On 7/17/23, the Nodes of the Moon changed from Taurus/Scorpio to Aries/Libra. The Nodes travel backwards in the Zodiac, unlike the planets which always move forward (unless, of course, they’re retrograde). Now the North Node occupies the first cardinal (active) sign of Zodiac, Aries, its South Node the opposite sign, cardinal Libra, they begin their journey at the end of a sign pair - 29/Aries/Libra. The Nodes are not planets, rather significant points that connect all of us to the Earth plane by the Moon’s movement around the Earth and its intersection with the ecliptic (the path of the planets around the Sun). The Nodes combine energies of the Moon, Earth and Sun, our daily lives of thriving, grounding, and expressing. Strong connections to the Nodes bring important social/cultural events that impact many people and act as background guidance on what requires our current focus and attention. This works both collectively as well as individually. If you have key positions on the Aries/Libra axis, you will experience significant events when the Nodes contact those points, some positive, some not depending on the planet and other mitigating factors. Collectively when current planets meet the Nodes, we hear of big events in the news.
Why is a Nodal sign change important? The Nodes change signs only every 18 months. As soon as they changed on 7/17/23, the Nodes squared PlutoRx/Capricorn @ 29 degrees igniting several political storms and impactful events. (Pluto rules politics, resources, power, money and any conditions that have deep or lasting effects.) Most obvious politically was the indictment of Donald Trump in the 1/6 Insurrection, the bombing of the seaport of Odessa in Ukraine preventing grain from leaving the port to the many parts of the world that depend on this grain for food, porn was introduced in the House of Representatives establishing a new low and disrespect for the chamber, and on display Kennedy privilege also in the House of Representatives from one of the most storied families in American politics, and a motion on the House floor to enact an Ethics code for the Supreme Court justices. Whew, that’s merely a short list. As the Nodes established themselves, another indictment for 19 came down in GA on RICO (conspiracy) charges for the attempt to interfere with the US voting process and the peaceful transfer of power to a duly elected President. There was an immensely devastating 100 yr. fire on the island of Maui, HI, which destroyed the historic whaling town of Lahaina and burned over 2,200 homes and businesses. Finishing this article, there’s news of a devastating earthquake in Morocco with many lives lost.
As a natal chart is the beginning of a life journey and evolves over time and experience, the new Nodal cycle beginning with a square to Pluto at the volatile 29th degree of Capricorn, indicates an intense, provocative, and potentially dangerous time in history. We are at a pivot point whenever a planet sits at 29deg. In this instance because the planet is Pluto, power, control, money, large institutions & governments must shift gears and align toward new realities. However, this is not easy since entrenchment is also a plutonian condition. The open end of this pattern lies in Cancer, ruled by the Moon and representing the people. Events that happen during this cycle affect the collective, people and humanity and it’s the people that have the power to shift and shape how these energies evolve. Awareness of the immensity of injustices in every sector of life is magnified, and the feeling that the daily comforts of life are compromised and must be corrected. This includes the increasing extreme weather events caused by climate change.
Mars is the ruler of the Aries North Node and currently in Libra emphasizing life out of balance with the attendant focus on justice and fairness, legal matters, and the court system. The Nodal cycle change began with Mars in Virgo opposite #SaturnRx in Pisces asking us to use the skills we have and our discriminating abilities to correct whatever is out of balance. Virgo is first of all practical and factual with the need to carefully assess the details, using discernment to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Venus is the ruler of the South Node Libra and undergoing its lengthy Venus retrograde cycle. Venus/Leo made its Retrograde Station on 7/22/23 at 28 degrees and then made a flowing fire trine (120dg.) to the North Node/Aries stimulating it to act on its behalf. Venus’s action is justice, equality, women’s rights, and any equal opportunities that must be rectified between women, men and any groups that have been unfairly marginalized – affirmative action comes to mind and legacy enrollments. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around the recent ruling by the FL education committee about teaching black history in this country, claiming that slavery helped black people “build skills.” This is so outrageous and disturbing that if I were speaking, I’d have trouble doing so. There are numerous important news stories and all of them express the prevailing energies or messages written in the cosmos if we can interpret the language. As astrologers know so well: “As above, so below.”
There is much ingrained craziness right now that needs sorting and purging as we make way for more inclusive and truthful ways to move through our lives, communities, and environment. Unconsciousness is on full display as we witness Pluto at the last degrees of Capricorn (ingrained habits and old ways of dealing with issues) and pivoting to 20 years of Pluto in Aquarius. We need to reinterpret how power and resources are used as we move forward into accelerated technological advancements and their effect on our lives (Aquarius).
The Nodes remain in Aries/Libra until 1/30/25. Expect relationships to modify based on reassessment of needs, new relationships to form, and fairness, equality and consequences of actions to be front and center. These are dangerous times for the rule of law and our fragile democracy. We are all required to be vigilant.
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9/12/23 – The Fourth Quarter 2023– 7-9PM $40. — What to expect for the remaining months of 2023. The highlights, the key astrological configurations and how to navigate them.