Taurus Considered

 Taurus by Erté

In his book, Astrology (pub.1964) Louis MacNeice, not an astrologer, but a poet and scholar, gathered together much of interest from a variety of sources, ancient and modern. On zodiac sign Taurus, through which the Sun is beginning to travel as I type, he wrote the paragraphs below, often quoting from a variety of professional astrologers. The extract was copy-typed by my own fair fingers, by the way, not copied and pasted from elsewhere. As some of the astrologers mentioned may be unfamiliar, at the end of the extract I've added some links to relevant websites for each named astrologer.

To the layman it may seem comic that Taurus should be feminine, but the horned moonface of its hieroglyph certainly looks less aggressive than Aries' hieroglyph, which is almost all horns and nothing else. Moreover, Taurus is a fixed and earthy sign, and is ruled by the opposite of Mars, the gentle Venus. It is not surprising that Taurus is slow and long-suffering, in fact "bovine"; the hostile Robert Eisler even suggests that he was never a bull, only an ox, and quotes the ancient Roman champion of astrology Firmicus Maternus to the effect that this sign is responsible for the birth of important people and perverts. But most astrologers have been insulting. A slow sign, yes, but a sure sign certainly. Nor is the Taurus type traditionally a sissy: Pearce writes that he is "slow to anger but, when provoked, furious."

Just as Aries was connected with both Mars and the Sun, so Taurus is connected with the Moon as well as with Venus. Barbault describes the Taurus type as essentially "ruminant", a creature of a leisurely rhythm who tends to walk slowly looking at the ground, obedient to the law of his sheer weight. The physiognomists, of course, make him look like a bull: thickset, thick-necked, and thick-lipped, with a broad forehead, wide nostrils and a tuft of hair on the forehead. Countess Wydenbruck notes that he is "not very intelligent", but everyone agrees that he can be a tower of strength. Barbault, in discussing Freud (whom he makes a Taurus type) and his Taurine psychological universe, moves from the love of the child for its mother to the conclusion that "we are here at the heart of Taurus, which represents the meat-safe of the Zodiac...and, through displacement of the oral tendency, the strong-box of the Zodiac".

Working on the same strong-box lines, Tucker finds in Taurus a symbol of the Golden Calf; but he concedes that the Taurus man worships money not for itself but for the pleasure and ease it will bring him. He adds that, if the Taurus man does have enough money to eat well, he should cut down on the carbohydrates. He is a reliable husband and family man, pays his debts, and enjoys a joke; but too much of the "ruminant" quality can make him slothful.

The two points to remember are that Taurus is essentially fixed and essentially earthy. Gleadow instances as Taurus types George Washington and Arnold Bennett. Barbault gives Balzac and Karl Marx as well as Freud. Marx had Taurus as his Sun-sign and it contained at his birth both the Taurine females, the Moon and Venus. Dialectical materialism, Barbault says, falls naturally under this sign. The next, the first of the airy signs, is a very different kettle of flying fish.

Astrologers mentioned:
André Barbault
A.J. Pearce
Countess Wydenbruck
Robert Eisler
Dr. W.J. Tucker
Rupert Gleadow

My own experience of persons with Sun in Taurus, when comparing flesh and blood with the above descriptions, is mixed. My maternal grandmother and my late partner both had Sun in late Taurus (19 and 20 May). There were some basic similarities in their natures, but wide differences too, due of course to the rest of their natal charts. The nature of one of them was far more in line with textbook Gemini than textbook Taurus. There was great warmth and capacity for love and loyalty in them both, and roiling anger if provoked too...but those attributes could equally apply to other zodiac signs, even to my own - Aquarius!

It's not easy to pinpoint something peculiar to Taurus (the sign, not the person). Steadfast and stubborn applies to the other Fixed signs, Aquarius, Scorpio and Leo. Earthy equally applies to Capricorn and Virgo. Venus-ruled also applies to Libra.

What is exclusive to Taurus then? Well...there are the neighbouring signs. Taurus is flanked by Aries and Gemini. One or more personal planets, especially Mercury and Venus, will often be found in one of those adjacent signs for a person born with Sun in Taurus. That exact same trio cannot apply elsewhere. It's very likely that a person with Sun in Taurus will display characteristics of textbook Aries or textbook Gemini - maybe even both - or of all three signs.

Fixed Stars in Taurus

Continuing the series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign.

Data for Taurus from Astroweb (HERE), showing star positions in 1900 in the left-hand column and in 2000 on the right. Click on the list for enlarged view.

Alternative lists of Fixed Stars are available online, most give star positions for the years 1900, 2000, or 2010. A good overall list, including traditional interpretations, is an updated one from Rob Tillett, see HERE. Repeating a word of caution: ancient astrologers were either a tad gloomy or way over excitable about a person's prospects. Take the interpretations with a large pinch of salt!

I'm picking just a couple of Stars about which to scribble further. I was tempted to choose Algol, but there's already a detailed archived post on that Star of ill repute - SEE HERE. Also, clicking on "Algol" in the label cloud in the sidebar will lead to other posts where Algol has been mentioned.

I've chosen to scribble a bit today about Fixed Stars Hamal and Menkar, underlined in yellow on the star map below. Clicking on the image should bring up a slightly sharper version.

Hamal (roughly translates to head of the ram/sheep), is the alpha, brightest, star of constellation Aries, though its current zodiacal position is in Taurus. The star marks the ram's forehead. Long ago, between 2000 and 100 BCE, Hamal held more importance for astronomers, and presumably astrologers, than it does today. Back then the Sun aligned north and south with Hamal at the spring equinox (northern hemisphere) in March.
See EarthSky HERE and Wikipedia HERE.

