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Taurus Compilation
From Esoteric Astrology, by Alice A. Bailey

See Michael Robbins' Tapestry of the Gods, Volume III

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Word.doc with numbered references

 

The mineral kingdom is governed astrologically by Taurus

The correspondences of fire, heat and pressure in the evolution of the human being are self-evident, and their work can be seen paralleling that in the mineral kingdom.

The mineral kingdom is governed astrologically by Taurus, and there is a symbolic relation between the "eye" in the head of the Bull, the third eye, the light in the head, and the diamond.  The consciousness of the Buddha has been called the "diamond-eye." (EP I 230)

 

Taurus and Rule XII

Rule XII.

Let the group serve as Aquarius indicates; let Mercury speed the group upon the upward Way and let Taurus bring illumination and the attainment of the vision; let the mark of the Saviour, as the group toils in Pisces, be seen above the aura of the group. (RI 227)

 

Taurus and the New Group of World Servers

The initiate sees the New Group of World Servers brought under the illuminating power of Taurus, with the rest of humanity still under the influence of Pisces.  You have, consequently, the "over-shadowing raincloud of knowable things" hovering over humanity, just as the Hierarchy overshadows the New Group and just as the soul overshadows the personality of man; you have all the needed illumination and light upon all the coming problems, waiting to precipitate itself through the New Group of World Servers under the influence of Taurus, the nurturer of all illumination, and you have humanity, at the same time, conditioned and made sensitive by Piscean energy during the past two thousand years.  …

The group, therefore, which "serves as Aquarius indicates" is the Hierarchy; the group which is "speeded upon the upward Way" is the New Group of World Servers.  This group is ruled by Taurus, and to it that divine Taurian energy brings "illumination and the attainment of the vision."  This group is, figuratively speaking, the "bull, rushing forward upon a straight line with its one eye fixed upon the goal and beaming light."  But what is that goal?  It is not the goal of Self-illumination, for that lies far behind; it is the goal of providing a centre of light within the world of men and of holding up the vision to the sons of men.  Let this never be forgotten, and let the New Group of World Servers realise its mission and recognise the demands of humanity upon it.  What are these demands?  Let me enumerate them, and then let me ask you to take them in all simplicity and act upon them.  …

These objectives are not only individual objectives, but the goal for the entire group.  All who respond to the life-giving force of Aquarius and to the light-giving force of Taurus can and will work in the New Group of World Servers, even though they have no occult knowledge and have never heard of their co-workers under that name.  Forget this not. (RI 229, 232-33)

 

Taurus and the centres above the diaphragm becoming radio-active, dynamic and magnetic.

Some idea of this might be grasped if I gave you the new proposition (new to you though old to esotericists) of the centres in the human etheric body. The four centres above the dia­phragm—the heart, throat, ajna and head centres—are basically and primarily receiving centres. The centres below the diaphragm—the base of the spine, the sacral, solar plexus and spleen centres—are galvanised into activity by the four higher receiving centres. This, when accomplished, demonstrates as personality and physical magnetism and influence until the time comes when there is a reversal in the way of passing—as a soul—around the zodiac. This is symbolised as the revolution of the sun around the zodiac from Aries to Pisces instead of the reverse movement, from Aries to Taurus. This is repeated in the human frame and the four lower centres eventually return that which has come to them. They thus reverse the process normally followed and the centres above the diaphragm become radio-active, dynamic and magnetic. This is an intricate occult study and is concerned with the response of the etheric body to the incoming energies. It relates finally the lowest centre at the base of the spine to the highest centre, the head centre. This is a correspondence to the relation of the Earth to the Sun. Think this out. (EA 25)

 

Taurus and the 7 Solar Systems

II. MAGNETIC ENERGY...................................................... Solar Fire

The 7 solar       Taurus

Systems  .................     .........               Mars.........................   Third Creative Hierarchy

Scorpio                                                   (the 10th) Unknown

The Fixed Cross

All the above energy is called into play as far as man is concerned whilst he is in training as a disciple and upon the Path of Discipleship. (EA 50)

 

Taurus as a paramount sign of influence

Through the effect of the energy flowing from the zodiacal signs the man is prepared for the "crisis of orientation" wherein he slowly and gradually reverses his mode of progress upon the wheel of life and begins consciously to travel back to his source. He then goes from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus, Scorpio and Capricorn, instead of moving from Aries to Taurus via Sagittarius, Leo and Cancer. The triplicity of constellations mentioned in these two great routes around the zodiac have a definite and momentous effect and are called "paramount signs of influence." During this process the mental principle, the discriminating mind, is developed and in this specific connection (not in a general connection) the emphasis is laid upon the influence of Aries, Gemini and Libra. (EA 51)

 

Rulership of Taurus

insert Tabulations IV and V from ARIES here – remove or change highlighting.

Hmmm, inconsistency with table numbers, here its IV and V, in Aries, V, VI, and VII – probably a numbering error, recheck and make consistent and the same for each sign/book.

TABULATION V.  THE UNORTHODOX ASTROLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP

TABULATION VI.

PLANETARY RULERS IN 3 TABULATIONS

TABULATION VII. 

UNORTHODOX

clarify any gap and references here:

Taurus and Pisces, through Vulcan and Pluto, are related to Ray 1. Transmutation of desire into sacrifice and of the individual will into the divine will.

The World Saviour                            (EA 66-67)

 

Taurus and emotional-desire

Aries initiates the cycle of manifestation. All souls, as individual entities, come into human incarnation for the first time in the sign of Cancer, emerging as mental entities in the sign Aries, as emotional-desire entities in the sign Taurus and as vital entities in the sign Gemini, taking then physical form in Cancer. This is an involutionary, subjective cycle. (EA 92)

 

Taurus and the transmutation of desire into aspiration

Going through the great cycle from Aries to Taurus, the man reenters the sign Aries again under the potent impression of Taurus, which at this stage of development feeds his ardent desire for the many material advantages of physical incarnation and of constant worldly under­takings; thus after a period of re-creation, he passes out into incarnation in Pisces and begins again the great round of manifested life, for Pisces is the ocean wherein he is "the fish," controlled by the laws of substance or material existence.

