The “Bendings” in Horary and Predictive Astrology

It may be coincidence but I repeatedly come across charts in which the “bendings” of the Moon’s orbit carry a great deal of symbolic significance in the interpretation. The bendings are simply the points on the orbit of the Moon which are in square to the lunar nodes (the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the path of the Sun).

In the 2nd century CE, Claudius Ptolemy mentions the importance of the nodes and bendings of the Moon in his discussion of bodily illness and injury in the Tetrabiblos. After pointing out that the form and temperament of the body are closely related to the symbolism of the Ascendant and the Moon in the birth chart, Ptolemy connects bodily injury and illness to the nodes and bendings of the Moon in the following comments, quoted from the Loeb edition:

“Again, if the luminaries, together or in opposition, move toward the maleficent planets upon the angles, or if the maleficent planets move toward the luminaries, particularly when the moon is at the nodes or her bendings, or in the injurious signs such as Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, or Capricorn, there come about deformations of the body such as hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis, congenital if the maleficent planets are joined with the luminaries, but if they are at the mid-heaven points, elevated above the luminaries or in opposition one to the other, the deformations will result from serious dangers, such as falls from a height, the collapse of houses, or the attacks of robbers or animals. If Mars prevails, the danger is from fire, wounds, bilious attacks, or robberies; if it is Saturn, through collapse of buildings, shipwreck, or spasms.” (Tetrabiblos, 12. Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases)

Nowadays not all astrologers make use of the Moon’s bendings. However, some modern astrologers recognize their importance. To quote a couple of examples:

Kevin Burk in his Complete Node Book writes on page 212: “In classical astrology, a planet that was square the nodes was said to be ‘at the bendings,’ and this planet would become a focal point of change and crisis for the individual.” Burk adds that in natal charts “a planet that is ‘at the bendings’ must be given careful consideration, because that planet and the issues associated with it, will tend to take center stage repeatedly in the individual’s life.”

In addition, Astrojin at Skyscript.co, on 5 Nov 2011, 5:42 AM, delineates a planet square the Moon’s nodes in a horary chart as follows: “When a planet is conjoined to the lunar bendings (squares the nodes), it can mean crisis due to unwelcome change or [that] things will bend in the direction that is away from that which is proper.” To my mind, this change may not necessarily be “unwelcome” or “improper” but may simply be something that is unexpected, not customary, or different from the habitual way things have been happening up to that point, though it usually is stressful.

Thus, key words for the bendings include crisis, and unwelcome or unexpected change which may be stressful for the native to cope with.

Traditionally, astrologers used the mean nodes of the moon, which always travel in retrograde motion. In the modern error with its advanced technology and observational methods, many astrologers now use the true lunar nodes, which are my preference. An advantage of the true lunar nodes is that they periodically become stationary and reverse direction. I have found repeatedly that the occurrence of the true lunar nodes in a solar return correlates with a major and memorable life event, often of a stressful nature and not uncommonly involving bodily injury or illness.

For example, I recently discussed the birth chart of a young man who had a serious motor vehicle accident which required hospitalization and surgery and will have a prolonged recovery period. His solar return at his location not long before the accident looks like this:

Solar Return, several weeks prior to the accident: Pluto opposite Mercury on the horizon axis, with Pluto and Mercury within orb of the bendings, closely square the Moon’s nodes, which lie across the 3rd and 9th houses (travel transport), Importantly, the Moon’s Nodes are STATIONARY, suggesting a major and often stressful life event this year. Mars rules the 3rd and lies in partile quincunx to Pluto on the Ascendant. Mercury rules the 8th and conjoins Mars, ruler of the 3rd. Saturn rules the 1st (the body, health) and the 12th (hospitalization) and closely opposes the 8th cusp (serious injury). The solar return Sun occupies the 6th house of illness.