your partner. Follow your North Node; try to be more active in your affairs of the heart and more romantically involved. Thinking independently is a wise start because at the moment, someone else is making up your mind for you.

Step away from this aspect of your past and move toward your own innovations. Harmony is more important to you than anything else and you will even admit fault erroneously just to keep the peace. Stand up for yourself and learn to stand on your own two feet. Learn to assert yourself and your opinions. Pioneer new ground rather than simply sticking with the tried and true.

Taurus North Node, Scorpio South Node or North Node 2nd House, South Node 8th House

Overcome being mysterious and too secretive. Get your hidden agenda out in the open or others will think you're being sneaky. Talking out of one side of your mouth may result in being misunderstood. Resist the urge to manipulate others and to use seduction to get what you want. You must learn that power is not always the answer; too often it is used as compensation for something more real that you feel you are missing. Power is simply filling a void in your life. Don't be so free with your physical emotions.

Focus more on developing self-worth, respecting yourself and creating your own values. Get in touch with the Earth and revert back to the basics. Celebrate the simple pleasures of life. Be more tactile: Work the land, touch something naturally evolved and steer clear of materialistic accumulation. Use your power and influence to improve other people's lives. Take time to appreciate art, spend your money wisely and believe in quality over quantity.

Gemini North Node, Sagittarius South Node or North Node 3rd House, South Node 9th House

Look beyond the dogma that rules so much of your life. Take the time to seriously ponder those aspects of your life that you blindly follow. Following tried-and-true golden rules and doctrines certainly has its benefits, but are you a loyal shepherd or simply being herded along with the rest of the flock? Holding on to a belief system can be a rewarding pursuit as long as you are following for yourself, not simply because it's expected. Question the routines and beliefs of your existence but don't ram your revelations down other people's throats.

You often find you can't stay put; when the going gets tough you run the other way instead of facing the issues head on. Accept that some level of superficiality is necessary for living in a society. Take on many different interests. Diversify your talents and the way you spend your time. Lighten your load and take yourself less seriously. Force those channels of communication wide open.

Cancer North Node, Capricorn South Node or North Node 4th House, South Node 10th House

If your nodes are positioned in Cancer and Capricorn, you need to learn that career and affluence aren't the only things that matter. Work and social status are currently the top priorities in your life and it would behoove you to direct more energy into developing personal relationships. Keeping up with the Joneses often turns out to be a fruitless, bottomless pit of material disappointment. Community standards should not be the basis for your ethics if your heart is telling you otherwise.

Try not to be so concerned with what others think. Instead, place more importance on family values and making real human connections. Spending quality time at home, perhaps without the television, never goes out of style and creates bonds that will last a lifetime. Making the extra effort to make a cozy home instead of a flashy home will make you more comfortable in your own skin. Cooking rather than take-out or opting for comfort over style are all maneuvers toward a more collected and more happy you.

Leo North Node, Aquarius South Node or North Node 5th House, South Node 11th House

Don't just jump into the latest trendy revolution; stand up for what that you believe in. Avoid following the crowd. Heed the influence of the North Node in Leo and spotlight your own unique qualities. Don't be a teaser or tormentor simply for the fun of it. Warm up to the people in your life, as your aloof dismissal of the people who love you is pushing them away.

Don't be afraid to be the nail that sticks up. Rather than getting hammered down, you will inspire and invigorate those around you. Be a benevolent master of all that you survey, but don't impose your will crudely. Learn to be a leader and get in touch with your latent generous nature. Others look up to you and you probably don't even realize it. Care for people on an individual level.

Make the effort to be more creative and have faith in whatever it is your instincts tell you to produce. The world may not be ready for your innovations at the moment but you'll need this time to hone your skills and to prepare them for what's in store. Spend some time connecting with children; they have a lot to teach you.

