The astronomical body, Chiron (once thought to be a comet or asteroid, now considered a "planetoid" or small planet-like body) is named after the ancient Greek, centaur demi-god who was horse from the waist down and human from the waist up. Chiron's orbit, unlike that of the asteroids, lies between Saturn and Uranus, and is irregular in that it occasionally crosses inside the orbit of Saturn. This astronomical characteristic is symbolic of Chiron's reputation for being somewhat of a maverick.

Chiron was no ordinary run-of-the-mill centaur at the mercy of instincts and appetites. He displayed such self-mastery and was so wise and gifted in both the arts of healing and the arts of war and statesmanship, that he found himself mentor to hero's and kings and their sons. His service was of such value that he was granted immortality by the gods. Chance would have it that he was accidentally wounded in the foot by one of his own poisoned arrows, carelessly tossed by one of his fosterlings (Heracles). Since by this time he was immortal, the result of this mishap was that Chiron was condemned by fate to suffer eternally the agonies of a poisoned wound that could not be healed. In order to obtain release from his endless suffering, the wise old centaur decided to relinquish the mantle of immortality that had been bestowed upon him. He gave it, instead, to Prometheus (who needed it to be freed from the punishment he suffered for mocking the gods and stealing their fire). In this way, Chiron embraced death and found release from his suffering.

Astrologically, Chiron's placement in the horoscope indicates one's experience of the wound that does not heal, (or the wound that does not seem to heal, because although an important lesson may be learned through dealing with it, the wound seems to spiral around with another lesson on a deeper level). Chiron represents one's experience of woundedness and the nature of the wound. Second, by coming to terms with suffering through an acceptance of one's mortality, one arrives at a greater state of wholeness or healing. Third, Chiron shows how one comes into one's own as an elder or mentor who can provide healing and guidance to others. Thus Chiron also astrologically indicates the ways and means with which you can guide others, as well as the kind of mentoring and healing you seek for yourself.

Chiron in Virgo

With Chiron in Virgo, mentoring and the healing process are associated with the mastery of practical skills, healthy life-style, discipline, and competent and efficientservice. This applies to both the kind of mentoring you seek for yourself, and the kind that you are eventually able to extend to others. You may feel wounded or inadequate in these areas of life, or experience an insoluble conflict in regards to these things. This can result in a lack of discipline and difficulty in coping with physical realities. You may encounter classical apprentice-mentor relationships; these may revolve around the acquisition of skills in craftsmanship, herbalism and nutrition, or healing arts that address the body-mind connection and the need to listen to the body's messages. Painful experiences to do with excessive criticism, perfectionism, Madonna/whore splits, martyr complexes, guilt/blame dynamics, or psycho-somatic health problems such as eating disorders can evoke your philosophical side and awaken a true sense of wisdom as you struggle to come to terms with the ongoing suffering and the healing sought.

Chiron in 4th House

Chiron in the fourth house indicates that the wounding/healing experience (as described by Chiron's sign placement) plays itself out through the sphere of life that has to do with the home, family, and domestic or emotional security. In one way or another, the sense of a secure foundation and profound sustenance that is derived from early home life is likely to be damaged. The relationship with either the father or the mother (whoever is the more mysterious, less "present" parent) can be experienced as hurtful, inadequate, or rife with insoluble conflict. There may be painful issues to do with homelessness or exile, whether "real" or internally experienced as an ever-present sense of never belonging. A parent who is a healer or mentor figure may be unavailable because all their energy is given to "the sick and wounded," or perhaps there is an exquisite sensitivity to the woundedness of a parent who is dysfunctional as a result. Such early domestic experiences can have a wounding effect, and any dysfunctional defense mechanisms you use to deal with the painful issue can cause you further difficulties. Eventually you learn how to integrate and learn from these experiences in such a way that you cyclically reap deeper and deeper healing and wisdom from them.

Neptune Conjunct Chiron

Ceres is the expression of the Earth Goddess archetype that has been worshipped in many forms by various cultures. This archetype has always been associated with mother earth, harvests, a transformational journey to and from the underworld, rites of passage, and the birth or resurrection of a fertility deity.

