Been here before? Astrology can reveal your past lives — here’s how you can find out
Who were you before you were you?
Dr. Brian Weiss, pioneering psychiatrist, hypnotherapist, obvious Scorpio and acclaimed past life therapist, reminds us, “Learning the lessons of life can be so simple if you believe in immortality.”
For Weiss, immortality is the belief in reincarnation, that we have lived many lives, have died many deaths and will continue to reincarnate as the same soul in myriad bodies, collecting lessons and traumas along the way.
Reincarnation is a tenant of Buddhist belief and some practitioners believe the role of the Dalai Lama has been filled through six centuries of direct reincarnation. For reference, the 14th Dalai Lama wants to be reborn as a “mischievous blonde woman.“
Barbie as a bodhisattva? Can dig.
The case for past lives is bolstered by real-life phenomena like this toddler who remembered in detail his past life as a woman. In a similar vein, or veil, this psychic claims that after we die we enjoy a spiritual spa day before reincarnating for another stardust ghost trip.
Past lives through a lunar lens
What can astrology tell us about our true soul cycle? Aiding and abetting our journey through the past is Elise Wells of Planet Poetica.
“I approach birth chart readings with a lens into the past to give practical applications for the here and now,” Wells, an evolutionary astrologer, tarot reader and past life regression coach, told The Post.
Wells stresses the importance of the moon in relationship to past cycles of life, “For indications of what a person already has mastery of, we look to the moon. If you have a Cancer moon, your Ph.D. is in feeling your feelings. That emotional fluency becomes the vehicle that drives you toward actualization.”
The moon is also a reference point for understanding our mothers and our relationship to nurturing, see here for more.
What are the nodes?
The lunar nodes are not planets or celestial bodies but two calculated points that lie between the sun’s ecliptic and the orbit of the moon. The position of the nodes changes signs, cycling through the entire zodiac every 19 years. The axis, or zodiac polarity the nodes fall in correspond to the annual phases of the solar and lunar eclipses.
The lunar nodes are linked to the karmic, evolutionary path of the human soul. While the North Node is thought of as our soul’s work in this incarnation, Wells looks to the South Node in the birth chart for indicators of past life activity.
How do you find yours?
To find your lunar nodes, you’ll need your birth chart. If you have your birth date, time and location you can calculate your chart using a generator like this (scroll down to the Part of Fortune & South Node section).
In the birth chart, the lunar nodes appear as two horseshoe-esque symbols. The upright horseshoe is your North Node and the inverted horseshoe is your South Node.
Wells explains, “The South Node is the past you are equipped with; it represents your training, expertise and familiar footing. In this life, it is your point of departure. The question becomes, not what were you, but what did your soul come into this life already knowing?”
Read on to learn more about the past life legacy of your South Node, the underlying archetypes, and the tarot card they correspond to.
Wells stresses, “You are not your moon, or your node, for that matter. You are a soul entering this experience with desires and themes that will help us all evolve and understanding those themes can be an empowering tool.”
For more information on the role of the nodes or to book a birth chart or past life reading, please reach out to Elise Wells at Planet Poetica.
The South Node through the signs
South Node in ARIES
Aries is associated with the Emperor card. Wells explains, “In the past, you were a warrior, a trailblazer, a fearless leader. You were born knowing how to sacrifice and endure. You know how to get things done, how to be alone, and how to channel anger for its highest purpose, honorable resolution.”
South Node in TAURUS
Taurus is symbolized by the Hierophant. Wells explains that a Taurus South Node is an indicator of a past life lived as an artist. “You were born intimately aware of the power and spirit held within all things. You understand the power of the tactile; resources, and talismans. You feel safe when grounded in the earth’s bounty,” Wells explained.
South Node in GEMINI
In the major arcana, Gemini is synonymous with the Lovers. According to Wells, this translates to a life lived as a witness or storyteller. “You are a spinner of words and a conductor of conversation. You know from past soul experiences how to pull information and anecdotes from the elements, from people, and
from the living past to keep humanity moving forward.”
South Node in CANCER
Cancer’s card is the Chariot. Wells elaborates, “With a South Node in Cancer you come from a past where you were the head of a household, a true nurturer. Through caretaking and, in exchange for safety and security, you kept the family, group, tribe etc. alive and cohesive. You know how to unite and concede for the common good.”
South Node in LEO
Leo is synonymous with the Strength tarot card and a South Node in the sign of the lion is a mark of found fame or inherited royalty. According to Wells, “You lived as a sovereign, a royal being or some type of lauded figure or figurehead. You have mastered expression. Whether through speech, play, art or movement, you know how to captivate and conquer an audience.”
South Node in VIRGO
Virgo is represented by the Hermit. According to Wells, those with this South Node have lived as servants, priestesses, and temple guardians. “You are an expert at sifting and or/suffering through experience,
and finding a useful application for it. You make pain practical and use ritual and repetition to make sense of and draw meaning from it.”
South Node in LIBRA
In the major arcana, Libra is symbolized by the card of Justice. Wells explains, “In past lives, you were the peacemaker, the diplomat, the support staff, and the people pleaser. Others relied on you to harmonize what was off-key in themselves or awry in the collective.”
South Node in SCORPIO
Scorpio is synonymous with the Death card. Wells elaborates, “With a South Node in Scorpio you have lived as the detective, the sorcerer, the criminal, or as one bonded/bound to power. You have experienced the full range (particularly and acutely the extremes) of the human experience. You are imbued with deep survival instincts and serious emotional capacity.”
South Node in SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius is governed by the Temperance tarot card. Wells explains, “You have lived as the seeker, the explorer, the pirate, the nomad. The pursuit of truth is what drove you to the edge of certain experiences. You have sought to know the world as a way to know yourself.”
South Node in CAPRICORN
In terms of the tarot, Capricorn is associated with the Devil. Wells expounds, “You have lived as the father, the builder, the strategist, the conductor, and the general. You have a special and specific relationship to time, you understand legacy, sobriety, and calculation. You know how to build and what is made to last.”
South Node in AQUARIUS
In the major arcana, Aquarius is associated with the Star. Wells explains, “In the past, you were the inventor, the revolutionary. Living and experiencing life apart from the crowd you were able to view humanity as a whole and capture ideas for and from the future.”
South Node in PISCES
In the major arcana of the tarot, Pisces is associated with The Moon. Wells explains this past life archetype as: “You have lived as the healer and the mystic. You instinctively know what it is like to dissolve and to let go and also how to merge with others in this way. You are attuned to the mysteries of the universe and yourself as part of them.”
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girl’s guide” to strip clubs, and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
