2024's CHILD ASTEROID JOURNEY

Staying true to my goal this year, I wanted to drop a free resource for my favorite asteroid in astrology, Child (asteroid #4580). This blog pertains to a few general learning info and 2024-specific content.

Learning Facts about Child

→ discovered by Eleanor F. Helin on 4 March 1989 at the Palomar Mountain Observatory

→ named after American astronomer Jack B. Child

→ child asteroid spends about two months in one sign when not in retrograde

→ retrogrades last for approximately three months at a time

→ there is typically only one retrograde a year

→ categorized as a main-belt asteroid

→ comparable to the size of Cleveland, Ohio

→ based on brightness and the way it reflects light, child is larger than 99% of asteroids

→ child will only see zodiac signs Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius in 2024

→ pay attention to things that touch within a 2° orb

Applying Child from Different Perspectives

When viewing this asteroid in the astrological chart and beyond, you can view it from many different perspectives depending on the context. Child can represent:

→ a child victim in a forensic or criminal astrology chart

→ your current child state in progressed charts

→ your inner child & childhood experiences in natal charts

→ influences on the collective children in transit charts

→ triggers from childhood becoming apparent in adulthood in transit charts

→ note what gate Child is transiting in human design when looking at transit charts, as this can reveal activated childhood patterns

→ if Child connects by conjunction to a key gate, explore how that gate's attributes build from early childhood experiences

→ draw a card representing your inner child when a natal planet or transit activates Child; reflect on linking childhood themes to the card's meaning— pay attention when it pops back up in tarot/oracle readings

→ during reiki, tune into any emotions, memories, or somatic sensations that arise when scanning the energy field region where Child is transiting the natal chart

→  identifying where scriptural (Biblical) themes around children, childlike purity, familial nurture, and youth persecution intersect with the Child asteroid can grant perspective into passages connected to humanity's shared inner child and its gifts when protected or trauma when degraded

And there are many more perspectives and ways you can connect child asteroid to things. This is only the beginning.

Happy New Year!

We start the year with Child at 14° Sagittarius.

With asteroid Child at 14 degrees of Sagittarius, the year begins with an explorative, bold, and philosophical spirit. Though reality looks bleak, there is likely an enduring innocence and optimism about 2024.

Some key traits of Child at this early Sagittarius degree may include:

• Visionary, positive, glass-half-full perspectives reminiscent of childhood wonder

• The innate urge toward land/world travel, pursuing higher knowledge, expanding beyond boundaries

• Speculation, creativity, and theorizing about truths that underpin (def: supporting foundation) human existence

• Frankness and jokes may come across as overly blunt or tactless at times

• Wide-eyed enthusiasm and lively conversational abilities

There is an innate joy and zeal to grow one's experience and understanding when Child is at 14 Sagittarius. The positivity and ethical outlook one had as a child likely still flow through, manifesting here as a progressive, conscientious, glass-half-full life approach. Big dreams from youth may fuel this Child's continuing quest for discovery. People want to escape, and doing things to make your inner child happy seems like the healthiest way. This is why it's common to hear things like "We're the most immature adults," and it's true, but that's okay! Just because we get old doesn't mean we have to grow up.

By June ( mid-year), Child will be at 29° Capricorn and in retrograde.

We'll begin the summer months with potential struggles with reconciling a nostalgia for unfettered childhood freedom with the heavily reinforced structure/discipline from crucial authority figures. With asteroid Child at the late degree of 29 Capricorn and in retrograde motion, one's inner youth likely had to grow up rather quickly due to weighty responsibilities imposed early on. We'll want to be a kid again and not be burdened with these responsibilities and laws that the authoritarian powers that be impose upon us.

Some particular themes/traits associated with 29 Capricorn Child in retrograde may include:

• The heavy expectations placed on one's capabilities and self-sufficiency as a child may get triggered in adulthood

• Being forced to repress playfulness (leisure) and ambition to focus on duty first

• Still seeking to integrate joyfulness with long-ingrained inhibition/self-control

• Lessons in persistently working within the system rather than fighting limitations

• Carries latent creative leadership potential that isn't fully activated yet

With Child Rx here, inner youthfulness holds complicated feelings about their sobering conditioning in childhood. That period in your life when you realize Santa isn't real, your mom has all your teeth in the back of the medicine cabinet, and it was all basically a scam. That looks like becoming an adult and realizing that there will be no money left for us when it comes time for us to retire; the American dream was a scam, and getting a college degree isn't always worth it. They said to get rid of the Starbucks, and we did that, so why can't we still buy a house? By mid-year, we'll be reckoning with the consequences of making the things we were told we'd get if we did XYZ and not giving them to us. The retrograde motion suggests excavating repressed parts of the self for release. Ultimately, 29 Capricorn Child promises to structure one’s ambitions to craft a lasting legacy, integrating maturity with magic. Lean hard into that. Build that legacy for your babies or future babies.

