This Part Of Your Birth Chart Reveals How You Heal From Pain

When it comes to our birth charts, the planets in astrology are often thought of as the most valuable players. But as astronomical discoveries evolve, so does the practice of astrology itself — meaning that the sun, moon, and other major planets aren’t the only significant celestial bodies that comprise our unique cosmic profile anymore. The minor planet Chiron has become a fixture in modern-day astrology. Often known as astrology’s “wounded healer,” Chiron represents our deepest wounds and our ability to turn that pain into healing.

Much like the asteroids in astrology (which were discovered in the 1800s and didn’t become popular in astrology until the 1970s), Chiron was discovered in 1977, making it a relatively recent addition to the astrological canon. As such, Chiron isn’t used in traditional astrology — but it’s becoming more common and accepted in the modern-day practice. Many astrologers today track Chiron’s movements through the zodiac while writing horoscopes or interpreting birth charts, just as they would do with any other planet.

When Chiron was first discovered, it was believed to be a distant asteroid, but it was later classified as a comet and minor planet, also known as a dwarf planet or planetoid. Regardless of what you want you want to call it, this small but mighty celestial body is a symbol of both pain and healing in our birth charts. Read on to find out what Chiron means in astrology.

How To Calculate Your Chiron Sign

Chiron takes about 50 years to cycle through the entire zodiac, meaning it spends approximately four years in each sign. In order to calculate your Chiron sign, you'll need to use your exact birth date and year. You can look up Chiron’s location in the zodiac on the date and year of your birth in an online Chiron transit table or calculator. But your astrological birth chart will almost always tell you your Chiron sign, too — so dig up your exact birth time and consult a professional astrologer to get the dish, or use an online birth chart calculator or astrology chart app to figure it out at home.

Chiron Represents Pain & Healing In Astrology

Chiron is named after a centaur in Greek mythology who was famed for his teaching and healing abilities. Ironically, even with all his wisdom and healing power, Chiron could not heal himself from the wound of a poison arrow, which caused him chronic pain — that’s where the comet’s nickname “wounded healer” is derived from. Just its namesake’s mythology alludes to, Chiron represents the deep sources of pain, suffering, and wounding in our life. It’s our soft spot; the part of us that feels wounded, sensitive, and vulnerable.

But Chiron isn’t just about pain. This minor planet also represents the great potential we have to heal ourselves others through our own painful experiences and turn them into spiritual growth. Ultimately, Chiron in astrology shows us how to learn from our pain and use it as a source of strength. It teaches us that our deepest and most sensitive wounds can actually be a bridge to the most profound forms of healing — for ourselves and for others. Going through difficult things and overcoming them can often make us more sympathetic, and that’s what Chiron is all about. It symbolizes our ability turn our pain into power.

What You Can Learn From Your Chiron Sign

Chiron in our birth charts can show us the source of deep pain in our lives, but it also reveals our cosmic healing power. When Chiron gets activated in your chart (such as when it forms significant aspects with other planets), it can be triggering, as we may be forced to face heartbreaks and sorrows within ourselves. But these wounds are also a gift, because they teach us how to heal. Our most intense struggles often bring the greatest opportunities for growth and healing, and Chiron’s placement in your birth chart can help you identify yours.

Your Chiron sign — the zodiac sign that Chiron was in at the time of your birth — can show you the area of your life where you can turn pain into healing power. You may find that the zodiac sign and astrological house where Chiron resides in your birth chart indicates an area where you’re extra sensitive or experience struggles or trauma in the past. By committing to healing that part of yourself, that same energy can help you overcome your pain and help to bring peace and growth to others, too. Embracing your Chiron sign qualities can show you the path to your greatest strengths as a healer.

Learning about the zodiacal placement of the planets and other celestial bodies in your birth chart can help you learn more about the many pieces of you — and in the case of Chiron, it'll shed a whole new light on how to heal.