The North Node is the single most importantpoint in the chart...it describes what your Soul wants to learn andexperience in this life. It is a Soul Messenger."

Have you ever wondered what life-lessons and experiencesyour Soul wants to have in this life? Do you know what you truly yearn for?

Unique insights into these questions are found by using the ancientastrological technique of examining the North and South Nodes of your astrological chart. Soul purpose and life direction questions are profoundly significant, and the Nodes in your chart address those questions from the perspective of your Soul---instead of your rational mind and ego.

The re-incarnational theory behind this is simply that yourSoul chose to be born at a certain time and place so that it would carry overthe gifts and challenges from previous lives, and that your chart reflects theoriginal Soul intention on coming into this world.The great psychologist, Carl Jung, believed that the time of birth was not a coincidencebut was a mysterious synchronicity that reveals a great deal. He used astrology in hispractice with his clients, and found that it simply worked. So what may seemunimportant to you--your birthday, time, and place is actually a profound tool;an oracle. And what may look like a mystery to you, is not a mystery to theastrologer who can read the meaning contained in the chart.

Lets see how this works. There are three pivotal key-pointsin solving the mystery: the Sun, the North Node, and the South Node. . When anastrologer looks at your chart, these pointsthese clues--are described in somedetail by their sign, house and aspect positions. But we don't need to getcomplicated, lets look at it briefly:

Your Sun sign, reads like a personality descriptionpresenting all the positive and negative ways you can "play out" yourSun sign. For example, as a Gemini Sun, you can play out the flirty, fickle,uncommitted aspects of the sign or you can use your great breath of knowledgeto live a very full life in which you make wise and helpful decisions. You arethe communicator of the zodiac. From the Souls perspective you chose to be borna Gemini in order to play out the highest octave of the sign. Thats the firstclue to the mystery: look to the highest possible use and talents in your Sunsign. Almost any astrology book can help you with this.

The second clue is the North Node. Many astrologers todaybelieve it is the single most important point in the chart. It is unique toeach person and describes what your Soul wants to learn and experience in thislife. It is a Soul Messenger, describing the evolutionary needs of your Soul.When we act out the qualities of this Node we heal and nurture ourselves.It tells us in what area of life we need to bring emphasis, and some of theways to do it. The North Node has a sign, a house position, and aspects, and isan excellent suggestion---similar to the idea of a personal guiding North Star.

By contrast, the South Node describes the qualities broughtover from our previous life, and describes how we lived when we were young. Ourdeeply habitual ways of being and thinking are shown here, and as we mature wetend to act out the qualities of our South Node less. It shows both theunhelpful and negative qualities that our Soul wishes to move away from, aswell as containing what Carl Jung talked about as the "gold in theshadow". This gold is the unconscious unrecognized talents andabilities that we bring over from a former life or that are simply latent orrepressed qualities. It is wise to uncover and use the gold in the South Node,while leaving the negative old patterns behind, and to move in the direction ofthe North Node.

Most astrologers would agree that the South Node reflectskarmic qualities of our previous life, describing the unfinished businessand things that we didn't 'get quite right.' Although there are gifts andtalents shown there, it is the North Node that points to the qualities our Soulwants to use and acquire in this life. So when you have a chart reading, take along look at what your North Node tells you, even if it feels a littleunfamiliar and challenging. It offers a potent suggestion.

So how does this all work together in a chart? Lets look atmy chart as an example. My Sun is in Libra, North Node in Taurus in the 2ndhouse, and South Node in Scorpio in the 8th house. "Houses" are theareas of life where things get acted out, and the Nodes are each in differenthouses. In many ways I acted out my South Node till my Saturn Return at age 28.I have tended to learn things the hard way, to be ungrounded and to go toexcesses when I was young. It has taken me a long time to live into my trueprofession as an astrologer. I married late, and after 20 years of marriage wasdivorced for five years, and then I remarried my first husband. We've beenmarried now since 2001, and continue to do the wonderful/horrible work thatsoul mates do with each other---we help each other grow. His independence andmy desire 'to merge' are not comfortable together, yet I can see how henaturally pushes me to live out the independence and grounded values of myTaurus North Node. I encourage and stimulate the curiosity and expansiveness ofhis North Node in Gemini. There's grace and grit here; a true marriage.

