Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Popular topics that are often presented to astrologers concern Karma, Destiny, and Past Lives. This post will cover some of the finer points of esoteric astrology and how to discern information connected to these topics.

  Nodes of the Moon/Nodal Axis

The Moon’s nodes are the points where its orbit around the earth crosses the earth’s orbit around the Sun. So, they’re not planets or any kind of bodies at all, but are extremely important in chart analysis. Evolutionary astrology uses the Nodes and Pluto to evaluate the karmic issues which are in this life at the forefront. Very broadly, the South Node represents past life issues, and the North Node represents the direction we are in a way pointed in this life in order to grow.

The South Node, as the past, indicates something we’re comfortable with and, if pursued, might be a way to have success in the world. Sounds good, right? There’s a catch: We won’t be happy if we pursue only the activities and arena of life represented by the South Node. The North Node represents something we’re probably not so good at without effort, and it’s where the soul wants us to head in this life – we haven’t done this as much as we’ve done what’s represented by the South Node. A healthy strategy is one of integration, wherein we take what we know from the South Node and apply it in the opposite direction, the North Node. The rest of the chart, then, is indicative of the personality the soul has chosen to play out/work on those karmic issues.”  The nodes are also known as the Dragon’s Head (Caput Draconis), the North Node, and Dragon’s Tail (Cauda Draconis), the South Node, although in Indian Astrology they are called Rahu and Ketu. In mythology, this Dragon sought to devour the Sun and Moon, so causing the eclipses. The North Node, the Dragon’s Head, is called the ascending node, because it marks the point where the Moon crosses the ecliptic from southern to northern celestial latitudes, and the South Node is called the descending node, marking the descent from northern to southern latitudes. The North and South Nodes are an axis, always in perfect opposition to each other, so the signs are affected in pairs (Aries/Libra; Pisces/Virgo; Aquarius/Leo etc). All the planets have nodes except the Sun and the Earth, but the Moon’s Nodes are by far the most significant, in terms of human destiny.¹

The Nodal Degree

The degree in which the North Node is placed in the natal chart is a highly significant one. For example, if your Dragon’s Head is placed in the 22^nd degree of Aries, the 22^nd degree of each of the other zodiacal signs is called the nodal degree. The South Node of course is placed in the opposing degree, but this nodal degree is also considered a very sensitive point in each of the signs, so whenever the nodal degree is activated by progression or transit, significant karmic events may be expected. Moreover, should any natal planet be placed in a nodal degree, its influence is also strengthened for good or ill, depending on its character and condition. ²

Nodal Axis by Sign

Aries North Node, Libra South Node

You are an individual quite comfortable in personal relationships, sometimes to the point of being a little too dependent on your partner. Follow your North Node; try to be more active in your affairs of the heart and more romantically involved. Thinking independently is a wise start because at the moment, someone else is making up your mind for you.

[The Soul is learning the lessons of self consciousness on the most elemental levels. Experiences in past incarnations did not permit the Self to form a singular identity. Happiness was judged by the successes and failures of those who were close and identifying life through others continues. For short periods of time isolation is needed to buoy strength. The biggest lessons center around learning how to make the head rule the heart. The HOUSE position of the south node will reveal where too much identification with others inhibited self development.

Taurus North Node, Scorpio South Node

 Overcome being mysterious and too secretive. Get your hidden agenda out in the open or others will think you’re being sneaky. Talking out of one side of your mouth may result in being misunderstood. Resist the urge to manipulate others and to use seduction to get what you want. You must learn that power is not always the answer; too often it is used as compensation for something more real that you feel you are missing. Power is simply filling a void in your life. Don’t be so free with your physical emotions.

[Here the Soul is confronted with the most difficult karmic lessons in the zodiac. Past lives have been strewn with endings as the Plutonian force of Scorpio worked through its process of transformation. The individual is so frightened of having the rug pulled from under his feet that he develops a defensive attitude toward all who offer him regenerative advice. In past lives he literally went through the fires of hell to burn away his false values and now he must build a new set of substantial values to live by. The HOUSE position of the south node indicates where any remaining residue of Scorpionic battles must be conquered.

