Step outside your comfort zone — Discover your purpose with astrology

Look around you right now. Where are you feeling that heavy ache of something more? Where are you consistently making the same mistakes and creating unnecessary unhappiness? What is your intuition (your heart) saying to you? Lean into it and listen. It is the voice of destiny. Our destiny lies right outside the comfort zone and patiently waits for the ache to outweigh the fear. A courageous step forward is required, thrusting us out beyond what we know and into the wild unknown. And the unknown can be terrifying.

We are so comfortable with what is familiar. Even when we have outgrown that loathsome job, the stagnant relationship or self-sabotaging behavior pattern we tend to cling to what we know, what we rely on to get us by. But we are here to not just get by. We are here to evolve and grow.

As a professional astrologer, there are many ways to learn what areas of life are habitual traps for self-undoing and self-sabotage. They are the lunar nodes: the north and south nodes of the moon. The south node shows our past conditioning or patterns, ultimately our comfort zone. This is where we tend to over-extend ourselves, and give ourselves away. For example, for someone who has their south node in the sign of Cancer, there may be an over-involvement with family drama and hiding from the world through caring for everyone except yourself. For someone who has their south node in Aries, there may be a tendency to use anger as a coping strategy and a refusal to let others into their world. “I don’t need anybody’s help; I can do it on my own.”

All of these patterns become so ingrained that they become the fabric of our comfort and security. We become tired and uninspired when we keep repeating these old patterns and become stuck in the past. Life becomes monotonous, boring and aimless. How do we stop? How do we change our direction? The north node holds the key.

The north node is literally the opposite point of the south node in every way — in the sky as well as its deeper meaning and significance. It holds our mission and our purpose. It shows the vast expanse that lies just beyond our comfort zone. It is the space that calls most to us and yet scares us to our core. It is where we take two steps forward and one step backward. But if we take a risk with that courageous step forward, eventually we will step into the beyond and into our destiny.

Our north node is our ultimate compass. It is the direction we are headed toward. It is where we finally release the past and embrace what we came here to learn and experience. The south node represents worn-out patterns and areas we resort to when we are afraid. The north node represents the new, healthy patterns we are called to create and develop. It is where and how we become inspired to grow into our best self.

Without awareness, there can be no real change. Learn about your north node and risk that courageous step out into the unknown just beyond your comfort zone. Take a step. Your destiny is waiting.

Your mission and purpose, according to your north node sign

Below are general descriptions of the north node in each sign. (Please see the sidebar to this article to discover which north node sign applies to your birthdate.) Please keep in mind there are many other factors involved. This is only a window into the vast world of astrology.

If your north node is in:

Capricorn: Your mission and purpose is to become the authority of your life and build a business that is created with integrity, hard work and perseverance; to stop caretaking as a way of avoiding your own responsibilities. You are responsible for your own happiness. Your time is now and it is time to build your dream.

Aquarius: Your mission and purpose is to create in a unique and inspired way; to create something unconventional, inventive and supremely yours; to risk standing out and being different; to release self-centered thinking and think for the future; to dream your dream.

Pisces: Your mission and purpose is to find peace within your soul and share your mission of love with the world; to learn the difference between sacrifice and service; to know your soul.

Aries: Your mission and purpose is to learn independence and courage; to release all feelings of incompetence, weakness and futility; to pioneer a new path on your own; to go for it!

Taurus: Your mission and purpose is to learn to not take things so personally and connect to the body, to nature, to earth; to slow down and feel life; to taste life from a new perspective using all your senses; to feel connected.

Gemini: Your mission and purpose is to speak, to express, to become interested in life; to let go of old beliefs that no longer serve you and become willing to learn a new way; to laugh at yourself and create two new avenues in your life that bring you joy. Embrace duality and change.

Cancer: Your mission and purpose is to become more family oriented and make peace with your mother; to learn to love deeper and nurture those around you; to feel more; to let go of working through life and learn to open your heart.

Leo: Your mission and purpose is to create a passion expressed with dramatic and artistic flair; to risk being seen for your creativity; to play, to let go and make peace with your inner child; to love and be loved.

