The Top Posts of All Time

In 2015, Joyce is taking a blog break and reposting  past articles—first by popularity, then by theme—for your new discovery or re-enjoyment. See Coming in 2015: A Radical Rest—and Theme Repost Links for complete details.

The Winners

1. Chiron Quiz: How Strong Is Your Chiron? (17-Aug-10) – 35.9% ATPV (all time page views). Please note that Comments are closed, capped at 100 for this post.

2. Radical Retrospective: The 200^th Post (29-Apr-12) – 15.8% ATPV. Compare the Top 10 two-and-a-half years ago to the current list. Many remain.

3. Chiron in Pisces: Integration and Integrity (16-Apr-10) – 11.5% ATPV. What the last Chiron in Pisces from 1960-69 may tell us about the current swim of the Centaur in Fish.

4. Back to School: Jupiter and the 9^th House, Part 2 of 3 (8-Sep-11) – 9.4% ATPV. Your planets in the 9^th House and how they live there.

5. Emotional Maturity: The Secondary Progressed Moon Cycle (18-Apr-11), guest post by Mandi Lockley – 9.3% ATPV. How we typically grow and personalize the 27-28 year progressed Moon cycle.

6. Celebrate This Momentous Winter Solstice (5-Dec-12) – 4.3% ATPV. The potential for a flurry of cleansing and renewal as the Mayan calendar ends at Winter Solstice and alignment with the Galactic Center.

7. Humor: How the Signs Get Ready for the 2014 Cardinal Grand Cross (1-Feb-14) – 4.1% ATPV. How the Lot of 12 preps for—and reacts to—the prospect of an Astro-energetic tight squeeze. Acerbic Auntie Joyce offers “cures” for the signs that may be feint of heart.

8. The 2014 Creative Question: The Cardinal Grand Cross (19-Jan-14) – 3.4% ATPV. Winter retrogrades with their mega-opportunities for self-reflection melt into a personal “Big Bang” to set your creativity afire.

9. Oracular Spectacular (4-Aug-13) -3.3% ATPV. Astrology isn’t the only oracle in town. A primer on the use of tarot and other oracles and how to find the ones that work best for you.

10. Uranus Square Pluto: Seven Exact Hits, Seven Chakra Realignments (5-Jul-12) – 3.0% ATPV. A primer on when and how to tune up each of your energy centers as the current Uranus-Pluto Square progresses to its finale in March 2015.

I love Epiphany—not just because the Coming of the Three Wise Men shares the same word that means an aha or a sudden realization. I love it because it’s the 12^th Day of Christmas, the culmination of a season of remembering who we are and why we’re here, regardless of our religious orientation. The weeks near the Winter Solstice are holy in nearly every tradition. While some of the world remains doubtful, most references talk about the Magi (singular magus meaning magician) as practitioners of astrology, alchemy and other esoteric arts. Then there’s the obvious fact that they followed stars and were also priest-followers of Zoroaster. Zoroastrian philosophy involved the exercise of constructive thoughts, words and deeds.

As we wax into Epiphany this year, I can’t help but realize the parallels between the “star” posts (the most popular) on The Radical Virgo and the Star of Bethlehem. Both act as a kind of GPS to self-discovery—and once more to having that epiphany about who we really are—love.

According to an article on About.com that summarizes much of what I’ve learned about the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem, it was Johannes Kepler who proposed that the ancient star the Wise Men saw was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. It was thought to have occurred in 7 B.C. and since our calendar system and the exact arrival of Jesus in time as we know it is dubious, “close enough.” The symbols of Jupiter and Saturn were said to be connected with the prophecy of a coming Messiah. Jupiter was associated with kings; Saturn was the planet that represented the Jewish people. As author Carol Turner-Schott notes, Put these words together and you have “King of the Jews.”

Click on chart to enlarge

On Epiphany 2015, we have Jupiter and Saturn in a wide trine. More importantly, Saturn has just entered the sign Jupiter rules, Sagittarius. Certainly putting our beliefs into form will be an important, universal issue.

