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CHIRON ~ The Healing Pathway to Personal and Global Reconciliation

by Candy Hillenbrand

Chiron, discovered as recently as 1977, is a large comet which orbits between Saturn and Uranus. Scientists believe that Chiron is a temporary visitor, a maverick, who came from outside our solar system, and will eventually leave. Its astronomy points to Chiron's link between the inner planets of the personal self, and the outer planets of the collective and transpersonal self. Chiron is our bridge from the known to the unknown, from the old to the new, from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius.

Mythology
Mythology reveals Chiron as the Wounded Healer archetype. Born half-man, half-horse, he was the product of a union between Saturn and Philyra. Repulsed by his appearance, Philyra rejected her child at birth and begged the Gods to take him away. The Gods instructed Chiron in the healing arts, warfare, music, ethics, astrology, and he became a wise teacher, mentor, healer and prophet. Later in life, Chiron was wounded in the knee by an arrow. The wound would not heal, and Chiron spent the rest of his life
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searching for a cure. An accomplished healer, he was unable to heal himself. As an immortal, he could not be released from his wound. Eventually, Chiron found release from his suffering by agreeing to exchange places with Prometheus, the earthy Titan, who had been banished to the underworld for stealing fire from the Gods. Chiron gave up his immortality for death and the release from pain.

Chiron and the Wound in the Birth Chart

Chiron in the birth chart points to an area where the soul has been deeply wounded in the past. I believe that the Chiron wound is of a karmic nature, and that the current life childhood and early conditioning merely resonate with patterns that are already deeply ingrained. Chiron's position is a very sensitive point in the birth chart. It magnetises to itself experiences that reinforce the primal experience of pain and rejection. As children, and continuing as adults, we receive messages from parents, siblings, lovers, friends and others in our environment, that reinforce the initial wounding. We internalise these messages, the pattern becomes deeper and the suffering greater. Finally, we seek healing and relief from the suffering. The position of Chiron, by sign, house and aspect, will reveal something about the nature of this wound to the soul and points to ways of healing it. Those who are highly Chiron-sensitive (with a prominent natal Chiron) may wander ceaselessly over the four corners of the earth in search of a cure for their afflictions. Cure after cure is tried, healer after healer consulted, and each time a step forward is made along the path towards wholeness. However, there is rarely an ultimate cure.

The Chiron Experience

The Chiron experience is a process. Through transits to and from Chiron, we encounter experiences that replay the old wounds of the past. Each time we are plunged back into our area of greatest pain, we are given another opportunity to let go, to be released from it a little more. It seems that we need to experience the pain so that we can see the need to be free from it. Gradually, we learn to better understand, accept and transmute the pain, to go beyond it and use it in a
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creative way to benefit others. This is the transformational experience of pain, and the gift of Chiron. Paradoxically, it is through this experience of our own pain, and the compassion and insight gained, that we feel drawn to help others. This is the Wounded One transformed into Healer and Teacher.

The Transformation of The Wounded One into The Healer and Teacher
Through Chiron we find our vehicle for expression of higher purpose, because it is here that we seek to give out to others, to teach and heal. A teacher or healer is simply someone who seeks to share their knowledge, wisdom, skills and love with others. If Chiron is prominent in the natal chart, the teacher/healer is likely to be a very powerful personal archetype. The following are some suggestions for delineation. The study and understanding of the nature of the Chiron experience is still very much in the stage of infancy. As we come to understand how the energy of Chiron works in our own birth charts and lives, we are able to have more understanding of how our clients may be experiencing the Chiron process. Pain and suffering are very powerful personal experiences, but they are also universal experiences. It is through this awareness that we come to empathise with others, and share in a sense of collective grief.

The Bridge of Reconciliation

Chiron is symbolic not only of the Rainbow Bridge [1] or the Antahkarana [2] of Eastern religious traditions, of the bridge from the lower to the higher self, from the personality to the soul. It also represents the bridge of reconciliation, between black and white, man and woman, the East and the West. We heal the wounds of the past, both personal and collective, through a process of internal and external reconciliation. This process takes place within ourselves, and also between ourselves and others, between individuals, between nations. Chiron therefore, is the key, not only to personal healing, but to global healing.

Healing the Wound

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There are many healing modalities, some of which are mentioned in the following delineations, which can help alleviate our pain and even trigger major physical and psychological breakthroughs and transformations. But there are some internal spiritual qualities which hold the true key to healing the wound of Chiron. Forgiveness is the key to reconciliation. We can also help heal our personal wound, which usually involves fear, by doing just that which we fear. This takes courage and willpower. Sometimes, we find that the experience which we most feared did not eventuate. Instead we are validated through experiences of love and acceptance. And we all know that Love is the greatest healer of all.