Gemini North Node, Sagittarius South Node

Look beyond the dogma that rules so much of your life. Take the time to seriously ponder those aspects of your life that you blindly follow. Following tried-and-true golden rules and doctrines certainly has its benefits, but are you a loyal shepherd or simply being herded along with the rest of the flock? Holding on to a belief system can be a rewarding pursuit as long as you are following for yourself, not simply because it’s expected. Question the routines and beliefs of your existence but don’t ram your revelations down other people’s throats.

[Here the individual receives an invitation to join society and leave behind the past life incarnation of wildness. He is unaccustomed to appreciating the pint of view of others and there is a strong karmic continuation of self righteousness that makes it difficult to be a fair judge of current actions. He is used to being a frees spirit so the current life is excessive with strong resistance to restrictions. The HOUSE position of the south node will show the area of life where karmic residue still pulls him into the desire for wanton freedom.

Cancer North Node, Capricorn South Node

If your nodes are positioned in Cancer and Capricorn, you need to learn that career and affluence aren’t the only things that matter. Work and social status are currently the top priorities in your life and it would behoove you to direct more energy into developing personal relationships. Keeping up with the Joneses often turns out to be a fruitless, bottomless pit of material disappointment. Community standards should not be the basis for your ethics if your heart is telling you otherwise.

[The Soul enters the current life with much inner pride and finds it difficult to understand why others do not show him the strong respect he has been accustomed to in past lives. Prestige and dignity continue to be the motivators of all actions. The Soul has learned the art of accomplishment through past lives but in doing so developed little regard for others. Now the individual must learn how to give as well as receive. Sexually, this Soul is learning to take on the feminine role in life while transmuting coldness to warmth and age to youth. Many with these nodes appear to grow younger with age. The HOUSE position of the south node shows the area in life where the bowl of abundance is overfull and the position of the north node shows where the empty bowls of others are waiting for f manna.

Leo North Node, Aquarius South Node

Don’t just jump into the latest trendy revolution; stand up for what that you believe in. Avoid following the crowd. Heed the influence of the North Node in Leo and spotlight your own unique qualities. Don’t be a teaser or tormentor simply for the fun of it. Warm up to the people in your life, as your aloof dismissal of the people who love you is pushing them away.

Don’t be afraid to be the nail that sticks up. Rather than getting hammered down, you will inspire and invigorate those around you. Be a benevolent master of all that you survey, but don’t impose your will crudely. Learn to be a leader and get in touch with your latent generous nature. Others look up to you and you probably don’t even realize it. Care for people on an individual level.

[This axis symbolizes a struggle with the will. The individual is learning to develop strength within himself. Conditions force him to stand alone very often without the shoulders of others to lean upon. He continues a past life tendency to spend too much time feeling sorry for himself and his lack of friends. Many with these nodes live a rags to riches life. Some spend the last years of their lives alone. The HOUSE position of the south node indicates the area where past life needs for originality and freedom are still seeing expression.

Virgo North Node, Pisces South Node

 Getting organized and firmly grounding yourself in the moment are foreign tasks to you, but they will come more easily as you practice over time. Stop procrastinating by making up your mind that you are worthy of the task – and follow it through. Overcome being everyone’s doormat and focus instead on taking care of business. Look to logic to guide you rather than always relying on your instincts and intuition. Keeping one eye on the big picture is an effective strategy, but don’t overlook the crucial details that will make it all come together.

[The individual must overcome past life superstitions which are currently impeding his growth and undermining his ability to see the truth of all things. Prior tendencies to be dependent on others and swim in the self pity of non-achievement are strong obstacles to be dealt with and surpassed in the current lifetime. One of the biggest lessons to learn is to say “no’ AND MEAN IT! These nodes often reflect past lifetimes of persecution so a deep understanding of the pain of others has been developed. These nodes are helpful in the fields of medicine and healing due to past life carry over of a strong compassion for humanity, The HOUSE position of the south node indicates where a past incarnation has reached Cosmic Understanding.

