The Lunar nodes

[Carmen Elsa Irarragorri Wyland]

There are many versions about the lunar nodes, and their real meaning, specially in the various kinds of Astrology

Technically, according to Wikipedia they are the orbital nodes of the Moon, that is, the points where the orbit of the Moon crosses the ecliptic. The ascending or north node is where the moon crosses from south of the ecliptic to north of the ecliptic. The descending or south node is where it crosses from north of the ecliptic to south of the ecliptic.

Eclipses occur only near the lunar nodes: Solar eclipses occur when the passage of the Moon through a node coincides with the new moon; lunar eclipses occur when passage coincides with the full moon. A lunar eclipse may occur if there is a full moon within 11° 38' (Celestial Longitude), of a node, and a solar eclipse may occur if there is a new moon within 17° 25' of a node.

The plane of the lunar orbit precesses in space and hence the lunar nodes precess around the ecliptic, completing a revolution (called a draconic or nodal period) in 6798.3835 days or 18.612958 years (note that this is not the same length as a saros). The same cycle, measured against an inertial frame of reference such as ICRS (relative to the stars) is 18.599525 years.

. However, Astrologers have given them many different meanings.

Kabbalistic Astrology and some modern Astrologers also in agreement with this theory, consider that the South Node is equivalent to the Karma, or past actions, actions that have transpired in past lives, while the North Node represents the Dharma, or the Correction that we came to make of past actions that did not produce the desired effect.

Of course, Karma does not have the negative connotation that has been given to that word, is just a case of Cause and Effect.

Thus, when we would have wanted a different result out of our actions, we must change them to bring the desired result.

So is with Karma and its relationship to Dharma.

For example, if in a lifetime we had were very scattered and never able to accomplish much, because of the too many tasks that we went after, without giving too much effort to any of them, we might have a south node in Gemini, and the north node in Sagittarius, so that we may focus more on a few tasks and thus accomplish more on those tasks.

But since every sign has some positive and some negative qualities, the north node represents the good qualities of the sign in which it is found, which alleviates the negative qualities of the opposite sign.

This is so for all signs.

If the person, on the other hand, has the South node in Sagittarius, he might have been rather callous and done his will without regard to anyone else, then the north Node will be in Gemini, to accentuate the caring characteristics of the Sign of Gemini, which pays attention to the problems of others and is a great communicator of whatever knowledge it has.

That is the way that these two nodes keep the balance for one another.

The Kabbalists consider that this is the correction that we came to do in our lifetime, and thus to them this is the most important point of any chart.

Much is spoken about our Sun Signs, or our Ascendants and our Moon, yet very little attention is paid to what is our task in this lifetime, and that is precisely what these lunar nodes help us with.

In Chinese Astrology they are called, the Head of the dragon (north node) and the Tail of the Dragon (south node).

Vedic or Jyoti Astrology, also pays more attention to them than we do.

Therefore we should pay more attention to these two points in our charts, which can be of great help to each one of us to discover why we are here, in this lifetime.

Carmen Elsa Irarragorri Wyland