The Wounded Healer Rides the Dragon – February 19
Photo by Matt Jones on Unsplash
He was abandoned by his father the moment he was conceived and by his mother right after he was born. Worse still, his mother, aghast at what she perceived as his monstrous body, feverishly prayed to the gods to transform her into a tree, opting to live the rest of her life as a linden tree, eyeless, so she wouldn’t have to look at what came out of her womb. The newborn, a hybrid of a horse and a human, frightened and alone, crawled under the tree for protection, yearning for some warmth, nurturing, perhaps a hug? Alas, while one can hug trees, a tree, even if so inclined, cannot hug back. Fortunately for the young centaur, Apollo, who sees all that transpires under the sun, and his twin sister, Artemis, who senses all that takes place under the moon’s glow, witnessed the unfortunate creature crying for his unresponsive mother.
Apollo, the god of prophecy and healing, could see that this fragile creature would one day become the greatest healer the world would know. Deciding with his sister to adopt the little centaur, they named him Chiron. While he boasted four horse legs, he also had two human hands that eventually allowed him to become a celebrated musician and surgeon. In fact, in many languages even to this day, surgeons are named after him.
Apollo’s predictions became reality, as they often do, and Chiron grew to be the mentor of celebrated heroes the of like Achilles and his lover Patroclus, Hercules, Ajax, Jason, to name a few. However, a victim of what today we would call “friendly fire,” he was injured by a sword dipped in poison which had no antidote. Beloved by the gods, who even they could not heal his wound, Chiron was granted immortality. At that moment, a new archetype was forged – the Wounded Healer – someone who can heal everyone but not themselves. Furthermore, in the search for their impossible healing, the Wounded Healer explores different healing modalities, that while failing to cure them, become powerful medicine they use to heal others. In addition, it was their wound that granted them immortality.
Why am I telling you a true story that never happened? Because this archetype, Chiron, represented by an asteroid that orbits between Uranus (modern ruler of Aquarius) and Saturn (traditional ruler of Aquarius), will conjunct the North Node for the first time since 2008 on Feb 19. To make the story more dramatic, this takes place right when the divine lovers, Mars and Venus, conjunct in Aquarius. To learn how this conjunction works with your sign, scroll below.
The North Node, or the Head of the Dragon, represents the steering wheel of Karma. While the South Node is karma we accumulated from previous lives, the North Node symbolizes what we must master in this life, based on what we have learned in past lifetimes. Therefore, the North Node gives you the ability to navigate towards a better future, overcome fate, and open your horizons to new possibilities. Since the North Node is now in Aries (July 2023 – Jan 2025), we are collectively learning the lessons of Aries, encapsulated by the keyword: “I AM.” The last time the North Node and Chiron were conjunct in Aries was in 1969.
Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war, but also of planting, seeds, and new beginnings. And indeed, Chiron was the mentor of warriors. The conjunction of the North Node and Chiron in Aries affords us a powerful opportunity to heal our bodies, identity, sense of self, the direction we take in life, our image, branding, and how we perceive ourselves as well as how others see us. In addition, Chiron can point at a karmic wound or trauma you might be carrying with you genetically or through your epigenetics, that while is hard to heal, can make you immortal, as in, remembered after you leave this lifetime.
On Feb 19, we also have Mars and Venus coming together. This is great news for lovers or soon-to-be lovers. This could mean that some of the wounds that must be healed have to do with balancing our masculine (Mars) and feminine (Venus) sides, bringing into harmony action and reception.
I also dare say, and I hope I speak with Apollo’s guidance, that many of us singles might find some seed of a new relationship formulating either with someone we know from a past life or with a new version of ourselves that is healthier, happier, and whole.
Ritual: on Feb 19, put into writing on a piece of paper (not a word document, please), whatever is your current discomfort or pain, whatever it may be – physical, mental, or emotional. Then, at night, when you can see the stars (even if it is cloudy, no worries, the constellations are behind), burn your note in a safe place, and as you see the smoke rises, imagine how it carries the pain to the night sky, like Chiron, becoming a constellation, shining a new path for you to navigate toward your true self and new identity.
And what happened with Chiron you ask? Well, being the healer he was, the adopted son of Apollo and Artemis, true to his nature, he sacrificed his immortality to free Prometheus, creator of humanity, who was punished by Zeus for giving us the fire of creation. The gods were moved by Chiron final act of selflessness, and made him a constellation, gaining a new form of immortality, free of his perpetuate pain, in liberty to guide us from the starry heavens.
Aries: You will experience this conjunction in all aspects of your life since this powerful alignment takes place under your sign. Pay extra attention to physical wounds.
Taurus: Key word here is karma as this conjunction awakens memories from previous lives, as well as dealing with issues of abandonment, addictions, hospitals, confinements, or whatever cages and confines you. It is time for liberation.
Gemini: It is a time to look into how your friends, company, even government hinders or furthers your sense of identity. Some of your friends or collogues might be going through a hard time or you might feel abandoned by some of your assosiates.
Cancer: Career is at the fort and center now. A change is coming in your professional life, or with how you lead and manage other people in your work. There could be some challenges with a figure of authority.
Leo: This is your time to become a teacher, a mentor, and teach what you have learned or learn what you wish to teach. There could be a calling to relocate to a different country.
Virgo: you might be called to heal or act as a therapist to someone around you. your shamanistic qualities are heightened and you gain access to hidden matters. A great time to heal sexual or intimacy issues.
Libra: There could be some old wounds around relationships to resurface and an opportune time to heal them. Partnerships at work and in life are pushed into center stage.
Scorpio: Pay extra attention to the way you eat, serve, work, and treat coworkers. There could be some physical wounds resurfacing and in need of healing (especially through diet).
Sagittarius: Chiron is a fellow Centaur and his story is yours. This is a time to claim your mentor mantle and assume your place among the gurus and teachers. A great time for love and healing your relationship with your children.
Capricorn: This is a time for looking into ancestral traumas and healing old familial feuds and wounds. There might be a family member going through some sickness and in need of your healing.
Aquarius: your words can carry a great deal of healing to yourself and others. Especially pay attention to relatives, neighbors and roommates as they might need your healing. It is a time to communicate your worth and market your talents.
Pisces: A great time to heal your insecurities and reconnect to old talents and gifts that might have been squashed by someone in the past.
