Taurus the Bull represents your down-to-earth nature that can be patience, methodical, and attracting pleasure and abundance; although also stubborn and possessive. Ruled by Venus, this is what you value and how you measure your sense of worth.
Now me, I play for fortunes and those velvet curtain calls,
I've got a black limousine and two gentlemen escorting me to the halls,
And I'll play if you have the money or if you're a friend to me,
But the one-man band by the quick lunch stand,
He was playing real good for free.~ Joni Mitchell
Planting the Seed
In the Aries article we discovered a seed of something new rising out of our impulsive depths, and we worked to develop and explore that impulse. Aries is about finding identity, discovering that there was something inside that wanted a voice, that wanted to be born, that wanted to be set free. Aries is new life bursting forth out of the ashes of what was.
In the zodiac sign Taurus, it is our job to stabilize that Big Bang of exploding life force and secure its sure, steady growth. Without the grounding counter-balance of this Fixed Earth sign, the new Aries life energy would soon burn itself out after all that volatile, Fiery exuberance. Like a flash in the pan, our new growth would light up the landscape momentarily and then fade into memory. So, in Taurus we take that Aries seed and plant it. To the fiery Aries energy, this may feel like being buried alive, but it is absolutely essential to its longevity; it enables the impulse to become a sustained force.
Taurus is reliable, stable, capable, practical and resourceful. People with strong Taurus tend to be highly methodical, pacing themselves to get the job done and working deftly with the mechanism of how it's all put together. Is your whatchamacallit broken? Call a Taurus friend to examine it at length and discover how it works. Failing that, s/he will know exactly where to get it fixed Planning a dinner party? Your Taurus friend will calmly help you map out a sane plan of action.
In the Taurus lunar cycle, we can learn which parts of our lives need renewed stability, pacing or protection. Do you leap out of bed after 5 hours of sleep, rush to work 10 minutes later, guzzling coffee on the run, and then wonder why you never feel relaxed? Taurus can show you a saner schedule if you're willing to sacrifice the hectic chaos of your present lifestyle. The Taurus route may not sound terribly exciting, but it will help you sustain your energy and health so that you can be there for the excitement later on. And once you slow down, you may even start to appreciate what you've been missing.
Tauru$ ~ Living In The Material World
After Aries propelled us into the world of Fiery energy and motivation, Taurus brings us back down to Earth and connects us with the material world. Archetypally, it is our first encounter with physical reality and everything contained within it, from material resources to our internal substance. In connecting to the world of reality, we must also start learning to assess, organize and prioritize what we find within it.
Taurus is our basic sense of worth, in the broadest meaning of the word; our material worth, as well as our internal self-worth. It is our values: what we consider worth the price (literally or figuratively). While the Sun is in Taurus, you explore what you value the most and the least about yourself. Do you, yourself, feel valued and cherished? Think about the most precious area of your life. What might it take for you to give that up? I'm not suggesting you'd have to, but exploring these questions can give you insight into your personal values and sense of self-worth.
Being Resourceful About Resources
Taurus is also connected to money and finances, and how we work with and feel about money. Some of us pursue it with reveling abandon. Some take pleasure in sharing it with whoever catches their attention. Others hoard it in fear and anxiety.
Many of us get stuck in thoughts of impending poverty and rarely feel an openness to abundance. We may (secretly?) believe we don't deserve to have money or nice possessions. In the current economic maelstrom, it's easy to believe that we'll never get out from under financially.
The current political wave of slash-and-burn budgets can also underscore our sense of guilt and shame that we alone are to blame for any material lack, making it all too easy for us to equate financial and personal inadequacy. In this atmosphere, it is especially important for us to strengthen and fortify our internal sense of self-worth separate from our fiscal worth.
It is also essential to discover new, creative ways to meet our need for material security. What exactly does it mean to be "resourceful?" We often assume the only way to get what we need is to acquire it as a complete package. Resourcefulness involves learning how to get equivalent results through other means. This can also mean finding information sources that can lead us to those alternate means.
For instance, if you don't have subway fare to the Astrology Toronto meeting, maybe you know someone who could give you a ride. If you need a massage for your aching back, a massage school may know of a student looking for practice clients or someone willing to do a trade. Focus on the result you want; then brainstorm alternate ways to fulfill it.
Resourcefulness requires persistence and tenacity: both central Taurus traits. You must take it methodically, one step at a time, and have faith that you will eventually arrive at your destination. All you have to do is take enough steps in the right direction.
However, sometimes we sabotage our conscious efforts through actions motivated by unconscious fears, expectations or beliefs. For example, do you shy away when others want to do something nice for you? I'm sure you have your reasons, but are you aware that in doing so, you're turning away a resource? Being aware of conscious and unconscious attitudes about money and other resources will grant us a greater wealth of options and choices.
The Pleasure Principle
Taurus is also our first intimate encounter with our physical body, archetypally speaking. In Taurus we find our most basic attitudes about our body and its sensory experiences. Do you feel comfy-cozy in your skin? Do you take pleasure in your five senses, or do you distrust physical sensations, preferring intellectual pleasures?
While some people are lovingly in touch with their body's sensations, many of us tend to numb out most awareness of our body's feelings. The Taurus cycle can be an opportunity to make friends with your body, even if only in some small way.
In general, Taurus brings us in touch with both physical and emotional pleasures. Whatever makes us feel good, especially physically, is reflected in how Taurus functions in our charts. Sensuality in all forms is found in the experience of Taurus: taste, touch, sight, sound, smell. When you indulge yourself in that succulent recipe, you're getting into your Taurus. When you're tempted to buy perfume or cologne, it's your Taurus enticing you. When you snuggle into soft, sensual clothes, you're wearing your Taurus. When you sing in the shower, chime in with the car radio, or just hum a tune, Taurus is singing to you.
Taurus also shows us how we overindulge ourselves in these pleasures. Do you eat when your body tells you it's hungry, or do you eat compulsively whenever a chocolate bar crosses your path? Do you shop 'til you drop, or can you be satisfied to spend within your budget? This is a good time to explore how we over- or under-utilize our Taurus nature.
© 1996, 2004, 2005 Wendy Guy. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Transitions Astrology Newsletter, Aries-Taurus 1996 Issue.
