The North Node and South Node in Astrology: The Secret Key to Life (A 4-step Guide)

*To find out what sign your nodes are in, scroll to the table at the end.

What are the North Node and South Node?

The lunar nodes are a lesson in the philosophy that all polar opposites are still two ends of the same pole—different, but revolving around the same themes; two halves a whole. Throughout time and in different traditions, they have been seen as fateful, destiny-rich points in life and/or in the natal chart, though in different ways.

In much of modern Western astrology, it’s said that we start off in the south node and move toward the north node; like the south node is where we’ve been in a past life (whether you want to view that as an actual past life, childhood, or natural instincts is up to you) and the north node is the destiny we’re growing into.

In the Vedic tradition, the north and south node are called Rahu and Ketu, respectively, and they represent the severed head (Rahu) and tail (Ketu) of a dragon that gorges itself silly and essentially shits the bed just because it didn’t want to get up. These two stir things up in our lives and move ‘em around. They’re the deliverers of fate. 

There is truth in both of these perspectives, and in many others.

The north node (represented by a horseshoe-like symbol: ☊) and south node (represented by an upside down horseshoe-like symbol: ☋) are always exactly opposite each other by sign, degree, and house. The nodes are not actual bodies but points in the moon’s orbit, and the signs the nodes are “in” indicate what signs the eclipses will be in for an approximately 18-month period. For example, if the north and south node in your birth chart are in Taurus and Scorpio, the eclipses were in Scorpio and Taurus during the 18-month period during which you were born. It’s worth mentioning, too, that it’s not exactly that the nodes “determine” the eclipses – it’s more that the eclipses are what determine the signs the nodes are in.

Throughout life, we tend to ricochet between the north and south node. They represent a high-strung polarity that we’re learning to better balance, a polarity that is always in flux, wobbling and swinging like a pendulum. Neither the north node nor south node is whole or stable on its own; they need each other, and thus it is not necessary to or leave behind the south node and go into only the north node. Instead, we can focus on balancing them and embodying the best of both. We want to merge the head and the tail of the dragon to create wholeness.

There is some kind of universal force (maybe it’s a subconscious desire? maybe it’s fate? coincidence?) that insists we achieve balance within the axis of the nodes in our natal chart, and we can either go willingly or go by force. This becomes very clear as we age (or speak to people who are farther along in life than we are!). As life goes on, we inevitably end up spending time in both extremes. Whether by the gods of fate or Mother Nature herself or some subconscious urge rooted in the human mind, we are dragged into the whirlpool of the universal sanctum, flopping like fish.

The trick is to embody both nodes at once, in ways that are harmonious. That’s how we settle their turbulence and unlock all kinds of hidden doors that open to true, holistic fulfillment. The nodes are like gentle directional signs that point us in the direction we need to go in order to reach our potential and live our best, most fulfilled lives.

The south node can feel like a comfort zone, or a knee-jerk reaction. It’s easy, intuitive, and natural to us; we’ve already mastered this energy. The north node can feel more unfamiliar, but ultimately invigorating and exciting. Throughout life we tend to swing back and forth, sometimes wildly, between the two.

The north and south node keep each other in balance. Each one has what the other one lacks and they each have the ability to tone down or keep in check the other’s negative qualities too. Embodying both simultaneously is like forging a secret key to life. Learning to balance this axis helps open the door to fulfillment of all kinds.

Here are 4 steps to consider taking on the path to balancing your north node with your south node.

Step 1. Get to know the archetypes of both your north and south node and identify the ways that you embody each of them.

Ask the people around you for their perspective! You might be surprised by what they see in you.

Do you like one better than the other? Are there things you dislike about one of them? Can you see them in yourself? If you can’t see them in yourself yet, it may be helpful to explore your relationship with the houses they occupy first.

Both nodes are always within us, even if it’s not so obvious.

Step 2. Temporarily minimize your engagement with your the node you lean toward more often.

It is not necessary to abandon or “get away from” the either node in favor of the other. Instead, focus on balancing them. Many of us start off far more identified with the south node, whether we’re conscious of it or not, but not everyone does.

To begin the process, for a few months (or longer, if necessary) minimize your engagement with the lunar node that you are more naturally inclined toward at this phase of your life and see what changes. Notice just how much it has been running your life from behind the scenes. Make minor, even surface-level changes at first and build up as needed.

