Alan R. Wheatcroft – Chiron: The Key to Self-Mastery

Cosmic Connections: Most notably, the 1st of November 2013, marked the culmination of the fourth Uranus/Pluto square. This date also signifies 36 years since Chiron’s initial discovery; Chiron was discovered on the 1st of November 1977 by Charles Kowal from images taken two weeks earlier. In numerology this date totals 9 as does the 2013 anniversary date and the number 36. Nine representing Pluto — the ruler of Scorpio.(1) The polarity of nine is six, which is Venus. On the date of its discovery Chiron was in Taurus (Venus), Pluto occupied Venus’s other sign (Libra) and Uranus was in Scorpio (see chart 1 on this page). Chiron has now been deemed the modern ruler of Virgo and Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac. Interestingly, the six/nine “polarity” is generally considered to intimate the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, but more importantly, it signifies that the cosmos is most definitely interconnected.

The most widely interpreted belief is that the Venus/Pluto polarity represents money; however it also represents patience, peace, harmony and transformation, all the necessary credentials for the art of self-mastery. So, in retrospect, the synthesis of the Venus/Pluto energy is a symbolic reminder of Chiron’s purpose — the embodiment of self-mastery. Also, Virgo and Scorpio are sixty degrees apart in the natural zodiac, which are also a six and Venus. With all these numerological associations I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Chiron has been deemed the ruler of Virgo because specific numerological equations have a major bearing on the purpose of every planet, asnumbers are the language of the cosmos.

Chiron’s Influence

Since Chiron’s discovery, the most familiar designation that has been applied to this extraordinary object is the “wounded healer.” I do not entirely agree with this mythical sentiment however, I prefer to believe that Chiron symbolises a source of psychosomatic energy (mental and emotional synthesis) therefore affirming its psychological parameters as being somewhat difficult to define. It is likely that Chiron’s indefinable boundaries are also due, in part, to the foggy influential pull of its polarity planet Neptune. As a result, Chiron and its relationship to other planets can also be an indicator of suppressed memory engrams.(2) With Chiron now being officially designated as the ruler of Virgo it seems more likely that this interstellar body is emblematic of the modern day “holistic therapist.”

Primarily, Chiron’s purpose is to consolidate our cognitive abilities; thus it guides us along that disconcerting path that implies enhanced mental discipline. Through Chiron we learn to overcome our inner fears; hence those psychological demons. Learning to conquer these hidden obstacles helps us to acquire an understanding of self-actualisation; and via Chiron we learn the value of self-awareness, resourcefulness and integrity (traits all associated with Virgo). However, all too often Chiron’s energy resonates in the psyche as a niggling externalized vibration that needs transcending to a higher plane of thought or consciousness. More often than not, this can be perceived as a predisposition towards healing. When Chiron is conjoined or opposing other planetary significators in the natal chart, especially Mercury and Neptune, or is in retrograde motion, the need to transcend its vibration becomes a vital and important component in the life plan.

Essentially, Chiron represents a key (shown by its hieroglyph) that opens a dimensional door. However, in order to open this customised door the key must first fit the lock. How many times have we attempted to open a door in our home with the wrong key? We have all done it because in the heat of the moment we weren’t thinking clearly; our minds were predisposed. Chiron teaches us to insert the correct key into the correct lock that will open up our vault of cosmic potential displayed via the personality profile in the natal chart. The way in which we open this personal vault of knowledge is determined by Chiron’s house potential and its aspects to other planets.

Scientifically speaking, we can also assume that Chiron’s psychological parameters are difficult to define because of its unusual position in the cosmos, coupled by its incomprehensible orbit of the Sun, making its orbital declination a partial mystery. Chiron’s journey through the zodiac is also erratic and inconsistent and that is why it has always been considered a cosmic peculiarity. In addition, Chiron’s ecliptic orbit traverses in close proximity to the cosmic giants: Saturn and Uranus. The energy it absorbs and therefore assimilates from these influential planets epitomises Chiron’s influence as being sacrificial, awakening, and more importantly transpersonal.

