All posts here are from sections of the books: "North Node Astrology; Rediscovering Your Life Direction and Soul Purpose" and "Lifting the Veil; Becoming Your Own Best Astrologer" and "Astrology for the Third Act of Life" and finally "Saturn Returns~The Private Papers of A Reluctant Astrologer" All available in paperback, Kindle and Audible on Amazon.com

To inquire about readings or for more articles on the North/South Nodes, go to: https://www.NorthNodeAstrology.com

Monday, November 11, 2013

Friday, September 13, 2013

Excerpt from book: "North Node Astrology; Rediscovering Your Life Direction and Soul Purpose"


This is the last page of "North Node Astrology" and even though it doesn't relate to the Nodes themselves, it seems to express a mood of this time of life and this time we all live in together. Perhaps this is what the healing medicine of the North Node can do....

Following the threads

of chosen words,

One crafts a story

as one crafts a life--

Following the threads

of small acts of choice

                        and courage—

Raveling and unraveling

the particulars of a life

Following the story-line home.
 

Catching hold of a purple thread of sorrow--

 a yellow line of joy—

I needle through the cloth,

 buttoning together the places of the heart

that must be bound.

Knarlly and knotted; piecing and stringing

this tapestry together by such fragile threads--

I hide the back-side from view.

‘Such a beautiful piece’ they say—

‘Strung together

 by such rich, colorful threads’.
 

Yet I know how I suffered the broken threads--

The illusions, false engagements, subtle betrayals—

So much paradox and possibility;

 At times, the fabric barely held.
 

For far too long--

I’d look at the torn places

And tried to sew

through button-eyes—

 Un-knotted—

They released themselves--

 As I sought to make connections

That were not mine to make.

 
But now the needle moves rhythmically

 through the holy quartet

                             of a single button—

 I see how the parts relate—

            How the singular threads

 Need to be knotted and interwoven—

                        Buttoned with the belief

            That there are meaningful patterns

                In this life of fifty-eight years…

The stitches are beginning to hold;

the torn places are mending.
 

Slowly and persistently

 the heart still cries out—

And what needs to become attached,

 Attaches--

And what needs to become detached,

Detaches--

And nothing gets thrown away…

As I’ve become a keeper of buttons.
 
                                                                 (c) Elizabeth Spring
 
 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Astrology of Menopause


The Astrology of Menopause  

Between the ages of 42 and 59 there is a revolution in women’s lives that doctor’s call menopause. Astrologers have three names for it: the Uranus Opposition around the age of 42, the Chiron Return at 51, and the Second Saturn Return around 59. These three stages that span the entire menopausal experience are the rites of passage into our wise woman years. Like any journey they have their merciless moments of drama as well as quiet epiphanies. But how might menopause be different if these times came with an instruction manual like some of us received when we turned 13? “This is menstruation! Welcome to Becoming a Woman.” How might it be different if we did get a menopausal map?

Astrology offers us the closest thing to a wise woman’s survival guide of these times that I’ve ever seen, although the links between these three stages of menopause hasn’t been truly explored. I’m going to touch on this huge subject and offer a few insights, although the exact timing of these events is best explored with your own astrologer.

At the first stage of the Uranus Opposition we begin our journey by being slightly unnerved and restless. The body’s electrical energy system begins to get reved up---fired by new messages from our glandular system. Uranus rules the electrical circuitry in our bodies, and the evolutionary purpose of Uranus is to create change---our life opens up; we see new options and possibilities. Our culture calls these years “peri-menopause” but astrologers see this as the time when we begin to be more true to ourselves, and do things differently. We may be shocked because repressed aspects of ourselves and long-forgotten dreams now come forth and demand expression. The unconscious stirs as we hear ourselves speak raw and out-spoken truths in a way that startles even us. This is the same energy that makes us feel even sexier and stronger as we become serious truth-tellers.

Peri-menopause is powerful and underestimated, especially since it creeps us on us undetected. It’s as if our internal “shit-detectors” are amped up, and we can smell a rat or hear a lie a mile away. At this first entrance into the menopausal journey it’s time to consciously make new plans, craft new intentions, de-clutter our inner psyches and outer homes, and prepare for a new life. The Uranus Opposition is the first call towards what the Jungian psychologists call individuation; towards becoming who you truly are. Trying to maintain the status-quo at this time is the worst thing one can do. Let this be your motto: “Let’s do something different.”

