There’s a behind-the-scenes theme playing out this month that’s worth investigating a little closer. This involves the karmic nodes and the planet Neptune. The north node is currently at 9 degrees Virgo and the south node is opposite at 9 degrees Pisces.
Neptune stations direct on November 20th 2016 at 9 Pisces 14 and it doesn’t move beyond 9 degrees Pisces throughout November. This means that Neptune is now conjunct the South Node.
Neptune’s Realm
Neptune is linked to the sea and currently strong in its sign of rulership, Pisces. Yet this is an elusive planet which on the one hand represents fantasy, imagination, dreams, the spiritual realm and on the other hand is about confusion, unclarity, sacrifice, addiction.
Neptune is where you lose yourself, your escape from everyday reality, whether this is through romance, a state of bliss or transcendence or you slide down the slippery slope into sinful territory.
To expand the picture, let’s take a closer look at the meaning of the nodes and in particular, the south node.
The Karmic Nodes
The Lunar Nodes are the points where the Moon’s path crosses the ecliptic, the Sun’s path in the sky. Karmic points in astrology, the Nodes are also called the Dragon’s Head and Tail or in Vedic astrology, Rahu and Ketu.
Whichever sign and house you find the North Node in, the South Node will be in the opposite sign and house. The placing of the North Node is what you’re striving or aiming for in this lifetime. It’s your life lesson, your destiny and your major area of learning.
The South Node is said to be where you retreat to, your comfort zone, your habitual place and in traditional astrology it can indicate your downfall and what’s not good for you. If you believe in past lives, it’s thought that you’re stuck in your South Node destiny until you can break free, stop repeating the same patterns and move on.
Neptune/South Node
This means there’s an underlying theme calling you this month: the siren’s call, the lure of the bottle, a desire to retreat, curl up, disappear from everyday reality, fall back into old ways, submerge yourself ever deeper in sinful activity.
This will mean different things to different people but it’s important to know about this backdrop, this yearning potential. Ideally you can dive down deep to find what needs to be released, to discover where you’re willing to surrender.
Sometimes in life, you take a backward step so you can immerse yourself in your origins, where you come from, your past. Then you can re-emerge with new wisdom and a greater understanding of who you are, where you’re heading and why.
Wine, music, film, poetry, spiritual activities all enhance Neptune’s realm. Emotions too open a portal into Neptunian territory. There are always advantages to going off track and taking yourself away from the humdrum, the mundane.
Yet in the month of November, ensure that if you do find yourself falling back, repeating past behaviour, feeling small that you have a lifeline to tug on so you can return to the surface, breathe deeply and reorient your compass. It’s time to lose yourself, but in a good way.
soooo, what if you have NN in pisces natally, as this is all right on mine at the moment….should I retreat and surrender to foggy bliss?!?!
That sound about right! Definitely some reason to retreat, surrender, let go. Look at work, health too as they are linked to Virgo. If you’re ‘off track’ in one area, it might be time to reassess what you need/want next. Hope that helps. Good luck!
What if I have nn conjunct Neptune in scorpio….should I retreat in a cave…I already spend enormous amount of time alone hiding but everyone thinks its unhealthy
It depends more where your Neptune is and what it rules in your birth chart. Neptune in Scorpio is a generational influence. Yet it’s also about a spiritual path or finding a way to connect more with your Neptune through a caring or artistic outlet. Hope that helps.
Hi Sally – I’m a natal South Node in Scorpio conjunct Neptune with North Node in Taurus. I’m an artist now – so I guess a healthy way of expressing this connection is through my artwork but remaining grounded or selling my artwork as my North Node in Taurus would require. Is that right?
Absolutely. Easy for you in a way to lose yourself in your art and the creative process. The challenge is to produce something from that creativity and make money from it too. But yes, that’s the way to find fulfilment through this pattern in your birth chart. It’s lovely actually.
I have exactly the same! How are you doing now, in between the eclipses? I have a Gemini ascendant that is conjunct the NN right now as well. It is not boring!
Hi Sally, I just found out I have Neptune conjunct SN within 3 degrees as part of a kite with a grand air trine. The air trine consists of NN, Ceres and Pluto/Saturn and the smaller talent triangle has Ceres, Pluto/Saturn and Neptune/SN. Neptune and SN are in Sagittarius and I focused much on academics early in life whereas now I try to settle down as a mother who’s about to return to the work force doubting herself what she should do (work wise and life purpose). Pluto/ Saturn are conjunct within 1 degree in my first house Libra whereas Ceres is in 4H Aquarius and NN in 9H Gemini. Any words of wisdom for me?
