“Let Sun-Chi brew as you work on tonight’s article,” Eric typed on Tuesday. He was referring to the Sun-Chiron conjunction, exact on Friday. You can think of that event as the capstone to this last week, which has involved the Sun’s ingress of Pisces and Tuesday’s New Moon situated midway between Neptune and Chiron.
I quipped, “Is Sun-Chi the spiced version of Sun tea?” (That’s when you put tea bags in a glass jug of water and let the sunlight brew it for iced tea.) “Get it?” I continued. “Like Sun Chai? Oooh – or maybe more like ‘Sun Qi?!” And wouldn’t you know it, there was more to my bad puns than I thought. He replied, “It would not be as funny if it didn’t describe the astrology perfectly. ‘Spicy Sun’ is Sun-Chiron in Pisces. And then Sun Qi/Chi is even better: Chiron is focusing the vital force of the Sun.”
Let’s rewind a bit. Today and for the next few days, the Sun is conjunct a minor planet called Chiron. Discovered in 1977, Chiron was the first discovery in the centaur class — a group of planets whose members are named for the morph of human and horse from ancient Greek myth. They all have unusual orbits; they’re fairly small (asteroid sized) though Chiron has the distinction of being a very large comet that takes 51 years to go round the Sun.
Chiron is the embodiment of seeming contradictions: man and animal, man and immortal, a doctor and a mentor to a generation of Greek heroes (Achilles, Jason and Heracles among them), an immortal who sustained a mortal wound in battle — and who in the process of healing it, developed numerous remedies and cures that benefited mankind. He was taught medicine by Apollo, and in turn taught the art to the god of medicine, Asclepius. Over the years, astrologers have translated elements of the myth, data about how the planet’s orbit works and information from clients into a delineation of Chiron in astrology charts.
One thing to know about Chiron in any configuration is that it grants a distinction of some kind. Chiron’s first keyword was maverick, given by its discoverer, Charles Kowal, an eminent astronomer (not an astrologer) who just died last November. Where there is Chiron, something is unusual, or stands out, or must be itself in some bold way — that, or in not doing so it stands out in a negative way.
That pair of puns we came up with is an easy way into the aspect — spicy Sun and the focusing power of Chiron to gather its Qi. Chiron-spiced Sun speaks to intensified vitality, though often there was an initial compromise, such as a childhood injury or illness. How we handled that determines how spicy the Sun Chai is. If the injury was not handled well, maybe the intensity is strong, and it may feel uncomfortable or overwhelming. It may act as an irritant but one that gets us to notice where we’re struggling. Sun-Qi brings to mind the idea that life force is always flowing, always available to us -– but that it often takes some sort of focusing act or agent (such as T’ai Chi, a healing art, or any other discipline) to be able to access and use it creatively.
Sun conjunct Chiron in Pisces, on one level, speaks to the common perception of men as being ‘so wounded’: that allegedly, they’re emotionally unavailable, cannot process emotion, can’t be a man if they can’t get a hard-on (or that’s all they can get), or that they aren’t in contact with their feminine side. These ideas are often tossed around casually and deeply influence the self-image of sensitive men and indeed the rest of them as well. Some rise above the conflict and stand in their true solar power. Others act out a sense of injury or victimhood in a way that can strain for a productive purpose. For everyone, this is a deep question of their inner identity and contact with their creative strength. For men there is a special focus on their masculinity, and questions about that are big business for advertisers (a business that would fall mostly under the spell of Pisces, as an illusory art).
If you’re a woman, the question includes how you relate to your father — and subsequently other men — in a world where these perceptions run rampant. Also included is the question of how all of us relate to our creative drive, our sense of initiative and self-direction. Where do you locate that? If you have not been locating it in yourself, this Sun-Chiron conjunction in Pisces may call your attention to that, in ways that may be gentle, elegant, compelling or jarring.
Adam Gainsburg, author of Chiron: The Wisdom of a Deeply Open Heart, put it this way in an email this week: “Our image, identity or persona starts rumbling from inside. It’s no earthquake, but the structural tremors caused by the shake-up to the protections we’ve placed around our heart.” He notes that, in particular, people with sensitive points in the first ten degrees of mutable signs may now “begin swimming in an ocean of questions as to which people and what future are we feeding our energy in any way. Once we awaken to this, we then make a choice, invisible perhaps even to us: re-solidify our loyalty to our old heroes or stroll hope-less for a time, seeing what arises in its place.”
That “hope-less” state is not, of course, an absolute loss of all hope. Rather, it’s the situation –- frightening and destabilizing for many -– of being shown that one’s previous location of guidance, orientation or sense of identity in anyone outside of oneself is untenable. The hope that would be lost in hopelessness is a false sense of self. And until we’re able to find our inner Sun Chai spice, and give ourselves permission to heal, to stand out and ultimately to exist -– life may feel more like a crisis than an awakening. But with the Sun conjunct Chiron, awakening is as inevitable as anything gets in astrology. How long it takes, and what it takes to get there, is another question.
— Amanda Painter, with Eric Francis
This piece really puts a lot into context for me. The comments as well offer context and wisdom. Thanks to all for helping one feel less isolated in the ongoing turns of the journey.
*Thank you* to all of you who collaborated on brewing this thirst-quenching Sun-Chiron tea.
Look forward to being introduced to all the collaborators and to more of what you all offer up.
Blessings.
