Chiron（凯龙星）

Associated Rulerships: Sagittarius-Virgo

Discovered in 1977, Chiron is a planetoid, larger than an asteroid, but smaller than a planet, and there is currently discussion that it may indeed be a comet. Some astronomers believe that Chiron originated outside our solar system, and it is possible that it will leave again someday.

In mythological stories, Chiron came from another realm and left the human plane once he had completed his teachings. Chiron is considered a link between our solar system and the galaxy, the known (Saturn) and the unknown (Uranus).

Chiron was the son of Kronos (Saturn), and a nymph, Philyra. Fearing his affair would be discovered by his wife Rhea, Kronos hid in the form of a horse, and thus Chiron was born as a centaur. He was renowned for his teaching skills and the archery skills that were taught to him by Apollo. His students included Achilles, Jason, and Asclepius, who learned of medicinal herbs and surgery. There are various stories, but at some point, Chiron is wounded in the knee or foot by a poisoned arrow, and for all his knowledge, he is unable to heal himself. He is eventually transformed into the constellation Sagittarius by his father.

Chiron is often referred to as the "wounded healer". Chiron knows all too well human heartbreaks and sorrows like physical injury and emotional abandonment, and these themes are echoed in the lives of people with prominent Chiron placements. He is also a guide and teacher. Chiron transforms through self-understanding. Stressful placements point to limited understanding, dogmatic thinking, or spiritual unrest. Aspect to the planets associate an intuitive, higher knowledge with the activities of that planet, and can indicate blessings or lessons that often may only be realized by enduring stressful events.

The natal house placement reveals the quality of understanding about the soul purpose. Some of the most critical life experiences occur with the issues of the house that contains Chiron.

Chiron Square Chiron can occur at 5 and 1/2 to age 24.

This aspect prepares a person for sensitivity to the outer planets. There will be greatly transformative experiences, and this has been a time of activation or realization of psychic or spiritual gifts. The insight can be traumatic or frightening, but it later leads to positive psychic and spiritual transformations which may become apparent though later Chiron transits.

I know a psychic and astrologer who went through this transit at a fairly late age, in her early 20's. Looking back she says it was clearly the defining moment of her life, a time when she realized that everything she knew was false and she was forced through a deep and painful spiritual crisis. It was not until much later that she came to appreciate how much she had grown from the experience, and she now says she would not want to be who she was before that time. So while the experiences Chiron delivers can be painful, there is always more given in the end than is taken away - and the experience is highly transformational.

Chiron Return

Chiron returns to it's natal position at 50 to 51. If we attain awareness at the Chiron return, we are able to express the higher aspects of our natures, free of the emotional baggage of youth. Unfortunately there are many who cannot process these transformations. There is a dramatic shift in the number of deaths during this period, which some might call the "last gasp of the middle-age crisis". That's because some people are unable to reach their potential, because the fire of transformation is too great, and they burn out. The key to processing this return successfully is to welcome and accept and adapt to the changes Chiron demands in your life. The exact nature of this demands of course will be dictated by the house and sign placement of Chiron in your natal chart.

Chiron through the Signs and Houses

Chiron in Aries or the First House: Chiron in Aries is an exercise of self-discovery. You will often find the natives speaking of their spiritual quest, the need to find personal meaning in awareness and existence. Some cope with their early wounds by withdrawing, others over-compensate aggressively. While the latter group may be courageous trailblazers when there is a personal investment in the spiritual process, unless there are other spiritual aspects in the chart, their spiritual seeking rarely extends beyond a purely personal quest. There are associations between head wounds, headaches and other head-area injuries with an afflicted Chiron in Aries, but one should look to other aspects for confirmation.

Chiron in Taurus or the Second House: Chiron in Taurus seeks comfort from physical material, money and sex. They may have unusual sexual interests as a result of deprivation of appropriate physical affection or sexual abuse in early childhood. Sometimes they become teachers or counselors, with the subject of interest related in some way to the aspect of life they felt deprived of in childhood. They can be powerful teachers of the lesson of "self-worth" if they can overcome their own self-esteem issues.

Chiron in Gemini or the Third House: The nervous system, communication skills and ability to tap race consciousness are all keywords of Chiron in Gemini. There can be early injuries to the voice, or painful shyness that comes from an early problem with self-expression. You may find that the native with Chiron in Gemini takes their time with thoughts and words, because they want to be certain that they express themselves correctly. Later in life, they may express themselves with painful precision to over-compensate.

Chiron in Cancer or the Fourth House: This person feels like a fish out of water. They often express feelings of "otherness". Some joke about being adopted or being space aliens because they feel so different from their home and cultural groups. There can be indications of childhood abuse, abandonment by the father, and early childhood trauma, if other aspects support this, or there are hard aspects related to family. Chiron in Cancer can indicate difficulties in starting one's own family later in life. Some actively refuse to start families of their own because their early life was so insecure.