Ptolemy, for some reason likened the stars in the head of the ram to Mars and Saturn in nature, whereas those in the tail were likened to Venus, those in the hind foot to Mars, in the mouth Mercury and Saturn. (Skyscript HERE).

Hamal was generally considered unfortunate in interpretation, associated with violence, danger, and head injuries. Ancient astrologers were a gloomy lot, couldn't see a positive side in anything! Modern astrologers might be inclined to interpret Hamal, if tightly conjunct a personal planet natally, as indicating a headstrong independence in some area related to the conjoined planet or, perhaps, as emphasis on great strength of mind or body, in sport for instance -as in a boxer, wrestler or athlete.


Menkar
I had originally intended to scribble about The Pleiades but there's so much related and interesting information on that star cluster it'd need a full post. So I changed mind and, as I happen to have Menkar conjunct Uranus and south Node of Moon, thought I'd use this star instead - not out of self-interest particularly, but to discover and show whether Fixed Stars might have any interperative value when highlighted natally. In my case, because the star is conjunct an outer, rather than a personal planet, it's perhaps not an ideal example (my generation will all have Uranus conjunct Menkar), but as that outer planet is my natal Sun's modern ruler and is also conjunct South Node of the Moon - it might be more significant.

Anyway... first where is Menkar? It is the second brightest star of constellation Cetus, the Whale or Sea Monster. Menkar is located on the creature's nose. Cetus is one of the 48 original constellations charted by Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 constellations recognized by the


International Astronomical Union. The majority of the constellation is just below the ecliptic plane, bordered by Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Sculptor, Fornax, Eridanus and Taurus. The whale is said to represent the human collective unconscious.

In an article in Mountain Astrologer magazine in 2013: Thoughts on a Few Fixed Stars, its author, Mary Plumb opened with this:

I have always thought of the fixed stars in natal astrology as operating at a deep stratum in the psyche. That impression was in part formed by experiences of people in my life with Menkar, the brightest star in the constellation Cetus the Whale, in a prominent place. The early myths of this constellation connect it to a massive sea monster that is destructive and all-powerful. He arises from the depths of the sea, unannounced and terrible. We understand that the sea is a symbol of the unconscious. Of Menkar, Bernadette Brady writes: “The unconscious becoming conscious. The sudden emergence of deep unconscious issues.”

I have seen Menkar (13°37’ Taurus) conjunct the Sun in the radix of someone who suffered from devastating mental illness and someone else who is an astute psychological astrologer. Another person has Menkar conjunct Jupiter (the Ascendant ruler); this is the nativity of a psychologist who focuses on bringing the unconscious into consciousness in quite dramatic ways.

I heard John Frawley say once that the fixed stars influence the body, not the soul (except in rare situations).

I found an interpretation of my own Menkar placement at Constellations of Words website :

With Uranus: Active mind, artistic, scientific and mystical interest and ability, troubles through opposite sex, loss through fire and false friends, good fortune and misfortune alternately, severe injuries from animals. [Robson*, p.177.]

Well...I've not had any severe injuries from animals - a nasty bite from a dog when I was a child has been the worst, I can still detect a faint scar on my arm - but it didn't put me off loving dogs! As for the rest, yes indeed, I can relate on some level, especially to "loss through fire". I lost everything, absolutely everything except the few clothes I was wearing, my purse and our car, as a result of a fire in 1996. Whether Menkar's input to events has any bearing isn't clear - the fact that transiting Uranus was 2 degrees from my natal Sun at the time....well!

VENUS PEOPLE

A little astrology as a change from politics today. The Sun will remain in Venus-ruled Libra for a few more days, Venus rules art and this is Arty-Farty Friday... here's an edited version of an old post of mine:

 Venus at Cardiff Castle, Wales, with symbols of Libra

  & Taurus

People with Libra or Taurus strongly placed in their natal charts could be termed Venus people. 20th century astrologer, Carl Payne Tobey, compared such Venus people in his "Astrology Primer for the Millions". His assessments help us to see that although there are big differences between the two signs there are, sometimes, at their core, subtle similarities flowing from their traditional ruler. His words refer not only to those with Sun in Taurus or Libra, but anyone with natal Moon or several planets there, or with one of those signs on the ascendant. In my opinion, even if only Venus and/or Mercury are in Taurus or Libra in a natal chart, there will be quite a noticeable slice of the relevant sign contained in the personality. Also, if the ruler of one's Sun lies in one of these signs, some of Mr. Tobey's remarks will be likely to apply.

One thing I did find puzzling was that Mr Tobey considers that Libra lacks initiative, it's mentioned in various places in this piece. Most (or all) sources tell us that the cardinal signs (Libra is one of the four) are the initiators. I kind of understand what he's saying, but there might have been a better way to express it.

Below are some details from Carl Payne Tobey's book, with a few remarks from me.

Taurus and Libra are usually friendly and perhaps lethargic signs. They are strongly attracted to the opposite sex but are not particularly aggressive about it. They are more inclined to let things come to them. They prefer to attract people to themselves than run after them. Yet here we have some very romantic people. They react more than they initiate. (Note from me - that's odd, Libra being Cardinal sign). .......

These are not what we could call the nervous types, particularly Taurus is not. In fact it can be stoic. Neither sign is too easily aroused. They are more inclined to take things in their stride........they are much more calm than other signs. They appear more easily satisfied.

For all of this, and for all of these similarities, they are opposites in many respects.

Taurus is more material. It comes into the world to think of and deal with material things, but under certain conditions is capable of great transformations. It likes the land and likes it in big quantities.........Great wealth is often connected with this sign. These people often build up great power of one kind or another. They enjoy possessing great power, even if they never use it. Hitler was a Taurean.......we had a breakthrough of a Taurean into the metaphysical in Shakespeare. In the entertainment world Bing Crosby. (Note from me - the author is of a different era, so most of his examples are not very useful in today's world - I've omitted those which now seem obscure).