The myth of Demeter (da mater or "earth mother") and the sudden abduction of her dearly loved daughter Persephone by the lord of the underworld contains the same universal symbolism as other Earth Goddess myths. These myths may appear, at first, to be early explanations for the changing of the seasons. They are actually wise, rich, symbolic teachings on such profound themes as loss and renewal, death and rebirth, and the endless transformation that constitutes the very laws of creation to which this universe and everything in it adheres.

On a more personal level, the Ceres myth deals with the severance of the bonds of love and/or attachment. When we experience love as we have known it being taken from us, we can feel as if we have been cast into a realm of eternal darkness, never to return to the world of the living again. We may then be unable to let go of the past, reliving it again and again in our minds - protesting and resisting the present, and demanding that it somehow hand over to us the treasure that has been snatched away.

Yet as with Demeter, who chose to forgo her divinity and wander in the world of humans, after which she was reunited annually with her transformed daughter, it is only when we can give up notions of eternal paradise and immortality that we can relinquish old attachments. Only when we have been humbled by and have accepted those mysterious cyclic forces beyond ourselves that we can be restored to a state of plentitude and abundance in the here and now. Then we can truly understand how our cup must be emptied in order to be filled afresh.

Ceres in the birth chart thus describes what one really cares about, and the way one nurtures others (and needs to be nurtured oneself) in a parental kind of way. It also indicates where one may tend to cling, the kind of separations that can be traumatic, and what one may be required to give up (or share with others) in order to grow. It can also indicate the ways in which we seek for something that seems to be missing, something we didn't get enough of, as well as the ways that can help us mourn such a loss. As with Demeter and Persephone, Ceres can also indicate the kind of experience that constitutes a rite of passage - the most profound transformation: the death and rebirth of the self.

Ceres in Libra

With Ceres in Libra, nurturance is expressed through the sharing of one's sense ofidealism, beauty, and goodness, and is associated with learning how to relate harmoniously with others. There is a gentle prodding to learn to see things from other people's perspectives, with a point of view to fairness and justice. The nurturing experience may also be associated with an appreciation for music and the arts. Lack of this kind of nurturance could be a source of grief, through which you learn how to develop these qualities for yourself and, thus, to encourage them in others. On the other hand, an upbringing that placed too much of an emphasis on pleasing others and maintaining an atmosphere of harmony can lead to an insecure need for acceptance from others. Loss of a partner, or of artistic inspiration could serve as a transformative experience for you, one that initiates you into the lessons of loss and return, death and rebirth, and simply letting go.

Ceres in 4th House

Ceres in the fourth house indicates a capacity for emotional empathy and caring that calls to mind the unity between a mother and her unborn infant. Nurturance is associated with an emotional communication so connected that words are almost unnecessary and "cutting the cord" feels like a threat to life itself. Perhaps the birth experience or some other parent-child separation at a young age was a traumatic experience that introduced grief into childhood. At any rate, you have an incredible capacity to provide emotional nurturance and, with the home possibly serving as a base of operations, you like to nurture others by providing food, child care, or emotional healing through any method that addresses the wounds of childhood.

Mercury Opposite Ceres

Ceres forms a challenging aspect with Mercury. Your intellect, mental processes, and communication skills are colored by the archetypal Demeter-Persephone myth. Nurturance needs and urges may seem to be at odds with your communication skills. Perhaps you try to express or receive nurturance through the intellect, conversation, or reading when you need to be connecting on another level. You may have difficulty in communicating your need for emotional bonding, perhaps expecting others to feel and know your need telepathically without your having to express it. You may struggle with teacher or mentor figures. Such types of conflict may have their roots in your past experience of life's losses and difficult rites of passage, or in your experience of the formation and severance of strong emotional ties, especially your experience (or lack of experience) of maternal bonding or strong ties with teachers. The feeling that nurturing needs conflict with the mental needs for understanding, communication, and learning needs to be addressed. These needs are not mutually exclusive and you may need to find ways to meet them both, otherwise there will be a tendency to suppress one half of the story and attract it externally in its frustrated form (projection).

