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Every planet has nodes, but most often we think of the Moon's nodes. The nodes are the two points in a planet's orbit which intercept the Earth's path around the sun (otherwise known as the ecliptic).

The Moon's nodes always move in retrograde. It takes 19 years for the Moon's nodes to complete one cycle of the Zodiac. Node signs are always opposite one another in the Zodiac wheel.

The nodes always appear in pairs and each node has a name: The North Node is known as the Dragon's Head and the South Node is called the Dragon's Tail. Nodes are astrologically significant because they indicate an individual's propensity for growth.

The North Node is the physical embodiment of the path of the planet moving from south to north. In a natal chart it represents the direction in which our life is heading, the lessons we need to learn in our lives and methods by which we may create harmony and enhance our personal development. The Dragon's Head also represents the future.

The South Node marks the intersection of the Moon traveling from north to south. Where the South Node appears in your chart symbolizes lessons from past lives that have been carried into this life. In the past these tasks hadn't quite been mastered, so we bring along the same circumstances so that we may try to learn them again. Oftentimes we revert back to these habits from the past when we feel ill at ease. The Dragon's Tail represents the past.

In general, we need to evolve from the South Node into the North Node; from the past into the future. The deeply imbedded habits of behavior that we form can inhibit our growth and our ability to reach the next level in universal development. A risk is required to make this evolution and Astrology can instruct us how best to take that risk.

Look at your own chart to determine the position of the North and South Nodes of the Moon at your birth. Use these brief descriptions to help you understand which lessons from life you should aspire to learn. Keep in mind that nodes are only a single facet of Astrology and that single chart elements can change dramatically when positioned with other natal chart characteristics.

More on the Nodes by Maritha Pottenger More on Nodes