Taurean women, for the most part are inclined to be settled. They can get pretty attached to their homes and families. They can be steadying influences upon their husbands. They will enjoy entertaining at home, but they like good homes in which to entertain. (Note from me: we have to forgive Mr Tobey for his somewhat sexist outlook, he lived in a different era from ours).

Libra isn't so attached to material things above what they may need for comfort. They like nice things and appreciate quality. They would prefer to do their entertaining in a small way, with a select group of friends. They are less impressed by bigness. They don't concentrate on one thing the way a Taurean will. There is stubbornness in Taurus, but this is rare in Libra. When enthused, Taurus has a one-track mind, one object upon which it concentrates......Libra is not like that. It weighs both sides of any subject. It knows when something is off balance.

Except when the ruling planet, Venus, is in Scorpio, Libra can be a very just sign. It doesn't want to hurt anybody. There is a considerable difference in that Taurus believes in its own power even though it is a cautious sign, while Libra lacks self-confidence. You have to convince Libra how good it is. Try to tell Libra how good it is and it will appreciate it but probably won't believe it. Nevertheless the sign will feel good because you said so.

Too few Libra people develop their talents properly because of the lack of self-confidence. There is often good musical or artistic ability which is not developed. The sign likes all flattery even if it doesn't believe it.........there is an ability to understand abstract design, with the result that Libra can become a masterful mathematician, if the fear of mathematics as a subject is overcome.

It is apt to flatter Libra to be desired sexually, and the sign can be very affectionate.

While Taurus can be sluggish until it gets started or gets up its momentum, Libra is inclined to be lazy. The women enjoy sweets. (Note from me: I bet the men do too!) And if contentedly married they can become compulsive eaters. Then weight becomes a problem. Doctors investigating the subject find more Libra women afflicted with obesity than any other sign. They need a new interest of some kind to make them forget food and sweets. (Note from me:Oh, Mr Tobey - do I detect male chauvinism?)


With Libra the kidneys can be a weak spot, while with Taurus it is the throat.

Libra doesn't usually have the staying power of Taurus. ........Neither of these signs can ordinarily be called impulsive. They don't usually take the initiative (Note from me: even though Libra is a Cardinal sign?)......Yet many of the greatest military men have been born under these signs. They are not warriors. They do not want to fight, but if somebody is going to fight, they'll be likely to withdraw until they develop or assemble sufficient strength to win. U.S. Grant was a Taurean. (From me: Eisenhower was a Libran).

It is more difficult for Taurus to break away from the hereditary factor than for Libra to do so. There is basic family loyalty in Taurus, but if Libra doesn't like its relatives, it will look elsewhere for friends to take the place of relatives. It may show more interest in strangers than Taurus.....................

Neither of these signs can be considered as aggressive, nor can we call them ambitious signs. The Taureans who are ready to push themselves almost invariably have planets in Aries also (like Hitler), while Librans who will push themselves seem to have planets in Scorpio (Note from me: think Dennis Kucinich). Otherwise that push isn't there. Vitality and ambition are lacking.

These are not ordinarily to be considered signs of self-interest. They will usually step aside for others. It isn't in their nature to step on other people's toes. If they don't like a person, they will stay away from that person. They won't annoy him. When they can have harmonious associations they will be very cooperative. They are slow to anger, but don't push them too far. Particularly Taurus can be extremely violent if pushed too far.

When we come to the Mars-ruled combination of Aries and Scorpio you will see a marked difference in basic character structure. (From me: that'll be for another time!)

Venus photograph from Wikipedia.

ASTROLOGERS Born with Sun in Taurus

The Sun is about to slide into zodiac sign Taurus. I'll follow a pattern I seem to have set for myself over the past three months of spotlighting astrologers with Sun in sign of the month.

Searching Wikipedia's list of astrologers for any Sun in Taurus astrologers afforded slim pickings. I found three, from very different eras. The earlier two encountered difficulties closely entangled with dramatic events of their own times; the 20th/21st century astrologer is having a much less adventurous ride, for which I'm sure she feels truly thankful!

In date order


William Lilly born 11 May [Old Style 1 May] 1602 in Diseworth, England; died 9 June 1681.

From a good article at Urania Trust

Astrology was extremely popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, although in England there was a lack of important astrological writings until the 17th century, perhaps due to the “malice of the clergy” or the “servile fear” of astrologers, who were uncertain about their legal status.7 Amongst the growing number of amateur and professionals, one name stands out, that of William Lilly, probably the most acclaimed astrologer of his time. The flood of astrological publications from the 1640s onward, as well as the success of Lilly and other astrologers, brought to astrology a “greater vigour, confidence and assertiveness, and (paradoxically) a new respectability.”

Lilly's many predictions, often turning out to be correct, drew much attention, and some problems. During the years of the English Civil War he was thought to be a parliamentarian, but was in hot water more than once with the authorities for apparently helping the royalists. Engravings in his Monarchy and No Monarchy, (1651) showing the Great Plague and the Fire of London caused him to be called to appear before a committee set up to investigate the cause of the Great Fire of London, predicted in his book five years earlier. There was a suspicion that Lilly might have been involved in planning the disaster - but he was not found gulity of any wrongdoing.

Later in his life Lilly studied medicine and was granted a license to practice. From 1670 on he was well-known as a physician as well as an astrologer.

He published 15 major works on astrology as well as 36 almanacs and was consulted by famous individuals of the time. See Answers.com There's another excellent piece at Skyscript by David Plant: The Life and Work of William Lilly

Natal chart at Astrodatabank indicates a very Earthy personality. 4 Planets in Taurus, Moon in Capricorn and Mars in Virgo, with an opposition to Taurus planets from Saturn in Scorpio, and a square from Moon in Capricorn to Jupiter in Airy Libra.