As we move through our forties into menopause, it’s as if we’re being stripped of the Teflon coating of hormonal agreeableness, as we’re being catapulted into a time of intense honesty punctuated with times of intense irritation.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Monday, May 13, 2013

Pema Chodron: Path of the Warrior~ Artwork: "Learning Not to Panic" Elizabeth Spring

"To stay with the shakiness - to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge - that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with the uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic - this is the spiritual path. Getting the knack of catching ourselves, of gently and compassionately catching ourselves, is the path of the warrior." Pema Chodron   Artwork: Elizabeth Spring

Wednesday, April 3, 2013



 Three Things You Need to Ask for in an Astrological Reading

Who are you apart from your family, roles, and relationships? Is your history and the way you frame your life story—your “personal mythology”—dictating your life? If this self is not an expression of your Soul, you may find you are in the midst of a Soul Revolution—and the Soul revolts through physical symptoms, fear, and a general feeling of “stuckness.” None of it is pleasant.

 So how do you dialogue with your Soul to find out what it wants? Are you willing to take on the project of finding out what your heart really needs? Your head says: there are things I must do, there are issues around time, money, my family, and—on top of that, I just don’t feel so good! Maybe I’m sick or depressed. Maybe. Maybe you need a soul dialogue.

And so you try. You pray, meditate, try new things and approaches…you gain new insights, summon your courage, and plan to endure the process of finding your life direction and soul purpose. Brilliant. A great start. Maybe you change your diet and de-clutter your bedroom or office, or you join a 12 step program and talk to others about that initial insight or abyss or stuckness that you’re getting over. So far, so good!

  But some morning something happens. The fabric doesn’t hold, and you need something else—now you don’t need astrology to change your life, but it sure can help—not only with a fresh insight, but with sensing how things change, and how you can learn to trust the process of change and growth.

So here are three things you need to know to understand your astrology chart and what you need to ask for in an astrology reading:

1—Look to see if there is a “resonance and compatibility” between your Sun sign and the way you live your life. This should be obvious, because the Sun represents your life force energy, and holds the key to your identity. Ideally, something about who you are and your way of doing things should have a resonance with the nature of your Sun sign. Learn what your sign really means, what it likes and how to work with it!—i.e. if you know you’re a Sagittarian in your early twenties, will you want to take the office job for the corporation? Will you want to marry early? Ever hear the refrain “don’t fence me in”? A Sagittarian screamed it from the top of a mountain. But if that job proposal allows you long week-ends and time away to travel with your friends, hike the mountains, or to dig into your favorite books and take night classes, then why not? Don’t settle for simple answers or clichés. Find the deeper meanings in that Sun sign.

2—Consider the gifts and challenges of your North and South Nodes. There’s a strong message there—a long term Soul warning of what may be a “Soul Cage” for you in your South Node default patterns, and what may be “good medicine” for you in your North Node. This is about your life direction and soul purpose. It’s what you need to know to stay in alignment with your original soul contract. But why does the sign of your North Node often feel “not you”? Because it’s the compensatory medicine that helps you to align and dialogue from a place of safety within your Soul. It may feel more of what you need than what you have.

3—Consider your transits. What’s happening for you now? What’s the best place to focus now? The day to day transits you read on the internet, like the morning weather forecast, are fleeting moments—it’s the outer planet transits that matter—as they conjunct, oppose or square your natal planets….look closely at how that “committee of inner selves” that we call planetary archetypes, is being “besieged” by the current transits. When, where and why is this happening to me? When will this be over? Where should I focus now? Why is it happening? Remember that no transit happens before its time. You’re ready; that’s why. You can handle it, and it’s time to make a move….but if it’s a Pluto transit you may have to practice surrender, and if it’s a Uranus transit, you can’t wait any longer to begin a real change. Find out your astrological weather forecast.

This is what I help you do in a “reading.” And so, this is why I ask you to tell me in an email letter before our time together: What brought you to this moment in your life now? What’s your story? And what might you need to know? Of course, you can do this yourself, or you can do it with an astrologer…but you’ll do the most important talk with your Self when the “reading” is over, and the insights sink in. That’s when the true dialogue with your Soul begins.


 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud--Similarities in their Astrological Charts






       Psychological ground-breakers Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung both had similarities in their astrological charts--they each had an Aries North Node, and a South Node in Libra. Each of these men embodied the Aries pioneering spirit that broke new ground in the world of psychology. With South Nodes in Libra, they were called to break away from the limitations of partnerships and relationships—even with each other—and to reach for the self-directed, independent qualities of Aries.

 Jung’s North Node was in the 2nd house of self-worth, suggesting how important it was for him to produce a body of work that would prove himself to himself. With his South Node in the 8th house of other people’s values, he needed to let go of the approval of others, and acquire the self-confidence one gets by defining oneself in one’s own terms. Jung’s break with Freud at his Uranus Opposition (around age forty) was extremely traumatic for Jung and precipitated his short but intense psychological breakdown. In later years, Jung’s independence and disregard for other’s opinions, allowed him to have intimate relationships with many people, and to explore the taboo subjects of alchemy and astrology.