Libra North Node, Aries South Node

To evolve toward your North Node in Libra, take a genuine interest in other people and find out what motivates them. Strive to be more giving in a relationship and become better versed in the arts of compromise and mediation. Cooperation and harmony will take you a lot further than bossiness and demands. Mind your manners. Participate in a community activity or initiate one that better suits your personal goals. Master the subtle arts of persuasion, gentleness and being a good companion.

[The Soul is learning about self sacrifice and the needs of others. All of the lifetimes spent on building self confidence must now be transferred to others. The individual must guard against ego influences in his current life actions. Selfishness and vanity must be curbed. Individuals with these nodes are often highly opinionated as a result of selfish or bigoted past life attitudes. The HOUSE position of the south node will show the area where insatiable desires of past incarnations are demanding priority.

Scorpio North Node, Taurus South Node

Transcend your penchant for material goods, as this pursuit will get you nowhere. Too much of everything surrounds you; your sometimes greedy nature weighs you down and keeps you from the things that really matter in life. Resist the temptation to take on more than you need.

Your stubborn nature makes it very unlikely that you will heed anyone else’s advice. You don’t hesitate to make your opinions well known, but you could improve your listening skills when it comes to taking in what others have to say. Always leaning toward conservatism, you’ll learn more about the world around you if you take a moment to step into someone else’s shoes. You are aware of your inflexibility but at the moment you maintain that the old ways of doing things are still the best.

[The individual is learning how to accept revolutionary changes within himself as well as the conditions of this life. He would like to rest thinking that his Soul journey is over. He is so tired from the yoke of his past life earthly burdens that no matter the cost he would like to feel settled. As a result he finds it difficult to develop strength for future changes. He hangs on to old behavior patterns which served him well in the past but manifest now as ding things the hard way. These nodes symbolize a Soul who for many lifetimes has been moving along a decadent path and now the Soul vessel must be turned upside down in order to rid the decay. The HOUSE position of the south node indicate the area which has become decadent as a result of past life incarnations.

Sagittarius North Node, Gemini South Node

You need to reduce the time and energy you expend in superficial pursuits. Bordering on shallow, you can be frivolous and flirtatious much of the time – perhaps too often for your own good. Time spent being curious rather than actually educating yourself is time better spent in other ways. A notorious gossip, you derive pleasure from dissecting other people’s lives. This time and energy would be more beneficial if you spent it improving your own life. You are involved in many irrelevant and indulgent affairs or are perhaps juggling too many projects at one time. Getting more serious about yourself and your world should be at the top of your priority list; at the moment you are too lighthearted and flippantly carefree.

[For lifetimes this individual has enmeshed himself in dualities resulting in indecision. He tried to be al things to all people and made himself attuned to superficiality. Now he has strong lessons to learn in the areas of loyalty and allegiance. He finds playing both sides against the middle doesn’t work. In past incarnations he never developed a long attention span and as a result he currently is in a constant state of changing his mind. He is over-programmed and struggles to keep up with the myriad of details and people that fill his life. He must work through his karma of perpetuating trivia and engaging in gossip while working out of pretended sophistication. The HOUSE position of the south node show where past incarnation personality conflicts still plague the lower mind.

Capricorn North Node, Cancer South Node

You find that you’re always in need of parental guidance and are very dependent on your family unit. The attachment to the people you are closest with is very deep, but so close that it could stifle your growth in other directions. You’re used to getting what you want by way of emotional manipulation. You can be moody at times and you don’t know enough to separate yourself from the activity that has set your mood reeling.

[The individual is learning to achieve maturity. In past incarnations he had a tendency to look at life through rose colored glasses seeing only that he wanted to see with a definite conviction that everything did not exist. All he does in this lifetime is based upon his Soul memory of sensitive feelings which are still shattered by the slightest rejection. Many individuals with these nodes are strongly wrapped up in the business of their country. They personalize government and there are strong feelings of patriotism and loyalty. Females with these nodes usually engage a search for a father figure and males seem to have a strong consciousness of the need to fulfill a father role.

