For anybody who knows me, it may come as no surprise that the month of Taurus is my favorite time of year. Maybe it's my Libran, Venusian, Southern way of taking it easy at times. Or it could be my love of nature, good food, or my need to take things at a steady pace. But if you ask me, Taurus has been one of the most necessary and crucial months for me in my spiritual process. Before I pour my heart out, though, let's understand our Taurean friends a little more. Taurus is a fixed, earth sign, which means that these folks are loyal, solid, dependable, and practical. They are focused on results and have a keen eye for knowing how to get an incredible return on investment. Ruled by Venus, Taurus takes on her more physical side. Our bull friends are typically attractive, well dressed, and have the best taste in food, wine, and all things pleasing to the senses. The earth element of Taurus gifts those born under this sign with an ability to accurately assess, qualify, and quantify the value of property and goods. This is why they have a reputation for being really good with money. If you ever want to know if a deal you're being offered is worth taking, just ask a Taurus. They not only have a good eye for valuing property, they also understand and appreciate their own individual self worth and value. If you read my last article for Aries, I spoke about what determines our consciousness of value, which is derived from the effort and work we put into our connection with the creative process. If they aren't careful, Tauruses can begin to mistake monetary or physical possessions as indicators and proof of their value. Many Tauruses can fall into the false impression that the more possessions or money they have, the more valuable and secure they will feel. From a Kabbalistic perspective, the physical reality can never provide us with the sense of true self-worth that we're looking for. So, for this month, we will need to refocus ourselves from seeking this sense of personal value from the physical world, and instead, seek it from within.
Our Taurean friends also have a reputation for being very slow to anger. That is because they were born in a month that they Kabbalists nick-name "Chodesh Ziv" or the month of Light. Essentially, there is so much spiritual Light shining into the universe right now, that it makes everything look good. Imagine you're a bull. You're in your beautiful, green pasture. The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. Everything in your universe is perfect, but little do you know, a river one mile away is starting to flood. In a few hours, your perfect bubble will be swept away. In our physical world, we must take proactive action to ensure that we are participating in the creation and maintenance of those things that bring us security and joy, not just enjoying them. If we fall into complacency, like the bull did, we can get caught off guard by turning tides that we never saw coming. It is crucial this month that we actively seek to go against our desire to be comfortable and complacent. We must constantly look to be injecting energy into our projects, work, family, etc.
Let's take a peek at the chart for this month. We have Virgo rising, with the chart ruler, Mercury, stationing in Aries. The month's ruler, Venus, is in Taurus is at an opposition to Jupiter in Scorpio. Lastly, we have the Sun, Moon, and Uranus also in Aries, and Saturn and Mars still conjunct in Capricorn.
With the ascendant in Virgo, we see that our main approach in this month should be focused around humility and an eagerness to help others. We can cultivate an energy of service to other people and regain our footing on any projects or commitments we have made but fell short in completing. If you decided to start a new workout routine, or any other change in lifestyle, but got sidetracked, this is a great time to get back to it. The Aries energy coming from Mercury will help to energize us and give us the excitement we need to give it another go. Mercury's station may make things move a little slower than we want, so don't forget to take things at a moderate pace. This will also jive with the over-all Taurus energy that likes to move smooth and steady. With Venus in Taurus, we have everything at our disposal to make any endeavor a success. She will help provide us with the energy of endurance and steadfastness, as well as help us to enjoy the process along the way. The opposition to Jupiter will give us a broader vision of what we can accomplish, but we should guard ourselves against excessive indulgence over every little victory. Don't celebrate with happy hour or an extra slice of chocolate cake just because you sent an email. A little enjoyment of sweet treats and fine wine can help us not get so lost in work mode, so as long as we don't allow ourselves to think we've already arrived, we'll be ok. The conjunction of Mars and Saturn in Capricorn means that work and achieving goals will still be a top priority, but the infusion of Taurus energy will help us not to get lost in the work itself. Keeping our minds down to earth and simple, will be much easier this month than it was last month.
It is important to note that this is the last month where Uranus will be in Aries. Over the last seven years, he has been electrifying the sign of the ram and pushing us to revolutionize who we are as individuals. This can be seen in so many personal, national, and collective revolutions around the world. It also can be seen in the negative obsession with aggressive self-assertion (think selfie culture). The value of this transit is that we have all, as a species, been moving towards a more authentic and true revelation of who we really are. The genius of individuality has been brought to the forefront, and this will be the last month where Uranus gives us this boost. Take a moment this month and reflect on the last seven years. Who were you in 2011, and how have you become stronger or more connected to your individuality? Aries is the energy of the cosmos that breaks the chains of societal expectations and inspires us to be who we were born to be. Take a moment and see how you have changed, and appreciate the ways in which it has brought you closer to yourself. On the new moon of Gemini, he will move into Taurus for a seven year stay. More to come on that in the next couple of weeks.
The last thing I want to share with you about this month is that, Kabbalistically, it is the month of healing. In Hebrew, the month of Taurus is called "Iyar." When you take the Hebrew letters that spell the word Iyar, each one is an initial for the phrase "I am God your healer." Like I said earlier, this month has brought a tremendous energy of healing in many of my spiritual processes. A few years ago, I went through a horrible and painful break up, one of the worst I have ever been through. It was in this month, that I first began to feel the warmth and healing energy of the Light of the Creator. When we look at the core of this month, it provides us with a connection to our truest and most authentic inner value, our soul. According to the Kabbalists, when we came into this physical world, the Creator gave us all the Light of fulfillment we would ever need, but it was hidden away. Through a process of self-discovery and spiritual effort, we can look for and rediscover this Light. Taurus gives us the power to know that we are not valuable based on what we own, how much money we have, or whether we have a soul mate. Instead, it helps us see how our God-given talents and abilities, once shared with the world, are what make us precious. The smile you give a stranger at the store. The encouragement you give a friend who is going through hard time. The hug you give your children when they pass that difficult math test. All of these things are worth far more than any piece of jewelry or fancy car. It is the Light of kindness and love we give others that generate the most authentic connection to self-worth and inner contentment. As I began loving others more openly and giving kindness to every person I came across, I revealed a Light in my soul that I didn't know was there before. And from there, I began to heal my broken heart.
The Kabbalists gave us tools we can use to control the energy of each month. These tools are the Hebrew letters that control the sign and planet that rule each month. According the Zohar, the Hebrew alphabet is not just any normal set of letters. It is the physical manifestation of spiritual vibrations of energy. When we gaze upon the letters, their vibrations activate the Light of our soul. Once this Light is activated, we are given the power to overcome any negative influence, thereby taking our power back. This month, the Kabbalists teach we can use the Hebrew letter "pei" to control Venus and the Hebrew letter "vav" to control Taurus. Any time we find ourselves falling into materialism, laziness, or complacency, mediate on these letters simply by gazing upon them. Allow their Light to enter your consciousness and activate the Light of your soul. From there, you can clear your mind and move forward acting with your divine essence. Save and use the image below throughout this month to take your power pack, and reconnect with your true, inner Light.
If you are interested learning more about how this month can help you connect to your truest inner value, check out my natal chart consultation here.
With all my love,
Josh