North Node enters Capricorn – Intro

The North Node, which represents the karmic tone of the period, now stands at O degrees Aquarius in the process of moving into Capricorn, as it moves backwards.  It spends approximately a year and a half in each sign, and the shift is due to take place over the next two months.  The Mean North Node enters Capricorn on Sunday 26 July, and the True North Node on Friday 21 August.  If you have planets or angles (such as your Ascendant) at O degrees of a sign, there is likely to be a significant change of lifestyle.  In recent years the North Node has passed through Pisces, then Aquarius, both signs of global emphasis.  In retreating to Capricorn, it may seem a retrograde step in terms of spiritual evolution as for Capricorn charity begins at home.  But it is necessary to counterbalance to some extent the disadvantages of globalization, as nations take a hard look at economic stringencies and boundary issues such as immigration control.  When the North Node arrives at the cusp of Sagittarius in February/March 2011, it will be on with the global outlook again, but in more realistic terms.  In this transit of the North Node through Capricorn, the lessons and achievements of the North Node in the previous two signs are not lost, they are just integrated.  Capricorn is not a lesser mode karmically, it is just a different emphasis – whereas the signs around it are more idealistic, aspirational and concerned with the good of the whole, Capricorn addresses the letter rather than the spirit of the law, and takes into account the material reality.   It is ruled by Saturn, one of the agents of karma.  While the Aquarian way of managing karma is to rise above suffering and to create new sociological structures based on fairness and equality, the new karmic requirement as denoted by North Node in Capricorn will be that of acceptance and of working with what is, without frills and flourishes.  Some may find that a more real approach.  Together with the other end of its spectrum the South Node in Cancer, it spells a rise in patriotism and nationalism, again on the surface of things a retrograde step between nations and divisive for peace efforts.  However, it may allow people to re-draw their boundaries (an issue which is fudged under Aquarian and Piscean influences) to find out where their real needs lie for the short term.  The North Node has been giving impetus to the changes wrought by the triple conjunction of Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron in Aquarius, but will be working soon with the necessities of Pluto in Capricorn.  These two forces will be squeezing our focus from both ends of Capricorn, Pluto at its beginning moving forwards, and North Node at the end of Capricorn retrograding, so that at a certain point (November 2010) the two meet and merge their focus.  This will be a defining moment worldwise, and personally: you need to understand what you are doing, and why, in order to avoid falling into negative Capricorn roles such as victim or scapegoat.  Instead, work with positive archetypes such as the teacher, the pathfinder and the leader, if Capricorn is strong in your chart, so bring those out of your repertoire.  Some of these will be contained within your panoply of past-life characters.  You will of course still be working on the function of your own personal North Node and its sign in your natal chart (karmic mission, as applied in its natal house).  But where your work links with the world, you will also work to some extent with the transiting North Node.  Think back to when the North Node was last at this point in December 1990, the world was on the brink, in the midst of the First Gulf War crisis, very much a me and mine issue to Saddam Hussein (annexing Kuwait) and George Bush Senior (protecting the oil wells).   Pondering this turned into an extra blog…But meanwhile in my own life the last time the North Node was at O degrees Aquarius and on my 10th House cusp (career) I was beginning my regression work and the deeper study of past lives as it transited my 9th House in Capricorn.  Now I have a queue of two regression clients waiting, because I have no curtains up in my regression room at the moment (though another brave soul decided to chance it anyway).  There is also the matter of no door, and a completely new flooring.  So with this feng shui, I am starting a new cycle in my own work in the field of karma.  Fascinatingly, the changeover links in with the Mayan Calendar for on 26 July it is the first day of the New Year in the 13 Moon Calendar and we are urged to celebrate the Day out of Time, the Day of Point Zero, a day of forgiveness and compassion.