The Lunar Nodes Changing Signs: A Literal Sign of Changing Times

There seem to be two great schools of contemplation when it comes to the lunar nodes. One camp thinks of the South Node as our past life and thus what we come into this life knowing…with the North Node being the signature of the potential this life holds for us and thus what we should try and learn.

The other camp thinks of the Moon’s nodes as the intersection between our feelings about our own life (the Moon’s path around Earth) and our life in the world (Earth’s path around the Sun, with the Sun representing life).

To put it more simply, the first camp looks to the Lunar Nodes and thinks in terms of Karma. The second group of people looks at the Lunar Nodes and thinks ‘relationships’ (or our attitudes in/about relating to others and our world).

Whichever camp you belong in, two things remain constant, across the board:

1.) Nobody likes subjects connected to their North Node and everybody has an easy time with all things emblematic of their South Node.

2.) The Nodes are changing signs.

Indeed…as of 3:41 a.m. (UT/+0) on Thursday August 30th (2012) the North Node will cycle back into Scorpio and the South Node will cycle back into Taurus.

So between August 30, 2012 and February 18, 2014 (when the Nodes move into Libra and Aries) we are all going to tend to be concerned with our own comfort, our pleasures, our security, our money. This is the easy way to go, it will be the topic of much discussion. And depending on whether you’re in a good or bad position (most of all on a mental-emotional level) with regards to any/all of these above topics, you’ll be very concerned…or more or less unconcerned.

No matter who you are, the South Node in Taurus represents a time to enjoy life…or to learn how to better enjoy the life you have. Despite the South Node’s reputation as a point which represents ‘lack of effort not required’ with either side of the nodal polarity comes a form of ‘focus’ on life, which in this case would be life as it is (South Node), or life as it could be (North Node).

Adding in the Taurus/Scorpio axis, while to be sure some will be selfish or irresponsible, there is a simple sense of ‘presence’ in our lives which given the nature of the South Node speaks of the opportunity to be content with what we have, whatever that may be.

Maybe it’s because we now realize things could be worse? Perhaps the South Node, with its quality of being ‘what we already know’ causes us to appreciate more and crave or whine or compare ourselves with others a wee bit less?

That could be. But whether you start from a basis of fundamental-if-ordinary satisfaction with yourself or a need to make more of yourself, the South Node in Taurus is also a opportunity to make more out of your life.

 A Pink Cloud in a Northern Caifornia Sky at Dawn

 by Jessie Eastland (January 2012)

The problem is…for many, the motivation, the internal determination, the sense of ‘I can (or should) do this!’ may not be there. Under any circumstance and by any name the Taurus/Scorpio axis is about learning to…and learning how to risk ourselves in conjunction with others. What we risk may be our self worth. Or some portion of our ‘worldly worth’ – our money (which is why Scorpio is the sign of investments). What we risk may be our sense of self esteem or the pride we have in our accomplishments.

It could be a product. Or a talent.

Or our love, intimacy, time or trust.

That this Taurus/Scorpio polarity requires that we ‘risk’ is why Scorpio has come to be known as a sign of control. We try to control the risk and therefore protect our Self and our sense of (Taurean) security.

That may be one of the biggest lessons the North Node in Scorpio has to teach us in the months ahead…when to risk, how to risk, and what is sensible to protect from risk through investment. Those who come to understand this, and who come to understand that their issues with control are not so much about ‘the other guy’ as about what may be an entirely reasonable desire to limit personal exposure are like as not doing rather well.

Apart from one thing, that is. Those who try so hard to control things, however they try to do that – what they’re really showing you (and more importantly one would hope, themselves) where they truly feel vulnerable.

While there are times when someone will simply choose not to risk (which is the thoughtful, unemotional and powerful side of Scorpio) and such choices come with a shrug. Or a simply ‘no thanks.’

There’s no control, no manipulation included.

That’s really the way you know how you – or anyone else is playing their Scorpio cards.

With the Lunar Nodes stretched across this polarity, we are all likely to meet up with many a situation which triggers our fear – and the resulting desire to ‘control things’ so that they come out the way we would like.

And that may or may not be fine. It depends on the situation whether it’s truly detrimental or not.

But those who are going to make the greatest advances in their life and, given that these are the lunar nodes and thus at any level an indicator of how we get long in life, those who make the greatest advances going forward are going to be those who recognize their vulnerabilities.

And yes, who deals with them.

So as strange as it sounds, problems and disagreements going on now and which come along as you go forward – they’re really opportunities. The issue is you. And if you recognize it, this is a time when you really can do something about it. North Node in Scorpio is a particularly good time to deal with problems with intimacy. Problems with debt. Problems in the bedroom. Problems with the kind of acceptance or approval would allow you to ‘get ahead’ in life.

