Nuances Of Karmic Astrology

By David Allen Peterson and Susan Smith

In the East, it is believed that once an individual experiences physical death, that the soul
travels to a realm where it is weighed and measured. If the soul is found to have any
desire greater than the weight of a feather, it is sent back; and returned to
material/physical incarnation. In the West, this eastern philosophical/religious belief is
reflected universally within the symbolism of astrology.

An individual's soul is born into a nativity chart that progresses secondarily during the
span of years that constitutes its entire lifetime up until the time of demise. The soul is
then reincarnated into a successive lifetime where the secondary progressed chart at the
time of death in the prior incarnation then becomes the new lifetime's nativity chart. This
process repeats itself continuously until that individual's soul has both karmically and
spiritually purged itself of desire through all potential archetypical experiences within the
zodiac. This may seem to bear little relevance to the topic at hand, (Karmic Synastry)
however, as all astrologers inevitably become aware, every aspect and component of
astrology is relevant in the final analysis.

In the field of karmic synastry, the natal south node of one individual, it's sign, planetary
ruler, and exalted planetary ruler - when placed into the nativity chart of another
individual, is symbolic and representative of that south nodal individual's prior life
orientation and modality of involvement with respect to, and toward the other individual.
Moreover, it is also reflective of the other individual's karmically predisposed orientation
with respect to experiencing that south nodal individual's actions and behaviors. All else
being equal, the south node is conventionally symbolic and representative of an
individual's own gravitational "line of least resistance" in their own nativity. Ergo, in
synastry then, this too is where one individual will instinctively gravitate to in relation to
another individual, their "line of least resistance" with respect to their relational dynamics
toward another person.

It is most important for astrologers to bear in mind when reviewing these astrological
signatures of karmic involvement, (employing the synastry methods outlined here) that
the south nodal individual has already experienced past involvement with the other
person in these specific ways in prior incarnations. It is precisely because of this dynamic
that explains "why" the south nodal individual is already extremely predisposed to
relating and reacting toward the other person in these particular ways.

The first rule astrologers must observe with respect to determining whether or not two
individuals have had prior-life involvement is to determine the reliability of factors
involved between cross chart (synastry) contacts. Tight planetary/angular aspect orbs
between these contacts must be a consideration in this analysis as well as one or more of
the following criteria:
a) the planetary ruler and/or exalted planetary ruler of one individual's south nodal sign is
in *Ptolemaic aspect or quincunx to the planetary ruler and exalted planetary ruler of the
sign that the other's south node is in,

b) the south node itself of one individual is in Ptolemaic aspect or quincunx to the
planetary ruler and/or exalted planetary ruler of the sign that the other individual's south
node is placed,

c) the south node of one individual is in tight conjunction to any angular cusp in the
other's nativity,

d) the planetary ruler and/or exalted planetary ruler of one individual's south nodal sign is
in tight conjunction to any angular cusp in the other's nativity,

e) any angularly placed PNE point (Pre Natal Eclipse point) of one individual is in tight
conjunction or opposition to any one of the aforementioned points in the other's nativity.
(Pre Natal Eclipses are those eclipses of magnitude .500 or greater that occurred during
the nine month period predating a person's date of birth),

f) any retrograde "outer" planet of one individual (such as Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or
Pluto) is in tight aspect to any aforementioned points in the other's nativity,

g) the vertex/anti-vertex points of one individual is in tight conjunction to any

aforementioned contact point in the other person's nativity. The vertex/anti-vertex points
are considered to be "auxiliary" ascendant/descendant axis points discovered by Johndro,
and later elaborated upon by Charles Jayne and others. (NOTE: the author emphatically
suggests both the uses of the natal and the solar arc secondarily progressed vertex/anti-
vertex points in this consideration.

Many astrologers have noted on numerous occasions the occurrences of vertex/anti-

vertex synastry conjunctions between two individuals that experience an extremely fated,
predestinated relationship of great magnitude that irrevocably alters the landscapes of
their respective lives,

h) any fixed star angularly place in one individual's nativity is in tight conjunction or
opposition to any of the aforementioned points of contact within the other person's
nativity.

Once these points of karmic contact have been established by the reviewing astrologer,
they then can thus delineate the nature and character of these prior life involvements by
reviewing the placement of planets in each others houses; cross-chart aspects made
between the individual's planets and sensitive points, and the very nature of the
distinctive energies involved. Again, these areas in this lifetime will be where each of the
individuals instinctively gravitates to with respect to their relational dynamics to one
another.
The north node in this comparison points to where each individual can escape (evolve out
from) the crystallized habits and patterns established in the past (south node).
Conventionally, the south node has been attributed with a Saturnian connotation. This is
because the past acts in much the same fashion as chains that bind, limit, and restrict.
Most of us would agree that "habit" is rooted in past conditioning and is thus
"gravitational" in the sense that it is comfortably familiar and known; even if the habits
and patterns are unhealthy and destructive in nature.

In Western astrology, the north node has a Jupiterian connotation and is perceived as
being symbolic of the future. More accurately, the north node symbolizes the specific
evolutionary "pull" of the future and karmically intended future acting upon the present
life and its circumstances. Its "pull" acts as an accelerant-point that serves to evolve us
out from crystallized modes, behaviors, habits and orientations established in the karmic
past. It's house position; planetary ruler placements and aspects, would be indicative of
where, how and in what manner this evolutionary pull of the future will act within the
individual's present lifetime. This dynamic will be evident in synastry as well, but in a
more relational context. The patterns revealed by cross-chart, north nodal contacts will
reveal where, how, and in what manner the evolutionary pull of the future will act within
the present life relationship. This too serves to pull the two individuals away from
karmically old, habitual ways (south node) of relating and reacting toward each other.