For this piece, the lead came out of a pitch session with Amanda. I provided the original premise (a delineation of Chiron) based on my study, training and client experiences. This is especially true with articles where the minor planets are involved — they can take years of experience to get a handle on. Amanda drafted this piece and I did the last edit, putting in elements of history and background. Our research this week has involved contacting many writers — including Zane Stein, Dale O’Brien, Melanie Reinhart, Adam Gainsburg and other Chiron pioneers to get different viewpoints. Our other writers, who we’ll be introducing soon, have been contributing their ideas on Sun-Chiron in Pisces and the Pisces New Moon for the past week.
“Don’t allow miserable opinions to sway your vision of the world and of life.”
Pam,
Thank you for this! I so needed to read this today. I definitely have that bad cough now and I woke up feeling awful. I really need to stop letting “miserable opinions” sway my vision AND my voice.
huffy and all — it was co-written with eric, who supplied some critical info and insights without which, this piece would have had a hole in it. and after all: the inspiring puns would not have occurred without our dialogue. glad to know we found the right track.
🙂
Last night I had a dream that I awoke in the morning seeing my friend beside me in bed. I leaned over and kissed her on the head as she was still sleeping. I realized that it didn’t bother me that she was there – something I am still very unused to. I just looked at her sleeping, knowing and feeling her trust in me. That felt really beautiful.
((Thank you, dear Huffy)) It’s a monumental breakthrough/reconnection. I’m thinking several days of sipping sun-chi are in order 🙂
That’s such a lovely breakthrough, Shebear. This has been some new moon!
Pam – thank you sweetheart! Can feel all that lovely energy coming my way. Luckily things have shifted since yesterday morning – but in the meantime some scary developments are taking place at work, so your gift is very timely indeed. xxx
My natal sun trines my father’s natal sun and it feels like something huge is happening for me right now, with mars transiting my sun in virgo, conjunct this afternoon. This wound has been getting light and understanding since his death five years ago this summer, but only in fits and spurts. During my meditation this morning, I cried deep cleansing tears for what could and should have been between us when he was alive; we were *so* alike.
What came through this morning was that he wants to love me from wherever he is and that finally I am able to let that love and guidance and most importantly, that *stability* into my life, to set me on my path. I’m still shedding tears as I write this, but I know now I can finally start to live my life the way I was meant to. This is my time to shine after decades of spinning my wheels. I pray I can sustain this. It was the essence of my new moon intention on Tuesday therefore I believe and hope it will be so.
For Huffy and SydRose with love
You’ve been in my thoughts since yesterday.
To the stars of the morning, only give love. Love opens your consciousness. It gives you jewels that touch the heart. Fear paralyses you, makes you unable to act. The more paralysed you are, the more fear you have. it’s a vicious cycle.
The fragrance of the flowers is abstract and is connected with love. Love gives you wings. It turns you into an eagle. It allows you to see from high above, and at the same time makes your body humble. It helps you relax in life. It gives you courage to experiment in life in all its different dimensions.
Love is k’uychi. It is like a k’uychi – a rainbow in which are clearly visible all the different colours of feeling, which transport your heart to the hanaq pacha. A rainbow contains all the colours of life.
Think of liberty. Think of the infinite. Don’t think of small things, of trivialities. Trivialities are small, they are very silent – so silent they are like cockroaches scurrying around. Fear always makes you think small but love never thinks small. Love is able to sacrifice everything. Just think of the impeccability of the eagle flying into the wind, into the unknown, into the mystery.
And also have humour – that laughter under the stars, that laughter by the sea. Grasp the grandest emotions of life. This is the sense of humour that ought to be man’s future religion. Don’t allow miserable opinions to sway your vision of the world and of life.
Be happy. Be happy. Be happy.
Believe in love, in life, in God.
(Americo Yabar – from Masters of the Living Energy by Joan Parisi Wilcox).
Thank you Nicoise, Granma – your words are inspiring. It’s hard work – but so very liberating!
Before reading this piece today, I had:
– fallen into hopelessness (wallowed in that for awhile);
– then pulled myself together to focus;
– promised myself I would attempt to take at least one step towards resolution;
– as I began mapping out the elements of the problem, a few other steps became clear;
– I took reasonable action (as opposed to exaggerated, hyper-dramatic, reaction).
So far, what’s come back in response has been level-headed and workable. A dialogue has begun.
This way of dealing with the hopelessness that often engulfs me (fueled by guilt and what Eric calls ‘self-attack’) is all new for me.
Reading the *Sun-Chiron Brew* confirms I’m on the right track.
Thank you PW
Ha! This past weekend I visited my best friend. During one of our late night talks I spoke exactly about feeling like I had, as part of my healing process, developed a discipline around external structures or systems of organization. While grateful for the order they have brought to my previously chaotic emotions and psyche, I realize that now in my healing journey I get to leave those structures behind and rest in the truth that I AM whole and capable of making decisions from the power and perspective of my own heart. While this seems challenging, I feel suppirted and inspired. it really points toward the description of Chiron as maverick…in speaking and acting from his own heart, he brought vital new information to light for all of humanity to access and use practically. The micro impacts the macro, and vice versa. To recognize I AM is healing.
A million thanks for the insights!
Finally, even just an hour ago while waking, I felt twinges of the wall around my heart.
Thank You!
Yes, this is phenomenal. Its relevance to my life isn’t lost on me, thank goodness. Thank you!
Thank you for this stunning piece, dear Amanda (for it is you, is it not?).