North Node; Soul Messenger

The North Node: Your Soul Messenger



“The North Node is the single most important point in the chart...it describes what your Soul wants to learn and experience in this life. It is a Soul Messenger.”

Have you ever wondered what life-lessons and experiences your 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 ancient astrological technique of examining the North and South Nodes of your natal 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 your Soul chose to be born at a certain time and place so that it would carry over the gifts and challenges from previous lives, and that your chart reflects the original Soul intention on coming into this world. The great psychologist, Carl Jung, believed that the time of birth was not a coincidence but was a mysterious synchronicity that reveals a great deal. He used astrology in his practice with his clients, and found that it simply worked. So what may seem unimportant 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 the astrologer who can read the meaning contained in the chart.

Let’s see how this works. There are three pivotal key-points in solving the mystery: the Sun, the North Node, and the South Node. . When an astrologer looks at your chart, these points–these clues--are described in some detail by their sign, house and aspect positions. But we don’t need to get complicated–let’s look at it briefly–

Your Sun sign, reads like a personality description presenting all the positive and negative ways you can “play out” your Sun 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 knowledge to live a very full life in which you make wise and helpful decisions. You are the communicator of the zodiac. From the Soul’s perspective you chose to be born a Gemini in order to play out the highest octave of the sign. That’s the first clue to the mystery: look to the highest possible use and talents in your Sun sign. Almost any astrology book can help you with this.

The second clue is the North Node. Many astrologers today believe it is the single most important point in the chart. It is unique to each person and describes what your Soul wants to learn and experience in this life. 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 the ways to do it. The North Node has a sign, a house position, and aspects, and is an excellent suggestion---similar to the idea of a personal guiding North Star.

By contrast, the South Node describes the qualities brought over from our previous life, and describes how we lived when we were young. Our deeply habitual ways of being and thinking are shown here, and as we mature we tend to act out the qualities of our South Node less. It shows both the unhelpful and negative qualities that our Soul wishes to move away from, as well as containing what Carl Jung talked about as the “gold in the shadow”. This gold is the unconscious unrecognized talents and abilities that we bring over from a former life or that are simply latent or repressed 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 of the North Node.

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

So how does this all work together in a chart? Let’s look at my chart as an example. My Sun is in Libra, North Node in Taurus in the 2nd house, and South Node in Scorpio in the 8th house. “Houses” are the areas of life where things get acted out, and the Nodes are each in different houses. 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 to excesses when I was young. It has taken me a long time to live into my true profession as an astrologer. I married late, and after 20 years of marriage was divorced for five years, and then I remarried my first husband. We've been married now since 2001, and continue to do the wonderful/horrible work that soul mates do with each other---we help each other grow. His independence and my desire 'to merge' are not comfortable together, yet I can see how he naturally pushes me to live out the independence and grounded values of my Taurus North Node. I encourage and stimulate the curiosity and expansiveness of his 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 own talents and resources. It speaks of the desire for serenity and to move away from the dramatic reactivity and the excesses of my earlier years and former life. I’ve needed to take on the qualities of loyalty and persistence of the Taurus North Node and to find the sacred in the commonplace, which is a beautiful 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 life–I need to use my own resources and power based on that grounded Taurus in the 2nd house of personal values and resources. The Universe gives me strong hints whenever I move into territory that is not my own to claim anymore.

My Sun sign in Libra wants serenity, harmony and beauty. Yet it 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 the necessity of creating calmness and living off my own values and resources. It's also significant that I have no earth signs in my chart—except the North Node in Taurus, and yet I was unconsciously drawn to compensate for that (the pull of the North Node) as I make pottery as well as do astrology. For many years I lived in a stone house, and married an earth sign, Virgo. Jungian psychologists would call this the unconscious compensation of my inferior function; the sensate.

An astrologer sees a chart like my mine and says this is an air and fire sign personality, whereas a Jungian therapist would say I was an intuitive-thinking type. This is labeling, and just the beginning of a deeper discussion, but it’s still useful.

The movement towards the North Node is a continuous process, not just one decision you make. For me, I needed to get lost, and found, many times--- I divorced and remarried the same man. I write and do astrological counseling, which is my true vocation, but I have ‘followed several gods home’. I continually need to recommit to ever deeper levels of grounding and 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 act out the highest octave of the Libra Sun which pulls me towards tactfulness and deep thinking. And that South Node in Scorpio still tries to seduce me in every way you can imagine.

