If you've explored the world of astrology even a little bit, you've probably heard the name Chiron thrown around at least once or twice. So what does Chiron mean in astrology? Who is he? He represents the Wounded Healer. In other words, that healer who dives head-first into their pain and finds their greatest gifts. To get a better understanding of what exactly this means, let's touch on Chiron's story in Greek mythology.
Who is Chiron in Greek Mythology?
In the stories of Greek mythology, Chiron is a centaur: half man and half-horse. With this information alone, we see that Chiron doesn't quite fit into society and his appearance leaves him feeling like an outcast. His differences are visible and on display for the world to see.
Instead of running from his pain or using it as an excuse to hurt others, he uses his pain as a reason to be kind to others. He spends much of his life working as a healer, a teacher, and a mentor to those in need, including heroes such as Hercules. During this time, Hercules accidentally injures Chiron (oops!) and it proves to be too much for his healing powers to fix.
After learning he'd have to live with this intense pain for all of eternity, he could have taken on a victim-based, woe-is-me-type attitude, but what good would that do? It wouldn't change anything at all.
Instead, he recognizes his situation and uses it to help free Prometheus from being chained to a cliff (that's a long story for another time). He agrees to take Prometheus' place for eternity since he is suffering anyways and uses his pain to deepen his empathy, compassion, and capacity to help others. This is the journey of the Wounded Healer, and the journey of Chiron.
What Does Chiron Mean in Astrology?: The Wounded Healer
So what does Chiron mean in astrology? What does Chiron's story mean for us? In the natal chart, Chiron shows us where our wounds and traumas are. In the context of evolutionary astrology, these are wounds from past lives that we're born into this life with. We can't necessarily heal these wounds. They're not something to fix or something that's wrong with us either. Chiron is a lifelong (or lives-long) healing journey.
Instead, our wounds are something to look into, ponder, and learn from. Chiron is asking you "what is this wound trying to teach me and what unique gifts does this wound give me when it comes to helping other people?".
A recovered addict, for example, may never let go of their desire to dive back into their addiction, but they've walked through the fire and have a unique capacity to help other addicts on their healing journey.
The individual who feels severed from their community has a unique want and focus on helping others not feel so alone.
The neglected child can transform their pain into being a nurturing and loving parent that makes sure their child is loved and care for.
You get the point here. Chiron empowers us--he shows us that our shadows, our traumas, our hurt, and whatever has kept us up crying at night or feeling less than is also a gift. It helps us heal others if we're willing to heal ourselves.
How to Find Chiron in the Natal Chart
Finding out your Chiron placement is as simple as clicking a few buttons. Simply:
1. Go to Astro.com/cgi/genchart.cgi
2. Sign into your account or enter your birth data to create an account.
3. For 'House System', select 'Whole Signs'.
4. Click 'Show the Chart'.
Chiron is the symbol that looks like a key. You'll see the house placement on the inner part of the circle and the sign on the outer part of the circle. In my birth chart here, we can see that Chiron is in the 11th house in Virgo, for example.
Chiron through the Signs
The astrological sign that Chiron is in tells us a lot about the wound we're working on transforming in this lifetime. Here I'll touch on the general challenges, potential past-life traumas, and steps to move forward for Chiron in each sign.
Chiron in Aries: Who Am I?
When it comes to Chiron in Aries, we often see a person who struggles with their sense of self. This could mean a low sense of self-worth, somebody who doesn't believe in themselves or their ability to take up space, or even somebody who has no ambition or no sense of what they want.
In past lives, it's possible that you weren't fully able to fully be yourself, whether as a result of the society you lived in or your obligations. You could have also been shamed for who you were and, as a result, gave up your sense of self to avoid negative attention. You may have had to overcome physical challenges, illnesses, or injuries that prevented you from fully stepping into your power.
The lesson here is to find out who you are. It's okay to be a little selfish in this life--knowing yourself better will only bring you to a place where you're more able to help those around you. Take practical steps to figure out WHO you are, WHAT you want, and WHERE you stand in this world.
Chiron in Taurus: What Do I Value?
With Chiron in Taurus, we see wounds and trauma related to money and security. Perhaps you have an aversion to money and stability in this life, a spending problem, or a feeling that you never have enough or are never safe.
In a past life, it's possible that you mistook wealth for safety and security. Maybe you dedicated your life to amassing wealth and possessions and lost it all. Or perhaps this focus led you to do some not-so-great things. Alternatively, maybe you were never wealthy and struggled with poverty and a feeling of never having enough.
