Rae Orion - Astrology For Dummies

Although your dedication is impressive, your leisurely pace can drive other people to distraction. You start slowly and refuse to be rushed. You can be stodgy at an early age, and you can easily fall into a rut. Plus, you’re incredibly stubborn. Your well-known tenacity is a positive trait when it means sticking up for moral principles (think of Coretta Scott King or Bono, the Taurus rock singer who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize). Too often, though, it means refusing to change, no matter what the circumstances. I’ve seen Taureans cling to outmoded, self-destructive patterns for years just because they didn’t want to risk trying something new. That’s what being bull-headed can mean.

As long as we’re discussing negative traits, let me add that you can be greedy, status conscious, acquisitive, gluttonous, self-indulgent, and self-pitying. Normally, you’re hard-working and persevering, but when you’re down, you become apathetic. You can also be possessive, dependent, jealous, insensitive and, at your worst, a user. You don’t intend to exploit other people. But, you know, things happen.

One more point: Taurus, unlike Aries, doesn’t get angry easily, for which the rest of the world is grateful. But when you do blow up … let’s just say that some of the worst mass murderers and dictators in history — men like Hitler, Lenin, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh, Saddam Hussein, and cult leader Jim Jones — were born under the sign of the Bull.

With Venus as your ruling planet, you’re appealing and affectionate, and you effortlessly attract friends, lovers, and sidekicks. Romance is hugely important to you, but (with rare exceptions) you won’t go after it aggressively. Quietly seductive, you give subtle signals, and if the object of your desire turns out to be immune, you look elsewhere.

Your feelings run deep, but it’s not excitement you seek; it’s sanctuary. In your heart, familiarity breeds contentment. You relish the small domestic rituals that accompany the security of a long-running relationship. When you’re in a secure partnership, you hold on tightly. You’re loyal, loving, protective, and supportive, even if you’re also dependent and possessive.

Although you dislike conflict and try to avoid it, you don’t back down either. If a relationship is on shaky ground, you can hardly bear the tension. Some people (Leo and Scorpio, for example) get all caught up in those romantic ups and downs. They throw themselves into the drama and even find it titillating. Not Taurus. Sincere and intense, you play for keeps because you’re not playing. For you, love isn’t a game.

For the lowdown on your relationships with other signs, turn to Chapter 15.

Because you adore the creature comforts and lack that manic hit that often characterizes high achievers, people may assume that you’re lazy. They couldn’t be more wrong. Though your ability to lounge around on weekends is without equal, you’re diligent, productive, and organized when you want to be, with an inborn need to do something constructive. Security is essential to you, whether that means money in the bank, real estate, a first-rate pension plan, or all of the above. And yet, that’s not where you live. At bottom, it’s more important for you to believe in what you’re doing and to find a modicum of creative expression. When you identify an area that satisfies those needs, you’re willing to make financial sacrifices.

Whatever you choose, you work at a steady pace. And unlike other signs, you aren’t constantly trying to elbow your way into the spotlight. Naturally, people come to rely on you. And yes, it sometimes feels as though you’re doing more than your share of the work for less than your share of the recognition. That’s one of the drawbacks of being an earth sign.

Working with Taurus natives is easier if you accept the fact that they know what they want and are unlikely to change. They value productivity, follow-through, loyalty, and the ability to stay cool. As for those brilliant thoughts you have about how to shake things up, keep them to yourself. Those ideas will only make your Taurus boss distrust your judgment.

Perhaps more than any other sign, Taurus is attuned to the physical world and the body. You are patient (or at least you try to be) and persistent, and your endurance is enviable. At your best you are sturdy and grounded, especially if you spend sufficient time outdoors. Being in nature is more than a diversion for you; it is healing. It reduces stress and brings you pleasure — and that is where the danger lies. As someone who is ruled by the planet Venus, you respond to beauty, art, and all the senses, starting with touch. No one loves to eat and drink more than Taurus, and you struggle with a tendency to overindulge. But trying to alter your habits via extreme measures is never going to work with you. The only way is slow and steady. It’s not exciting, but it will get you there.

In traditional astrology, Taurus rules the neck, thyroid, and throat. Sore throats and laryngitis can be bothersome, and you store tension in your shoulders and neck. Stretching, chanting, and simple yoga asanas can be beneficial. So can aromatherapy; it may not work for everyone, but it will work for you. Massage offers definite relief. Also helpful: running, hiking, gardening, bicycling, and any exercise you can stick with, including the treadmill, the elliptical machine, and the stationary bike. The best remedy of all: spending time in nature.

Mythology and religion teem with sacred bulls. So which one is Taurus? Is it the Egyptian bull god Apis? The immortal Nandi, loyal mount of the Hindu god Shiva? The Bull of Heaven, who fought with Gilgamesh in the great Sumerian epic? The Minotaur, who was imprisoned in a labyrinth? Medieval European astrologers looked to the sky god Zeus, who took the shape of a snow-white bull and approached the princess Europa as she dallied on the shore. Charmed by his seemingly gentle ways, Europa festooned him with flowers and playfully climbed onto his back. That was when he plunged into the Mediterranean and swam to Crete, Europa clinging to his back as he plowed through the waves. Ultimately, she gave her name to the continent, and Zeus cemented his reputation as a symbol of power and patriarchy.

One of the most majestic constellations in the sky, Taurus has three distinguishing features: the bright star Aldebaran, which marks the eye of the bull; the Pleiades, a hazy star cluster often called the Seven Sisters (although even the Greeks could only pick out six); and another cluster, the Hyades, the half-sisters of the Pleiades. On a clear autumn night, you can see the blur of the Pleiades, the V-shape of the Hyades that forms the face of the bull, and the faintly orange glow of Aldebaran.