For me, Chiron’s origins are most definitely Uranian. According to the Akashic Records, Chiron was a Moon orbiting Uranus. During a catastrophe, which resulted in a major shift in Uranus’s axis, Chiron was propelled from its gravitational pull and pushed towards Saturn. I now believe this Saturn/Chiron synthesis to be a stabilising influence throughout the cosmos, and a further significator of the Yin/Yang energy.(3) Saturn does, after all, represent the outer protective layer or skin of the cosmos; whereas Chiron represents the sequential electromagnetic impulses that pulsate under the skin. In effect, he is Mercury’s earthy companion.

Psychological Self-Mastery

Chiron encourages us to think, but to think in a lateral capacity, meaning to consider every single option that is available in order to acquire a higher perspective. Chiron is a highly-evolved teacher who helps us to attain self-mastery through his methodical and detailed techniques, which once applied can help us to regain our purity of mind. Through Chiron’s teachings we are able to repolarise our immature emotional and mental expressions.

When we do not think correctly, or think without thinking so to speak, we create a psychological barrier of impenetrable energy that envelops the psyche. This barrier has been widely interpreted as the physical wound that only Chiron can heal. In my opinion, no one planet single-handedly heals a wound, whether it is physical, psychological, or something of a higher calibre; it has to be a collective effort. Therefore, the entire natal chart signifies the collective potential for healing; and for me, healing is merely a word that further defines progression.

Also, if we analyse Chiron’s rulership sign of Virgo for a detailed analysis of this phantasmagorical wound theory, we could surmise that it occurs because of Virgo’s inordinate devotion to petty and minute detail, which ultimately creates a life that lacks in joy and spontaneity. However, in Virgo we always have the opportunity to acquire new skills; and through Chiron’s quiet obscurity we can attain self-mastery. Furthermore, we can be psychologically wounded especially when we enter into the wrong type of employment, or if we decide on a career in the armed forces, only to realise that it’s not for us — traditional factors of the Chiron-ruled sixth house.

It is a fact however, that almost, if not all, of the problems that exist in the world today have manifested through centuries of wrong thinking. Rather than learning to think from the purity of the sub-conscious mind many of us chose to think excessively from the limited recesses of the objective mind — a mind often governed by the quicksilver and dualistic effects of Mercury, the messenger and the traditional ruler of Virgo.

The objective mind is merely a channel for thoughts, concerns and ideas of an external nature, meaning that thoughts and messages are delivered to the mind without being filtered and processed. This is why external thoughts are often the basis for sublime negativity. The sub-conscious mind, however, is a channel for thoughts and ideas of an internal nature, and because they emanate from the heart energy, they remain pure in nature.

Chiron’s thought processes are orderly, structured, creative and intellectual, but more importantly they are perfect, or at least that’s how they should be. Ultimately, the energy of thought is the foundation of the cosmos, so this miniscule object is a crucial and important part of the divine consciousness. Like everything in existence, these differing levels of thought (mind) energy need to be balanced in order to function correctly, and Chiron is a balancing (bridging) planet, as determined by the numerological six influence of Venus, the planet of balance.

As previously indicated, many astrologers believe Chiron represents the “wounded healer.” Many would believe there is at least a modicum of truth to this hypothesis because at every point on this Earth mankind’s prevalent system of wrong thinking has created a profound global wound. Today, the wound is so deep that it is about to implode — to close in on itself — thus creating an evolutionary cataclysm. In addition, the energy of this collective wound is being personified by the nine influence of Pluto. Currently, Pluto’s unrelenting power emanates from authoritative and impersonal Capricorn, which is Saturn — the planet closest to Chiron’s orbit.

Chiron’s Physical and Spiritual Profile

Chiron is the key that unlocks the vault containing Saturnian self-mastery. Because this planet has the potential to unlock the contrasting world of our ingrained thought processes and creative potentiality, Chiron’s designated rulership of the internal world of physicality has to be the embodiment of the central nervous system, specifically the cerebro-spinal system — Mercury rules the actual flow of the nerve impulses.(4) In retrospect, Chiron’s rulership of the central nervous system would clearly embody the relevant guises exemplified by its polarity planet Neptune, as Neptune rules the chakras, which are located at points along the spine. It is believed that the chakras are fed information via the central nervous system from the higher aspects of consciousness. The spine is ruled by Saturn; the soft tissue that surrounds the spine in the back, is ruled by the Sun. In addition, the energy field, which is produced by the chakras (the aura), is ruled by Uranus.

