In the sprawling landscape of your natal chart, amidst the titans like Saturn and the luminaries like the Sun, dwell the “Small Gods” the asteroids. While the planets represent the broad strokes of our personality, the asteroids provide the intricate, shimmering details. Among these, Asteroid number 34, Circe, holds a unique and intoxicating power.
She is the archetype of the Inner Witch, the herbalist, the enchantress, and the solitary practitioner. When we find Circe in our chart, we find the place where we possess an almost supernatural ability to transform our reality and where we might find ourselves isolated by the very power we wield.
The Myth of Circe
To understand the asteroid, we must first walk the shores of Aeaea, the mythical island where Circe dwelt. In Greek mythology, Circe was not merely a sorceress; she was a deity in her own right, the daughter of Helios, the Sun god, and Perseis, an Oceanid nymph. This lineage gave her the brilliance of the heavens and the depth of the primordial waters.
The Divine Outcast
Unlike the Olympian gods who played politics on a golden mountain, Circe was exiled. She was sent to Aeaea because her power, the power of pharmakeia (herbs, potions, and spells) frightened even the gods. Circe represents the sovereign feminine.
The Art of Transformation
Circe’s most famous legend involves the hero Odysseus and his men. When his crew landed on her island, she famously turned them into swine. But looking deeper than the surface tale, this transformation was a reflection of their own inner natures. Circe doesn’t just “change” people; she reveals them. She forces the world to align with her will. In your natal chart, Circe shows where you have the power to “turn lead into gold” (or men into pigs) through the sheer force of your intention.
Circe in the Modern Chart
In a natal reading, Circe acts as a focal point for your magical gifts. She tells us how you manifest, how you protect your energy, and how you fascinate those around you.
- This asteroid indicates your natural inclination toward the occult, be it herbalism, tarot, energy healing, or spell-craft.
- Just as Circe lived alone on her island, this asteroid shows where you feel isolated. This might be a self-imposed retreat to protect your energy, or a feeling that others exclude you because they are intimidated by your “otherness.”
- Circe reveals where you fall in love too quickly. She is the “Siren Song” of the chart; where she sits, you may find yourself under a spell or casting one before you’ve even had a chance to breathe.
Key Aspects to Watch:
- Conjunct the Ascendant: Your “witchiness” is written on your face. You have a piercing, intimidating gaze and a presence that can stop people in their tracks.
- Conjunct the Midheaven (MC): You are destined to be recognized for your occult talents. You might have a career in the healing arts or be seen as a mysterious, enchanting figure in the public eye.
- Conjunct the Moon: You are a true “Night Owl.” Your magic is emotional and instinctual. You likely feel more at home with animals and the spirits of the night than with the hustle of the daylight world.
Circe Through the Signs
Breathe in the scent of dried herbs and ancient parchment as we explore how Circe manifests through the zodiacal gates. To find Circe in your chart, visit Astro.com, go to “Extended Chart Selection,” and in the “Additional Objects” box, enter the code 34.
Circe in Aries
When Circe resides in the sign of the Ram, your magic is fast, fierce, and undeniable. You are the Fire Witch. Your manifestations aren’t whispered; they are commanded.
- Magical Practice: You likely work with candles (especially red ones), incense, and the raw energy of the Sun. Fire is your medium.
- The Allure: People are drawn to your “fun-loving” and “pioneer” energy. You have a leadership aura that feels magnetic.
- The Shadow: You can be terrifying when provoked. If you aren’t careful, your “Aura of Authority” can leave you standing alone because others are too scared to approach the flame.
Circe in Taurus
With Circe in the sign of the Bull, you are a Garden Witch. Your magic is tactile, rooted in the earth, and deeply connected to the physical realm.
- Magical Practice: You find spells in the kitchen and rituals in the dirt. You probably “cook with intention,” stirring abundance into every meal. You have a natural affinity for crystals, river rocks, and “earth-grounded” manifestation.
- The Allure: You have a “cosy” aura. People feel safe and anchored in your presence. You radiate a sense of “home.”
- The Shadow: You might become overly attached to the material world or use your “manifestation for abundance” to fill an emotional void.
Circe in Gemini
In the sign of the Twins, Circe uses The Word as her primary tool. You are the “Charming Storyteller,” and your voice carries a frequency that can soothe or hypnotize.
- Magical Practice: You are likely drawn to Tarot, automatic writing, and lucid dreaming. Your magic lives in the mind and the air.
- The Allure: People are intoxicated by your intelligence. You know a little bit about everything, and that “encyclopedic mystery” is your honey.
- The Shadow: This placement often indicates isolation from siblings or relatives. You may feel like the “black sheep” whose ideas are too radical for the family table.
Circe in Cancer
When Circe sits in the house of Home and Heart, she points to a Witchy Lineage. Your magic is ancestral, passed down through the blood and the tides of the Moon.
- Magical Practice: You work with water, the Moon phases, and the “Healing of the Mother Wound.” You are a natural empath and a psychic protector of the home.
- The Allure: You feel “familiar” to strangers. People may tell you their deepest secrets within minutes of meeting you because your aura feels like a warm embrace.
- The Shadow: You may feel isolated within your own family or carry the weight of generational trauma that makes you retreat into your shell.