And we'll end the year with Child at 15° Aquarius.

With asteroid Child positioned at 15 degrees of Aquarius, there is likely an enduring sense of innovation, humanity, and defiance of the status quo carried over from one's youth. The inner child self may be distinctly original, socially conscious, and committed to uplifting marginalized voices. This is the child who defends their friends and the vulnerable from the bullies and the status quo. Think of the character Agatha from "The School for Good and Evil." She equally fought the bullies and the status quo. She never gave up on her friend.

Specific traits of a Child at 15 Aquarius can include:

• Retains a visionary, avantgarde imagination, and thinking style well into maturity

• Innate urge to take up causes related to equality, justice, and environmentalism

• Strong identification with “underdogs,” those left behind by the system

• More things may come across as eccentric, unusual, or contrary to traditional values —it's like a shock to our nervous system.

• Those debating alternative ideas/solutions come across as witty, clever, and articulate.

• Robinhood-like occurrences "steal from the rich and give to the poor."

There is often a spirit of innovation and social progressivism with Child here. One's inner youthfulness holds the blueprint for envisioning positive futures that diverge from the beaten path. The broad-mindedness and decentralization of power one understood more intuitively as a child may still drive this Child’s reform-oriented worldview. Their continuing search for truth is grounded in community elevation.

Here's the complete ephemeris (def: a tabular statement of the assigned places of a celestial body for regular intervals) in case you want to see the movements for the entire year.

I'll upload this to my resource forum as well.

Child Retrograde

*I'm using LUNA astrology software in the screenshots

When asteroid Child turns retrograde in the zodiac sign of Capricorn this May, this transit can correlate to some overarching themes.

Collectively, look for issues surrounding the harsh realities or abuses endured by children to come under scrutiny. There may be a backward turn culturally to re-evaluate and address failures to protect the innocence, joy, and promise within society's youth.

Capricorn rules structure and authority. With Child now moving backward through this sign, established systems of governance over children (educational institutions, foster care, juvenile justice, etc) tend to buckle under examination, forcing issues like malpractice or neglect to light.

Individuals may find this transit brings suppressed memories or unresolved emotions related to one’s own childhood bubbling up. Hard lessons or loss of naiveté imposed early on can become front of mind. We revisit formative events through new eyes.

Typically under this transit, derivations of the inner child - one's creativity, spontaneity, vulnerability, playfulness - slow down or demand integration with mature reality. We reassess the space made for youthful essence against conditioned constraints.

The trines from benefic planets indicate blessings when attending to one's inner child, with the Child retrograde, this suggests this is more of a process of inner excavation - a review process is underway.

More specifically:

• Looking inward to make peace with past childhood wounds or losses that still need healing

• Growth comes through gentleness/patience toward suppressed parts of one's inner child self

• Seeks understanding through retrieving memories or mourning suffering once endured

• Creative blocks lift from validating struggles in early years

• Benefits come from courageously addressing where development stalled out

Despite the ease Venus & Jupiter provide toward expressions of inner youth now, the focus is ultimately on compassionately reviewing limitations and the hurts or pieces of childhood that require redemption for current blossoming. There is a journey within.

The sextile from Neptune toward Child allows us access to buried memories, dreams, and feelings connected to childhood by bringing an almost otherworldly clarity toward understanding oneself and one’s emotional origins better. There may be mystical insights unearthed during the rx period that provide peace or healing. Forgiveness can emerge.

The intense fusion between planet of evolution/transformation and Child Rx sparks a cathartic regenerative process regarding one's inner child. There's a pressing feeling to purge repressions by thoroughly examining any unhealthy power dynamics that limited development or eroded away at our innocence over time. We reclaim personal power.

Where will child be for you?

*the first number is where it is from beginning of 2024 to February 5th, the second number (the longest transit of child in 2024) is where it is from there until November 18th, and the last number is from there through the end of 2024.

1st House: The inner child is expressed openly and impacts personality and appearance. There is youthful vitality. One’s innate temperament and outward personality integrally shaped by childhood experiences. “Peter Pan” adult still exudes childlike wonder and innocence. May lack development of social filters—nakedly radiates inner youth. Charm stems from playful candor.

2nd House: The inner child links to self-esteem, enjoyment of life's pleasures, and material comforts established early on. Relationship to self-worth, pleasures, and sense of stability founded in early home environment and resources available. Retains tingible memories tied to favorite childhood comforts. Some might struggle with letting go of old things, while other relish in it. They would rather not be reminded of the memories and are okay with letting go of material items.

