The study of Chiron is one of the most interesting developments in modern astrology. Did you know that just in the same way some people can be Saturnine or Venusian personalities, there are Chirotic types as well?
The way I see it is that once we discover a planet or an asteroid, it is accessible for us to work with by integrating its energy into our conscious personalities. Chiron was discovered in the 1970’s, so it was a fairly recent development, and its definition is not set in stone like other planets. If you Google an explanation of its function, you’ll get hundreds of different types of explanations. This is not like the Sun, where we can clearly point to its mechanism as self-ego. Chiron, its meaning, and the way it works are all still up for debate. Due to its position between Saturn and Uranus it has been proposed as a “link” of sorts.
One thing we can say for certain is that nothing brings the “OUCH!” factor like a good hard Chiron transit. Perhaps even more painful than the dreaded Saturn, Chiron wakes us to its message through pain. Not the kind you can grit your teeth through until it’s over. It’s as if you had a painfully infected insect bite, went to the doctor to get it checked out, and instead of medicine and sympathy the good ol’ doc opened up a jar of Morton’s salt, poured it on the open wound and said, “Good luck with that!”
My placement is Taurus in the 10th house, opposite Venus. This makes me a very Chirotic personality, as my Sun is in Capricorn, so any threat to my career must be examined and dealt with. At 26 years old, I am dealing with my second Chiron square to itself. I recently suffered through major 10th house losses of property, stability, and reputation– twice so far! To enhance the message, I was bitten by a recluse spider during my x-country drive, leaving an open wound that is healing slowly, if at all.
Through simply being myself, I healed others– in a fashion that forced them to see things about themselves that they would rather have safely ignored, which ultimately caused them to reject me. (No one likes to be in pain.) Right now, to the friends I left behind, I am “selfish,” but in time they will come to think about how their experience with me showed them where they are giving away too much of their own selves. Where they need to reinforce their own boundaries, and what defense mechanisms they need to eventually let go of in order to be able to give and take forgiveness.
As for me, I learned to stand up for myself, to say that it is not right to keep wounding me when I asked forgiveness for genuine mistakes– and then to believe it! This was an old childhood wound that led me to suffer over and over for making mistakes. By allowing myself to make mistakes, I now find that I can allow my self, my work, and my time (all 10th house) to be valued (Taurus) in the way they ought to be.
And through this painful rejection I found the path toward a career that is so much more representative of my gifts: writing about astrology, and one day counseling as well. It is said that once you accept your wounded-ness as the gift itself, you will heal yourself of feeling wrong and imperfect. This has been my experience.
What sign rules Chiron? This is a question I have asked myself repeatedly. I am of the opinion that it falls under Virgo’s rulership. Virgo is the sign that works the hardest for the least thanks. Virgo is the “painfully annoying” one, but without Virgo work ethic, purification, and healing, the world would fall into decay and demoralization. Also, the sign’s relationship to Pisces causes me to suspect that this may be the link they share across the opposition: spiritual healing with little thanks or recognition. Except, of course, from the astrological community. 🙂
Other astrologers may not agree with that assessment, and I am curious to hear other peoples’ ideas about who this small, but very powerful asteroid belongs to!
The neat thing about Chiron is that everyone who contributes a serious opinion about its purpose adds to the definition. The undefined aspect leaves it open to intuitive assignment.
Where is your Chiron, and how does it color your life?
Chironic ? Chirotic? I’m chronically neurotic. Not surprised at all that Virgo rules this.
So true that we are the thankless laborers of peace, and the hard work of the soul. 🙂
heh heh.
It’s exactly conjunct my Taurus ascendant. I am still up in the air about how it affects my personality, maybe I come across to others as an open wound. ::shrug::
Chiron is the most heavily aspected planet in my chart. I have it in Aries in the 12th. I have been giving it some thought lately… there is a lot to it… my thoughts are fuzzy, but I like the topic. Thanks Shania
I didn’t know that Chiron was between Saturn and Uranus, thanks for illuminating that.
Chiron is in my 5th House, conjunct Mercury and trine my Capricorn Moon, is also square my Saturn (some other aspects, too many aspects in my chart to bore everybody with them all).
