The Meaning of Chiron in Retrograde

Looking at Chiron’s placement in a chart tells me the lifelong wounds of natives and valuable clues that will lead to healing them. It’s this part of the birth chart that takes me, as an intuitive reader, to the core vulnerability of the native. 

But what about Chiron in retrograde? When this celestial body goes retrograde, it brings us opportunities for healing the most profound wounds.

Chiron’s Astrological Profile

Chiron goes retrograde every year for about five months and spends around four years in each zodiac sign. As with all the other celestial bodies, its trajectory doesn’t really change but rather it appears to move backwards from our earthly perspective.  From an astrological perspective, this period opens a healing portal. It connects you to your most profound wounds and helps you heal them. But Chiron alone can’t do the healing for you. It takes active participation on your side to acknowledge your vulnerabilities and make a conscious decision to work on them. 

Chiron was originally considered an asteroid, however, nowadays, it’s viewed as a comet and a minor planet since it has properties of both. Chiron’s orbit is between Uranus and Saturn, the traditional co-rulers of Aquarius. This cosmic placement makes its energy profound but also in a constant need of detachment, which might seem paradoxical until you become familiar with the mythology of Chiron.

Chiron is represented by the centaur, a mythological creature that is half-human and half-horse. Greek mythology is littered with centaurs but Chiron was the most profound and spiritual of them all. He was able to understand pain and seek healing in a way that no other centaur could do and that made Chiron an iconic symbol of self-awareness and vulnerability. 

The most impressive myth involving Chiron is the wound he received from Hercules with an arrow touched by Hydra, which made it impossible to cure. Chiron was immortal so he was condemned to endure the pain for an eternity. Due to his suffering, Chiron became compassionate, and empathetic towards others’ pain.

Eventually, he was able to give up his immortality and die, ending his excruciating pain. As a tribute, Zeus made him a star in the Centaurus constellation.

The placement of this celestial body speaks of the immortal and incurable wound that you may live with and, hopefully, eventually overcome. I see Chiron as karmic too, as some of our wounds may be inherited from our ancestors.

Embrace the Energy this Retrograde

Embracing the energy of this particular retrograde involves a lot of wisdom and maturity. You will not be able to work with Chiron without going through an intense process of self-awareness. And while all astrological aspects require us to know our true nature and manifest it in our lives, Chiron takes everything to the root of this energy and a much deeper level than any other celestial body. Here’s how you can manage and transcend Chiron retrograde in a way that could lead to profound emotional healing…

Be Aware of What Causes You Pain

One of the most important ways to incorporate the energy of Chiron retrograde is by becoming aware of what ails you the most in life. You might feel that this root comes from a mistake you made in your past or the way you managed a complex situation. Or maybe you reacted in an unhealthy manner rather than responding with wisdom and kindness.

Many of our wounds are a blend of our weaknesses and the impact of external events or factors in our lives. A painful breakup or loss can leave scars that never truly heal, but we get used to the pain. Knowing why we experience a certain pain helps us shape our energy in a way that is either healing the trauma or internalizing it healthily so it becomes part of the best version of ourselves.

Pay Attention to Your Spiritual Side

Chiron retrograde works directly with your spiritual nature. Once you identify your wounds or traumas and ideally, you know what caused them, you will need to resort to your spirituality to manage them. This can be an intense, emotional phase as you’d be opening a Pandora’s box of unhealed aspects in your life. Your moral compass and your system of spiritual values will play a big role in understanding your pain and finding the path to healing.

I suggest keeping an open mind regarding new spiritual beliefs during the months of Chiron retrograde. The universe may show you new ideas regarding how to help you on your journey. However, don’t fall for every spiritual idea presented to you. Instead, learn to identify those that deeply resonate with your core values.

Embrace Your Ancestral Energy

Some people believe that we’re born with ancestral baggage. So sometimes, the difficulties we experience aren’t our own but we feel it as if it is. Chiron retrograde gives you the time and wisdom to identify any pain that came to you through your lineage and work on healing it so you don’t pass it onto future generations.