3rd House: The inner child manifests through communication style, curiosity to learn, and perceptions formed as a youth. Inquisitive learning style and linguistic skills established as child endure through communication now. Perceptual lens of youth colors behavior and filters info intake from immediate surroundings. Quirky interests from childhood resuscitated. Tendacy to pull from your lower mind learning expereinces. These are your experiences up until you reach the college years.

4th House: Connects to one's home environment growing up and relationship with family - impacts innermost foundations. The emotional home within self derives from childhood—its security then becomes basis for protection, nurture, belonging sought externally today. Early home life experience creates blueprint for inner and external stability. Consider this transit like your home maintence period. You recaulk things that are lose, check the foundations of the home, service the HVAC, etc. Refresh the foundations that you were up with in childhood.

5th House: The inner child ties to creativity, self-expression, and playfulness one enjoyed as a child which leaves a lasting imprint on identity. You might feel quick glimpses of youthful joy through romance, hobbies, and fertility (however you interpret fertitilty for you). Ensure you make space for inventions found while in your child-state. This is a fun transit if you allow it to be. Go out and have fun with things that you've always wanted to do in childhood.

6th House: The inner child relates to daily habits, service, wellbeing and any illnesses/healing that began in early health. Caretaking ability forged early from necessary chores and duties. You might find that you default to serving others before self due to your childhood roles. Forming habits and small daily rituals that link to your youth could be beneficial with this transit. Healing integrates mind-body wisdom stemming from the child-state. On another note, for some, things that may have been prevelant in early childhood such as asthma can be healing in adulthood if you practice breath work and develop a better routine. If you were were hyper in childhood, you might find setting a work-out routine might be beneficial during this transit, too. Etc, etc.

7th House: The inner child affects foundational relating skills, social presence, partnerships and awareness of other. Early social development directly shapes ability to relate intimately. Childlike outlook on partners affects what we attract/expect. Inner youth mirrored through close bonds. Must caretake own inner child, not just project it outward seeking rescue.

8th House: The inner child transforms through intimate bonds, sexuality, birth/death of loved ones, and managing crises. Intense release of control to forces larger than self began in childhood, impacting trust and power struggles now around merges/shared resources as adult. Early traumas/threats still transform us. This transit compelled us to excavate/understand childhood our wounding.

9th House: The inner child expands worldviews through adventures, faith, life philosophy, and schooling early on. Ingrained worldviews and belief lens crystallized in youth, so adulthood quest for truth/meaning attempts to recapture childhood’s magical thinking. Early experiences across foreign lands/cultures left impressions that widen philosophies now.

10th House: The inner child meets career achievement, showcases their public image in adulthood, and can handle authority via conditioning/discipline they had as a youth. Core relationships with authority and the way you handle your career are founded in your childhood conditioning/discipline. Ambition during this transit carries internalized childhood expectations which weighs against actualizing self. Strong need to balance achievement with recapturing joyful creativity.

11th House: The inner child awakens future vision via childhood communities, friends, organizations aligning with hopes/wishes then. Social groups reconnect us to community patterns from childhood and in ways heal that portion of us hurt from the playground friend groups. Teams/friends now aligned to youthful wishes remind us of person we imagined we’d become. Vision seeded in past, sprouts a future born in collective work.

12th House: The inner child endures pain, sacrifice, isolation yet while they're having these big feelings to big moments, they're able to unlock the mysteries that only someone in their situation can explain. This is a moment to grab that transcendence through your childhood suffering. This is the wounded healer’s transit – childhood pain or seclusion leads to understanding human suffering transcendentally. The magical inner child immersed in worlds beyond the mundane, returns with pearls of compassion after feeling exiled as youth.

What Parents might see in their children & within themselves with child in sag, cap, and aqua

Sagittarius Child Transit

Free-spirited children who maintain enduring curiosity, positivity, and expansive worldview which is being seeded in early youth. They are spirited explorers and exhibiting the behavior of an eternal student type who chases inspiration across all landscapes seeking wisdom.

Capricorn Child Transit

Children becoming pragmatic (def: dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations) as they take on more maturity due to duty and high expectations placed on their capabilities. Managerial ability innate, but also the children are reconciling conservation with chasing joy. Our youth want, and require us to build structures for them that last. This may be more apparent with older children, but you might see younger children doing more adult role modeling in their behaviors and during their play.

Aquarius Child Transit

A creative nonconformist child in touch with eclectic interests that dare to be different and defy the status quo. Natural innovation ability and socially conscious. If you've ever experienced a child that was rebellious, yet smart and highly capable above their peers to where they question things and act out more— this is that kind of energy. They are going to ask why 15 times and take apart their toys. They're going to question authority and figure out loopholes to the rules that work better for them. The key here is to collaborate and come together as a community so we can avoid the need to radicalize.

12 journaling prompts mapped to asteroid Child's 2024 transits through Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius

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