Ketu in Leo

Avesalom Podvodny. Planets in the Zodiac Signs

This nodal position represents the individual’s struggle between personal life and selfless dedication to humanity. The South Node in Leo symbolizes past lives in which much revolved around personality. The North Node in Aquarius indicates future service to humanity, where the individual must assume the role of the “Water Bearer” and contribute to the “crusade” for the evolution of the world. Before he can do this, he must confront the immense power of the South Node in Leo. In past incarnations, the individual was accustomed to looking down upon others and being condescending toward their thoughts and ideas. A special pride compels him to become a prominent figure among exceptional people. He distinguishes between members of the royal family and ordinary people, placing himself or those close to him on a pedestal. Viewing himself as the center of the universe, he regards his strong will as a means to achieve his goals, rather than as an adaptation to the honest acceptance of life. His current karma lies in learning to walk lightly, leaving no traces, as he is a ruler preparing to abdicate his throne. The ego of his past life continually raises its ugly head, hindering him from attaining the very happiness he desires. This nodal placement creates great difficulties in marriage, as the individual wishes to dominate those close to him. When he cannot do so, he becomes a loner, freeing himself from any responsibility through complete aversion to it. Although he asks others for advice, he still insists on doing everything his own way. His greatest conflict centers on what is artificial versus what is genuine. In his South Node in Leo, there is so much martyr-like romanticism that he easily slips into the role of Don Quixote, tilting at windmills! He must learn to cast off masks, realizing that egocentric displays of dignity stem from habits of past lives and cannot bring him lasting happiness. The individual advocates for those he considers close and dear. He enjoys wandering, revealing society’s outcasts during his travels. In the most remote regions, where society disregards existing possibilities, he discovers new horizons for exploration and conquest. He is destined to spend part of his life in solitude, as he is too accustomed to giving orders to be readily accepted by most people. Although he enjoys recognition and applause for his grand achievements, he cannot stoop to chasing after people. His soul remembers a sense of pride that allows him to compromise his dignity. For a righteous cause, he will sacrifice his life. He is less interested in others’ sympathy than in their admiration for his glorious deeds. He is repelled by mediocrity and ordinariness. He sees them as a threat to his drive to reach the summit. If he is of a negative type, he may even use people to achieve his goals. Friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and relatives become mere means to elevate himself to success. Through the North Node in Aquarius, the individual learns to overcome the sense of prestige from past lives and develop the concept of Universal Brotherhood. He must ultimately see himself as part of a greater cosmic sphere, where his role is to share the burden of human evolution. He will achieve the greatest happiness when he can renounce personal needs and adopt a new, humane attitude toward everything he sees around him. He must humble his pride and reach new horizons—no matter how eccentric his ideas may seem to others. Through his North Node, he is promised a unique adventure through which he can make a significant contribution to the progress of civilization. The house placement of the South Node indicates the area of life overly burdened by the desire for personal achievements. The house placement of the North Node shows how the individual can free himself from the chains of his past life by recognizing the mission for humanity to which he is destined to raise his cross.