As with goddess-myths associated with the other asteroids, the myths that pertain to the warrior goddess Pallas Athena reflect socio-historic upheavals as well as archetypalthemes. One of the most interesting aspects of Athena's myth, as it has evolved, is the changing nature of her birth. In her earliest form she was said to have been born of Lake Triton in Libya, home of the legendary amazons. Her worship was brought to the Greek islands much later by the Libyans themselves as they emigrated across the Mediterranean sea. The story of her birth reflected this migration, for she was then said to be born of Metis - a sea goddess. Further evolution of her myth reflects the encounter of the goddess worshipping peoples with the patriarchal people invading Greece from the north: Metis (whose name means Wise Counsel), pregnant with Athena, was devoured by the invaders' god, Zeus, who later gave birth to a fully grown and fully armored Pallas Athena from his head. Later versions of this myth omit altogether any mention of Metis, and depict Athena as having been conceived without a woman's involvement.

Later myth also portrays Athena as bringing about the destruction of both Pallas and Medusa in what appears to be sociological evidence of the attempt to destroy goddess worship. (Pallas, Athena, and Medusa were the three faces of the Libyan version of the triple goddess.) In one of these myths Zeus tricks Athena into killing her Amazonian sister Pallas during a friendly competition. Another myth relates how Athena helped King Perseus to cut off Medusa's head by giving him a mirror to use so he could avoid her deadly gaze. Yet, as much as these myths might have been used as evidence of the wise Athena's denunciation of the Feminine, they also contain symbolism that indicates how Athena preserved the goddess trinity. For, upon the death of Pallas, the grieving Athena placed her sister's name before her own. As for her attitude towards Medusa, she bore Medusa's image upon her breastplate and distributed her blood to healers as a regenerative medicine. The symbolic importance of the mirror in the Perseus-Medusa conflict also hints at Athena's wisdom and gift as a mediator in teaching how to reconcile opposites by seeing in oneself the disowned qualities that are projected onto opponents.

Pallas Athena signifies wisdom and creative problem solving in which a holistic view of conflicting or opposite elements (the Masculine and the Feminine) is required. This sense of fairness is backed up by a willingness to defend or fight for the underdog. Thus Pallas Athena is also associated with fighting for causes. She represents the application of practical skill and creative intelligence in order to best be of service. She was the goddess of war (defense, originally) as well as the goddess of wisdom and culture - patroness of the civilized arts such as pottery, sculpture, weaving, architecture, and animal husbandry. Pallas Athena can also represent the denial of one's own gender in an effort to cope with situations that require the skills of the opposite gender in order to survive, as well as the struggle to rediscover and reconnect with essential qualities of one's own sex. Androgynous conditions and healing through feminine wisdom, energy balancing or conflict resolution are also expressions oof the Pallas Athena archetype.

Pallas in Virgo

Pallas Athena in Virgo denotes perceptive insight or intuitional skill when it comes to analytical or discriminative functions. You may be particularly inventive or creative in matters of efficiency, work, craftsmanship, or the simple management of day-to-day affairs. Difficulty may arise if this is expressed as a crusade for perfection that results in a critical attitude towards oneself and others), and it may be important for you to utilizethese skills in your career. Your ability to deftly accomplish a multitude of tasks and to see to all the little details makes you a champion of service - you just know intuitively how things work, and how to get them to work. You might make use of these abilities in defending some cause or underprivileged group, perhaps by attending to all the behindthe-scenes, secretarial-type work; or you might feel inclined to fight for improved health conditions or higher standards in some other area of life (see Pallas Athena's house position, below). Skills in healing or conflict resolution may lie in a wise or intuitive understanding of the importance of preventative health care techniques such as stress reduction, exercise, nutrition, vitamins and herbs, as well as an insight into the dynamics of perfectionism or workaholic behavior.

Pallas in 3rd House

Pallas Athena in the third house denotes a truly intuitive gift for teaching and communicating. Creativity, zeal, and practicality are blended in a revolutionary approach to education and knowledge. You are the "warrior student" or "warrior teacher!" You may be particularly inventive or subtle in the use of gesture, words, speech or writing, and it may be important for you to utilize your skills in the communication of knowledge and ideas in your career. Your creative writing, your communications, and your study may center around issues of justice, humanitarian causes, women's issues, or the taking of a cultural warrior stance of some kind. You might write as a way of making a cultural contribution, or perhaps your thoughts, speech, or writing revolve around issues dealing with sexual identity or healing gender conflict. Skills in healing or conflict resolution lie in the creative use of language and thought: mantras, affirmations, and positive thinking; as well as in therapies aimed at the functions of speech, the nervous system, or manual dexterity. Difficulty can arise if Pallas Athena's energy is expressed as a learning crusade in which information is all that matters.