In the second great stage, he passes from Aries to Taurus, because desire has at last been transmuted into aspiration. After proving his steadfastness to the ideal of the spiritual life in the intervening signs, he passes again into Pisces, from the opposite direction to his usual procedure, having earned the right to mount the Cardinal Cross of the Heavens, the power to take a final planetary initiation and the privilege of passing on to one of the seven paths to which I have made reference in my other books; these eventually give him "the freedom of the seven solar systems," as it is called in contradistinction to "the freedom of the seven planetary spheres," which the experi­ence of initiation has guaranteed him, after a process of intensive training in one or other of the planetary schools (according to his ray type) and the path of service chosen. (EA 107-108)

 

Central star in Taurus

By the word "influencing" I here refer to the energies pouring from these three aspects of the Sun through the three Crosses to our planet. Ponder on this and remember also that our Sun is travelling through space (carrying our solar system along in its sphere of influence) around our own central and conditioning star which it has been rightly presumed exists in the constellation Taurus, the Bull, being found in the Pleiades. (EA 111)

 

Taurus and Anima Mundi

It is rather difficult for you also to grasp that the involutionary process for all the kingdoms of nature is related to the passage of the soul (this time the anima mundi or world soul) from Aries to Pisces, via Taurus and not vice versa. The anima mundi on the involutionary arc proceeds this way and not as the personality proceeds. The anima mundi passes to Pisces at the close of every great cycle and not to Taurus. It emerges into outer manifestation in Cancer, the sign of mass or group life, of mass or group activity; its diffused consciousness has not yet been individualised as has the consciousness of man. When the world soul after having progressed around the Great Wheel, reached Cancer and the time came for the fourth Creative Hierarchy to manifest through the fourth kingdom in nature, a reversal took place and then proceeded as now. (EA 112-113)

 

Taurus and the single Eye

In Taurus—Desire is transmuted into aspiration, darkness gives place to light and illumina­tion, the eye of the Bull is opened which is the spiritual third eye, or the "single eye" of the New Testament. "If thine eye be single," said the Christ, "thy whole body shall be full of light." This single eye takes the place of the two eyes of the personal self. The attention of the man becomes focussed upon spiritual attainment. He treads the Path of Discipleship. (EA 143)

 

Taurus and its polar opposite

Substance, the ocean of life, water, the symbol of desire and the impulse to incarnate are transmuted into soul light and light substance and the urge to tread consciously the path of return, plus the longing to serve. Desire is developed and focussed in Taurus when the man is upon the Mutable Cross and progressing around the zodiac. It is reoriented and repolarised in Taurus when the man has mounted the Fixed Cross and is eventually relinquished in that sign. In the polar opposite of Taurus, Scorpio, the personality is humbled and brought to grips with the soul; in that sign the personality is "occultly killed and then resurrected into air and light," in order to become from that moment the servant of the soul. In Leo, the individual awakens to his own identity, concentrates his purpose, learns the lessons and uses of selfish­ness (for that is one of the best ways to learn and to discover that it is contrary to the laws of the soul) and is eventually so cornered by the life processes that he becomes aware of the futility of self- interest. In Aquarius, the man awakens to the beauty of group life, group interest and his individual responsibility towards the group and begins to live his life and to spend himself in the service of humanity. (EA 144-145)

 

Liberation and Satisfaction of Taurus

The same basic mode of considering the three Crosses can be carried out with Gemini, Taurus, Aries or the reverse: Aries, Taurus and Gemini, remembering always that the Mutable Cross governs the wheel in ordinary progress and the Fixed Cross governs it on the reversed progress during discipleship. The Cardinal Cross in reality governs both processes but this is only understood when initiation has taken place.

Aries—Governs the Path of Discipleship. The Will to return to the Source. Determination to achieve liberation. The emanating cause of the changes upon the Mutable and Fixed Crosses.

Taurus—The desire to overcome desire. The longing for liberation. Transmutation of desire into Love.

Gemini—The fusion of the opposites; the intelligent work of at-one-ment; synthesis.

Upon the ordinary wheel, these signs bring about:

Gemini—Experience of the pairs of opposites. Pronounced and separative duality. The interplay between the Twins: Soul and form natures.

Taurus—The refocussing of the lower desires prior to another circling of the Great Wheel in search of personality satisfaction. The Prodigal Son journeys into a far country.

Aries—Again the beginning as well as the end.  (EA 151-152)

 

Glyph of the Bull

It is interesting to study the three signs in which the animals have horns: Aries, the down­turned horns of the ram, signifying the coming into manifestation, the involutionary cycle and the experience of the Cardinal Cross as it expresses the Will-to-manifest of God. Taurus, the up-turned horns of the Bull with the circle below, depicting the push of man, the Bull of God, towards the goal of illumination and the emergence of the soul from bondage with the two horns (duality) protecting the "eye of light" in the centre of the Bull's forehead; this is "the single eye" of the New Testament which makes the "whole body to be full of light." Then Capricorn, the Goat, related particularly and closely to Aries, but hiding (as an esoteric blind) the symbolism of the Unicorn in which the two horns and the single eye are blended and depicted by the long straight horn of the unicorn in the centre of the forehead. (EA 154)

 

The Bull is a horned animal

Shamballa                     Hierarchy         Humanity

Will                  Love                Intelligence

Aries                Taurus              Capricorn

In both their higher and their lower aspects these signs hold the secret of the "horns of strife and the horn of plenty subjected to and guarded by the horn of life." Again, an ancient proverb runs: "The Ram—when it has become the Scapegoat, has sought illumination as the Bull of God and has climbed the mountain top in the semblance of the Goat—changes its shape into the Unicorn. Great is the hidden key." If the symbolism is carried a little further, it might be stated that:

The Ram leads us into the creative life of Earth and into the darkness of matter. This is the blue of midnight.

The Bull leads into the places of desire in search of "wrathful satisfaction." This is the red of greed and anger, changing eventually into the golden light of illumination.

The Goat leads us into arid ways in search of food and water. This is the "need for green," but the Goat is equal also to climbing to the mountain top.

This is the experience of the Mutable Cross in connection with these three signs. Upon the Fixed Cross:

Eventually the Ram becomes the Scapegoat and the will of God in love and salvage is demonstrated.

The Bull becomes the bestower of light, and the darkness of the earlier cycle is lightened by the Bull.

The Goat becomes the Unicorn, and leads to victory. The Crocodile, the Goat and the Unicorn depict three stages of man's unfoldment.

Aries, Taurus, and Capricorn are the great transformers under the great creative plan. They are in the nature of catalysts. Each of them opens a door into one of the three divine centres of expression which are the symbols in the body of the planetary Logos of the three higher centres in man: the head, the heart and the throat.

Aries opens the door into Shamballa, when the experience of Taurus and Capricorn has been undergone.