My South Node in Scorpio suggests that my Soul purpose is,in part, to move away from hurtful melodramas and to ground myself in my owntalents and resources. It speaks of the desire for serenity and to move awayfrom the dramatic reactivity and the excesses of my earlier years and formerlife. Ive needed to take on the qualities of loyalty and persistence of theTaurus North Node and to find the sacred in the commonplace, which is abeautiful quality of that sign.The "gold" in my Scorpio shadow-South Node is my intuitive ability and emotional intensity.One could speculate that with my South Node in Scorpio (conjuncting Jupiter, the planet of expansion and privilege) I may have been the 'power behind the throne' to someone of importance, and was used to enjoying the largesse of another person and a more dramatic life. That is not the case in this lifeI need to use my own resources and power based on thatgrounded Taurus in the 2nd house of personal values and resources. The Universe gives me strong hints whenever I move into territory that is notmy own to claim anymore.

My Sun sign in Libra wants serenity, harmony and beauty. Yetit thinks in terms of opposing ideas, and about the paradoxical nature of life.I can get easily stressed, yet look poised. The North Node points to thenecessity of creating calmness and living off my own values and resources. It'salso significant that I have no earth signs in my chartexcept the North Node inTaurus, and yet I was unconsciously drawn to compensate for that (the pull ofthe North Node) as I make pottery as well as do astrology. For many years Ilived in a stone house, and married an earth sign, Virgo. Jungian psychologistswould call this the unconscious compensation of my inferior function; thesensate.

An astrologer sees a chart like my mine and says this is anair and fire sign personality, whereas a Jungian therapist would say I was anintuitive-thinking type. This is labeling, and just the beginning of a deeperdiscussion, but its still useful.

The movement towards the North Node is a continuousprocess, not just one decision you make. For me, I needed to get lost, andfound, many times--- I divorced and remarried the same man. I write and doastrological counseling, which is my true vocation, but I have followed severalgods home. I continually need to recommit to ever deeper levels of groundingand persistence in my work and life. Serenity and home life is very important.I know I survived a difficult family karmic inheritance, yet I strive to actout the highest octave of the Libra Sun which pulls me towards tactfulness anddeep thinking. And that South Node in Scorpio still tries to seduce me in everyway you can imagine.

So, I come back to the chart and to the astrological workagain and again as a spiritual practice. It helps me remember my commitment tothe work of being a healer; an intuitive astrologer who is grounded andpractical. Astrology reflects the internal dialog between the differentparts of oneself, but at least now I know who to listen to and why. I amgrateful to have this divinatory tool that helps make conscious what isunconscious in the psyche, and I delight in sharing the gifts of this SoulMessenger to whoever asks.

ElizabethSpring, MA, is a counseling astrologer andtherapist who has studied astrology and the psychology of Carl Jung since 1969.She has studied and taught in England, Switzerland, and California, and hasbeen a professional astrologer since 1992. She specializes in relationship,career, and soul direction and life purpose issues. Consultations are done byphone or at her office in Wickford, RI. Other articles can be read on http://www.elizabethspring.com/

The North Node:What You Dont Want to Know About Yourself

Or maybe you disagreeyou think youd like to know everything about yourselfor maybe you think you already know everything there is to know. Perhaps youre curious to see what others know about you and you dont? We often think we want to know all about ourselves, but I dont think most of us want to know what were lacking or dont see, or what the Jungian psychologists call the inferior function. However if youre looking to find the answer to the Greek axiom: Know Thyself then you might want to know what this North Node is all aboutthis shadow part of your psyche.

Simply put, the North Node is where our Soul is yearning to go towards in this life, and the South Node is where we are moving out of, or growing away fromit shows the qualities we would be best to leave behind. South Node qualities and habits are what we acted out either earlier in this life or in a former life if we believe that. Its what we are familiar with; our world view and our habitual way of responding. And the lower, or reactive expression of this South Node surely carries with it shadow or unconscious material, but so does the unconsciousness of the North Node. However, if we would be open to exploring our personal North Star the North Node, we would find that it smells much better than the South Node, because the South is the area weve been mired in, in the past, and failed at to some extent. The North Node is freshits new territory. Its a call to try something new.

