Case Study: Helen Keller

Chiron in the natal chart describes subtle psychological driving forces that color your actions. It underlines why you deal with certain situations the way you do and the areas where you may have profound insights or an ability to render knowledge, insight or healing.

Helen Keller was an American author, orator and educator who was rendered blind and deaf due to an early childhood bout with an unspecified illness. Her education and training were an extraordinary accomplishment at the time for persons with these disabilities.

The Generational Influence: Chiron in Taurus

Chiron in Taurus represents a generation of people born in a period when materialism, wealth and possessions were flaunted or coveted. A person’s value was based on what they owned. The wealthy and higher classes were favored and those with less resources were considered inferior. Helen Keller was born during the Gilded Age (1877 – 1896) where some Americans experienced higher wages due to rapid industrialization. However this shed a spotlight on the pocketed wealth in America, as the majority lived in abject poverty and inequality (Stiglitz, 2013).

The Personal Influence

Chiron(Taurus) in the 6th House

It is not unusual for the 6th house placement to indicate fragile health in the early childhood or some marked illness. Typically from a young age they must learn to care for their health, due to some chronic illness or physical impediment. There is a sensitivity or feeling of insecurity related to their body, or physical appearance and abilities.

For Keller the placement of Chiron in her 6th house has a profound expression. She was born a normal healthy baby. Around 19 months old an unusual inflammatory illness struck her and took with it her vision, her hearing and, for some time, her speech. Her life following this is marked by learning to adjust to her new impediment.

A marked amount of perfectionism goes with this placement as well. These people often beat themselves up for not doing things as efficiently and flawlessly as possible. It’s noted that Keller strove for perfection; to do the best, despite her circumstances. She felt guilty of being less and would put herself down when she felt she had failed to reach her aims. This drove her to push herself very hard to surmount her impediments (Genechten, Martina, 2009).

Chiron placed here gives the native a strong desire to render aid and service to others. We see it expressed in Keller as advocacy for the better treatment of many disadvantaged groups including the disabled. Conversely Chiron in the 6th seeks perfection. For this reason she may not have seen the benefit of having too many children or of children born with defects or retardation. This placement gives some suggestion of the reasons behind her advocacy for birth control and eugenics.

The Aspects

Chiron(Taurus) in the 6th house conjunct Neptune

Conjunctions indicate innate characteristics of a native. To some extent this aspect may indicate a feeling of being a victim of fate or unfairness in the world. There is some anger and frustration about the unfair circumstances visited upon the native. It also gives the native a sensitive imaginative streak. Keller’s more creative expression of Chiron rendered itself as a potent imagination and writing abilities.

The native may have an increased desire to render service to others, especially the less fortunate or those suffering from similar ills. We see this expressed in Keller’s marked advocacy for the education and improved treatment of those that are blind, deaf or otherwise disabled. A love for animals and nature is also very likely here, both of these soothing one’s ills.

Chiron(Taurus) in the 6th house sextile Moon(Pisces) in the 4th house

Chiron-Moon aspects can often indicate some issues with the family or a long family history of some sort. In this case we do find that a previous ancestor had been an advocate for the education of the deaf. Her mother obscured certain knowledge from the young Keller so as help her maintain a virtuous, virginal demeanor as was expected of the handicapped during the Victorian era. This resulted in Keller exhibiting quite a bit of naiveté in her youth, as she was not aware some certain commonalities of which others her age were well aware (Herrmann, 2007). This is a classic Chiron-Moon influence which seeks to shelter their offspring from all things, and often leads to a certain naiveté.

Chiron(Taurus) in the 6th house square Mars(Leo) in the 9th house

This aspect often expresses itself as a fight for identity or expression. Keller noted that in her early childhood she was unable to express herself, feeling like something was holding her back from expressing herself as she wanted to. This presented itself as a temper and violent manner of expressing her emotions in the early part of her childhood when she had not figured out how to express herself or her needs (Keller, 2004). With the honing of her abilities she eventually drew this energy into her oratory and writing abilities, becoming an adamant writer and speaker. She fought against her disabilities and achieved a higher education. She traveled all over the world educating many on the experience of the deaf-blind.

A Mars aspect to the 6th house can indicate an inflammatory malady related to the signs involved. We have Leo and Taurus here. It’s speculated that the illness was meningitis, which is an inflammation of the layers around the brain and spinal cord. Leo rules the spinal cord, so could be a very good contender.

Final Thoughts

Keller was a bridge gapping the world of the disabled and the abled. She allowed those without disability to peer into the world of those that were disabled and see the world through their eyes. She fought against her impediment and proved to herself, as well as others that she could be more than her disability (a very strong combined influence of 6th house Chiron in aspect to Mars). Through overcoming her wound she was able to bring humanity a new perspective on living with disability.

Did you enjoy this case study? What did you find most interesting?

Tell me your thoughts!

Works Cited

Herrmann, D. (2007). “Helen Keller: A Life”. Chicago: University Press.

Keller, Helen (2004). “The Story of My Life”. New York, Norton.

Stiglitz, Joseph (2013). “The Price of Inequality: How Today's Divided Society Endangers Our Future”. W. W. Norton & Company. p. xxxiv. ISBN 978-0-393-34506-3. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023.

Retrieved 19 February 2023

Van Genechten, Desiree Martina. "A Psychobiographical Study of Helen Keller." Unpublished master’s thesis. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa (2009).