Mary Jo Wevers

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Cultivating Serenity during Times of Uncertainty

The sign of Taurus is known for its grounded serenity, which comes from its sensory, tactile connection to the earth and material substance. It is practically creative and loves artistic forms of expression that engage and delight the senses. Stable and calm, it is slow to anger. It prefers quiet, tranquil, pastoral surroundings that soothe and pacify the spirit. 

During these times of great uncertainty, we can cultivate qualities of Taurus to create inner stability and security for ourselves. Here are some suggestions.

♉︎   Pause during the day, and center yourself in your body. Feel grounded, anchored to the earth. Feel its support beneath you. Become aware of your breath. Follow the cycle of inhalations and exhalations, allowing yourself to relax more fully with each out breath. Taking time for this exercise quiets the mind and turns our awareness inward, allowing us to connect with our true presence in the moment. 

♉︎   Simplify your life. With shelter in place orders, we are forced to withdraw from busy routines in the outside world and are spending more time at home. This is a good time to clean out and clear out the clutter. Sort through your belongings, paying attention to what you really value in life, and really need. Taurus values its possessions for the satisfaction, gratification, and comfort they provide. Align with the energy of Uranus in Taurus by releasing attachments to things that do not, as Marie Kondo says, “spark joy.” Creating physical, mental and emotional space in your life this way will give you greater ease, peace, and relaxation.

♉︎   Delight your senses with simple pleasures. Taurus connects to the natural world through its sensory experiences. It enjoys good food, art, listening to music, feeling the sun and soft breezes outdoors, and the pleasant fragrance of spring blooms. Find ways to take pleasure in creature comforts. Explore new ways to create objects of practical beauty through artistic crafts such as pottery, sculpture, or painting. Uranus in Taurus enables us to maintain satisfying connections with loved ones through technology. 

♉︎   Spend time in nature. Being immersed in the natural world brings us closer to what we truly need as physical beings. Warmth, shelter, garden-grown food, beautiful landscapes and sunset skies are priceless in a world filled with rampant consumerism. Uranus in Taurus helps free us from over-accumulation, hoarding, and the desire for more and more material wealth and possessions. Spending time outdoors supports our immune system and helps us stay happy and healthy.

♉︎   Find spiritual meaning in your day-to-day life. Taurus’ function is to love and appreciate spirit in physical form. It recognizes that spirit infuses all matter on earth, and through its spiritual awareness finds meaning in its physicality. When we are calm, centered and grounded, we allow Spirit to come through, and are able to receive Uranian downloads of wisdom, comfort and insight.

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.” – John Muir

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Symbology of Venus

The planet Venus is named after the Roman goddess of beauty and love. To the Greeks she was known as Aphrodite. She is perhaps the most ancient and primal of all the goddesses around the world, and has had many names over the millennia. She is often referred to as the Goddess of Love, and the Goddess of Generation due to her creative powers of attraction, abundance and prosperity. She is associated with the lush fertile greenness on our planet, and the life giving force it provides to animals and humankind.

Venus expresses love in the world by drawing to her the prima materia to bring Spirit into physical form. She provides warmth and substance. She holds, cares and preserves the seed: the embryo form of beauty gestating in our earthly world. As an archetypal figure Venus embodies the power of spirit to attract and animate matter. Venus represents our ability, as spiritual beings having a human experience, to manifest the beauty of spirit through our corporeal selves and by working with material resources in the world to create tangible objects of practical beauty.

The glyph for Venus, sometimes called the “Mirror of Venus,” is the circle of spirit over the cross of matter. It represents the infusion of spirit into the material world through cosmic love. Martin Schulman in his book Venus, The Gift of Love explains with spirit presiding above matter, the law of what is above pouring into what is below can manifest. Spiritual essence is always elevated above physical existence. When the two are connected and integrated in our life we experience beauty. If we identify too much with the cross of matter, we distance our self from our own spiritual nature. If we identify too much with spirit, we have difficulty grounding our self and finding outlets for spirit to express itself through our physicality.

Venus is the ruling planet of the sign of Taurus. Through Venus we connect to the world around us via our physical body and its senses. Glenn Perry in The Zodiac as a Developmental Stage Model correlates Taurus with the very early stage of life when we develop an awareness of our body and its functions. We begin to develop some level of control over it while experiencing pleasure through its senses. We become aware that the world external to our self can be unpredictable, changeable, frustrating, and even unsafe. In response, we develop an urge or need to feel secure, safe, and to seek stability and constancy. We develop an appreciation of and attachment to objects that provide us with a feeling of security. We want to acquire and possess them as our own, so we can feel permanence and stability, peace and serenity.

Venus determines our natural instinctual physical needs and desires. She defines our ability to experience comfort and contentment in the physical world. She reveals our natural talent for experiencing pleasure. She indicates the tangible possessions and material goods we are attracted to for the abundance and security they represent to us. She defines what we find valuable. She represents what we appreciate and love for the beauty and physical connections they provide in our life.

