North Node in Leo: The Charismatic Soul

***Also for if you have North Node in the 5th House

The spotlight is ready to shine upon you if you were born with the North Node in Leo. This placement instills a higher self within that is full of charisma, life, and confidence. For those with this North Node, the path toward spiritual growth comes from recognizing just what it is that makes you special and that makes you feel alive. Deep down, your soul possesses this yearning to take the star position, soaking up the applause of others. In doing so, you will not only be able to make life a more entertaining, exciting venture for you but you will be able to entertain and excite the people around you. “Let me entertain you!” is the motto you need to live by in order to evolve.

But, the place that you’re coming from is your South Node in Aquarius, which makes you much more comfortable just standing back and watching everything happen. You have a deep-seated hesitance to get involved, in more ways than one. Instead, you prefer to maintain an attitude of detachment, giving you a vision that is more intellectual than emotional, more objective than personal. Like all of our South Nodes, there are some pro’s and some con’s here. On the plus side, you possess a wonderful ability to not take life so personally. Being as attuned as you are to the “bigger picture”, you don’t go around immediately reacting to everything that happens to you. So, on a certain level, you can naturally keep things drama-free and these super-chill vibes draw a lot of friends your way, as does your highly approachable, friendly manner. You truly don’t know a stranger.

This is because that Aquarius South Node gives you an unpretentious, easy ability to mix it up with everyone. A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. But, the downside of this is the preoccupation with everyone over concerns with the self. In an unevolved mode, you don’t care that much about being “special” exactly. You know that you’re different – as in quirky, free-thinking, or nonconforming – but it’s not something that goes to your head. In actuality, it can be something that brings a painful sense of loneliness, beneath the highly active social life and the nonchalant, breezy demeanor. South Node in Aquarius individuals can struggle with the sense that they have a lot of friends but that nobody truly “knows” them or understands them. Yet, you also don’t truly know or understand yourself. You’re too busy getting caught up in ideas, concepts, projects, causes, and friendships that you don’t take enough time to stop and ask, “Well, what about me?”

It’s a reflection of baggage from your past life that you’re still carrying around. With an Aquarius South Node, I believe that you’re coming from a very recent former life where you strove hard to make a difference in society. You were determined to make the world a better place. People with this placement were activists, inventors, or innovators in their past life, in some way or another. You could’ve been a vital member of some social or political movement. You may have been involved in something that focused very much on other people, particularly the study of human nature. Many South Node in Aquarius folks were psychiatrists, sociologists, or anthropologists in their past lives, looking at their fellow man with an objective, well-informed eye and figuring out what makes them tick. You also could’ve done something very scientific or intellectual in your former life, developing your natural strength of using your mind and your higher reason to navigate the world.

But, the problem is that you became really stuck in your head. Your gift for objectivity soon became a major weakness because you couldn’t stop scrutinizing everything and everyone from the outside looking in. It was like you viewed the world from the perspective of a microscope or a telescope, instead of seeing it from your own personal lens. This is something that began alienating you from other people. It was difficult for you to become truly emotionally connected to others in this last life. With the South Node in Aquarius, your romantic endeavors particularly suffered because of this. The passion never ignited or lasted because you were too interested in staying cool to keep the fires burning. A part of this was because you never thought you were that big of a deal. So, you resisted the passionate affection of others, since such exclusive attention made you uncomfortable. And, as a result, you had a hard time showing passionate affection. Therefore, you lived your life in a very arm’s-length way, keeping it light and easy with your vast multitude of friends while never really getting that close or bonding that deeply with anyone.

These are problems that you never found a way to resolve in your former life. That’s why they’ve been carried over into this lifetime. Even if you’re not into the past lives theory, the aforementioned issues have still strongly defined your past in this current life. It’s why the causes you promote might be more important than your personal life. At an extreme, the Aquarius South Node can make you so dispassionate and casual about your personal life that you can leave your loved ones wondering if you even care at all. You can detach too easily from people, giving off an uncomfortable chill instead of an enjoyable one. It all comes from that head-centered way of living, which prevents you from truly connecting to your heart. And you are meant to fully live from your heart center, as it will give you the vitality and passion you need to perform on life’s stage.