Virgo: Your mission and purpose is to become more detail-oriented and grounded, and to develop healthy choices for the body and mind; to be of service and release all traps of martyrdom; to learn to discern what is your truth without being affected by others’ opinions and judgments; to make peace with perfection.

Libra: Your mission and purpose is to learn how to relate to others and how to be in a relationship; to learn impartiality, equality and justice. Realize there are two sides and weighing out each option before impulsively making judgments and decisions. Learn how to create balance within yourself and your relationships.

Scorpio: Your mission and purpose is to learn how to go deeper, beneath the surface, and to seek out your highest truth and soul’s calling; to let go of the resentments that are holding you back from your purpose. Beyond the veil of hurt lies your greatest mission. Risk vulnerability and evolve.

Sagittarius: Your mission and purpose is to become a free spirit and explore what you believe to be true; to experience life versus talk about it; to immerse yourself in other cultures, religions and political viewpoints; to teach, to share, to explore, to step out of the mind and into the world.

Next month, I will discuss the house positions in astrology and how their placement affects the north and south nodes’ positions.

North node signs from 1941-2007

Locate your birth date to find the sign the north node is in for you. For example, if you were born on July 1, 1963, your north node would be in Cancer. House positions play a role as well, but for now just focus on the sign.

May 25, 1941 to Nov. 21, 1942: Virgo

Nov. 22, 1942 to May 11, 1945: Leo

May 12, 1945 to Aug. 2, 1947: Gemini

Aug. 3, 1947 to Jan. 25, 1949: Taurus

Jan. 26, 1949 to July 26, 1950: Aries

July 27, 1950 to March 28, 1952: Pisces

March 29, 1952 to Oct. 9, 1953: Aquarius

Oct.10, 1953 to April 2, 1955: Capricorn

April 3, 1955 to Oct. 4, 1956: Sagittarius

Oct. 5, 1956 to June 16, 1958: Scorpio

June 17, 1958 to Dec. 15, 1959: Libra

Dec. 16, 1959 to June 10, 1961: Virgo

June 11, 1961 to Dec. 23, 1962: Leo

Dec. 24, 1962 to Aug. 25, 1964: Cancer

Aug. 26, 1964 to Feb. 19, 1966: Gemini

Feb. 20, 1966 to Aug. 19, 1967: Taurus

Aug. 20, 1967 to April 19, 1969: Aries

April 20, 1969 to Nov. 2, 1970: Pisces

Nov. 3, 1970 to April 27, 1972: Aquarius

April 28, 1972 to Oct. 27, 1973: Capricorn

Oct. 28, 1973 to July 10, 1975: Sagittarius

July 11, 1975 to Jan. 7, 1977: Scorpio

Jan. 8, 1977 to July 5, 1978: Libra

July 6, 1978 to Jan. 12, 1980: Virgo

Jan. 13, 1980 to Sept. 24, 1981: Leo

Sept. 25, 1981 to March 16, 1983: Cancer

March 17, 1983 to Sept. 11, 1984: Gemini

Sept. 12, 1984 to April 6, 1986: Taurus

April 7, 1986 to Dec. 2, 1987: Aries

Dec. 3, 1987 to May 22, 1989: Pisces

May 23, 1989 to Nov. 18, 1990: Aquarius

Nov. 19, 1990 to Aug. 1, 1992: Capricorn

Aug. 2, 1992 to Feb. 1, 1994: Sagittarius

Feb. 2, 1994 to July 31, 1995: Scorpio

Aug. 1, 1995 to Jan. 25, 1997: Libra

Jan. 26, 1997 to Oct. 20, 1998: Virgo

Oct. 21, 1998 to April 9, 2000: Leo

April 10, 2000 to Oct. 12, 2001: Cancer

Oct. 13, 2001 to April 13, 2003: Gemini

April 14, 2003 to Dec. 25, 2004: Taurus

Dec. 26, 2004 to June 21, 2006: Aries

June 22, 2006 to Dec. 18, 2007: Pisce