Saturn in Sagittarius

We’re being called to walk our talk, to live and act according to our beliefs. The days of mere lip service are over. Saturn will take us to task to live up to who we are and to change the world around us from our highest visions.

The symbol for Sagittarius is a centaur. Whether or not Chiron is the same centaur as Sagittarius is a matter of ongoing debate. (There are two centaur constellations, Centaurus and Sagittarius. They encompass both Virgo and Sag, just one of the reasons why I associate Chiron with the Virgo-to-Sag sector of the zodiac. See Wholeness and the Inner Marriage for more details on that theory.)

Statistics indicate you are more interested in Chiron than any other topic on this blog. Two of the Top 10 include the Chiron Quiz to determine your Chiron Quotient or Chi-Q and my article on Chiron in Pisces. This pair of posts accounts for nearly half—47.4 percent—of the most visited offerings on this site since it was launched on Spring Equinox 2009.

Somehow we all know, intuitively, that putting our own healing first is another first—the first step to achieving Peace on Earth and the principles we dream of out loud during this turning-point time of year.

Looking at the patterns in the ten posts you most read, you like to look back (Radical Retrospective and 200^th Post in second place). This bodes well for this year full of that kind of activity. You’re interested in learning from the past—and learning, period (Back to School: Jupiter and the 9^th House). You’re especially impressed by aspect patterns, just like the Magi who were mesmerized with the signpost in lights Jupiter and Saturn sent up as a flare circa 7 B.C. You especially wanted to know about the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012 and what it meant and continues to mean to us. You were captivated by the perils and possibilities inherent in the Cardinal Grand Cross of 2013 and the Uranus-Pluto Square of 2012, still going until its last exact alignment on St. Patrick’s Day 2015. Last but not least, you care about the Moon—feelings and quality of life—as reflected by the fifth most popular article, a guest post by British astrologer Mandi Lockley on the secondary progressed Moon cycle and its relationship to emotional maturity.

Isn’t that, in the end, what we’re trying to do here? To use our experience on Earth to “grow Up” in spirit as much as we can, somehow tied to emotion and desire, those things that precede manifestation in the physical? It’s what the earth plane is all about.

Lastly, you liked to laugh, judging by the fact that at least one of the many humor posts on The Radical Virgo made the Top 10. It’s a post where we can poke fun of ourselves, as astrologers and astrology students, and our tendency to worry about “what it all means” (article on oracles in 9^th place). It shows what hope there is for us—as long as we can laugh at ourselves while we keep following those stars that catch our eyes …