Jupiter Conjunct Pallas

The asteroid Pallas Athena is conjunct Jupiter. Your sense of faith and enthusiasm is intertwined with your creative and cultural sensibilities. You have a deeply philosophical bent of mind and an innate sense of wisdom. You may have a gift for teaching, or picking up foreign languages. You may serve your favorite cause through your ability to bridge the cultural gap or by your skill at mediating conflicts between differing belief systems or cultures. You can instill faith and optimism in those who feel downtrodden or defeated.You may derive a deep sense of meaning out of life (or quest for answers) from cultural roots.

Juno (whose Greek name is Hera) is an ancient Queen of Heaven Goddess dating from that matriarchal period when the sovereign Deity was female and reigned alone, presiding over the mysteries of birth, motherhood, and the various phases of reproduction. Mythology relates how she was seduced by Zeus, married him out of a sense of honor, endured a marriage characterized by power struggles over issues of fidelity and bearing a line of descent, as well as how she went into retreat occasionally in order to renew and center herself. Her myth parallels the history of social upheaval in the lands where she was worshipped. Northern invaders struggled to impose traditions of patrilineal descent and the worship of their chief god, Zeus, upon the indigenous matriarchal cultures of Mycenaean Greece and Crete. Over a period of hundreds of years of cultural conflict, the two divinities were forced to share the altar. Thus, in addition to her authority over matters pertaining to childbirth and motherhood, Juno has come to be associated with issues of socially acknowledged relationship, legal marriage, marital fulfillment through commitment and fidelity, and the struggle for equality within a relationship. She represents, also, the kind of power struggles that involve controlling the partner through control over offspring, or through the withholding of sex or emotional intimacy. Juno can also represent committed relationships entered into out of a sense of duty, guilt, or for social reasons.

Juno represents both the need for relationship and the refusal to accept inequality within the context of a relationship. She represents the struggle to balance the need for intimacy with the opposing need for freedom - needs which both partners have, although one of these needs may be projected onto the partner. She can also represent the need to take marriage as a sacred trust, a way that leads to spiritual fulfillment through the reconciliation of the opposites in a state of union.

On another level, Juno can represent the way in which one feels rendered powerless by conflict in spite of sincere effort and irreproachable conduct on one's own part. The harder one tries, the more inadequate one's efforts seem to be, for there is a tendency to cling to old methods when circumstances have changed and a whole new paradigm is needed before the way clear can be seen. This frustration can sometimes lead to self- depreciation and loss of faith in oneself. Juno thus symbolizes the transition state between old and new ways of being, where the old fails to meet the needs of the times and the new is not yet manifest. She describes the need for a kind of spiritual self-rejuvenation that is needed in order to see oneself through times of utter disintegration into the future that awaits. Juno in the horoscope thus represents the ways in which we need to renew ourselves, and where our ability to adjust to changing circumstances is most tested.

Since marriage proved to be this goddess' testing ground, Juno in the horoscope also indicates the qualities associated with one's marriage partner and the ways in which one handles intimacy/freedom needs as well as the jealousy and insecurity that oftenaccompany this balancing act. Juno's position describes the nature of any control issues, the ways in which such power struggles get enacted, and the type of sacred cows that need to be relinquished so that the path to marital fulfillment can unfold. Juno's placement in your chart can refer not only to your mate (or the way that you perceive your mate), but to the relationship and to your own behavior in a committed relationship as well.

Juno in Cancer

With Juno in Cancer, the qualities you need in a committed relationship are nurturance, emotional sensitivity, and care. You appreciate a partner who respects home and family values. It could be that, in spite of your best efforts, you yourself experience a sense of inadequacy when it comes to such matters, or that your partner is doing all the expressing in this regard (or vice versa). This could be a source of difficulty when it comes to intimate relations. The need for mothering can be an important issue in relating. There is a need for emotional sensitivity when it comes to intimacy/freedom needs, and childbearing, fidelity, and power issues. Otherwise neediness and dependency, or moodiness and emotional withdrawal can result.

