With these unprecedented times, it seems as if our life goals and future has abruptly come to a halt or has taken a slight detour. There is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the future of one’s career, which for college graduates, is alarming. It may feel like things are being thrown off track or are losing momentum and there isn’t the same sense of security anymore. However, these feelings of uncertainty can be relieved by understanding one’s true life path, astrologically. 

The direct placement, found in your birch chart, that correlates to one’s life path is called the North Node. The North Node placement is different from any other placement because a North Node has qualities an individual grows into and gives them a sense of direction of what and who they should be. Regular placements are meant to explain who one already is and what is already there. A North Node is also a paired placement with a South Node, which is used to help understand the North Node further as one goes through life. North and South Nodes are opposite each other on the zodiac wheel, otherwise known as sister signs. For example, the sister sign of Leo would be Aquarius. Another important difference between Nodes and a regular planet placement is that North Nodes do change every 2 years, making them rule a larger group of people.

One similarity that is shared between the two is how the houses affect them. The houses in astrology refer to the 12 signs and depending on what planet and sign is in that house determines how it will affect the individual. This is especially true for the North Node because the house will play a large role in where the career and destination of the individual belongs. For instance, people born on and between the dates of Oct 21, 1998 – Apr 10, 2000 have a Leo North Node and Aquarius South Node. All these people share the same Nodes, but it may not be in the same house which will alter their life paths and ultimately career. There are 12 houses that have qualities related to the sign it is ruled by and goes in order from Aries being the 1st house to Pisces being the last and 12th house. If one’s Leo North Node is in their 9th house that means it is ruled by Sagittarius. Additionally, this means their life path is directed towards travel, knowledge, adventure, optimism, and languages. However, the influence of having a Leo North Node in the 9th house is that this node will direct people to be confident in their endeavours and courageous. Making them the perfect fit for jobs in the entertainment business, teaching and or mentors, leaders, and artists. This placement will help one put themselves first and not be influenced by their family and friends. Some notable people who have a Leo North Node are Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Princess Diana, Barack Obama, and Kim Kardashian. 

Current Marymount students who are 18-22 have a North Node in either Virgo , Leo, Cancer, and Gemini. The Virgo North Nodes are born on and between 1/26/1997 – 10/20/1998, Cancer North Nodes are on and between 4/10/2000 to 10/13/2001, and Gemini North Nodes include people born on 10/14/2001 to 4/14/2003. 

Looking further into your North Node and the house it is in can help you sort out some cloudy areas in your life as far as career. Understanding where you are meant to be in life can also help you choose what kind of career calls you and what you may be good at. This can help ease your worries if you’re in a transitional period of becoming a working adult from previously being a working student, thinking about or in the process of switching majors, or just need some clarity in the career department of your life.