Ketu in Cancer

Avelom Podvodny. Planets in the Zodiac Signs

This individual is learning how to achieve maturity. In past incarnations, he viewed life through rose-colored glasses, seeing only what he wished to see, with a certain conviction that nothing else existed. Now he remains in many ways a “child,” left in his South Node in Cancer. He is accustomed to struggling with his subordinate position, yet seeking support at the same time, so his present life is the wreckage of escapist, childish habits that continue to hinder his growth. Indeed, this is the eternal child who desires at all costs to preserve the role of being the center of parental attention. He would prefer that his parents made all decisions for him. Everyone he meets or knows—whether a friend, business partner, or spouse—automatically becomes his symbolic parent, gathering up the pieces of his misfortunes and shielding him from life’s blows. He may even impose illness upon himself if others compete for love and affection. Constantly preparing to become an adult, he never quite feels ready to make this transition. For some reason, he continues to feel he needs much more practice first. Everything he does in this life is based on his soul’s memories of subtle feelings from a past life, which still collapse at the slightest rejection. Many people with this nodal placement become deeply involved in the affairs of their country. They personify the government, because to them it is an extension (in the broader sense) of their own Cancerian family. They possess an exceptionally developed sense of patriotism and loyalty. Many individuals with this nodal position focus a considerable portion of their strength and attention on youth. They enjoy listening to others’ experiences and misfortunes, but, being unable to resolve problems quickly, they keep everything inside. Under the burden of accumulated issues, they may appear to age prematurely regardless of their actual age. The most difficult karmic challenge of the South Node in Cancer is the lesson of liberation. The individual brings into this life a fear of losing or forgetting anything, and desperately tries to preserve everything he has ever experienced. Thus, he turns himself into a “psychic garbage pail” for the past. He repeatedly analyzes the present from the standpoint of what he did years ago—or “lifetimes ago.” He is often seen poring over old photographs—hoping to build the future from fragments of the past. Sometimes he exhausts the resources of others, using everything done for him as a springboard to demand more. He tests the patience of others by imposing his emotional issues upon them, and refuses to see logic through the veil of his emotions. He is less interested in understanding why something went wrong than in restoring a lost feeling. Partings are especially difficult for such an individual. The word “goodbye” has never been part of his vocabulary, as he always tries to preserve relationships for as long as possible. He also becomes deeply attached to objects and the nostalgic memories they carry, which are especially meaningful to him. The primary karmic lesson for a person with the North Node in Capricorn is identification with an ideal greater than life itself. The individual must finally learn to stand for something, regardless of all his real or imagined difficulties. He must understand what true responsibility is. Many people with this nodal placement appoint themselves as guardians of tradition. They would sooner die than allow an outsider to discover any aspect of their life that contradicts the principles they uphold. Through the North Node, they establish an image that others can respectfully admire and model in their own lives. The individual must uphold this image even at the cost of his own life. For the most part, he strives to become methodical and cautious, especially if he learns to overcome excessive emotional reactions. In women’s charts, this nodal placement represents an extremely strong search for a parental figure. In men’s charts, such nodes indicate an awareness of the need to fulfill a parental role. The most important feature of the South Node in Capricorn is that it represents the point at which the individual will encounter his karmic mission. For this reason, many people with this nodal placement are reluctant to fully embrace the concept of adulthood. They would prefer to remain in an immature state as long as possible, because they sense a judgment awaiting them. Like a condemned man seeking a reprieve, they try to hide behind others, constantly pushing themselves to the edge in order to avoid confronting the consequences of everything they have created. This is why many such people barely acknowledge their own chronological age. They openly accept it, yet strive not to live up to it. The person remains immature. The soul has become fixed at some point in early development, and now it is difficult to move beyond it. Yet it will be overcome if the individual finally learns to stand up for something. The zodiacal constellation of Capricorn is the gate through which the soul must pass when leaving the physical body, and in this most occult of all signs, the soul will stand before the Judge—but this may not be the final incarnation on Earth. Depending on the house placement, he will receive a karmic judgment in one area of life. The individual with this nodal configuration (Cancer-Capricorn) will be helpless for half his life, but one day he will be able to say: “This is the best thing I have ever done.” The house position of the South Node indicates the area where residual immaturity and karmic patterns seep into the present life. The house position of the North Node indicates the paths by which the individual can now enter responsible adulthood, building his life according to the principles of honor, respect, and tradition. Once he learns how to do this, brilliant achievement is destined for him.