Living with never-ending suffering is the myth behind Chariklo, wife of Chiron, who was unable to heal himself from a poisoned arrow. Her task as caregiver was to create a sacred inner space more powerful than the endless challenge she faced – to transform the tragedy of her situation into a spiritual connection.
Ben Belinsky in the latest ebook in his Centaur series writes: “The centaurs can be described as strangers or visitors that, from an astrological point of view, bring with them other dimensions of experience and understanding.”
Chiron was the first centaur asteroid to be discovered in 1977, followed Pholus, Nessus, Asbolus and in 1997 Chariklo.
Chiron – wounding and healing.
Nessus – violation and betrayal.
Pholus – mass movements, cults.
Asbolus – augury and divination (from birds).
Chariklo through unbearable situations to eventual transcendence.
[See previous post: Pholus – mobs, madness or inspiration 20th July 2025].Since these are recent discoveries, astrological thoughts are a work in progress. Ben Belinsky gives examples of anonymous caregivers, as well as insights about T.S. Eliot, Doris Lessing, William Butler Yeats, Jean Genet and Amy Winehouse.
While adding more and more points to a chart can seem overwhelming, keeping an open mind and exploring possible new insights is worthwhile. Searching around in my personal archive, two family members who sprang to mind, both self-sacrificing types, did have a prominent Chariko – one conjunct Venus exactly and the other conjunct Neptune opposition Sun exactly.
The Tory politician Norman Tebbit, 29 March 1931, who cared for his injured wife after the Brighton bombing in 1984 had his Jupiter in Cancer exactly conjunct Chariko. He left the government prematurely in 1987 to spend more time with her, and up to her death in 2020 he woke twice every night to turn her. [See previous post: Norman Tebbit – respected even by leftwingers 8th July 2025]
Rosalynn Carter, 18 August 1927, wife of former president Jimmy Carter, founded an Institute for Caregivers and she serendipitously had Chariko conjunct her North Node. [See previous post: Rosalynn Carter – a caring Sun Neptune in Leo. 20th November 2023}.
This is a valuable short book for anyone keen to expand their knowledge of the centaur asteroids at this early stage as understanding of the part they play astrologically continues to develop and evolve.
“I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope
For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love
For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith
But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.”
T.S. Eliot, The Four Quartets.
Available from E-Books – Moonletter and Amazon.
Add On: More thoughts on Chariklo:
https://www.astro.com/astrology/tl_article230307_e.htm
https://www.astro.com/astrowiki/en/Chariklo
Add On: ADD ON: Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK and Jackie, lost her father and uncle Robert Kennedy to assassinations, her brother John Jnr to a plane crash and now one of her daughters to cancer in her thirties.
She was born 27 November 1957 8.15 am New York. She has a 12th house Sagittarius Sun square Pluto which can suggest a father outwith her control , a frequent occurrence with for those with an absent father.
She also has her Aquarius Moon conjunct Chiron opposition an 8th house Uranus square Mars North Node in Scorpio which is fairly heavy duty – and the Moon Chiron does suggest wounding in relation to mother and family. Plus a violent/vengeful Mars in Scorpio next to the North Node could tie her into fateful events in the culture.
What maybe the most significant of all – her Venus is conjunct Chariklo. Living with never-ending suffering is the myth of Chariklo, wife of Chiron, who was unable to heal himself from a poisoned arrow. Her task as caregiver was to create a sacred inner space more powerful than the endless challenge she faced – to transform the tragedy of her situation into a spiritual connection
Marjorie, due to your article on Chariklo, I checked my chart. I was surprised to see it clisely conjunct Venus.
What a wonderful quote by TS Eliot. One astrologer told me many years ago, with tears in her voice, « you are Chiron, sir», because of its central position in my chart. I feel drawn to Chariklo, but so far I see no such connection. Iit appears that it is transiting through Aquarius until 2028. That would bring it opposite my natal Pluto-Moon-Regulus conjunction in a T-Square with natal Saturn conjunct Lilith in Scorpio. Food for thought.
Thank you Marjorie, some beautiful thoughts here.
There’s an article on Chariklo by Andrew Smith on astro.com which shows the rather remarkable ‘discovery’ chart for 15 February 1997 in Tuscon, Arizona. Chariklo at 6 Leo is part of a Grand Hexagram or Star of David all in Air and Fire. The Saturn at 5 Aries is poised for its return now, while the Aquarian stellium in the chart will see Pluto’s journey through the sign. Tr Neptune and Uranus will, of course, also be important. Interesting to see how this might reflect on the upcoming air and fire era we’re entering now. The article also says:
“Named two and a half years after her discovery, her name literally means Graceful spinner, which has generated some key words for her astrological profile, including the bestowing of grace and to untangle the knots created by karma within our terrestrial psyches.”
Just to add – someone close to me had developed two chronic conditions over the course of many years. I tried to help as much as I could in a number of ways, more as time passed. Our humorous relationship helped, almost until the final sad and challenging years. I was amazed to see this:
Her Moon conjunct Venus exactly conjunct my Chariklo, trine my Mercury
Her Sun conjunct Chariklo exactly conjunct my natal Moon trine Venus
Interesting Jane. It turns out my Chariklo is in Aquarius in the 6th, exactly conjunct my husband’s Sun. His Chiron is conjunct my stellium in Scorpio, My Chiron is opposite his Virgo Mars. It’s been a healing relationship for both of us.
V r twins wven in pairs 🙂
I have an uncle with chiron in 1h so he ended up becoming a doctor but till date all he asks for is prayers for his health…born frail, had to fed eggs which our culture doesn’t permit…somehow he survived yet chariklo is different as despite all his charity etc it’s a profession while chariklo is without any returns and such love i m.umable to understand..how does a human not get fed up?