On Chiron, & Mars, - Rage & Compassion with Accompanied Practices
Some Wisdom on Chiron, and His Connection with Rage and Compassion.
Mars, in his highest expression, is the Hero Archetype, able to merge base instincts with the Heart of the Lion. In the average person however, he is instinct. Unconscious. Divorced from logic and reason. He governs our ability to “act”.
Chiron is the planetary body of our soul lessons. He is the mentor who initiates us by bringing us into contact with wounded self, all of the layers that cover our essence self. Chiron helps us re-wild our soul by asking us to look at the maladaptive coping skills we have employed to live in the midst of this wound. He helps us remove protective layers that stop the process of catharsis and healing. He is a profound wisdom keeper and a great medicine man.
I want to talk about the medicine of rage. And the blessing of a Mars/Chiron energy. Which is what we have with Chiron in Aries. On top of that, in SkyDancer, Venus is in the Solar Plexus Chakra, which is ruled by Mars, so we are deep in the work of exploring these archetypal expressions.
Rage carries a seed of dynamite. It has an explosive power, capable of pulverizing the object of its ire. But it’s not only that, rage can lead to a medicinal kind of madness. An urge to empty the unconscious contents of our soul so they can be witnessed and utlimately alchemized. This is uniquely a Mars, Chiron dynamic. To make rage conscious soul medicine.
In Chiron's myth, he is wounded (given his medicine) during an unconscious, bizarre, scene in which Pholus' wine jug is uncorked and the Centaurs all scurry to partake in the wine. In an effort to maintain order, Herakles starts shooting arrows into the air to avoid being rushed by the drunk centaurs. There is something so feral, and "insane" about this story. And in the way that "maintaining order" was the method by which the wound occurred.
The polarity of Aries is Libra who governs balance. The polarity points of the zodiac often offer the key to unlock, or evolve the sign on the opposite side. But sometimes it acts as weight, or a gravitational field pulling us towards it. Sometimes that’s a good thing, other times it splits us in two.
So with Chiron in Aries, looking across at Libra one might feel pulled towards maintaining equilibrium, finding center, knowing balance, and mapping polarity.
What happens when the madness of rage meets this program of finding balance, this effort of equanimity? You guessed it, we often get pulled off of our own maps entirely. And if we struggle to remain in equilibrium, to hunker down too early in the energetic cycle of rage, we can make ourselves physically sick. The medicine of rage is actually how utterly destabilizing it can be.
I once experienced an avoidable, but serious crisis in my family. It involved my adult son’s poor choices. The emotion I felt when his choices took him all the way to the edge between life and death was beyond extreme, beyond destabilizing. It was primal.
I felt an instinctual pull into nature, a desire to howl at the moon, to release what was literally bubbling and brewing inside me. I wanted to grip, and control, to beat, even pulverize the threat with my own will. Will is something governed by Mars.
I did, in fact, take myself deep into the woods. I grieved about a future he would likely lose. I raged at fate. I raged at the things I couldn’t control. I raged about how much I hate drugs. I raged at myself for the places I let him down. And then I noticed a strange thing. I wanted to rage at myself for raging.
There was a point out in the woods, when I realized the medicine wasn’t solving it. It was wrestling with “how do I be with this rage? How do I stay embodied, and ride this emotion all the way through, how do I throw myself onto the pyre, let it burn me, turn me to ash?” I learned long ago that stuffing isn’t an option. I get lost and stagnant when I try to beat back my rage. Then I turn absolutely numb and freeze.
I’ll never forget it. I can still see it clear as day. There in the forest, in my mind's eye, I saw a figure diving into a dark, kind of eerie pool. I watched as it went all the way down and pushed off the bottom with their feet and quickly resurfaced. I knew that was what I needed to do. Surf it. Map the extremes of it. Be destabilized and witness what comes up from this cockeyed perspective. I thought, “maybe if I allow myself to bottom, resurfacing may be somewhat quickened.” The catharsis is a cycle, and it needs to be complete.
I’ve got to be honest, I can’t always access it all the way through. But it’s been a metaphor that has allowed me to give myself over to feeling it all. And when I can hit that spot, It's weirdly refreshing.
Then there is the backend, when the catharsis has run its course. This is where Chiron comes in. To help move us to a state of soul care. Tending to our wounds lovingly, gauging where we are out of range, and witnessing myself in the madness. Validating my heart in the midst of the cycle.
To feel is to merge, to become something else forever. Feeling/Merging, is a Libran Mystery School Lesson. I know when the rage comes, that I will eventually find equilibrium again. But it may not be in the same place it was before. I may come out a different person, more embodied, less conditioned, my soul rewilded. I may have new boundaries, and a new way to relate to the world. Maybe it will be softer, because the heat of rage will have melted some of my armor. I will have also been transformed by the fire of this rage.
When we say Libra is related to equilibrium, that also means the places where we don’t have it. A polarity of equilibrium is destabilization. Being unbalanced.
Art Daniella Bunkes
#astrology #chiron #woundedhealer #mars #aries #libra #solarplexus #rage
RAGE PRACTICES
A Feminine Rage Practice - An Excerpt from SkyDancer
This lesson is designed to support you through moments of Catharsis.
Catharsis is Part of Every Venus Journey. It’s one of the Main tools in the Venusian Priestess’s Tool Box. To be able to “feel it all”. In our consistent practice of tuning into what is real, moment by moment, helps sensitize us too our larger inquiry around following “what is true”. A practice introduced in module one. The Crown Charka.
When it is true that we are hurt, angry, full of grief, fear, or other seemingly Painful Emotions, Venus Meets them in their fullness.
I've created a two part practice for you here to support you in states of Rage, or Deep Catharsis.
The Feminine, Yin, Catharsis Practices are designed to meet us wherever we are.
While I lay out the practice in this video, I do not lead you through it. We cannot manufacture forced states of catharsis. In the video you will learn the practice, and then utilize it when you move through your next period of BIG EMOTIONS.
There is a secondary video to help support you in recovery after moments of big catharsis. Guided Yoga Nidra Style.
Note: While I mention Rage in this video, this practice can be applied to Grief, Shame Storms, Sadness, Anger, Madness, Rage, or any moment of Catharsis
Note: In the practice above you will see me in a seated position. However, it is entirely appropriate to move, shake and dance, utilizing the hands as a conscious point of release. Do not feel as though your body has to be still if it feels called to move. The important things is to bring our awareness inward to our somatic state. And keep our focus there as we titrate and move through the big emotions. We do not want to push the energy towards the external until it’s fully alchemized.
Quick Practice Instructions
The Saying, “we have to feel to heal” is absolutely true. This practice supports us in completing energetic cycles, instead of abandoning them midway through.
This practice is meant to use the energy of Rage, Fear, Sadness, Grief, etc. as alchemical Medicine.
Instead of spilling the energy outwards. We circulate it within us until it naturally dissipates, and release it.
For people who are new to this work, you can titrate the practice. Once you hit your tolerance threshold, you can gently take yourself out of it, until you build your capacity to bring the sensation all the way through to completion.
Sit on the floor, legs crossed, with palms on knees facing outwards.
Bring your attention inwards to the sensation of the emotion you intend to cathart.
Stay with the emotion, allowing it to move and circulate around the body. Stay with the sharpness and uncomfortability until it dissipates.
Use Video two to complete the catharsis.
Watch the video above for full details.
Post Catharsis Yoga Nidra Practice for Down Regulation