Virgo North Node, Pisces South Node or North Node 6th House, South Node 12th House

Getting organized and firmly grounding yourself in the moment are foreign tasks to you, but they will come more easily as you practice over time. Stop procrastinating by making up your mind that you are worthy of the task -- and follow it through. Overcome being everyone's doormat and focus instead on taking care of business. Look to logic to guide you rather than always relying on your instincts and intuition. Keeping one eye on the big picture is an effective strategy, but don't overlook the crucial details that will make it all come together.

Put more effort toward better organizing your work space, thoughts and ideas. Your mission shouldn't always be to serve others; you need to look out more for your own interests. Sponging up other people's problems as if they were your own won't encourage you to grow in the direction of your North Node, so avoid internalizing issues that aren't yours. Discover your strength from within and stop short any spells of self-pity. Strong bouts of idealism and your overly trusting nature won't help you achieve your goals. Have a more realistic attitude about the workings of the world around you.

Setting stringent daily routines and making use of schedules and calendars will assist you tremendously. Monitor your health and take care of small issues quickly. Strengthen your analytical skills by making lists and charts. Creating a sequence and sticking to it will help you get more done in a day. Increase your standards for the meaning of perfection in yourself and in the company you keep. Improving the simple things, like personal hygiene, can be the beginning of something greater.

Libra North Node, Aries South Node or North Node 7th House, South Node 1st House

Your impetuous nature would benefit from a great deal of mellowing. Strive for a greater sense of balance and harmony. You often see yourself at the center of everything and you are always in a hurry. Learning to breathe deeply will be a great asset to your evolution as a person. Overcome your impetuous nature; take the time to appreciate the subtleties you rush past every day. Practice being kinder, less brash. There is such a thing as being too active and too aggressive, and you often cross over those boundaries of appropriate conduct. Take more time and care with all your projects and be certain to double check every fact before banking on it. Obstinacy may help you in the business aspects of your life but this behavior may not be the best mode of operation for everything else.

To evolve toward your North Node in Libra, take a genuine interest in other people and find out what motivates them. Strive to be more giving in a relationship and become better versed in the arts of compromise and mediation. Cooperation and harmony will take you a lot further than bossiness and demands. Mind your manners. Participate in a community activity or initiate one that better suits your personal goals. Master the subtle arts of persuasion, gentleness and being a good companion.

Scorpio North Node, Taurus South Node or North Node 8th House, South Node 2nd House

Transcend your penchant for material goods, as this pursuit will get you nowhere. Too much of everything surrounds you; your sometimes greedy nature weighs you down and keeps you from the things that really matter in life. Resist the temptation to take on more than you need.

Your stubborn nature makes it very unlikely that you will heed anyone else's advice. You don't hesitate to make your opinions well known, but you could improve your listening skills when it comes to taking in what others have to say. Always leaning toward conservatism, you'll learn more about the world around you if you take a moment to step into someone else's shoes. You are aware of your inflexibility but at the moment you maintain that the old ways of doing things are still the best.

You don't realize that you're barking up the wrong tree. If the goals you've been after can't be achieved through traditional means you should try a whole new approach. Let go of some of your old ways and move on. If you look at yourself from another angle you'll see that you're still cheering for your horse after the race is finished. Celebrate the endings and new beginnings you experience and learn from them. Embrace the opportunities for change around you. Get more in touch with your sexual and physical natures and express yourself that way.

Sagittarius North Node, Gemini South Node or North Node 9th House, South Node 3rd House

You need to reduce the time and energy you expend in superficial pursuits. Bordering on shallow, you can be frivolous and flirtatious much of the time -- perhaps too often for your own good. Time spent being curious rather than actually educating yourself is time better spent in other ways. A notorious gossip, you derive pleasure from dissecting other people's lives. This time and energy would be more beneficial if you spent it improving your own life. You are involved in many irrelevant and indulgent affairs or are perhaps juggling too many projects at one time. Getting more serious about yourself and your world should be at the top of your priority list; at the moment you are too lighthearted and flippantly carefree.