It is very important to note that the zodiacal constellation of Capricorn is the gateway through which the Soul must go upon leaving the physical body. It is the most occult of signs as it stands for the inspection before the Judges at these Gates. While this may not be the last incarnation on earth it will definitely by house position receive Karmic judgment in one area of the life. The HOUSE position of the south node will show the area of karmic residue connected to immaturity.

Aquarius North Node, Leo South Node

To rise toward your North Node, you need to be more philanthropic and less self-centered. Give precedence to community efforts over more solitary tasks. In general, a more relaxed approach will bring you greater success. You’ll go further if you can react with a cooler temperament and be more aloof. Let go of your insecurities; take in the world around you. Plan your life to be more in service to the universe. Become more globally aware and act when you see need to. Stepping outside yourself will help you regain your sense of humility.

[These nodes represent the struggle between the personal life and an impersonal dedication to humanity. In prior lifetimes much revolved around the self. There is a residual tendency to look down upon others and to be condescending of their ideas and thoughts. The individual sees himself as the center of the universe and possesses intense pride. He must learn to shed masks ultimately discovering that ego centered displays of dignity are coming form past life habits and have very little to do now with bringing forth any lasting happiness. The HOUSE position of the south node will show the area of life that is too burdened by the desire for personal achievement.

Pisces North Node, Virgo South Node

Dealing with the fussy details is your specialty and dispensing some of that pickiness to the people you work with is par for the course. Don’t grill yourself with the details when there are more pressing issues to deal with. Always looking for perfection, you have discriminating tastes that may be pushed to the extreme and ultimately become rigid. Too much precision is your downfall; learning to bend is the most valuable lesson you can learn. Give in more to frivolity and get over your concern for always doing the right thing and following the program.

Listen more to your inner voice and let it guide you toward your goals. You’ve always preferred black and white over the many shades of gray – and you’re just starting to recognize what you’ve been missing. Trivial matters seem to take up most of your free time and you have difficulty distinguishing the relevant tasks from the distractions. Do some critical thinking to help you sort this jumbled life of yours and to help you trim the excess. Your fastidious nature comes in handy at times, but don’t allow it to be a ruling force. Pristine presentation shouldn’t always top your list of priorities.

Learn to take a look at the larger scope behind every situation and not to let the details bog you down. With your intuition as your guiding force and your compassion the angel on your shoulder, you will travel far. Seek the emotional balance that you envy in others for yourself. Focus on being more trusting and idealistic; accept that some things actually are as good as they appear. Make time to disperse your well of creative energy.

[This is the hardest nodal position to deal with. 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 it hard to let go. In past incarnations he basked in a life that was well structured. He built his understanding on fact and not hearsay so now he accepts only that which comes from a higher authority. For many with these nodes there is a strong residual of sexual problems left over form former incarnations. Either a deprivation of the sexual experience or a strong determination to avoid emotional hurt in the current life leads them to seek a better understanding. Some are confirmed Puritans while others are capable of being physically responsive and emotionally cold at the same time. The HOUSE position of the south node indicates the area in life that is still too rigidly embedded in a personally over-structured idea.⁵

Nodal Axis by House

North Node 1^st House, South Node 7^th House

Step away from this aspect of your past and move toward your own innovations. Harmony is more important to you than anything else and you will even admit fault erroneously just to keep the peace. Stand up for yourself and learn to stand on your own two feet. Learn to assert yourself and your opinions. Pioneer new ground rather than simply sticking with the tried and true.

North Node 2^nd House, South Node 8^th House

Focus more on developing self-worth, respecting yourself and creating your own values. Get in touch with the Earth and revert back to the basics. Celebrate the simple pleasures of life. Be more tactile: Work the land, touch something naturally evolved and steer clear of materialistic accumulation. Use your power and influence to improve other people’s lives. Take time to appreciate art, spend your money wisely and believe in quality over quantity. *NOTE: Im a few rare cases, the individual must overcome past life criminal tendencies or a residue of witchcraft.