Circe in Leo
In Leo, Circe is at her most theatrical and radiant. You practice High Magic, the kind that requires you to stand in your center and radiate your light.
- Magical Practice: Energy healing (like Reiki), creative manifestation, and the collection of beautiful occult objects. You may find that your “will” alone is enough to change your reality.
- The Allure: You are “Shiny.” People revolve around you like planets around a sun, often without knowing why. You are the “Enchantress of the Stage.”
- The Shadow: If you don’t receive the “applause” or recognition you feel your magic deserves, you can become isolated by your own pride.
Circe in Virgo
In the sign of the Virgin, Circe is the Hedge Witch. Your magic is found in the details, the routines, and the service you provide to others.
- Magical Practice: Herbalism, homeopathy, and daily rituals. You don’t just “do magic”; you live it. Whether it’s putting cinnamon in your coffee for abundance or a specific tea for protection, your life is a series of tiny, potent spells.
- The Allure: Animals are your primary devotees. You have a calming effect on “critters” and a clean, healing energy that people seek out when they are broken.
- The Shadow: You may feel isolated at work. Your colleagues might sense your “otherness” and keep their distance, or you might find their lack of “spiritual hygiene” exhausting and isolate yourself.
Circe in Libra
With Circe in the sign of the Scales, your magic is Interpersonal. You are the “Coven Leader” or the “Matchmaking Mystic.”
- Magical Practice: Relationship astrology, love magic (the ethical kind!), and diplomatic divination. You are incredibly good at seeing the “threads” that connect people.
- The Allure: You have a “Light-Hearted” and seductive aura. If Circe is conjunct your Descendant (DSC), people may become obsessed with you, seeing you as their “ideal” partner.
- The Shadow: You fall in love way too fast. You can lose yourself in the “Other,” forgetting that your magic belongs to you, not the relationship.
Circe in Scorpio
In Scorpio, Circe dives into the Deep End. This is the placement of the “Dark Occultist,” the one who isn’t afraid of the “entities,” the “dead,” or the “transmutation” of the soul.
- Magical Practice: Shadow work, divination with spirits, and deep energy transmutation. You are a natural Shaman who can walk between worlds.
- The Allure: You are intensely loyal and determined. People sense your depth and are either drawn to it like moths to a flame or repelled by the “intensity” of your gaze.
- The Shadow: You may be excluded or exclude yourself because your practices feel “too dark” for the mainstream. True loneliness can strike here because few can meet you in the depths.
Circe in Sagittarius
In the sign of the Archer, Circe is a Philosophical Seer. Your magic is about expansion, truth, and the traveling of the soul.
- Magical Practice: Astral projection, intuition, and mentoring. You are a “Human Lie Detector.” You likely astral project naturally, sometimes without even trying.
- The Allure: Your “Optimistic Aura” is infectious. You attract students and seekers who want to learn from your vast, intuitive wisdom.
- The Shadow: You can become “un-grounded.” You might spend so much time in the “Astral World” or in your higher ideals that the physical world feels like a prison.
Circe in Capricorn
With Circe here, you are the Witch of the Mountain. Your magic is about structures, money, and legacy. You are highly influential and keen on success.
- Magical Practice: Spell-jars for wealth, sigils for career advancement, and “Earth Magic” that produces tangible results. If conjunct the MC, you are a “Public Occultist.”
- The Allure: You radiate “Success.” Even if you aren’t trying, you manifest resources. People respect you, even if they don’t quite understand the “hidden” source of your power.
- The Shadow: “Loneliness in a room full of people.” You may reach the top of your career only to find that no one there truly knows the “magical” heart of who you are.
Circe in Aquarius
In Aquarius, Circe is the Revolutionary. Your magic is “Out of this World” literally. You are likely the “Astrologer of the Future.”
- Magical Practice: Astrology, digital manifestations, and social-media activism. You have “1000 ideas” in your head at all times and use your creativity to spark change in the collective.
- The Allure: You attract a “Tribe” of intellectuals and creatives. You are seen as the “Genius” or the “Original.”
- The Shadow: You might isolate yourself from close friends because you feel like an “Alien” whose thoughts are too far ahead of the curve. You prefer the “Collective” to the “Individual.”
Circe in Pisces
This is perhaps the most Sacred and Spiritual place for Circe. Here, she is the “Empath,” the “Dreamer,” and the “Spirit Talker.”
- Magical Practice: Lucid dreaming, spirit communication, and “Empathic Healing.” You know the moment someone’s energy shifts. You likely dream of people before you meet them.
- The Allure: You have a “Dreamy” and “Otherworldly” aura. You feel like a character out of a myth, and people are drawn to the mystery of your silence.
- The Shadow: Escapism. You may “isolate” yourself by retreating into the Astral world to avoid the harshness of reality. Be careful not to lose the “Human” in the “Spirit.”
Claiming Your Wand
Asteroid Circe reminds us that our “strangeness” is actually our Sanctuary. Whether you are the “Garden Witch” of Taurus or the “Astral Voyager” of Sagittarius, Circe invites you to stop hiding your magical gifts for fear of isolation.
Just as Circe turned the men who disrespected her into swine, you have the power to transform the energies in your life that no longer serve you. Stand on your island. Spin your loom. The world will eventually learn that your magic is not a threat.
