Astrology soup for the soul

"At the age of six I wanted to be a cook.  At seven I wanted to be Napoleon.  And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since."     —Salvador Dalí, born May 11, 1904

An Overview of Sun Sign Characteristics for Taurus

   The second sign of the zodiac, Taurus is ruled by Venus.  The glyph represents the Bull, Taurus's symbol.  The sign is concerned with the manifestation of the self, with basic needs being foremost.  Ruled by Venus, Taurus personalities tend to be driven by their affections.

Taurus is the direct opposite of the Aries character.  Taurean people tend to be slow, methodical, practical and reserved.  They are also stolid, tenacious and determined.  Possessing tremendous willpower and self-discipline, they are inclined to stick to tried and traditional methods.  Their greatest satisfaction derives from results produced directly by their personal efforts.

                                        Yet Hope again elastic springs,
                                        Unconquered, though she fell;
                                        Still buoyant are her golden wings,
                                        Still strong to bear us well.
                                        Manfully, fearlessly,
                                        The day of trial bear,
                                        For gloriously, victoriously,
                                        Can courage quell despair!
                          
                                        From: Life by Charlotte Brontë, born April 21, 1816

Sun Sign Personality Traits for Taurus

Roots are important to the Taurean.  A sense of permanence, a feeling of security is essential.  Generally an easygoing person, slow to anger, but once roused is known for a ferocious temper.  Very difficult to deal with when angry.  Usually set off by jealousy due to a possessive nature.  Loyalty is important to a Taurus, and a true friend of a Taurean will speak well of their great generosity.

A palace wall mural at Knossos in Crete.
Bulls were revered as masculine counterparts
to goddesses in the ancient Mediterranean.

Taureans are warm, loving, gentle and charming most of the time.  Motivated by self preservation, the Taurean is not a risk taker and weighs every decision carefully, in a slow and methodical manner.  To more impulsive people, Taurus may appear a bore.  Opinionated and obstinate, once a Taurean makes a decision, it is written in stone.  Don't expect radical thinking and innovative ideas here.  Basically grounded, material people, Taureans prefer the known to the unknown, the tried to the new.  They love the earth, comforting things, sense of ownership, and generally treat those they love as possessions.

"I think that's what distinguishes Schmidt, really.  In the movies now, so much of what is appealing to an audience is the dramatic or has to do with science fiction, and Schmidt is simply human.  There's no melodrama; there's no device, It's just about a human being."
      —Jack Nicholson, born April 22, 1937

Vocational Interests Suited to Taurus Tendencies

"Don't avoid the cliches ... they are cliches because they work!"     —George Lucas, born May 14, 1944

Prosperous at developing and maintaining wealth, Taureans do well in banking and finance.  In business, they shine in fields concerned with the earth and money.  Architect, builder, gardener or accountant, financier, banker, auctioneer, real estate broker, are all professions which attract a Taurus.  They may possess a good singing voice as music may be said to be a Taurean art.  Many well known performers are born under Taurus, such as Barbara Streisand and Bing Crosby.  Many Taureans have a 'green thumb' and find real pleasure in gardening.  Gifted with a natural artistic nature, they also may excel as crafts workers.

Persistence, thoroughness and single-mindedness that can take on dogmatic qualities are the hallmarks of the Taurean personality.  No detail will ever be overlooked by the eyes of a Taurus.  Motivated by a desire to obtain and accumulate physical possessions, they can be compulsive in their intensity to secure an ample supply of everything they consider important.

Fresco Mural at the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara, Italy.
One in a series of panels depicting the months; a representation of April,
showing the Triumph of Venus in Taurus accompanied by an allegorical figure
symbolizing the ascendancy of spring.  Painted by Francesco del Cossa in 1469-1470.

Essentials to a Healthy Taurean Relationship

Honesty, integrity and dependability are notable Taurean characteristics.  The calm, pleasant, and well intentioned Taurus exterior belies the volcanic temper that can erupt when sufficiently aroused.  The bright side of the stubborn bull's nature is, they are incredibly and uncompromisingly loyal to their friends.  Established slowly, a Taurus friendship can, and often does last a lifetime.

The Lore of Taurus in Mythology

Mythology is closely interwoven with Astrology.  Despite all that we do not know about the origins of either lore it is certain that starwatching began with passion on humanity's first night beneath the open sky.  Somewhere in time, shapes were perceived, figures imagined, names given and stories were told about the densely populated tapestry of the heavens.  All elder cultures throughout the world developed tales of the constellations which over time were imbued with meaning to explain various phenomena of our existence within the cosmos.

Mythology in general is far more than a collection of "make believe" fantasies created by primitive societies to explain away what they could not understand.  The role of Myth in a society was to set the abstract complexities of Nature within a context of story that the human mind could comprehend.  Wondering long on what keeps the world from falling through space or whether the dawn will follow night is a costly distraction when there is hunting to do and crops to tend.  Story sets cosmic ideas in a scale we can relate to, human scale, which establishes a sense of accord and instills a faith that all is well with the universe.

Astrology and Mythology serve a similar function in this regard.  We benefit from Astrology not so much as a tool of fortune-telling but as a directional guide to understanding who we are individually and what our unique role ought to be in this life.  As Carl Jung stated, Astrology claims only that we each possess the qualities of the year and of the season in which we were born.  To discern just what those qualities are ... is as fascinating to each of us as the night sky.

The constellation Taurus drawn by Johannes Hevelius in 1690
for his celestial catalogue, Uranographia.

To the Greeks, Taurus is associated with Zeus and his transformation into a snowy white Bull.  This he did as a means to abduct Europa, whom he lusted for.  Thus, the Minotaur of Crete, result of this union of God and mortal, is also recognized as being associated with the second sign of the zodiac.  Through many cultures across the world the constellation of Taurus is perceived as a bull or similar animal.  The Egyptians gave great significance to the sky cluster in both religion and astrology; the great starry bull of the Nile.  Halfway around the globe, small tribes living along the Amazon river in South America, called this section of the night sky: Tapüra Rayoaba, the Jaw of the Ox.  It is certainly a hard constellation to miss; as one of the densest groupings, there are, by varying accounts, between 120 and 190 stars within it, visible to the naked eye.

In the Mediterranean region, the Sun's entry into Taurus was celebrated as the Feast of Maya.  We know it as May Day, the first of the month.  The Sun was often represented by a white bull with a golden disc between his horns.  This image was followed by a procession of virgins, exemplifying the fecundity of nature.  This association of Taurus with the beginning of Spring, can be traced as far back as ancient Babylon.  In Egypt, Taurus held an even greater importance, as it was believed that humanity was created while the sun was passing through its borders.

                              Ere the heels of flying Capricorn
                          Have touched the western mountain's darkening rim,
                          I mark, stern Taurus, through the twilight gray,
                              The glinting of thy horn,
                          And sullen front, uprising large and dim,
                          Bent to the starry Hunter's sword at bay.

                           —Hymn to Taurus by Bayard Taylor

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique.  And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.  The world will not have it.  It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions.  It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.  You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.  You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you.  Keep the channel open.  No artist is pleased.  There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.  There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."

—Martha Graham, Born: May 11, 1894