Juno in 1st House

Juno in the first house indicates that your identity is connected with being a partner in a committed relationship. You come across as someone who is aware of the honors, duties and status involved in socially acknowledged vows of commitment. You may not be able to find your identity or feel self-confident until or unless you have found a mate, and it will be important for you to learn how to make relationships and how to make them last. Your self-image could involve an acute awareness of your social standing, perhaps as a result of your choice of partner. Issues regarding your self-image are likely to be a major focus in your relationship. The qualities described by Juno's sign position (above) indicates the manner in which you can best deal with these issues.

Moon Square Juno

Juno forms a challenging aspect with the Moon. Your emotional and instinctive responses are interwoven with your need for intimate and equal relationships, but in such a way that these two aspects of yourself seem to war with each other. The struggle for equality and autonomy within a partnership may conflict with the need to have your own emotional needs met. Or perhaps you feel emotionally threatened by relationships that stress issues of equality and you respond by avoiding intimacy altogether. One partner may expect mothering from the other, or try to manipulate the other through emotional power plays. The challenge is to learn to see that both the need for freedom within a relationship and the need for emotional comfort can and do co-exist within yourself (and in others). These needs are not mutually exclusive and you may need to find ways to meet them both, and to avoid the natural tendency to unconsciously repress or project one of them out onto others (especially your partner).

Sun Sextile Juno

Juno forms a harmonious aspect with the Sun. The need for intimacy and a mutually supportive relationship combines with the sense of identity and creative purpose in a natural, easy manner. You like to relate harmoniously with others, and you are able to handle with grace such issues as the struggle for equality and the need for autonomy within relationship. You may be supportive of your partner's creative expression and playfulness, or be attracted to a partner who supports your own creativity and self- expression. Such interests may provide you and your partner with a comfortable way to share and enrich your relationship.

Mercury Square Juno

Juno forms a challenging aspect with Mercury. Mental urges hook up with the urge to relate intimately and on equal terms, but in a manner that may be fraught with conflict. The longing for a mutually supportive relationship may conflict with your belief system or your style of communication. Perhaps one partner feels threatened by the beliefs or intellectual capacity of the other. One partner may try to manipulate the other through mind games or through belittling the mental achievements of the other. There may be difficulty in verbally communicating one's need for equality and autonomy within the relationship. One partner may lecture the other. The challenge is to learn to see that both the need for a healthy relationship and the need for intellectual expression and cultivation of the mind co-exist within yourself (and in others). These needs are not mutually exclusive and you may need to find ways to meet them both, and to avoid the natural tendency to unconsciously repress or project one of them out onto others (especially your partner).

Venus Square Juno

Juno forms a challenging aspect with Venus. The pleasure principle: beauty, harmony, and the world of the senses is wrapped up with issues of equality and intimacy in relationship. Uncomfortably so. There may be conflict between relationships and love; one may not be able to consummate a truly loving relationship because of a marriage partner. Or perhaps one partner is uncomfortable with the other partner's sensual or sexual expression. One partner may perceive the other as overly indulgent or as possessing a shallow sense of beauty or love. The need for a healthy committed relationship and the need for sensual affirmation may seem to oppose each other, but this is probably due to the fact that you are denying or repressing one of these needs within yourself, consciously or unconsciously. If so, it may fight back from the world of others around you. Reconciliation can be achieved by finding ways to meet both needs. This may require examining whether one of these needs feels threatening, and if so, why.

The asteroid Vesta (Latin) is named after the ancient Greek goddess Hestia, first born of the Olympian deities and last released by her father Cronos (father Time), who at one point swallowed all his offspring. Thus she denotes the beginning and the end - alpha and omega - and serves as a reminder of the source from which all things originate and towhich all must return. She represents the preservation of sacredness and the state of connection to formless Essence. As such, she is the only Olympic deity not worshipped anthropomorphically; she is symbolized only by the altar and its sacred flame. Thus she also represents any sacred space - be it temple, sweat lodge, or meditation corner - that acts as a container in which we may center ourselves, and feel the presence of Spirit. In ancient times Vesta was worshipped both in the city center as the flaming altar, and in every home as the central hearth whose embers were literally passed on down through the generations from mother to daughter when the daughter married and established her own hearth. In this manner Vesta came to represent the perpetuation of the spark of life, and of civilization and one's ancestral and cultural roots.