3 degrees is quite wide to be super important – 1-2 degrees is more pivotal. The Grand Air Trine/Neptune/South Node combination sounds spot on – you can lose yourself in thinking, learning whereas your life lesson is to be in the world and pass on what you know, to share your wisdom and experience, whether you do that with your children or elsewhere in life. Hope that helps 🙂
What about SN Capricorn conjunct Neptune Sagittarius in 11H? My NN is in Cancer 5H.
The south node/Neptune conjunction needs to be within 2 degrees to be strong. Too wide and it’s not as important. If they are exact, there’s a ‘losing yourself’ feel to the combination through friendships/group connections. This might be about comparing yourself to others, finding it hard to be who you are in groups, something along those lines. The challenge for you is to be true to who you are, to shine as an individual, to show off your skills and talents. Focus on your own creativity, find where you shine, pass on your legacy. Hope that helps.
hello Sally
What would mean a transit of south node conjunct my retrograde neptune in house 3. cordially
Difficult to say without knowing more about your birth chart. 3rd house is communication, also siblings, neighbours. Neptune is where you lose yourself or escape the everyday – be careful of addictive tendencies, consider where you find solace or spiritual sustenance in your life. You need to also consider what Neptune rules and the aspects it makes to discern whether it’s going to be an important transit for you.
I have SN on 8.5° pisces / NN 8.5 virgo 9th house con Pluto and this year conjuncts my progessed Vertex .
On SN = progr Anti-Vertex I have progressed stellium moon, mercury, name of a dear friend and his groom. His Jupiter conjunct my NN . But…the story is not easy , even not started something the draw-feel is huge.
My Ex husbands sun did conjunct my SN – so I think what the progressed Vertex draws from SN is better to keep detached and let go … or what do you think about ?????
I don’t use the Vertex so hard for me to comment about that. If your South Node is receiving a lot of progressions right now, then I guess that’s about surrender, letting go in some way. Maybe that’s where the personal work is before you can move forward once again towards the North Node.
want to add that SN 8.5 pisces is also conjuncting fix-star SKAT .
What can that mean in view of above and mySLEF. ???
I wanna come forward in life towards NN and at moment is quite a transforming time.
What does that progressed Stellium on SN/ progr. Anti-Vertex ( even progr. Valentin and Vesta is in Stellium) telling me ????
My nn is Pisces 5th house. Sn Virgo 11th. Saturn. Neptune. Sun. Mercury. And Uranus in 3rd house Capricorn. Pluto Scorpio 1st house. Venus in sagitarious 2nd house.Jupiter 8th house tourus. Mars Aries in 6th house. Moon in 10th house Leo and acsedndent in Libra and midhaven in Capricorn. Can u give me sum kind of explanation of what my area of focus should be?
I can’t make sense of the astrology without looking at the whole birth chart. Re. your nodes – it’s about discovering your passion, being creative, enjoying your skills and talents. That will give you pleasure rather than losing yourself in the group or comparing yourself to other people. Hope that helps.
interesting I have neptune( 9H aquarius) opposite north node in leo 3H.. any insights? thank you
Well, that suggests an active dreamworld, imagination. You need to escape from the everyday – just make sure it’s in a way that’s helpful not destructive. Often with that nodal axis, it’s about teaching what you know or needing to express/write things down. You can get lost learning/pondering and forget the real world. Hope that helps 🙂
Thank you! you actually helped a lot 🙂 if it is not too much to ask can those placements tell what career path would be more likely to follow? (i also have midheaven in aquarius if that helps) hope im not bothering you! thanks for your time!
Yes, absolutely. The nodes often help with finding your destiny, where meaning lies. Also look at Saturn and Uranus in your horoscope and the patterns they make as Aquarius is your Midheaven, also any planets in the 10th. Most people have quite a few options to choose from but often one theme calls out more loudly 🙂
ohh i see!! So i have saturn in taurus (conjuct to my asc) squares uranus in aquarius (for 4 degrees) also i have mars in the 10H it is 10º away from uranus so i guess it isnt conjuct. I read some things about this placemente and not gonna lie im scared! right now i kinda have to choose between two undergrad courses one is in healthy field and i thought it would be nice because it feels like i wouldnt have to risk too much you know? and the other is interior design and i know i would have to reinvent myself all the time and probably have a office just to myself but in my country it isnt a big thing and i sometimes worry about working in something so elitist… Thank you again!
Oh i also have virgo moon in 5h the creativity house right? i hope it is a good thing..