Taurus opens the door into the Hierarchy when the significance of Gemini and Leo is understood and the first two initiations can therefore he taken. (EA 156-157)

 

Taurus influencing Disciples

The disciples of the world today and advanced humanity are equally in a state of turmoil. They are being tested and tried, prior to taking a major step forward—in some cases this will be the taking of the first initiation and in others the second. This is brought about by, and brings in, the forces of Taurus, Leo and Scorpio, plus a general pervasive influence coming from Gemini. You have here three signs found in the Fixed Cross and one in the Mutable Cross conditioning and affecting the world disciples, and all of them of terrific importance and potency today, owing to the stage of development and the sensitivity of the disciples and world initiates. …

You will note that the world disciples are related to the mass of men through their responsive­ness to influences emanating from Gemini, and to each other through Scorpio. This produces in them the capacity to respond to test, to a sense of the vision (through the illumined eye of Taurus) and to use their power of individuality through a developed personality and through the potency of Leo. (EA 162)

 

Taurus a Guardian of the Secrets

Through Saturn and Venus, therefore, Capricorn is connected with Libra and also with Gemini and Taurus, and these four constellations—Taurus, Gemini, Libra and Capricorn—constitute a potent quaternary of energies and between them produce those conditions and situations which will enable the initiate to demonstrate his readiness and capacity for initiation. They are called the "Guardians of the Four Secrets."  …

Taurus—Guards the secret of light and confers illumination upon the initiate. (EA 164-165)

 

Taurus and Initiation

Path                 Rays                      Planets                    Constellations

Evolution                      6 and 4             Mars.   Mercury          Aries. Gemini. Cancer.

Virgo. Scorpio

Discipleship      3 and 5             Venus. Saturn               Gemini. Sagittarius.

Capricorn.

Initiation                       1 and 7             Vulcan. Uranus.            Taurus. Libra. Pisces.

Pluto.                                                …

Fourth, on the Path of Initiation the activity of all the three Crosses is felt simultaneously through the medium of the "released powers" of Taurus, Libra and Pisces. You will note also that the first ray influence, expressing through Pluto and Vulcan, is only felt in a positive manner upon the Path of Discipleship. This first ray potency has only lately been experienced by humanity as a whole as it neared the stage of being the world disciple, and vast numbers relatively stood upon the Path of Discipleship and Probation. Hence the recent discovery of Pluto and the sensed power of Vulcan, veiled by the potency of Mercury and hidden behind the planet. (EA 166)

 

Taurus related to Aquarius

Aquarius relates humanity to the Pleiades and therefore to Taurus in an unusual manner. The key to this relation is to he found in the word desire, leading, through the transmutative processes of life experience, to aspiration and finally the relinquishing of desire in Scorpio. Aquarius, Alcyone and Humanity constitute a most interesting triangle of force. Alcyone is one of the seven Pleiades and is called the "star of the Individual" and sometimes the "star of intelligence." (EA 200)

 

Taurus and the Buddha

In Scorpio—Hercules became the triumphant disciple.

In Taurus—The Buddha achieved victory over desire and arrived at illumination. …

Scorpio carries the test right down into the physical plane life, and then, when it is faced and handled there, the life of the man is carried up into heaven, and the problem which the test involved is solved by the use of the reasoning mind.

Taurus governs desire and carries the test into the emotional or astral plane, and carries desire-sensitivity up from the form side of life into that world of sensitive perception which we call the intuitional plane. (EA 204-205)

 

Taurus and Scorpio as a pair of opposites

There is little for me to add here in connection with the fact that Scorpio is upon one of the four arms of the Fixed Cross. In the study of previous signs, much anent the Fixed Cross has already been covered and there is no need for me to repeat the information here. Desire in Taurus becomes spiritual aspiration in Scorpio. The darkness of the experience in Scorpio becomes illumination in Taurus, for it must never be forgotten that where the pairs of opposites are concerned they gain and profit from each other, for there is a direct line of force and of contact between the two. This is a fact which is seldom recognised. (EA 209)

 

Taurus and the arms of the Fixed Cross

In connection with the vertical and the horizontal life of the Fixed Cross, it is instructive to note that the vertical life of the man upon that Cross (no matter in what sign his sun may temporarily find position), is ever Aquarius-Leo. This indicates that the self-centred indi­vidual in Leo learns the lesson of the Cross and becomes decentralised, group conscious, and given to service. The horizontal arm is Taurus-Scorpio, indicating that desire for materiality is finally superseded by desire for the spiritual values, and this is demonstrated through the tests in Scorpio. Earth and water (Taurus and Scorpio) must be blended and related and it is this truth connected with these two signs of the zodiac which lies behind all teaching upon baptism and purification. The earthly material desires of Taurus must in due time be brought under the influence of the purifying water in Scorpio. Baptism by water (a name for the second initiation) needs a preparatory period of testing and purification, and this the experi­ence in Scorpio is intended to give. Likewise, fire and air (Aquarius and Leo) must also be blended and thus the four elements as well as six out of the seven rays must all play their part in conditioning the man in Scorpio for the final stages of the Path. (EA 223-224)

 

Self-indulgence of Taurus

The self-indulgence which was initiated in Taurus gives way in Scorpio to the selfless attitude of the disciple; ambition gives place to the executive activity of the soul, whilst attachment to personality desires, likes and dislikes is transmuted into the tenacity of soul purpose. (EA 226)

 

Directed desire in Taurus

This involves its mental beginnings in Aries (the will to manifest) and the start of the outgoing life; you have its directed desire in Taurus, producing manifestation; then emerges its dual consciousness in Gemini or the soul-body realisation; the processes of physical incarnation go forward in Cancer. (EA 231)

 

The Bull of Desire

The history of desire is to be found in the four signs of Taurus, Libra, Scorpio and Pisces.

Taurus—the Bull of Desire.—Material desire rules.

(Life.)                                                            (EA 232)

 

Taurus and Sex

It is because of this balancing quality in Libra that this constellation can be associated more specifically with the problem of sex than can any of the others. Sex is usually connected in the mind of the average astrological student with the signs Taurus and Scorpio. This is probably due to the fact that the Bull is so frequently regarded as the symbol of the mad urges of the uncontrolled sex principle and because in Scorpio fundamental tests are applied. For most aspirants in the early stages, sex does constitute a fundamental problem. Esoterically, however, it is in Libra that the whole question comes up and will increasingly come up for answering, and it is in Libra that the balancing of the pairs of opposites must take place and reach solution through the activity of the judicial mind and the establishing of a point of equilibrium between the male and the female principles. (EA 233)

 

Venus, law and Taurus

Venus rules in Taurus, Libra and Capricorn, and is the source of the intelligent mind, acting either through desire (in the early stages) or love (in the later stages). In Taurus, this means the mind expressing itself through intelligent desire, for that is the goal of knowledge for ordinary man. In Libra, the point of balance or equilibrium is attained between material personal desire and intelligent spiritual love, for the two qualities of cosmic desire are  brought to the fore in the consciousness in Libra and balanced one against the other. In Capricorn, it stands for spiritual love, expressing itself perfectly when the work in Taurus and Libra has been accomplished.  ...

Taurus—animal kingdom—law—natural law.

Libra—vegetable kingdom—sex—natural affinity.

