Your North and South Nodes Hold the Keys to Your Karma

Humans turn to astrology for a variety of reasons—from insight into contentious relationships to the timing of our love lives. The planets in our birth charts provide access to the unknown and reveal some of the most significant experiences and challenges we’re likely to encounter during our lifetimes. And if you’re looking to shed some celestial light on your life path, you need to know your nodes.

In every birth chart, the nodes of the moon—also known as the north node and the south node—are mathematical points that form the nodal axis. They fall in the same signs that the eclipses are in when you’re born and change signs approximately every 18 months. The nodes are calculated based on the positions of the sun, moon, and earth at our time of birth, and always fall in opposite zodiac signs. (For example, if your north node is in Aries, your south node will be in Libra.) There is an air of destiny surrounding the nodes—they hold some of the deepest secrets when it comes to your karmic past, present, and future.

What’s your ultimate destiny in this lifetime?

North Node

The north node represents the lessons, experiences, and characteristics that you are here to learn and develop in this lifetime. North node lessons can drudge up hesitation and anxiety, as they challenge you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s a lifetime karmic trek in the direction of what is essentially your north star, guiding you toward your life’s lessons and ultimate mission. When planetary transits touch your north node directly, you’ll find significant, destined events and meetings take place. The north node is uncharted terrain and unlocks the key to your life’s purpose.

South Node

The south node represents the challenges and gifts that you carry from previous lifetimes. It’s familiar, and represents experiences and qualities that come naturally to you: old patterns that are easy for you to rely on during challenging times; comfort zones; skills and challenges that you’ve already mastered in past lives. The south node can create a “déjà vu” feeling—we’ve been there and done that. Because the lessons are tied to past lives, the south node is extremely karmic. In relationship compatibility, strong south node connections between charts can often indicate a partner that you’ve been with in another lifetime.

Learn more about your past-life lovers…

While it’s comfortable to rely on the familiarity of our south node skills as gifts, they can also hold us back and manifest as challenges. Too much emphasis on our south node traits and behaviors can cause us to live in the past—and comes at the expense of further developing our north node qualities. The nodes are calls to action and have us asking the larger, deeper questions in life: What’s my life purpose? What was my mission in my past life? And, most importantly: How can I integrate both to create a growth-oriented and fulfilling experience this time around?

Art by Daria Rosen