What can Britains most iconic tree teach us about Chiron in Taurus

It was Monday 24th August 2026, and I found myself listening to the words of Melanie Reinhart speak so eloquently about the transition of Chiron from Aries into Taurus. It was the Faculty of Astrology Summer School, held every year at the University of Oxford, and my mind began to whirl.

You see, I have a very personal connection to this story. I live in the village where the major oak lives too. Each morning, I walk to get a coffee from the craft centre, which only stands there because of the history of the Major Oak, Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, of which I am grateful to call my home. The Major Oak represents more than a tree. It is an economy, and an ecosystem, in so many ways. I have written many times about my connection to Robin Hood and Maid Marion, said to have married at the church I walk the dog around daily, representing the symbology of the sacred union between masculine and feminine. Balance. Harmony. Togetherness. Equal. But this time, I speak to the tree that brings us all together in a different way. Through earth, rather than air.

So as I sat listening to Melanie speak, about Chiron, the centaur, the mentor. About the move into Taurus, the earth. And with the news flashing up on my phone that SAME DAY to share an update that the major oak wasn’t just dead, but limbs were now falling off in a quite surprising turn of events, I couldn’t help but wonder… what can britains most iconic tree teach us not just about death, as I have already spoken through poem (copied below) but about Chiron in Taurus?

At this point, I want to share with you the chart. Below, you will see the chart for the morning of the announcement of the death of the Major Oak. I’ve set the time at 09:28 BST which was when I sent the news article to my partner on whatsapp. It was his birthday that day, and I didn’t want to send it first thing. I thought that was a good time stamp to use, as I couldn’t see the actual time of the article being published. Let’s go with the horary for now!

The morning of the death of the Major Oak, June 2026

The first thing that blows my mind about this chart, is the angular aspects… Leo rising - the king, the leader, the regal one. I can’t think of any other tree more famous than the Major Oak around the world. It’s certainly one of the ‘leaders’ of the forest, which is why we saw such public news stories, around the world. Even today as I write this, I’ve been for my morning coffee, and there are accents and languages from around the world up in the forest. And that’s usual for every weekend. It’s beautiful to witness how a forest, a tree, and a tale has bought people together. Taurus on the Midhaven, what was visible for all to see? The news story of a tree. I mean… it doesn’t get more literal. And I am finding that with the astrology at the moment, it is quite literal. It’s almost like it’s waving a huge flag, asking for recognition and remembrance.

Setting on the descendent is Aquarius, the community. The collective story and feeling of this news. A collective dawn, an era, ending. This is a generational ending, one that spans a thousands years, a story translated into almost every language. A way we once connected, setting, ending. And on the IC, Scorpio. A message rooted in death, in cycles, in returning to the soils. Even just the horary is speaking in so much symbolism.

I also wanted to share my reflections from this news piece in general, because it really does illustrate how incredibly powerful these timelines are.

On 18th June 2026, the day the news went live, Taurus was at the final few minutes of its time in Aries. Infact it moves to Taurus at the very end of the day on 19th June, just one day later. It hasn’t been in Taurus, the earth, the material world, the tangible forest realms, the land for almost 50 years. And one day before it moves again, signalling a new cycle of reverence and connection with the earth, it is declared dead.

I find this astonishing. When I consider the Major Oak, I think about thousands of years of kinship. Of stories. Of connection. Of wisdom. And I do consider it my mentor. It’s one of the reasons I moved here, to be able to feed from the wisdom of the land. But over the last 20 years or so, what I’ve noticed is we’ve really over-cared for it. We’ve put our own individual needs first, rather than that of the being itself.

What do I mean by that? Well, the tree used to stand proudly in the forest, children climbing its branches, dogs piddling around its base, squirrels snatching its fruits. But that all changed in the 1974/75 when the first fence was placed around the tree. Guess what? Chiron was at the very end of its Aries cycle, ready to step into Taurus - the final Taurus season it saw alive.

Did we starve the tree of love? Did we try so hard to protect it, that we ended up strangling it? Did we think about anyone other than ourselves? Did we revere one tree so much, so far above all the others, that our love for it, and love for the money it bought it, eventually killed it slowly, rather than letting it die happy. Perhaps, it would have died earlier. But our obsession with living longer is becoming a stranglehold on our enjoyment of life. I can’t help but think about the lack of hugs it’s had over the years…it was so loved, but rarely felt that love through human touch over the last 50 odd years.

I recognise these are philosophical and hippy-esque questions, but I can’t help but wonder about the symbology staring us in the face. The human interference of Aries, where Saturn and Neptune are currently sitting, trying to save the day, be the hero, and eventually, leading to what would be a natural end but with more contrains and controls around it than it would have had if it had been allowed to die with grace and children’s laughter filling its hollows.

The news of the death of the Major Oak, 18 June 2026

The fallen branch, 24 August 2026, while I was sat in the lecture. It’s almost like it was trying to get my attention!

When I was researching this piece, I also wanted to look back at some of the further history of the tree, and I was quite surprised at what I found.

Firstly, it’s believed the Major Oak is actually several sapplings fused together. It’s a community of trees, rather than one tree. A community that grew into one strong, stable, old, wise oak. A parliament of elders. It makes me think of the Aquarius descendent in that chart, and the Pluto in Aquarius too - have we forgotten the power of community? Of togetherness?

