TAURUS

(21 April to 21 May)

Animal: bull.
Bird: dove.
Colour: pale shades, especially blue, pink and green. Day: Friday.
Flowers: rose, poppy, lily of the valley, violet, myrtle and foxglove.
Food: generally like their food.
Gemstones: sapphire, emerald, turquoise, lapis lazuli and moss agate.
Metal: copper.
Number: six for Taurus, and for Venus also.
Trees: almond, apple, walnut, sycamore, pear, ash.
Origin and glyph: The bull's head, which has links with early civilizations in Egypt.
Ruling planet and groupings: Venus; feminine, fixed and earth.


The Sun enters the zodiacal sign Taurus about April 21 every year, and remains in this sign until about May 21. For the first seven days or so of this period (until about April 27) the gradually lessening power of Aries continues to exert its influence, and all persons born between April 21 and 27 fall under the rule of Aries as well as under that of Taurus.

Taureans rely upon stability and security, both in an emotional and financial context, but granted this they can be extremely reliable, patient and tenacious. They tend to be persistent, methodical and see things through to the end, and this can be reflected in their steady progress through life, including their career. Their lack of flexibility can often lead to resistance to change, even when it is for the better. However, when facing the challenge, they usually cope better than most. Taureans are practical people who dislike waste, and they tend to have high standards.

Even though a Taurean may look calm and collected and ready to cope with any disaster, he or she can get as angry or upset as anyone. It takes quite a lot of doing, but once a Taurean is enraged it is definitely no fun being at the receiving end.
Taureans are very homely people. They love to have nice things around them. They need to feel secure and love a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Taureans are usually very economical. This doesn't mean they are stingy, but they know how to handle their money and hate to have any debts. On the other hand they open both their hearts and wallets if one of their friends gets into trouble.

Taurus is an earthy sign and is symbolized by the bull, which represents nature and fertility. It is ruled by the beautiful and poetic planet Venus, and so it is not surprising that its subjects are usually distinguished by their love of beauty and harmony in every aspect of life, and by their intuition and sympathy with nature in all her moods. No matter how airy may be their flights of fancy, they never lose contact with the earth and terrestrial matters, and their imaginative and speculative powers are always tempered with sound common sense. This practical outlook is one of the leading traits of Taurus subjects; they are fond of work, and even those of the most refined type are not ashamed to work with their hands. They are particularly fond of gardening and any kind of labour connected with the earth and vegetation, but they are less successful in connection with animals.

Great pertinacity and fixity of purpose also characterizes the sons and daughters of Taurus. They will concentrate all their attention upon a single aim and refuse to be turned aside from their goal. They are usually of a happy and mild disposition and, though acutely sensitive of slights and rebuffs, are slow to anger. When thoroughly roused, however, the whole aspect of Taureans is completely altered, and they give way to furious and ungovernable wrath. Their unyielding determination does not desert them in anger, for they seldom forget an injury, and will fight their enemies unflinchingly to the bitter end. But they will have no part in trickery, deception and underhand dealings, which are quite foreign to their nature, so that all their battles are carried on in the open. As soon as an enemy shows signs of collapse, the Taurean is instantly sorry for him or her, and in this way frequently makes a fool of himself.

The receptive power of the Taurean mind is enormous; and natives of this sign are more powerfully affected by their associates and environment than are, perhaps, any other type of people. With their natural love of all that is harmonious and beautiful, they are deeply revolted by ugliness, squalor and strife and by coarse companions; and uncongenial surroundings of this kind reduce them to the lowest pitch of misery. On the other hand, they respond instantly to refined and sympathetic surroundings, when they give of their best. They make good and cheerful hosts, and are very successful socially-which is rather surprising, since their nature is usually retiring. Taureans have also a pronounced faculty for imposing their will upon others, which is probably another aspect of their strong intuitive powers.