Living Authentically

CHIRON
at 50:
The Chiron Return poses the question:
“Your vision will become
clear only when you can
look into your own heart.
Who looks outside,
dreams;
who looks inside,
awakes.”
C.G. Jung
What am I going to do
with this last part of my
life - Astrologer Melanie Reinhart
After the Saturn Return at 30, and the
midlife crisis at 40, one of the lesser known,
but most significant rites of passage, at
50, is the formidable Chiron Return. It is,
perhaps, due to the relatively new discovery
of Chiron, in November 1977, that so little
is known about this profound period of
transformation, that reveals so much about
the secrets of the human psyche.
Neither planet nor asteroid, Chiron
has been determined to be a comet or
planetoid (minor planet). Found between
the orbit of Saturn (representing tradition)
and Uranus (representing progress), Chiron
forms a bridge between the old and the
new, historical origins and individual
expression. Chiron mediates between the
conscious awareness and reality-basis of
the practical personal and social planets
(Sun through Saturn) and the multidimensional
cosmic consciousness of the
outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto).
It provides a gateway forward or back,
whichever is deemed essential for growth,
forming our own link between the natural
and the supernatural, the physical and the
metaphysical.
Part horse and part human; part mortal
and part immortal, Chiron, a Centaur,
is associated with the archetype of the
“wounded healer.” Mythically, Chiron,
born a mutant, was rejected at birth by his
mother, who thought him an abomination.
Chiron was forced to raise himself. Facing
many rejections and trials, ultimately,
his accomplishments as a great teacher
and healer (he was personally trained by
Apollo), self-sacrifices (he relinquished
his immortality to Prometheus who was
imprisonment in the underworld for
bringing fire to earth), and wisdom (tutored
personally by Athena), brought him the
respect of Zeus, who gave him his own
constellation.
Chiron represents (and is given definition,
by sign, house placement and aspect)
where we feel fundamentally wounded.
He also embodies our dualities and inner
contradictions: where we have the potential
to be both: godlike and human; instinctive
and reasoning, where we feel most rejected
and ashamed, but where, too, we have the
capacity to heal.
The fact that Chiron has been so difficult to
categorize is emblematic of the Wounded
Healer’s dilemma: that of feeling unable
to find one’s niche or place in the world.
Hence Chiron in our charts also represents
where we feel disenfranchised and where
we can contribute most to those who
themselves feel to be outcasts.
Chiron, himself an accomplished teacher
and healer, is thought to be prominent
in the charts of healers, astrologers and
spiritual teachers. The symbolism goes
further to say that embodied in the primal
wounding of a being, either physically,
spiritually or incarnationally, is the secret to
their healing.
Perhaps the most universally acknowledged
image of Chironic consciousness is the
image and person of Christ. Other famous
Chironic figures in our culture include
Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born with
Chiron direct and stationery, inspiring many
future generations with his “dream.”
Another Chironic theme is the conversion
of the “ugly duckling” types who
metamorphsize at 50, just as Chiron
returns to the position it was at birth. In
Magi Astrology, Chiron is the center of
their astrological universe with Chiron
aspects and transits indicating soul mate
opportunities and indications when your
ship will come in for your destiny.
Turning 50, or thereabouts (for some, it
is 49; other’s 51) marks a new paradigm
in Western Astrology, as Chiron returns
to its natal position. This momentous
watershed delineates the end of the heroic
youth, as we enter the realm of “elder.
Like the Chinese character for crisis, the
Chiron Return represents a “dangerous
opportunity.” Here, we revisit ancient
patterns; have the opportunity to go back
to the source of our deepest, unresolved
wounds; to heal them, once and for all, so
that we can live the remainder of our lives
in keeping with our true soul purpose.
Some say, however, that it may not be
possible to fully understand the
repercussions of this passage, until Chiron
itself has completed an entire cycle, in
the year 2028, 51 years after its discovery.
opportunity we all have now: to produce
both a personal and universal elixir of
mysterious and inordinate possibilities.
How fortunate
we all are to be
positioned at
such a juncture!
Cathy H. Burroughs,
former VP, Metropolitan Atlanta Astrological Society
(MAAS). For more info www.psychicsolutions.tv,
call 404-543- 1080 or 404-292-2000.
cathyb108@aol.com.
psychicsolutions.tv
www. AQ -atl.com
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AQUARIUS
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JANUARY 2015 PG 13