Enter your North Node in Leo. It is your birthright to be a performer and a lover. After an unfulfilling past of distance and lack of ego, what your soul really wants is to develop an ego and to use it to make your special mark on the world. It can take a feeling of crisis for us to move past our South Node. It usually comes from us trying and trying at it but continuing to feel empty and unsatisfied by our efforts. With the South Node in Aquarius, the breakthrough moment may come when you get tired of freewheeling your way through your social network, feeling bothered by your lack of special connection to certain people. You might start getting tired of all of the idealism and intellectualism as, if unbalanced, this leaves you with a sense of lack. You may also wonder why your romances just don’t touch you like they touch everyone else or why everyone else gets a chance to shine in the spotlight while you are too busy watching from the wings or the audience.

This is the moment when you know that you’re ready to embrace your Leo North Node. The thing is that it’s already inside of you. We’re not learning how to be our North Node. We’re just learning how to acknowledge those traits within us and actively express them to walk a more conscious and more enlightened path. So, with the North Node in Leo, you have to shine a light on the part of you that yearns to be special. Through all of your years of being the audience member, instead of the performer, or of being the fan, instead of the celebrity, you have internalized the amazing things about the larger-than-life individuals that you admire so much. It’s like you’ve spent all of your past as an unknown kid from the middle of nowhere. That’s your South Node in Aquarius. But, you have harbored such vivid, amazing dreams of getting out of that town, going off to the big city, and becoming a star. That’s your Leo North Node. And all you’ve got to do is buy the plane ticket.

But, of course, this requires you to believe in yourself. With the Leo North Node, there is an element of “faking it ‘til you make it.” You naturally don’t give two shits about your “image” and that’s a great thing about you. It’s what you’re most comfortable with: just living your life and not trying to create a lot of buzz or hype around yourself. But, at the same time, your spiritual destiny requires you to create that buzz around yourself. The great thing is that, with an Aquarius South Node, you won’t get too caught up in all of that. This is where the balance with our Nodes comes from. You’re supposed to transform your South Node, not leave it behind. Your natural ability to not get too involved means that you can create the fabulous image you need to succeed while not caring too much about it. Unlike those with personal planets in Leo, your ego doesn’t get attached to the praise or the glamour. It’s like that famous story about Marilyn Monroe (who had a Leo Rising and an Aquarius Moon). Born as Norma Jean Baker, she was known for turning that pizzazz she had on and off. One day, she turned to a friend of hers, while they were heading out in public, asked “Do you want to see her?”, as in Marilyn Monroe and not Norma Jean, and suddenly flipped a switch and became the alluring pin-up goddess for her fans and photographers, instead of the offbeat, nerdy girl she felt like on the inside.

This placement gives you that same ability but you’ve got to access the audacity and the gall to be that person. You are so accustomed to paying attention to “more important” things in the world than yourself. So, Leo North Node people are often afraid to step into the spotlight and strut their stuff because they just ask themselves, “Who do you think you are? Climate change is happening, corrupt politicians are trying to take over the world, and you’re worried about people liking the way you dress or your play getting good reviews?” Well, hey, we all cannot be global thinkers. And this is something that North Node in Leo individuals just have to release. Yes, it’s wonderful that you are so concerned with the bigger picture. But, you fit into that bigger picture, don’t you? It’s liberating for you to, then, realize that everything that happens in the world matters, whether it’s big or small, whether it affects everyone or if it just affects you.

Therefore, you will evolve by learning to be okay with wanting to be important; not for any other reason than just expressing your creativity or your specialness. You have spent more than enough time trying to make everyone else feel special. Now, you’re more than overdue for some me-time. This is what gives you such a charismatic soul. You are on a higher mission to self-actualize and, in the process, will discover the powerful charisma that you possess. And this star-quality will actually be expressed without you caring too much if other people are into it. There will always be a part of you that’s a rebel or a maverick, thanks to the Aquarius South Node. You’re so used to not being "famous" and not pursuing that fame that you have an instinct for going against the grain, for taking the indie or non-mainstream route, so to speak. So, you will be able to achieve the superstardom you want via your own rules, not by conforming to someone else’s. After all, no one is capable of selling themselves better than you.

