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

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