So, I come back to the chart and to the astrological work again and again as a spiritual practice. It helps me remember my commitment to the work of being a healer; an intuitive astrologer who is grounded and practical. Astrology reflects the internal dialog between the different parts of oneself, but at least now I know who to listen to and why. I am grateful to have this divinatory tool that helps make conscious what is unconscious in the psyche, and I delight in sharing the gifts of this Soul Messenger to whoever asks. ~Elizabeth

Soul Work; Prayer of Thanks

Soul Work; Astrologer's Prayer of Thanks

I want to give thanks for the work I do.
I want to pay homage to the gods, goddesses,
symbols, signs and synchronicities
that make their appearance as grace
when the choice is made ‘to ask and then to receive.’
Whether called or not called, God is present.

I want to give thanks for the chance to be a messenger—
To bring the good news that all is well,
and all manner of things are well--
that life has meaning
that there is a rhyme and reason,
a warp and woof, an inner and an outer,
an ‘as above, so below’.

I want to give thanks for the only system of knowledge
that makes sense to me; that honors our life cycles as well
as the season’s cycles-
that sees meaning, where others see despair
that sees patterns, where others see chaos
that sees hope and evolution,
where others see none.

I want to give thanks for this ancient soul language
that challenges me to find the words to translate
the subtle geometry of the Soul; a language
that sees little acts of change as large acts of courage--
that delights at seeing the shy smile of recognition
when the person story meets the archetypal story
and is truly heard.

I want to give thanks for this spiritual practice
That has repeatedly shown me that I am wrong--
That what I see first, is not all there is--
That people are far richer, more complex
and nobler than I could ever imagine,
and that what I see as God or human flaw
is flawless in design.
For the gift is in the effort--
In the practice of reaching to understand
all the unknowable mysteries
for which I am so truly grateful.

Elizabeth Spring www.elizabethspring.com

Transits, Transitions & the Nodes

It seems appropriate to do my first post on a blog titled North Node Astrology about the Nodes because it was Uranus in Pisces squaring my Nodal axis that propelled me into the astro-blogosphere. As is often the case, studying transits works far better in hindsight, mostly because when we are in the midst of an important outer planet transit we’re busy – very busy! I started posting on various astrology blogs for the first time when Uranus was making his first pass to my Nodal axis, made a number of new cyber-friends, went on to start my own blog, Neith.net and my cyber world has been expanding and growing ever since.

My North Node is in Gemini, widely conjuncted by Uranus, in the 7th House, and my South Node is Sagittarius in the 1st. The astro-blogosphere is a great place for one with NN in Gemini – zipping around gathering gems of information to share with a wide circle of friends from around the globe, promoting & networking and generally having a good time chatting people up. Gemini loves new information and with Uranus influencing my N Node, information gathered and disseminated through technology is an excellent fit.

Having the South Node in Sagittarius in the 1st House means paying attention to old ways and patterns of handling stress, particularly in the public arena – retreating to the monastery is not an option any more, literally or figuratively. Elizabeth provided me with a great clue when she asked if I found matters related to the S Node boring. And I had to say, “Yes!” One of those cases where the obvious was staring me in the face . . . I’m wondering if anyone else is experiencing this; if so, please let us know.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with me, here is a brief bio:

Neith has been a student of Astrology for more years than she cares to think about. In 1978, she studied with noted astrologer, David Pond, which led to collecting birth data from family, friends and acquaintances. That was when she started her extensive astrological reference library which includes Liz Greene, Steven Arroyo, Robert Hand, Betty Lundsted, Martin Schulman, Dane Rudhyar and many more. With Libra being the sign of both her Sun and Moon, her main area of interest is the astrology involved in relationships. She also started blogging on astrology in 2006 and that has opened myriad new avenues to expand her astrological knowledge base. As to formal education, she has a B.A. in Art with minors in Psychology, Sociology and Biology. She’s worked in art galleries, libraries, vet’s offices and is currently focusing on developing her online astrology practice.

Please feel free to ask questions and throw out thoughts and comments because one or the other of us will be happy to offer feedback. After all, we are both Libras and the dance of give and take is second nature.