Freud’s North Node Aries was in the 6th house, suggesting that he was called to be both devoted to his work and to the needs of his physical body. Whether he was a hypochondriac or in as much physical pain as he said he was, was not as important as the need he had to attend to his body as well as his Work. Many people would say Freud had psychosomatic illnesses and a cocaine addiction, yet despite this, few people would discount the great work that he pioneered in his life. It’s worthwhile to remember that we should never be too judgmental about another person’s success or lack of success in reaching their North Node aspirations. We all fail and succeed in varying degrees.

   Excerpted from book: North Node Astrology; Rediscovering Your Life Direction and Soul Purpose

Friday, January 18, 2013

North Node Chart: How to find your North Node Sign


Find your North Node Sign by using your birthday and year~then scroll down on right side of blog till you see the description/blog post on your North Node sign. 

·               Apr. 24, 1924 - Oct. 26, 1925: Leo

·               Oct. 27, 1925 - Apr.16, 1927: Cancer

·               Apr.17, 1927 - Dec. 28, 1928: Gemini

·               Dec. 29, 1928 - July 7, 1930: Taurus

·               July 8, 1930 - Dec. 28, 1931: Aries

·               Dec .29, 1931 - June 24, 1933: Pisces

·               June 25, 1933 - Mar. 8, 1935: Aquarius

·               Mar. 9, 1935 - Sept. 14, 1936: Capricorn

·               Sept.15, 1936 - Mar. 3, 1938: Sagittarius

·               Mar. 4, 1938 - Sept. 12, 1939: Scorpio

·               Sept.13, 1939 - May 24, 1941: Libra

·               May 25, 1941 - Nov. 21, 1942: Virgo

·               Nov. 22, 1942 - May 11, 1944: Leo

·               May 12, 1944 - Dec. 13, 1945: Cancer

·               Dec. 14, 1945 - Aug. 2, 1947: Gemini

·               Aug. 3, 1947 - Jan. 26, 1949: Taurus

·               Jan. 27, 1949 - July 26, 1950: Aries

·               July 27, 1950 - Mar. 28, 1952: Pisces

·               Mar. 29, 1952 - Oct. 9, 1953: Aquarius

·               Oct. 10, 1953 - Apr. 2, 1955: Capricorn

·               Apr. 3, 1955 - Oct. 4, 1956: Sagittarius

·             Oct. 5, 1956 - June 16, 1958: Scorpio

·             June 17, 1958 - Dec.15, 1959: Libra

  •        Dec. 16, 1959 - June 10, 1961: Virgo

·               June 11, 1961 - Dec. 23, 1962: Leo

·               Dec. 24, 1962 - Aug. 25, 1964: Cancer

·               Aug. 26, 1964 - Feb. 19, 1966: Gemini

·               Feb. 20, 1966 - Aug. 19, 1967: Taurus

·               Aug. 20, 1967 - Apr.19, 1969: Aries

·               Apr. 20, 1969 - Nov. 2, 1970: Pisces

·               Nov. 3, 1970 - Apr. 27, 1972: Aquarius

·               Apr. 28, 1972 - Oct. 27, 1973: Capricorn

·               Oct. 28, 1973 - July 10, 1975: Sagittarius

·               July 11, 1975 - Jan. 7, 1977: Scorpio

·               Jan. 8, 1977July 5, 1978: Libra

·               July 6, 1978 - Jan. 12, 1980: Virgo

·               Jan.13, 1980 - Sept. 24, 1981: Leo

·               Sept. 25, 1981 - Mar.16, 1983: Cancer

·               Mar.17.1983 - Sept.11, 1984: Gemini

·               Sept.12, 1984 - Apr. 6, 1986: Taurus

·               Apr. 7, 1986Dec. 2, 1987: Aries

·               Dec. 3, 1987 - May 22, 1989: Pisces

·               May 23, 1989 - Nov. 8, 1990: Aquarius

·               Nov.19, 1990 - Aug. 1, 1992: Capricorn

·               Aug. 2, 1992 - Feb. 1, 1994: Sagittarius

·               Feb .2, 1994 – Jul. 31, 1995: Scorpio

·               Aug.1, 1995 - Jan. 25, 1997: Libra

·               Jan. 26, 1997 - Oct. 20, 1998: Virgo

·               Oct. 21, 1998 - Apr. 9, 2000: Leo

·               Apr.10, 2000 - Oct. 12, 2001: Cancer

·               Oct. 13, 2001 - Apr. 13, 2003: Gemini

·               Apr. 14, 2003 - Dec. 25, 2004: Taurus

·       Dec. 26, 2004 - June 21, 2006: Aries

  • June 22, 2006 - Dec.18, 2007: Pisces
  • Dec. 19, 2007 - Aug. 22, 2009: Aquarius