Venus rules prosperity and our capacity for enjoyment. She gives us the power to draw towards us what we desire. She encourages us to validate and fulfill our personal needs and desires for sensual and sexual gratification. She wants us to receive pleasure, to delight in the good things of life, and feel good about it. If we do not feel prosperous we may become jealous, possessive and greedy. If we are too attached to the material world we can become vain, self-indulgent and lazy. If our Venus urge is denied or unfulfilled we can become covetous, lustful and even vindictive.

Venus rules the early stages of sexual attraction and union. She determines our personal desires and receptivity to a potential sexual partner. In a woman Venus represents what is important to feel feminine, sensual and attractive. Venus is often projected in a man’s chart. It represents what he needs in a woman to feel attracted to her and help him understand his anima, his own Venus energy. The first stage of sexual attraction involves personal magnetism, pheromones and hormones. The unconscious biochemical attraction or repulsion we feel towards others is the initial “Venus phase” of a relationship. When we experience the right “chemistry” and are attracted to another, we experience an urge to gratify our Venusian needs and experience pleasure. The Venus phase of a relationship usually lasts 6 months to a year, one cycle of the planet Venus through the zodiac. Once this early stage of relationship is over, other forces and drives must come into play for a relationship to continue and blossom.

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Restoring our Relationship to Gaia Earth through Taurus

Thursday April 19th the Sun will leave the energetic and pioneering fire sign of Aries and enter the stable, practically creative earth sign of Taurus. Last month’s planetary energies represented sowing the seeds of bold beginnings that will take root and grow through practical wisdom, responsible management of resources, and hard work. This month Taurus rectifies and refines the fire energy of Aries by patiently turning our awareness to our relationship with the Earth, the source of all life. Taurus teaches us to love and appreciate our earthly experience and the tangible things the physical world provides to sustain and support us as spiritual beings having a human experience.

Reforming Uranus is completing its eight year transit of Aries, and separating from its confrontational square with Pluto in Capricorn. The global upheaval catalyzed by this square has resulted in unexpected changes and upsets in our societal systems and institutions. This month Uranus enters the sign of Taurus, signaling a shift into new territory where we can expect disruptions, upheavals and change. We may be rudely awakened to how valuable the natural world is to us, and how we have taken it for granted and misused it. Is it wise to ignore the natural forces and rhythms of life on this planet? We need to review our attitudes and reform our relationship to the Earth.

Moving into Taurus, Uranus will turn our attention to reforming areas of life that pertain to our connection to the Earth, the forces of nature and natural cycles, our physicality, and our dependence on material resources for safety and security. The force of Uranus moving through old patriarchal systems will accelerate the breaking down of old paradigms that denigrate Mother Earth and the Divine Feminine. Will we learn to listen to the quiet yet powerful voice of the Feminine for innovative insight and direction? Uranus will shake up old, entrenched financial and banking systems. What new innovative monetary systems and currencies, such as bitcoin, we will see? Uranus will affect technology and agriculture, impelling us to find ways to align and integrate the two in order to move us into the future. Can we provide greater access among all people to food and resources necessary for human survival?

We can enhance our own evolution in the years ahead by tuning into our physical bodies and engaging with the world through all our senses. As Walt Whitman described in his poem I Sing the Body Electric, the human body is not simply housing the Soul, but connects us through its physical substance to our Soul, and to each other. We can tap into the energy of Taurus this month to find our inner strength and endurance as we witness dramatic changes in our rapidly transforming world. When we focus our awareness on our inner values, rather than deferring to external authority figures, we can align with what is truly meaningful in our lives. As we cultivate our inner sense of peace, safety and security we become less dependent on outer sources to provide them for us. We become stronger and more self-sufficient, satisfied and gratified by the beauty and riches our natural world provides in abundance.

“Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Taurus, Sign of Comfort and Serenity

The first earth sign of the zodiac, Taurus takes the fiery energy of the Sun and transforms it into plant matter: trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and algae. Barren winter landscapes In the northern hemisphere become lush and green. Grazing animals enjoy fresh, verdant pastures. Farmers and gardeners till the soil and plant the first crops of the year. The month of Taurus is a fertile and productive time.

Taurus’ function is to love and appreciate spirit in physical form on earth. It values physical matter not for itself, but cherishes it because it serves as a home for spirit to inhabit and experience this dimension. It recognizes that spirit, or soul, infuses all matter: animal, vegetable and mineral. It connects to physical forms with its spiritual awareness.

Taurus engages the world through its physicality and delights in its sensory experiences. It connects us to the earth, and to the natural world through our bodies. It rules the ears, throat and neck, and the senses of hearing, taste, smell and touch. Slow-moving Taurus invites us to relax, settle in, and enjoy the beauty of this earth. Listening to the birds singing, feeling the soft breezes, and smelling the fragrance of flowers delight Taurus. Massage, aromatherapy, and good food provide sensory pleasures and physical comfort. Taurus enjoys beautiful music, playing instruments, singing and chanting. The tactile arts of pottery, sculpture, carving and painting are creative expressions of practical beauty for Taurus.