Earthy he may have been, but he had the mix of Water and Air ingredients in his makeup, the presence of which do seem necessary bring forth an astrologer of some note.







Karl Ernst Krafft born 10 May 1900 in Basel, Switzerland; died, died 8 January 1945, was famously (or notoriously), known as "Hitler's astrologer"

Krafft's originally preferred astrological style was in statistical research. He had tried to emulate his idol, Paul Choisnard and continue his work on "astral heredity", without much acclaim or success. In those pre-computer days statistical research had to be a hit-and-miss affair, I guess. Between 1926 and 1930 he turned to traditional natal and mundane astrology, economic prediction, while having some of his older statistical work published in astrological journals of the time.

He moved to Germany in 1937.

From website of Astrological Association of St. Louis

Krafft now entered the large and literate German pre-WWII astrological community as a serious writer. He published his Traité (1939) and abandoned statistical work, having relocated with his wife to Germany and his much-admired National Socialism in 1937.

His descent began with his own telegram to the German Head Office for State Security drawing attention to his prediction of a 1939 Hitler assassination attempt, which had turned out to be accurate. Reich propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels took note, as did deputy Führer Rudolf Hess, and, when Hess flew to Scotland in 1941 on a “peace mission,” Krafft was arrested along with hundreds of other astrologers during “Aktion Hess.” Wilhelm Wulff, later Reich Leader-SSHeinrich Himmler’s personal astrologer, says in Zodiac and Swastika (1973)that “...I had to swear I would no longer work as an astrologer. I was also watched from that moment on.”

Hess’s own astrologer, Ernst Schulte-Strathaus, was also imprisoned, following a pattern established years earlier with the murders of SA chief Ernst Röhm and his astrologer, Dr. Karl-Guenther Heimsoth, in 1934 (David Berlinski, The Secrets of the Vaulted Sky, 2003).

Incorrectly dubbed “Hitler’s pet astrologer” (that was probably Hess, and then Elsbeth Ebertin) by British propagandist astrologer Captain Louis de Wohl, who was a German refugee himself (see Bobrick, The Fated Sky, 2005), Krafft was mainly employed by the Nazis to compose predictive disinformation based on the Nostradamus prophecies until, no longer useful to his employers, he was sent to his fate as an unstable and uncontrollable practitioner of a "presumptive” activity".

His real importance lies in the object lesson his life provides for astrologers today. He became famous in spite of himself. Karl Ernst Krafft died 8 January 1945, en route to Buchenwald concentration camp.

Wilhelm Wulff, one of the few astrologers to survive, says, “National Socialism was smashed and disappeared from the scene. Astrology in Germany, although decades behind the times, remained.”

Another article on this topic ~ Hitler's Astrologer.

Natal chart at Astrodatabank . He had only Sun in Taurus, with more Earthy input from Virgo rising and Saturn in Capricorn. Moon in Airy Libra, Venus in Watery Cancer and a good helping of Fire from Mercury and Mars in Aries, Jupiter and Uranus in Sagittarius. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were all in their signs of rulership, Moon and Venus were in mutual reception - so this was a strong chart. A little more emphasis on the Water element, though, might have afforded Krafft more intuition, and led him away from the danger awaiting him in Nazi Germany.







Deborah Houlding born 14 May 1962, Mansfield, UK. I recognise her as creator of one of the internet's best astrology websites: Skyscript.
From a profile there:

UK astrologer Deborah Houlding has been instrumental in bringing traditional astrological techniques back to the forefront of modern day practice. She was the award-winning editor of the much respected Traditional Astrologer Magazine, founded in 1993 when she also established Ascella Publications to specialise in producing rare and out-of-print traditional astrological texts. Since the late 1980s she has been active in researching the astronomical and symbolic basis of the techniques used in the traditional art of western astrology, from its earliest roots to its contemporary extensions.

Deborah's book The Houses: Temples of the Sky is regarded as an essential text for anyone seeking a truly informed knowledge of the development and use of astrological houses. It is available in translation in Czech, German (awaiting publication) and Italian. Her expert awareness of the techniques of William Lilly and his contemporaries, enabled her to produce a richly annotated reproduction of Lilly's voluminous 17th century classic Christian Astrology, acclaimed for the illuminating explanations that accompany the main body of the text. She is currently preparing a similarly annotated reproduction of Culpeper's 17th century Astrological Judgement of Disease as well as completing a history of classical astrology.

Besides frequent event appearances and the many articles that have appeared in magazines and astrological journals around the world, Deborah hosts and maintains Skyscript, one of the most popular and informative astrology sites on the web. She also leads her own School of Traditional Astrology (STA), which tutors astrologers to a professional level of horary practice by correspondence and residential workshops.

Natal chart at Astrodatabank: I'm not going to presume to interpret the chart of a living astrologer - what impertinence that'd be! Enough to say here that Ms Houlding has only Sun in Taurus, with Moon in Virgo (more Earth) and Cancer (Water) rising. Airy credentials come via Mercury and Mars in Gemini and Saturn in Aquarius (well-equipped in that department); and extra Water from Jupiter in Pisces and Neptune in Scorpio. Mars in Aries gives enough of a Fiery spark to get her work noticed! She has exactly the right astro-equipment, it seems to matter not in which sign or element the Sun resides, as long as it's complemented by some Air and, importantly, Water.

THE VENUS-RULED SIGNS ~ Libra & Taurus

Libra and Taurus, the "Venus people", were compared by 20th century astrologer, Carl Payne Tobey in his Astrology Primer for the Millions (1965). His assessments of zodiac signs with the same planetary ruler help us see that, although there are big differences between the two signs, there is some similarity at their core, flowing from their common traditional ruler.

