A Tale of the Dragon

by Pat Geisler

The moon's north node has been called the dragon's head for centuries. It is the place where the moon crosses the ecliptic going north on its slightly winding path around the earth. Its south node is always exactly opposite, marking the place where the moon crosses back to the south. These points change.

The Latin terms are Caput, or Caput Dragonis, for the head of the dragon, and Cauda, or Cauda Dragonis, meaning tail. For those who have never seen the dragon, a Mercator map of the earth with the moon's path drawn will illustrate it vividly. A Mercator map looks like the skin of an orange peeled off and flattened, with none of the tidiness of a square or rectangle. The path of the moon across it is a serpentine, s-shaped trail. No wonder the ancients considered the moon mysterious and called its nodes "The Dragon."

The Arabic astrologers of old also called it the dragon and their terms for the head and tail were Catahibizon and Katababazon. I mention them only because the names have a kind of bounce on the tongue and if you're going to study something you might as well enjoy it wherever possible.

The nodes move backward at a mean, or average daily motion of 3 minutes. The north node was traditionally believed to be benefic, with the quality of Venus and Jupiter. The south node was of the nature of Mars and Saturn. Another way to consider them is that the north represents growth and the future and the south represents the easy way out, or the past.

The value of the nodes to astrology is immense. First of all, it allows astrologers (and astronomers, for that matter) to forecast eclipses. A new moon or a full moon that occurs close to the longitude of either the north or south nodal point is an eclipse. If it is very close, it may be a total eclipse. This is because the moon can block the sun's rays from the earth (at the new moon, creating a solar eclipse) or the earth can block the sun's rays from the moon (at full moon, producing a lunar eclipse).

A solar eclipse, when the sun and moon are conjunct, can only occur when the sun is less than 18 degrees, 31 minutes from either node. It is total if closer than 9 degrees, 55 minutes. An annular eclipse is from 9 degree 55 to 11 degrees 15 minutes and partial runs from 11 degrees 15 minutes to the limit of 18 degrees 31 minutes.

The lunar eclipses, at full moon, have a narrower margin. A partial lunar eclipse must be 12 degrees 15 minutes or less from one of the nodes and a total eclipse must be closer than 9 degrees 30 minutes.

In the birth chart of a person or an entity such as an organization or a nation, the dragon has some very specific uses that no planet provides.

It brings fame, recognition, success and opportunity, as well as disgrace and public humiliation.

Key words are helpful here. The nodes are particularly responsible for the "knots and ties" of relationships. When two people are looking to the astrologer to see if their romance is going anywhere, the nodes will tell the story.

All enduring relationships that I have ever seen have some kind of nodal ties from one chart to the other. Any relationship without them simply does not last. I have seen this repeatedly in decades of doing charts.

When the nodes of one person lay across the ascendant/descendant line of the other, the node person will stick like glue to the other. Such contacts are lifelong ties and no matter how much time has passed since people have seen each other, the power of the node will reawaken the relationship very readily. In the charts of family members, the closeness is intense.

When the nodes contact planets, the relationship takes on the quality of the planet. For instance, a nodal tie to Mercury often initiates a conversational tie or a classroom introduction. Today's internet is definitely a Mercury contact and when an acquaintance is begun there, expect to see some Mercury activation. If the relationship develops and deepens and endures, look for the nodes to be at work.

Marriages that endure always have strong nodal ties between the two people. Sometimes they are node to node, or one person's node to the other's MC/IC axis, showing they share the same goals in life.

Nodes to Saturn have special meaning. Anyone whose Saturn falls on your north node gives you good advice and will be a help to you at some important time in your life. These are excellent contacts between you and someone who serves your needs-a nurse, a financial advisor, a lawyer, or the like.

Saturn to the south node is a practically unbreakable tie in this life. It shows some important lessons will be learned through the relationship and it will bring heavy obligation at some point.

 I recall seeing such ties between a man and his wife who had what could only be called an "open" marriage for several years before it eventually settled down with the birth of a child. I would feel sorry for any woman who expected a fling between her and the husband to lead to his divorce. It never would. His south node fell on his wife's Saturn. Her south node fell on his Saturn. I believe they are nearing at least 40 years of marriage.

When the north node falls on the Venus of one person, it shows benefit to both. When the south node falls on Venus, it shows the Venus person does a lot of giving. The node person has to work hard to match it, or the relationship gets lopsided quickly.

One person's malefics to the other's south node can be a warning to the south node person-Neptune can lie, Mars can injure, Pluto can blab confidential information, Uranus can vanish forever at the blink of an eye.

Sun and moon contacts to the nodes provide instant sympathy/friendship and usually benefit. They insure strong relationship possibilities.

Any meeting where the nodes occupy angular houses or contact sun or moon in the event chart can be important in the life.

