Ketu in Aries

Avelom Podvodny. Planets in the Zodiac Signs

With this nodal placement, one needs to learn much about self-sacrifice and the needs of other people. The experience of all lifetimes focused on building self-confidence and respect must now be passed on to others. The South Node in Libra holds the individual back from further developing a sense of self-identity. He must beware of a strong ego that influences his actions in this current life. His long-standing position of “I come first” now brings sharp and painful experiences as he learns lessons of interaction. He must restrain his impulsiveness and ensure that everything he desires in marriage, close partnerships, and his relationships with others is truly meaningful. He must learn to avoid sharp edges and to balance. Although the middle path may seem less appealing to him, it is nevertheless the only possible way to happiness. Ultimately, the person must understand that his strong, questing individualism is not actually meant for himself, but rather to better equip him to provide others with a more harmonious life. Many individuals with this nodal placement are stubborn and headstrong. Listening to others is new to them, and they find it uncomfortable and undesirable, feeling it hinders their forward movement. In past incarnations, moving forward was extremely important, and the desire to be first was part of Aries’ intense competitive nature. This carries over into a certain closed mental pattern, which the North Node in Libra will eventually open, showing the individual the other side of the coin—one he never previously considered important enough to recognize. Selfishness and vanity of all kinds must be subdued if the individual does not wish to end up in isolation. Usually, he feels drawn to something, yet does not understand how or why. Through the North Node in Libra, he must now re-evaluate his desires and goals so that his Aries energy can be channeled into some constructive purpose. The individual often changes his mind, and loyalty to a single cause is not among his strengths. Past incarnations have accustomed him to an impatient restlessness that continues to drive him forward. He knows he must give more than receive in this lifetime, yet sincerely finds it difficult to cope with such karma. The Martian quality of the North Node in Aries impatiently pushes him into new directions. However, upon reaching each destination, he finds a delicate web of Libra in the middle of the seesaw and is surprised to discover that the goal was neither a true goal nor the journey’s end. Surprised and confused, he sits in the middle, trying to assess the circumstances, hoping they will point the way to his next successful journey. Yet every goal, every desire, every short sprint and effort leads him back to Libra—the midpoint! Finally, utterly exhausted, he realizes that the second half of the journey involves other people. He must learn the karmic lesson that he is not alone. Until he learns to share, something will always arise to obstruct his efforts. Eventually, he comes to understand that winning or losing in the game is far less important than playing the game with honesty. Many individuals with this nodal placement are overly self-assured and stubborn because in past lives they were selfish and fanatical. Now circumstances have changed; it is time to put the shoe on the other foot. Many events in today’s life are painful blows to the ego. The individual should not become embittered when he sees that many of his own desires and needs are being given to others. Initially, his natural reaction is jealousy. He wants to fight and reclaim everything he has lost; yet the more he struggles, the more he loses. Eventually, having exhausted most of his inner resources, he must subdue his selfish ego and accept life in a world based on the necessity of sharing. Until he overcomes his South Node, his greatest disappointment will be witnessing others receiving what he himself desired. He finds it difficult to accept that all his dreams, wishes, and longings are now meant for others. Mentally, he stimulates the desires of those around him and ultimately becomes the instrument of their fulfillment. In fact, he earns a new place in the world by experiencing the karma of selflessness. Yet the persistent urges of the South Node continue to pull him backward, often making him feel that he would rather not yet learn this lesson. He should resist the tendencies of past lives to ride the wave, as he is now capable of seeing disharmony among people without taking sides. Often, he finds himself in the position of a mediator. By helping others become more objective, he actually helps himself. The more he can encourage others toward cooperation, the more he will learn to do so himself. Amid all the hustle and bustle, this individual learns to envision the consequences of his actions before taking them. Indeed, he must learn to look before he leaps—that is, not to be reckless! In many people with this nodal placement, there is a deep-seated irritation stemming from memories of past-life frustrations, which blocks self-expression. In this life, such people often have a very pleasant appearance, which is part of the karmic lesson on vanity that the South Node in Aries must overcome here. Any lingering self-absorption creates difficulties in marriage—the battlefield where a war must be waged between love for another person and one’s own needs. Achieving balance between Aries/Mars and Libra/Venus is difficult. The South Node in Aries constantly tries to assert its own needs, while the North Node in Libra requires nothing for itself except to love others, regardless of their demands. This individual may only feel love for others after his own needs have been satisfied. Until the desires of past incarnations are overcome, his subconscious demands are so strong that he drains the energy of others, effectively putting them to sleep. In essence, this person is a walking “anesthetic.” He constantly wonders why other people avoid talking with him for more than a few minutes. He would like to talk for hours, as long as the focus remains on himself. But in secret moments, he is deeply saddened by feelings of loneliness and by the fact that his relationships with others are much shorter than he would like. There is nothing elusive about this nodal polarity. Happiness comes only after the person has been forced to re-evaluate his desires and discover that they involve other people. The selfish self must be relinquished. In this way, heightened sensitivity to the needs of others is achieved. The North Node in Libra is one of the most difficult to achieve, because Aries’ self-centeredness looms as a huge obstacle to be overcome. Still, the individual must conquer it in order to move into a new cycle, and he will find the key to this new cycle when he begins to evaluate himself from the perspectives of others. The house placement of the South Node indicates the area of life where insatiable desires from past incarnations still demand priority. The house placement of the North Node shows how fulfillment can be achieved through self-sacrifice, cooperation, and the expression of selfless love toward others.