I struggle so much to tell people when they hurt me. I just cannot do it. It’s as though even though I am talking about my own pain, I feel like I am INFLICTING pain on the other person. Weird phenomena. I consider myself very bold it almost every aspect of my life, except for this
Alicia– I would guess that you get very strong reactions from others that would probably have puzzled you when young. “What did I do? I didn’t do anything!”
That, or you may struggle to be accepted due to some aspect of your outer personality or physical appearance.
I have chiron in the tenth house too. in Gemini and ceres sitting right on my MC opposing saturn
I know that has something to do with career but not very sure what that is
Virgos may have neurotic tendencies, but it doesn’t mean they’re messed up in anyway. Chirotic types, I’ve noticed, have issues like National Geographic, far beyond anything related to perfectionism.
That aside, even if there similarities with Virgo (which I have yet to see evidence for, at most one can argue that Chiron is strongest in that sign for people with Issues with a capitol I), how do you use this supposed rulership in something like Horary or Election questions? The essential dignity system still has its place, and the planets are not the signs.
Chironic ? Chirotic? I’m chronically neurotic. Not surprised at all that Virgo rules this.
But have you had a history of drug abuse and worse in your life? I’m talking about really screwed up stuff including terrible things I’m not even mentioning here, not just stuff people with Virgoan personalities worry obsessively about.
Silver– that is a good point about traditional forms of astrology. Perhaps it is a co-rulership or an “assist” connection. Perhaps it has nothing to do with Virgo at all. This is why I put a disclaimer that I am aware that other astrologers may not share this opinion. This is provocative musing intended to stir thought and debate, not set hard definition.
For the charts I have read involving Virgo energy or rulership, I do still entertain the idea that the sort of pain experienced by Virgos could be uniquely Chirotic.
And, I am still learning as an apprentice astrologer, so I appreciate your input!
what a wonderful topic, thanks.
I have Chiron in the last degree of Pisces and my life story involves this degree of sacrifice/tragedy. Perhaps it is the Piscean Nature of Chiron that makes me resist the option of Virgo rulership, but the healing that comes from this wounding requires more than detailed hard work. Virgo does purify sure, but it does not have compassion – it is quite cold – and without things like forgiveness and deep soul journey stuff, it is not possible to transcend and grow through the suffering that Chiron marks us with.
This is my experience…with Virgo and Pisces – please comment if I am being too subjective.
I have Chiron at 0 degrees Pisces in the 4th house. I never paid much attention to it, that is until I hit this Chiron conjunct Chiron transit which started a few months ago. I have mentioned several times here how my health basically blew up – er visits, doctors, allergist, ents, cardiologists, allergy attacks, panic attacks, and finally to a psychiatrist.
I am eating so healthy now I have lost 15 pounds and counting. I gave up a very bad caffeine habit as well (basically drank couple of pots a day).
I had to come to terms with all the stress of the last several years, and my body I suppose just couldn’t take it anymore. But I rose to the challenge to do what has to be done to heal. And I am still working on it.
Chiron does kick your ass – who knew?
Thanks for your comment Shaina! Still pondering this, since my 11th house Sun/Venus allows me the ability to fit in easily (regardless of issues), I luckily don’t get many people wanting to put salt on my wounds. 🙂
My Chiron is conjunct Saturn in my Pisces 7th house. Opposing……Uranus/Pluto/Asc in Virgo.
I could write a novel of my wound. Same wound, over and over, repeating like a painful mantra. Now that I understand it better, I am dealing with it with more grace than I did when I was young, and finding strength in doing so.
Thank you so much for this piece. I’ve had a lot of difficulty really understanding how Chiron (and Lilith) work in my chart. So few people are able to make it click in my brain. You did.
Chiron has been a bit confusing for me. It’s next to my moon in Pisces in the 6th house. My husband has it in his 7th house and it is conjunct my moon. I can’t tell from my research which is the wound and which is the healer in synastry– is he healing my moon in the 6th or am I healing his Chiron in the 7th with my moon??
In relation to others, it seems that some articles see Chiron as something to be healed, and some see it as an agent of healing for others. Any ideas?
Chiron of myth was a centaur – specifically a healer, astrologer, warrior and spiritual teacher. Chironic people are also healers, astrologers (or the like), warriors and teachers. I suspect Elsa of having a strong Chiron, she fits the type well.
