North Node in Leo/South Node in Aquarius - The Leo North Node symbolizes a struggle with the will. In this incarnation the individual is learning to develop strength within himself. Conditions force him to stand alone, very often with the absence of shoulders to lean on. He eventually learns that if his life is to be better it must be created by himself. But before he can build any such creations he must overcome his lackadaisical carefree attitude. He still continues a past-life tendency to spend too much time feeling sorry for himself at his lack of friends when he feels they are needed most. Somehow in moments of stress, others always seem to be absent. Long periods of loneliness, isolation and in many cases a good part of the time spent as a hermit are not uncommon. Ultimately, when the mind is made up, there is little that can sway this individual from his destiny. He must learn that his isolation is a self-imposed prerequisite for gathering strength. Very capable of strong leadership in this life, he must learn to overcome all doubts within the self. The continuance of his past-life desires for friendships actually weaken him, as they do little to build his individual confidence. He must learn how to become more goal-oriented rather than following his accustomed tendencies to dissipate his energies. The interesting thing is that while he continues to think he needs others to answer his questions, he rarely takes their advice. The friends that he does have will be from all walks of life. In a sense this increases his scope for they bring to him now the awareness that he earned in former incarnations. Once determination takes root, there is no stopping the path towards success for he does not like to settle for second best. Much thought is given to the future. In fact he is used to living there, until one day he makes the realization that “today is yesterday’s tomorrow” and that nothing will exist in the future that is not created now! He is not the easiest of people to understand, for he will do anything to retain and emphasize his own sense of individuality. In past incarnations he developed a detachment from the majority of the world, allowing him to feel free to go his own way. Now he takes pride in being unique and different, caring not as much for the traditions of society as for whatever rules he has set up for himself. His main difficulty in this life is a lack of control. Without discipline he can generate his power into useless projects, until he realizes that nobody will stand over him with a whip. Many with these Nodes live a rages to riches life, the big change coming after the tendency to overlook is turned into an ability to oversee! Their greatest amazement occurs when they discover prior-life talents in themselves that they never thought they had. Happiness is reached once principles are found to dedicate the life to. Furthermore, these principles must be unshakable so that the individual feels he is creating something solid. He will then identify his life in terms of the size of the principles he has attached himself to. Disturbed by the scattered activities of others, which remind him of his own past incarnations, he feels the strong need to see life moving along a directed course towards a specific goal. Still, he wants to retain his complete independence. As a result, he finds it difficult to tolerate others cramping his style. When they do, they will find him constantly testing limits. The Aquarius South Node brings with it past life roots strongly embedded in the principles of fairness and equality. In the current life, the individual is given the opportunity to be on his own so that unhampered by others he may express his intrinsic beliefs. His job now is to show people as flamboyantly or as powerfully as he may choose, the ways in which the world can overcome its burdens.

His greatest achievements occur after he has surrendered his personal will to the service of humanity. There is no question but that this is good leadership material so long as the ingrained past-life Aquarian sense of fairness is never violated. This individual is capable of making revolutionary changes in what was once established tradition. Hi is first, last and always amazed and fascinated by all the possibilities man can reach. At the same time, he is offended when he sees people pitying their self-imposed limitations, for well he knows the experience of pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps. He aspires to stand tall and not be ridiculed for those beliefs which he has struggled so hard to express. While his capabilities for love run deep, the rest of him is not too far below the surface. The continuation of his past-life attractions to momentary fascinations keep throwing him off the track, making it difficult for him now to see the core of his true self clearly. And so, he must identify with his achievements as the only real barometer of his worth. Though he may at times strongly wish to be alone, he could never live without people, for he thrives on their admiration of his achievements. He believes in firm justice, and yet he is quick to pardon once people have admitted they are wrong. He is never one to strike when a person is down. The sense of fair play has become such a part of his soul that although he feels he should be more competitive, it makes him uncomfortable to be part of any competition which involves foul play. Things which couldn’t have bothered him in the past incarnations suddenly become important as he starts to dig into life rather than dissociate from it. Although it is his present life karma to apply his Uranian ingenuity through practical and traditional Leonian outlets, he still struggles to maintain his unique character. Some with this position spend their later years of their life alone. Others who are married still hold onto such a strong streak of independence that they tend to keep other family members on the periphery of their circle.

The house position of the South Node indicates the area where past-life needs for originality and freedom are still seeking expression. The house position of the North Node shows the area through which all the chart energy can be focused into a new shining creation of substantial size and worth, a gift of generosity to the world. Truly these are the Nodes of the “inventor.”

from: Schulman, Martin, Karmic Astrology - Volume 1, 1975, Samuel Weiser, Inc., New York

North Node in the 10th House/South Node in the 4th House -- Here the individual finds that much of his time is needed for the demands of his family. Constantly he feels held down, as if he is being prevented from realizing his own individuality. The fact is that he comes into the current life with much karma owed to his family. In past incarnations he ignored the hands that fed him. Now he is locked into the lesson of becoming those feeding hands himself. In the current life he finds his mate and children just as highly unappreciative of all he tries to do for them. Still he will do more if he is ever to grow past his karma. At times the burdens become so heavy that he has to fight himself to keep from feeling an inner resentment. The female with these Nodes will have problems with at least one child which will demand most of her time, effort, energy and concern for she is to learn on the very deepest of levels the responsibilities of parenthood. To enforce the karma still deeper, the spouse is either not present or so lacking in character that this individual must ultimately become mother and father at the same time. Whether positive or negative, the emotions never leave the family. This individual constantly feels the need to break out and be free; yet his past-life memories of self-enforced chains never quite permit him to do this. Nearly all of his energy is spent on untangling the web of reations that he sees around him. In some instances, he experiences great conflict with other family members over real estate. He must learn not to let circumstances weigh him down with feelings of hopelessness, for the needs of his family are constantly compounding themselves, to the point that from time to time they become considerably more than he bargained for. Often, he is caught by surprise through the actions of those closest to him for although he can develop a strong outer worldliness, he still remains almost childishly naive when it comes to the emotions he feels about those close to him. Some with these Nodes have to go out to work, becoming the sole source of family support. Others are put into the position of becoming the family supervisor. Always this individual is caught between the conflict of the things he would like to do for himself and the things he knows he must do for his loved ones. Constantly faced with situations which tempt him to react childishly, he must learn how to mature. He must arise above family disharmony and do all he can to achieve a role of self-dignity. When the needs of his loved ones are understood, only then can he have the freedom to experience a career life of his own.

As he makes the switch to his tenth house North Node, he is ultimately forced into the position of assuming the dominant role. He must learn how to keep his life focused in a direction above and beyond all the scattering needs of his close family members. Paradoxically, he escapes from one family by creating another, until ultimately every person he meets and likes gets pulled closer to him in a type of pseudo-universal family. As the years build up the life starts to resemble the "old woman who lived in a shoe." His greatest happiness comes from being in a position to be able to offer shelter to others. In later years he joyously re-invites others to lean on him. His mission to move away from emotional immaturity and in the direction of responsibility tells him that each person he moves along the path represents another payment for his own ticket towards soul evolution.

The sign which contains the South Node shows the ways in which he allows immaturity on the part of others as well as himself to block his potentialities for achievement. The sign which contains the North Node indicates the ways in which he can develop maturity by pointing his life in a meaningful direction.

from: Schulman, Martin, Karmic Astrology - Volume 1, 1975, Samuel Weiser, Inc., New York