Capricorn—mineral kingdom—money—concrete expression of the Law of Supply, (EA 244-245)

 

Taurus leading to Progress

Taurus              Desire              Incentive                       Progress. (EA 247)

 

Taurus.—Incentive behind evolution

Taurus.—Incentive behind evolution (Impulse). Desire for experience, for satisfaction.    The Light of Knowledge                                               (EA 259)

 

Taurus is custodian of the light of knowledge

… the light of knowledge of which Taurus is the custodian gives place to the light of wisdom of which Virgo is the guardian, and yields finally to the light of initiation in Capricorn. (EA 260)

 

Taurus and the Desire of All Nations, endurance and illumination

The Desire of All Nations . . . Taurus . . . Fixed Cross.  …

Virgo is related to Taurus through Vulcan which brings in what might be called the endurance aspect of the will-to-be which carries the incarnated Son of God through the experiences of the dark time wherein the personality becomes the Mother in the stage of gestation, through the period of infancy upon the physical plane and through the stage of adolescence until the initiate attains full maturity. This necessitates persistence, endurance and continuity of effort and is one of the characteristics imparted or stimulated by energies pouring from Vulcan. You can realise that these are first ray attributes and are the reverse side of those usually emphasised, namely, death or the activity of the Destroyer aspect. Taurus is an expression of the third unmanifested Hierarchy and of this Hierarchy we know nothing beyond the fact that it is concerned with the light which liberates from death. Therefore, you have:

Taurus—Illumination.

Vulcan—First ray or endurance.

Third Creative Hierarchy—Liberating Light. (EA 273-274)

 

Taurus and the will-to-illumine

The will-to-illumine is that which drives all Leo people on to experiment and so to gain knowledge; it is this which links them with Taurus, which "carries the fair jewel which gives light upon its forehead." In the relationship of Taurus-Leo-Aquarius, you have a significant and important zodiacal triangle as far as man is concerned and it is peculiarly significant to the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the human Hierarchy. You have, therefore:

Taurus.—The incentive towards experience in order to gain knowledge.

Leo.—The expression of experience in order to justify knowledge.

Aquarius.—The use of experience in order to make the gained knowledge a factor in service. (EA 289-290)

 

Taurus expressing on the Fixed Cross

Taurus.—The Bull of Desire. The light of aspiration and knowledge.

Leo.—The Lion of Self-assertion. The Light of the Soul.

Scorpio.—The Agent of Deception. The Light of Liberation.

Aquarius.—The Chalice of Self-service. The Light of the world. (EA 293)

 

Taurus and the Buddha

Hercules comprehended the true meaning of the Mutable Cross and, with full knowledge, mounted the Fixed Cross, with all its attendant difficulties and labours. The Buddha compre­hended, through complete illumination, the meaning of both the Mutable and the Fixed Crosses, for the secret of revelation in Taurus was His, just as the secret of directed energy in Scorpio was the source of the strength of Hercules. But the Christ, knowing both the above secrets, also understood with a living compre­hension, the mystery of the Cardinal Cross, because the light of the Transfiguration (undergone in Capricorn) revealed to Him the glory and transcendent mystery. (EA 315)

 

Taurus and Light

Taurus.—The penetrating Light of the Path. This is a beam of light, streaming forth from the point in Aries, and revealing the area of light control. (EA 329)

 

Keynotes of Taurus

Taurus  Selfish desire.               Aspiration.                    Illumined living.

The Light of Earth.                    The Light of Love.        The Light of Life.

Keynote: Taurus rushes blindly until Sagittarius directs. (EA 332)

 

Taurus and the Fixed Cross

Through a study of the Fixed Cross—Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—he will arrive at a right interpretation of the lives:

Of initiates.

Of group absorption into synthesis.

Of the significance of the third initiation. (EA 335)

 

The Taurus-Scorpio arms

Taurus-Scorpio.—Powerful focussed lower desire leads to death and defeat. The triumph of the lower nature which eventuates in the awakening to satiety and death. The man is the prisoner of desire and at the moment of consummation knows his prison.  …

Scorpio-Taurus.—The final victory of soul over form. Death and darkness demonstrate as life and light as the result of this energy relationship. The dark night of the soul becomes radiant sun. (EA 337-338)

 

Taurus lie behind manifestation

In this world cycle, Gemini, Taurus and Aries are three subjective energies or the three con­ditioning signs which lie behind manifestation. They lie behind the form-taking experience in Cancer and they also lie behind manifestation in Pisces. Pisces is the sign with which the modern world (and by that I refer to an immense long period of time) is primarily concerned, for Pisces is the starting point on the clockwise wheel at this time for the greater zodiacal round of approximately 25,000 years—the date of which beginning is not yet revealed to the modern astrologer or subject to revelation through his science. As we study Gemini and Taurus (Aries we have already considered) let us bear in mind their cause-initiating nature and the fact that they have a more specifically psychic effect and subjective influence than their strictly phenomenal and physical effects would lead one to imagine. (EA 344)

 

Taurus, Venus and desire

Venus also establishes an interplay between Taurus, Gemini, Libra and Capricorn, which again (because the Earth is one of the rulers of Gemini) produces the "desperate conflict of the imprisoned soul upon the astral plane" which characterises our planetary life. These four-fold influences and relationships produce the minor initiations of the astral plane which ever precede the major initiations in Capricorn, in their turn prepared for in Scorpio. Taurus pours the energy stimulating desire, via Venus, onto our Earth; Gemini, via Venus, awakens in human­ity (the focal point of our planetary effort) the sense of duality which is the basic factor in the conflict between desire and spiritual will; in Libra this reaches a point of balance wherein the one who struggles sees the issues clearly and achieves a desirable point of equilibrium through the wise use of the Mercury-Venus mind, ensuring the success of its final efforts in Capricorn. (EA 362)

 

Taurus is the symbol of desire in all its phases

It is also the second sign which—after the reorientation preceding discipleship—produces changes and opportunity for the disciple. We come also to the sign which is called "the sign of the major life incentive," because Taurus is the symbol of desire in all its phases. Whether the subjective man is impelled by desire, or the disciple is driven forth upon the path of return by the urge of aspiration, or whether the initiate is controlled by the will to cooperate with the Plan, he is, nevertheless, being responsive to the most potent manifestation of a little known and understood aspect of divinity, to which we give the inadequate name of the Will of God. (EA 370-371)

 

The Taurian influence

It is this influence which will bring about at this time the reversal of the wheel of life for those in the human family who are ready (and their numbers are now very great). This is happening and the results are inevitable and cannot be evaded. The great question is: Will this Taurian influence, increased as it is by the incoming Shamballa forces, produce the floodlight of illumination of which Taurus is the custodian, or will it simply foment desire, increase selfishness and bring humanity to the "fiery heights of self-interest" instead of to the mountain of vision and initiation? (EA 374)

 

Taurus forges

Taurus forges the instruments of constructive living or of destruction; it forges the chains which bind or creates the key which unlocks the mystery of life; it is this forging process, with its consequent clamour, which is going on at this time in a most potent manner. Vulcan controls the anvil-like processes of time and strikes the blow which shapes the metal into that which is desired, and this is true today as never before. (EA 374-375)

 

The Taurian influence

… particularly from the angle of the subjective spiritual values; it is Taurus which is the ruler and the guiding influence of that which is occurring everywhere.

