Hello, everyone! Javier here, welcome to The Orrery, the editorial dedicated to Astrology, the Occult and all things magical. As you might know, this Saturday, March 20th, marks the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere and the Autumn Equinox in the southern hemisphere. It is also the start of the Aries Season and thus, the beginning of the Astrological Year.

The single most important event during this season will be the Full Moon in Libra next weekend, not only because of the Moon itself, but also, and with particular emphasis, because of Chiron, the Asteroid of the Incurable Wound, which has been in Aries since 2019 and will remain there for the next five years or so. Before I discuss this from an astrological perspective, I'll first give you a quick explanation of what Chiron represents, starting with its name.

Chiron in Mythology

In Greek Mythology, Chiron was a centaur, or rather, THE quintessential centaur. He was the son of the Titan Kronos and the Oceanid Philyra, which made him the half-brother of all major Gods and also immortal. He was fostered by Apollo in his youth and so he learned to rise above the animalistic, lustful and violent nature of his kind, training in bow and arrow, gymnastics, art, civilization, astrology and, most importantly, in healing. In the myths, he was responsible for the invention of herbal medicine and other medical practices. Noble and educated, Chiron was also interested in teaching his wisdom to young boys who eventually became great heroes, such as Achilles, Ajax, Herakles and Perseus, among others. He was also well-respected as an Oracle and likely a master Alchemist.

He died during a conflict between Herakles and the other centaurs, when the hero was forced to shoot arrows poisoned with the blood of the Hydra, slaughtering his foes but also accidentally wounding his old teacher. Although an exceedingly skilled healer, Chiron was unable to heal this wound and the pain was so excruciating that he begged Zeus to relieve him of his immortality so he could rest. Zeus reluctantly agreed and honored him with the Centaurus constellation, not to be confused with Sagittarius, although this sign also represents Chiron.

Astrological significance in this period

So, Chiron is the Wound that cannot be healed, and it represents Pain, Sorrow, Guilt, Shame and Separation, but also the possibilities for self-discovery that they bring, as the Wound is also the Doorway toward the Deepest Self, which means that by confronting our Pain, we grow stronger and wiser, gaining further awareness of ourselves. The Wound remains unhealed because it goes much farther than us to encompass all transgressions and conflagrations of our ancestral history.

This is what we'll have to face during this period: our own personal Pain and the Pain of those we love, in the context of the Pain of the World. During this time, and particular toward the Full Moon, we'll see more and more public outrage for the current and past hurts of the world, all the wars, genocides, invasions, conquests and abuses of power exposed for the entire species to witness and, even harder, to integrate at an individual level, the energy of Aries.

Chiron will put us in front of the mirror for a closer study of the damage our species has caused to the planet, the divisions we've accumulated over time, the hatreds we've fed and held for so long, even beyond our current lifetimes. Don't be shocked if you start seeing people around you experiencing breakdowns of varying intensity, confessing to lies they've said or expounding their darkest secrets almost without warning. Expect it from world leaders too, albeit probably in a different pitch.

Meanwhile, the Moon in Libra will also make us look into the mirror to acknowledge the wounds of others, to see our partners and allow ourselves to be seen by them in full vulnerability, to understand that any form of separation between us, any rift or division, are but illusions, that we're all one and we need each other's company. Be a helper for others, strangers and acquaintances alike; ask for help when you need it. Think of it as a time of release at a massive scale, a time to live in Ubuntu, that wonderful Nguni Bantu word that roughly translates to "Humanity" or, more philosophically:

"I am because we are"