The concept of the immortality of the soul came from the Egyptians which civilizations lasted for more than 3,000 years. The countless tombs unearthed by archaeologist along the Nile provide eloquent testimony to the Egyptian belief tah man possessed a spiritual aspect extending beyong his physical life.
The Greeks got the concept of an immortal soul from the Egyptians. Plato, the Athenian Philosopher (428-348 B.C.), like his teacher, Socrates was initiated into the Greater Mysteries at the age of 49. The initiation took place in one of the subterranean halls of the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Plato was the founder of the Academy, an institute for philosophical and scientific research just outside of Athens.
“The soul whose inseparable attitude is life will never admit of life’s opposite, death. Thus the soul is shown to be immortal and since immortal, indestructible… Do we believe there is such a thing as’ death? To be sure. And is this anything but the separation of the soul and body? And being dead is the attainment of this separation when the soul exists in herself and separate from the body, and the body is parted from the soul. That is death… Death is merely the separation of the soul and body.”
Aristotle (384–322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist born in the city of Stagira, Chalkidiki, in the north of Classical Greece. Along with Plato, Aristotle is considered the “Father of Western Philosophy”, and is known for the Chaldean order of the astrological principles of the journey of the soul by alighting at each of the planets spheres descending from Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. With the pure essence of each planet collected in its downward movement, the soul arrived at the moon where it waited for the correct moment of the native’s birth where physical manifestation took place and soul joined with the body.
According to Macrobius, the soul descended through the spheres of the seven planets as it descends from the highest heavens to manifest as a physical matter on earth. When the soul encounters Saturn’s heaven, the seventh sphere, it gains the power of reasoning and theorizing.
In the next sphere, the sixth level closer to earth, the soul alights on Jupiter where it showed the Saturn’s gift of reason and critical analysis that can be put into practice so that the soul can direct the earthly body towards success or spiritual enlightenment.
In the 5th heaven Mars, the soul obtains the passion, courage and zealous qualities to the soul.
Below Mars, the soul encounters the Sun in the 4th level, where it meets glorious light in the purest form and envisages the potential for its own illumination or enlightenment. It absorbs the Sun’s spirit and brings with it the soul potential during the lifetime.
In the third heaven Venus, the soul inherits the motion of desires, beauty, and balance.
At the second level from earth, Mercury bestows the power of language and communication in order for it to be capable of interpreting human feelings and giving expression to its emotions.
To return to its source in the Infinite, the human soul, the ancients held, had to ascend, as it had descended, through the seven spheres. The Ladder by which it re-ascends has, according to Marsilius Ficinus in his commentary on the Ennead of Plotinus, seven degrees or steps; and in the Mysteries of Mithras, carried to Rome under the Emperors, the ladder, with its seven rounds, was a symbol referring to this ascent through the spheres of the seven planets. Jacob saw the Spirits of God ascending and descending on it; and above it the Deity Himself.
The Mithraic Mysteries were celebrated in caves, where gates were marked at the four equinoctial and solstitial points of the Zodiac; and the seven planetary spheres were represented, which souls must traverse in descending from the heaven of the fixed stars to the elements that envelop the earth; and seven gates were marked, one for each planet, through which they pass, in descending or returning.
When the soul enters the Moon’ realm the sphere nearest to Earth, the soul absorbs the Moon’s essence which includes the awareness that it will soon experience the changes of physical movement, growth, and eventual decay.
When the soul is drawn towards the body, it begins to experience a material agitation, matter flowing into it and likens to the human experience of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol as Plato’s remarked in the Phaedo.
The celestial bodies, Heaven, the Stars, and the other Divine elements, ever aspire to rise. The soul reaching the region which mortality inhabits tends toward terrestrial bodies and is deemed to die. Let no one, says Macrobius, be surprised that we so frequently speak of the death of this soul, which yet we call immortal. It is neither annulled nor destroyed by such death: but merely enfeebled for a time; and does not thereby forfeit its prerogative of immortality; for afterward, freed from the body, when it has been purified from the vice-stains contracted during that connection, it is re-established in all its privileges, and returns to the luminous abode of its immortality
By applying the philosophy of the ancients for the journey of the soul, I take the initiative to analyze my own birth chart and the other souls which conjoin in its journey.
GABRIEL'S BIRTH CHART DEC 12, 1952 5AM
Soul Mission: North Node of the Moon in Aquarius in the 3rd House, South Node of the Moon in Leo in 9th House
North Node in Aquarius
Traditionally the North Node in Aquarius, Dragon’s Head in Aquarius, brings good luck in personal affections, especially with friendships. The Dragon’s Tail in Leo gives the individual a strong but rash nature, and plenty of courage.