But it is in the birth chart of a single individual that the nodes become invaluable. Where the nodes are in relation to the angles can smooth the path of life or make it more difficult.

Contacts to planets by the nodes or in the same degree in any other sign, show that affairs ruled by the planet will get special attention in life. An example might be a node/Jupiter contact in the chart of one who travels a great deal, or whose work involves teaching or import/export of foreign goods, or philanthropy (working for a charitable institution, perhaps).

The north node/planet contact shows the area for possible growth and beneficial future development. A planet conjunct the south node shows the individual pulled by the hopes and experiences of the past who will reap less benefit from activity it indicates than would otherwise be the case. Often, events ruled by the south node contact bring failure or one's efforts fail to prosper.

Planets in the same degree anywhere in the chart are a warning that affairs ruled by the planet will be a lifelong headache. For instance, Mars in 12 Taurus and the nodes at 12 degrees of any sign point to trouble with the things Mars rules in the birth pattern as well as things Mars rules in general, such as a hot temper, surgery, injuries, falls, and so on. In a particular chart it might also rule the tenth house, in which case temper or an accident could harm the career.

 In a woman's chart, such a Mars would be one of the indicators of trouble with men. It will also indicate the part of the body that may suffer through injury. In Taurus, it would be the neck, in Gemini the hands, or the finger nails perhaps.

The north or south node conjunct the moon itself rates several stars in terms of importance. It always-without exception-brings public recognition, notoriety or even outright fame at some point in life. Sometimes it is a continual process.

I recall the chart of a young woman who had never completed high school, came of a poor family, married a poor man, had a couple kids and lived in rural semi-poverty. She nevertheless became a household name in her part of the state as a murder victim. She had the moon conjunct her south node. Not all moon/south node people are murder victims, of course, but she did fulfill the pattern for receiving public notice.

Another man I knew had a north node conjunct the moon in his 12th house. He was a simple blue collar worker who was always in the news. Every time his moon/north node was hit by major transit or progression, up he popped. He might be stopped as the 1 millionth person to cross a bridge, or the winner of the first new sandwich made at a fast food restaurant, or be the only witness to a plane disaster . But it was regular as clockwork. There he would be -half the time in his old truck in work clothes -- and news photographers would take his picture and he'd get another 15 minutes of fame. He had a huge scrapbook.

A third man I knew was a priest whose work was always in the news. He had a poor parish in a poor neighborhood and was assigned by his bishop as a chaplain to college students on the side (probably to beef up his salary) and was always getting publicity. He never understood it. Neither did his colleagues who struggled in vain to get attention for much larger, more important projects that failed to capture public interest. Unfortunately, they didn't come into this world with moon/ node contacts in their charts. One aside here: his lunar contact was to the south node, and often jealousy or criticism from others followed his recognition.

The next thing the nodes do that is unique is provide one with the habit of getting "credit" for one's accomplishments. There is a "line of advantage" that runs through the chart and the credit predominates on one side of that line. The north node at birth must fall on the favorable side..

The line of advantage runs from about 9 degrees west of the MC (in the ninth house) to 9 degrees east of the IC (in the third house). The north node must therefore be in the east, and rising, if the individual is to get the benefit.

Those born on the favorable side win awards easily, get good grades in school, stars for good behavior, and applause when they do something well. They learn about the spotlight of approval very early in life.

Those born with the north node on the other side seem to labor in vain when it comes to applause. What they get is often attention for their failures instead. They may even be geniuses who leave the world incomparable music or art, but they seldom get the recognition during their lifetime.

 A classic case would be that of VanGogh, whose own brother considered him a failure. Contrast him with Picasso, whose every little pencil doodling was pounced on during his lifetime and pronounced the work of genius. But VanGogh is nevertheless, a painter whose work is immortal.

Not everyone with a node on the wrong side of the line of advantage is going to reap posthumous fame, but it does explain why "credit" eludes some of us, no matter how well we do.

People who have the nodes working for them may be keenly aware that those who operate on the other side do better work than they but are less appreciated. They may even try in vain to share the spotlight with them. It doesn't matter a whit. The nodes dole out the goodies as they will.

A word about transiting aspects to the angles. These are crucial in that they show when and how well efforts are rewarded. The nodes have a 19-year cycle and can also show recurring events that nothing else explains.

I once had a student who asked me to show her why lightning had twice struck small outbuildings on her property in her lifetime. The events happened several years apart and she could not find similar aspects to explain it. When she told me they occurred 19 years apart, I knew where to look. The south node transited a 4th house planet in both cases. I believe it was Uranus, but my memory could be faulty on this. I told her to make sure she kept a small, unimportant shed there until the next time the south node passed through or the next time the lightning might hit something important like the house.

In the charts of politicians running for office, a rising north node is a blessing. If it hits the MC or travels through the tenth, it marks a high-water point in life. This is when one experiences the proverbial "tide in the affairs of men" that leads on to victory. The south node uppermost at such a time brings failure or loss., or election to an office in which efforts will fail or be unsuccessful, at the very least.