Sample life's many offerings until you find something that truly stirs your passion. You lack depth at the moment because you've yet to find anything that you care deeply about. Develop your drive until you find an area worthy of your focus; keep it in mind that work begets work. Seek out your place in social relevance and find the inspiration to develop your own set of ethics or philosophy. Endeavor to find truth. Hold honesty most dear, above all else. Move on with a supreme level of confidence.

Capricorn North Node, Cancer South Node or North Node 10th House, South Node 4th House

You find that you're always in need of parental guidance and are very dependent on your family unit. The attachment to the people you are closest with is very deep, but so close that it could stifle your growth in other directions. You're used to getting what you want by way of emotional manipulation. You can be moody at times and you don't know enough to separate yourself from the activity that has set your mood reeling.

You need to learn to face the problems in your life head on and fight your urge to avoid the source of the trauma. Eating when you're upset will get you nowhere good; you should explore other solutions and consolations to help you remedy your stress. Learn to stand alone in the world by believing in your greatest strengths. The emotional independence you gain over the simplest things will give you a tremendous sense of achievement. Be your own person with your own career and your own sense of financial and emotional independence. If you're not already doing so, move out of your family home and carve a career for yourself out of your interests. Take a firm hold of your emotions and don't give in to your weaknesses.

Aquarius North Node, Leo South Node or North Node 11th House, South Node 5th House

Overcoming your natural sense of bossiness may be difficult for you, but it's a risk you need to take to achieve greater universal fulfillment. You are guilty of spending money beyond your means and you confuse owning things with being powerful. You're always at the heart of the conversation; your domineering nature is your signature. Very accomplished at the art of self-promotion, you find success when the competition is rough, but you too often tip the scales against yourself. Your ego and arrogance often steal the show and your many opinions and sense of false pride are your stumbling blocks. This is your way of seeking power but it's time you revised your tactics.

To rise toward your North Node, you need to be more philanthropic and less self-centered. Give precedence to community efforts over more solitary tasks. In general, a more relaxed approach will bring you greater success. You'll go further if you can react with a cooler temperament and be more aloof. Let go of your insecurities; take in the world around you. Plan your life to be more in service to the universe. Become more globally aware and act when you see need to. Stepping outside yourself will help you regain your sense of humility.

Pisces North Node, Virgo South Node or North Node 12 House, South Node 6th House

Dealing with the fussy details is your specialty and dispensing some of that pickiness to the people you work with is par for the course. Don't grill yourself with the details when there are more pressing issues to deal with. Always looking for perfection, you have discriminating tastes that may be pushed to the extreme and ultimately become rigid. Too much precision is your downfall; learning to bend is the most valuable lesson you can learn. Give in more to frivolity and get over your concern for always doing the right thing and following the program.

Listen more to your inner voice and let it guide you toward your goals. You've always preferred black and white over the many shades of gray -- and you're just starting to recognize what you've been missing. Trivial matters seem to take up most of your free time and you have difficulty distinguishing the relevant tasks from the distractions. Do some critical thinking to help you sort this jumbled life of yours and to help you trim the excess. Your fastidious nature comes in handy at times, but don't allow it to be a ruling force. Pristine presentation shouldn't always top your list of priorities.

posted May 20, 2005 04:51 PM              

Does either Node conjunct a personal planet?

posted May 20, 2005 06:19 PM              

I have my North Node in Cancer in the 3rd house. Work and social status being top priorities - not so much for me. I wonder if I have a better balance between my nodes. Work is important, but so is making connections but I'm having trouble with those. Keeping up with the Joneses, not important to me. That's Cappy South Node stuff, right? I feel maybe I'm pulling more towards the North Node currently (although I am quite the pissypants without work!). "Try not to be so concerned with what others think." This is a HUGE LESSON for me to learn!! HUGE. I love cooking at home ;-)

North Node 3rd hizzy...Need to look up 'dogma'. I definitely need to get out of the tried and true rules. Yup, when the going gets tough I do run the other way. Ew, I have to accept some superficiality? I am doing good with the diversity thing though, not so much with taking myself less seriously.

