a new article exploring another aspect of the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction:

The Healing Trinity,
Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron
By Catherine Kenward
www.astrologess.com

There's a wonderful alignment going on this summer as the planets Jupiter and Neptune travel within one degree of each other for almost 11 weeks (5/13/09 to 7/23/09). Jupiter, the planet of abundance, and Neptune, the planet of Higher Love, conjunct for about two weeks once every 12 to 13 years. Only rarely do they move in tandem the way they are now. The last time they spent a sustained amount of time together was back in 1971.

There is another influence added to the mix as this summer's conjunction happens right on top of the asteroid, Chiron, known as the Wounded Healer. In Greek mythology Chiron was the wise old centaur (half man, half horse) who was the teacher of the gods and heroes. Chiron's placement in a birth chart reveals much about our psychic wounds as well as our healing abilities. Chiron's passage over any sensitive part of a birth chart brings up old wounds as well as the opportunity to heal them.

Jupiter/Neptune occurring with Chiron marks this as a time of healing when there is an opportunity to mend old injuries of the heart and spirit, as well as the body. By itself, Chiron often speaks of the wound inflicted and can bring fresh damage but, combined with Jupiter and Neptune, these three act like a healing balm to soothe the injured soul. This may manifest as the opportunity to experience a new healing modality, a spiritual epiphany or a new found ability to forgive that lifts a burden of anger from the heart.

The healing that Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron offers is not necessarily an easy gift but requires a willingness to explore the source of old hurts and probe the painful emotions that lie buried beneath the surface of the psyche. When Chiron triggers a key point in our birth charts these painful emotions come welling up so they are easier to access. The willingness to embrace and love the injured parts of ourselves is the most essential part of the healing. Loving and forgiving ourselves is the giant step toward being able to forgive those who have hurt us. Often little children will blame themselves as being unworthy rather than those who have done them harm. Most of us still carry that little child within us. Forgiving ourselves and feeling that we truly deserve to be loved and healed is the key to the solace we've been seeking.

A most striking example of this healing action is here in the United States. In the astrology chart for the USA (July 4th, 1776, Philadelphia, PA. 4:30 PM) the Moon is in 26Ò Aquarius. The alignment of Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron is happening at 25/26Ò Aquarius right on the USA's Moon. In the chart of a nation, the Moon represents the people, the general populace, their mood and inclination. Barack Obama has Aquarius rising in his birth chart and the Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron conjunction is happening quite close to it. For many Americans, and other people around the world, he is the living embodiment of this alignment. Whatever your political persuasion, its hard not to see the healing that his election has brought to this nation as a large segment of the population feels for the first time that they are truly equal members of our society. As someone joyfully proclaimed after his election, "All is forgiven!" Whether or not that is the case for everyone, the Obama presidency has enabled a great many Americans to feel better about their country and themselves.

This period of opportunity extends to the end of the year as Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron line up again in December 2009. This means that the healing work we begin now will continue behind the scenes and present it's final results at that time.