Nodal Transits
The North and South Nodes serve as markers for our karmic or spiritual life lessons, depending on one's perspective.
The South Node, symbolises what you carry with you into this lifetime—your existing knowledge, skills, and experiences. It's the realm where your actions flow instinctively, representing what comes naturally to you. This is your refuge, the place where you tend to revert to for comfort, and the space in which you may find yourself getting stuck.
Conversely, the North Node, known as the Dragon's Head, points toward your forward trajectory. It signifies the path you are urged (sometimes even forcefully pushed) to follow. This is your calling, your spiritual mission, the pivotal point in your spiritual and soul development. It often presents a challenge because it requires stepping out of your comfort zone. Embracing new experiences that broaden your horizons can be uncomfortable, even frightening, yet filled with untapped potential. Ultimately, fulfilling the North Node's demands brings a profound sense of fulfillment.
However, it's essential to recognise that in pursuing the path of the North Node, you are not discarding the South Node. The South Node is not inherently negative. These nodes are intrinsically interconnected. Instead, it's about harnessing the wisdom gained from the South Node and applying it to the challenges associated with fulfilling the North Node's mission.
In simpler terms, think of the dragon's tail as the part of the dragon that releases what it has already digested, enriching the soil for new growth. But to avoid the feeling of emptiness, often experienced as a sense of something missing, it's crucial to nourish the dragon at its head, where the North Node resides.
The zodiac sign in which the Nodes are positioned indicates the type of energy you are working with, while the house position highlights the specific area of your life where these nodal themes are most likely to manifest.
Transiting Nodes
Typically, the transiting Nodes complete their journey around the astrological chart in approximately 19 years (with an average of 18.6 years, considering the mean node). Their movement is primarily retrograde, underscoring their deeply personal and introspective nature.
When transiting Nodes align with the natal Nodes, it can trigger experiences and emotions that feel predestined in some way. These transits propel you towards embracing the teachings of your North Node while challenging you to recognise the qualities and limitations of the South Node. Frequently, these moments are marked by encounters with individuals who have the potential to profoundly impact your life or by undergoing transformative experiences. Dreams, synchronicities, and intuitive insights often play a significant role in receiving the messages of these transits.
Outlined below are the most significant transiting Nodal aspects in relation to the natal nodes, which include the conjunction, square, and opposition. I've also provided approximate ages and potential manifestations to be mindful of during these times. Additionally, I've shared some of my own personal experiences to provide a glimpse into the nature of these transits. It's important to note that your specific nodal transit years may vary slightly from mine.
Reverse Nodal Return
Ages – 9, 27, 46, 65, 83
A reverse nodal return occurs when the transiting North Node aligns with your natal South Node and the transiting South Node aligns with your natal North Node, typically every 9 years. This transit highlights the tension between your karmic past (South Node) and your soul’s evolutionary path (North Node), prompting deep reflection on your progress toward your true purpose. During this time, situations or relationships from your past often resurface, presenting opportunities to confront unresolved lessons tied to your South Node. It’s a period of reckoning, where you are urged to assess whether old patterns and beliefs still serve your growth or whether it’s time to release them. The reverse nodal return can feel like a challenge, as it forces you to face familiar influences from your past that may be holding you back from your soul’s purpose. It requires letting go of outdated behaviours, attachments, and limiting beliefs, which can be uncomfortable but necessary for growth. While the transit may initially feel disorienting, it provides an opportunity for course correction, encouraging you to realign with your North Node. Ultimately, this period helps you break free from the past and move closer to your highest potential by shedding what no longer serves your soul’s evolution.
Transit Nodes Square Natal Nodes
Ages - 4, 13, 23, 32, 41, 51, 60, 69
When the transiting North Node forms a square (90°) aspect with your natal North Node, it represents a pivotal period of challenge and growth in your life’s journey. Squares create tension and friction, signaling that you’re at a crossroads where the choices you make will significantly impact your alignment with your soul’s purpose. This transit often brings external circumstances or internal realisations that force you to confront how far you’ve come on your path and whether you’re living authentically. You may feel as though the universe is pushing you to step into unfamiliar territory or to release habits and behaviors tied to your South Node that are no longer serving you. These challenges are designed to help you recalibrate your direction, even if they feel uncomfortable or disorienting at first. It’s a time to make adjustments, take bold actions, and embrace necessary changes to align more closely with your true purpose. While this period can feel like a test of your resolve, it also brings the potential for breakthroughs, helping you build resilience and clarity about your life’s mission.
Transit North Node Conjunct Natal North Node
Ages - 18, 37, 55, 74
During a Nodal Return, every experience whether it be uplifting or challenging, it carries a profound sense of alignment with your purpose. This could have been a fear built up in the past however the transiting node forms a journey to align you on the right path. People can come into your life at what may seem like just the right time to guide you towards your nodal purpose leading them to be influential. It can almost feel like fate. Opportunities can arise that can keep you on the right course to complete your mission. These experiences often uncover hidden reserves of inner strength and resourcefulness, empowering you to overcome obstacles, rebuild with resilience, and emerge stronger than before.
Transit North Node Quincunx Natal North Node
When the natal North Node is quincunx the transiting North Node, it signals a time of tension and recalibration between your long-term soul purpose and the opportunities or challenges currently presented by the universe. This aspect often brings a sense of misalignment, as your current circumstances may feel out of sync with your inner sense of destiny. It’s a period that calls for adjustments, urging you to step outside your comfort zone and integrate new perspectives. This tension can prompt you to reevaluate whether your actions truly align with your highest potential, highlighting unresolved patterns tied to your South Node that may still influence your path. While this transit might feel disjointed, it offers subtle opportunities for growth by revealing overlooked areas or blind spots, ultimately encouraging flexibility and alignment with your evolving purpose.
Transit North Node Quincunx Natal South Node
When the North Node forms a quincunx with the South Node during a transit, it highlights a period of tension and adjustment between your past patterns and your future path. The North Node represents your soul’s purpose and the direction for growth, while the South Node symbolizes comfort zones, familiar habits, and karmic influences. This aspect can feel like a crossroads, where moving forward may seem unclear or uncomfortable. You may feel pulled between the urge to cling to the familiar and the necessity to embrace change, requiring you to make adjustments and find balance between these opposing forces to align with your greater purpose.
