Chiron has varied labels: an asteroid, a minor planet, a comet, a centaur, a planetoid, and a dwarf planet. It has an eccentric orbit located between Saturn and Uranus. Some astrologers say that it is the ruler of the sign Virgo, and believe that it has as much influence over us as do the planets.

The symbolism of Chiron is that of the wounded healer. In Greek mythology, Chiron was an illegitimate centaur whose mother was a sea nymph. He is considered of both earth and sea, and as a centaur, a combination of both human and animal. Chiron not only carried an emotional wound, but also a physical one, incurred by accident when he dropped a poisoned arrow (that he intended to hand to his student, Hercules) and it struck his ankle. The story goes that he gained an immense amount of knowledge through his studies and became a well-respected teacher who taught others how to master their destinies and how to heal from their wounds.

The placement of Chiron in a person’s chart shows where he or she feels different from everyone else. It tells the area of life that a person needs to master (and heal) in order to find true happiness. Wherever Chiron is located in a chart usually indicates the area of a persons’ life in which they have to make amends. It’s their sore spot. For example, if Chiron falls in the second house, financial situations hurt the person. If it is in his or her third house, he or she is burdened by the annoyance of listening to meaningless conversations and by daily routine. If Chiron is in the seventh house, he or she is stifled by certain partnerships.