North Node 3^rd House, South Node 9^th House

You often find you can’t stay put; when the going gets tough you run the other way instead of facing the issues head on. Accept that some level of superficiality is necessary for living in a society. Take on many different interests. Diversify your talents and the way you spend your time. Lighten your load and take yourself less seriously. Force those channels of communication wide open.

North Node 4^th House, South Node 10^th House

Try not to be so concerned with what others think. Instead, place more importance on family values and making real human connections. Spending quality time at home, perhaps without the television, never goes out of style and creates bonds that will last a lifetime. Making the extra effort to make a cozy home instead of a flashy home will make you more comfortable in your own skin. Cooking rather than take-out or opting for comfort over style are all maneuvers toward a more collected and a happier you.

North Node 5^th House, South Node 11^th House

Make the effort to be more creative and have faith in whatever it is your instincts tell you to produce. The world may not be ready for your innovations at the moment but you’ll need this time to hone your skills and to prepare them for what’s in store. Spend some time connecting with children; they have a lot to teach you.

North Node 6^th House, South Node 12^th House

Setting stringent daily routines and making use of schedules and calendars will assist you tremendously. Monitor your health and take care of small issues quickly. Strengthen your analytical skills by making lists and charts. Creating a sequence and sticking to it will help you get more done in a day. Increase your standards for the meaning of perfection in yourself and in the company you keep. Improving the simple things, like personal hygiene, can be the beginning of something greater.

North Node 7^th House, South Node 1^st House

Your impetuous nature would benefit from a great deal of mellowing. Strive for a greater sense of balance and harmony. You often see yourself at the center of everything and you are always in a hurry. Learning to breathe deeply will be a great asset to your evolution as a person. Overcome your impetuous nature; take the time to appreciate the subtleties you rush past every day. Practice being kinder, less brash. There is such a thing as being too active and too aggressive, and you often cross over those boundaries of appropriate conduct. Take more time and care with all your projects and be certain to double check every fact before banking on it. Obstinacy may help you in the business aspects of your life but this behavior may not be the best mode of operation for everything else.

North Node 8^th House, South Node 2^nd House

You don’t realize that you’re barking up the wrong tree. If the goals you’ve been after can’t be achieved through traditional means you should try a whole new approach. Let go of some of your old ways and move on. If you look at yourself from another angle you’ll see that you’re still cheering for your horse after the race is finished. Celebrate the endings and new beginnings you experience and learn from them. Embrace the opportunities for change around you. Get more in touch with your sexual and physical natures and express yourself that way.

North Node 9^th House, South Node 3^rd House

Sample life’s many offerings until you find something that truly stirs your passion. You lack depth at the moment because you’ve yet to find anything that you care deeply about. Develop your drive until you find an area worthy of your focus; keep it in mind that work begets work. Seek out your place in social relevance and find the inspiration to develop your own set of ethics or philosophy. Endeavor to find truth. Hold honesty most dear, above all else. Move on with a supreme level of confidence.

North Node 10^th House, South Node 4^th House

You need to learn to face the problems in your life head on and fight your urge to avoid the source of the trauma. Eating when you’re upset will get you nowhere good; you should explore other solutions and consolations to help you remedy your stress. Learn to stand alone in the world by believing in your greatest strengths. The emotional independence you gain over the simplest things will give you a tremendous sense of achievement. Be your own person with your own career and your own sense of financial and emotional independence. If you’re not already doing so, move out of your family home and carve a career for yourself out of your interests. Take a firm hold of your emotions and don’t give in to your weaknesses.

North Node 11^th House, South Node 5^th House

Overcoming your natural sense of bossiness may be difficult for you, but it’s a risk you need to take to achieve greater universal fulfillment. You are guilty of spending money beyond your means and you confuse owning things with being powerful. You’re always at the heart of the conversation; your domineering nature is your signature. Very accomplished at the art of self-promotion, you find success when the competition is rough, but you too often tip the scales against yourself. Your ego and arrogance often steal the show and your many opinions and sense of false pride are your stumbling blocks. This is your way of seeking power but it’s time you revised your tactics.