I would like here to call your attention to the fact that this sign is a synthetic sign in the sense that it brings expression of an inner urge of some definite nature upon the physical plane. This it does, because its basic quality demonstrates as desire in the mass of men and as will or directed purpose in the disciple or the initiate. It manifests as stubbornness in the average man (and this is literally wilful adherence to personality aims) or as intelligently expressed will—actuated by the impulse of love—in the advanced man. This connotes adherence to soul purpose. People who are Taurians naturally and by natal inclination would do well to consider this statement and thus test all their major determining activities by the question: Is my present attitude, my work or intention actuated by personality desire or am I working and planning directly under soul urge and incentive? This should give the keynote of all Taurian problems.

The entire secret of divine purpose and planning is hidden in this sign, owing fun­damentally to the relation of the Pleiades to the constellation, the Great Bear, and to our solar system. This constitutes one of the most important triangles in our entire cosmic series of relation­ships and this importance is also enhanced by the fact that the "eye of the Bull" is the eye of revelation. The underlying goal of the evolutionary process—"the onward rush of the Bull of God," as it is esoterically called—reveals steadily and without cessation the stu­pend­ous and sublime plan of Deity. This is the subject which light reveals. (EA 375-376)

 

Taurus and the Purposes of Deity

There is at this time, owing to the influx of the Shamballa force, the establishing of a peculiar relation or alignment between the constellation, Taurus (with its own specific alignment with the Pleiades and Great Bear) the planet, Pluto, and our Earth. This produces much of the present world difficulty and one which the modern astrologer would do well to consider. It constitutes a major cosmic triangle at this time, conditioning much that is now happening.

This Shamballa force is that which "fans or intensifies the light by the removal of obstruct­ions and proceeds from far distant places, pouring through the eye of illumination into those spheres of influence upon the sorrowful planet, the Earth, impelling the Bull upon its onward rush." So speaks the Old Commentary. The import of this is that the energy of will—newly released by Sanat Kumara upon our planet—emanates, via the head centre of the planetary Logos, from the Great Bear; it is stepped down in vibration via one of the Pleiades (hence its influence upon matter and hence also its pronounced Taurian effects upon humanity) and so enters into the solar system. It is there absorbed by that major centre of our planetary life to which we give the name, Shamballa. Its effect is necessarily twofold. It produces in certain nations, races and individuals, a welling up of the self-will or of the will-to-power which is characteristic of the developed lower nature, the personality aspect of integrated selfhood. It produces—though less readily—a stimulation of the will-to-serve the plan as it is grasped by the world aspirants, the world disciples and initiates. Thus are the purposes of Deity material­ised. (EA 376-377)

 

The golden eye of Taurus

"The golden eye of Taurus points the way to those who likewise see. That which is gold will some day, too, respond, passing from East to West in that dire time when the urge to gather gold shall rule the lower half (i.e., the personality aspect of men and of nations—A.A.B.). The search for gold, the search for golden light divine, directs the Bull of Life, the Bull of Form. These two must meet; and meeting, clash. Thus vanishes the gold...." (EA 379)

 

The onward rush and powerful movement of Taurus

In the first case, Capricorn marks the point of greatest density and concrete expression and shows the life divine as deeply imbedded in substance. This is the true state of death as far as the life is concerned; it is captivity in form. In Virgo, however, that life makes its inner pressure felt and the movement—faint yet real—of the hidden life begins to pulsate within the concrete form, producing in Taurus that reaction to desire and that onward rush and powerful movement which distinguishes the evolutionary progress of the individual, working under the impulse of desire. Forget not, that the first thrill or response of the Christ life is to the pull, urge or suggestion of the form nature wherein it finds itself. Then later, when all the resources of the form nature (drawn out through desire), are exhausted and the Christ life is exceedingly strong and ready to reveal itself through the death of the Mother, the form, then and not till then is the progress of the wheel arrested and "revolution" takes place with the life aspect reversing itself upon the wheel. Then the disciple (an expression of the Christ life in its early manifested stages), having transmuted desire into aspiration, begins his career—objectively and in full consciousness—in the sign Taurus and "on the wings of aspiration" proceeds towards Virgo and "being both the Mother and the Child enters into the House of Labour." From that house, the disciple in due time arrives at Capricorn where he finally subdues matter, form or concrete expression to divine uses and purposes, and thus demonstrates the triumph and the potency of the Christ life. (EA 379-380)

 

Taurus and the astral vehicle

This sign Taurus is, therefore, the eleventh sign upon the ordinary wheel of exoteric emphasis and life, preceding each new cycle of incarnated expression. As the individual descends into incarnation and when he takes an astral shell, he definitely comes into a Taurian cycle, for it is desire which impels to rebirth and it takes the potency of Taurus to bring this about. As this subject concerns the astrology of the astral vehicle we will not deal with it further for that is a phase of research for which humanity is not yet ready. (EA 380)

 

The Qualities of Taurus

Ponder on this. In this sign we have consequently the following qualities or aspects in juxtaposition:

Desire—leading to aspiration upon the reversed wheel.

Blindness—leading eventually to sight.

Darkness—leading finally to light.

Death—leading at last to liberation.

In the last analysis, we come back to the eternal dualities, leading as they ever do to the interplay of the polar opposites, to the cyclic ebb and flow of the inner life and the outer periphery of expression, and to that attraction and repulsion which leads to a steady shift of the attracting force to an ever higher and wider appeal. It is the secret of eventual synthesis, which is the final illumination, seen through the eye of Taurus. It is for this reason that this sign is regarded as being one of universal movement, of great and constant activity under the impulse of material desire or the urge of the divine will, when recognised and sensed. The triangle of expression is one of potent energies:

1. Desire          aspiration          will.

2. Man             the disciple       the initiate.

3. Materiality    duality              divinity.

4. Form            Soul                 Spirit.

5. Humanity      Hierarchy         Shamballa.   (EA 380-381)

 

Taurus—the Initiator

Taurus is the dominant stream of energy upon this Fixed Cross where average man is concerned. The energy let loose through this Cross is stupendous in its effects, producing finally the great reversal and renunciation. In this Cross, Taurus is the Initiator for it "impulses the Will," producing movement and momentum. (EA 382)

 

