The Draconic zodiac is based on the lunar nodes, which are related to matters concerning the Moon, so this zodiac is about emotions, the past, unconscious motivations. Its name derives from the Latin denominations for the lunar nodes: Caput Draconis or Head of the Dragon, which is the North Node, and Cauda Draconis or Tail of the Dragon, which is the South Node.
Because the nodes are points in space that result of the intersection of the solar and lunar orbits, symbolically they combine two fundamental aspects of our being: the Sun, our active consciousness, with the Moon, our receptive awareness and emotional realm.
There are two kinds of nodes: the True node or the Mean node. They are never more than a few degrees from each other, and the difference between them is in the way they are calculated. The Moon’s orbit makes a wobble, has a vibrating effect, and the True node is calculated taking this vibration into account. The Mean node, on the other hand, does not take in these minor perturbations and averages its position. While the former stations and even goes direct a couple of days a month, the latter is always retrograde.
Both the tropical and draconic zodiacs consist of 12 equal signs of 30 degrees each. The tropical zodiac is oriented to the Sun and uses the Vernal Point as its starting point or 0º Aries, whereas the Draconic is oriented to the Moon and takes the North Node as 0 degree of Aries (with the result that in a draconic chart the North Node is always placed at 0º Aries).
Each zodiac is the result of the intersection of two different planes and therefore combine two dimensions of being. The tropical zodiac is about our psychological traits, our day to day behaviour. The draconic zodiac alludes to memory, habits and roots which influence our present-day as described by the tropical chart. The interaction between them is shown by the connections of planets and angles between both charts, and the draconic planet expresses itself through the tropical one. Draconic planets conjunct a tropical angle usually make an impact on the person’s life, and can be held accountable for traits that are not apparent or explicit in the natal chart. Take as an example Rosa Parks, a woman known for instigating the bus boycott in Alabama which gave way to nationwide efforts to end racial discrimination in the USA: draconic Moon at 20º Capricorn is exactly conjunct her tropical ascendant and Mars. Draconic Moon hints to deep emotional and family issues specially related to grandparents (Cancer rules the 7th. house of grandparents); its link to her tropical ascendant and Mars shows how it influenced her outlook on life and her willingness to stand up to others; her defiance was sustained by deep emotional roots. Parks grew up with her maternal grandparents, former slaves, who had been committed civil rights activists.
Origin of the Draconic zodiac
Although there are hints that it could have originated in Babylonia, there’s not enough evidence to support that it existed in ancient times.
It has been surmised that most of the more than 2500 life readings given by American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) from 1923 to 1945, in which he referred to past incarnations and planetary influences from past lives, were based on draconic charts. He alluded to an alternative zodiac and his interpretations make sense when transposed into the Draconic zodiac.
In her book, The Draconic Chart, Rev. Pamela Crane makes a list of the first to write about this kind of zodiac:
1955 Maurice Froger, The Nodal Horoscope, Astrology, Astrological Lodge
1959 Aldo Lavagnini, In Search Magazine
1963 Ronald C. Davison, The Lunar Zodiac, Astrology; Conroy Bookseller
1977 Ronald C. Davison, Synastry; Conroy Bookseller
1980 Marc Penfield, The Reincarnation Chart
1985 Rev. Pamela Crane, Draconic Astrology, Aquarian Press
2000 Rev. Pamela Crane, The Draconic Chart, Flare Publication
In 1977, it was introduced at the Astrological Association Cambridge Conference by Dennis Elwell.
Draconic planets
The nodes move retrograde through the zodiac and take about 18 years and 6 months to return, this means that they retrograde through each sign at a pace of 1 ½ years. The position of the North node, which in the draconic zodiac becomes 0º Aries, determines how long a planet will remain in the draconic sign, and is the reason why draconic planets move at a different pace than tropical ones. A planet in the draconic zodiac never remains more than 1 ½ years in a sign. For instance, using the True node, one can see that:
- draconic Saturn will be in Scorpio from April 18th2020 to April 11th2021, only 12 months instead of the usual 30 months.
- Draconic Uranus will be transiting Aquarius from March 20th2020 to May 7th 2021, meaning it will take only 13 ½ months to transit through a sign instead of the usual 7 years.
- Draconic Neptune will remain in Sagittarius only from May 23rd2020 to January 27th2021.
- Draconic Pluto will be in Libra from April 5th2019 until October 5th2020 and so on and so forth.
In order to find out the exact position of a draconic planet, check the draconic Ephemeris in programs such as astro.com or Astro-Seek. I recommend using the Draconic Ephemeris provided by astro.com. because it lists both the True and Mean nodes. To check it out, choose: Extended Chart Selection, Ephemeris, and Options for Houses, Draconic
As you can see from the Draconic Ephemeris page from astro.com for May 2020, the Mean node is always at 0 º Aries, because that is the starting point of the Draconic zodiac. In other words, the placement of the Tropical node in the ecliptic, becomes 0º Aries in the Draconic zodiac. The True node, which takes in the wobble of the orbit of the Moon in its calculation, can be a few degrees away from 0º Aries, so the position of draconic planets calculated using the True node can differ by 1 or 2 degrees from the draconic position if the Mean node is used.