We should bear in mind that Mr Tobey's words refer not only to those with Sun in Taurus or Libra, but anyone with natal Moon or several planets in those signs, or with Taurus or Libra rising. If the ruler of one's Sun lies in one of these signs, some of Mr. Tobey's remarks will be quite likely to apply.

One thing I find puzzling is that Mr Tobey considers Libra to be lacking in initiative, as mentioned in various places in this piece. Astrological sources always indicate that the cardinal signs, of which Libra is one, are the initiators. I kind of understand what he's getting at, but there might have been a better way to express it.

So, here are some details from Carl Payne Tobey's book, with a few remarks from me, in red.

Taurus and Libra are usually friendly and perhaps lethargic signs. They are strongly attracted to the opposite sex but are not particularly aggressive about it. They are more inclined to let things come to them. They prefer to attract people to themselves than run after them. Yet here we have some very romantic people. They react more than they initiate (note from me - that's odd, Libra being Cardinal sign). .......

These are not what we could call the nervous types, particularly Taurus is not. In fact it can be stoic. Neither sign is too easily aroused. They are more inclined to take things in their stride........they are much more calm than other signs. They appear more easily satisfied.

For all of this, and for all of these similarities, they are opposites in many respects.

Taurus is more material. It comes into the world to think of and deal with material things, but under certain conditions is capable of great transformations. It likes the land and likes it in big quantities.........Great wealth is often connected with this sign. These people often build up great power of one kind or another. They enjoy possessing great power, even if they never use it. Hitler was a Taurean.......we had a breakthrough of a Taurean into the metaphysical in Shakespeare. In the entertainment world Bing Crosby (note from me - the author is of a different era, so most of his examples are not very useful in today's world - I've omitted those which now seem obscure).

Taurean women, for the most part are inclined to be settled. They can get pretty attached to their homes and families. They can be steadying influences upon their husbands. They will enjoy entertaining at home, but they like good homes in which to entertain. (We have to forgive Mr Tobey for his somewhat sexist outlook, he lived in a different era from us).

Libra isn't so attached to material things above what they may need for comfort. They like nice things and appreciate quality. They would prefer to do their entertaining in a small way, with a select group of friends. They are less impressed by bigness. They don't concentrate on one thing the way a Taurean will. There is stubbornness in Taurus, but this is rare in Libra. When enthused, Taurus has a one-track mind, one object upon which it concentrates......Libra is not like that. It weighs both sides of any subject. It knows when something is off balance.


Except when the ruling planet, Venus, is in Scorpio, Libra can be a very just sign. It doesn't want to hurt anybody. There is a considerable difference in that Taurus believes in its own power even though it is a cautious sign, while Libra lacks self-confidence. You have to convince Libra how good it is. Try to tell Libra how good it is and it will appreciate it but probably won't believe it. Nevertheless the sign will feel good because you said so.

Too few Libra people develop their talents properly because of the lack of self-confidence. There is often good musical or artisitic ability which is not developed. The sign likes all flattery even if it doesn't believe it.........there is an ability to understand abstract design, with the result that Libra can become a masterful mathematician, if the fear of mathematics as a subject is overcome.

It is apt to flatter Libra to be desired sexually, and the sign can be very affectionate.

While Taurus can be sluggish until it gets started or gets up its momentum, Libra is inclined to be lazy. The women enjoy sweets (note from me - I bet the men do too!) and if contentedly married they can become compulsive eaters. Then weight becomes a problem. Doctors investigating the subject find more Libra women afflicted with obesity than any other sign. They need a new interest of some kind to make them forget food and sweets (Oh, Mr Tobey - do I detect male chauvinism?).

With Libra the kidneys can be a weak spot, while with Taurus it is the throat.

Libra doesn't usually have the staying power of Taurus. ........Neither of these signs can ordinarily be called impulsive. They don't usually take the initiative (- even though Libra is a Cardinal sign?)......Yet many of the greatest military men have been born under these signs. They are not warriors. They do not want to fight, but if somebody is going to fight, they'll be likely to withdraw until they develop or assemble sufficient strength to win. U.S. Grant was a Taurean. (From me: Eisenhower was a Libran).

It is more difficult for Taurus to break away from the hereditary factor than for Libra to do so. There is basic family loyaly in Taurus, but if Libra doesn't like its relatives, it will look elsewhere for friends to take the place of relatives. It may show more interest in strangers than Taurus.....................

Neither of these signs can be considered as aggressive, nor can we call them ambitious signs. The Taureans who are ready to push themselves almost invariably have planets in Aries also (like Hitler), while Librans who will push themselves seem to have planets in Scorpio. Otherwise that push isn't there. Vitality and ambition are lacking.

These are not ordinarily to be considered signs of self-interest. They will usually step aside for others. It isn't in their nature to step on other people's toes. If they don't like a person, they will stay away from that person. They won't annoy him. When they can have harmonious associations they will be very cooperative. They are slow to anger, but don't push them too far. Particularly Taurus can be extremely violent if pushed too far.

TAURUS

As Sun moves into the sign of Taurus I'm struck, once again, how wave-like is the order and "feel" of the 12 zodiac signs. How very different is each from its neighbour on either side. How each seems to be making up for its predecessor's failings yet providing ground for more diversity from its successor. Take Taurus for instance: preceded by impulsive, impatient Aries, Taurus slows things down, steadies the mind, plants feet firmly on the ground, unlikely to move at all unless some improvement or other is in the offing. Aries was ruled by energetic, war-hungry Mars, Taurus by gentle, arty Venus. On the other side of Taurus, in a few weeks' time will come Gemini - and off we'll go again extracting our feet from the mud of Earth, floating away on a new, Airy, wave driven by Mercury the great communicator - feet off the ground, eager to see and hear all that's current, ready for change however it might arise.

