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Home > Chiron - The Wounded Healer
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Chiron - The Wounded Healer by James Jarvis
Often, when I read articles about healers or different healing approaches, I think: "Oh, I should study some sort of healing therapy or learn some sort of formal, hands on healing technique." Usually this voice represents a part of me that longs to connect more deeply with my own healing ability. What I forget is that we all have an inner healer within us whether that manifests in a vocation called "healer" or not. With this in mind, I can reaffirm that the powerful changes and transformations that have occurred in my life are all manifestations of my inner healer. Whenever I activate my inner healer I become in touch with the truest definition of healing; that of "whole making".
In astrology we have a representation of this inner healer or "whole maker" in the form of the planet Chiron. Chiron was discovered in 1977 orbiting between the planets Saturn and Uranus. Thematically, Chiron seems to embody principles that include both of its neighboring planets; the awareness producing aspect of Uranus with the ability to materialize or bring that awareness into form of Saturn. It is interesting to note that around the time that Chiron was discovered we witnessed an explosion of alternative healing therapies and interest in mind/body awareness techniques. It seems we were ready for the archetype of the inner healer to fully emerge and be integrated into our awareness.
In Greek mythology Chiron was a Centaur, those half human, half horse characters we see representing the sign Sagittarius. Although the Centaurs as a whole were pretty much carousers and "party animals", so to speak, Chiron was a great teacher, holistic healer, astrologer, musician and teacher. Many of his students were the greatest warriors, healers and future leaders of the times. Chiron is called "the wounded healer" because of a wound he received from a poison arrow. There are many versions of the story but the gist of it is that because he was the offspring of the Gods, Chiron was immortal. Being immortal, Chiron didn't die as a result of his wound but could never quite recover and was destined to live in pain. This theme of personal suffering, and what awareness and meaning we can derive from it , becomes the central theme of the myth and the planet Chiron.
In the astrological chart Chiron represents not only the area of life where we fill wounded but also the area where we can derive great healing when we bring awareness to our woundedness. One of the most difficult challenges for me, and for many people I imagine, has been to first acknowledge my own woundedness; my own pain and suffering. My inclination , especially after hearing other people's horror stories, is to think that I had it pretty good! While this may be relatively true for many of us it is still necessary to acknowledge our wounds so that we can truly heal ourselves. Once we acknowledge the source of our own wounding we can become a healing influence for others in that area.
For example, I recently worked with a woman who has Chiron in the fourth house of her birth chart. The fourth house represents our roots, early home life, and our deepest sense of who we are. She came from an abusive family situation and for various reasons was later disowned by her family. Her area of woundedness is around not being accepted by her family and her healing comes from having to create that sense of family on her own. Now she is committed to working with other children from abusive families to teach them that the pain they have experienced does not have to cripple them for life.
Another example is that of a man with Chiron in the sixth house. He began studying yoga in 1977, the year Chiron was discovered, and since then has spent a lot of time and money in pursuit of perfect health through various mind/body disciplines. The sixth house represents our urge towards self-improvement; purifying the body, perfecting the physical structure and integrating mind/body awareness. His area of woundedness has been in his perfectionism, his striving for an ideal image of himself. Growing up with a highly critical father he felt that whatever he did was not quite good enough. Now his healing lies in his acceptance of himself, imperfections and all, and he shares that through his acceptance of others in his counseling practice.
As you can probably see from these examples, Chiron's house position in the birth chart refers to an area of life where we are naturally more vulnerable. By acknowledging this vulnerability it can become an asset rather than a liability. If we refuse to acknowledge our own wounding then we will be unable to derive meaning from it and consequently may end up wounding others unconsciously around the very same issues. By bringing this vulnerability to light we move from being incurably wounded in this area of our lives to becoming master teachers, like Chiron, for the healing of others. Chiron's position by sign is indicative of important lessons which we are here to learn. Chiron rules the method that each of us pursues in the quest for our higher self.
The sign that Chiron is placed tells us something about the nature of our quest. Chiron in Capricorn might indicate that our quest involves becoming an authority and taking a stand for what we believe. Chiron in Aires may support us in being an innovative leader in transformative causes. Chiron in Cancer may lead us into the path of the heart, where vulnerability has more healing power than the rational mind. Again, Chiron in the signs shows us the gift we have to share with others if we can only accept it for ourselves.
The main aspects (square, opposition and conjunction) that Chiron makes to the natal chart in it's fifty year journey around the sun correspond to major turning points and lessons in our lives. Since the orbit of Chiron around the sun is quite elliptical, the first time Chiron squares it's natal position (i.e. when the current position of Chiron is 90 degrees past the birth position) can be anywhere from when we are 5 1/2 to 23 years old. The square or 90 degree aspect represents a challenge to our present reality. The challenge presented to us at the time of our first Chiron square can represent both our initial wounding and our opening to spirit. How often we hear of people that have undergone tremendously trying experiences who have also reported that they felt like they received some sort of spiritual guidance or aid to help them at the same time. Generally, the earlier we experience the first square in our lives the more difficult it can be to integrate the experience.
The opposition (when Chiron is 180 degrees from it's position at birth) represents a time of opening and deepening to spiritual realities and also to the issues that manifested at the first square. For many people the opposition happens in their mid 30's. Often this is a time when we can begin to sense more clearly what our purpose is and what we are here on the planet to accomplish. My opposition of Chiron to its natal position was exact a couple of days after the Harmonic Convergence in 1987. It was around that time that I started studying Chiron. As I learned more about the archetype of Chiron I began to see how I was beginning to embody it in my life as a healer, teacher, astrologer and musician.
The return of Chiron to it's original natal position (the conjunction) happens somewhere between 49 and 51. The Chiron return represents a choice point: are we moving more towards death or are we moving ever deeper into our spiritual nature? For those who have worked on healing their wounds and are opening to their spiritual nature it can be a truly remarkable period in their life. It can be a time of great creativity and letting go into our personhood and to our place in the world. On the other hand, if the lessons of Chiron have not been integrated and the individual has not opened to the spiritual realm it can be a trying if not "deadly" experience.
My father, for example, died one month from his fiftieth birthday on the day of his Chiron return. His death never made any sense to me until I discovered the cycles of Chiron. He had survived open heart surgery and was doing better than ever and then suddenly died as a result of a motorcycle accident. Just before he died he had been baptized in the southern Baptist church (we were Congregationalists growing up). On some level it seems that he knew that it was important for him to embrace spirit in his life but unfortunately, at that stage in his life, it was too late.
This example of the negative aspects of the Chiron return is an extreme one and I don't want to suggest that if you haven't embraced spirit in your lives by age fifty you're definitely a goner! But..... I think it is a powerful reminder of that old saying: is the cup half full or half empty? Am I moving fast toward death or am I beginning to really move into my essential self? Have I dealt with my own woundedness and seen the inherent lessons and gifts, or am I hiding in my cave unable to deal with my pain and....un-consciously wounding others?
These are the questions that Chiron, our wounded healer, our inner teacher, asks each of us to look at. The beauty and reward of answering these questions and understanding the lessons of Chiron is revealed when our unique healing or whole making abilities come to the foreground. When we embrace the lessons that Chiron brings us we learn to accept our own suffering. In so doing, we can help others heal the very issues that we know so well.
About the Author
James Jarvis, M.A. is a transpersonal counselor, master astrologer, and LifeQwest™ Coach who specializes in helping you "Create the Life of Your Dreams." Sign up for James' free bi-monthly LifeQwest™ E-zine with monthly horoscope, coaching tips and special discounts on services. http://lifeqwest.com
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