The Chiron Effect: Healing Our Core Wounds through Astrology, Empathy, and Self-Forgiveness

Discovered in 1977, Chiron was named for the centaur, the "wounded healer" in Greek Mythology. Mythical Chiron was a great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, and was the tutor to: Asclepius, Aristaeus, Ajax, Aeneas, Actaeon, Caeneus, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, Peleus, Telamon, Perseus, sometimes Heracles, Oileus, and in one Byzantine tradition, even Dionysus. He was accidentally hit in the thigh by a poisoned arrow, but since he was immortal, could not die. In response to Chiron's agony, Heracles arranged with Zeus to exchange Chiron's immortality for that of Prometheus. Thus in the horoscope, Chiron stands for hard-fought wisdom, usually following a deep wound indicated by the asteroid's zodiac sign, house, and aspects.

In The Chiron Effect, readers are given a good summation of Chiron’s effects, accessibly so for non-astrologers (as well as astrologers). The author is a clinical social worker, a therapist, and uses the position of Chiron to enlighten her understanding, and her client’s, of that person’s core wounds. The first four chapters tell about Lisa Tahir’s early struggles, and contain standard advice about self-help. Tahir’s childhood and adolescent wounds resulted in her becoming a therapist and working with Chiron.

There are a number of things I like about this book. We will start with the clear Table of Contents, then the diagrams at the beginning of each Chiron-in-a-sign chapter summarizing the core wounds of that placement, ending these chapters with appropriate affirmations. Also of note are the always helpful index, bibliography and resources appendices.

Recommended.

review by: Lisa Mc Sherry

Author: Lisa Tahir
Bear & Company, 2020
pp. 224, $16