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| The author, Madeline Adams |
There is always more than one version of a mythic tale. This is so with the story of Chiron or Cheiron as he was known in ancient times. In one version from Classic Myth and Legend:-
“In a cave high up the rocky and snowy sides of Mount Pelion dwelt Cheiron, oldest and wisest of the Centaurs, that wondrous race that were half-horse and half-man.
When the brute strength of his lower part began to fail, the white-bearded Centaur’s head was richly stored with knowledge and experience, and his hands had rare skill in playing on a golden harp, to the music of which he gave forth wise counsels in human speech. So great his fame that many a king’s and hero’s son came to be trusted to his care for rearing in all that be-seemed a noble youth…….
He was a master of the healing art, and this they learned as from the lips of Esculapius himself. He taught them to sing, to make music, to bear themselves gracefully in the dance, but also to run, box, wrestle, to climb the dizzy rocks, and to hunt wild beasts in the mountain forests, laughing at all dangers….
They grew up under the care of Chiron to be both skilful and strong, modest as well as brave, and fitted to rule by having rightly know to obey. ……….
Achilles was on of these noble youth to be brought up with other heroes by old Cheiron, who fed him on the hearts of lions and the marrow of bears and taught him gentle arts as well as the stern trade of war. “ 1*
Such attributes as courage, strength, beauty and activity where encouraged by Chiron. Jason too was a student of Chiron. He was taught to know every flower and leaf on their mountain home. Hercules was one of the young heroes who where schooled in the cave of the wise centaur Cheiron.
One day Hercules was embroiled in a battle with other Centaurs over a cask of wine and he took shelter in Chiron’s cave. A chance arrow, which was dipped in the Hydra’s poisonous blood wounded Chiron and he was said to have died a slow and agonizing death,all his own arts of healing being in vain.
Whichever story is told, it is Hercules, a student who loves Chiron, who is the cause of Chiron’s wounding.
The woundedness that we each in our own way carry has most often been from something that was not mean’t to intentionally wound us.
Examples of this :- the death of someone close to us at a time when we needed them most. Relocation of our family into a new environment Where we felt both isolated and misunderstood. Contracting an infection like polio which totally changed our experience of life.
Some wounds are never healed. We just come to accept them as part of the human condition. The themes of Mentoring and the forms of teaching that Chiron gave to his heros were different to the teaching we give our children today.
To be kindly and helpful to others. Mentoring
To know the powers of nature to heal Homeopathy
To value beauty and grace, to develop an appreciation of the arts.
Teaching by experience and Fostering all that is good in the young.
Having the ability to see a bigger picture and our place in this.
Using knowledge and understanding that comes from the greater cosmos, to bring light and understanding to the darkest of places.
Chiron’s story relates to the fostering and teaching of young male heros. Appreciation of nature, beauty and the arts such as poetry, music and dance where an important part of the young hero’s education.
Reclaiming the wisdom of Chiron, requires that we reclaim a more inclusive experience of life and open the door to the wisdom that lies in our personal unconscious and the greater consciousness of the cosmos.
There are three major predictable crisis we all face as we grow and mature. The 1st is the Saturn return at around 30 years, the 2nd is the Uranus opposition in our 40’s. The 3rd Chiron return around 50yrs.
The Saturn return, a crisis of the physical realm. The Uranus opposition, a crisis of the emotional realm and the Chiron return, a crisis of the soul. This is a time when the soul’s needs ask to be heard.
Chiron orbits between Saturn and Uranus and links the two.
Saturn was the furthermost planet of ancient times and the boundary to our known world. It was not until 1781 that Uranus was discovered and the world began to change dramatically with the Amercian and French revolutions and the beginnings of the rights of the individual took on a voice.
New technologies and new forms of energy began to unfold with the discovery of Uranium and infra-red rays. Now we have computers and the internet and cars that can run on hydrogen.
Electricity (Uranus) is very dangerous if it is not Grounded (Saturn) but when it is there is tremendous power available for our use.
Chiron links these two planets and opens the door to greater understanding between them both. The knowledge we tap into when we are both grounded in our instinctual body and open to the guidance from our intuitive mind and inner wisdom is more powerful than we can ever know. It opens us to connection to our soul and can feed every part of our being. We need to let go of our need for rational analysis and understanding and surrender to guidance from a greater source.
It is not a simple task to delineate the meaning of Chiron through the signs and houses in the natal astrology chart. Each story is very personal. A story which is described by the sign and house and the planets that Chiron aspects in the person’s horoscope. Chiron in The four elements.
The element of Fire are the signs of Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
The element of Earth are the signs of Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
The Element of Air are the signs of Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
The element of Water are the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Chiron in Fire relates an ability to heal through passion and inspiration. Energy healing is one mode of this. Inspiring visions for the future is another. Fire is an element of action and requires a rekindling of passion.
Chiron in Earth relates to an ability to heal through the practical, giving form to meaning, using physical forms of healing such as massage and the use of herbs. Earth is an element of manifesting in a tangible form and a felt experience. The structure of ritual in everyday life is healing.
Chiron in Air relates to an ability to communicate ideas that expands our understanding of our world and our place in it. New concepts and greater communication and sharing of ideas create connection between diverse groups of people. Healing through the mind and telepathy
Chiron in Water relates to an ability to feel others suffering and to have empathy with others. Being psychically open and able to nurture others. Counselling and creating artistic expression are effective mediums. Water is an element of surrender. The ability to loose oneself to another’s experience and withdraw back into oneself is the challenge.
Reference
1* Classic Myth and Legend by A R Hope Moncrieff