The cerebro-spinal system holds within its cell membranes our creative potential and also our fears. It also holds every creative thought we have initiated and most likely discarded over time; therefore I believe this is where Chiron’s designation as the “wounded healer” emanates from. Under the title of “wounded healer,” Chiron is bound to create tension in the body because the mind will automatically refuse to realise its ultimate potential. Further Chironic conditions resulting from mental stagnation are: paralysis, psychosis and extreme anxiety. Mental stagnation has been occurring on this planet for millennia. Through Chiron’s current transit of Pisces we have a chance to expel these conditions and Chiron’s transit of Pisces may turn out to be a monumental transgression that purges hopelessness. However, it may well personify it further.

Chiron in Pisces: Peace, Love and Hope?

Because Chiron is an earth (solid) planet, it may have the potential to transcend Neptune’s unfathomable depths. In light of its recent conjunction to its polarity planet Neptune, how is Chiron likely to dispel its energy through the sign of Pisces? We may get an idea if we take a sneak preview into the 1960s when Chiron last transited this sign. What is partly significant to today with regards to the 1960s transit is Chiron made a powerful connection to Neptune in Scorpio via a trine and it also opposed Pluto during its eight year journey through Pisces.

A World in Change

On January 21, 1961, Chiron entered Pisces (see chart 2 on this page), where it remained until February 1969. So what happened during this 8-year period? A multitude of global conflicts ensued in which Chiron, Neptune and Pluto played a part such as: the unsuccessful invasion of the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis, the six day war between Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria, the Anti-War Movement begins, Gaddafi overthrows the monarchy in Libya, JFK takes office in 1961 and is assassinated in 1963 (Neptune rules murderers), Malcolm X is assassinated, Billy Graham and the Maharishi emerge as spiritual leaders (Pisces) to name but a few.(5)

Also, throughout the sixties the controversial birth of the free speech movement was born. Was Chiron responsible, in part, for this and other transitions? Those memorable events such as Woodstock paved the way for the birth of the New Age Psycho-Spiritual Movements that are prominent today. Speaking out against imperialistic vile extremism and fascism, most of which were graciously replaced with loving antidotes, were all measures that were prevalent during the sixties. New Age music (Neptune) came to the forefront and bands such as the Beatles came to prominence. Young American men were being enlisted into the armed forces (Chiron) to fight in a cause that gave testament to the words disillusioned ideals (Neptune). The cause in question was not only unjust but morally unacceptable — the Vietnam War. Bands such as the Beatles offered an antidote, or a form of escapism (Neptune), to these inexplicable circumstances (Neptune’s transit of Scorpio).

Back in the sixties Chiron in Pisces created a dichotomy of ideals because humankind witnessed a growing confluence where imperialism, religiousbased fanaticisms and incorporealism surfed the same Neptunian wave. In effect, the trine aspect provided the hope that a new global talent would be found in response to the hate that has widely existed for millennia — that talent was love. How then does this all equate to today? Mostly, we are faced with the same dilemmas and problems that we did back in the sixties, but if anything mankind has become ever more disillusioned. This could be the result of the recent conjunction between Chiron and Neptune and traditionally the influence of the conjunction is far greater than the trine.

Chiron in Pisces signifies the hippie movement that was born in the 1960s. Today, there is an elite new age hippie movement gathering across the world born from the current transit of Chiron in Pisces and its recent conjunction to Neptune. Their purpose is to consolidate Peace, Love and Hope within our troubled world, just as the flower-power era healed the terrors of two world wars.