Taurus supports growth with its nurturing power. A fixed sign, Taurus perseveres, endures, and sticks with a project until completion. Taurus plods away in its deliberate, dependable manner, taking time to enjoy the process. It is patient, persistent and resolute. It has difficulty overcoming its own inertia and sometimes gets stuck in a rut. Because it dislikes change, it stubbornly refuses to try a new way or create a fresh start when approaching a project that is stale or bogged down. When challenged, Taurus holds its ground. It is strong, resolute, loyal, and conservative.

The key phrase for Taurus is “I Have.” Taurus rules the creation, accumulation and use of personal wealth: our money, possessions, property, and other material resources. Taurus patiently and dependably uses the raw materials found on this planet to create substance that is beautiful and pleasing. It reliably builds assets and prosperity, and finds pleasure and satisfaction in its work. Tangible wealth provides comfort and security in the physical world. Having the material resources we need provides us with self worth and value, which in turn gives us self esteem. Taurus governs our earning power: the value of the goods and services we offer in our work, and the monetary compensation we want for them.

Taurus’ shadow side is loving its physicality and material possessions only for the pleasure and security they provide. When it clings to physical forms possessively, or indulges in physical experiences to excess, or stubbornly resists change, it becomes stuck. Rather, spiritual Taurus appreciates the groundedness, stability and consistency its connection to the physical world provides as it explores its spiritual expression in tangible, material ways.

Taurus rules our personal values, what we love and appreciate. Taurus asks us to examine how well we integrate our material and spiritual values to feel good about our self. Do you use your money and resources in ways that are in alignment with your personal values? How well do you take care of the things you have? Are you grateful for them? Can you infuse your attitude towards material things with spiritual purpose? Are you fulfilled both materially and spiritually?  Or do you feel you must be poor in order to be spiritual? Taurus demonstrates how we can embody the energy of the Buddha: valuing the gifts of the earth and our physical existence for the serenity, peace, warmth, love and spiritual connection they bring.

Archetypes for Taurus include the Green Man and the Earth Mother. Modern examples are bankers and financiers, gardeners, farmers and florists, woodworkers and furniture makers, voice coaches and opera singers, perfumers and estheticians. Colors for Taurus are green and spring pastels. Pink-tinted malleable copper is its metal. The gem for Taurus is emerald. Apple trees and violets are its plants. Cattle and the Bull are animals which represent the strength and fertility of Taurus.

“Taureans are like walking pastures – rich, soothing and peaceful. They’re comfortable in their skin, with an air of graceful serenity that makes them almost glow . . . you can marinate in their tranquil presence, like human sanctuaries.
”                – LeeAnn Lambright

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Solar Eclipse New Moon in Taurus

13496741-earth-and-moonWe have an unusual New Moon this month on May 9th at 5:28 p.m. PDT. Solar Eclipse New Moons and Lunar Eclipse Full Moons occur in pairs, two times each year. However this year, the first set of eclipses is comprised of a Solar Eclipse New Moon between two Lunar Eclipse Full Moons.

New Moons are fertile times for new beginnings, for starting afresh, for sowing the seeds of new projects and endeavors. As the Sun is conjoined by the Moon, our outer consciousness and awareness, creative self-expression and will, are infused with the emotional energy of our inner unconscious self. A Solar Eclipse New Moon is especially potent because of the exact alignment of the Sun, the Moon and Earth. It has the potential to break through blockages and barriers so that we may start anew. We may experience increased momentum in our life after a period of inertia. Events that have been long in coming finally manifest. Or we may be forced to make needed changes to clear the deck for the next cycle of manifestation.

This month the Solar Eclipse New Moon is in the feminine earth sign of Taurus at 19 degrees. It’s power is amplified by other planets in close aspect. Mars at 14 degrees Taurus lends its assertive, action oriented drive to push forward. Mercury at 17 degrees Taurus gathers information through the senses with deliberation and care. Pallas Athena exactly conjunct the New Moon applies her feminine intelligence and earthy common sense to set goals, lay plans, design strategies, and implement details.

The South Node at 16 degrees Taurus asks us to unearth the past, to resurrect old patterns that need to change. What old material, attitudes and issues from our history, stored in our bodies as cell memories, need to be transformed, released, and healed? How have we been clinging to the physical, material things of the world for comfort and security in ways that are holding us back? What do we think we need? What old values need to be transmuted so we can build self-worth and self-esteem in practical, grounded ways? Just as a snake sheds its skin, we too need to shed our past.

Taurus infuses physical matter with spirit, with the divine light of creative female intelligence during this New Moon. How can you create a deeper spiritual connection to the Earth, to its Divine Feminine aspect? How can you build a life of serenity and security, of contentment and satisfaction that is spiritually based? Tap into your inner creative intelligence. It will provide ways you can enhance your self-esteem and self-worth that are enduring, stable and have tangible value.

Planets in the sign of Taurus channel their energies through Taurus’ planetary ruler, Venus. In the Solar Eclipse New Moon chart Venus is in Gemini, applying her creative problem solving to create movement and change. The House in your astrological chart where 19 degrees Taurus falls represents the area of life where you can expect shifts or changes. Be in the now. Be flexible, adaptable, open to other options. In time, the changes you experience will lead to greater appreciation for the gifts you have.