Taurus Says, 'Show Me The Money'

5.31.09


Goodbye, Aries heaven… and hello to a slower, steadier pace of life.

Over these next several days, first Mars and then Venus will move out of Aries and into Taurus, where they'll motivate us to put our money where our mouths have lately been.

The month ahead will be something like a proving ground, testing our endurance, to determine whether everything we've stirred up over these past few months has the solid undergirding to last once the wind blows a different direction. Unquestionably, we've seen a lot of forward action. Will it end up resulting in some kind of lasting change, us having gained actual footing? Or was it just something to do, to keep ourselves busy, to merely absorb on a temporary basis all the excess Aries energy we've recently witnessed?

As Taurus might skeptically suggest, only time will tell.

The Taurus archetype presents a striking counterpoint to Aries's hot, fast, direct energetic spontaneity. Taurus likes to take its sweet time, mulling over decisions rather than jumping at first mention of the latest scheme, kicking the tires for a while, settling in for a long leisurely test-drive before committing to the long haul. That's because when Taurus does commit, it's loyal and dependable and persistent—to the nth degree. Once a Taurean type tells you they're going to do something, they're extremely likely to follow through; though it may take a month or a decade longer than you were hoping, they will meet their commitment.

Taurus does not blindly answer to abstraction, accepting explanations or promises on the mere words of just anybody. They want you to 'show 'em the money', so to speak… not necessarily on the purely financial level (though that's surely part of it), but as far as overall practicality is concerned. Unless you're in their 'inner circle', Taurus folks will probably need to spend their own time assessing the practical validity of what you tell 'em—and even then, they may ask some stubborn questions to determine you've sincerely thought it all through.

Taurus is typically risk-averse. And contrary to what some people might think, this is not a bad thing. But for those individuals who enjoy the thinking-on-your-feet, acting-on-a-moment's-notice, hold-your-breath-and-see-what-happens kind of vibe (which, in case you haven't noticed, has dominated recently), the oncoming Taurus downshift could feel terribly deflating. The excitement of newness gives way to the need to go back and stabilize the boat.

Aries and Taurus are such an important pair because, though Aries will grab the matches and light the fire, it's not likely to be a terribly productive blaze unless Taurus's grounding vessel can ensure it'll stay both lit and safe. Without Taurus's earthen fire-pit to contain Aries's wild flames, the fire will either taper out too quickly or rage rampantly, burning down the whole forest in the process.

Mars enters Taurus today (Sun May 31), for an immediate slowdown in terms of whatever frantic straight-ahead thrusts have been 'ready-set-go' since Mars's entry into Aries back on Apr 24. For the earthier and/or more sensitive types who may've been overwhelmed by all the fiery energy, this could seem like a relief. To everyone else, there may be an abrupt sluggishness attached to this shift. Mars is moving out of a sign it rules (Aries) and into one where he's in detriment (or not very comfortable). Mars likes to move and assert and create waves, while Taurus enjoys staying put, waiting and watching, riding out storms in a safety room well stocked with delicious consumables and warm décor. Mars in Taurus, then, will frustrate those who don't foster the patience required to see something through to its sometimes-long-and-drawn-out resolution. Before the next big step forward can occur, under this astro-influence, lots of hand-holding and 'making sure'—as well as the requisite sharing of meals and drinks and material tokens of affection—must be taken care of. Mars will be in Taurus through July 11.

Venus follows Mars into Taurus next week (on Sat Jun 6), but her sign-shift is an entirely different story. Venus is so very happily at home in this sign, one that appreciates the palpable fruits of the material, the earthy beauty and fertility which, both literally and figuratively, fuel the continuance of our species. In a reversal of Mars's situation, Venus moves out of her detriment (in Aries) and into a sign she rules… essentially marking a transition from the Mars-favored astroscape we've lived these past five weeks, and into one overseen by Venus.

With Venus playing the yin (feminine, receptive, passive and attractive) to Mars's yang (masculine, projective, active and assertive), it's clear a big portion of this switch is about stopping the ceaseless forward onslaught long enough to slowly and painstakingly observe and enjoy the current circumstances—to calmly determine what there is to receive—rather than ferociously continuing to move.

If you've been following the astrology of recent months, you'll know what big news Venus's entry into Taurus really is, considering she was retrograde for several weeks (Mar 6-Apr 17) and in Aries, a sign she isn't especially fond of, for a grand total of 3˝ of these past 4 months. All things Venusian, as a result, have been pretty haywire through much of '09 so far: impulsive, self-centered, fickle, and potentially reckless. (Review more about what all of this has meant in the links here, here and here.) This upcoming chance for Venus to return to her element, to help us appreciate what we have—and the people we have to enjoy it with—is sorely needed. Venus will be in Taurus through July 5.

Mercury, too, is presently in Taurus, having just finished up his 3˝-week retrograde on Saturday (May 30) and ready to head back toward Gemini again, which he reaches on Jun 13. That also means, for the window of time between Jun 6 and Jun 13, all three personal planets will be in Taurus. This is clearly a boon to Taureans, as well as other earth-sign brethren Virgo and Capricorn, as their down-to-earth desires to concentrate on the tangible will be in total sync with the astro-climate. Fire- and air-sign types, meanwhile, may find impatience coloring their impression of individuals and situations demanding clear-cut data and demonstrable results from them. Are they really raining on your parade, or merely asking you to pull your act together, sort out the pieces, and 'show 'em the money'?

Ultimately, the next several Taurus-flavored weeks ahead give us a chance to take careful stock of where we've ended up now, perhaps without having fully noticed, having been in near-constant motion since February… to gather tangible benefits from our efforts, maybe even reinvest them back in so there'll be even greater benefit later, or to come back to earth with a major reality check about which necessary bits we may've left out because they weren't as immediately engaging or exciting… and to reinforce our stores, the material and energetic resources we require to keep on going past the first couple laps, to demonstrate (to ourselves and the world around us) that recent strides were not flukes, and that we intend for these fledgling achievements to stick around a while. Taurus is all about staying power.