However, as an astrologer and therapist, I find that most people simply dont hear what their North Node is suggesting. Its like a blind spot. Theyre more likely to recognize their South Node because its their default pattern and represents both the gifts and liabilities they came into this life with. We know our gifts---and even most of our sins and failings, even if we dont want to admit it. We know our South Node. But when confronted with the North Node sign and house and aspect patterns, theres usually a silence in the conversation. The information is trying to settle in, but it feels unfamiliar, and almost---wrong. No, that isnt me, I can almost hear my clients saying.

But it is. Its the qualities, traits and areas of life that we are most unfamiliar with, and its the particular arenas of life we try to avoid. Must I really go there? we ask. Do I really need to be more that way? they respond with a slight look of distaste. We have an innate antipathy to this region of life. Yet if we are to be truly whole and healthy, we would be wise to do as Carl Jung suggested: integrate the shadow---integrate the North Node and the whole Nodal story.

How does this fit in with the rest of the chart? Well, if you were to ask: Who am I?---and then describe yourself in terms of your Sun sign, in most casesnot allyou would be recognizable in the traits of your sign. But people are paradoxical and complex, and a description of your obvious personality traits alone does not define you.

How do you perceive the world? Whats your style? How were you seen as a child, and whats your persona or mask? This is your rising sign, or ascendant. Its also a hint of what you might look likeVirgo rising? You look younger than your age. Aries rising? Do you have something red in your appearancea face mole or a red undercolor in your hair? Do you wear red a lot? The ascendant is about how we appear, and how we present ourselves.

The Moon gives us hints as to what makes you happy and sad. Do you love a challenge? Do you love to be a little feisty and dare to feel the fear and do it anyway? That could be an Aries Moon. Or would you describe yourself as being both introverted and extroverted? Are you happy cleaning out your closets one moment and then ready to dance by the light of the moon on the beach the next day? This could be a Cancer moon.especially if you were to tell me how much what your mother did and didnt do for you while growing up affected you. So, the Moon represents our emotional nature.

Each sign describes another part of us. We are complex creatures, and the astrological chart tries to describe so many things--- how we respond to authority and discipline (Saturn), how we are rebellious or not (Uranus), how we feel about spirituality, getting high and boundaries (Neptune), where we are lucky and gifted (Jupiter), and even how we experience and handle lifes toughest moments (Pluto).The chart is a fascinating yet inexact map of the territory of our lives. The wild card is that we have free will to play out the signs and aspects. We can bring consciousness and energy to them, or we can play on our strengths and go for an easy ride. We inherit a family karmic inheritance that predisposes us to certain ways of behaving that are not as easy to change as our hair color. And at every moment of our lives we have an assortment of different challenges and moods--- what astrologers call transits and progressions. A good astrologer can trace the pattern of particular challenges and opportunities and help you prepare for and accept the stage of life youre in at the moment.

So when you have an astrological reading done, the astrologer will tend to describe you in terms of all the different facets or signs, and then look at what is happening to you in the present moment by looking at the patterns of transits and progressions. However, there is always the big picture. And the big picture is the Nodes: the North Node representing what our Soul longs for in this life, and those qualities we would be wise to integrate into ourselves, no matter how foreign they may feel. And then directly opposite it is the South Node, representing the gifts and liabilities weve come into this life with--- and especially what we havent handled skillfully. The South Node represents what were bringing in to this life with, like our gender and race, but it speaks in terms of our family and soul karmic inheritance. Its useful to know. However, we can only look so long at what we didnt get right. The North Node is a fresh breath of divine wind: why not breathe it in---try it out? You might be very pleased indeed. Elizabeth Spring www.elizabethspring.com

Understanding Your North Node, South Node:Life Direction and Soul Purpose

It has got to sound outrageous that anyone can help another person discover their soul purpose and life direction! And especially from information gained through an astrology chartbut that is exactly what I do as an astrologer. I specialize in helping you understand the complex soul directive that is contained in your particular North and South Nodes.