Chiron in Leo or the Fifth House: Like Chiron in Cancer, Chiron in Leo comes from another place. The influence of Uranus may make them identify strongly with the "otherworldly" mystique of science fiction. At some point, Chiron in Leo will face an ego crisis where they discover and draw the firm boundary of will and ego they need to survive. They can expect difficult Saturn Returns, because the experience completely breaks their ego down, and forces them to rebuild with a new sense of purpose. Grounding exercises and relaxation therapy can be helpful during periods of stress, and creative hobbies can also help. Strangely enough, many of these people will deny they have any creative skills, but talk to their friends and you'll discover a hobby or craft they should be giving more time.

Chiron in Virgo or the Sixth House: This is a tough placement for Chiron, because you have the "wounded healer" in a sign closely related to health and well-being, so naturally there are health issues with Chiron in Virgo. The precise manifestation can often be tracked trough the depositor or other aspects of the chart related to Virgo, Chiron or the 6th house. Stress and emotional reactions can aggravate health problems for these natives, and they have to be careful with diet and exercise. Those with hard aspects can also become compulsive workaholics who express their creative potential with kinky sexual behaviour.

Chiron in Libra or the Seventh House: This placement indicates some kind of wounding or rejection related to relationships. Because this person is sensitized to the emotions and reactions of others, they may be quite sensitive and even psychic. They definitely need to learn grounding principles, and need to demark strong boundaries between themselves and their loved ones to prevent or stop a cycle of codependency or abuse. Unfortunately, they tend to define themselves through others, through those they relate to, and they are often disappointed when others do not rise to their expectations. They may find art and past-life therapy to be helpful in their personal and spiritual growth.

Chiron in Scorpio or the Eighth House: The path of Chiron in Scorpio is somewhat akin to Dante's Inferno. The path to growth and life may come through repeated experiences with the great mysteries of life, death, birth and transformation. These are the powerful mystics whose inner visions dominate their life-path. They may have empathic and psychic abilities which are sharpened through experiences of profound insight. They may suffer deaths and losses when Chiron is adversely aspected, but each loss will be followed by benefits or insights that boost them to new levels of understanding.

Chiron in Sagittarius or the Ninth House: Chiron placed in Sagittarius indicates a wounding or break with the traditions or spiritual teachings in youth. These people find that life is one continuing spiritual crisis, and they are often on the edge of spiritual thinking. They can be drawn to atheism on the one side or fundamentalism on the other, but regardless of what they may say, they are passionate "believers" of one sort or another - they are almost never true agnostics. They are avid students and make excellent teachers.

Chiron in Capricorn or the Tenth House: Chiron in Capricorn is something similar to Sun in Capricorn, in that it emphasizes the strong need of this sign to strive for a prominent place in society or career. They may be workaholics to the point of obsessive dysfunction, because they feel so strongly motivated to justify their self-worth. This often betrays an early childhood rejection, possibly by the mother. Even when both parents are dead, this person can still be trapped in an obsessive desire to prove their worth. Unfortunately, if they don't eventually come to understand this motivation, they may never feel secure, no matter how many awards line their walls, no matter how much money they accrue.

Chiron in Aquarius or the Eleventh House: These folks may seem utterly other-worldly. They may be drawn to technology in order to feel comfortable, safe and accepted. They may avoid social interaction and feel uncomfortable in large groups of people, mainly because of peer problems in their youth, or because they seem odd or different to their peers. Social rejection makes them withdraw into only those groups of people who share their interests and concerns, and they currently find great comfort in the opportunities provided by the Internet.

Chiron in Pisces or the Twelfth House: It's a little hard to describe Chiron in Pisces, because the crisis it creates is on a level of "Universal Consciousness". There are often religious or spiritual crises related to this placement, because the native feels more connected to the spiritual or "God" level than to the physical or material plane. The native can be drawn to angelic imagery, and they are often psychic, empathic or exhibit healing ability. Depression and drug usage are a risk, because these individuals are so psychically sensitive. Working to help or heal others can be healing to this placement, but it can also be harmful if they are not sufficiently mature to handle dealing with the stress. The native can benefit from the study of psychic protection.

Aspects to Chiron

In the average chart, unless your client is actively involved in the psychic, holistic or healing arts, you are going to be looking at Chiron as an indicator of "early childhood issues" which affect and in some ways determine their physical and psychological well-being as adults. Chiron can be a bit of a "blind spot" with some folks and thus much be approached with tact and compassion. These are often sore-spots, and there can be outright denial or rejection if you get too close to the truth. The upside to Chiron is that when the placement is in relatively good condition, there can be something of a "blessing in disguise" energy related to Chiron. One could lose a job for example, then discover that they are in the perfect place to start a new business. Or, they could lose an abusive partner days before meeting someone they might have rejected previously.

Healing ability: A prominent Chiron can indicate healing ability. In general, the number of aspects between Chiron and the other planets indicates the degree of healing potential in a client, but you will find it is almost inevitable when Chiron is close to an axis-point, especially the Ascendant or Midheaven. Look at Neptune, Uranus and the sign where Chiron is placed to determine the over-all pattern of the client's healing skills.