North Node 12 House, South Node 6^th House

Put more effort toward better organizing your work space, thoughts and ideas. Your mission shouldn’t always be to serve others; you need to look out more for your own interests. Sponging up other people’s problems as if they were your own won’t encourage you to grow in the direction of your North Node, so avoid internalizing issues that aren’t yours. Discover your strength from within and stop short any spells of self-pity. Strong bouts of idealism and your overly trusting nature won’t help you achieve your goals. Have a more realistic attitude about the workings of the world around you.³

THE VERTEX POINT

Vx

The Vertex is located on the right-hand side of the horoscope in the western section of the wheel. This point refers to the intersection of the ecliptic and the prime vertical in the heavens. Sometimes the Vertex is also called the Third Angle of the chart.

The Vertex, like many other astrological characteristics discussed in Karmic Astrology, is about fate. It represents an important life instruction. The Vertex mostly falls between the Fifth and Eighth Houses. Its exact point varies depending on the individual’s birth date, time and place.

Astrologically, the Vertex and the Anti-Vertex (the opposite point of the Vertex) indicate karmic events in the life of an individual regarding cause and effect. Be careful of what you wish for, as it just might come true when the Vertex and the Anti-Vertex come into play. Wishes and hopes can be fulfilled in a very perverse manner; you may get what you ask for, but not without suffering, sacrifice or potential tragedy. These are the prices of asking for too much at the wrong time. Personal relationships are especially highlighted.³

What about the sign and house position of the vertex?

The house positions of the vertex/anti-vertex can offer clues as to where we may experience turning points, meetings with destiny or fateful encounters in life. As noted earlier, the vertex falls usually between the fifth and the eighth house, on the western side of the chart, with the anti-vertex 180 degrees opposition.

In the fifth/eleventh house axis, there could be a propensity to experience fateful romantic or creative encounters (fifth house) through contacts with friends or groups (eleventh house). In the sixth/twelfth house axis, the turning point, or spin out, could effect our day by day living, or our link between psyche and soma (sixth house) through contact with those in the helping professions, those less fortunate or through dreams and creative fantasies (twelfth house). In the seventh/first house axis, sudden epiphanies could radically affect socially significant partnerships (seventh house) through an experience of projecting ourselves out into the world (first house). In the eighth/second house axis, destiny may arrive in the form of an erotic encounter or intense research (eighth house) perpetrated by a desire for pleasure, security or peace (second house).

The vertex/anti-vertex by sign can signify the way we may experience activation to this axis. Aries/Libra could indicate issues between personal will and sharing, where Taurus/Scorpio may be about security verses risk. Gemini/Sagittarius could contrast knowledge and vision, where Cancer/Capricorn could emphasize protection verses enterprise. The Leo/Aquarius axis might highlight self-expression as opposed to group participation where the Virgo/Pisces might compare structured boundaries and limitless longing.⁴

Retrograde Planets and Past Lives

If the following planets appear in retrograde in your birth chart they are indicative of a monumental happening that once occurred in a past life. Astrology suggests that you pay attention to the lessons that you never learned in the past and that you strive toward achieving these goals in current pursuits. Each of the planets represents a different lesson to be learned.

Mercury Past Life:

If Mercury retrograde is in your chart it's likely that you were once scorned for speaking out; perhaps your words incensed a riot. Mercury retrograde symbolizes that you are afraid to say the wrong thing and that you don't feel assured of your own intelligence.

To master this life lesson, you should believe in your intelligence and the power of your communication skills. Practice public speaking and celebrate the achievement of speaking to a group.

Venus Past Life:

You have difficulty connecting with your soul mate and sustaining intimate relationships. You seek fulfillment from your partner but always come up short. In a past life, there were external forces beyond your control to keep you and your lover apart; thus, you never learned how to conduct a mature, productive relationship.