There are different opinions regarding which node to use: French astrologer Dane Rudhyar, for instance, favoured the Mean node while Rev. Pamela Crane uses the True node. Personally, I prefer True to Mean, although in my practice I have obtained accurate results using both.
Draconic Ephemeris May 2020 astro.com
Draconic transits
These transits are often felt as life altering events and have a major impact in our life. They bring to the present issues pending from the past, can give closure to problems from former experiences and are often felt as inevitable.
To calculate draconic transits, simply subtract the North Node from the current position of the tropical planet or cusp. For example, on May 4th at 00:00am in Greenwich, UK, the True node was at 0º 08’Cancer (90º 08’ longitude) and tropical Pluto was at 24º 59’ Capricorn (294º 59’ longitude).
To find the draconic position of Pluto: 294º 59’ – 90º 08’ = 204º 51’ or 24º 51’ Libra
Draconic transits can be used on both the draconic and the tropical charts; I have seen impressive results using tropical transits on draconic charts as well. Conjunctions and oppositions are mainly used; although some astrologers use up to 5 degrees orbs, until further research I prefer keeping tight orbs of no more than 3 degrees.
In the following examples, the True node was used.
Example 1: Charlie Sheen gest fired from the T.V. show Two and a Half Me
a) Tropical transits on tropical chart: on March 7th 2011, he was fired from the famous T.V.show. The tropical transits on his tropical chart are quite descriptive of this life changing event: Sun and Mars are conjunct natal Saturn (traditional ruler of the 10th); South Node, which the ancients associated with the malefic influence of Saturn and Mars, is conjunt natal Jupiter; transiting Saturn is conjunct Venus placed in the 6th of work and routines.
Outer circle: event chart March 11th 2011
Astro-Seek
b) Tropical transits on draconic chart: tropical Pluto was in 7º 13’Capricorn is conjunct draconic Saturn at 5º Capricorn; this aspect which is often associated with total destruction gives an idea of how shattering this event was in terms of his career. The personal impact is shown by tropical Saturn at 15º 51’ Libra conjunct draconic Moon at 16º 44’ Libra. Draconic Sun at 2º06’Cancer is receiving the malefic influence of the transiting South node, and because draconic Sun rules the 6th, one can surmise how his relationship with his co-workers as well as his health had deteriorated.
Outer circle: event chart March 11th 2011
Astro-Seek
c) Draconic transits on draconic chart: transiting draconic Uranus, ruler of the 12th draconic house of self undoing and confinement, is affecting the draconic Sun, ruler of the draconic 6th. The event was the result of deep unconscious self destructive behaviour which prompted problems with his co workers as well as serious health issues. In january of that same year, he had been hospitalised and had voluntarily entered a rehab center for drug abuse.
Outer circle: draconic event chart March 11th 2011
Astro-Seek
Example 2: Kobe Bryant’s death
a) Draconic transits on tropical chart: on the day of his fatal accident, draconic Saturn and Pluto, a combination associated to death, falling and destruction, were at 16º 13’ and 15º 02’ Libra respectively, making a conjunction to natal Mars, Pluto and Venus at 12º 08’, 14º 52’ and 16º 08’Libra respectively.
Outer chart: event draconic chart for accident January 26th2020, 9:06am; L.A., California
Astro-Seek
b) Draconic transits on draconic chart: on comparing the draconic natal chart to the event chart, once again there is a contact between Saturn and Pluto to the natal stellium formed by Mars, Pluto and Venus. In this case, transiting draconic Saturn and Pluto at 16º 13’ and 15º 02’ Libra respectively, form an opposition to Bryant’s draconic Mars (15º 07’ Aries), Pluto (17º 50’Aries) and Venus (19º 06’Aries). In addition, transiting draconic Mars at 8º 54’ Virgo is opposing draconic natal Saturn at 6 º17’Pisces).
Outer chart: draconic transits, event chart for accident January 26th 2020, 9:06am; L.A., California
Astro-Seek
Example 3: China discloses the Coronavirus outbreak
On December 31st2019, draconic Uranus was at 24º 18’Capricorn, and tropical Pluto was at 22º 22’ Capricorn. Uranus heralds an unexpected event which will rapidly affect the whole world, affecting Pluto, a planet associated with state control, power issues, things that are kept secret or hidden, death and destruction.
Astro Seek
Example 3: WHO announces pandemic
On March 11th2020, draconic Uranus (29º 34’Capricorn) was conjunct tropical Saturn (29º 05’Capricorn). The WHO announced the Covid19 pandemic, an illness which has many uranian characteristics because of its global reach, its suddenness and its ability to spread in record time, mostly due to people travelling world- wide by plane. Saturn is very well represented by the fact that it specially affects old people and has led to lockdown and isolation.
To sum up, one could say that draconic transits provide striking information and a better understanding of events. It is further proof of the fact that everything that takes place in our lives is written in the stars.
Maria Blaquier, May 2020
