In the pages of Greek Mythology, you’ll discover the mythic Centaurs cantering across the page. In these tales, they were a tribe of half-man, half-horse beings who inhabited the mountains and forests of Thessaly. There, they created their homes in caves. They hunted wild animals for food and armed themselves with rocks and tree branches, one with nature.
In some myths, the Centaurs are described as drawing the careening chariot of the God Dionysus. In other stories, they are ridden by Eros, the God of Love. In both of these stories, they are associated with figures of the divine wild and feral magicians. They were considered the embodiment of lawlessness and wildness, woven together.
From these legends, one Centaur’s story stands out from the others. He is known as Chiron. Chiron was blessed with immortality and served as an astronomer, doctor, prophet, and wisdom keeper. Born from Cronus, Chiron was effectively orphaned and found by the God Apollo, who fostered Chiron. Under Apollo’s tutelage, Chiron learned music, archery, medicine, and prophecy, and Apollo’s twin sister Artemis, the huntress, taught him archery and hunting.
Chiron is considered one of the great healers, astrologers, and oracles of mythology, and among his students are the cultural heroes: Asclepius (the God of Medicine), Aristaeus, Actaeon, Achilles, Jason, and Medus. Chiron is also connected with the story of the Argonauts.
According to myth, Chiron was accidentally wounded by an arrow coated in the poison blood of the mythic beast, the Hydra, by the hero Heracles. The wound could not be cured. However, because Chiron was blessed with immortality, he could not die. This is how Chiron received the epithet of “the wounded healer.”
In astrology, the minor planet Chiron represents a place in the birth chart where there is both a wound and a gift and an opportunity for wisdom through the alchemy of the pain.
Messages from the Centaurs
When the Centaurs appear, what is the message?
Embrace Your Wild: When you come face to face with the myth of the Centaurs, embrace your wildness. Gallop through the forests, practice moving your body, and investigate what the word “feral” means to you. They are associated with both Eros and Dionysus. Read more about their divine rituals and gatherings late into the night.
Connect to the Archetype of the Wounded Healer: Chiron has been gifted the name of the wounded healer. When Chiron appears, it’s time to consider what this phrase means to you. How can you alchemize your experience and transform your past to be a gift to others in your community? Your experiences make you who you are, allowing you to teach from a well of deep compassion. For further insight, see what sign and house Chiron occupies in your birth chart.
Stand in Your Power: The Centaurs and Chiron are great examples of standing in your power. With the prowess of both horses and humans, they are uniquely themselves and lead by example. Who you are is a gift, strange and wonderful. When the Centaurs appear, how can you claim this power for yourself?
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