Its more complex than it appears at first. The sign of your North Node describes the experiences and lessons your Soul wants to move towards in this life, whereas the South Node sign describes what your Soul has already brought into this life and what it wants to move away from. Its your default pattern when all the chips are down.

Besides the signs of your Nodes, the houses of your chart in which they are placed are crucial because they tell much more of the story---they describe in more detail the area or part of your life that needs emphasis, and needs de-emphasis.

And then its necessary to bring in the other players; the Sun, Moon, Saturn, Rising Sign, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune, to see how they fit into the puzzle. The first four mentioned are probably the most crucial pieces of the story, but the art of astrology is to know how to take the exquisite mandala of the chart apart and then put it back togetherto synthesize and prioritize what is truly meaningful and what is not. Its not hard to read about your Nodes by sign and house on this blog, but quite honestly, youre probably not going to get the whole picture unless you have the ability to be objective in weighing the relative value of each piece.

Another important consideration is this: the South Node reflects not only past life karma and traits, but also the patterns you are still getting stuck in! These are what the Jungian writer, Jim Hollis calls the swamplands of the Soul. The same issues keep coming around in more and more sophisticated ways, but were still dealing with the same South Node problems. Its good to know what to call it; to name it.

To go deeper, you also need to consider the rulers of the Nodes, and the aspects to the Nodes. Many people have what is called a skipped step or a piece of unfinished business that is reflected by a square aspect to the Nodes. A trine aspect represents people and situations that enabled you to live out your default pattern.

And finally we look to planets that aspect the Nodes. These tell us how this energy is echoed in the chart and in your life, and gives us hints as to how to draw out more information and elaborate upon what the Soul is up against, and what the Soul is yearning for this time around. Look to other posts on this site to explain more.

Yes, its complicated, and simply a theory. But I wouldnt want to not know how this plays out in my lifeI take my own intuitive wisdom as first priority, but this certainly has helped me know things about myself that I wouldnt have considered. Im sure a couple of years of good therapy would have brought up the same things, but then again, I like the easiness of knowing. The hard part is what to do with it all, and how to live it out. Elizabeth Spring (C)http://www.elizabethspring.com/ Contact for a reading at: elizabethspring@aol.com

Squares to the NodesYour Karmic Skipped Step

How do you get to your North Node? How do you know how best to prioritize things? What has been left unresolved karmically from past lives? At this point, you understand the idea of the Nodes: the North Node is the direction your Soul longs to go towards in this life, and the South Node is the direction you need to move away fromyour default patterns that you may have brought over from another life. But how do you get to what the North Node is all about? Youve read the description of the North Node sign and house placement, and youve read the description of the South Node sign and house, but still you have questions. Good questions.

One of the hints the chart gives us to look at is the aspects to the Nodesespecially if you have squares to the Nodes. Many people have this aspect, which is called: the skipped step. To understand it you need to let your imagination roam around the meaning of the planet that is squared. Again, what sign is it in? What house? There is something in the nature of this placement that is telling you what you need to do as part of your process of getting to the North Node. You need to pick up the unfinished business herethere is something about what that skipped step is about that remains as a complex or as a forgotten way of thinking that needs to be addressed and brought into your life now. You can understand that skipped step as being a karmic bad habit from a former life, or simply a blind spot in your psyche.

Blind spot? The skipped step is often what we dont want to look at or deal withits the missing piece of the puzzle, the dropped stitch, the piece that needs the most priority in your life now, and often receives the least.

For example: today I did a reading for a woman who had so many skills and abilities, yet she was feeling quite stuck for a number of reasons. We touched on what those issues were about, but I was left with the feeling that if she would take care of her body/health, then the rest would fall into place rather easily. She needed to address the square to her Nodes, which pointed to the 6th house of health. And, at this point in her life I felt there was a certain urgency to it.