… modern Magi.

~~~

  

Photo Credit: © trucobelami - Fotolia.com

 

Be A Hero: The Radical Virgo Wants YOU!

The Radical Virgo is both a person (Joyce Mason) and a thing (an astrology blog). We have some news we’d like to share! (I’m starting to sound like one of those split-personality Geminis!) While most behind-the-scenes updates at The Radical Virgo go to subscribers via the monthly New Moongram, occasionally, updates are of interest to the entire readership.  This is one of them. Thanks for sitting through the announcements!

 

Chiron Research Volunteers.  The recent Chiron quizzes really got us all going on how Chiron works in our lives. A number of you have already volunteered to participate in research for my full-length Chiron book in progress. Like everything I do, inner work is a huge part of my “process.” I ruminate and let cosmic signs lead me. I have been led in a direction different than I anticipated!

I want to use short anecdotes as examples of how people experience Chiron in the signs, houses and by transit. I am particularly interested in your experiences of Chiron’s transits to itself: 1^st square, opposition, 2^nd square, and Chiron Return. Other examples of Chiron’s transits to other planets are also welcome. Your identity will be protected, and while I can’t offer anything but the exciting knowledge that you might become part of the “Chiron literature,” I need many volunteers. Please see Chiron Research for all the details on how to participate. I am on a fast track with this book. The sooner the better, and may Chiron bless you with his healing. Be a hero!

Sacramento Area Astrologers.  I’ve been helping revive our local astrological organization in the Sacramento Area. I’m the President and CEO (catalyst, enthusiast and organizer). If you’re a reader anywhere within driving distance of California’s Capital, you’re invited to participate in our newly resurrected chapter of the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR), previously active in from the late ‘80s through the early-to-mid 2000s. See our blog or Facebook page for more details. What a warm, eager, and simply wonderful tribe of stargazers! Contact me if you’d like to learn more about us!

Hot Flashbacks, Cool Insights on Hiatus. After three years, I’ve put my “spirited living” blog on the back burner to focus on my books in progress and to make my writing available in multiple formats including print and e-readers. Hot/Cool was my first-born blog and has held a special place in my heart. It has given me the opportunity to write about many things dear to me in a broader spiritual perspective. Mine the Archives to see what I mean!

New Version, Chiron and Wholeness.  Chiron and Wholeness: A Primer has had a face-lift with some new graphics, minor corrections, and a few new thoughts added in. Anyone who  purchased a copy of this e-book is entitled to free updates, anytime there’s a new version. (Previous updates have been too minor to mention.) If you’d like to have this newer version dated November 2010, please e-mail me with Update E-book in the header. If you purchased your e-book in November or later, you already have the latest edition.

Closed Comments.  A few comments on Closed Comments. The Chiron Quiz had over 101 back-and-forth exchanges before I closed the dialogue. It’s the only time I’ve had to do so, and I will only exercise that option when comments come in avalanche proportions! I’m still working on Neptunian boundaries, especially when it comes to my time. A number of people sent comments after the Comments Closed notice was up on the post. If you missed the comment window, I want you to know I still read your comments, but I don’t publish them for continued conversation. Once I’ve closed the comments, to add others isn’t fair to those who wanted to comment, but didn’t because of the Closed Comments notice. Just wanted you to know you’re not being ignored. Here’s the part where I say if I were really a Gemini, there would be two of me and I wouldn’t have to close comments till we got to 202! Thanks for your understanding.

Radical Road Trips

It’s time for the Radical Virgo to hit the pavement on the Interstate instead of the Info Superhighway! Here are her stops so far this year:

Arizona (May 2011). I will be doing presentations in Phoenix and Tucson in May—hopefully in Sedona as well. If you live in any of these cities or are within driving distance of them, please contact me, if you’re interested in a reading while I’m in town or knowing the details on my presentations and workshops, as they develop. I am looking for local information to set something up in Sedona, as well. I’ll be in Tucson May 13-14 and in Phoenix May 20-21 with the possibility of extended days before or after to meet with clients. I hope to do an evening talk in Sedona sometime between May 17-19. Thanks in advance if you can help me create something Radical on the red rocks!

Chicago/Milwaukee (June 2011). I am planning to be in Chicago and Milwaukee in June. No firm dates yet, but I am available to speak to your astrology group and would love to hear from you and welcome your suggestions.

Speaker program offerings has details on the presentations I’m ready to give, but if there’s any topic you’ve read on The Radical Virgo or another custom workshop you’re interested in having me do, let’s talk!

Hope you’re all having a great New Year, and because you were good enough to not squirm during the announcements, the next post will be a humorous treat from Auntie Joyce who has some things to say about how “we are each other.”

Blessings All,

Joyce

The Chiron Resonance Quiz: What’s Your Chi-Res Score?



Kithara from ancient pottery, the stringed lyre-like instrument
that Chiron played and taught others how to play.



© 2010 by Joyce Mason

All Rights Reserved

Overnight, The Chiron Quiz: How Strong Is Your Chiron became the most visited post on my blog ever. I already knew quizzes were popular, but reader response was overwhelming! It’s clear you’re eager to learn more about Chiron—and what Chiron means to you.

