We begin an astrological “sea change” on Sunday, July 13, 2014, as the true lunar nodes Ketu and Rahu move into a different section of the sidereal zodiac. After having transited through sidereal Aries and Libra for the last year and a half, they are now moving into sidereal Pisces and Virgo for the next year and a half. This is significant as the lunar nodes reflect the main karmic axis (focus of action) for the individual and the world.

The lunar nodes are astronomical points marking the intersection of the Sun’s apparent path (ecliptic) with the Moon’s orbit around the Earth. Though they have no physical form, these nodes have tremendous influence according to astrology, as they represent the soul’s evolutionary journey. The North Node of the Moon, known in Western astrology as Caput Draconis or the “Dragon’s Head,” is called Rahu in Vedic astrology. Rahu is the point where the Moon’s path crosses the ecliptic from south to north, and is thus known as the Ascending Node. The South Node, known in Western astrology as Cauda Draconis or the “Dragon’s Tail,” is called Ketu in Vedic astrology. Ketu is the point where the Moon’s path crosses the ecliptic from north to south, and is thus known as the Descending Node.

Rahu and Ketu are described as shadowy planets, or chaya graha, because they cause the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. Though they have no corporeal form, they are afforded the same status as the other solar system bodies because their effect is known to be potent. The lunar nodes occur in opposite houses from each other, known as the “nodal axis,” also described as the “karmic axis” because the sections where they occur (in natal or transit charts) reveal where we experience the polarities which churn up our lives and events in the world in order to bring out our karmic potential.

Astrology actually has two ways of calculating the lunar nodes, which are either mean (average motion, always retrograde) or true (actual motion which wobbles forward and retrograde). Either way, the mean and true nodes are always fairly close together within a few zodiacal degrees. The mean nodes moved into Pisces-Virgo on July 12, and the true nodes July 13.

With the Aries-Libra nodal axis, much attention has been directed toward balancing and integrating individual needs with those of others. Aries signifies ambition, drive and initiative, whereas Libra seeks to fulfill desires, duties and responsibilities while maintaining right relationship to self and others. As Aries and Libra are active fire and air signs, the essence of the nodal transit here was very yang overall — restless, dominating, intense, and driven to doing, balancing and achieving.

This new nodal transit into Pisces-Virgo will focus on the tension between faith and belief, spirituality and science and heart and mind. Pisces and Virgo are gentle, receptive yin water and earth signs; their essence is spacious, still, accepting, allowing and flowing. With the nodes here, we will seek and find new opportunities to awaken the sacred in the mundane, softening and opening our hearts and minds in miraculous ways and simplifying and clarifying our spiritual principles and rituals.

On a more global scale, the Aries-Libra nodal transit has brought extra attention to politics, public relations, judicial systems, the commercial marketplace, law enforcement, fires, the rise of inflammatory diseases, and most importantly, war vs diplomacy. In Pisces-Virgo, the nodal focus moves toward secrets, occultism, spirituality and religious extremism; crime and peace; charity and welfare; public health, food, nutrition and disease; armed services; relief work; and environmental imbalances, especially those related to water and agriculture. We will be challenged to seek more enlightened solutions to ecological and humanitarian problems. How to balance compassion with pragmatism becomes an ever more serious question.

From ~July 13 to July 25, the Moon’s South Node Ketu is transiting in the transitional 29th degree between sidereal Pisces and Aries. On July 13, an exact conjunction of Mars (action, drive and violence) and Rahu (expansion, upheaval and chaos) occurs at 29 degrees sidereal Virgo (opposite Ketu). It is important to note that at this Rahu Virgo ingress, Rahu and Mars conjoin the brilliant fixed star Spica (sounds like Spy-kuh) which lies in the sheath of grain in the Virgin’s left hand. Spica is associated with the evolution of humanity which could only have happened through a grain-based diet. In addition, Spica relates directly to agriculture and the nourishing energy of the divine feminine power which upholds our planet.

This Rahu-Mars-Spica ingress conjunction will resonate throughout the next eighteen months. This reflects great worldly successes, some potential for brilliant scientific and technological discoveries as well as many new logical solutions to our global problems. There will be some great ability to overcome mass corruption and injustice throughout this cycle. However, and especially depending on where it falls in natal or mundane horoscopes, this combination can indicate further degradation of human societies and violence, especially that which is perpetrated against the innocent, some serious air transportation safety issues (Mars+Rahu), and perversions of the environment, especially as in the ongoing GMO battle.

Venus is also at the 29th degree on July 13, in sidereal Taurus and moving into sidereal Gemini later in the day. Especially for those with any planets or chart points at the 29th degree, all this 29-degree business may be feeling a bit like a spiritual test. In astrology, the 29th degree is associated with liminality, mysticism, transformation and vulnerability. Rahu and Mars coming together at this edgy place, especially for those with important placements of the Sun, Moon or Ascendant in Mars-ruled signs of Aries or Scorpio, may have been feeling some mental unrest, anxiety, exhaustion or agitation which should slowly subside as Mars moves well past Rahu (by July 21).

Now and in the coming days, the Sun as our main astral and physical source of vitality is moving toward the end of the sign of sidereal Gemini, which can have a weakening and slightly disruptive influence. The Sun is in a tense T-square with the lunar nodes and Mars and Uranus, and the Sun will make the transition to sidereal Cancer on Wednesday, remaining in the transitional phase between signs through Thursday, all of which indicates that we need to seek and create more inner and outer strength and balance in the week ahead.

The 29th degree in transit suggests something that is quickly changing, but it can also reflect fuzzy or erroneous thinking leading to some frustration in decision-making. If you have to make an important decision but are feeling some uncertainty, you might want to put it off until after the nodes move further away from the edge (July 25) after which Saturn (a manifesting agent) will also have moved from retrograde to direct (which is July 20).

Love and light!

Juliana