posted May 21, 2005 12:52 AM              

My true node is in virgo 10th house. A life of service! My MC is also in virgo, which IS the tenth house right? waddya think? Saturn and Pars Fortunae are both also in virgo 10th house.

posted June 08, 2005 04:50 PM              

I love the discussion on the Nodes! In my opinion, it is similarly misleading to talk about the Nodes as a "balance", for this implies that the Nodes are equally emphasized in the birth chart and all we have to do is "balance" them out. However, the South node is the node most easily emphasized in a person's life: these are the goals which are easily achieved, the things which can be easily done, etc. So the South node begins with a "head start" in emphasis.

It is the North node that a person has to WORK at to get that North node focus into a person's life. This does not mean that we "leave behind" the South node when we strive toward the North. Instead, the South node emphasis is always there, underneath everything we do. But staying in the comfort of the South node holds us back in life. Only by striving to ALSO bring in the North node energy can we develop and grown in our life.

Explaining it this way (that the South node focus is "always there" while the North node is a goal) can be confusing to beginners, so the longer explanation is frequently abbreviated to say "strive for the North node". The result is the same...adding in the more challenging North node focus to the easy South node focus.

My two cents,

posted June 14, 2005 12:30 PM              

have trouble working in a team......even more, am schizo if finances are involved. am afraid of depending on anyone or being emotional where close personal relations are concerned even though i would sacrafice myself for the sake of those i care for. sounds contradictory, right?

also am not a person who is afraid of much - have been told i tread where angels fear to go.

posted June 19, 2005 10:58 PM              

North Node in Virgo, 5th house, Conjunct Saturn, Square Neptune

South Node in Pisces, 11th house, Conjunct Moon, Square Neptune

posted June 21, 2005 12:27 PM              

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Rahu/Ketu

Rahu and Ketu have actually little to do with the other planets normal systems as they are outcases, rakshashas. They are one, but two parts on one being, an anti-godly power being, a power demon originally.

The presence of Rahu and his other half Ketu in the heavens comes only because an eventful moment in Rahu's life wherein just as he was getting what he sought, he was slain, and henceforth having gotten a taste of the eternalizing (within this realm) Soma Drink, is now living on like a God, but is not a God. Ketu is the dead half of his body. Rahu is the ever living head. One alive, one dead. One angry at the tattle tail Sun and Moon Gods, the other one dead but in the ecstasy of the touch of the deadly but liberating Sudarshan Chakra of Vishnu. So Ketu is more purified- as he has no choice- is more ultimate- Rahu is still toiling. The Rahu side of this axis represents toil, and the Ketu side detachment. Gain and Loss, in one sense, but Rahu's gain is not always material or external.

Rahu and Ketu come to us in the way that they were added to the heavens. Their presence in the heavens is ever antagonistic to the normal flow there, hence they are not welcome, nor wanted, especially by the luminaries. There is some connection with Venus due to the later being the Guru of Rahu, hence I buy the theory that Rahu is exalted in Taurus if anywhere as that is the safest house for him as it's Earth and Venus ruled, so the other Gods have less say there, Venus is at least compassionate for Rahu, and he's on the Earth there, not in the Sky chasing the luminaries.

If a soul takes to Jyotish during Rahu Maha Dasha, then most certainly they lived previously in a land or home where the authorities are anti-Veda, because then they are learning Veda during the anti Sun and Moon dasha. See? Someone said this. It's probably as I say. For them, that period was a tour away from their norm, and so their norm must have been non-Vedic. This is common these days in New Agers in the West. They will become hippy outcaste vegetarian love Jyotishi TM'er types and the like during Maha Rahu if placed just so in the chart, so as to oppose modern Western materialism. So Rahu these days in the West can often liberate a person, when properly placed, because "LIKE A DEMON AGAINST THE SUN" they pursue their cherished desire for Soma Rasa and often get it. Isn't that what we're after here? I am Ketu conjunct Moon myself. I am a nodal child born under a Rahu ruled Star and Ketu ruled lagna star, in Rahu mahadasha. Hmmm.