The lesson in this life is to learn when enough is enough and to create a stable life for yourself. It's also to find balance and develop a strong value system that ensures you feel safe and secure, but that you're not causing harm to yourself or others in the pursuit of money and possessions that will never fully fulfill you.
Chiron in Gemini: How Can I Communicate?
Individuals with Chiron in Gemini might feel like they're not on the same level as those around them when it comes to intellect and communication. This doesn't mean you're unintelligent--not at all. There could simply be a disconnect between inner and outer dialogue, or something like a language barrier. It could also signify someone who "feels" their way through life, for example, but lives in a "modern" type of society that values verbal communication.
In a past life, you might have felt ignored or like your ideas didn't matter. Maybe you had something important to say, but not the right people to say it to, or maybe you were made fun of for thinking differently or outside of the box.
In this life, it's important to speak your mind and share your ideas even if you're afraid that people won't understand or will laugh. You have something important to say and your voice is a muscle you must work out in this life (clear that throat chakra baby!). Start small--find some friends you trust and work on speaking your mind more, or write it down first to help you clear your head.
Chiron in Cancer: Where is My Family?
Chiron in Cancer is a tricky one that can make an individual feel heartbroken due to a sense of abandonment or not being loved. This can cause the person to shut down and put up a hard shell that prevents others from getting in.
In past lives, it's possible that the individual with Chiron in Cancer was abandoned or neglected by their family or people they loved and trusted with all of our hearts. These abandonments could have been intentional or unintentional, such as an unexpected death or even something like an abduction where the family tried but weren't able to keep the individual safe.
In this life, the Chiron in Cancer person must learn how to overcome this abandonment wound by finding a stable family system. You must find your people and learn to trust again. This can mean having children (or getting a pet) and being the parent you never had, or giving that love and protection to your community.
Chiron in Leo: Where is My Creative Fire?
Chiron in Leo individuals have a desire to share their creativity and often have a lot of talent, but are too shy or have too much self-doubt to let themselves shine out into the world. They often crave recognition and the ability to fully be themselves, but feel held back for one reason or another.
It's possible that a Chiron in Leo individual lived a past life where they didn't feel special. Maybe your siblings or classmates shined while you just blended into the background, craving recognition. Maybe you had special talents or a gift to share with the world, but were made to feel like you weren't special.
In this life, you need to step into the fear and shine despite what others might say. You ARE special and you need to realize just how special you are in this life so that others can see it too.
Chiron in Virgo: How Can I Accept Imperfection?
Chiron in Virgo typically manifests as the individual feeling like they're never good enough. They might feel a continuous need to keep working on themselves in order to reach perfection, despite knowing it's unattainable, and even feel embarrassed to present themselves or their work to the world because of this. There's a huge tendency to feel like something is wrong with who they are.
In a past life, Chiron in Virgo people may have felt a lack of control. Now, you compensate for that by being overly controlling and nitpicking every detail related to the part of the chart Chiron lies in. You could have made a big move or brought something to the world, only to have it backfire or not have the intended effect.
In this life, Chiron in Virgo people need to find a balance between being present and being perfect. Yes, details and efficiency are important and we should be working to better ourselves, but we're all perfectly imperfect. Recognizing that everyone is struggling with something can help you make your standards more realistic.
Chiron in Libra: How Can I Be Whole?
Those with Chiron in the sign of Libra, might feel like they get swallowed up in the shadow of others. The desire to be liked and accepted can be so strong that they change themselves completely to fit the picture of what others want them to be. It can also be quite lonely, with the Chiron in Libra person feeling a strong need for a romantic partner and somebody to live out their days with, but having difficulty achieving this.
In a past life, the Chiron in Libra person likely experienced relationship-related trauma or heartache. Perhaps you were cheated on or had your heart broken. Either way, in this life, Chiron in Libra people are desperate to not be left alone again and often feel they would do anything for partnership.
Your lesson is to learn that being yourself, and being confident in who you are, is the best way to attract a solid, lifelong partner that will "complete" you. Anyone who requires you to change is not worth your time and will likely have you living out the same relationship trauma over and over again.
Chiron in Scorpio: How Can I Trust and Let Go of Control?