Moreover, Chiron in Pisces is telling us that we have the ability to think our way out of the evolutionary despair and hence to attain collective self-mastery. But are we going to listen? We cannot deny that the changes occurring today are not dissimilar to those of  the 1960s; if we look around the globe we will see the same dichotomy of ideals ever-present. Imperialism, religious-based fanaticisms and incorporeal pursuits are all surfing the sameNeptunian wave; but the only difference being that the intensity and the size of the wave has increased exponentially, which is partly due to Neptune’s transit of Pisces. We are on the verge of drowning in this Neptunian tidal wave because we are still not thinking logically, clearly or responsibly.

The psycho-spiritual cycle of illusion that began in the sixties will now begin to culminate reaching a climax under the influence of this current transit of Chiron. The big question is — will Chiron continue to mire the Neptunian illusion which is already prevalent and emanated from the 1960s, or will Chiron transcend our ability to perceive the difference between right and wrong and help us gain an advantage in the art of self-mastery? Only time will tell! However, as always, the choice is ours.

Chiron’s transit of Pisces marks a significant time in our evolution, because it is bringing to the surface of a fathomless ocean the idea that life is not all about death and destruction. That the madness of war and suffering is merely a foul sore on the heel of mankind and should be passed by in favour of better things.

In addition, Chiron in Pisces is a reminder that sensitivity can be a doorway to awareness rather than an escape route from responsibility. It marks a period when vulnerability rises closer to the surface. The challenge posed by this transit is to be more open to recognizing suffering without becoming identified as victims. Victims are helpless subjects of forces beyond their control, which leaves them powerless. Recognising that the human condition includes both joy and suffering enables us to experience the full spectrum of emotions without blaming ourselves and others — self-mastery.

A Final Word…

Unfortunately, there are no solutions at the physical level to the problems that we continue to endure upon this planet. The answers will only transpire when we change our way of thinking. In order to save ourselves and our planet Earth before it’s too late, we need to learn to think from the heart-mind as opposed to the head-mind. The issues of despair and degradation that are prevalent throughout the world are occurring because of the consequences created by the way we think. In essence, we have forgotten our spiritual heritage and therefore we have disassociated ourselves from the divine.

 

Chart Data:

Chart 1, Chiron discovery date, 1st November 1977, 12:00 GMT, London, Placidus system, true Node.

Chart 2, Chiron transit of Pisces, 23rd January 1961, 16:00 GMT, London. Placidus system, true Node.

References

1. All number equations are taken from Cheiro’s Book of Numbers page 118. Cheiro, real name William John Warner, was a twentieth century psychic and clairvoyant who became well known for his use of palmistry, astrology, and Chaldean numerology.

2. This hypothesis is one that I am currently proposing in Wanda Sellar’s Astrology and Medicine Newsletter. As a practising medical astrologer it is my belief that the combined influence of Saturn, Chiron and Uranus especially when found in tense aspect in the chart, can often determine the presence/ onset of Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the Moon/Saturn polarity and its influence on the chart also needs careful consideration in this particular area of medical expertise. Dementia suppresses the short-term memory, meaning that sufferers become more often than not trapped in the familiar long-term memory, hence the past.

3. The symbolic representation of the Yin/Yang energy becomes particularly effective during Chiron’s psychoanalytic healing sessions — a method of treating mental disturbances. Imagine that the Yin energy (left side-left brain) signifies the planet Saturn, and the Yang energy (right side-right brain) signifies the planet Uranus. Chiron could be interpreted as the eyes or emblematic points of the conjoining Yin-Yang energy; these points would denote its unusual orbit as it intersects Saturn and Uranus.

4. Carl Jung said “the key to self-mastery lies in our ability to dissect, analyse and process the potential creative elements that are anchored in the cerebrospinal system.”

5. Information source Wikipedia.

Biography:

Alan R. Wheatcroft graduated from university with a BA in psychology and has become a psychologist working with individuals who have mental health problems and prison convictions. Alan is also a practicing astrologer being versed in Traditional and Vedic astrology. He lives in the UK and is often invited to speak at business venues and colleges; his talks often exemplify the changing face of humanity. Alan has written countless articles, which have been published throughout the professional and popular media.