The effects of Rahu and Ketu depend most on what surrounds them in all respects like other planets. They are more reactive than anything though- they react and attack rather than build, unless what they are building is foreign to the place and times, new, different, a growth, a revolution, an alteration for either creative better, taking on new and better foreign ideas say, or for the worse, spraypaint and poison, revolution and killing. The house, sign and conjunctions are the greatest and main things to watch. Nodal conjunctions are important. The houses they reside in is the most key, then the sign, then the conjunctions, perhaps in that or other order. This is my understanding.

For example, Rahu in the sixth connects him with the persons and things the sixth rules. Ketu in the 10th connects Ketu with 10th house significations. The sign colors the behavior and conjuncted planets become affected. This is like other planets.

The primary mode of Rahu is to expand. He is a voracious grabber of good things in life, like Venus, but is expansive like Jupiter, and can generate sudden events like Mars, and powerful forces like Saturn. Rahu is very karmic. You will find politicians rising into power during Rahu Maha Dasha say placed in the 10th- we find it enhances the career overall, but is the way of that expansion good or bombastic in many respects?

Rahu in the first generates lots of worry in the head. Rahu in the first makes the person a wanderer, a foreignor, standing out, appearing a little agressive at times. Rahu means "the unexpected, uninvited guest from another land, hear to steal something, not wanted". This can never be all good.

It can however turn into: "Your Rahu is giving you the power to go into an established order or place or industry or endevour, and somehow or another usurp a position there, and reap the richest rewards". Yes, Rahu sometimes gets turned positive and agressive, allowing the native to capture something spectacular. Rahu often creates spectacular and stellar "grabbing" achievements in the house it tenets. The results of that house may really stand out after being discovered, just as Rahu was discovered. But the reaction may be also rejection by the common, but love and acceptance from an opulant minority, such as us here. We are an opulent minority in the world (Rich in knowledge) seen often as DEMONS in our countries, depending on the place. So these days in the West Rahu rules over astrology very much so. The fact that I have Rahu in the 5th and the 5th lord in the second directly connects foreign ideas and creativity that is unusual in my head (Rahu in the 5th) with my mouth (the 2nd) and hence it is supportive of preaching hinduism in America and Astrology etc.

The house where Rahu tenets becomes foreign and suffers the stigma of being unwelcome in it's environment very often. So Rahu in the first is hard on the person themselves, making them seem odd, outcaste, a little too unique, etc. However, they can therefore be the source of something new and original. They are often leaders of innovation in some way.

Look to where the Lord of the house of Rahu has gone to understand how he is reacting to Rahu, or where the lords personal interests lie, and it might give a clue as to why Rahu has attacked that particular house.

Ketu is a killer, and strips the house where it tenets of life in a way, but can promote it in another way. The way it does both is through it's strong empty feeling. By promoting an emptiness in that house, the person often struggles to refill it. This can result in accumulation and abundance for that house, hence Ketu in the 11th increases riches, by creating a feeling of constant poverty or drainage of the 11th.

Ketu in the 7th causes a feeling of loss of connections with others, a natural result of Rahu in the first, which makes one often rejected and abandoned for being outcaste. This happens subtly throughtout life for those bearing the mark of Rahu in the first.

Rahu always causes Ketu straight across. Thus, the nodes affect an axis always. On one side there is concern and expansion (Rahu) and on the other side there is detachment and loss (Ketu). They are head and tail of karmic reality- too much abundance and involvement for the mouth of Rahu caused him to lose his body but he became eternal in a sense.