The spiritual calling of the North Node in Aquarius is to be of service to the group. Any work that affects society rather than an individual is favorable. Whatever the chosen profession, this person should develop “the common touch” and may become a beloved figure who champions the cause of the little man. Famous examples include Albert Einstein, Tony Blair, Benazir Bhutto, Larry King, Ralph Nader, Hank Aaron, William Jennings Bryan, Frank Capra, and Garry Marshall
The great struggle in your life is to turn the regent within you into a commoner. In prior lives, you were the center of some universe. You may retain the soul habit of looking down on others or devoting energy to being seen with famous people. You have chosen a different life for yourself this time around. The sooner you stop name dropping and start mixing it up with regular folk the bette
While you once saw the world as a kingdom, you must now adjust your thinking. Meditate on seeing the world as a brotherhood of equals. In this lifetime happiness will only come when you subordinate your needs for those of the greater good. While you may unconsciously seek recognition and the chance to make a substantial and unique contribution, the universe will not support you in any endeavor which is motivated by ego. Even if you were able to contribute some great individual talent to the world, it would not satisfy you. You are here to be a selfless humanitarian, and only that will make you happy. As hard as that may be to swallow at first, the more you try it, the more you will like it, for only by putting the needs of the group first will you begin to curb that massive and insatiable ego inside you.
Your real issue is a lack of detachment. If you’re not careful, you may eat your young. Experiment with distancing yourself from others. You don’t need to get involved with everyone you meet. Treat your lovers like friends. Then treat your acquaintances like friends. Then behave as if your family members are friends. It may seem odd at first, but give it a whirl. You will finally find the stability you seek not through melodrama but rationality. Independence is key to your spiritual growth.
You are naturally self-centered. You must decide to refocus your energies elsewhere. Any pursuit which moves your attention from yourself to the group or humanity at large is going to be a positive experience for you. With North Node in Aquarius you are bound to have a grand adventure in life, but what you need to learn is that this won’t happen until you let go
You have a special soul task to bring order to a chaotic world. The first step is to understand that world, and that requires some space and distance for observation. Use your mind to apprehend the universe. Be ruthleTss in your rejection of feelings that conflict with empirical data. As you develop an orderly, open, and intellectual approach to life, you will find satisfaction in being a member of the group. And you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover that many of your wishes come true after all.
Aquarius North Node, Leo South Node
Your soul yearns to dance to the rhythm of your own drumbeat, for in a former life or earlier in this life, you may have lived a life that had little connection to your true Self. In this life you may feel generally liked by your peers, as you have a charismatic “shine” about you, and others tend to project things on you which may or may not be true. They may even see you as being more lucky than you really are, or they may feel that you embody an ideal. However much others may project on you, your own true freedom and honest self-applause is more important now than the approval or praise from any group. You may have had previous lifetimes when you were on center-stage and had a fair amount of attention, and you may hold deep within you a feeling of being "special" but it may not have been a good fit for your Soul. Now there is a deep desire to be true to your self and not to follow the majority rule or herd instinct.
You care deeply about humanity and humanitarian ideas, and you need to risk disapproval from others to develop a more satisfying feeling of self approval. Because you are blessed with a keen intellect and the ability to see things differently, you have a lot to offer the world.
Aquarius North Node folks are visionaries and dreamers when they follow their North Node Soul Path. They are astutely aware of the importance of equality and fairness, and are usually brave enough to share their ideas with others--they're the ones who write the Letters to the Editor and organize the charity fund raising and peace rallies. Known as being non-conformists, romantics, exiles and brilliant thinkers, their challenge is to inform and balance their intellects with the sometimes irrational promptings of the heart.
Yet there's always a need for greater objectivity, and a need to leave behind making changes just to exercise authority. As you learn to relate to others apart from their roles, as equals, your desire for friendship will grow. You thrive best when you nurture yourself and others with your warmth and fresh ideas.
It will be important to leave behind any old melodramatic tendencies to insist on doing things your own way, and taking dramatic risks. When you ask God and the Universe for what you want and then let it go, you allow life to bring you exactly what you need with its own perfect timing. In this life, you can relax feelings that you need to be in control and be responsible for everything.
Because Aquarius NN folks were blessed with the ability to see things that others cannot, you are challenged to bring in new ideas especially in science, metaphysics, and human rights. As an idea-breaker and visionary forerunner for the rest of us, we look to you to see where we're going.
As you turn on your path and retrieve the gold in the shadow of Leo you may want to rekindle the warmth and openness of that generous heart of yours, and then to turn that warmth and non-judgmental quality on yourself. Expect the unexpected in life and keep dancing to that distant drumbeat---life will surprise you and delight you, when you least expect it.