This is one my wreaths made from cedar & holly from our yard and fir boughs from our Christmas tree. The circle of the wreath is a symbol of inclusiveness and fits well with North Node in Gemini.

"Souls connect, as leaves connect, rooted and fed by the Great Mystery that binds us all."

Jupiter/Pluto Conjunction

Jupiter & Pluto plus 5 planets in fire!! Enthusiasm, courage, daring to think big...why not apply your intentions on this significant day to an act of forgiveness and healing? What could take more courage than that? If this truly is a phoenix-imbued day, let the Self speak, rather than the bruised ego. We're bigger than all that small stuff---and this is another chance to act on that...we can never have enough chances for another new beginning.

North Node Astrology

Astrology of Menopause

My mentor-blogger at http://neithnet.blogspot.com/ posted a lovely piece about my menopause article which can be read at: http://www.elizabethspring.com/ Here's what she did~thanks Diane!

One of the best aspects of the Internet and the Astro-blogosphere has been meeting other astrologers. We share a common language, Astrology, and are tolerant of each other’s obsession with the pursuit of knowledge related to astrology. Top Ten Sources of Astrology News just keeps coming up with new people and sites to visit and I found another kindred spirit there, Elizabeth Spring.

Here is a very brief bio:Elizabeth Spring, MA. has a degree in counseling psychology, with an emphasis in Jungian psychology. Since 1969 she has studied astrology with Isabel Hickey, Alice Howell, LIz Greene, and Steven Forrest, as well as doing post-graduate work at Pacifica Institute and the Jung Institute in Switzerland. She has been a professional astrologer since 1992.She has a website: Elizabeth Spring.com and is just starting to work on a blog. Her blog is linked on my sidebar as Elizabeth Spring, astrologer.

The article that knocked my socks off when I read it was one she wrote on the “Astrology of Menopause”. She starts with the time around the Uranus Opposition (at about age 42) and takes us through our Chiron Return at around 50 and finishes up with the Second Saturn Return.
Here is an excerpt from The Astrology of Menopause:

~snip~ “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. The worst physical culprits, such as loss of sleep and hot sweats exhaust us, allowing the emotional rollercoaster of moodiness to have its way with us. When we’re awake and sweating at 3:00 AM, we may find ourselves contemplating the limits of sanity, divorce or freedom even when we’ve actually had had a good mind, a good marriage or good job---or so we think, up till now. Reflecting and reframing our lives is best done at 9:00 AM with our best friend over coffee, when we can exaggerate our "wet sheets story" just enough to get a good laugh and a tender hug.” ~snip~

For all of my readers out there younger than I (which is most of you . . . since I’m older than dirt!), if you are in your forties or approaching forty, this is a must read. I sure wish I had known this when I was starting into this very important transition time. And by the way, even though this article was written for women? Men, you also are undergoing the same astrological cycles without the advantage of an obvious physical clue but this transition period is no less important for you to tune into.

Elizabeth has a great sense of humor and a direct, no nonsense way with words and I’m hoping she will continue writing and sharing her hard won wisdom from an astrological perspective. Here is a link to the entire article: The Astrology of Menopause

North Node; Your Soul Messenger

"Know Thyself"
An ancient Greek maxim, inscribed at the Temple at Delphi

As an evolutionary astrologer, I believe that the North Node is the single most important point in the chart; it describes what your Soul yearns to learn and experience in this life. It is a soul messenger.

Because evolutionary astrologers believe so strongly that our destiny is a unique mixture of free will and re-incarnational karmic patterns, we also look to the South Node to see where we've been, and what emotional memory we've come into this life with. The North and South Node are always polar opposites, with the South reflecting what we've come into this life with--trailing clouds of glory perhaps? A little---but the South Node is more like the details of what we didn't get right last time around, and the difficult karmic patterns we're trying to grow out of--whereas the North Node reminds us of those qualities we privately aspire to....so this North Node, at the very least, is an excellent suggestion for what we are called to do and to be in this life.

Sound interesting? In this new blog, I invite your questions, comments, and suggestions, as well as offering you many links to articles about astrology, life direction and soul purpose, and the North and South Nodes at: http://www.elizabethspring.com/ For friends and fellow astrologers, I invite you to post your comments and let's see what happens.............