SHAMANIC ASTROLOGY - Introducing Chiron
The astrology chart is a map of the soul blueprint. It holds within its symbology the potential of our fate. As we awaken spiritually, as we seek to manifest our destiny and fulfill our dharma, we first must come to terms with the archetype of the wisdom teacher. We must first pass through the lessons / crisis of our own integration so that we might bring a sense of wholeness and meaning into our lives. To do this we must find our path and the teachings that might aid us on our journey...
Chiron is the planetary symbol for the mythic healer / teacher. In his story we find a journey of great significance. For his role as shaman / wisdom keeper is not complete until he is confronted with a personal wound that he is unable to heal. Chiron is teacher to many of the mythic greek heroes. Hercules as his student accidentally wounds Chiron's thigh with an arrow dipped in the poison blood of the Hydra. This blood would kill any thing alive except that Chiron was immortal and couldn't die. Instead he receives an incurable wound that leaves him to endless suffering until he decides to relinquish his life and set free the chained titan Prometheus.
In myth, Chiron was the son of Saturn / Chronos / Father time. While in the act of love making with a goddess that was not his wife, Chronos turned into a horse and galloped away to avoid being caught by his approaching wife Rhea. Rhea was not only his wife but his mother. The Great Mother gave birth to Time and embodied as his partner. Later at Chiron's birth, his mother was so shocked to find her son to be part horse (centaur) that she turned herself into a tree because she was unable to deal with the reality of it. She couldn't accept him for who he was as an infant. And his father would have nothing to do with him. This abandonment of the new born centaur suggests the theme of the wounded child who was subsequently taken on and raised by the sungod Appollo who taught him of his wisdom. So Chiron embodies the aspirations of the sungod, to be all that one can be, to creatively actualize. Yet he also had to face his incurable wound and surrender his attachments to physical emodiment by giving his life to set free Prometheus, the giver of fire (consciousness) to mankind. Thus Chiron had to journey to Hades, Pluto's realm and there come to terms with the Lord of the Underworld to fully realize the ultimate meaning of his life. Upon transcending physical attachment, Chiron was transformed into the star constellation of Sagitarius. His myth parrallels the story of Jesus who suffered through the crucifiction and then after dying, visited Hades for three days before resurrecting...
Chiron's role (orbital path is before that of Uranus and crosses inside of Saturn's) is that of the bridge between our socially defined and conditioned selves as represented by Saturn, and the awakening / enlightening influence of Uranus (cosmic fire). Without his intermediary role a person wouldn't be ready for Uranus' revolutionary impact upon one's psyche and one's life circumstances. He thus helps us to bring forth into the tangible world as symbolized by Jupiter the expression of our greater potential. For Chiron the centaur is the star consellation for Sagitarrius which Jupiter rules. Chiron when crossing within Saturn's orbit also enters into Jupiters realm. Therefore, Chiron allows for the integration of the energies of the outer solar system, from the transpersonal planets into the realm of the social /personal. Yet his journey is a cathartic one, where we must face our fears, heal our wounds and truly surrender all attachments in order to come into spiritual mastery. Of course, this process can be a lifetime journey, one which we have to take in order to find mastery in our life expression. But it requires that one train their consciousness to be an adequate conduit for the high powered energies of the trans-saturnian planets. So this brings us back to Pluto and Chiron's time in Hades. If one fails to realize the plutonian dynamic of Chiron's journey then one could possibly self-destruct under the relentless force of the Lord of the Underworld. Chiron's orbit even has similiarities to that of Pluto's showing the parrallel between the psychological forces linking the unconscious mind and its shadow.
Chiron's themes are recognized by his house and sign position and by the aspects he makes to other planets. If strongly placed in the chart, - anglarity, etc. then his myth will express strongly in one's life. The planet that rules his sign position and its condition, whether harmoniously or stressfully placed, will also tell alot about the issues that Chiron describes in one's life and psyche.
By transit Chiron's influence can bring inspiration and an opening to wholistic thought and experience, but it can also signify a time of being out of sorts with the everyday world. Where business as usual can no longer continue, where one needs time to retreat and heal or reconnect with their inner nature. Because Chiron is half divine man and half animal / horse, it is important to find integration between the spiritual / mental and the physical / emotional or sexual energies that link the instinctual self with the Higher Self. The impact of its transit, can depend on the quality of its natal placement and / or the impact of the other slower moving planets (pluto, neptune, uranus & saturn) which are also in effect at the time...
to be continued...