The rulers of Taurus

We come now to a brief study of the Rulers of this sign. As Taurus is so close, esoterically speaking, to the sign Aries which—in this world cycle—is the sign of beginning, it con­sti­tutes, relatively speaking, a very complex aggregation of forces, being related not only to Aries with its cosmic contacts, but also to the Pleiades and the Great Bear. Yet at the same time, it is very simple in its expression for it is governed by only two planets. Venus is its exoteric ruler and Vulcan its esoteric and hierarchical ruler. …

Today, however, Taurus, Venus and the Earth have a very close karmic relation and a very definite dharma to work out together. Just what that karma and relationship may prove eventually to be lies beyond ordinary human understanding but some idea of it may be gained by relating in your mind the words: Will, Desire, Light and Plan. In voicing it thus, I but step down and distort the relation, but until men can think in simple symbols and without words and can interpret these hitherto unrecognised symbols correctly, more it is not possible to add. (EA 382-383)

 

Taurus, Venus and Sex

Venus connotes in our minds, even if we have only a glimmer of occult truth, that which is mental, that which concerns final sublimation, that which deals with sex and that which must work out into symbolic expression upon the physical plane. These are the major concepts which enter our minds when Venus and Taurus are considered in unison. These factors of expression have ever been related to these two since the night of time, because they are essentially basic and eternally cosmic in their implications. Taurus is one of the signs which veils a certain divine mystery. For the sake of disciples in training, these four concepts have been briefly summed up in an archaic writing of great significance. This writing states:

"The holy Sons of Mind embraced the two. They saw and understood. Thus was sex born and thus the great mistake was made. The mind was outward turned. The form appears to view and not the life.

"Out of the dark, they cried aloud, the holy Sons of Mind. In pain, they cried aloud. They inward looked and knew the error they had made but knew not what to do.... The Lord replied and gave to them the sign of resurrection."

Do you grasp the significance of this statement, and its fundamental simplicity? Let me give you a hint. The earthy triplicity has been designated by astrologers as embodying the idea of plains (Taurus), of caves (Virgo) and of rock (Capricorn). It might be stated that these caves exist in the rocks, deep under the plains. I am speaking figuratively and symbolically. Out of the rocky cave, the Christ emerged and walked again upon the plains of Earth and from that time "the woman knew Him not." Form had no further hold upon him for He had overcome it in the depths. Into the cave of Initiation, the light of resurrection streams when the stone at the entrance is rolled away. From life in the form to the death of the form—deep in the rocky place, down in the crypts of the Temple—the human being goes. But into that same place, the new life streams, bringing fresh life and liberation; old things pass away and the darkness becomes light.

Sex is then seen to be in truth only the relation of the lower nature to the higher Self; it is then lifted up into the light of day in order that man may reach complete union with divinity. Man discovers that sex (which has hitherto been a purely physical function, carried on sometimes under the impulse of love) is elevated into its rightful plane as the divine marriage, carried out and consummated upon the levels of soul awareness. It is this great truth which lies beyond the sordid story of sex expression, of sex magic and the distortions of modern Tantric magic. Humanity has stepped down the symbolism and in its thoughts debased sex to an animal function and failed to lift it up into the realm of symbolic mystery. Men have sought through physical expression to produce the inner fusion and harmony which they crave and this cannot be done. Sex is but the symbol of an inner duality which must be itself transcended and wrought into a unity. It is not transcended by physical means or rituals. It is a transcendence in consciousness. (EA 384-385)

 

The esoteric ruler of Taurus is Vulcan

The esoteric ruler of Taurus is Vulcan, the forger of metals, the one who works in the densest, most concrete expression of the natural world (from the human angle). He is the one who goes down into the depths to find the material upon which to expend his innate art and to fashion that which is beautiful and useful. Vulcan is, therefore, that which stands for the soul, the individual, inner, spiritual man; in his activity we find the key to the soul's task upon the eternal round of the wheel of life. You will remember how Hercules upon the Fixed Cross had to fashion his own weapons before he succeeded in the struggle. This is in reality a reference to the art of Vulcan who rules the inner man and guides his fashioning.

Vulcan also rules nations at a certain stage of embryonic soul expression, such as the present, and governs their activities, fashioning the instruments of war when war and conflict are the only means whereby liberation can come, though woe betide those through whom wars come. Vulcan then takes hold and—since the Middle Ages—has brought the mineral kingdom, "the depths from which supply must come," under human control. (EA 385-386)

 

Taurus and the initial impact of energy upon form

It is the subjectivity of this sign which makes the understanding of it so difficult. It will not be until humanity has grasped the nature of the will that the true significance of the Taurian influence will be grasped. Both the sign, Aries, and the sign, Taurus, are concerned with the initial impact of energy upon form or of energies upon the soul. Man today is becoming slowly aware of the distinction to be found between the opposites and is grasping vaguely the true nature of desire. But he is still in the vale of illusion and—whilst there—cannot see with clarity. One of the first opposites which the disciple has to grasp is that of the subjective and the objective worlds. (EA 387)

 

The secret of Taurus

The secret of Taurus is revealed at the second initiation by the sudden removal or disappear­ance of world glamour in the blinding energy of light. This constitutes the final radiant activity which consummates the play of the Taurian force upon humanity during the long and cyclic journey to which man is committed. The individual enacts on a tiny scale what humanity—as a whole—will enact when it takes initiation in Taurus. (EA 388)

 

Taurus and the outward expression

This digression was necessary at this point because it is essential that esoteric astrologers should realise that these three signs, Aries, Taurus and Gemini are (from the standpoint of the disciple and initiate) purely subjective in their effects within the life of these signs. They can only find outward expression in the life of the subject and be consciously directed and con­trolled in Cancer, thus leading to the great liberation which takes place in the polar opposite to Cancer, Capricorn and also in Aquarius and Pisces. This of course refers to effects upon man upon the reversed wheel. In a certain sense these six signs constitute two major triangles of force. (EA 389)

 

The will-to-liberation in Taurus

That which impelled to the processes of involution and evolution (the desire to incarnate) takes form at the second initiation in the will-to-liberation in Taurus and finds itself released through the will-to-serve—universally—in Aquarius. (EA 390)

 

Venus and Taurus connections

It is of interest to note that Taurus is, therefore, related to the Mutable Cross by a linking stream of energy, via Venus, but is at the same time linked in a dual sense with two arms of the Cardinal Cross, by a Venusian connection with Libra and Capricorn. There is therefore to the true Taurian who reaches illumination one link with the body and soul aspects of expres­sion and two links with soul and spirit—the higher octave of manifestation. Thus is shown the perfection of the sublimation process, for aspiration has entirely superseded desire as a motivating agency. The soul is linked with form but its major link is with the spirit. It is for this reason that in Taurus, the man comes to the point wherein the real goal or the true vision appears. Desire in its lowest expression is linked with the form in Taurus. Aspirational idealism in its highest possible expression is also achieved in Taurus. Aspiration is linked, however, in its lowest expression with the soul and in its highest with spirit. Self-will relates man to form; the will of God relates the soul of the man to the spirit. It takes three initiations to make this clear to the disciple.