My “Chi-Q” Quiz was modeled after Donna Cunningham’s tests on the strength of various planets. (Thank you, again, Donna, for encouraging me to get quizzical.) I was eager to place Chiron in the mix so we could each assess Chiron’s personal prominence, especially in relation to the outer planets: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Since Chiron orbits between Saturn and Uranus, creating a bridge to the far outers, it offers us a conduit for handling our own outerplanetary energies that constantly demand deep change from us.

The Chi-Q Quiz parallels the idea behind an IQ test where the Chiron’s signature in your chart (sign, house, aspects) is an indicator of your potential and path for expressing Chiron’s multiple meanings. However, it occurred to me that there’s another strong parallel—that’s to Emotional Intelligence or EI as put forth in the popular book of the same name by author Daniel Golman and many others. Emotional intelligence is a popular area of research today in the field of psychology.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is "the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions."

Continuing the parallels, Chi-Q assesses your Chironic potential. Chi-Res—the test you have the opportunity to take next in this post—is primarily about your emotional response to, and identification with, those things that are associated with Chiron. Once you know your Chironic characteristics, you can consider your response to this information and how it might guide your thinking and actions.

We all know people who are extremely intelligent yet have no “horse sense.” We are often reminded that as humans, we use only a fraction of our mental resources. I have known people with so-called developmental disabilities, supposedly “slow,” who understand the important things in life better than some folks who qualify for Mensa. You could have a Chi-Q score of only 25, but if you strongly identify with the principles associated with Chiron, you may be more Chironic than a person with a Chi-Q of 65 who hasn’t connected yet to Chiron in a major way. Why? Because you are using, or at minimum, feeling the presence of the archetype of Chiron. You have used Chiron’s skeleton key glyph to open the door to his teachings in your life. The Chi-Q speaks to Chironic potential; the Chi-Res measures how you’re connecting with the Chiron archetype in your inner and outer life.

The real purpose of both these tests is to help you get to know your Chiron better and what Chiron means to you. The Chi-Res test is more subjective, yet it may actually be a better indicator of how Chiron works for you.


Basis of the Chi-Res Quiz: The Trifold Method for Discovering Planetary Meanings

The Chi-Res Quiz s drawn directly from “the continuing discovery of Chiron.” When new planets are discovered, we look to three things as astrologers to decipher their meaning:

1. The myth after which they are named, which is often inspired by synchronicity
2. Astronomical information
3. Cultural changes in the years surrounding discovery

The Chi-Res Quiz has three sections. Each explores your resonance to these areas for mining meaning. You’ll discover that the biggest section is under the myth. This is where we get the richest metaphors, and it is also the oldest source. The Chiron legend has been told for millennia, whereas our astronomical and cultural information only came into being with Chiron’s discovery in 1977. Those sections are still “under construction.”



The Chi-Res Quiz

Mythological Factors


1. __ You were literally abandoned by one or more parents at birth, examples: given up for adoption, sent to foster care, or experienced the death of a parent as a child. (10 points)

2. __ You have felt rejected emotionally (rather than actually) by a parent (5, 10 if both parents)

3. __ You were conceived in an adulterous relationship, outside marriage, or in a relationship not “sanctioned” by society or your local culture. (10 points)

4. __ You were born with a birth defect or have a physical handicap. (10) points

5. __ (If you have a physical handicap, it involves your leg or legs, especially the thigh or knee. (10 extra points)

6. __ You were raised by a couple other than your biological parents. (5 points)

7. __This couple in #6 seemed very balanced, yin and yang, and often complemented each other. (5 points)

8. __ You spent a lot of time alone as a child. (5 points)

9. __ It has always been important to you to have an isolated nook or “cave” to retreat into when you feel overwhelmed by the world. (5 points)

10. __ You felt outcast and rejected by others, particularly peers, as a child. (10 points)

11. __ You have a lingering injury or illness of some kind—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—one with ongoing residual effects. (10 points)

12. __The residual effect of #11 includes chronic pain. (10 points)

13. __ The lingering injury or illness in #11 involves your leg or legs, especially the thigh or knee. (5 points)

14. __ You continue to work or contribute in spite of pain or discomfort. (5 points)

15. __ You were wounded at or by a wedding (someone else married the one you loved, your mother married a man you despise, your parents never married—wide possibilities, including a literal accident or injury at nuptials). (10 points)

16. __ You are a teacher or mentor. (10 points)

17. __ You work with young adults (teens through twenties) in some other way, such as counselor or club leader. (10 points)

18. __ You are a professional astrologer. (10 points)

19. __ You are a surgeon. (10 points)

20. __ You are an herbalist or work with similar healing arts that involve the gifts of the earth such as flower essences or healing teas. (10 points)

21. __ You practice complementary medicine, both modern allopathic and some of the older tried-and-true medicines such as acupuncture, Ayurveda, etc. (5 points)

22. __ You practice holistic medicine as your sole focus. (5 points)

23. __ Your teaching style is to “bring out the best” in each student or person you mentor. (5 points)

24. - 29 You practice any of the following (5 points each):
~~~
24. __ Archery

