Are you someone who has an inkling that you’ve incarnated before or do you genuinely believe that this is it: one body, one life and then its over? Is your belief in your life as a singular entity more about grounding yourself in the safety of what you can prove? We all understand that we have bodies that can taste, touch and feel. This is science based on materialism.

Let’s go further than that, though. The idea that consciousness only exists in a living human being is a solipsism. How we define consciousness is yet another can of worms. The ability to observe and facilitate growth is not exclusive to humans. But is that consciousness? Some think of consciousness as the ability to philosophize on the nature of life and death; a persistent awareness of existence.

But what if we are just cosmological energies inhabiting these bodies? What if consciousness is far beyond what our little free will oriented minds can comprehend?

The lunar nodes of the moon (also called the north and south nodes) are mentioned in both ancient Vedic and Hellenistic astrology texts. These are the symbols usually listed at the bottom of your natal chart (or in the chart drawing) that look a bit like a rococo horseshoe facing up or down. They look somewhat similar to the sign of Leo if that’s a helpful visual.

The lunar nodes are the point at which the moon and Earth’s orbits intersect, creating two points of electromagnetic disturbance. The south node represents your past life Karma – what is familiar to you and comes naturally, but isn’t helping you evolve. The north node represents where your soul longs to be but is uncharted territory – often what makes you uncomfortable.

In Vedic astrology, the north and south nodes are called Rahu and Ketu: the head and tail of the dragon. In Hellenistic astrology, they are called the ‘Ascending node’ (anabibazon) and the ‘Descending Node’ (katabibazon).

In Hellenistic astrology, the revelation of a “daimon” (demon or spirit) was believed to inhabit a Cosmos that was bound by fate. Each incarnation chose its own daimon to contend with prior to birth. This theory wasn’t focused in the nodal axis specifically but in the activated transits that revealed one’s destiny. (I think I’ll devote another post to the concept of the “daimon”)

In both ancient techniques, the nodes indicated good or bad fortune. Hellenistic astrologers used terms like benefic and malefic to describe the nature of certain planets. Like Saturn being malefic or negative and Jupiter being benefic or positive. In electional or predictive astrology, this makes a lot of sense. An auspicious election would be determined by the benevolent relationship between the planets involved. This discovery was only determined after many years of patient observation.

Ancient astrologer Hephaestio wrote that transits that involve the moon in hard aspect (noting the square or opposition) with the nodal axis indicate things that are incomplete, defective or subject to reversals.

Just as the entire natal chart is a blueprint for one’s life’s struggles, talents and proclivities, the nodal axis specifically highlights both the past incarnation and the evolutionary future.

Ninth-century astrologer Abu Ma’shar wrote about how the ‘Ascending Node’ (north node) is best with the benefic planets because it increases the chances of evolutionary good fortune. Similarly, if the north node aligns (conjuncts or forms a hard aspect) with malefic planets, it increases the chances of malefic energy influencing that person’s path. Same holds true for the ‘Descending Node’, except the malefics were considered better in this context as it represents the past, which you are destined to move on from. Benefics on the south node were considered inauspicious because they hold the native back in pleasant memories of the past.

I can see how this was foundational for what later instructed Evolutionary Astrology. Steven Forrest has been a pioneer in interpreting the issues surrounding the past life indicators of the nodal axis. And like these ancient astrologers were able to observe certain relational patterns, the goal in deciphering this information is not about condemning any chart as good or bad, auspicious or inauspicious. The reality is that all of us are a mixture of good and evil- with plenty of past life traumas and good fortunes to sweeten the Karma pot.

I know a handful of people with Pluto conjunct the north node, for example, who certainly haven’t had trauma free lives, but have found enormous strength in their power to achieve. Every one of them has been successful in some way. Pluto being a malefic could be cast in a negative light in this context, but it is the planet we associate most with power. It certainly helps push the native forward on the path of evolution.

For example, this upcoming lunar eclipse on May 15th-16th, 2022 will have the Sun conjunct Algol at 25 degrees Taurus, the moon at 25 degrees Scorpio and conjunct the transiting south node in Scorpio within 3 degrees. Saturn will also be squaring the moon and south node within 1 and 2 degrees. Doesn’t seem too auspicious, does it? But if creation and destruction aren’t mutually exclusive, therein lies the silver lining.

If Abu Ma’shar was right, whatever is destroyed by this eclipse energy might be auspicious for the creation of something new. After all, there will also be a harmonious trine with the moon and Mars-Neptune.

The Sun will be on the north node, the moon on the south node. Difficult to say what will happen with all the horrific things happening in politics at the moment. Saturn being currently conjunct the moon in the U.S. Sibly chart also says something potent. It’s applying within 3 degrees and will only get within 2 degrees before Saturn turns retrograde on July 1st. 2023 will be the year Saturn takes a direct stab at the U.S. moon but it will only really be exact in February.

The U.S. Sibly chart has the north node in Leo at 7 degrees, south node at 7 degrees Aquarius. What do we predict might happen when Pluto enters Aquarius and conjuncts the U.S. south node in 2027? This will also be the year of the Uranus Return for the U.S. at 8 degrees Gemini. To say that something eventful will take place would be an understatement.