Looking at the matter from another angle: Venus, the mind or the soul in Libra reveals to man the exoteric significance and results of desire. In Gemini, Venus reveals the desire of the pairs of opposites for each other for this is the underlying theme of the entire creative and evolutionary process—the interplay of the opposites. In Capricorn, Venus reveals to man that desire for the whole, for the universal, which is the hallmark of the initiate and the true expression of the spiritual life. (EA 391-392)

 

Taurus, Vulcan and Illumination

Vulcan is the ray or planet of isolation for, in a peculiar sense, it governs the fourth initiation wherein the depths of aloneness are plumbed and the man stands completely isolated. He stands detached from "that which is above and this which is below." There comes a dramatic moment when all desire is renounced; the will of God or the Plan is seen as the only desirable objective but as yet the man has not proved to himself, to the world of men or to his Master whether he has the strength to move forward along the line of service. There is revealed to him (as there was revealed to the Christ at the fourth great initiatory crisis in His life) some definite, active undertaking which embodies that aspect of the will of God which it is his peculiar function to appropriate and make possible of expression. This has been called in the Christian phraseology, "the Gethsemane experience." The Christ, kneeling beside the rock (symbolic of the depths of the mineral kingdom and of the activity of Vulcan, the fashioner), raises His eyes upward to where the light of revelation breaks forth and knows at that moment what it is He has to do.

Such is the test of Vulcan, ruling Taurus, of the soul, ruling desire, of the Son of God, fashioning His instrument of expression in the depths, grasping the divine purpose and so bending the will of the little self to that of the greater Self. The depths have been reached and there is no more to be done. The light from the eye of the Bull which with ever increasing radiance has guided the struggling soul must give place eventually to the light of the Sun, for Vulcan is a substitute for the Sun; it is spoken of sometimes as being veiled by the Sun and at others it stands for the Sun itself. It stands between the man and the Sun, the soul. Therefore, we have in this connection three symbols of the light:

Taurus.—The eye of illumination or light. The Bull's eye. Illumination. Exoterically—the physical Sun.

Vulcan.—The one who reveals that which is deeply hidden and brings it up into the light. Esoterically—the heart of the Sun.

The Sun.—The great Illuminator. Spiritually—the central spiritual Sun.

Thus from every angle, illumination remains the theme of this sign. (EA 392-393)

 

Taurus lacking Love-Wisdom

Only indirectly does the second Ray of Love-Wisdom and its subsidiary line of energies appear and, therefore, love and wisdom are often noticeably lacking in the person born in this sign. Such a man will have much self-love, self-esteem, self-respect and a good deal of selfish centralisation or personality focus. He will be intelligent but not wise; aspirational but at the same time stubborn and set so that his aspiration does not take him very far very rapidly. He will move spasmodically and in wild rushes; steady measured progress upon the Way is very hard for him. He finds it difficult to apply practically the knowledge gained. It is apt to remain a mental acquisition and not a practical experience. He will be almost painfully conscious of duality but, instead of its producing a struggle for unity, it produces often a set and static depression. He will be destructive because "bull-headed" and because the hammer aspect of Vulcan will be dominant. Because he has a measure of light—his power to be thus destructive will distress him.

He needs to grasp the spiritual side of Venus which emphasises that the Son of God who is the Son of mind is the instrument of God's love; he must learn, therefore, to transmute knowledge into wisdom. He must transcend the destructive side of Vulcan and so of the first ray and instead work as a "fashioner of souls," including his own. He must aim at clear seeing, pure joyful will and the death of personality desire. Such is the goal of the Taurian disciple. (EA 394)

 

Taurus aided by the three other arms of Fixed Cross

Therefore, in this important sign, the Taurian person is under the influence—directly or indirectly—of all the seven rays for the reason that desire, leading to final illumination, motivates them all. Such is the amazing situation which faces the man—particularly the disciple or the initiate—who is born in this sign. Such constitute the difficulties with which he is confronted but such also bring about his immense opportunity for progress. (EA 385)

 

The task of the Taurian

The task of the Taurian is a hard one for he embodies in himself, to a marked degree, out­standing limitations as regards the processes of spiritual evolution; there are, however, no insuperable difficulties and the liberated Taurian is ever a constructive, planning, creative, forward-moving force; such men are greatly needed in these serious days of re-adjustment and strain. (EA 397)

 

Taurus, the neck, and thryoid

Taurus, as you know, rules the neck and the thyroid gland. This is essentially the region whence must emanate the creative activity of the man who is upon the Path. The throat is a point to which the energy of the sacral centre must be lifted so that creation through love and by the will eventually will prove the sublimatory effect of the transference to higher use of the sex energy. The right use of the organs of speech gives the clue to the processes whereby the disciple must bring about certain basic changes. (EA 398)

 

Taurian methods

The Taurian upon the way of liberation would do well to employ the method of directed and motivated speech of an outgoing and explanatory nature in order to transform himself from one who goes wilfully on his person­ality way into a wise cooperator with the Plan. By this I mean that, as man translates his ideals into words and acts, he brings about transformation, transmutation and eventually translation upon the mountain top of Initiation. The results of this creative work of material­ising the vision must be carried to the point of effectual demonstration in Scorpio in which sign the final tests are applied to prove that the energy is flowing freely and without impedi­ment and obstruction between the throat and sacral centres; to show that right direction has been achieved and that there is no longer any fear that the Taurian subject will blunder blindly forward again in his own self-interest but will, in the future, move intelligently upon the Way of Liberation—the way that brings about his own release and at the same time sweeps him into those activities which bring about the release of others. In Scorpio, the man who has mastered his lessons in Taurus must demonstrate that creativity which will work under the inspiration of aspiration and vision and constructively attempt to express the beauty which all forms intrinsically veil, thus bringing to all revelation of that underlying purpose which motivates all events and forms.

