Chiron, an archetypal symbol, represents the Wounded Healer & Alchemic Shaman.
Chiron’s orbital transit of 50 & l/2 years signifies a rite of passage in lives.
Chiron represents our deepest emotional and spiritual wounds. We develop a spirit of philosophical independence, compassion, and a sense of trust in our inner selves through an ability to transform pain and suffering into healing and growth.
The USA’s 1776 Independence Day chart’s natal Chiron positions at 20 degrees 8 minutes of Aries. The archetypal consciousness of Aries involves our identity. Chiron in Aries involves claiming the right of experiencing our identity. Since July 4, 1776, the USA natal Chiron has returned to its natal position in two-year spans during five periods. A nation’s population experiences a renewed opportunity to become the essence of their identity as citizens and individuals.
What’s Chiron’s Mythology?
Chiron, half-horse and half-human man, abandoned by his mother.
Saturn shapeshifted to a horse to father Chiron with an ocean nymph, Philyra. She immediately rejected Chiron the centaur, having a beastly animal appearance. Thankfully Apollo, the sun god of light and many gifts, fostered parenting Chiron in Apollo’s ways. Chiron learned archery, music and dance, poetry, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, and more. Chiron learned to elevate his dual nature to work in harmony with his beastly and human sides to become a revered master healer who taught other gods, demi-gods and mortals.
Chiron in Greek means “hand” (kheir). Also, as “skilled with the hands”. Surgeon, the “handworker” comes from Greek “kheir and “ergon”. However, Chiron suffered a wound incurable to heal despite his renowned healing wisdoms of pharmacy, medicine, and surgery he had invented.
Talk Cosmos Planet Buzz panel “Chiron Moving to Heal” (on December 3, 2023) examines the Chiron myth related to the 16°45′ Aries North Node conjunct Chiron February 19, 2024.
Essentially, mythology tells how Chiron’s wounded during a visit by his student Heracles after achieving his 4th of his 12 heroic Labors. The other less evolved centaurs rioted having smelled the wine and becoming crazed for the celebratory wine. In an effort to stop the rioting, Heracles shot his arrows. But, dipped in the Lernaean Hydra’s blood he’d killed, one mistakenly struck and wounded Chiron. Chiron suffered from the grievously painful incurable wound. Chiron, unable to heal it. Chiron, an immortal demigod, unable to die. Perhaps a story to realize heroic action alone are not the ultimate author controlling actions.
Death served as Chiron’s only release from the pain.
The ending of a cycle for renewal. He traded his immortality to free Prometheus from his punishment.
Zeus proclaimed he’d free Prometheus from his punishment for stealing fire to give to humanity. Fire, the spirit essence of immortality. Another must agree to die for Prometheus, and in the exchange, Zeus would release Prometheus chained to a mountain top, where he suffered his liver eaten daily by an eagle, only to grow back and be eaten again the next day. Zeus rewarded Chiron and delivered him from Hades of deceased mortal souls, to be placed in the heavens in a constellation.
What can we learn from this story?
What might we possibly relate to help us shift our personal relationship with Chiron’s natal position?
- UNDERSTAND humans are part of nature. To embrace both our instinctive and intuitive sides with our intellect and emotional beings in partnership within our psyche, heart and soul.
- REMEMBER the adage, “what goes around comes around”. We alone do not manage all outcome. Heroes work in collaboration with nature. Heracles poisonous arrows from the Hydra’s multiple heads, may represented thought & motives disconnected from the whole. The tool of poison created was unleashed and uncontrollable because life is a co-creation with the source of spirit or nature – whatever we call it.
- INTEGRATING the nature side of us, or we live fragmented, in sorrow. Represented by the liver representing grief, as related to the condition of humanity to receive without thanks.
- THE EAGLE is a symbol of sacred divinity. The sacred bird of Zeus, and a symbol of power and kingship. A symbol of the humanity’s relationship of giving thankful gratitude, to the spirit, as fire represents spirit. It is part of the divine, and revered. As we are part of the whole. Not separate.
- LIFE SUPPORTS an exchange of purpose, experience to promote healing our wound as an instrument of service to another, so we mend.
Grief relates to the abandonment, and rejection of the first wound.
Yes, to shapeshift and release the pains — for embracing the whole of us in life.
Sorrow’s experienced when separated between hearts and mind, instead of experiencing unity we share in life with nature. Life that incorporates sharing. Teaching. Accepting the differences of nature, that are only various shades of nature. To heal the grief of separation, and honor the sacredness of life we each exhibit. To be the healer of our deepest spiritual and emotional wound alchemized through letting go of our old wound to give it in service and experience ourselves whole.