Soul Purpose: Being a person who knows when to preserve what is good, when to reform what is in need, and when to overthrow what is corrupt. You are called to be visionaries and dreamers who are willing to do life differently. Avoiding the seductive undercurrents of other people’s expectations and projections on you is important—Aquarius is truly about freedom and authentic soul expression. Don’t settle for less.
Shadow: In wanting to share your generous heart, you can come across at times as being self-centered and seeking the spotlight just a little too often. There’s an awareness here of wanting to share your gift with the world, but unless you do it with a “warm touch” and pure intention it can come across at “first whiff” as being attention getting and self-serving, albeit in a rather subtle playful manner
North Node in 3rd House
The traditional interpretation of North Node in Leo is the ability to realize one’s desires. It also connotes good taste and a liking for the finer things in life. The Dragon’s Tail in Aquarius indicates someone who is easily lied to and has trouble discriminating. It may foretell infidelity on the part of the individual or his/her partner.
As someone born with North Node in Leo, you incarnated in this lifetime to learn the value of creating a life for yourself. Once you set sail for a certain course, little can stop you. You are determined and are capable of great fortitude. Begin your journey and others may follow you, for you have strong leadership ability. It is not uncommon for someone with this nodal position to live a rags-to-riches story, such as those in the novels of Horatio Alger, who shares this nodal placement. Lee Iacocca, Arthur Ashe, Ingrid Betancourt, and M.C. Hammer are other real-life examples of natives with North Node in Leo who embody this energy.
Deep down inside you need to see life moving along a certain path with an intended destination. When others don’t fall into lockstep with your march, you find them difficult to tolerate. You will no doubt spend much time alone. You may even be a hermit at one or more points in your life.
In the past, you had many friends, but friendship will only weaken you in this lifetime. When you need friends the most, none will be found, for you are here to learn to be an individual and independent. Avoid any tendency to feel sorry for yourself when others “abandon” you. Some famous people that share the North Node in Leo placement who found themselves abandoned or outcast by peers are Janis Joplin, Bobby Fischer, Malcolm X, and Lenny Bruce, all of whom went on to considerable accomplishment. The path in the life of someone with North Node in Leo is to become goal-oriented, and the universe will support you in developing inner strength.
You will find happiness by dedicating yourself to higher principles. The soul of this native craves dignity, which service to humanity can bring. Once you put yourself to work helping the brotherhood of man, you will more easily resolve the familiar conflicts that made your early adulthood difficult. While you spent too much time achieving things for others in the past, you are here to create for yourself in this lifetime, yet you must still serve the world in some way.
Confidence is another key concept for the carrier of the North Node in Leo placement. In previous incarnations you dissipated your energies on social engagements and utopian causes; you should now dedicate yourself to using all your creative energy to achieving some great goal for the good of mankind. This means living in a time continuum of past, present, future. Resist the temptation to daydream of what could be. Dare to be bold and individualistic today and you will surely win. Shyness is not for you.
If you spend your time involved in other people’s messes, are egotistical or ruthless, spiteful of others’ successes, or tend to shock people without real cause, you have yet to balance your energy. While you are here to be an individual, you are not here to be a rebel or a dictator. You will bring out the best in yourself by meditating on what your values are, then determining how best to channel your considerable talents towards furthering them. Finally, you must achieve these within the context of society. While you are an individual, you are not here to turn your back on others. You may even believe strongly in equality and egalitarian principles in the abstract. You will find as you age, however, that Orwell was right: some are more equal than others.
Your birthright is to claim credit for your considerable achievements. Be flamboyant in accomplishing tasks. Cultivate your individual personality. Others will notice your magnetic presence. Take leadership positions when they are offered to you. This is vital for the North Node in Leo person. Do not be afraid to organize the world around you, for you are here to create a stable life for yourself and others — and to be recognized for your efforts.
Having your North Node in the 8th house of the natal chart automatically also means that the South Node is located in the 2nd house. This natal placement of the nodes indicates a heavy emphasis on matters concerning your belongings, possessions, and money. In addition, the axis shows that your life lesson also involves your attitude towards other people’s assets and the way you use them.
As the Lunar Nodes indicate Karmic debts and connections with previous lifetimes, the native who has the North Node in the 8th house must concentrate on developing his occult skills, and learn through transformation. The North Node always shows us what road we must follow in order to develop ourselves, and most of the times it is not the easiest one to choose.
