North Node in Pisces/South Node in Virgo - In the realm of consciousness, this is the hardest Nodal position to deal with. Here, as a result of many lifetimes, the individual starts to realize his own rigidity. He is aware of his patterns and how much they hurt him; yet he finds them difficult to let go of. In prior lives, he lived in the consciousness of a finite universe where all was well structured. Now he is confronted with the realization that truth extends beyond what his finite senses can measure or even perceive. He is unavoidably confronted with situations, circumstances and events which force him to relinquish his hold on the physical plane. Nevertheless he still tries to live like the salmon – swimming against the current, regardless of the direction of nature’s forces. He still seeks order. In fact, his need for strict regimentation is so strong that he develops medical troubles in the center of the body from personalizing a stiffness that increases tension on the inner organs. Constantly he suppresses desire for the sake of doing what seems proper for he would like to maintain an image of respectability. In past incarnations he built his understanding on fact, not hearsay. Now he accepts only what comes from the “highest authority.” He seeks ways to rid himself of the nervous irritability which keeps overcoming him, and yet he puts stipulations on the cure. He must learn how to immerse himself in the waters of Cosmic Consciousness, and in this baptism of thought he can truly experience a new birth. Before he can do this, however, he must first overcome his karmic fear of living in a contaminated world. He comes into this life believing that the world is filled with danger, and therefore constantly questions the credentials of the people and conditions he considers allowing into his life. Everything foreign to the self represents the threat of disease, and it is because of such thinking that from time to time disease actually occurs. For many with these Nodes there is a strong residue of sexual problems left over from former incarnations. Either a deprivation of the sexual experience, or a strong determination to avoid emotional hurt through it, leads them to seek a better understanding in the current life. Some are confirmed Puritans, while others are capable of being physically responsive and emotionally cold at the same time. The mind is so analytical that life can easily slip into the manipulation of a chess game. This individual has a sharp eye for detail and never overlooks the obvious. He is an expert at solving puzzles, willing to spend many hours tediously groping for the tiniest answer, but can get so involved with whatever he is doing that he often loses perspective. His past-life discriminating tendencies often lead him now to pick apart what should be left altogether. Thus, although he is capable of immense clarity of thought, he does not experience complete peace of mind.

Through the Pisces North Node, he must learn Faith. When he stops separating the world into neat little compartments, he will get his first glimpses of Universal Consciousness. Ultimately he is to achieve the understanding that all is one, and one is all. Before this happens, he must learn how to stop seeing himself as separate from the rest of the world. He will go through experiences which force him to grow more compassionate. As he starts to find his well-laid plans dissolving into nothing, he begins to see others in a different light. Ultimately he symbolically goes through the pain of the entire universe so that he can strengthen his Divine Love to the point that he absolutely refuses to pass judgment on others. He makes much progress by acquainting himself with the spiritual way of life. His growth extends as far as his arms can reach. While the arm of the past still clutches at his self-imposed restrictions, the arm of his future is grasping for the higher alternative. It is only his failure to let go completely that prevents him form achieving the perfect transition into the full state of higher mind. Yet, he does reach the point the he occasionally sees it. From time to time his remarkable intuition reveals to him the mysterious essence of life, yet the past incarnation memories of his Virgoan practicality cause doubt at every point. An so, half way between one world and another, these mutable Nodes are in a constant state of change. Arriving at his destination but not sure that he is there, he keeps going back to start his journey again. Each time he reaches one step more into the infinite, where ultimately he will dissolve the shackles of his rigidly formed past and be born again as pure spirit.

The house position of the South Node indicates the areas in life that is still too rigidly embedded in a personally overstructured idea. The house position of the North Node shows how the soul can renounce its grip on all rigid definition of form and structure so that it can be free to swim in the Ocean of God.

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