Finding Your Soul's Purpose In Your Birth Chart

What is my Life Purpose?

Are you questioning what you should do in your life? Are you looking for more fulfillment?  Examining your North and South Nodes, Rising Sign and Midheaven can help to point you in the direction of your life purpose. These important points in our chart can help us align to what we are meant to do in this lifetime.  When we are not aligned to our life path, we can feel dissatisfied, irritable, demotivated and not like ourselves. When we are aligned, we feel that passionate fire burning inside of us. We feel motivated, productive and feel our life has a special meaning. It is never too late to align with our purpose. Many of us can follow a life path that others want for us or develop goals aligned with pressures of the outside world. We adopt what our parents want us to do for work or we do not follow our passion because we feel it is not practical or not acceptable by society. We then find ourselves feeling disconnected and not enjoying our lives. Our astrological chart holds the keys to understanding the unique life purpose we incarnated to fulfill.

Your Karmic Path

The North and South Nodes are referred to as the nodes of destiny because they represent what you focused on in your past life (South Node) and what you have come to the world to do in this lifetime (North Node). It is important to first find the sign of your North Node (NN) and the house your North Node falls in. Your South Node is the opposite sign to your North Node. For instance, North Node in Virgo means your South Node is directly across the chart in Pisces. Or if your North Node is in Gemini and therefore your South Node is in Sagittarius.

The themes of the sign and house of your NN represent what you have come here in this lifetime to master. The themes of your South Node (SN) represent your recent past life and your default energy, your natural talent and what you are moving away from in this lifetime. The goal is to balance your North and South Nodes in this lifetime by heading toward your North Node, but not abandoning your South Node energy.

North Node

The North Node represents our life purpose and the direction we are meant to grow and evolve towards. It signifies the qualities and experiences we need to embrace to fulfill our soul's journey. The North Node highlights areas where we may feel uncomfortable or challenged, as it encourages personal growth and fulfillment through these experiences. In contrast, the South Node, which is opposite the North Node, symbolizes our past, instincts, and habits, representing comfort zones that can hold us back. By moving beyond these familiar patterns, we can explore new opportunities. The North Node emphasizes the life lessons we need to learn in this lifetime, including the development of certain traits, skills, or perspectives that align with our higher purpose. The North Node serves as a guide for personal development, urging us to step out of our comfort zones and pursue a path that aligns with our true calling.

Your North Node themes might not come easily to you where the themes of South Node do come easily to you. If you are feeling stuck, pushing yourself toward themes of your North Node can help you to progress.

For example, if your North Node might be in Aquarius and you will need to learn to march to the beat of your own drummer as well as to work with the collective and help humanity with your gifts. Or your North Node is in Leo and you will need to find your authentic expression and you will work to find a creative way to bring that authentic expression to the world.

South Node

In astrology, the South Node (SN) represents a person's past experiences, habits, and karmic influences. It reflects the qualities, skills, and tendencies that come naturally to us because they have been developed over previous lifetimes or earlier in this life. While the North Node points us toward new growth and purpose, the South Node symbolizes comfort zones and behaviors that can hold us back if we cling to them without moving forward.

The South Node is often seen as the residue of past lives, encompassing the skills, traits, and experiences we have accumulated. These attributes come easily but can also be a source of stagnation. The South Node symbolizes where we feel safe and competent. However, staying in the South Node energy exclusively can lead to repetitive patterns that hinder growth. It is a place of security but often lacks the potential for significant personal evolution.

The South Node can highlight natural abilities and tendencies. These skills are like “gifts” that we come into this life with, but they are not meant to be the sole focus. While these patterns feel comfortable, they can also reveal the blind spots or habits that are challenging to break. Growth involves recognizing when we are relying too heavily on our South Node qualities, to the detriment of our journey toward the North Node.

The South Node points to the karmic lessons we are working through, either by resolving issues related to these themes or by finding a balance between the qualities of the South and North Nodes.

For instance, if your North Node is in Capricorn in the 7^th house, your destiny may be to create your own business within a partnership. Or you may get far in life partnering with the people around you to take on more and more responsibilities. With a North Node in Capricorn in the 7^th, this means your South Node is in Cancer in the first house and you might rely too heavily on the energy of comfort and self-focus and need to move into partnering with people to get to the next level in life.

Rising Sign

Your Rising Sign or ascendant (AC or ASC) is an energy that you are embodying more as your life progresses. Sometimes your rising sign relates to your life purpose and other times it represents how you relate to the world in general. It is important to determine your Rising Sign and to notice how much of that energy you are currently embodying.

For instance, if you are a Leo rising, you might make art or be involved with some creative expression in your lifetime. While this may be a calling, it can also be a personal project that you do not share with the outside world. If you are a Sagittarius rising you might embark on travel and adventures or study philosophy.

