Here’s a good question a reader asked—“Why are you writing about the South Node and the Moon together?” And I replied: I’m doing this because they mutually reinforce each other and tell more of the story of the heart.
Yes, they each are different—dare I say “slightly?”—in that the Moon describes your obvious emotional and nurturing style in this life and how you relate to all things “maternal” including your Mother. However, the Moon's Nodes—are the Nodes of the Moon! And the South Node specifically holds the emotional memory of the Soul, so the story goes back further in time. It speaks of the emotional memory (not linear or left-brain memory) that is carried over from life to life. I believe this memory is sometimes called "skandas" in Hinduism, or you could think of it as something embedded in your DNA.
So your Moon is more specific to this life and what you are conscious of, whereas the South Node of the Moon is more of the “unconscious emotional memory.” I find that the overlapping and synthesizing of the two is fascinating…have you considered how your Moon sign and South Node sign reflect something of your conscious and unconscious patterns?
Let's say your South Node is in Scorpio, ruled by Pluto, and your Moon is in Aries ruled by Mars. The ancient story embedded in your psyche may be deeply Plutonian, powerful, and perhaps tragic. And so, in this life your Soul chose to be born with a Mars ruled Aries Moon-- maybe your Soul knew in some mysterious way that now you needed to "survive, to have courage, to start fresh, and to be enthusiastic" rather than brooding.....sounds like a description of a life affirming Aries Moon to me. Maybe that Aries Moon person is somewhat irritable, impulsive, and independent--it might just be that the South Node in Pluto ruled Scorpio reflected a heavy karmic maternal inheritance.
So, it's similar to when Sun sign astrologers say: look at your Rising Sign as well as your Sun sign in reading about yourself because each has a message here--and I would add, that when you are looking at your Moon, look at your South Node sign as well...read both.
Thank you very much for this post - you have started off a whole new train of thought for me.
ReplyDelete(I have a 12th house Taurus Moon opposite Neptune. South node in Pisces.)
I really enjoy your writings - thank you so much for sharing them here.
Interesting post! My Moon is in Pisces and my South Node is in Virgo... So, it's kind of just underlining the North Node idea? Or is there a distinction in how you see it?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post, Elisabeth! When I was reading it, one question emerged in me: what to think if the Moon and South Node are in the same sign and house? (This is my case - I have both in the 7th and Sagittarius.) Does it mean that the emotional pattern is simply empowered, just like anybody who´s got Sun and Ascendant in Virgo is a "double" Virgo? Or is there anything more what one can read from such a combination? Is it possible to distinguish the conscious and the unconscious then? Actually, more than one question... :)
ReplyDeletei am trying my best to comprehend exactly what you're saying... my moon is in libra (6th), and my south node is in leo (5th). are you saying that in a past life, i was used my leo energy vainly without regard to other people where it is like now i am plagued with the idea of pleasing others?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to have been such a bad responder to so many comments, and hopefully things will change, although trying to write the sequel to North Node Astrology is pulling me away from the blog....maybe I should let it guide me instead! Anyway, Jorden...there could be some truth in what you said there, and there certainly is an "I'ness" about Leo and a "we-ness" about Libra; but too much people pleasing is the down side of Libra. Go deeper into the dynamics of Libra and its a lot about finding the truth through holding the tension of the opposites, while bringing in Venus energy to heal and soothe....
ReplyDeleteSadly, I am finding that the more I learn about different energies and aspects that have come as a 'birth' package, the more disempowered I feel.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am not a negative person by nature... but it seems a bit like religion who blames the poverty on the poor.... people paying for their sins somewhere in a previous life that is part of their subconscious and they can do little about .. to change.. but they are expected to work to remedy to these 'defects'. I am afraid this is where I part with Karma also. I am satisfy to apply it going through the different developmental phases of someone's life time, i.e. we reap the consequences of our actions (mostly) though sometimes, outside forces may be greater than what can be contended with...
I have serious issues with the fact that we can end up with the conclusion that all those in dire poverty struggling a life time picking a living on the heaps of rubbish, are carrying the inheritance of their karmic burden. Sorry but at this point I stand to say --- we have to be very careful how much we let such philosophies let us overlook that to have the opportunity to reflect on this, is a manifestation of our privilege and most of all our (social and political) responsibilities for those who, for no fault of their own, are the victims of cruel inequalities. They all have North and South nodes in a variety of combinations and placements of planets that might be almost identical to many of our own.... yet..... they live world aparts a life time of dire poverty.
This is a huge subject and a thoughtful response on your part. It's too big a subject for a "comment" here, but I did give it a full chapter in my book--the chapter called: Cocktails and Karma, which also discussed the nature of evil. These discussions wove throughout the book in different ways. I can say this: Knowing more about ourselves, whether rich or poor, sick or healthy, can only help, and I see this work as a counseling tool that gets to insights & issues sooner rather than later.
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