Chiron - Sun: In positive aspects, Sun and Chiron combine to create harmony, empathy and understanding in the native. A positive self-image can be enhanced by beneficial contacts. The harsher contacts can bring out rage, anger and frustration stemming from a lack of self-worth or a blow to the ego. It can be hard for the individual to express their inner needs, ideas, and emotions when Chiron is adversely affected in transits. Positive Sun-Chiron contacts in the natal chart can indicate profound depth and a good self-esteem build at an early age. If the natal Chiron has stressful aspects, they can find that the years before mid-life are difficult, that they have to struggle to assert themselves. Their can be frustration and resentment related to their position in life.

Chiron - Moon: In the natal chart, a positive aspect can indicate a person who is extremely sensitive, empathic and mystical. "Boundary problems" are a big-time problem here, regardless of the supportive or challenging aspects. The degree to which this is a problem will be indicated by the aspects. Anyone with a Chiron-Moon placement should learn grounding principles and psychic protection. There can be indications of rejection by the mother if the aspects are challenging.

Chiron - Mercury: This placement, when positively supported, can indicate a highly developed mind, a sharp intuition, perhaps clairvoyant ability. Unless there are also positive aspects to Neptune or the Moon, however, this may not translate to healing ability. This is the realm of the mind rather than the heart. The native can tend to be a bit of a "know it all", and the degree to which this is a benefit or a drawback may be indicated by the number of supportive versus challenging aspects.

Chiron - Venus: This native approaches sexual and sensual experiences with a childlike charm and innocence that makes them incredibly attractive. When the two planets are in harmonious contact, a client might be having sexual or creative experiences which are out of the normal realms of social tastes, but are absolutely vital to their own personal development. There can be problems with sexual or gender identity when the two planets are not in harmony, and a challenging aspect can indicate physical, emotional or sexual abuse in childhood. These people become expert at "reading" the motives of other people, and learn to use their sexuality as a shield of protection.

Chiron - Mars: If you want to discover the true meaning of the old phrase "immovable object meets irresistible force", get in between this native and some goal they have in mind. This placement can be described as the sacred warrior archetype. They are not afraid to pick up the sword in defense of others, and can be drawn to military careers. Energy and intuition come together with a strong drive to take action, to accomplish demonstrable goals. In early life, they may feel that their personal desires were challenged continually, so they fight hard for their desires. They do not count on others to come to their rescue. These people tend to take on leadership positions, but can become dictators if the placement is challenging. If their desire to lead is thwarted, they can become bitter and petty.

Chiron - Jupiter: Chiron together with Jupiter lends itself to creative abilities and these people do tend to have something of a "magic touch", especially those with strong contacts to Leo or the 5th house. Excellent teachers and healers, they are bright, lucky and talented when the two planets aspect in harmony, but when they are stressed, the native is often challenged by their own high expectations for themselves and others. Religious and spiritual intolerance can become a problem as they tend to see their own beliefs as "universal".

Chiron - Saturn: Where were you in 1966? It was the year of Haight-Ashbury, a period of general stress in families and the greater social culture, and Saturn was conjunct Chiron. Chiron and Saturn is a tough placement regardless of the aspect. It often indicates problems with father and authority figures. The native may struggle to find their own place in the world as a result of abandonment or abuse during childhood. Society and culture at large can be viewed with distrust and suspicion. If the aspects are positive, and the native takes the time to learn about their own motivation, they can become powerful authority figures, teachers and leaders themselves. If they are unable to overcome the cynicism of the placement they can fall prey to bitterness and reject social contact altogether.

Chiron - Uranus: Individualistic, opinionated, energetic and constantly changing, these people can find it difficult to find a place within the greater social culture because they are so passionate, yet "otherworldly". Freedom-loving and independent, they find it difficult to settle down. They love to experiment, to innovate, and can be most at home in creative fields involving technology.

Chiron - Neptune: A stressful Neptune-Chiron placement can indicate that the native is, frankly, not living in the real world. They can often be quite aware that they are "professional daydreamers", and a career in the arts, television or film can be a positive expression of a good contact between these two planets. However, they can indicate self-deception and delusional thinking, drug and sexual abuse when they are strongly challenged. It is Neptune that will tell the astrologer where this client's "idealism", their dreams and desires, are strongest.

Chiron - Pluto: The native blessed (or cursed) with this combination is intense, dramatic, profound and deep. There can be deep and hidden scars from childhood that either strengthen or break the individual later in life. Stressed, there can be huge struggles throughout life, and there is a virtual certainty of some form of childhood abandonment or rejection. If you have this placement, there are two keys to healing: Know yourself, and find a way to turn your own pain into a tool to heal others.

Chiron - Nodes: This placement is strongly indicative of an important karmic lifetime. The native may exhibit strong interest in spiritual or holistic healing, and they are often powerful teachers and leaders. They may struggle in early life to achieve social acceptance.

Chiron - MC: Chiron placed in this position is a strong indicator that the native's career will have some kind of Chironic flavor. They can end up as teachers, healers or leaders. At the same time, they remain perpetual students (which may be one key to their frequent successes in such fields). The early career is mainly set back by feelings of low self-worth, which they overcome so they are stronger examples of the lessons they will teach.