The Major Oak is probably one of the most famous landmarks in the world related to rebellion and revolution. Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and using the Oak as its hideout. The message of the Major Oak or Royal Oak then spreading worldwide through stories, films, literature, and pub names! In its death, can we remember the power of community again? Can we remember how to connect with each other and find strength in numbers?

Major Hayman Rooke first formally identified the tree in 1790. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius…

And there’s the link to the suffrogette movement too… “Around 1912, Emmeline Pankhurst was among approximately 30 suffragettes reported to have climbed inside the tree.” With Uranus in the early degrees of Aquarius, I can’t help but wonder that the link between early degree Aquarius and early degree taurus is largely about long standing structures being put under scrutiny, test and pressure.

In 1982, a huge blaze threatened the life of the tree. Guess what? Chiron in Taurus again. With the links to the enduring heatwaves and wild fires this year also, this seems to be a theme pulling through. Heat threatening what has always endured.

The other thought I had this morning as I was planning on writing this up, was about balance. There are hundreds of ‘major oaks’ in Sherwood Forest. If you’ve ever been you’ll know. My favourite walk is the giants walk, a short walk through many, many ancient oaks, often overlooked for the Major Oak. It’s one of the quietest trails, the visitors aren’t interested, because it’s not big and grand. The Major Oak was the attraction. The rest of the trees are just for show, or so it is seen. Wisdom completely ignored, because we’ve been told, or perhaps even distracted, to look in one direction, rather than many. To be focussed, rather than curious. A message of balance being restored, power being redistributed to fellow leaders, rather than concentrated in one area. Back to those Aquarian ways again.

And the final reflection I had on this was around my own chart. My Chiron sits at 1 degree Leo in the 12th house. Chiron in Taurus in those early degrees are a square to my natal Chiron. Useful tension, anger even perhaps, around what I sense and feel around me, and the teacher that shared its wisdom with me through all those years (and will continue to do so in its death).

For me there’s so much richness in the timeline and the astrology here. But I wanted to sum up by leaving a message for what I think this is trying to tell us. Written from the Major Oak, see if it resonates…

You are controlling the wrong things, or trying to control the wrong things. Tying me in chains, putting fences around me, keeping me alive for your own enjoyment and pockets, caused me to die a death that was lacking in joy, laughter, fun, touch and connection. People used to come and hold my branches. Carve their names into my trunk. Pick my conkers and fight with them. Plant my children in other parts of the forest. But in old age I was controlled, rather than cared for. The message of Chiron, the mentor, in Taurus is one of natural order. You cannot control the uncontrollable. You cannot outwit the cycles. Aries, the hero, the trier, the doer, the one who takes action and carries it all on his shoulders, can never out run the tides, rhythms and flows of nature. So if it cannot be outrun, embrace it. Make life as fulfilled, felt, expansive, heart warming as possible. Don’t try to control the timing or the weather. But live for the moment, with joy in your heart and love through your veins. And in death, as there will always be, you will find peace.

The celebration of death is my message. Not the fear. Chaining me up prolonged my suffering. And even now, the news is doom and gloom. But I lived for 1,000 years. Saw every part of life pass under my canopy. All sorts of conversations breeze through my leaves. I lived a good life. Celebrate. Bring back the celebration of a good life, well lived. And live each and every moment from the heart of love, not fear.

I love to observe the transit from Chiron the mentor in Aries, the message of independence and action, to Taurus, the natural way and order of things. It makes me really think about how much we try to control, vs how much we actually have control over. We have control over our individual actions. That is Chiron in Aries. We have choice. We get to choose our movements, words, actions. But not over the cycles that naturally sweep this planet. That’s not to say we are ever helpless. Quite the opposite. It means the power is in our hands, but we must learn how to harness it together. This is an Aquarian power, not a Leo one…

Becky x

Ps, please feel free to message me with your comments and reflections. My email is becky@thehumblewarrior.co.uk

Pps, I wrote this poem a few days after the annoucement of the death of the Major Oak. I sat under it, on a bench, with no one around, and just let the words flow. I hope you enjoy it.

Do not cry for me; I have lived many years,

seen kings and kingdom rise and fall, held mourners’ grief and fears.

Do not cry for me; for I have revelled in life aswell—

Childrens’ days, summer fun, climbing branches ’til they fell.

Do not mourn me either, at least in the way you’ve been taught;

no need for tears, nor wails or cries, or flowers to be bought.

Instead, let me teach you, about life and death on earth —

a reality so stirring, and yet guaranteed from birth.

Some of us are here for long, some lives very brief;

each of us here to hold a hand and offer great relief.

And whilst I now serve the insects, the bats, the birds and the bees,

you too will grow to serve another, that blesses you with their need.

You see life is very simple that way — indeed all of us are special,

not more or less than another though, just a completion of the puzzle.

So when you look at me now I’m a little hollow inside,

remember this one lesson on of life, to keep you in your stride…

And in its final moments the oak whispered words the breeze carried my way

“Life is precious — release the reigns of control, smile, and live only for today.”