Most people can generally wax lyrical about Mars, Jupiter and Mercury doing so-and-so in this-and-that planetary sign, but unless you’re a serious horoscope nut, you probably don’t usually refer to Chiron...
A planetoid (don't you love that word? sooo alien) in the outer Solar System, Chiron is a newbie on the horoscope scene, having only been discovered in 1977. Chiron was named after the centaur in Greek mythology -- a healer and teacher who, ironically, could not heal himself. Thus, in the natal chart, Chiron symbolises the "wounded healer": our deepest wound / greatest pain or burden, and our efforts to heal it.
This resonates with me because a few popular alternative therapies - Theta, Neuro Emotional Technique, Emotional Freedom Technique, Healing That Really Works - all help to ease emotional blockages. Some change 'stuck' beliefs, and some remove the original traumatic incident ("deepest wound"). This may be from childhood or a past life. And while we're often very scared to face our most painful memories -- allowing them to haunt us (or unhealthily suppressing them) for decades -- they're often quite easy to release once you actually get around to it. The world is getting lighter and more spiritual, assisting you in shedding your karmic skins.
A couple of years ago on a healing course, the person next to me drew a picture to explain how they perceived 'self-work' (a picture's worth a thousand words!) It consisted of a little boat skimming along the surface of the ocean, with many heavy chains and anchors attached underneath that were dragging along the seabed, getting snagged, stuck and generally slowing things down. The boat, of course, is us; the chains our emotional blockages. The more we unhook and release our 'chains', the lighter, faster and freer we speed along toward our ultimate destination (nirvana?).
But just wanting, hoping or wising for change is never going to suffice. Dig deep, embrace the power of Chiron, stare your deepest wounds directly in the eyes, and truly understand that they no longer hold any power over you. Then just watch them float away. :-)