In early matriarchal societies, priestesses honoring Hestia maintained a connection to this spiritual essence (represented by a sacred flame that they tended night and day). They offered themselves in sacred sexual union in order to teach the divine aspect of sexuality and the need to remain aware of the sacred while engaged in physical life. The priestesses remained unmarried and committed to none but themselves and their worship. Their sons (conceived anonymously during ceremonial summer solstice rites) served as year-kings when there was no royal heir. These customs were finally abolished when patrilineal traditions were enforced and the priestesses were compelled by the Roman king to serve as keepers of the new (patriarchal) civilization and to observe vows of celibacy. To break these vows entailed a cruel death penalty. In exchange for the relinquishment of their sexuality, matrilineal customs, and true spiritual function, the priestesses (Vestal Virgins) were granted freedom from paternal control.

Vesta's sacred flame represents, in the yogic tradition, the kundalinii force which, when properly awakened and channeled, leads to spiritual development. Thus, astrologically, Vesta has come to represent both spirituality and consecrated (or desecrated) sexuality. This can include a wide range of sexual expressions such as abstinence, renunciation and celibacy, the celebration of spiritually honored sexuality, sexual idealism, and the sacred whore. Astrologically, Vesta stands for that which provides us with inner sustenance; the way in which we are pulled back to our core or inner self; and the struggle between this and the demands of the outer world. Vesta represents the way in which we long to bless others with the fruits of the spiritual resources we have found within ourselves, but it is also the need to retreat and preserve our inner sanctuary against any disrespectful intrusion. Vesta is associated with dedication, focus, and commitment. She represents those things that helps us focus, the way in which we dedicate ourselves with heart and soul, and that for which we are ready (or compelled) to make a sacrifice. The things indicated by Vesta's position in your chart may be things that you feel compelled to give up or sacrifice, often out of a sense of spiritual compulsion. Yet they can also be the very things that evoke your dedication - leading to a sense of deep inner fulfillment when you are willing to make some sacrifices on their behalf. Keep this paradox in mind as you read on, for Vesta can express itself one way or the other - or both!

Vesta in Libra

Vesta in Libra indicates that harmony, beauty, and the arts help you focus and centeryourself. You use them to both go inward and get in touch with yourself, and to then move outward and commit your focused energies with dedication, zeal, and even sacrifice (described further by Vesta's house position, below). This dedication to harmony is often expressed in terms of the way you relate with others - especially with a partner. You are capable of considering another's happiness to the extent that you are willing to deny your own needs totally. (You revere sharing and concern for one another's needs when it comes to sexuality as well, for through these you experience the most spiritually fulfilling aspects of sex.) It is possible that, through one-pointedness, you focus so much on the ideals of beauty, harmony, and equality that the means becomes an end in itself and you lose sight of the goal these things are meant to serve. If this happens, you can end up feeling obliged to sweeten others' lives, while expecting and depending on others to do the same for you (it may be against your principles to speak up for your own needs). This can leave you feeling disoriented and out of touch with yourself, and may tempt you to renounce these pursuits. It can be helpful to think of your true Beloved as dwelling within you, in order to develop the same kind of consideration for yourself that you extend to others. By constantly re-anchoring your concern for harmony and equality in your sense of inner spiritual presence, you can renew the sense of fulfilling dedication to your goals.

Vesta in 4th House Vesta in the fourth house indicates that sacrificial dedication and intense focus are centered around issues having to do with the home, family, and emotional security. Instead of making sacrifices for the sake of these things, you may experience a sacrifice of these things themselves, perhaps through self-denial or as a result of uprootedness of the home life during your own childhood. You may experience a sense of unusual duty, commitment, or burden involving home and family, or enterprises involving the home or family members. Spiritual/sexual attitudes in the early home environment might have made a strong impact on you during the formative years. Careful consideration of these activities or issues will help you understand how to best manage your sense of commitment and remain centered in your self.