Reconnect with Your True Self

Embracing Chiron’s energy in retrograde (but also when it is direct) can’t be done without embracing your core energy. Know yourself as profoundly as you can and be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing these well will give you the tools you need to work with during your healing process.

Chiron Retrograde Dos and Don’ts

Chiron retrograde can be highly personal, so I hesitate to set ridged guidelines for everyone. However, considering the following dos and don’ts may help you navigate this period in a more peaceful and steady manner. 

Dos

Seek Help to Heal Your Past Traumas

Don’t hesitate to ask for help from specialists like counsellors or spiritual healers to help you navigate your internal challenges. Friends and family can also help support your healing process if you decide to open up and include them in your life at such an intimate level.

Address Unresolved Issues

This is a great time to seek closure and address any unresolved issues or conflicts. If you want to reconnect with a family member for instance, but there are a lot of heavy emotions in between, Chiron retrograde may give you the wisdom to do so in a positive manner. You want to find compromise and solutions for old conflicts so that you can move on with a lighter heart and a more positive energy.

Of course, resolving past conflicts requires all parties involved to be open to cooperating for the greater good. Chiron retrograde touches all of us differently, but it also makes us more patient and kind, which can help align those energies in a more optimistic way.

Use Your Experiences to Help Others

You might think that if you can’t fully heal yourself, how can you help those around you? But the energy of this retrograde helps you identify the red flags that others might miss and offer them good advice to avoid being hurt in the same way you were.

Understanding people and being able to relate to their personal traumas will be easier during this period. The vulnerability in you will recognize the vulnerability in them, and there’s a lot of collective energy to be unlocked during these months.

Indulge in Self-Care Practices

Chiron retrograde may open challenging aspects in your life if you allow it, which makes self-care even more important at this time. Make sure to take time for yourself and avoid becoming overwhelmed. Indulge in your hobbies and interests and perhaps consider discovering some new ones. 

Don’ts 

Close off

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during Chiron retrograde is to go through things alone. Ultimately, if you close off, you’ll alienate your loved ones and perhaps not even find a viable solution in the process. We all need positive energy to help fight our inner demons. And your close friends and family know you the best which is why they can help you find important answers to your dilemmas and understand what the best path is to take for your personal healing.

Turn towards those you trust and love the most and speak your mind and heart. Let them see your vulnerable side and hold your hand as you mend it and see into your divine power.

Give up

Some issues can be overwhelming, especially if you cope with traumas that alter your sense of self. Remember that you always have support from your guides. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, turn to the things that make your heart sing like your favorite hobbies or the company of good friends. Chiron retrograde wants you to come up stronger, wiser, and kinder on the other side of this journey.

Block Things Out

Blocking tough memories might be tempting because that’s much easier than dealing with them. Once you identify your pain and what caused it, you have two options: invest in healing or mentally lock things away. Needless to say, locking things way won’t contribute to your personal growth. So, if you want to get the most out of this retrograde, walk the path of wisdom and healing.

Rush Yourself

I can’t stress this enough but try not to rush yourself. As you become aware of your wounded side, you’ll naturally want to fix it… yesterday! But that isn’t too realistic. Don’t blame yourself if it takes longer to go through this process than you expected. People heal and grow at their own speed, and as long as you don’t give up, you end up being the winner no matter what or when it happens.

Tips for Navigating Chiron Retrograde

Chiron retrograde can be one of the most emotional transits you experience, but not all of them will impact you the same. It depends on your personal journey and how much your past is weighing on you. The older we get, the more important it becomes to work with Chiron retrograde, especially when it happens simultaneously with Saturn’s return, which is another karmic astrological aspect meant to improve our lives.

The most important thing to remember is to stay true to yourself so you can maximize the benefits of this retrograde. Trust your potential, and don’t let your vulnerable side hold you down! You are meant to do great things in this life, and your past traumas have no place in your future. This is the time to reach the healing you need and be proud of how far you’ve come, despite all the heavy stuff you’ve experienced. You can do it!