Good luck with what you decide, Julia. What scared you – Mars/Uranus? It is a wide conjunction but still powerful. It’s great in your career sector, it will give you drive & originality – great for activism, making a difference in the world. The square to Saturn gives you grit and helps you create strong foundations. Just be wary of letting fear or doubt hold you back. 🙂
Hello Sally,
I find your writing very insightful and relatable to my personal experiences. In my natal chart I have Neptune conjunct the south node in the 12th house(Sagittarius), also moon square the nodes from the last degree of Pisces in the third house and Pluto/Saturn(conjunction in my 10th house trine the north node/ sextile the south node. I have my Mars cazimi sun in the 6th where my north node resides. What are you’re thoughts on these placements? My life has always felt fated. I very much relate to this 12th/6th house axis. Retreating, lack of self-esteem and a fascination with spirituality/occult and also finding that when I am able to stay in the focused in the mundane be content and fulfilled yet I am dragged back to those very familiar 12th house patterns and mentality. Thank you in advance for giving your time and help.
Thank you for your comment. It’s tricky to comment on the astrology without seeing the whole chart but yes, your comfort zone is in your inner, your spiritual path. Yet, your learning is to be out in the world, being of service and doing that through communication? I presume Sun Gemini? Action through words. Hope that helps 🙂 Sending best wishes.
November 2016 I almost died. My ex had come home (after being separated away from me with another girl). We had slept together in our room, in our bed. He got up to leave for work – and I went to sleep. And I slept and slept. I was so tired when I woke up all I could manage was drag myself to the bathroom, then drink glass of water and directly back to sleep.
This went on for 5 full days straight.
I did not drink alcohol. I did not take any drugs (prescription or otherwise).
Yet, by day five my heart was beginning to really have a hard time. I was scared because I just couldn’t keep myself awake.
So I called a friend who was a nurse for 30 years. She came to check on me and assessed that I needed to be in the ER immediately. was kept in the cardio unit for three days, tested, and released with no explanation for what happened to me.
I made my ex remove ALL of his things from our house and changed the locks.
Because something really bad happened to me while Neptune was conjunct South Node. The truth about him is what happened. He had a new relationship and was not ending ours.
His Venus is at 9 degrees Libra. The new woman’s Sun is at 9 degrees Libra. My Sun is at 8 Aries.
Also relevant is that 9 degrees Libra is fixed star Vindamiatrix “the widow maker.”
Sounds dramatic. But these are all just dry factual actual “what it is” real and true events and happenings.
Neptune as I understand it is not merely a matter of spiritual ecstatic states or addiction. It is in the aspirin you take for your headache. It is in the Benadryl you took. It is in everything that can alter your state of visual senses – from psychedelics to anti-depressants to the eyedrops you used to get the red out. It’s in your ability to see – or NOT see because the fog is too thick on road – or you need glasses. Neptune can blur our vision and soften the edges so we don’t see the details going on around us.
like the jerk who slipped a mickey in your drink.
No I’m not throwing around any “crazy” or “delusional” accusations. I refuse to be specific in my meaning here because the vagary is as real as what I experienced – there is only these SIGNS in the sky testifying. Just coincidences.
I’m glad my nurse friend was in my life, so I could call her.
It took me three years to fully recover from November 2016. By 2019 I had enough strength to leave that place where we had lived together. But surrender? To overdose on something I didn’t take? I don’t think so, my friend. That’s not how I ROLL.
I’m not suicidal whatsoever. I don’t drink a lot. I smoke cigarettes, that’s my only addiction. But I found he had hidden in his boxes under the bed a manual from the United States Army for the Psychological Forensics of a Suicide. I stole it and I still have that evidence in my possession.
No one tries to suicide me against my will – And this comment is here to make that statement loud and clear. Thank you for the space to say it. Blessings.
Blimey, quite the story. I’m glad you’ve survived this worrying period and emerged stronger – sending you very best wishes.
Im excited for the personal experience ahead, yet deeply nervous about Neptune conjuncting my natal South Node (3* degrees in my 10th house) in June of 2023. My Natal South Node is conjunct my Moon in a 10 degree orb. My South Node exactly Trines my Jupiter (3* degrees in my 2nd house). My South Node also Quincunx my Natal (4* degrees in my 3rd house.) Im not sure what to expect. Im a professional Psychic Medium. I would imagine it would impact and hopefully “upgrade” my abilities. However, Im concerned about what I may be letting go of or anything else that may transpire. Any clues to help me prepare would be very much appreciated. PS I loved the insight from “Case Zero” experience. Thank you and God bless everyone.
When you’re looking at the aspects between the nodes & planets in your birth chart, you want a close aspect, usually 1 degree, 2 degrees tops for it to have a big impact. And, I’m not sure about your Neptune transit? Neptune will be in late degrees Pisces in 2023? You’re suggesting your south node is 3 degrees? So, not clear whether you’re going to be having a major transit of your south node? If you are, both the south node and Neptune are about ‘losing yourself’ so ensure you do that in a good way, i.e. dive deep into creativity or spirituality or your work as a medium. Hope that helps.