Take any sign at all and try the same exercise. It always works. The waves flow on.

Back to Taurus.

A snippet from astrologer Ingrid Lind's little book, Astrology and Commonsense
(NOTE: where "his/he" is used, in the 21st century we'd always say he/she or his/her......wouldn't we?)

It can be said of most of the signs that to have too much of them is a bad thing. Too much Taurus, for instance, gives the native a stolid, immovable, stick-in-the-mud quality. Nevertheless, it is like the flour in the cake: without it there would be no cake. Possessiveness and conservatism are Taurean keywords and if Aries is the primitive cave-man Taurus is the one who finds his piece of land and enters into the joys of ownership...........While Aries rushes about, Taurus sits and enjoys the fruit of his labours, with leisure to discover the music in nature, which he echoes in song. He is a man of peace and likes all the creature comforts he has created for himself. He will not pick a quarrel; but if he is finally aroused to anger it will be quite terrifying in its intensity.

From Alan Oken's Complete Astrology (1980) a few Taurus-related tid-bits:

The following are those nations, cities and peoples whose vibrations are very closely allied with the Sign of the Bull:
Ireland, Switzerland (known as the center of international banking), Poland, Cyprus, Persia, Crete.
Dublin, Mantua, Leipsig, Lucerne. The ancient Egyptians and the Druids.

Ancient Egypt was a country very much under the influence of the Bull and its polar opposite, Scorpio......Bull worship was a very significant aspect of the Egyptian religious cults......Osiris was often depicted as a man with a bull's head and living bulls were regularly selected by the priests to represent this god on Earth...........Some of the symbols used in the cult of Osiris the Bull remain with us today. If you look at the back of a one-dollar bill, for example, you will see an eye (symbol of Osiris) above a pyramid on a field of green (colour of the Earth).




We find many other references to the Bull throughout ancient history. Over 4000 years ago in Akkadia, Taurus was called the "Bull of Light" or Te Te. This double name refers to the two important groups of stars in its body i.e. the Pleiades and the Hyades. The Assyrians called their second astrological month A-aru or the "Directing Bull". The Chaldeans, who were great astrologer-astronomers, used the symbol of the winged bull-king very extensively in their architecture.

There are archived posts on zodiac sign Taurus and "my Taureans" - easily accessed by clicking on "Taurus" in the Label Cloud in the sidebar.

Photographs for passing Taurus-types: rather good bull sculptures we happened upon on our drive to Austin, Texas. First stood in the middle of nowhere, a field by the side of a deserted road, part of a Sculpture Ranch somewhere nearby, the other stood in a field close to Throckmorton Tx. (From husband's camera.)



closer...

Zodiac Sign TAURUS

Taurus the zodiac sign, not the person nor the bull, represents characteristics and traits that are Fixed, as in determined, stubborn, single-minded. The sign also connects closely with earthy matters and Earth itself: practicality, agriculture, nature, gardens, trees, and beauty. The sign is ruled by planet Venus, it's Venus's Earthy side, the other, Airy side of Venus being represented by Libra, a mentally based form of beauty rooted in balance.

No surprise then that Taurus connects strongly to art and music, through its relationship with astrological Venus.

The darker side of Taurus, its stubborn side, can translate in human life, if aided and abetted by other factors in a natal chart, as unyeilding aggression (when mixed with Aries or Scorpio)or steadfast loyalty to a cause or position when mixed with milder elements.

It's all in the mix!

Often, people born with Sun in Taurus will have a touch of neighbouring signs Aries and/or Gemini in their makeup. Mercury and Venus, if not in the same sign as the Sun can be found nextdoor. Mercury can never be further than one sign from the Sun, Venus up to two signs away. A 100% stereotypically Taurus individual is highly unlikely to exist; position of natal Moon and the sign rising at birth are two other important factors in that all important mix.

With Sun in Taurus characters as unalike as Duke Ellington and Adolf Hitler, Queen Elizabeth II and Karl Marx, Ella Fitzgerald and Harry Truman, it's easy to see that it simply has to be all in the mix.

Previous posts on Taurus can be accessed via the Label Cloud in the sidebar on the right.

The Bull of Taurus & A Trip

Aries has almost run its allotted span for this time around. Taurus edges ever closer. Whereas The Ram seems a vaguely appropriate symbol for Aries, I often think that The Bull seems nowhere near as appropriate for Taurus. The zodiac sign Taurus is ruled by planet Venus - quite incompatible with bullishness I'd have thought.






Taurus is one of the three Earth signs, and is Fixed in quality, from whence the Taurus reputation for stubbornness arises, it's not alone in this though. Aquarius, Scorpio and Leo are all Fixed signs and also tend towards obstinacy.




Perhaps an image of a bull with its four feet planted immovably upon Mother Earth could be said to represent Fixed Earth well enough, but what of the musical and/or artistic talent Taurus also represents, a reflection of ruling planet Venus? A more Venusian symbol for Taurus would be nice - a flute, a mandolin or a flower, even.

For a rather wordy, but enlightening run-down on the characteristics of Taurus, one cannot do better than read the words of astrologer C.E.O. Carter. The article is vintage 1957, some of the references seem dated, but the heart of the piece remains very relevant, 52 years after it was written.

I may as well repeat my monthly reminder here: there really is no such creature as....."a Taurus". Neighbouring signs can colour Sun in Taurus traits, almost beyond recognition. Aries and Gemini characteristics may be prominent in a person with natal Sun in Taurus, courtesy of Mercury and/or Venus placements. These personal planets can never be more than one or two signs away from the Sun's position. Taurus modified by either or both Gemini and Aries becomes a very different animal from that staid, conservative, earthy, reliable, stubborn yet artistic or musical individual so often expected from reading about Taurus alone. The occasional person with Sun, Mercury, Venus, Moon and ascendant all in Taurus might display more stereotypical Taurean traits, but people of this type are few and far between.

