Chiron the Bridge between Saturn & Uranus

[ariesmoon]

I've been inspired by two wonderful books - Barbara Hand Clow's "Chiron: Rainbow Bridge" and Lynda Hill's "Sabian Symbols: 360 Degrees of Wisdom" - to look more closely into Chiron placements as the "bridge" between Saturn and Uranus.

By looking at the Sabian symbolism for all three planets, and meditating on the images, I'm getting remarkable insights into how to bridge the gap between the two diverse planetary energies which rule Aquarius (my South Node sign). My inability to reconcile the two has been part of my struggle up to now, part of the reason I find it so difficult to move forwards. Understanding the role Chiron plays in bridging that gap is key to healing.

It's no coincidence - it never is - that this idea and these insights have come to me at the time of a Saturn/Uranus opposition!

I'll post again later to share the thoughts I've had, I just wanted to set up the thread and hopefully encourage others to start thinking about Chiron in this way.

[Kim Falconer]

Thanks for posting about this, Ariesmoon! Good call

As long as we see Saturn and Uranus as binary opposites, they remain distanced, unapproachable in any holistic way. The metaphor of a bridge is exactly what can help us think about energy as connected and not disconnecting.

Onward and upward!

Can you give us an example of how Chiron offers a link? Is it through actions you can take or the way you think about what Saturn and Uranus represent in your life?

[ariesmoon]

I agree totally Kim - these planets will work together for us if we can find common ground between them. I think the symbols help enormously here.

The Sabian symbols for my Saturn and Uranus seem very different on first glance but they both contain the image of needing to quieten the chatter of other voices so that you can receive inspiration and guidance. This ties in beautifully for me with the Sabian symbol for my Chiron, which is about a narrow path to illumination - this seems to pull elements of both Saturn and Uranus together.

Saturn's symbol at 11 Aquarius is "During a Silent Hour, a Man Receives a New Inspiration which may change his life". Lynda Hill talks of the need to "reduce external noise, clutter and distraction" to focus on what is essential. And Uranus' symbol "Many Little Birds Chirping on the Limb of a Large Tree" talks of the need to find others of like mind to share your journey, but also of the danger of having your own inner voice, what Lynda calls "your intuitive voice of wisdom", drowned out.

Chiron's link between these is in following the symbolism of its degree. Barbara Hand Clow talks of Chiron in Pisces as representing "a crisis in connecting with the God force, the Universal Oneness". My Chiron is 11 Pisces, the symbol for which illustrates this beautifully:

"Men travelling a narrow path seeking illumination"

Meditating on this symbol, I read the "narrow path" as a bridge - something I'm scared of, particularly narrow bridges high up! But I know I have to make the journey, I can't stay in my comfort zone forever. And I don't have to cross it alone - this image talks of finding others with like minds and similar aspirations to go on the journey with you. I've been lucky enough to find others travelling this path with me.

The inference is that the men need to leave something familiar behind to seek "illumination". They have all felt the need to leave chatter and clutter behind, and to follow a "narrow path". Once they have found the light, I imagine they may return to tell others about what they have found, or they may stay behind to provide "illumination" for others making the same trip after them. They may be literally shining a torch for others in the darkness. The path seems dark and frightening, but there is a promise of "illumination" at the end of it, which makes the trip and the fear worthwhile. The path is also narrow, so you have to travel single-file, so there is little opportunity to talk on the way or to get distracted. Someone will have to take the lead, others will have to follow in single file. There's a strong element of trust in those going ahead of you.

Saturn has always represented stability in my life - it ruled my career for 22 years and meant loyalty, faithfulness and dependability. And it still does, I still love those qualities even though I've left that career. And yet I have always been attracted to Uranian people - rebels, those who buck the system and take risks, those with electrical energy - because I've known that is also a part of me that's missing. I need to own it and integrate it. There is room for both Saturn and Uranus in all of us, and I firmly believe Chiron is one key to understanding how to make them work with each other.

[Kim Falconer]

Ariesmoon, Thank you.

That is a very clear delineation. I like the way you've turned a contrast, the binary opposites of withdrawal into the inner world vs communication with the outer and shown that they are actually two externalizations of the same energy. Self is Self everywhere, all the time. It's our perception of Self that these symbols speak to.

I like that semi-sextile (the 30 degree inconjunct, as the ancients termed it) linking Chiron and Saturn. It's a pathway to the bridge, do you think?

Thanks again for these insights

[ariesmoon]

Hi Kim,
thanks for these comments - I never seem to spot semi-sextiles, thank you, that one had escaped me! I love the image of a pathway to the bridge. You've got me thinking further (as always) - it's just hit me that there are 3 10-11 degree planet placements in my chart so all of them make exact aspects to Chiron:

Saturn 10 Aquarius 26 (semi sextile)
Venus 10 Leo 26 (quincunx)
Neptune 10 Scorpio 54 (trine)

Perhaps we could think of them as all being pathways to the bridge - Saturn's is a short, airy path on a cliff-top, Neptune's path is by the sea (but the sea in an angry, churning, intense mood, it is in Scorpio after all!) And Venus' path is thorny, twisting back on itself, and with lots of stiles covered in barbed wire. I persist though - like the Prince in Sleeping Beauty, who knew the prize was worth it and kept hacking away at the thorns until he got through!

The Sabian symbols for Venus

"Children on a Swing in the Safety of a Huge Oak Tree"

and Neptune

"A Drowning Man Being Rescued"

are both fascinating. Both are about safety and protection. Venus's symbol is about having carefree fun, being in touch with the inner child, and "letting go" - swinging - but in safety. Oak trees have ancient wisdom too so there's an idea of tapping into that.

Neptune's is darker, bringing with it the idea of needing rescue, or of needing to rescue another. It's a generational placement though, so I don't read nearly as much into it as I would if it were a personal planet.

Thank you for inspiring those further thoughts!

[Kim Falconer]

I'm glad you found those other aspects. Venus is particularly significant because, as you say, she's personal. The ancients put more emphasis on the inconjuncts -- the name they gave for the 30 degree semi-sextile and the 150 degree quincunx. I tend to call them both inconjunct as well, give a 5 degree orb and find they can be very significant. There's no hiding there energy, or effect!

[starrynightastro]

If you permit, here is my take on Chiron:

Chiron’s position in our chart area of intense hypersensitivity that pries away at the defensive layers we build around our self awareness. We build these layers so that we can go about the business of living without being too fearful of the outcome. But too many of these “bandages" can keep us from moving forward in our development. We can get stuck, in a life role, or a job, or a marriage in which does not serve our need to grow as a individual. We get stuck, so to speak, in our Saturn, the planet of form and structure. The next leap, without Chiron, is Uranus, the planet of our individuality, where we are to discover our unique nature. This is quite a leap for most people. Chiron appeared as the emissary to help bridge the two energies.


Chiron can be a difficult to beast to handle on his own. It is often hard for us to understand how something that we feel as pain can ultimately benefit us. Our physical selves, our own animal form, learned at an early age to avoid pain and discomfort. Most of our bargains with our environment are based on our body’s responses to pain. Our emotional bodies, which translates the physical sensation to an emotional reaction, follows suit, trying in it own way to avoid the discomfort of emotional pain. But often the only way we learn is through pain and its opposite pleasure. Chiron sits there as the burr under our saddle to remind us there are things yet to be learned.