25. __ Martial arts (t’ai chi, qi gong, etc.)

26. __ Playing a stringed instrument (examples: guitar, banjo, piano)

27. __ Astrology (non-professional)

28. __ Matching people’s skills to a job or need

29. __ Turning out heroes or stars in whatever form
~~~
30. __ You are altruistic and very giving of your time and talents. (10 points)

31. __ Others have always come to you informally for advice or counsel. (10 points)

32. __ You have overcome a problem or hurt in your life and made a career of helping others “in the same boat,” such as an alcoholic who facilitates at AA meetings, or a formerly speech impaired person who is active in mentoring others in Toastmasters, or a person with a disease (Michael J. Fox) who becomes a spokesperson or advocate to find a cure. (10 points)

33.__ You “look different” in some way which has been wounding to you. (10 points)

34. __ You feel neither here nor there, like you don’t fit in, yet you can “work the perimeter” of very different worlds. (10 points)

35.__ You a weaver, someone who can take diverse ideas, artwork, talents—whatever—and stitch them into a tapestry of wholeness. (10 points)

36. __ You have strong intuitional skills. (5 points)

37. __ You are not right or left-brain dominant; you’re both brained, with a balance of logic and intuition. You’re possibly even ambidextrous. (10 points)

38. __ You have a great sense of humor and appreciate humor’s healing potential. (5 points)

39. __When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. You know how to find the silver lining, lessons, or good in situations. (10 points)

40.__ Finding your place in the community where you can give your talents and experience is important to you. (10 points)


Astronomical Factors

41. __ You have progressive ideas, yet get along with conservative people and are able to open their minds to new ways of looking at things without alienating them. Similarly, you can get the most outspoken liberal people to understand the perspective of a convervative, even if just a little. (5 points)

42. __Humor is often your bridge in this process described in #41. (5 points)

43. __ You consider yourself a maverick or a rogue. (5 points)

44. __ You are a composite being in some way, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, or bionic (mechanical body part replacements such as an artificial limb, knee). (10 points)

45__ It’s difficult to categorize you or “put you in a box.” You’re one of a kind. (5 points)

46. __ You often find yourself in the role of go-between or acting as a bridge between differing others or concepts. (5 points)

47. __ You are relatively small in size but often considered powerful by others. (5 points)

48. __ You have an uncanny sense of timing. (5 points)

49. __ You experience many synchronicities or meaningful coincidences. (5 points)

50. __ Something personally important happened to you in the year 1977. (5 points)


Cultural Factors


51. __ You resonate to the ideal of integration, whether cultural, racial or the integration of ideas. (5 points)

52. __ You strongly support feminism and gender equality. (5 points)

53. __ You often like extremely “opposite” people or ideas. Example: You might have close friends who are atheists and others who are religiously conservative. (5 points)

54. __ You resonated to the ‘70s—sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll—at least two out of three. If you didn’t do drugs, you still sought physical or emotional highs. (5 points)

55. __ You feel the movie Star Wars changed the world. (“May the Force be with you.”) (5 points)

56. __ You believe the music of the ‘70s (Elvis, Beatles, Motown, etc.) changed the world. (5 points)


Scoring

Highest possible score is 400.

0 – 62: Low resonance to Chiron at this time

62 – 320: Moderate resonance to Chiron *

321 – 400: High resonance to Chiron


* This wide moderate range assumes scores will fall in a normal bell curve. With such a high point range in the middle, it makes sense to subcategorize. Let's call 62-100 low moderate, up to 101-200 mid-moderate, and up to 201-320 high moderate.


What’s Next?

Here are some suggestions for putting this information to work for you.

1. Compare Your Chi-Q and Chi-Res quiz results. Are they similar in quality—both moderate, both high—or are they dissimilar (one low, one high). Contemplate what that means for you. Do you have more Chironic potential than you’re expressing? Conversely, are you maximizing the Chironic potential these tests light up?