Posted around this time last year, I gave a couple of real-life examples of the above, from my own life story - (link).



I won't be posting again on Learning Curve for several days. We're setting off tomorrow morn on a road trip, heading west. Jupiter, planet of travel (and luck) is sitting on my relocated ascendant just now - that's nice!

We'll follow the path of old Route 66, between Oklahoma City and a point somewhere east of Flagstaff, Arizona. The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in eastern Arizona are our proposed destination - though knowing my navigation skills, we might finish up somewhere entirely different. Trips like this are always a great adventure, and a blank page waiting to be filled.

Maybe I'll post a few thoughts and photos from my own (new) camera on my other blog pages "THE REST OF IT", as we progress on the trip. That's a link for any passing reader who'd like to check. Normal service will be resumed on this blog in around a week's time. ~~~~~~~ Byeeeee!

My Taureans

Aquarius and Taurus, Sun-sign-wise are not supposed to get on too well. Both are fixed signs, one Air the other Earth. Both have a decidedly stubborn streak, one attached to the material, the other to ideas. Experience has taught me that this lack of compatibility is a more nebulous proposition than some magazines would have us believe. Digging just beneath the astrological surface reveals much more to be considered.

Two of the closest and dearest relationships of my (Sun Aquarius) life were with Sun Taureans: my maternal grandmother, named May for the month of her birth, and Bill, my late partner of many, many years. One was born 19 May, the other 20th both in the last degrees of Taurus. Taurus wasn't the dominant sign in either case. Both had personal planets in the three signs closest to Taurus. May had a cluster in Cancer (my own rising sign) and a couple in Gemini - very compatible with my Aquarius Sun, as well as her husband's, my grandfather's Gemini Sun.

Grandma seated, mother standing.

My own Aquarius Sun's ruler is in Taurus, which probably reflects a slightly earthy tone to my astro makeup, and has helped account for the closeness I felt to these two. Bill also had two planets in Gemini and one in Aries - right on my Aries Moon! Little wonder we lasted so long! And both May and Bill had a wee dash of Scorpio in their charts, as do I.

I tell these brief details just in case someone who might read this is feeling wary of a relationship frowned upon in Sun sign terms. When I first met Bill, in 1970, he once wrote, in a letter to me: "I know you think we're not compatible because of our birthdays, but please don't send me away - give me a chance, wait and see. And I did. And I'm glad.

Yours truly, tanned to a darker shade of pale, on a plane back from the Canary Islands with Bill, circa 1980


Coincidentally (or not)I have another friend of many years whose birthday is on 19 May. Her father's birthday is on the same date as my own, 27 January, but he's much older.

There's another oddity worth a mention here. In Robert Camp's book "Love Cards" which is based on an ancient system involving the playing card deck, astrology and numerology, May 19 and May 20 are represented by King and Queen of Clubs respectively. 27 January, my birthday is also represented by King of Clubs. I've found the "Love Cards" book to be a reliable guide regarding relationships, but haven't the slightest clue as to how or why, given that neither year of birth, place of birth nor time of birth are factors.

Neenoo...neenooo...neenoo...

Taurus Dominant

We're moving through the zodiac sign of (tropical) Taurus now. I've followed my habit of recent months and consulted Astrotheme's lists of dominant signs and planets in the natal charts of well-known people, in the hope of identifying a typically Taurean pattern.

My computer is functioning "on a wing and a prayer" these days. A shiny new box awaits unpacking, then there'll be the hassle of transferring my "stuff". So, instead of the risky business of compiling a video of photographs, a hand-picked selection of notable names from the lists will suffice this time around.

First, a few keywords to give an overall flavour of Taurus, second sign of the zodiac, and ruled by Venus: amorous, artistic, gentle, loyal, domestic, proud, quick-tempered, self-indulgent, sensual, patient, persistent, steadfast, conservative, retentive stubborn, materialistic.
The individuals named below aren't just people with Taurus as their "star sign"/ Sun sign. Some were born with Sun in Taurus, others could have Taurus rising or Moon in Taurus, or a cluster of planets in this sign. Some of these people also have Venus as dominant planet in their natal charts - a "V" after their name indicates this.

I think this list provides a better representation of real Taureans than do straightforward Sun sign lists.

Venus, ruler of Taurus is planet of the arts. It was therefore no surprise to see a good number of musicians and singers here. Star of early British rock scene, Eric Burdon (The Animals) is top of my list with 62.37% Taurus, and Venus as dominant planet. Irving Berlin, Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Les Paul, Bobby Darin(V), Perry Como, Willie Nelson(V), Janet Jackson, Kelly Clarkson are all high on the list of those with Taurus dominating their natal charts.

Actors include Ann-Margaret at 60.68%, Billy Crystal(V), Nick Nolte (a surprise as he has Aquarius Sun - Taurus 44.67%, Aquarius 20.17%), Ryan O'Neal, Glen Ford, Albert Finney, Gary Cooper(V).

From the world of comedy: Graham Chapman (Monty Python), Stephen Colbert, George Carlin.

From politics(ish) - Kofi Annan (former Secreatry General of UN), Nancy Pelosi, Che Guevara, Louis Farrakhan (in the news right now, for those watching progress of Senator Obama's candidacy for predient of the USA).

Astrology has only Maritha Pottenger in the top section of the Taurus lists, but Marjorie Orr , Evangeline Adams and Julia Parker appear in the list of those with Venus dominant.

After scooting through dozens of YouTube presentations featuring musical Taureans, I settled on this double-whammy to represent Taurus: Willie Nelson (Taurus & Venus dominant) sings "Blue Skies" written by Irving Berlin (Taurus dominant) with accompanying film of scenic Nevada - also apt because Taurus is Fixed Earth.

