Perhaps you have gotten well acquainted with the planets, signs, and houses.

Yet there is another level of wisdom you can gain by examining the role of the eight major asteroids in Astrology. If you don’t pay attention to the asteroids, you could be missing important parts of your natal chart.

Though they don’t carry quite the same weight as the planets, yet asteroids can explain nuances in behavior patterns that can either help you or stand in your way, depending on their placements and aspects.

Asteroids can accentuate talents that other planetary placements describe. They can also serve as a safety net helping to balance out conflictual planetary placements.

It’s worth examining the role asteroids play in your chart and the charts of your friends, family and love interests.

Chiron

One of the most popular of the asteroids is Chiron. Chiron is called the “Wounded Healer” and represents the core issues you must work through to heal your past wounds and how you stand out to others as a healer or guide.

For example, Chiron in Aries suggests you may not see yourself as a competent leader. Yet through navigating your own trials and tribulations, you can become a strong advocate for others.

If leadership is indicated by your chart, Chiron in the eighth house can suggest the need to overcome wounds related to your authority and power.

You may have to work through past abuse of authority to become comfortable with your own power. By doing so, you may become a leader in a healing field.

If Chiron is in a favorable aspect to Venus or Jupiter, the negative impact of wounds may be mitigated by lucky connections to others. You may have quite a few safety nets that catch you when you fall.

Yet if Chiron is in difficult aspects, especially to planets like Mars or Saturn, the traumas and wounds from your past may have a stifling effect.

Lilith

Lilith describes your unbridled creative energy and how you rebel against conventions, especially in sexuality.

Lilith in Taurus may be possessive over love interests, preferring to maintain independence and control by having the upper hand sexually, financially or both. Lilith in the fifth house can amplify your desire for pleasure.

You may become competitive with your partners or have many affairs to prevent any one partner from having too much control or influence in your life. This placement can also lead you to feel distrustful of joy and happiness.

When Lilith has easy aspects like trines or sextiles to the Sun it can make rebelliousness a significant part of your identity. It can also lead you to easily turn pain into power if you follow your own individual instincts.

Ceres

Ceres shows what “feeds” you or how you act as a caretaker. Ceres in Sagittarius for example suggests you thrive off of learning, especially philosophical and spiritual wisdom.

You may also thrive off social connection, adventure and risk taking. You may nurture others by sharing favorite indulgences.

When Ceres is in a challenging aspect to a planet like Mars, you may try to resolve conflicts, even if doing so leads you to putting yourself in the proverbial firing line.

Pallas

Pallas represents how you mentor or advocate for others. Pallas also speaks to how you see the big picture, the connections that help you create your “battle plan.”

Pallas in Aquarius, for example, suggests that you have a keen radar for future trends, and this helps you stay ahead of the game. Your strategies often involve innovative ideas and can be shocking to others.

If Pallas is in the tenth house, strategy, leadership, and advocacy are essential to your career. You may be a leader and know how to motivate others to embrace your ideas.

Pallas in a challenging aspect to your natal Moon may lead you to have brilliant strategies that aren’t easy for you to act on because of emotional insecurities. This will have to be overcome to access the full potential of your leadership abilities.

Juno

Juno is helpful when it comes to discovering your potential for devotion and marriage. Juno in Cancer leads you to devote yourself to people you share family values with.

Juno in the twelfth house suggests self-deception that interferes with your ability to discern who is best to give your devotion to. You may feel trapped in a marriage or become stuck in a fantasy.

Juno with positive aspects to Venus can be a good sign for romance, marriage and commitment, especially in relationship with influential people.

Juno in challenging aspects to Venus may suggest betrayal or putting your trust in people who aren’t available or don’t value you.

Vesta

Vesta shows what sacrifices you may be called to make in devotion to a higher mission. If you have Vesta in Libra, you may feel called to sacrifice your own pleasure, including romance, to dedicate yourself to causes related to justice.

Vesta in the first house can lead you to be of service by relinquishing your own personal ambitions. You may be transparent about your devotion to ritual or a sacred mission.

If Vesta is in a positive aspect to Mars, you may be energized and passionate about your mission. You may also be assertive and obsessive about sacred service, sacrificing your own identity or personal needs for a larger mission.

Pholus

In the natal chart, Pholus represents a great “uncorking” of chaos that is beyond your control. Pholus shows how you respond to turning points and how you navigate situations that you can’t control.

Pholus in Gemini may be favorable for using your intellect to adapt to dramatic turning points. You may try to learn about a change of circumstance or rely on peers to rebuild after a crisis.

Pholus in difficult aspects like a square to Saturn can lead you to struggle with turning points. This placement may require you to struggle to realize when the past is no longer serving you.

If Pholus is in the seventh house, you may experience these kinds of dramatic turning points in your partnerships. You may overlook unstable elements of a relationship until it is too late and then have to accept dramatic changes.

Eros

Eros’s placement shows what you find sexually exciting regardless of emotional connection in a relationship. This is a helpful asteroid to study both in your own chart and in the chart of a potential love interest or sexual partner.

Eros in Leo may show an obsessive desire to be seen and admired. Exhibitionism may relate to this placement. Creative or dramatic expressions of sexuality also relate to this placement.

Eros in the Third house may create sexual desire stimulated by communication. Sexting, pillow talk, and erotic sounds may be important to pleasurable sexual experiences.

Eros in a positive aspect to Jupiter can provide an array of sexually exciting obsessions and the need for variety in sexual experiences as well as luxury, status and sensual indulgences.

As a registered user, you can access the asteroids' readings in the dedicated box of the Reports page as well as in the Forecast and Relationship reports.

To know more about the asteroids:

Chiron - The Wounded Healer and Key to Intuitive Wisdom

Lilith- the Power of Repressed Emotion and Sexuality.

Ceres- Unconditional Love, Nurturing and Potential for Abundance.

Pallas- Power of Intellect and Warrior Instinct.

Juno- Marriage and Devotion, the Power of Dedication in Love.

Vesta- The Sacred Flame that Illuminates Your Spiritual Calling.

Pholus- the Power of Small Changes Leading to Great Awakenings.

Eros- the Power of Sexual Energy and Infatuation.