Chiron of myth could heal everyone else but not his own wound. Yet it was from TRYING to heal his wound that he learned how to heal others.
Likewise, we each have our own deep wound, marked by the sign and placement of Chiron in our scopes. We keep working on healing ourselves for 50 years, until our Chiron returns. And out of our study we learn to help others with our painful issue. After our Chiron Returns, if we have done our work, we gain mastery of our Chiron placement.
Chiron in the 10th house means you are great at empowering others, great at helping people receive the recognition and honor they deserve, helping them find careers they love, but your gifts, your legacy, your “voice of authority”, your career expression, fall flat. You don’t get much clout yourself – until after age 50.
krisinluck, hi! I have the same set up as you, Pisces Sat opp Uranus?Pluto Virg asc- so oops, my Chiron is conjunct my Saturn in Pisces in the 7th, not the Pisces moon in the 6th.
Still moon/ chiron conjucnion with husband in the above mentioned houses, but hmmm conjunt Saturn is intersting.
Pixie, I’ve noticed that before in discussions here. I wish I felt I had more of a grasp on things so I would participate more.
Oh boy…there is part of my Chiron showing right there. I used to call myself The Queen of Second Best. Good, but not quite good enough. I’m getting better, but it’s a tough thing to squelch!
I don’t know about you, but Chiron is heading towards my natal position. Health issues up the ying-yang, as my mom used to say. Old health issues, like the childhood kidney stuff coming back around after surgery in December. I just got the all good last month on the fallout. Other stuff too, but for me it seems to mostly be emotional stuff of the heavy duty sort.
And I really need to get a new picture up here. I don’t *even* look like that these days.
Alicia – Chiron on the ASC or in the 1st House often, I find, points to something physical or basic. One young friend of mine has Chiron on the ASC and she is SO beautiful/sexy that it practically ruins her daily life. From age 12 on, she has had to handle herds of men coming after her. The fact that she is brilliant and a math geek doesn’t seem to get across to the crowd.
Or sometimes, Chiron Rising or in the 1st House means a physical challenge, like a handicap or being the only black/white/other person in your town – that sort of thing.
My Chiron is at 8 deg. Pisces in the 4th and pretty much aspects everything in my chart. With the upcoming Chiron transit, I’ve been very curious about how this will manifest and your post is very timely. Although Dorothy’s comment and similar placement is a bit scary.
Mine is placed similar to krisinluck and PixieDust. And I’ll tell you something – the Saturn/Uranus opp was utterly brutal. Hadn’t thought this may be part of the reason why…
I can also see it at work in my interactions with others, and how my own 7th house Sat. in Pisces flavored experiences have given me perspective that (I hope) helps others. Stuff to think about.
Thanks so much for this, Shaina!
Krisinluck– I hope that you and others feel welcome to make comments at any level of experience or knowledge. We are all still learning, myself included, and it’s discussion like this that helps us find out more about what we don’t know.
Dixie – I wondered about your placements. You mentioned something in my reading that clicked along those lines. I didn’t register the natal Saturn/Uranus opp either, until Elsa pointed it out to me quite some time back. It was an ass-kicker, to be sure!!
Maybe we should have a support group? lol
Shaina, you can call me Kris or Kristine. I’m warming up, coming out of my shell more around here. It’s a good thing!
Kris, my big early relationships were with men that had addiction/mental health issues. Once I was done with that and found myself a good man, had significant boundary issues with my stepkids; they grew up in the middle of crazy and there was obvious impact. I very much regret we were not able to save them from it. But they are adults now and it’s their lives to run as they see fit. I’ve worked on my drive to rush and and fix because it doesn’t serve. My choices now are centered on what I want to be a part of, what I don’t.
transits on the day I learned I have a ch(i)ronic painful incurable genetic syndrome. I like chiron though – I’ve learned a lot.
yeah, I’m flummoxed by the Chiron rulership question. I keep coming back to it but all it does is send me into a logic spiral. I’ve decided to let it go so I can sleep at night… ok, it’s not that bad, but I can’t come up with an answer I can stick with. Virgo seems to fit best for now.
the salt analogy is fantastic! salt hurts and heals!
Dixie –
Abandonment is my wound. I know that, knew it even before I knew what Chiron was. Dad left when I was two, and recovering from major surgery. Haven’t seen him since.