Try to focus on what you really want in a relationship and consider your choice of partners carefully. Also, look within yourself and ponder what you give back to your partner. Search for ways to improve the gifts you share.

Mars Past Life:

In your past life you may have been a soldier in the military and performed regrettable acts under someone else's orders. The anguish and the guilt this experience caused have left you crippled when it comes to dealing properly with your anger. Oftentimes you're not even sure where your anger comes from, but it is released hastily, harshly and inappropriately.

Relaxation and focusing techniques will help you get through this tangled web, as will some inward examination on the forces that rile your blood in this life.

Jupiter Past Life:

With Jupiter retrograde in your chart you were perhaps persecuted for your iconoclastic religious, ethical or spiritual beliefs. This experience was troubling and has left you feeling uneasy about embracing anything larger than yourself out of fear of exile once again. You are also fearful of showing anyone the light of your wisdom as you don't want to feel responsible for jeopardizing their social standing.

In this life you may have come full circle and snub religion or hold it in disdain. Your lack of spirituality or fickle relationship with spiritual beliefs may leave you feeling flat. Coming to terms with the things that make you happy and listening to your inner voice will set you free.

Phobias: Fear of open places.

Saturn Past Life:

If Saturn in retrograde appears in your birth chart you may always have had a difficult relationship with authority figures. You were once severely abused by those with power over you; perhaps you were enslaved or, conversely, you may once have been a belligerent and abusive ruler. Always looking for the easy way out, you have a long history of being immensely impatient.

The only way you will evolve to the next level is if you learn the virtues of patience, hard work and responsibility. You must also learn to respect the people you work with. Rather than continuing with a freewheeling lifestyle, focus instead on making plans and setting strategy.

Phobias: Fear of closed in places and spaces.

Uranus Past Life:

In the lives before this one you were a rebel or a revolutionary. You've always been an anarchist fighting the establishment; if there's a battle, you're there. Though this lifestyle has its merits, it can be pushed to the extreme. Your revolutionary lifestyle has always interfered with or perhaps even destroyed many other facets of your life.

You must learn that giving an inch can sometimes gain you a mile. Keep fighting an honorable fight, but as long as Uranus is in retrograde in your chart you need to master the lesson of compromise and, occasionally, conformity. Take a moment to appreciate the useful aspects of structure. Save your battles only for the occasions when it is necessary, not simply for the sake of rebellion or for a good fight.

Neptune Past Life:

Extreme creativity and a penchant for escapism have always gotten the best of you if Neptune retrograde is in your chart. Perhaps you have a long history of alcohol or drug abuse or you are constantly trying to free yourself of ties with stark and unpleasant moments in reality.

Needless to say, you will not develop personally, spiritually or astrologically if you are dependent on substances outside yourself. To rise above these challenges you must take control of your creativity and push it toward its tremendous potential. Take a look outside yourself and your own issues; consider helping others as a way to get outside your own problems. Learn to appreciate the esoteric side of life.

Phobias: Fear of large bodies of water; fear of being hypnotized; fear of getting involved in things with uncertain outcomes.

Pluto Past Life:

With Pluto retrograde in your chart, you know what it means to be ostracized from the flock. At some point in your history you were forced to be the scapegoat for the community and you stood alone for bad deeds that perhaps you didn't even commit. You are familiar with being the apple of the public's eye one moment and then defending yourself tooth and nail the next.

This experience has left you very untrusting of the world around you. Remember that nothing in the universe occurs in a vacuum and that all bodies are connected. Therefore, if you don't trust in others you are also not trusting yourself. Believe in the people who have power over you, as they are sincerely looking out for your best interests.³

Phobias: Fear of death; fear of sex.

Book recommendations: “Karmic Astrology – The Moon’s Nodes and Reincarnation” by Martin Schulman; “Karmic astrology – Joy and the Part of Fortune” by Martin Schulman.

¹ Astrologer Tom Jacobs; ² Astrologer Rob Tillett; ³ Astrologer Kelly Fox; ⁴ Astrologer Kim Falconer; ⁵Astrologer Martin Schulman