Mars Opposite Vesta

Your Vesta forms a challenging aspect with Mars. Your fighting spirit and masculine energies are at loggerheads with the whole issue of dedication and self-sacrifice. You may feel, or be made to feel, that it is unmanly for men to express themselves in spiritual or sexually honoring ways. Or perhaps you struggle with a lack of confidence or fear of confrontation when it comes to expressing your spiritual views, your sexuality, or your capacity for dedication to a cherished activity. Sexual or spiritual trauma resulting from patriarchal abuses may require healing in order to move beyond a state of entrenched conflict. Or perhaps spiritual views leave you feeling uncomfortable about your more masculine characteristics, such as willful drive or assertiveness. Impossible as it may seem, there is a place in the world, and in you, for both cherishing sacrifice and healthy masculine assertiveness. The more you can entertain this possibility and give up the tendency to take sides between these two expressions, the more you will experience theresolution and healing of old conflicts of this nature.

Saturn Square Vesta

Your Vesta forms a challenging aspect with Saturn. The practical realist meet the high priestess-keeper of the eternal flame, and things are uncomfortable, to say the least. The need for a healthy spiritual/sexual life may conflict with the need to be the breadwinner or to pursue a career. Duty, obligation, workaholism, pressure to excel, or stern authority figures may thwart one's spiritual or sexual expression or one's desire to dedicate oneself passionately to what one really cares about. Or perhaps irresponsibility or lack of discipline prevent you from achieving some cherished goal. There could be conflict between a material worldview and the need for the sense of the sacred. Your pursuit of spiritual or sexual fulfillment could pit you against "the authorities" (inner or outer). The challenge is to learn to see that both the need for sacred fire (spiritual and/or sexual) and the need for authority, discipline, healthy boundaries, and responsibility can and do co-exist within yourself. Then you can start to find ways to meet both needs; this will alleviate the frustration that eventually leads to conflict when one of the needs is denied or projected onto others.

Uranus Trine Vesta

Your Vesta forms a harmonious aspect with Uranus. You can balance the need for spiritual and/or sacred sexual expression with the need for change and excitement. Similarly, you are able to balance your passionate one-pointed commitment to your particular sacred cow with the need for freedom and new ideas. Your willingness to experiment can enhance your awareness of the sacredness of spiritual/sexual energies. You may have a burning passion for technology, computer sciences, or other work with energy fields. You may utilize your capacity for self-sacrifice to support some humanitarian or "new age" goal, or in support of some collective vision of progressive future change.

Neptune Conjunct Vesta

Your Vesta is conjunct Neptune. Vesta's need for devoted dedication, intense focus, or a sense of sacred commitment blends with the Neptunian urge for spiritual, artistic, or compassionate expression. You may channel your spiritual/sexual life-energy into a dedication to the healing arts, or into a long-term commitment to an artistic or spiritual calling. There is a need to experience the sacred or transcendent in one's sexual life - to experience the sexual energies as sacred. You may dedicate yourself to serving others, or to helping others recover/heal themselves from such experiences as addiction, victimization, disempowerment and escapism.

Pluto Sextile Vesta

Your Vesta forms a harmonious aspect with Pluto. Your capacity for self-sacrifice and your sense of sacredness complements your urge for powerful and transformative experience. Your psychological depth and sense of self-empowerment can benefit yourspiritual/sexual life or the activities to which you are committed and into which you pour your focused life-energies. You may channel some of your capacity for dedication and intense commitment towards supporting those who are experiencing or recovering from abuse of some kind. You are able to balance your need for spiritual/sexual expression with the inner need for regenerative healing, self-transformation and self-empowerment.

This sums up your report for Chiron and the asteroids in your chart. An astrological chart is like a blueprint of the human psyche, with its great and dramatic cast of archetypes. And each human psyche is like a unique, one-of-a-kind carpet woven from many beautiful threads of many different colors. Chiron and the asteroids are five of those threads.

This report has described each of those five threads by house and sign, and has evendescribed what happens when one of those threads is intertwined with other single threads (the other planets). And this does give you some kind of overall picture. But the best way to understand the pattern that all the threads make in their weaving of the whole unique carpet, is to consult an astrologer skilled in chart interpretation. The astrologer can make a big difference in helping you piece together the puzzle of your chart so that, in the end, you can see the beautiful carpet where once, perhaps, all you saw was a tangle of threads. Hopefully, this report will help you to understand some of the magical threads that are woven into your life.