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Bi-weekly Lunar Events Article.


Lunar Nodes Explained


Currently the Lunar Sign is:

Moon Moon Signs in Scorpio Scorpio 22° 43'
March 29, 2024 Fri UTC

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The Nodes Know


The Moon's Nodes are very confusing since they are not "planets," yet they are almost treated if they are. The Nodes have many different names with slightly different meanings. There is the North Node, the South Node, the True Node, the Mean Node, the Lunar Node, the Moon's Node, etc. After a while, these terms begin to make some sense, but not without practice and ongoing use.


Let's start with the terms, North Node and South Node. These are points calculated based on where the Moon's transit crosses the ecliptic of the North and South Latitudes as it travels around the Earth, but in relation to the Sun's placement. These two Nodes always (ALWAYS) travel in pairs. The North Node is always exactly opposite of the South Node.


For the sake of argument, we will try to keep this as basic as possible. Everyone has his/her own opinions about the nodes and what they do. For the most part, the Nodes make a regressed movement through the zodiac at the rate of approximately 1 degree in 18 days. Here, we can tease apart the differences between the Mean Nodes and True Nodes. The Mean Nodes are always in "retrograde" motion, while the True Nodes change direction frequently. Most of the astrology sites online refer to the Mean Nodes, basically because it is felt that this is the more "stable" reference to the Nodes. Some ephemerides report the True Nodes while others will report the Mean Nodes. Regardless of which are used, neither is very far apart. A good ephemeris will report both, the daily True Nodes and the monthly Mean Nodes. And speaking of using an ephemeris to find the Nodes, regardless of whether the Node types are True Nodes or Mean Nodes, only the North Node's placement is shown. That's because the South Node will always (yes, ALWAYS!) be exactly opposite of the North Node. As to whether we call them the Moon's Nodes or Lunar Nodes, that is just a matter of preference. The two terms have the same meaning.



The Nodes have long been a source for determining when and where Lunar and Solar Eclipses will occur. Even though the Nodes' points are considered to be "imaginary," it is believed that the Nodes are just as significant in a person's chart as the Ascendant and the Part of Fortune, which are also imaginary points based on time.


It is believed that the Nodes indicate to us where we are most likely to have good fortune as well as troubles in life. The Nodes hold the Karmic clues to our destiny in this life. The Nodes are also believed to indicate Karmic connections between two individuals. For the purpose of this article, we will look only at the house placements of the Nodes to help determine where our karmic lessons rest within our charts. The signs of the Nodes will also hold some clues, but are less important than the actual house placements in determining what areas of our lives carry the karmic messages.


The North Node's placement reinforces where life will be easier for us. The South Node's placement will reveal where we are more likely to stumble or reinforce a rut. However, too much North Node activity can be just as detrimental to our lives as too much South Node activity. The significance of the two placements is to find balance between the two areas within our life. When we do achieve the balance we begin to feel the powerful effects of understanding the lessons.


As my friend, Sunny, points out, the house position of the North Node is a magnificent indicator of activities that will open up to us with ease once we have decided to venture out of the comfort zone of the instinctive action / reaction that is unconsciously related with the South Node placement. Since the nodes are always in opposition, the lesson of learning balance may not be so much of a lesson, but a constant reminder that we always have free will.


> > > Continued on the next page.


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All planetary information on Lunar Living is based on Tropical computations (aka Western Astrology).