Get creative with it. It can be fun to experiment with. This kicks off the real balancing act.

Step 3. Slowly let that lunar node back in, bit by bit.

How much can you embody it without losing track of the other?

Allow the nodes to express themselves through each other. How can they come together? Can you allow your south node to speak the language of your north node? Can you allow your north node to wear the clothes of the south node? How can these two wildly different parts of you both benefit you?

What is changing in your life through embracing the best of both signs?

As the north and south nodes begin to harmonize, doors start opening. Suddenly, things that seemed impossible or out of reach become very possible. New desires are realized and paths toward them are cleared. There is a sense of grounding, centering, connection and self-assuredness. Wholeness, even. An alignment between our inner and outer worlds.

Step 4. Repeat step 3 periodically, as needed.

Over time it becomes easier to satiate the north node and south node simultaneously and in harmonious ways, especially as we see and feel the effects this balance has on our lives and the world around us. But balance is always an ongoing action. Almost nothing is as linear as traveling from point A to point B.

Good luck!

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For extra credit: Pay attention to the houses the nodes reside in. What do you crave or reject in these two houses?

For extra extra credit: Look for any planets that square your nodes. These are super important points in your personal balancing process. Think about it visually: these three points create a triangle.

The nodes form the base of the triangle, the two scales. Their squares to the third planet/asteroid/point acts almost as a hand holding the scale.

In evolutionary astrology, planets in our natal charts that square our nodes are called “skipped steps”, and though I am not an evolutionary astrologer, I see a lot of truth in this idea, too. Planets, angles, and sometimes even asteroids that square the nodes are like balancing points between the north and south node, or stepping stones on the path from one to the other. These planets represent an archetype or collection of energies that we are not particularly familiar with, or aren’t yet sure how to embody. They represent something we’re learning about, something that’s likely to come up a lot, and something we’d benefit from experimenting with and exploring more deeply. Working out kinks in the ways that these planets show up in our lives can help us to more easily balance the nodes themselves, too.

What signs are the North Node and South Node in?

Below is a chart of the True Node from 1899-2049.

Find the period containing your birth date or the date you’re looking for on the table below to determine the sign of the north and south node. Note that this table uses the True Node calculation, not the Mean Node. I generally find the True Node to be most accurate.

If the date you’re looking for happens to fall on a transition day, it’s recommended to create an account on astro.com and input the date there.