My Saturn/Uranus natal opp created … interesting? … early relationships. My first great love, who I still believe was my twin flame, loved to me to distraction, but shortly before we were to marry admitted to me and to himself that he could not do that with a clear spirit because he was gay. I was eighteen years old. (Hello, Uranus!!) We became friends again after I had time to heal from the blow, and he died of AIDS over ten years ago. But the time we were together created who I am now, and, at last, I am able to be grateful for it.
After he and I went our separate ways, I broke out and pretty much slept with any good looking man that crossed my path and noticed me. Most of them were motorcyclists with a bit of a danger vibe. (Uranus)
Then I was married to a man who collects stamps for 18 years. LMAO…Saturn!
Chiron conjunct my Descendant and opposite my Moon. Not fun, especially with relationships. But since my Chiron Return a couple of years ago, I met someone very healing, so maybe it just takes time. I also experienced lots of weird health issues around my Chiron Return, though nothing serious. Funny, one issue related to something I was born with. I have Sun in Virgo, plus Merc, Venus and Pluto, so if Virgo rules Chiron I’m all over it! I’m a writer in the medical/healthcare industry.
A very interesting post Shaina! Chiron is like a key that opens the door in my chart. I am having my Chiron return and the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction was also sitting on top of it. Nothing revolutionary, but a wonderful time in my life, that may have even deeper meaning as time goes by. Where does the time go indeed Nina!
Nice article Shaina. From my observations, Chiron represents our true self, and doing things that are truly us and in alignment with our true selves brings us deep joy rather than wounding. Chiron is also about healing ‘the human condition’ (or the effects of human conditioning that have taken us away from our true self), as much as any physical wound that might need healing. Chiron takes healing to another dimension: it incorporates the spiritual as well as the physical (a nice ‘upgrade’ for sometimes sceptical, earthy, common sense Virgo! 🙂
The Chiron return is an opportunity to do this conditioned unsatisfied self to joyful true self healing, (the bridge) if one can remain open enough. ‘Wounds’ are likely to present themselves during the Chiron return, and staying open and perhaps pursuing alternative healing methods, or investigating a new philosophy can work wonders.
From what I have observed, Chiron does seem to co-rule Virgo. Ever met a very charismatic Virgo that attracts people and attention, goes through continual cycles of order and chaos, and doesn’t seem to fit the conventional Virgo mold? This is a Chiron ruled Virgo.
Chiron in myth was an astrology teacher: in my opinion he has as much to do with astrology as Uranus does, and as astrologers we tend to feel a certain amount of wounding because we and our beautiful art form are rejected or at least scoffed at by most of humanity.
Wizron, you nailed me in this paragraph:
“Ever met a very charismatic Virgo that attracts people and attention, goes through continual cycles of order and chaos, and doesn’t seem to fit the conventional Virgo mold? This is a Chiron ruled Virgo.”
I thought I was a freak. lol
Kris, you are in good company. A few Chiron ruled Virgo’s that spring to mind are the glamorous Sophia Loren, Shelley Long (Diane from the television series Cheers), Sean Connery, Charlie Sheen, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson (who had Chiron in difficult aspect to both Venus and Mars).
Chiron has elements of both Saturn and Uranus within its makeup. Chiron is a teacher (Saturn), but he is a teacher of the alternative and progressive, and ‘new age’ topics and healing methods (astrology for example). He is therefore a wonderful ‘bridge’ between Saturn and Uranus (conventional and the status quo, and innovative and liberating).
Many people underestimate the importance of Chiron, but he will be very much needed during this century as we transition between the ‘old’ system and the ‘new’ system of things. He is in our solar system for a reason. The fact that Pluto was conjunct Chiron at the beginning of the 21st century (during the year 2000) is a very important planetary signature for the whole of the 21st century. Chiron will help us to make a somewhat revolutionary transition from one system to another a lot more peacefully if many people recognise and use him in order to do so. Chiron represents collective consciousness, or oneness, and only by healing separations (wounds) and joining together can we make this transition a smooth one. As we heal and become one within ourselves, we also help humanity to become one.
Silver gun,
yeah I was just being a little facetious there. I”m actually not too neurotic, or even a perfectionist, but I like to joke about the Virgo stereotypes, because I don’t fit too many of them.