2. If you have a high Chi-Res score, how does knowing this make a difference for you? How do you feel about it, and does it suggest any redirection in vocation or approach to personal growth? (For example, my Chi-Q is on the higher side at 43, but it pales compared to some of our test takers on the previous quiz who got way upwards of that score. My Chi-Res, however, is 330—quite high. It explains why I've been a Chironoholic since 1988 and suggests that I found the right astrological specialty.)

3. Participate in research. If you’d like to be part of the research for my book in progress, please contact me with “Chiron research” in the header. This will involve sharing your birth data, Chi-Q and Chi-Res scores, and personal information that exemplifies how Chiron works in your life. Your identity will be kept confidential.

Remember, your Chi-Q is fixed at birth with your Chiron configuration in your natal chart. It is a map of how Chiron can potentially work for you. However, your Chi-Res or Chiron Resonance is fluid. You could take this quiz at various times in your life and probably come out with a considerably different score. Some things will stay the same, like whether or not you have a physical disability, but others will vary as you accumulate Chironic experiences and identification with Chiron's wholemaking role. The Chi-Res quiz shows how you relate to Chironic principles at this time.

I look forward to your comments and hearing how the two quizzes compare for making Chiron more personal and accessible. Your feedback will help me refine the quizzes and to make them more helpful for others in the future.

Chiron Quiz: How Strong is Your Chiron?

© 2010 by Joyce Mason

Donna Cunningham has been encouraging me to create a Chiron quiz to complement her other planetary quizzes that have been so popular on her blog, Sky Writer. Although she has quizzes on most planets including the Moon and Mercury, I’m focusing in this article on how Chiron fits into her quizzes on the outer planets. As the bridge between Saturn and Uranus, Chiron fits smack dab in the middle of the mix. We need this Chiron quiz!

My perspective? I consider Chiron to be an outer planet—or at least half-outer. In its bridging position between Saturn and Uranus, Chiron is anchored in both worlds of the inner and outer planets. But before we get going, for those who want to take their quizzes in sequence, I’m starting with the links to the outerplanetary quizzes on Donna’s site:

Donna Cunningham’s Quizzes on the Outer Planets


How Strong is Your Saturn?


How Strong is Your Uranus?


How Strong is Your Neptune?


How Strong Is Your Pluto

I’ve designed the Chiron quiz to parallel Donna’s structure on the other quizzes as much as possible, so you’re using a similar system to compare your Chiron score to the other outer planets. Particularly if you’re what Donna and I both call an OPP (an Outer-Planetary Person) or what I call a PUNC (Plutonian, Uranian, Neptunian and Chironic—all the outers emphasized), you’ll navigate your personal overload of evolutionary change planets better if you have some idea which one is your leading planet, so you can salute him and follow his direction.

When it comes to the outer planets, the quiz on which you score the highest is the engine in the string of influences that nag you to morph at light speed. Not to mention, while we're talking about Little Engines That Could, Outerplanetary People are desperately needed in the current, intense change cycle involving the outer planets in chronic tension. You know who you are and that you've received your intuitive draft notice! Remember, if you think change is challenging for you, imagine how difficult it is for people who aren't having a dialogue with these Gods of Change every second of their lives. We are the way showers.

And now for the one who helps keep the outer planets more on track and easier to navigate in his role as a go-between, Chiron.


What’s Your CQ (Chiron Quotient)?