Most people usually feel quite uncomfortable about marching towards fulfilling matters of the house where the North Node is located. This is because during previous lifetimes we have gathered a lot of experience concerning the South Node house matters. Indeed, we are a lot more acquainted with the roads we have already walked; yet life requires from us to abandon the safety of known patterns and face development through unknown areas.
For fulfilling our cause, the North Node strengthens everything it touches. Of course, a lot of fears can be present concerning the direction it indicates, as it is a terra incognita yet to be discovered. Yet, the North Node is quite beneficial when in conjunction with any planet present in the house, even if it is a “malefic”. Of course, a “malefic” adversely aspected will still remain a rather harsh lesson to learn. Spiritual growth will be eventually reached; even if it comes through difficulties, but generally expect the North Node of the Moon to bless you with an expansion of the positive traits of any planet nearby.
With a North Node in the 8th house, the native is destined to progress spiritually through exploring the outer realms. He may need to study the occult, learn how to meditate and generally obtain all types of theoretical and practical knowledge. The subject of life and death, the great mystery of the passage will be the most important question that he will strive to understand. Eighth house North Node people are destined to learn the process of metamorphosis, the transformation from one form to another. Thus, they will experience a lot of symbolic deaths during their lifetime and will have to learn to let go, in order to prepare for their own exit from the material world.
The North Node in the 8th house indicates that the person was born with problematic patterns concerning his money and belongings. During previous lifetimes, he was probably a wealthy person, who was not willing to share his assets with others. There will be an archetypical urge to recreate the same pattern during this lifetime, yet his road is the exact opposite. Such a native must learn how to share resources, and the 8th house North Node will aid him a lot in giving him access to other people’s money. Thus, the soul will learn how human beings need to become communicating vessels concerning wealth. This placement will aid him to merge his finances with others and to have great benefits from them. When he experiences how others share their own assets, he will be able to reactivate his 2nd house and use his own belongings. This tiThe North Node is a powerful weapon, and its placement in the 8th house will aid them a lot in their cause. Any planet present near the North Node will be permanently empowered, and even slow-moving transiting planets in conjunction with the Node will play a karmic role in the individual’s progress.
As the 8th house is connected with death, a transit might trigger receiving an inheritance from a deceased person. This is more likely to happen if the North Node is natally in conjunction with a benefic planet, such as Jupiter or Venus. Their beneficial rays will be furthermore empowered by the North Node as if it is a magnifying glass. Of course, the closer a planet is to the Node, the stronger will be their mutual effect. Other types of lessons that can appear to people with the North Node in the 8th house are connected to sex. As we know, the 8th house is all about merging through sex, while the 5th house is responsible for the casual varieties that are mostly practiced for entertainment. An individual with such a placement bears a karmic debt to unify totally with another human being, through sacred sexuality. Such a native will definitely experience at least one deep and intense sexual relationship, where the two bodies will become one. Through such a relationship, the mysteries of death and rebirth will also be uncovered, as orgasms will simulate short deaths for both people.
Watch out for the presence of Mars, Saturn or Pluto near the Node. The fiery red planet will give a lot of power for accomplishing your goals; yet along with energy comes frustration and aggression. Subjects concerning other people’s wealth might make you nervous, while also situations connected with death might be traumatic. Saturn may bring you a lot of initial disappointments, probably allowing you to fulfill your 8th house karmic path in the latter years of your life. His presence near the North Node indicates that you should develop a lot of patience, stability, and organization in your efforts.
Saturn may also become an obstacle in sexual matters, so you will need to make twice the effort to sexually merge with another human being. On the other hand, Pluto can act as a strong benefic, bringing aid from powerful people. Nevertheless, problems can appear if the native activates the planet too much and starts becoming thirsty and obsessed about wealth. Watch out for difficult aspects with other planets, as overindulging in feeding Pluto’s thirst can make a person a wealth vampire in other people’s pockets.
The Sun or the Moon present near a North Node in the 8th house shows that the father or the mother will respectively leave to the child an inheritance. Finally, Mercury definitely involves a lot of conscious thoughts, and if you have such a natal aspect you will work out the whole Nodal Axis situation in a rather philosophical way.
Some last general advice for all people who have the Dragon’s Head in the 8th house is the obvious tactic of keeping away from 2nd house issues. Do not be a materialist, do not accumulate wealth, learn to share and you will be rewarded. Understand that the North Node grants you all the tools needed, and just start working to build your own, independent life.
----------------------------
In this lifetime, Gabrielle and me have the polarity of soul mission to learn and understand the purpose of human life to attain soul perfection to become one with God.
In Chinese Astrology, Dragon born is an ally sign of the Rooster.
----------------------------
Note:
Above analysis was based on the writings of different astrologers compiled by this blogger Gab Comia, a student of metaphysical science.