Jeffrey Green and Steven Forrest were the first I know of to call this aspect the skipped step. The blockages and distortions that are symbolized by the planet and house that is square to the Nodes is a critical piece to consider when looking at a chart. Yet nothing is ever truly skipped or lostits just put away till another time, or done unconsciously. But for those who want more direct answers to life direction and soul purpose questions, these aspects are a wealth of information. Ironically, as easy as they are to see, theyre never easy to understand. Elizabeth Spring www.elizabethspring.com

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

Away with the drama and trauma and melodrama! No more tragic love stories, no more battles for power, struggles for revenge, hidden agendas and all the stuff of great novels. Just peace. Serenity. Thats the movement away from the South Node in the 8th house to the North Node in the 2nd house. Your Soul needs a rest

The 8th house South Node, ruled by Pluto, has struggled to transform and be re-born like the phoenix, and somewhere in all that struggling has come an exhaustion and weariness of the spirit. This life is now one where you are being called to rethink your values, your priorities, and put the Venus ruled 2nd house of Taurus back in its position of prominence. This is not the Venus of the struggle, but of gentle inquiry---the one that has the savvy to pick her own battles and chooses the mutual fund that agrees with her political and ecological consciousness. This is the Venus that soothes us, and reminds us of our roots in this good earth. Shed rather write a poem than put on the dress that makes her into the femme fatale. She finds the sacred in the commonplace, and makes it extraordinary.

The South Node here has great gold in its shadowy inheritance---it has a hard won wisdom and occult knowledge that can serve us well when used right. Certainly astrologers and those interested in astrology, have resources here in the 8th house. But as always with the South Node there is the defeat and despair of what we didnt get right earlier in this life or in a former life. We paid too much attention to other peoples business rather than our own. We were the power behind the throne, or the one who borrowed anothers values, glory, money or husband. Our own yearning for these things seemed to make it acceptable, but we missed the basic course in ethics and compassion and fairness.

This new North Node in the 2nd house is deceptively easy---stay away from all that. Just be good and mind your own business. Enjoy yourself, dont tell me you have to work---instead, take a picnic to the beach to watch that beautiful sunset. Easy.yes?!

Sagittarius North Node, Gemini South Node

Having come into this life with the talent for seeing so many different points of view, it's important now for you to continually hone in on your own "Truth" and find the philosophic rudder for your life. It's good for you to keep seeing life as a quest and as a profound journey in which you keep expanding and integrating your experiences. By allowing yourself freedom and time for reading, traveling, and being out in the world you acquire the experiences that nurture you.

Earlier in this life, or in a past life it was important for you to be quick, fast talking, and to know all the answers if you could. You were willing to try many things and sought to understand how others thought and acted---but now your Soul yearns to look beyond the relativity of everything to find some essential Truth of your own to live by.

This new philosophic grounding, or rudder, allows you to see life as a grand adventure, and to feel a certain safety in your position. Your psyche, like a sailboat, won't tip so easily when your Soul has framed your experiences in a way that allows for mistakes, changes, and even betrayals, because there is a growing understanding of how human and divine nature interact. You now have the wisdom to see life as a grand adventure, and it's important to take the time to share with others what you've discovered about the meaning of life. You need to find new ways to tell your story.

There's a bit of the gypsy, scholar and philosopher in you. And as you develop your intuitive nature more and speak from your higher mind, your friends will delight in your storytelling ability and deep wisdom. You're in the process of leaving behind the impatient, overly logical part of yourself that constantly hungers for more factual information. When you spend time by yourself in nature, or pondering a reflective book, or simply open yourself up to true inspiration, you begin acquiring a deeper purpose in life and a soul-full resonance that echoes in the way you present yourself to the world.

As you move along this path, you new found sense of security in this life allows you to keep a good attitude and an optimism that attracts others. You are also good at distributing "good and fair ideas" and you would do well as a teacher or speaker in whatever field you have competence in.

As you pick up the gold in the shadow of Gemini, you treasure the wealth and variety of different experiences you've had in the past---you've lived more in one life that some people have in many. And now you're able to pull it all together into a coherent life. The new Sagittarian vision is one that adds meaningfulness to the full palate of your Gemini experiences.