Midheaven

Your Midheaven (MC) represents the highest point in the sky at the moment of your birth and is associated with your public life, career, reputation, and life goals. Your Midheaven is usually located in your 10^th house of career but can also be placed in the 9^th or 11^th houses. Your MC reflects your aspirations, achievements, and how you are perceived in the public sphere. Your MC is often tied to your career path and it gives clues about the kind of work or role you are naturally drawn to.

Through combining the themes of your North Node, Rising Sign and Midheaven you can see a picture of what might fulfill you the most in this lifetime. For instance, you are a Virgo Rising and themes of service to others and perfecting the world around you. Your Midheaven is in Gemini where you are compelled to teach and communicate what you know and your North Node is in Libra, where you are encouraged to form partnerships to achieve your goals. A life purpose of serving others through communication and teaching may be central to your purpose and you may need to grow yourself to be able to form valuable partnerships to achieve these goals.

North Node Through the Signs

Aries

In Aries, the North Node asks for bold independence and assertive self-discovery. There is a need to step out of relationships or dependencies that dampen one’s individuality. This placement requires courage, decisiveness, and the willingness to risk failure in pursuit of one’s path. Aries North Node souls are called to be pioneers, learning to trust their impulses and lead themselves forward.

Taurus

In Taurus, the North Node encourages stability, patience, and self-worth. It calls for a move away from chaos, drama, and superficiality to focus on creating a steady foundation. Learning to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, cultivating self-sufficiency, and focusing on the tangible world are essential themes. It is about establishing a deep sense of self-worth, security, and groundedness through consistency and appreciation of the present moment.

Gemini

The North Node in Gemini encourages a mindset of curiosity and adaptability, guiding individuals to seek knowledge, connection, and effective communication. It draws one away from rigid beliefs and the need for grand ideologies in favor of valuing variety, questioning assumptions, and staying open to new ideas. Building connections within one’s community and learning to see multiple perspectives are essential to growth here.

Cancer

With the North Node in Cancer, nurturing, empathy, and emotional openness become critical. Moving away from stoicism, career obsession, or hyper-rationality, this placement emphasizes the importance of family, home, and emotional security. It is a call to nurture others and oneself, to find strength in vulnerability, and to value emotional bonds over external accomplishments.

Leo

In Leo, the North Node encourages self-expression, creativity, and embracing the limelight. Those with this placement are pulled away from group anonymity, learning to cultivate confidence, take center stage, and take pride in their unique gifts. Embracing play, passion, and personal joy are important themes, as is learning to find courage in shining as an individual rather than blending into the crowd.

Virgo

With a North Node in Virgo, there is a call toward practical service, organization, and a grounded, analytical approach to life. This placement steers one away from escapism, fantasy, or emotional indulgence, instead emphasizing the importance of self-discipline, health, and productivity. It is about building routines, setting boundaries, and finding satisfaction in practical tasks, learning to bring order and clarity to one’s life and surroundings.

Libra

A Libra North Node beckons toward partnership, cooperation, and balance. There is an invitation to step away from the self-centeredness or independence of the Aries South Node and instead cultivate empathy, compromise, and harmonious relationships. It is about learning to consider others’ needs, practicing diplomacy, and valuing the balance of give-and-take, especially in close partnerships.

Scorpio

In Scorpio, the North Node asks for depth, transformation, and intimacy. The path involves moving beyond a focus on comfort, material security, or superficial stability and diving into life’s mysteries, facing fears, and embracing profound change. Here, growth lies in experiencing vulnerability, understanding the hidden realms of life, and learning to trust in transformative processes rather than clinging to what’s familiar.

Sagittarius

The North Node in Sagittarius encourages faith, adventure, and the pursuit of truth. There is a need to move away from over-reliance on information, facts, or minute details and instead embrace a broader vision. This placement calls for seeking wisdom, connecting with larger philosophies, and cultivating a sense of meaning and purpose. Embracing spontaneity and exploring different cultures or belief systems becomes a source of fulfillment.

Capricorn

With a North Node in Capricorn, the emphasis is on responsibility, ambition, and structure. Moving away from emotional dependency or personal comfort zones, this placement calls for building discipline, working toward long-term goals, and stepping into a position of authority. It is about learning to set boundaries, take on leadership, and create something lasting and meaningful in the public sphere.

Aquarius

In Aquarius, the North Node highlights innovation, progress, and collective consciousness. The growth path leads away from a focus on personal pride or ego-driven pursuits and toward embracing group ideals, humanitarian values, and the power of collaboration. Learning to detach from personal validation, embracing unique perspectives, and contributing to the greater good are essential themes.

Pisces

Finally, the North Node in Pisces encourages spiritual growth, surrender, and compassion. It asks for a move away from rigid routines, control, or perfectionism, guiding individuals to trust the unknown and flow with life’s rhythms. This placement emphasizes intuition, empathy, and the dissolution of ego boundaries, teaching that life’s mysteries and deeper connections often bring more fulfillment than the tangible or material.