From the salt mines… aka my 2020 medium archives…
[There is] this fellow named Chiron, the centaur whose myth forms the archetype for a medicine man cursed with eternal pain who dedicates his life to helping others with theirs. As the story goes, this teacher and physician was accidentally pierced by a poisoned arrow belonging to Hercules. Immortal Chiron couldn’t die, but instead was forever wracked with the pain of burning poison in his veins.
Eventually, Hercules made a deal with Zeus that allowed Chiron to exchange his life for cursed Prometheus’, who was being eaten by eagles every evening and regenerated every morning as punishment for gifting mortals the power of fire. Chiron took up the chains of Prometheus and was allowed to die, picked apart by the eagles until he was no more.
This story helps me to make meaning of my own journey. A teacher once pointed out to me that many going into this field do so to search for a cure to their own struggle and/or that of their family. This is not the place to find it.
Read my entire essay on medium (no paywall): https://medium.com/@jphcutler/chiron-the-wounded-healer-5020e4e31f12
Stay Salty my friends
- Josh