Soul Purpose: Expanded consciousness and a wide breath of experience, through study, travel or contact with other cultures, that encourages a philosophy of life that you live by, and perhaps teach. You need to give yourself time to think about the big picture of your life, to ponder what all your efforts will amount to, and then avoid the distractions that keep you from achieving your highest ideals.

Shadow: Over-extension, over-doing, and tripping the life fantastic. Are you all about too many tactics and clever action, but have no long range strategy or goal for your life? Are you constantly avoiding commitments in order to keep your options open? Release any addiction to the desire to stay forever young. With your keen intellect and sense of wonder and curiosity, you may have a talent with language and communicationbe sure to use it soulfully and not glibly.***

Bill Gates has this nodal polarity. As American business magnate, philanthropist, and the worlds third richest person (as of February 8, 2008), he is chairman of Microsoft, the software company he co-founded. Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. Although he is admired by many people, others criticize his business tactics, which they consider anti-competitive, an opinion which has in some cases been upheld by the courts. In the later stages of his career, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, established in 2000.

Before getting married, Bills focus was strictly business oriented. From Microsoft's founding in 1975 until 2006, Gates aggressively broadened the company's range of products, and wherever Microsoft achieved a dominant position he vigorously defended it. First hand accounts of Gates in business meetings describe him as verbally combative, berating managers for perceived holes in their business strategies--he often interrupted presentations with such comments as, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"and, "Why don't you just give up your options and join the Peace Corps?"

Bill was born with Gemini street smarts, and has been known to even brag about his IQ. However street smart savvy he is, one wonders if he would have ever moved towards his philosophic Sagittarian North Node without the influence of his wife. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter which rules both humanitarian and philosophic endeavors, as well as all things expansive and abundant One could make a case that Gates didnt find the philosophic rudder of his ship till he married his wife, Melinda. Gates on January 1, 1994 and began a new career as the father of three children.

Bill Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January, 2000. In June, 2006, Gates announced that he would be transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to full-time work in his philanthropy foundation. One wonder perhaps if in some way he is the one who is now joining the Peace Corps? Bill and Melindas foundation has given away over 14 billion dollars so far, and its estimated that Bill and Melinda will give away close to 100 billion in their lifetime. Melinda has also recently unveiled a plan to eradicate malaria, which the couple will help finance.

I suspect it was Bills acceptance of Melinda in his life that made all the difference in his lifes trajectory. Its much more comfortable for people with lots of Gemini and Sagittarius in their chart or on the Nodes, to rally around the cry dont fence me in! Partnership commitment, intimacy and receptivity to others on a deep level doesnt come easy for them. According to Wikipedia, friends of the couple say that Bill wouldn't be shifting gears if it weren't for Melinda. Moreover, they say, she has helped Bill become more open, patient, and compassionate. "Bullshit!" he bellows. Nicer, perhaps? "No way!" he shouts, grinning because he knows it's true. About the philanthropic work he says, "I don't think it would be fun to do on my own, and I don't think I'd do as much of it." The couple's close friend, financial wizard, Warren Buffett, who has known them since 1991 says: "Bill really needs her."

However, it was Bill's choice to bring her into his lifeit was his Souls choice. Buffett also has stated that Melinda makes Bill a better decision-maker. (Doesnt that Gemini South Node see almost too many possibilities? Indecision catches the Gemini South Node as a default pattern as a first responsebut then once committed, Sagittarius will defend any personal cause to the bitter end.and he certainly defended Microsoft.) "He's smart as hell," Buffett went on to say. "But in terms of seeing the whole picture, she's smarter." Would Buffett have given the Gates Foundation his fortune if Melinda were not in the picture? "That's a great question," he replies. "And the answer is, I'm not sure."

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Neiths Feedback on the North Node in Sagittarius

Since this the Nodal axis that is the flipped version of mine, I am going to add a little on my experience of synastry when the North Node in one persons chart conjuncts the South Node in anothers. In theory, this sounds like a nice complement of energies. After all, the primary aspect is the conjunction and usually conjunctions indicate a certain level of understanding in synastry.