Because of this, there is a part of you that has to become less dependent on your group of buddies. It’s as if you are a member of a boy band or a girl group yet you’re clearly the one who shines the brightest. It’s like Justin Timberlake when he was in NSYNC or Beyonce when she was in Destiny’s Child. Without coincidence, the two of them both have the North Node in Leo. And they were obviously the most famous, popular ones of their groups. Now, look at them: they’ve both been solo artists for over a decade and are two of the most celebrated entertainers of their generation. And that didn’t really happen for them until they started their solo careers. It’s the same situation with you. You’re going to have to access and develop the courage and the confidence needed to step away from the group. Instead of clinging to an “all for one and one for all” mentality, you have to find the strength of will within to step out and invest in your own creative endeavors. In this lifetime, you’re allowed to be reasonably self-absorbed. It’s about you now.

That’s not to say that you have to give your friends the finger. You will always have a lot of friends and will display a very level-headed, egalitarian kind of loyalty to them. But, what about what you want? What about what interests you? You need to put yourself back at the center. Of course, this won’t manifest in the realm of creative projects and pursuits of fame for all Leo North Node folks, even though it can, in many instances. It can be as simple as you deciding you want to go to the park, even if your friend wants to go to the movies. Well, if you don’t want to go to see that movie, don’t go. It’s so easy for you to “go with the flow” and be nonchalant about your personal desires. But, you will grow spiritually by developing a healthy self-involvement, saying “No, this is what I want” and then just doing it. And if they’re really your friends, they will support your “solo album”, whatever it might be. Your friendships can be rather superficial anyway, as it’s so easy for you to make friends that you can call someone that you just met two weeks ago your best friend. But, when you take command of your own life and do what truly interests you, you will figure out the difference between actual friends, who support you and are loyal to you no matter what, and casual acquaintances who you just socialize with and hang with in the same circles.

You are discovering a lot more about yourself, as well. When you express this willful kind of creativity, you will figure out the things about the creative process of life that give you genuine joy and confidence. Your self-assurance is burgeoning and blossoming because, when you embrace your North Node, you can look in the mirror and applaud what you see. This is why you gravitate toward praise. It’s actually not that much of an ego trip for you. Instead, it’s just a way of other people affirming the things you’re discovering about yourself: that, yes, you are beautiful, kind, talented, fun to be around, intelligent, etc. It’s why you find such soul-level fulfillment from performing. North Node in Leo can produce some highly passionate actors, singers, dancers, and musicians. Something like writing or drawing often isn’t “involved” enough, even though it can be enjoyable for you. But, those are more objective, distant art forms and you’re evolving from that. You actually want to throw yourself in the moment, show people what you’ve got, and then receive their glowing reviews and loving appreciation like the superstar you were made to be.

This manifests in the area of romance, as well. It is through discovering your ability to show heartfelt, undivided love that you will grow. The Aquarius South Node has caused you to spread your attention to everyone, in the past. Now, the cultivation of really special time with a really special person will bring you true fulfillment. This means that you have to get attached and that you have to understand just how much your actions affect the other person. You’re so attuned to everyone that you can become out-of-touch with “the one.” So, you have a tendency to create a lot of chaos in your romantic relationships and also in close friendships. In a way, you are rebelling against what you see as the restrictive demands of the other person. Being a weirdo, causing trouble, or staying detached are often utilized to push the other person away, out of fear, especially since you can be so puzzled as to what they see in you that’s so special.

But, you have to believe that not only do they want to love you but that they should want to love you. Then, you can give them the special attention and devotion that they give you. Due to your naturally strong intellect and powers of observation, you can blend this affection and passion with an intelligent awareness of what’s going to serve them as an individual. Yet, you are also not supposed to get too wrapped up in your intellect. Being too rational is a sign that you’re off-track spiritually. With a Leo North Node, you are supposed to follow your passions. It might make you feel like a love-crazed teenager, at times. But, that’s how you’re supposed to feel, in this lifetime. You’ve spent too much time playing it cool. So, let yourself get enthusiastic and swept away: not just by your love affairs but by anything that catches your fancy. This is why North Node in Leo people have such karmic connections to children and adolescents. You might spend part of your life resisting a rapport with these youthful creatures, even when you’re a kid, regarding them in an alien-like way. But, soon, you will realize that you speak the same language as them. There is a big kid or an eternal adolescent that resides within your soul. On a certain level, you are meant to never fully grow up.