In studying the archetype of a planet, an astrologer gains a deeper understanding of the teachings of the cosmos. In astrology, each planet represents an archetype or universal symbol. In 1977 astronomers discovered Chiron, a comet-like body orbiting between Saturn and Uranus. This “planetoid”, from an astrological perspective, is the archetype of “healing” and the wounded healer”. The discovery of Chiron marked the beginning of a new paradigm in the healing arts and our relationship with health and disease.
Since then, alternative methods of healing have become both more accepted and used, in some cases as an alternative for orthodox medicine. We are making great strides in our evolutionary journey of healing, resulting in the awareness of the body/mind/spirit connection. We are learning not only how our emotional and psychological histories are stored in our cellular memory and affect our physical well-being, but also how our thought patterns and beliefs are connected to the healing process itself. Thus, it is now clear that treating an emotional or physical “symptom” does not cure the root cause of the problem.
In mythology, Chiron was the wisest and eldest of the centaurs. Unlike his tribe of half horse and half men, he was immortal, a teacher and mentor known for his knowledge and skill in medicine. Despite his inability to heal himself after being wounded by a poisonous arrow, he pursued a vocation of healer, becoming also an astrologer and oracle who mentored many of the great heroes, such as Hercules and Achilles. Later, Chiron gave up his immortality because the pain of his wound was too much to bear.
The lessons of Chiron relate to health, dis-ease, disorder, and the intertwining of these aspects of life within our spiritual journey, hence the saying: “The gift is in the wound.” Chiron’s message is that, in pain, there is nothing to fix or get rid of; the healing occurs through the wound, which enables us to discover the gift that the wound contains. The healing occurs when and because the gift is embraced. Chiron’s journey takes us to the darkness of our soul to discover our light. When we are challenged with life’s struggle and pain our fears automatically make us feel negative and wounded. And this woundedness occurs any time we fail to acknowledge or deny parts of ourselves, including our potential. Chiron invites us to dive into the depth of our woundedness and see life from a new perspective. As Buddha teaches: when we see life from a limited point of view, “we suffer”. When we suffer we are wounded.
This writing is dedicated to Marie Nicole Chiappini. “May your soul transition home safely.”
Dec. 6, 1954 – Feb. 2, 2010