May 9, 1899 – Jan. 20, 1901: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Jan. 21, 1901 – July 21, 1902: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
July 22, 1902 – Jan. 14, 1904: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
Jan. 15, 1904 – Sept. 19, 1905: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
Sept. 20, 1905 – Mar. 30, 1907: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
Mar. 31, 1907 – Sept. 27, 1908: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Sept. 28, 1908 – Mar. 23, 1910: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Mar. 24, 1910 – Dec. 8, 1911: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
Dec. 9, 1911 – June 6, 1913: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
June 7, 1913 – Dec. 3, 1914: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
Dec. 4, 1914 – May 31, 1916: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
June 1, 1916 – Feb. 13, 1918: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Feb. 14, 1918 – Aug. 15, 1919: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Aug. 16, 1919 – Feb. 7, 1921: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Feb. 8, 1921 – Aug. 22, 1922: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
Aug. 23, 1922 – April 23, 1924: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
April 24, 1924 – Oct. 26, 1925: North node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
Oct. 27, 1925 – April 16, 1926: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
April 17, 1926 – Dec. 28, 1928: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Dec. 29, 1928 – July 7, 1930: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
July 8, 1930 – Dec. 28, 1931: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
Dec. 29, 1931 – June 24, 1933: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
June 25, 1933 – Mar. 8, 1935: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Mar. 9, 1935 – Sept. 14, 1936: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Sept. 15, 1936 – Mar. 3, 1938: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Mar. 4, 1938 – Sept. 11, 1939: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Sept. 12, 1939 – May 24, 1941: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
May 25, 1941 -Nov. 21, 1942: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
Nov. 22, 1942 – May 11, 1944: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
May 12, 1944 – Dec. 3, 1945: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Dec. 4, 1945 – Aug. 2, 1947: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Aug. 3, 1947 – Jan. 26, 1949: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
Jan. 27, 1949 – July 26, 1950: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
July 27, 1950 – Mar. 28, 1952: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
Mar. 29, 1952 – Oct. 9, 1953: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Oct. 10, 1953 – April 2, 1955: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Apr. 3, 1955 – Oct. 4, 1956: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Oct. 5, 1956 – June 16, 1958: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
June 17, 1958 – Dec. 15, 1959: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
Dec. 16, 1959 – June 10, 1961: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
June 11, 1961 – Dec. 23, 1962: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
Dec. 24, 1962 – Aug. 25, 1964: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Aug 26, 1964 – Feb. 19, 1966: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Feb 20, 1966 – Aug. 19, 1967: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
Aug 20, 1967 -April 19, 1969: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
Apr 20, 1969 – Nov. 2, 1970: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
Nov 3, 1970 – April 27, 1972: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Apr 28, 1972 – Oct. 27, 1973: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Oct 28, 1973 – July 9, 1975: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
July 10, 1975 – Jan. 7, 1977: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Jan 8, 1977 – July 5, 1978: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
July 6, 1978 – Jan. 5, 1980: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
Jan 6, 1980 – Sept. 24, 1981: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
Sept. 25, 1981 – Mar. 16, 1983: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Mar. 17, 1983 – Sept. 11, 1984: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Sept. 12, 1984 – April 6, 1986: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
April 7, 1986 – Dec. 2, 1987: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
Dec. 3, 1987 – May 22, 1989: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
May 23, 1989 – Nov. 18,1990: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Nov. 19, 1990 – Aug. 1, 1992: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Aug. 2nd, 1992 – Feb. 1, 1994: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Feb. 2, 1994 – July 31, 1995: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Aug. 1, 1995 – Jan. 25, 1997: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
Jan. 26, 1997 – Oct. 20, 1998: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
Oct, 21, 1998 – April 9, 2000: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
April 10, 2000 – Oct. 13, 2001: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Oct. 14, 2001 – April 14, 2003: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
April 15, 2003 – Dec. 26, 2004: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
Dec. 27, 2004 – June 22, 2006: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
June 23, 2006 – Dec. 18, 2007: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
Dec. 19, 2007 – Aug. 21, 2009: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Aug. 22, 2009 – Mar. 3, 2011: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Mar. 4, 2011 – Aug. 30, 2012: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Aug. 31, 2012 – Feb. 18, 2014: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Feb. 19, 2014 – Nov. 12, 2015: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
Nov. 13, 2015 – May 9, 2017: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
May 10, 2017 – Nov. 6, 2018: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
Nov. 7, 2018 – May 5, 2020: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
May 5, 2020 – Jan. 18, 2022: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Jan. 19, 2022 – July 17th, 2023: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
July 18, 2023 – Jan. 11, 2025: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
Jan. 12, 2025 – July 27, 2026: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
July 28, 2026 – Mar. 26, 2028: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Mar. 27, 2028 – Sept. 23, 2029: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
Sept. 24, 2029 – Mar. 20, 2031: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini
Mar. 21, 2031 – Dec. 2, 2032: North Node in Scorpio, South Node in Taurus
Dec. 3, 2032 – June 3, 2034: North Node in Libra, South Node in Aries
June 4, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2035: North Node in Virgo, South Node in Pisces
Dec. 1, 2035 – May 29, 2037: North Node in Leo, South Node in Aquarius
May 30, 2037 – Feb. 10, 2039: North Node in Cancer, South Node in Capricorn
Feb. 11, 2039 – Aug. 11, 2040: North Node in Gemini, South Node in Sagittarius
Aug. 12, 2040 – Feb. 4, 2042: North Node in Taurus, South Node in Scorpio
Feb. 5, 2042 – Aug. 18, 2043: North Node in Aries, South Node in Libra
Aug. 19, 2043 – April 18, 2045: North Node in Pisces, South Node in Virgo
April 19, 2045 – Oct. 18, 2046: North Node in Aquarius, South Node in Leo
Oct. 19, 2047 – April 12, 2048: North Node in Capricorn, South Node in Cancer
April 13, 2048 – Dec. 14, 2049: North Node in Sagittarius, South Node in Gemini