It goes without saying that being born with the north node uppermost is a great advantage.

When the transiting nodes cross the ascendant/descendant line it marks a key period in partnership matters, obviously. If the north node is in 7, the individual is eager to make a partnership work. If it is in the first, partnership matters are going through hard times, and perhaps changing or ending but the individual is experiencing a renewed sense of personal potential.

The next thing the nodes do in one's birth pattern is show whether or not the individual will experience progressed eclipses.

This can only happen when the nodes come after the sun in the order of the signs because as the sun moves forward by secondary progression ( a year for each day after birth), it can come near one of the nodes. Then, as the progressed moon opposes or conjuncts it, a progressed eclipse (partial or total) can occur.

A good way to see this is in the ephemeris of the birth year. If an eclipse occurs within three months or so after birth, it will show in the chart if the individual lives that long. Obviously, four months (roughly 120 days) means a person would have to live 120 years or so for the aspect to form. Few of us will do that.

These are landmark years when eclipses occur by progression. Watch carefully for them. If such eclipses land on planets, it can mark the major events of a lifetime. Aspects such as squares or trines are less important than a conjunction, of course.

Many cases of progressive blindness in life seem to be indicated by progressed eclipses in the chart. It is always wise to keep a careful eye on contacts to sun or moon (which rule the eyes) by the nodes in any case. The south node can definitely indicate weakness.

One author who wrote on the nodes in 1927, George White, said that certain nodal patterns affected height. I have not found that so, but perhaps he was working from a larger sample. It would be worth studying and perhaps prove to be fertile ground for contributing to astrological knowlege.

Which brings me to the subject of fate, or destiny.

The moon's nodes operate in such specific ways that they often point to far reaching consequences when they show up in the charts of events. Malefics on the south node in the chart of the onset of war, for instance, is a dire warning. The aggressor is making a big mistake.

Consider the chart of the nuclear test in Albuquerque, NM on July 16, 1945 (5:30 am MWT). Fifteen degrees of Cancer rises with Saturn at 15 Cancer and the north node at 9 Cancer in the 12th house. It is in the same degree as Pluto at 9 of Leo in the second house of the future. A profoundly disturbing pattern. Worse yet, Neptune is in the end-of-the-matter fourth house and the moon is there, squaring Saturn exactly. Without examining a single other thing in the chart, the bomb's power to do harm is obvious, despite the fact that initially (north node in the area of advantage) it would be greeted with great cheers by the U.S. This event has a "destiny" signature, if you will, pointing to some hard lessons down the road.

 However, that north node rising also indicates to me the potential power of nuclear energy for good. Nevertheless, the lessons of Chernobyl are implied..

Another important nodal example closer to our own time is the NATO attack on Pristina in Yugoslavia in response to the ethnic "cleansing" of Albanians by the Serbs. The north node falls in 10 and the south node conjunct Uranus-showing important change would be part of the outcome. The south node says the "change" of residence experienced by the fleeing Albanians would attract great attention, but would not be seen as a good thing.

But an individual's fate or destiny is most profoundly affected by how he deals with the events of his own life, rather than what those events may be in themselves. Fate may deal us the card, but the game is won by those who play it most skillfully.

Van Gogh could have quit his painting, taken the opinions of his colleagues and critics to heart, and never left us his brilliant skies and sunflowers. Picasso could have doodled his life away getting praise for amateur cartoons and never become the dominant force in modern art. Instead, both men devoted all their lives to the beauty they saw in their mind's eye and worked unceasingly to create it.

True, one got more applause during his lifetime. But was he the greater? I leave it to the viewer to decide.

There are many other things to say about the nodes. It would require a book to say more than this. One should always pay attention to the house, sign and aspects of the nodes as much as one pays to those of a planet. They tell the experienced astrologer volumes.

In conclusion I can only urge readers that the nodes get at least equal billing with the planets. We simply must pay attention to them or lose invaluable information. The quality of "attention" or "coming into the light," is ruled by the moon, and the nodes are the key we need to shed light on our efforts.

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Pat Geisler is an astrologer practicing in northern Ohio on the outskirts of Cleveland. She has been a professional since 1969 and lives in Grafton, Ohio.

A teacher, lecturer and consultant, she was one of the first to offer courses in a community college in the '70s. She has appeared many times on radio and television and lectured to a wide array of groups, both astrological and civic, as well as to schools and community groups of all kinds. She has written articles on astrology for publication.

She is a member of NCGR, ISAR and AFAN. She was named to the advisory board of AFAN at its inception and was elected to the national steering committee of AFAN in 1998.

A retired journalist with a long career, she continues her astrological consulting practice.

She has four children, three grandchildren, and a country home regularly visited by assorted wildlife.

© Pat Geisler

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