Venus People

It's now the turn of Libra and Taurus, the Venus people, to be compared by astrologer of the 20th century, Carl Payne Tobey. I referred to and quoted from his "Astrology Primer for the Millions", when I wrote about "Mercury's People", Gemini and Virgo. His assessments helps us to see that although there are big differences between the two signs there is, at their core, similarity flowing from their traditional ruler.

We must bear in mind that his words refer not only to those with Sun in Taurus or Libra, but anyone with natal Moon or several planets there, or with one of those signs on the ascendant. In my opinion, even if only Venus and/or Mercury are in Taurus or Libra in a natal chart, there will be quite a noticeable slice of the relevant sign contained in the personality. Also, if the ruler of one's Sun lies in one of these signs, some of Mr. Tobey's remarks will probably apply.

One thing I find puzzling is that Mr Tobey considers that Libra lacks initiative, it's mentioned in various places in this piece. Most (or all) sources tell us that the cardinal signs (including Libra) are the initiators. I kind of understand what he's saying, but there might have been a better way to express it.

So here are some details from Carl Payne Tobey's book, with a few remarks from me, in red.

Taurus and Libra are usually friendly and perhaps lethargic signs. They are strongly attracted to the opposite sex but are not particularly aggressive about it. They are more inclined to let things come to them. They prefer to attract people to themselves than run after them. Yet here we have some very romantic people. They react more than they initiate (note from me - that's odd, Libra being Cardinal sign). .......

These are not what we could call the nervous types, particularly Taurus is not. In fact it can be stoic. Neither sign is too easily aroused. They are more inclined to take things in their stride........they are much more calm than other signs. They appear more easily satisfied.

For all of this, and for all of these similarities, they are opposites in many respects.

Taurus is more material. It comes into the world to think of and deal with material things, but under certain conditions is capable of great transformations. It likes the land and likes it in big quantities.........Great wealth is often connected with this sign. These people often build up great power of one kind or another. They enjoy possessing great power, even if they never use it. Hitler was a Taurean.......we had a breakthrough of a Taurean into the metaphysical in Shakespeare. In the entertainment world Bing Crosby (note from me - the author is of a different era, so most of his examples are not very useful in today's world - I've omitted those which now seem obscure).

Taurean women, for the most part are inclined to be settled. They can get pretty attached to their homes and families. They can be steadying influences upon their husbands. They will enjoy entertaining at home, but they like good homes in which to entertain. (We have to forgive Mr Tobey for his somewhat sexist outlook, he lived in a different era from us).

Libra isn't so attached to material things above what they may need for comfort. They like nice things and appreciate quality. They would prefer to do their entertaining in a small way, with a select group of friends. They are less impressed by bigness. They don't concentrate on one thing the way a Taurean will. There is stubbornness in Taurus, but this is rare in Libra. When enthused, Taurus has a one-track mind, one object upon which it concentrates......Libra is not like that. It weighs both sides of any subject. It knows when something is off balance.

Except when the ruling planet, Venus, is in Scorpio, Libra can be a very just sign. It doesn't want to hurt anybody. There is a considerable difference in that Taurus believes in its own power even though it is a cautious sign, while Libra lacks self-confidence. You have to convince Libra how good it is. Try to tell Libra how good it is and it will appreciate it but probably won't believe it. Nevertheless the sign will feel good because you said so.

Too few Libra people develop their talents properly because of the lack of self-confidence. There is often good musical or artisitic ability which is not developed. The sign likes all flattery even if it doesn't believe it.........there is an ability to understand abstract design, with the result that Libra can become a masterful mathematician, if the fear of mathematics as a subject is overcome.

It is apt to flatter Libra to be desired sexually, and the sign can be very affectionate.

While Taurus can be sluggish until it gets started or gets up its momentum, Libra is inclined to be lazy. The women enjoy sweets (note from me - I bet the men do too!) and if contentedly married they can become compulsive eaters. Then weight becomes a problem. Doctors investigating the subject find more Libra women afflicted with obesity than any other sign. They need a new interest of some kind to make them forget food and sweets (Oh, Mr Tobey - do I detect male chauvinism?).

With Libra the kidneys can be a weak spot, while with Taurus it is the throat.

Libra doesn't usually have the staying power of Taurus. ........Neither of these signs can ordinarily be called impulsive. They don't usually take the initiative (- even though Libra is a Cardinal sign?)......Yet many of the greatest military men have been born under these signs. They are not warriors. They do not want to fight, but if somebody is going to fight, they'll be likely to withdraw until they develop or assemble sufficient strength to win. U.S. Grant was a Taurean. (From me- Eisenhower was a Libran).

It is more difficult for Taurus to break away from the hereditary factor than for Libra to do so. There is basic family loyaly in Taurus, but if Libra doesn't like its relatives, it will look elsewhere for friends to take the place of relatives. It may show more interest in strangers than Taurus.....................

Neither of these signs can be considered as aggressive, nor can we call them ambitious signs. The Taureans who are ready to push themselves almost invariably have planets in Aries also (like Hitler), while Librans who will push themselves seem to have planets in Scorpio (from me - think Dennis Kucinich). Otherwise that push isn't there. Vitality and ambition are lacking.

These are not ordinarily to be considered signs of self-interest. They will usually step aside for others. It isn't in their nature to step on other people's toes. If they don't like a person, they will stay away from that person. They won't annoy him. When they can have harmonious associations they will be very cooperative. They are slow to anger, but don't push them too far. Particularly Taurus can be extremely violent if pushed too far.

As we come to the combination of Aries and Scorpio you will see a marked difference in basic character structure. (From me: that'll be for next month!).