Chiron

Chiron Signs

Commonly discussed Chiron themes

The mythological image of the Wounded Healer
Ancestral afflictions and family traumas
the impact of social breakdown on the individual
One's own path of understanding, wisdom and healing
Desperation and futile struggle
The teaching and helping professions
The thin balance of matter and spirit
The inner guide, priest and teacher
Individuation through suffering
respect for both history and progress

With thanks to Radilina Shanova
Her talk on Chiron: https://youtu.be/eC6byHRxiAY

The Wounded Healer

Chiron is called the wounded healer because it represents the profoundly helpful principle of healing: that one has to re-live a trauma in order to clear it. Its glyph, a key, suggests that Chiron, and this principle, is the key to unlocking the deeper secrets of who we are – and this is done by shifting perception.

We were all subject to varying levels of parental insensitivity during childhood, usually to the level of intolerable pain and upset. We dealt with this as best we could by a process of repression and denial, and then forgot it. Later as adults our habits of emotional dysfunctionality give us clues about what exactly we suffered.

By opening up doors that have been held tightly shut, and looking honestly at the painful memories that we have repressed and buried in the dark corners of mind, we unlock a special ability. The gift of Chiron is the ability to turn pain around into a resource.

By shifting our attitude of mind from pessimism to optimism we can see that the true magic of our lives comes from whatever special resources we were required to develop in order to cope with childhood issues.

Rainbow Bridge

Known mainly as the ‘wounded healer’, Chiron is also termed the ‘Rainbow Bridge’ since its unprejudiced attitude tolerates all rainbow colours, and its capacity to modify perception bridges the division among those of differing opinions and ways.

Only when we see things from another person’s perspective will we know how to walk the road to peace and harmony. Looking for a different viewpoint is the path for all seekers today.

Chiron's orbit goes outside that of Uranus, and yet also inside that of Saturn - supporting its title as the Rainbow Bridge, and hinting at its esoteric meaning.

Chiron Transits

If you are facing a Chiron transit, have courage and decide to have faith. Looking differently at things is the key. We need to see our childhood hurt as a necessary part of our journey. Recovering from hurt is a far greater blessing than not having had it.

These periods of transit remind us of painful childhood experiences and offer another opportunity to face them, now as mature adults rather than frightened children. If we face them with courage and faith then they heal. They become resources which empower us not only to live in a more relaxed and creative way but also to help others with similar issues.

Through the Signs

When it entered Gemini all the bookshops suddenly expanded their sections on esoteric books, there was a quadrupling of shelves dedicated to astrology, tarot and so on. In Cancer people formed little groups that they felt were ‘safe spaces’ for exploring their childhood issues. In Leo, creativity was more the focus of healing and the phrase ‘inner child’ became popular as people were encourage in workshops to express themselves without constraint.

When in the early 90s Chiron was in Virgo, it seemed to focus on practical healing methods, and the practitioner had to learn business skills to present their healings to the world and earn money. Relationship counselling in Libra and sex therapy in Scorpio were more noticeable, and we became aware of the increasing popularity, when Chiron went through Sagittarius, of healing retreats in exotic overseas centres…and so on.

Chiron in Zodiac Signs

Chiron Return

It is very helpful indeed to pay attention to your Chiron Return; this is the last of four astrological indicators of the midlife crisis (Pluto square Pluto, Neptune square Neptune and Uranus opposition Uranus are the others). At this time we move from one inherent state of conscious to another; we ‘cross over’.

Discovery of the Asteroid Chiron

We only became ready for Chiron in the 1970s and it is generally thought to link with the widespread movement of people seeking new perceptions – and also dealing with emotional and psychological issues. Before then there was very little comprehension of the universality of neuroses. We are all a little messed up and that was not often acknowledged until after Chiron’s discovery.

From that point we are able to embody much more fully our ability to teach and heal, provided we have found faith. The passage, which occurs when we are around 51 years old, can be quite challenging emotionally, but it brings delightful freedom and purpose, together with a much more subtle awareness of the nature of reality.

Astronomer Charles Kowal, discovered Chiron in November 1977, and at first gave it the name ‘Maverick’ since it was quite different from other planetary bodies. It may be considered an asteroid but might actually be a comet dragged in by the Sun’s gravity. Its orbit mostly lies between Saturn and Uranus yet sometimes moves out beyond Neptune, spending most years in Aries and least in Libra, its path is very elliptical.

Mythology

(by Ana Neves)
"Chiron" means "hand" (Greek, kheir) or "skilled with the hands," and is related to our "surgeon" (kheir + ergon, "handworker").

In the myth, Chiron – who is son of Cronos and Philyra, conceived in rape while Cronos was looking for Zeus – was abandoned on Mount Pelion by his mother who was horrified by his appearance, half man half horse. Chiron was then rescued by Apollo who taught him about arts, music and prophecy, while Apollo’s twin sister Artemis taught him archery and hunting.

As son of Cronos, Chiron was a demi-god but he was unlike all other centaurs. He was kind and cultured and used his resources in benevolence. He got involved in teaching many of the heroes we know from Greek mythology such as Perseus, Jason, Achilles and Herackles.

At some point, Chiron got caught in the middle of a battle between Herackles and other centaurs (Herackles 4th labour). Although he had nothing to do with the battle, he was struck by an arrow poisoned with the blood of the hydra (Herackles 2nd labour). Being son of a god he was immortal, but was also unable to heal the wound from the poisoned arrow which became unbearably painful. In the end, Chiron waives his mortality for the chance of being released of his pain.

Source: adapted from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/202102/the-myth-chiron-the-wounded-healer

Chiron in our charts represents two wounds that require all our healing skills – the first wound is profound and relates to our feelings of abandonment and rejection that can only be healed by finding self-love, self-appreciation and worthiness. The second, more superficial and visible, concerns the conflict between our ego and our pure identity. Being hurt in our (or other’s) everyday battles affects our sense of self, how we perceive our resources and how sometimes they seem insufficient to face mundane challenges.

The fundamental question arising from Chiron may well be to what extent do you live in acceptance and love of what you truly are? Can you surrender that in yourself that you find most precious and transform the wound into a scar that no longer stings? (Ana Neves)