As Donna always points out in her quizzes, it’s impossible to consider every single influence when creating a planetary “weighting” system, especially without complicating it so much, it’s no fun. You may find you feel more Chironic than your ultimate score would indicate. That’s when you have to consider more subtle nuances. For example, the Moon is my most elevated planet, it’s out of bounds, [1] and closely square Neptune. I have a very “sensitive” and overemphasized Moon, to which Chiron has a nearly exact sextile. Chiron acts as a safety valve to the high pressure of my lunar overload; thus, I have become that sweet centaur’s devotee in undying gratitude for the relief! These particulars jack up my Chiron Quotient, as any close aspect between Chiron and a planet with similar prominence might intensify its strength. Don’t take these quizzes as the Ten Commandments, etched in stone. They’re guidelines to weigh emphasis. Adjust according to personal experience.


I use orbs of up 8° for major aspects (conjunction, opposition, square or trine). For minor aspects, I use 3° for quintile, semisquare, and sesquiquadrate. I go up to 4° on a quincunx  and 6° for the sextile. (The last two are a little generous compared to some astrologers.) As Donna also does in her quizzes, I consider 10° for conjunctions to the Midheaven and ASC based on the research by Michel Gauquelin.

Suggestion: Be radical and don’t even resemble a traditional Virgo nitpicker when it comes to orbs. If you feel it at 9°, count it. If you say “huh?” and don’t relate to the aspect whatsoever in a degree of arc you're "supposed to," then a smaller orb is the one for you. Our sensitivity to the planets is personal and varies somewhat. The whole idea here is to make you more aware of your comparative planetary sensitivities. It would be "off" to deny your actual intuition as you examine the issue. If you do major comparisons with others, you'll need to agree on an orbital definition, but for your own purposes, do what feels right consistently across your outerplanetary quizzes.

Now, hang onto your horse half. Here goes!


The Quiz


___ Chiron is conjunct, square, trine, or opposite the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Midheaven (10 points each)

__ Chiron is conjunct, square, trine, or opposite other planets (5 points each)

__ Chiron is in minor aspect (sextile, quincunx, quintile, semisquare, or sesquiquadrate) to the Sun, Moon or other planets (2 points each)

__ You have Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Midheaven in Virgo (5 points each).


Note: This comes from my theory about The Chiron Sector, the part of the zodiac from Virgo through Sagittarius that I associate with Chiron. Virgo is the pivotal sign between the planets that deal with “I” and the planets that deal with “Us and Them or Others.” Its bridging nature, just as Chiron bridges us from the inner to the outer planets in its orbital position, makes Virgo the most Chironic sign in my mind. Virgo is the last “I” sign, but it starts the transition to Libra/Other by focusing on service.


__   Bonus Points for Chiron in Virgo, Chiron in the 6th, or Virgo on the 6th House cusp (5 points each)

___ Other planets in Virgo (3 points each)

__   Other planets in The Chiron Sector (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius) – (2 points each)

__   Sun or Moon in the 6th House (5 points each)




Total your points. A score of 0-14 is a relatively low Chiron Quotient (CQ). A score of 15-25 is moderate CQ. If your points total more than 25, you’ve got a high CQ and should really start looking for a farrier—one of those folks that puts shoes on horses, because you’re a centaur through and through!


Sharing Feedback

It would be great to hear your scores in the Comments and whether or not you think the test is relatively accurate. This is an experiment, and your comments will help make the CQ Quiz better. In case you’re wondering, my own score is 43, without adjustment for Chiron’s role in releasing my lunar pressure. (My hero!)

Please let us know what you learn! Maybe we can start the equivalent of Mensa for people with high CQs. I know what you’ll say. “Hold your horses!” We’d never get any one of us off our figurative Mt. Pelion, away from helping others long enough to attend a meeting. (By the way, there’s a flower essence for serving others to a fault. It’s called Centaury! No kidding.)

That’s what’s so cool about the Internet. The High CQ Club can come to your mountain through The Radical Virgo and other Chiron-friendly sites, and you can read them between sessions—healing, teaching, mentoring—those things we Chironics do, sometimes over-do.

~~~

Note

[1] There’s a good discussion of Moon out-of-bounds (OOB) and OOB planets in general on the post, Moonwalk: Cancer.

Photo Credit: Posing strong female © Smagal Dreamstime.com enhanced by Joyce.

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