Need to go back to the tape of my chart reading done by excellent astrologer-counselor Stephanie Jones- maybe she said something about Chiron.
Better yet, have a reading done by me or one of the other accomplished, wise, amazing astrologers here at the Elsa blog! 😉
I’m still wading through the possible meanings for my Chiron as well. It has 2 trines, 2 sextiles and 2 oppositions, so it’s got to be up to something!
Wizron– a great male example of the type of Virgo you were talking about? Sean Connery!
Yes Shaina, he is a good example of that type of Virgo (I did include him in the previous post in this thread along with Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury 🙂
*blushblush* I missed that you posted twice, Wizron. Obviously, though, we agree! Haha!
Beautiful, charismatic … yep, Sean Connery is one of my birthday-mates! He’s almost as good-looking as me, too. Wow-I’m REALLY going to have to look up where my Chiron is. All this talk of healing wounds and helping others before helping myself is ringing just a bit too true….
So glad I found this thread!!! I’ve been doing a lot of research on Chiron lately, as it’s conjunct my ASC/Venus/Mars in the 12th(Taurus). Barbara Hand Clow’s book has AMAZING insight and if anyone knows of any other books like it, please recommend!!!!
The interesting thing for me is that I express a pretty hefty amount of Virgo energy (perfectionist, organizational/anal;-), problem solver, service, analyzing, hard worker, etc.) but I dont have one planet in the sign. It’s the cusp of my 6th house, (the one it naturally rules) but I also have Pluto & N.Node there (in Libra) so I’m still trying to work out if that is the reason for it…..
The only other logical option that would explain why I exhibit so much Virgo energy is Chiron’s conjunction to my ASC… so, yah, I totally feel like it does rule Virgo;-)
For those with Chiron in Taurus, I found this interpretation to be painfully correct on for myself.
“In the most earthy of the signs, Chiron represents the pain of insecurity which manifests into woundedness about the material aspect of Venus. Money, possessions, body image, food, comfort and good living are all configured in this placement. The emphasis in any case is upon all these matters as they affect the sense of being safe in the world, being able to trust the Universe and feel loved in the context of a physical life. Taurus is intractable too, so clinging on to people, situations and possessions is a key trait of this placement, out of fear of losing the security that has been accrued through them. An unquestioning adherence to tradition is another factor, even though with time and self-development, it answers the conundrum of Chiron less and less, until those rituals become empty and effectively meaningless. The hallmark of a struggling Chiron in Taurus is a gradually encroaching suspicion that the material cannot provide the security that is required by the human heart. On a very mundane level, Chiron in Taurus worries about money even when there is plenty of it available.”
For those with Chiron in Taurus, I found this interpretation to be painfully accurate;-) for myself:
“In the most earthy of the signs, Chiron represents the pain of insecurity which manifests into woundedness about the material aspect of Venus. Money, possessions, body image, food, comfort and good living are all configured in this placement. The emphasis in any case is upon all these matters as they affect the sense of being safe in the world, being able to trust the Universe and feel loved in the context of a physical life. Taurus is intractable too, so clinging on to people, situations and possessions is a key trait of this placement, out of fear of losing the security that has been accrued through them. An unquestioning adherence to tradition is another factor, even though with time and self-development, it answers the conundrum of Chiron less and less, until those rituals become empty and effectively meaningless. The hallmark of a struggling Chiron in Taurus is a gradually encroaching suspicion that the material cannot provide the security that is required by the human heart. On a very mundane level, Chiron in Taurus worries about money even when there is plenty of it available.”
I’m obsessed with astrology lately. Just learned about the asteroids a few weeks ago. I’ve got Chiron in Aries at 14 degrees. Eighth house. Sextiles my Venus in Aquarius at 16 degrees. I cannot truly enjoy sex for the sake of sex. There has to be an intense and lasting connection. I have been wounded by casual sex and unrequited love.
Chiron in Pisces conjunct Jupiter in the 6th house of Virgo… oy!!
The whole serve or suffer is real. I got my ass kicked in several relationships that I gave too much of myself too….including money. Trying to heal and establish better boundaries. At my age, cant help but feel a tad bitter about the timing. Sort of like putting the final touches on that perfectly decorated cake only to find youre too late to the party…