All these aspects of basic change in purpose, interest and orientation must manifest in Scorpio, thus proving the effectiveness of the evolutionary processes undergone in the great repeated transition from Scorpio to Taurus and from Taurus to Scorpio. This cycle of moves constitutes (with the greater cycle) a rhythm of experience of tremendous moment. These seven signs are pre-eminently life-experience signs. The pre­ceding sign of Aries is the "sign of institution" whilst the four which come after Scorpio prove to be signs of discipleship and initiation. This is on the reversed wheel and the impli­cations along the same line on the ordinary wheel can easily be applied by you. (EA 398-399)

 

Taurus, dignities and the struggle

some problem with the referencing, and topics here, double check
duplication of above quote, but these page numbers are given:  (EA 401-402)

 

Decanates of Taurus

This is curiously emphasised by the rulers of the decanates in this sign. Both the astrologers, Leo and Sepharial, practically and to all intents and purposes, agree in their assignment of planets to govern the triple aspects of the sign. They only vary exoterically on one point for Sepharial gives the Moon as governing the second decan whilst Leo gives Venus as ruling the first decan. However, Venus and the Moon are often used interchangeably and both express or emanate the same basic energy of active intelligence in its higher and lower aspects. One expresses intelligent love and the other the intelligence of matter; this dual emphasis is con­cerned with the dominance of the form nature in the Taurian subject and his release through the Venusian Son of Mind. The Moon or Venus, Mercury and Saturn control the decanates and our consideration of these planets in the other signs will have indicated to you their right interpretation, both here and elsewhere. Form life, intelligent activity, and intense struggle summarises the Taurian problem, whilst Mercury, the Messenger of the Gods, reminds the struggling man that he must become ever what he essentially is, thus escaping from illusion and entering into light. (EA 402)

 

Keynotes of Taurus

Keynotes of this sign are, as usual, clear in their implications. One states the note of the form aspect, "Let struggle be undismayed." The Word of the form is to take, grasp and go courageously after that which is desired. The Word of the Soul is, "I see and when the Eye is opened, all is light." The eye of the cosmic Bull of God is open and from it light pours radiantly forth upon the sons of men. The eye of vision of the individual man must likewise open in response to this cosmic light. Hence victory is inevitable for the potency of cosmic energy will unfailingly and in time subdue and re-orient the energy of humanity. (EA 402-403)

 

Taurus, the eye and the ”light energy”

When the human being is manifest but is not yet truly manifested, the triangles which symbolise this manifestation are the two eyes and the third eye:

The right eye—the eye of buddhi, of wisdom and of vision.

The left eye—the eye of mind, of the commonsense and of sight.

The eye of Shiva—the all-seeing eye, the eye which directs the will and purposes of Deity.

These three are, in reality,

The eye of the Father—carrying light from the Great Bear.

The eye of the Son—carrying light from Sirius.

The eye of the Mother—carrying light from the Pleiades.

and it is this latter "light energy" which is necessarily peculiarity active when the sign of Taurus is dominant in any planetary and individual horoscope. (EA 429-430)

 

Taurus and the Seven Solar Systems

Another group of energies can be touched upon though any true elucidation is not possible. They concern the focussed energies of the seven solar systems of which ours is one. These energies (six in number) reach our solar system, via the constellations Taurus and Scorpio and the planet Mars.

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Their peculiar nature, objective in evolution and basic purpose is only revealed to initiates above the fifth initiation. They are concerned with the problem of desire (which is to humanity a problem but not in its higher octaves) and with its transmutation into spiritual will and divine purpose. They are the originators of conflict, are closely connected with the fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict and are, therefore, in a peculiar relation to the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the human, and to our Earth in this fourth round. (EA 467)

 

Illumination in Taurus

When the experience undergone in Virgo is consummated in Pisces and the tests of Scorpio have led to illumination in Taurus, then the effect of these four energies (Virgo, Pisces, Scorpio, Taurus) will be to make man the true triangle, expressing the three divine aspects or energies as they come from the three major conditioning constellations: the Great Bear, the Pleiades and Sirius. (EA 481)

 

Illumination through struggle in Taurus

Hercules—Scorpio.—Strength through testing.

Buddha—Taurus.—Illumination through struggle.

Christ—Pisces.—Resurrection through sacrifice. (EA 487)

 

Taurus incites towards experience and towards the gaining of knowledge

Taurus incites towards experience and towards the gaining of knowledge; Leo leads to the expression of that experience in daily life and to the effort to justify knowledge; Aquarius takes that experience and the knowledge gained thereby, and turns it to conscious use in the service of the group. We might phrase it thus:

Taurus—in the final stage of development demonstrates as the illumined consciousness.

Leo—produces the truly Self-conscious man.

Aquarius—is the man of spirit, of life, and of consecration to the divine expression of service. (EA 488)

 

Taurus and the Ray 4 triangle

Five of the constellations—Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Scorpio and Aquarius—are only found in one of the various triangles.

Taurus (Ray IV) is not active exoterically as the fourth ray is not in manifestation at this time. (EA 491)

 

Taurus and the 2nd house

The other ten houses you can work out for yourselves. It is interesting to note, for instance, in connection with the second house (and the same idea can be applied to all of them) that Taurus, the mother of illumination, and Venus, the endower of mind plus the embodied soul, are related and active in this house. The light of matter and the light of the soul are both involved in the use of energy and in the problem of what is desired, what is regarded as loss, and what shall be the gained objective. It is, therefore, the house of values—material or spiritual. (EA 511)

 

Taurus, Venus and the 2nd house

Venus, governing the second House, which is concerned with economics, the distribution of money and metals and which rules Taurus, the "seed house" of illumination and the new emerging light. (EA 538)

 

Taurus and the single eye

Taurus.—Christ said (as have all the Sons of God Who know the true significance of the Fixed Cross), "I am the Light of the world," and he added, "if thine eye be single thy whole body shall he full of light." Taurus is, as you have heard, the Mother of Illumination, and the "eye of the Bull" is the symbol of the eye to which Christ made reference. (EA 565-566)

 

Keywords of Taurus

Taurus.—And the Word said:. Let struggle be undismayed.

Taurus.—I see, and when the eye is opened, all is illumined.  (EA 653-654)

 

TAURUS, THE BULL—THE SECOND SIGN OF THE ZODIAC

References in The Secret Doctrine

"All the Sun-Gods ... have been mystically connected with the constellation Taurus and were called the First." (I. 720)

Taurus is regarded as the central group of the Milky Way.

Note: The Pleiades as the central group of the Bull and Alcyone, one of the 7 pleiades, is supposed to be the star around which our universe revolves. (EA 678-679)

Taurus and the Wesak valley

I twice (whilst living and working in Great Britain) took part in an extraordinary ceremony and it was nearly two decades after my participation that I discovered what it was all about.  The ceremony in which I took part, I eventually found out, actually takes place every year at the time of the "Full Moon of May."  It is the full moon of the Hindu calendar month of Vaisakha (Taurus) under its ancient name.  This month is of vital importance to all Buddhists and the first day of this month is the national holiday known as the Hindu New Year's Day.  This tremendous event takes place each year in the Himalayas.  It is held in a valley and is not a mythical, subconscious happening but a real, physical plane occurrence.  I found myself (whilst wide awake) in this valley and forming part of a vast, orderly crowd—mostly oriental but with a large sprinkling of occidental people.  I knew exactly where I stood in that crowd and realised that it was my correct place and indicated my spiritual status. (UA 38-39)