A very good woman friends SO has his Moon/South Node in Gemini exactly conjunct my North Node in Gemini. We like each other and get along fine most of the time (I have known this fellow for 20+ yrs). It was when I started working for him about 5 years ago and interacted with him 4-5 days a week that I became aware of the subtle effect of the having the opposite Nodes. In this case, he could see so many different perspectives and details, he frequently became paralyzed attempting to sort them out. If he remembered to stay focused on the big picture and let me handle the details, we did fine . . .

The bottom line here is the difference between the ideal and the reality of having the opposite Nodes in synastry. This occurs when people are roughly 10 yrs apart in age (or 10~ increments). The effect gradually becomes more difficult to handle over time and proximity and I liken it to hearing a tone become more off-key . . . very, very irritating. So if you meet someone with the opposite Nodes and are considering spending lots of time together, be aware of this. Consulting your astrologer to review the overall picture of your synastry is a good idea!

North Node and Sun Opposing Each Other

"Elizabeth, I've recently discovered your website and have been completely immersed. When I look at my own chart, my north node is in Gemini in the 7th house and opposes my Sagittarian Sun in the 1st house. I had been assuming that one of the tasks of fulfilling a chart was to "become" our sun, that the solar quest was the heroic quest. When the south node is conjunct the Sun, are we suppose to move away from our Sun? I've seen a number of charts that have the same set-up - Sun opposing the north node. Do you have any thoughts? Patty"

Thanks for your response, and because others have asked similar questions, Id like to reply in this post. Yes, the heroic quest is a solar quest, but that's different from the Soul's quest; although so intertwined it's hard to pull apart. The Souls quest is more about the Nodal Journey, with the North Node being the guiding star. The Sun sign leads the Soul in the world, as the body holds the Soul, but I believe its in the coming together of the body and soul, the Sun and the North Node, that we truly find our way home.

Lets look at it this way---if you think of your chart as a conference table with all the planetary personalities sitting around this table, then you could imagine your chart as a committee meeting, with your Sun as the Chairperson and organizing ego. It needs to center and focus this group of sometimes unruly archetypes that want to be heard all at once and with their own agenda. So the Sun, like a Solar Hero or Heroine, is an assertive organizing energy that is the vehicle that your Soul has chosen to use in this life. So yes, we do need to fulfill and honor our unique Sun sign mode of being in the world. With that in mind, youll want to look at the qualities of your Sun to use as one uses ones ego strength to live in the world. In your case, with a Sagittarian Sun, youre being called to see life as a grand quest, to actively expand your world through reading, travel, contact with foreign ideas and to speak your truth in a forthright manner.

However, if the Souls journey is reflected more by the Nodal axis than the Solar egos journey, then when your South Node is conjunct your Sun in the same sign, its implying that your default pattern of ego behavior is indeed Sagittarian, but it tends to move into the lower expression of it when youre not being conscious. In the astrological lineage I come from, we read the South Node somewhat negatively, as holding those behaviors that were very comfortable with, but which dont suit us anymore for this life.

The Sun conjuncting a South Node reminds me of an exclamation point here! Its as if is saying: be careful! Youre being called to access the highest expression or octave of your Sag Sun and not its knee-jerk expression. Im sure you already know how Sag in its lower expression can be played out. But one thing might be most important---and what is it? Its the need to integrate the highest expression of its opposite sign, your North Node, Gemini. So, the negative default pattern of Sag is, in part, to already think it knows all the answers because it sees the mountain-top view, but it has missed the view from the valley or marketplace. So it needs to come down from a point of philosophic/spiritual surety and over self-confidence, and rub shoulders with the commoners in the valley to see the many ways that street smarts and differing points of view can open the heart and mind even farther. And for you, with N.Node in the 7th house, it is calling for you to do this in close one on one relationships, partnerships and with close friends.

We always need to access the highest octave of any sign involved in the Sun or Nodal axis, and to move away from its lower octave or expression. It's a lot about complementarity in the Jungian sense--of bringing in new qualities we need, and shaking out the subtlest meanings to find the balance. I'd need to see your whole chart in a reading to do this justice, but I hope this helps.