Yes, North Node in Scorpio is considered propitious for psychotherapy. But it’s far more than that. This is a time when through examining what doesn’t work we CAN (if we want to) figure out why the problem exists.

And we can change.

The length of this passage is an indication...maybe even something of an invitation to test our changes - to tweak them until they work so that when the nodes do transit back into Aries and Libra come 2014, we're ready to capitalize on all and achieve some really great things.

Things which will express our real selves...and which will be well received and rewarded.

The difficulty here is (of course!) that the ‘working on me’ side of this is all about Taurus. And with the South Node in Taurus there is likely to be some ‘why should I have to change’ sort of feeling in the mix.

That answer is also very basic: you should change if you want to succeed at a level you are not succeeding at now.

It’s simply a choice.
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 The Moon and Venus

(photo credit: NASA, December 31 1997)

 

 

Of course there is the other side of the eternal ‘door swings both ways’ concept. You may choose not to change anything, and things around you may change so that you must face your insecurities, your vulnerabilities, your fears, your unresolved grief, your resistance to change.

That could happen too.

It’s hard to know who will have the best or hardest time with this passage. Certainly if the nodes in your natal chart are in either Gemini/Sagittarius or Aries/Libra you can expect some shifts. Those with their natal nodes in Aquarius and Leo will face choices and challenges to their ability to perform in some capacity.

For anyone with Sun or Moon in Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus or Leo (the fixed signs), at the very least this passage signifies the need to examine what your intrinsic values are, and whether what you’re doing in life and how you’re going about doing that is satisfying your inner sense of Self.

This part of the nodal passage can be tricky as solutions which may seem to solve problems at a surface level (or keep problems from arising) may run counter to your ‘who am I?’ on the inside. And just to make this clear: this is not a ‘natal chart specific’ indication. We’re all going to be experiencing some of this between now and when the nodes change signs again in February 2014.

Considering the economic instability of the world at the moment, this passage is particularly poignant. A South Node in Taurus against North Node in Scorpio indicates that while productive solutions involve finding standards which favor universal development of Self (opportunities for everyone to grow) those in charge – those who we might think of as ‘heavily endowed’ or ensconced in positions of wealth and power are not likely to support or favor changes in the status quo.

That would be very South Node in Taurus – a signature which gives us a lack of motivation to change. That part is easy – and it doesn’t matter who you are. From wealth to poverty to happy/unhappily marriages to issues with employment, addiction or just getting off your duff and doing something about something…

…There will be a lot of resistance during this next year-plus ahead. And the reason why there will be resistance is because to change requires looking at ourselves.

And we’re afraid to be disappointed.

But we can change if we want to. We can recognize our fears and vulnerabilities and figure out why they exist. Or maybe just that in spite of their existence that we can cope.

We can learn to stand up for ourselves.

We can learn to be decent with ourselves and others.

We can figure out why we get jealous. Why we feel inept or ‘invisible.’ Why we find it so easy to be obsessed with things which are fun instead of productive.

And when we figure things out, we can decide whether to change things. Or not.

That’s the essence and challenge of Taurus/Scorpio. When you don’t know, compulsions and instinct drive you. Once you do know, then you have the ability to choose - even if that choice is to refuse to choose (which is a form of choice in and of itself, yes).

Like so much else in life, this is not about perfection, it’s about making the choice to be mortal and admit that there's more to this 'being human' thing than you've thought. The Nodes of the Moon change signs about every year-and-a-half. That they do, and their motion of 'cycling back' as the rest of life moves forward is the perfect metaphysical picture of learning through reflection. Or experience. How we do this is individual: some will go out and forge a path into newness and some will learn through life presenting them with challenges or necessities.

Most of us will do a little bit of both. And through learning what works, through finding out (like as not the hard way) how misplaced our priorities are, thus we will muddle through the next step in that education which at some strange level actually keep human life and striving vital.

Oddly enough, that may be the best thing which can happen to us. We like to think that peace and happiness are all we want, but if you look at human history, it's pretty apparent that when nothing's going on, humans get bored. And when humans get bored (or when life gets too easy) human beings cause trouble - initially for others, yet inevitably for themselves.

Taurus and Scorpio are both very strong signs. They have different ways of fighting, but ultimately both express that test which asks us each and all whether we are capable of getting past our own ego stubbornness to that truth of mortal satisfaction which lies in knowing you've done some good rather than than knowing you've had it good.
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