In line with Scorpio's typical characteristics, Chiron in Scorpio can be quite an intense placement to have. Oftentimes, these people have a hard time trusting anyone and can be quite suspicious--of everything. They're often closed off and unwilling to let anybody in. This placement can get lonely, because they often feel like nobody understands their feelings and also have a hard time of letting go of their feelings, leading to bitterness.
This placement likely comes from trauma in a past life in which you were betrayed in some way--this often involves the type of betrayal that completely blindsided you and made you question your reality. This could have been a betrayal by somebody who you deeply trusted, like a life partner, parent, or child, and one that left you feeling completely powerless.
In this life, Chiron in Scorpio people must learn to trust again and to let go of control. This can be a slow process, but ultimately it will lead to beautiful things, deep and authentic relationships, and the transformative, Phoenix-rising energy that Scorpio rewards those who can handle its depths.
Chiron in Sagittarius: Where Can I Find Faith?
In my personal opinion, Chiron in Sagittarius can be one of the most challenging placements. These individuals often have little faith in life, are wary of being optimistic (although they desperately want to be), and believe themselves to be unlucky. They might struggle to find meaning in their lives or feel connected to a higher purpose.
In a past life, it's possible that your world view was turned around. You could have seen too much too fast and not been able to process it all, leaving you feeling hopeless. Or perhaps the death of someone close to you or a traumatic event left you wondering what kind of God you were believing in.
Now, your work is to learn to have faith again. But what does that mean? That's for you to find out and define for yourself! Find something that makes you feel purpose in your life when you wake up in the morning, whether it's a community, a career, a philosophy, a religion, or a dream. Explore and stick with what feels right.
Chiron in Capricorn: How Can I Find Approval in Myself?
Capricorn is typically a sign that could take or leave approval--they're doing what they've gotta do and whatever people are saying is just noise in the background. However, when the wound is in Capricorn, it leaves the individual seeking approval from others. Those with this placement might feel like nothing they ever do is enough and like their contributions to society, their families, or their career aren't valued.
This feeling likely comes from not being appreciated in a past life. Maybe you dedicated your life to a cause and went unnoticed, or maybe you put your head down and worked hard everyday but were treated with disrespect for societal or other reasons. It's also possible that you put all your time and resources toward something that didn't pan out and left you feeling ashamed.
Now your work is to find something meaningful to work toward and find that approval in yourself. This isn't an easy task and you don't need to do it alone! Going to therapy can help you work through these complex emotions and gain more confidence, as can challenging yourself to do small, hard things that build your confidence over time.
Chiron in Aquarius: Where Can I Find Belonging?
People with Chiron in Aquarius can often feel as if they don't belong. They feel different in some way or are otherwise convinced that they're either not welcome or not liked in social settings. There are very big feeling-like-an-outsider vibes related to this placement, which can lead to loneliness and isolation.
In a past life, it's possible that your were outcast or shunned from your community or a group you belonged too, often because you decided to think for yourself or had ideas that challenged the status quo. Even though you may have chosen your freedom over submitting to the group's authority, the pain of being rejected and unwanted still exists.
Your true power in this life lies in seeing that your uniqueness and independence are what make you a great person to have as a friend and in a community, not the opposite. This requires building confidence in your skills and ideas, which can take time. Start small by exercising your social muscles with close friends you feel comfortable with or small events where you can meet likeminded people.
Chiron in Pisces: How Can I See Myself in Others?
Individuals with Chiron in Pisces can be so zoomed into their own ego and struggles in life that they can't see the bigger picture of how everything is connected. They might feel hurt because they feel that life is unfair. They fail to see how their pain and their situation might lead them to a greater purpose that serves the collective in some way.
In the past, you might have had to establish strong boundaries with another person or people that left you feeling closed off and disconnected from the whole. Alternatively, you might have been shamed for your spiritual beliefs and compensated by focusing too much on the physical aspects of life.
Now, you work is to find faith in the world once again. You need to zoom out and see the bigger picture--we don't know what's going to happen in life, but we can feel into the beauty while we're here. Be sure to spend lots of time by water, meditating, and giving your feelings space to move and breathe.
Final Thoughts
Remember that astrology isn't a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. There are numerous ways that these energies could play out and this is meant to be more of a guide than a cut-and-dry prescription. Now that we've answered the question "what does Chiron mean in astrology?", I recommend taking time to think about, meditate on, or journal about your Chiron placement and see the way it plays out in your own life.
If you want to get even more personal, head on over to my booking page and schedule a reading where we can dive more into your specific birth chart.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health resources.