Some Ideas for Delineation

Note that the principle I am using here is based on Zipporah Dobyn's concept of the Twelve Letter Alphabet . For example, Chiron/Sun aspects are similar in flavour to Chiron in Leo or Chiron in the 5th house. CHIRON / SUN ASPECTS The Wounding: A wound to the sun-self, creativity or yang principle. Taking on the father's wound. Fear of one's creativity. Feeling betrayed or wounded by the father/father principle. Parental/environmental Message: "I don't approve of your showing off, of you shining so brightly." Internalised Message: "I am afraid to shine / I don't feel complete unless I shine." Healing the Wound: Self-esteem work. Inner child work. Developing confidence. All forms of creative expression. Sunflower and Iris flower essences. The Gift: Creativity. Working with children. Leadership. CHIRON / MOON ASPECTS The Wounding: An emotional wound. Taking on the mother's wound. Experiencing or empathising with
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the mother's pain. The mother is wounded. Fear of one's vulnerability. Feeling betrayed or rejected by the mother/mother principle. Feeling unnourished, and subsequent difficulty in nurturing oneself. Feeling unsafe. Deep unnamed fears. Parental/environmental Message: "The world is an unsafe place. Don't trust anyone. We love you, but...." Internalised Message: "I feel rejected. I am vulnerable." Healing the Wound: Emotional release work. Healing through becoming a mother or nurturing others. Psychotherapy. Experiences of love and acceptance. Bach Flower Therapy. Pomegranate and Aspen flower essences. The Gift: Sensitivity and empathy towards others. The ability to nurture and heal others. CHIRON / MERCURY ASPECTS The Wounding: A communication wound. Feeling misunderstood and unable to communicate. Parental/environmental Message: "We don't like the way you communicate." Internalised Message: "You don't understand me. You don't listen to me. I am dumb." Healing the Wound: Singing, public speaking, chanting, writing, playing a musical instrument. Creative expression of sound. Throat chakra unblocking and healing. Practice of Right Speech and Thought. Snapdragon and Calendula flower essences. The Gift: The ability to understand others and to teach the art of effective communication and problem solving. CHIRON / VENUS ASPECTS The Wounding: A wound in the area of relationships. Wounded partners. Taking on the wounds of others. Grief, loss of the loved one or beloved. Wounded in love or wounding others in love. Feeling unloved. A wound to the heart. Parental/environmental Message: "Our love is conditional. We will love you if..."
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Internalised Message: "I don't like, appreciate or approve of myself. I am unlovable. Nobody loves me." Healing the Wound: All experiences of unconditional love. Heart chakra healing. The practice of forgiveness and compassion. The path of Bhakti Yoga (Devotion). Devotional music. Massage and touching. Reiki. The practice of Right Human Relationships. Holly and Borage flower essences. Rose essential oil. The Gift: The ability to help others heal their relationships. Counselling. Diplomacy. Love. CHIRON / MARS ASPECTS The Wounding: A wound or issues around expressing one's identity, sexuality, physical energy, anger and aggression. Extremes of energy. Hyperactivity. Taking on the anger of others. Victim, survivor or perpetrator of violence. Parental/environmental Message: "You are aggressive. We don't like you when you're angry. You have too much energy. I am angry with you. You make me angry." Internalised Message: "It's not okay to express anger / I am destructive / Others are destructive." Healing the Wound: Creative release of energy through sport, martial arts, dance, tai chi, active meditation. The practice of Right Action. Impatiens and Vine flower essences. The Gift: The ability to transmute anger into creative expression and activity. Empowering others. CHIRON / JUPITER ASPECTS The Wounding: A wound to the belief system. The wounded teacher. Fear of sharing one's knowledge. Deep inner restlessness. Missionary zeal. Religious dogmatism. Fear of being happy/unhappy. Crisis of faith. Parental/environmental Message: "Be optimistic / Don't be too optimistic. Our religion is The only path to God. We don't believe in God. Big is best." Internalised Message: "It's not okay to share my knowledge / My truth is The Truth."
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Healing the Wound: Disseminating one's knowledge through teaching, speaking, writing, publishing. Travelling. The path of Jnana Yoga (Knowledge). Vervain and Shasta Daisy flower essences. The Gift: The ability to inspire others and to share one's knowledge, through speaking, teaching, writing, publishing. CHIRON / SATURN ASPECTS The Wounding: A wound to one's sense of structure, achievement and confidence. Fear of one's power. Fear of taking one's place in the world. The father is wounded or a wounding influence. Taking on the father's wound. Deep inner fears and rigidity. Seriousness and insecurity. Parental/environmental Message: "I am the boss. I know what is best for you." Internalised Message: "There is a voice inside me that criticises and judges me. It's my fault." Healing the Wound: The path of Karma Yoga (Service). Right Livelihood. Fulfilling one's dharma or life purpose. Wild Oat, Larch and Mimulus flower essences. The Gift: The ability to accept responsibility and positions of authority. Wisdom. NOTES [1] Hand Clow, Barbara., Chiron: Rainbow Bridge Between the Inner and Outer Planets. [2] Weiner, Errol., Transpersonal Astrology. pp. 167-169. BIBLIOGRAPHY Hand Clow, Barbara., Chiron: Rainbow Bridge Between the Inner and Outer Planets. 1987. Hand Clow, Barbara., Liquid Light of Sex: Understanding your Key Life Passages. 1991. Johnson, Stephanie., The Emergence of Chiron in the Aquarian Age (Thesis for Master of Science Degree in Esotericism). 1992. Reinhart, Melanie., Chiron and the Healing Journey. 1989.
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Sasportas, Howard., The Twelve Houses. 1985. pp. 345-352. Stein, Zane B., Interpreting Chiron (2nd edition). 1983. Weiner, Errol., Transpersonal Astrology. 1991. Copyright 1996 by Candy Hillenbrand All rights reserved This article was first published in The Cosmic Experience, Vol. 2, Issue 9, Sept 1996

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CANDY HILLENBRAND is an Australian astrologer, flower essence practitioner and writer with a special interest in a growth-oriented and purpose-centred approach to astrology. She is a Social Sciences graduate and holds the Practitioners Qualification from the Federation of Australian Astrologers, co-winning the FAA's Allan Johnson Gold Medal in 1997. She is the editor and publisher of the quarterly international journal, The Wholistic Astrologer, and her articles appear regularly in a variety of print and online publications. Candy can be contacted at P.O. Box 1796, Macclesfield, S.A., 5153, Australia, or e-mail: candy@aplaceinspace.net. Visit her web sites: "A Place in Space" - http://www.aplaceinspace.net and http://www.wholisticastrologer.com

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