When I was a little girl my dad had this giant book all about zodiac signs. I used to love flipping through it, especially to the section about my sun sign, Cancer. I always felt like I related to my sun sign and for a long time I didn’t really look into astrology beyond that.

Years later I did some more research into my birth chart. Your birth chart is basically a snapshot of the placement of the planets at the exact moment you were born and how it affects your personality as well as other aspects of your life. (You can generate your birth chart for free online.) When I did this I was amazed! See, your sun sign is only the beginning. You also have a moon sign which reveals the inner/emotional you. You have a  rising (ascendant) sign that describes how you come across to other people, and the list goes on. Down towards the end of the list is something called your north node – which I soon learned is one of the most fascinating parts of your birth chart.

The North and South Nodes

 

Your North and South Node reveal what your life or soul’s mission is.

Of course, It won’t say in plain terms “Your purpose is to be an astrophysicist” but it will provide you with a big-picture idea of what skills you need to work on in order to find fulfillment in your life journey.

For example, a north node in Capricorn will reveal that your purpose is connected to embracing leadership, self-sufficiency and even taking on the task of empowering other people.

In contrast, a north node in Cancer suggests the opposite, that your purpose is connected to finding fulfillment in domestics such as nurturing others, home life and cultivating your sensitivities.

Every north node has a south node attached to it. I used the example of Capricorn and Cancer above because if your north node is in Capricorn then your south node is in Cancer. Here is a list of all the North/South node pairs:

 

You’ll notice that Capricorn and Cancer display very opposite characteristics. This is because your north node sign tells you the skills you need to work on developing to lead you to your true purpose. In contrast to this, the south node has the opposite job.

Your south node traits are not necessarily bad. They are in a sense, your “comfort zone” traits. Not all of these traits are negative, but much like comfort zones, continuing those behaviors without also embracing the north node traits – will not lead you to growth or fulfillment.

The message that the north/south node section of your chart is trying to convey is:  work on developing the north node traits and work on releasing the south node traits.

When it comes to Astrology I could honestly blab on all day about how interesting I find it. Discovering this part of the birth chart that I had never paid attention to before was exciting because I found it at a time in my life where I was confused about what my purpose is, and if it was connected to the things I thought it might be. My north node seemed to confirm that I was on the right (although sometimes uncomfortable) path. It also confirmed to me that there are a lot of things in my south node that I need to work on releasing.

Knowing your north/south node can be very helpful if you find yourself feeling lost about your purpose or even if you’re at a crossroads in life.

If you take the guidance offered in this part of your birth chart, you will find yourself doing things that might be a little challenging and out of your comfort zone. However, it will ultimately be rewarding because those exact things are what you need to do to grow and reach a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

My north node is in Sagittarius. It tells me that I need to work on trusting my own intuition –  and not be afraid to be open and honest (sound familiar?). It also tells me that I need to learn to embrace more spontaneity in my life which I struggle with. I’m a very routine/structure oriented person. My south node is in Gemini and lists a lot of traits that I do struggle with such as being high strung, anxious and unfocused.

For example, when I challenge myself to be a little more spontaneous and less reserved it does feel good. Initially, I may feel a bit out of my comfort zone but the feeling does pass and the end result is always a little bit of growth.

There’s a certain feeling we get when we do something that aligns with our purpose – a little high, a feeling of genuine excitement, paired with an inner sense of peace and fulfillment.  

Discovering my north node, learning what it means and how I can apply it to my life has given me a new perspective on my life journey. I encourage you to look into it! You might be surprised at what you discover!

Helpful links:

Birth chart generator 

List of north nodes and their meanings

What different parts of your birth chart mean

 

As always, thank you for reading! 

Sending you love and light,