So, you will over endevour and toil where Rahu is, because you are driven too by past karmic material attachments like Rahu. You will achieve much there, because of demonlike endevours. You will get rewards, but you will suffer for your sins of theft, and all along you will ignore the other side in some senses, and your detachment for the Ketu side will grow, or your feeling of loss there, depending on Ketu's particular color in the chart, and thus this is one way that various imbalances and karmic reactions will manifest- the Rahu Ketu axis is always key in discovering where some of our main problems in life will be- losses, deaths, diseases, weird and dangerous events. These two certainly carry these things.

On the other hand, they carry such drive and passion that they drive much of what goes on here. Without our Rahu and Ketu sides, we would not be struggling so as we do. We would not be learning as much. So, they are where the lesson stick will fall in this life, as well as SOMETIMES where serious fruits will be handed back to you from successful past lessons.

They are never considered really benefic in the sense of "all good", as they must always carry some of the heavy karma their birth is associated with, but they can be truly honorable in the right chart. They can be the source of things such as valour, endevour, bravery, in ways, and certainly things like fleeing a hostile environment, being revolutionary, fighting bad governments, being the underdog, being a yogi or spiritualist of many good types, focusing on things such as mysticism, death, the afterlife, God's valour, God's ultimate law (Ketu especially is aware of this as he's dead because of it!).

Ketu is the highest planet in Jyotish spiritually, because he rules the ultimate truth for us here. Jupiter can teach us all about Dharma, but Ketu really drives it home. Ketu and Saturn help us to realize the teachings of Jupiter and they alone teach us that we must be humble. Jupiter is too soft as is Venus. The malefics teach the hard side of our lessons and hence in a way, are more brave, more caring, in a way, than the benefics, who would spoil us rotten if left alone to do that.

Peace for all sentient beings,

Das Goravani

posted November 04, 2011 12:18 PM            

If we stay in our safety net all the time, we will never grow (self-improvement). But neither can we just focus on grow, without moments of safety and comfort to rest in between.

Therefore, in both natal and in synastry, I do not like the pre-conception that SN is bad and NN is good. As in the 3rd approach described in the first post, we need to leverage on our previous strength and take comfort at tough time with our SN character or in a person who hits our SN. Just remember to work hard again after recharging.

posted April 12, 2012 12:26 AM            

quote:

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Taurus North Node, Scorpio South Node or North Node 2nd House, South Node 8th House

Overcome being mysterious and too secretive. Get your hidden agenda out in the open or others will think you're being sneaky. Talking out of one side of your mouth may result in being misunderstood. Resist the urge to manipulate others and to use seduction to get what you want. You must learn that power is not always the answer; too often it is used as compensation for something more real that you feel you are missing. Power is simply filling a void in your life. Don't be so free with your physical emotions.

Focus more on developing self-worth, respecting yourself and creating your own values. Get in touch with the Earth and revert back to the basics. Celebrate the simple pleasures of life. Be more tactile: Work the land, touch something naturally evolved and steer clear of materialistic accumulation. Use your power and influence to improve other people's lives. Take time to appreciate art, spend your money wisely and believe in quality over quantity.

Libra North Node, Aries South Node or North Node 7th House, South Node 1st House

Your impetuous nature would benefit from a great deal of mellowing. Strive for a greater sense of balance and harmony. You often see yourself at the center of everything and you are always in a hurry. Learning to breathe deeply will be a great asset to your evolution as a person. Overcome your impetuous nature; take the time to appreciate the subtleties you rush past every day. Practice being kinder, less brash. There is such a thing as being too active and too aggressive, and you often cross over those boundaries of appropriate conduct. Take more time and care with all your projects and be certain to double check every fact before banking on it. Obstinacy may help you in the business aspects of your life but this behavior may not be the best mode of operation for everything else.

To evolve toward your North Node in Libra, take a genuine interest in other people and find out what motivates them. Strive to be more giving in a relationship and become better versed in the arts of compromise and mediation. Cooperation and harmony will take you a lot further than bossiness and demands. Mind your manners. Participate in a community activity or initiate one that better suits your personal goals. Master the subtle arts of persuasion, gentleness and being a good companion.

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posted April 12, 2012 08:01 AM            

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