What does Chiron mean in astrology
In Astronomy Chiron is known to be an asteroid with an unstable orbit that crosses Saturn and passes by Uranus with a period of around 50 years.
I would argue that it is used in astrology no doubt for the way it orbits and the route it takes in our solar system.
The Wounded Healer
In Astrology this asteroid is known as, “The Wounded Healer”. Not to be confused with Sagittarius (it’s representation is the Centaur Chiron as well), the asteroid is used in astrology for the specific traits of the wounded healer.
The name Chiron comes from the Greek mythology legend, a centaur (half horse and half man) born and rejected at birth by his mother Philyre who was an Okeanid-nymph and his father Kronos.
During the love affair of Kronos and Philyre, his wife Rhea came upon them, with haste Kronos transformed himself into a horse to escape being noticed. As a result, Philyre gave birth to a half-horse, half-man hybrid, the centaur Chiron. To ease her hurt and shame Kronos transformed the girl into a linden tree which is named philyra in Greek.
Hmmm…. Not so sure transforming to a tree was the best course of action, but I digress.
Chiron went on to have many tales in mythology, starting from his rejection of his parents and being raised by the most influential scholars, philosophers, physicians and healers to becoming all of these things himself. There are many lessons from the stories of Chiron and his overall archetypal energy is one of a Wounded Healer. Some say in his life it was because he was inflicted with an immortal wound but my belief is that his first act of being wounded was the state of being rejected at birth.
Centaurs were known for their unbridled lust because of a sensitivity to wine. It was believed that if they just smelled the wine they became intoxicated. Some of the theory behind the centaur traits is the merging of the primal part with the conscious, man and horse.
So with this understanding of Chiron, now you know what it may mean for you in a birth chart. Going through traumas as many of us do can take us down a path when once healed to become great teachers. And a lot of the time it is traumas that we do not recognize are even there.
If anything, just understanding and having the awareness that the trauma of rejection can mold us and make us who we are today is very important. Trust me when I say I am speaking from experience and understand the difficulty once realized, of working through a trauma. It’s up to us if we decide to do the hard work it takes for healing to be achieved, but the first step is having the knowledge of where this may be in your life.