Signs of the Zodiac

Aries

Taurus

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The Aries archetype is most often associated with the Self-Confident individual. These people believe in themselves and in what they can accomplish. They are open about the aspirations they have for themselves and possibilities for the future. They see themselves as special and unique and may believe that there is a special reason for their existence. They accept compliments, praise, and admiration well.

Self-Confident people expect others to treat them well at all times and may identify with people of high rank and status. They may become leaders in their own right. They are usually competitive, loving the climb to the top. They may see themselves as a heroes or stars. They are able to take advantage of the strengths and abilities of other people in order to achieve their goals, and they are shrewd in their dealings with others.

The first 30 degrees of the zodiac and the first 30 days following the spring equinox (also known as the Aries point), symbolize the Aries phase of the Earth’s yearly cycle. During this phase, the hours of daylight grow longer in the northern hemisphere. The Aries phase represents beginnings, birth, and the energy needed for the new being to sprout or emerge.

The beginnings of new plant and animal life are characteristic of this phase. Seeds left from the previous fall begin to sprout. New buds appear on the dormant-appearing branches of trees and bushes. Many animals give birth to their young in the spring. Some animals emerge, breed, and give birth quickly during this phase. The young of others who were born during the winter make their first appearance.

For animals and others with some degree of self-consciousness, Aries represents becoming aware of oneself as a separate and independent object or being. Aries is the impulse to be, to manifest, to establish a new identity, to form a separate self. Aries signifies birth as a newly independent entity or being. It represents all beginnings as well as all persons, traits, and characteristics associated with the spring and new starts. It represents the source or fountainhead of streams and rivers, ideas and projects. It rules the explorer, the pioneer, the adventurer, and the inventor.

The Ram, as the symbol of Aries, represents the energy necessary for the process of birth and for the emergence of a new self. The glyph for Aries represents the ram, especially the ram’s head, face, and horns.

Aries is traditionally ruled by Mars. The Sun is exalted in Aries. The energies of Mars and the Sun are highly compatible with Aries. Aries is the detriment of Venus and the fall of Saturn.

Aries is a cardinal fire sign. Cardinal signs are considered to be active or action-oriented signs, because they mark change and the beginning of a new season. Fire signs symbolize inspiration and spirit-based energy. Aries symbolizes activity, change, and movement in the realm of spirit or on the mental-spiritual plane. It brings inspiration, enthusiasm, optimism, grand ideas, and new goals.

Aries’ key words are usually expressed as I Am.

Aries is associated with the head, especially with the face and nose.

Aries symbolizes personal identity, self-consciousness, and self-awareness. It expresses as assertiveness, aggression, autonomy, freedom, impulsivity, independence, initiative, naivety, self-centeredness, and spontaneity. It is bold, courageous, daring, egocentric, energetic, enthusiastic, excited, impulsive, independent, naive, rash, selfish, and spontaneous.

Planets in Aries take on an active, aggressive, assertive, egocentric, impulsive, innocent, quick, and selfish nature. Their activities may be short-lived and insensitive to the feelings of others.

When Aries is found on the cusp of a house, the individual approaches the affairs of the house in an assertive, aggressive, egocentric, impulsive, innocent, and selfish fashion. The affairs of the house may become the starting point for most of the individual’s activities, projects, and actions. Aries on the cusp of a house may significantly intensify matters ruled by the house.

TAURUS

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The Taurus archetype is associated with what has recently been referred to as the Leisurely Personality. Leisurely people believe that they are just as good as everyone else and as entitled to the best things in life. They accept themselves and their approach to life. They are not obsessed by time or the demands of the clock. Some Leisurely individuals find their happiness through creative pursuits, some by relaxing with a good book. What's important to them is not how they choose to enjoy themselves but that they are guaranteed this opportunity.

Leisurely men and women play by the rules and fulfill their responsibilities and obligations. But once they've put in their time, they will let no one deprive them of their personal pursuit of happiness. They expect others to recognize and respect that limit. If threatened, these normally easy-going individuals will vigorously defend their fundamental right to do their own thing. They can comfortably resist acceding to demands that they deem unreasonable or above and beyond the call of duty.

The Taurus phase of life occurs during the second thirty degrees of the Earth’s yearly cycle, starting in April and ending in May. This phase starts approximately 30 to 31 days after the spring equinox or Aries point. The Taurus phase of life is concerned with the substances needed to build, grow, materialize, manifest, and strengthen the new self or identity which started during the Aries phase.

The Taurus phase represents all materials necessary for sustaining the new life which began in Aries, especially the material resources needed for physical growth. For plant life, the Taurus phase usually represents the soil and its nutrients. It also represents water, rain, sunlight, warmth, and fresh air. For animal life, this phase represents the food necessary for continuing life as well as water, light, space, safety, and security.

The Taurus phase represents substance, especially the substance necessary for the manifestation of the new self or personality. It represents the steady, deliberate determination of life to build up and solidify, to hold on to and round out a particular identity.

Each sign reacts against the previous one, attempting to compensate for any extremes the previous sign may have brought with it. Where Aries was independent, active, and quick, Taurus becomes slow, solid, and concerned with material possessions. Aries was quick to try out and discard new roles and adventures. Taurus accumulates and holds onto all it values.

The Bull, as the symbol of Taurus, represents the energy and force necessary to lay claim to the substances, materials, nutrition, space, and safety necessary for physical growth. It also represents the abilities to protect and enjoy these materials. The glyph for Taurus represents the bull, especially its head, face, and horns.

Taurus is traditionally ruled by Venus. The Moon is exalted in Taurus. Taurus is the detriment of Mars and Pluto. It is the fall of Uranus. Taurus is a fixed earth sign. It concentrates, solidifies, and secures that which represents natural beauty, material resources, and consensually valuable possessions. Taurus looks for tangible, concrete results.

Taurus’s key words are usually expressed as I Have.

Taurus is associated with the neck, throat, voice, ears, hearing, music, and mating calls. Taurus also represents sexual activity for pleasure and/or procreation, free from the contamination of ego-, power-, or other more humanly motivations.

Taurus represents possessions, valuables, and pleasures. It represents all things that help to strengthen the new life or identity. It brings a strong sense of values based on what is good for sustaining and maintaining life. It seeks to draw to it that which is material, reliable, and precious. It represents money, small valuables, especially valuables derived from the earth such as precious stones, fertile land, and fossil fuels. It represents resources, earthly belongings, pleasure, sensuality, and self-worth.

Taurus symbolizes the substance or material necessary for the new identity or self to grow into a particular concrete form. Taurus is representative of all valuable substances and possessions. It represents whatever the identity values, whatever it possesses, and whatever talents and tools it has at its disposal to obtain the materials and possesses that it values. Taurus signifies traits or qualities such as acquisitive, authoritative, bossy, controlling, deliberate, determinant, greedy, immobile, materialistic, persistent, possessive, practical, protective, rich, selfish, stubborn, useful, and valuable.

The activity of planets in Taurus slows down to stabilize and solidify the functions they represent. For some planets, like Saturn, stabilization may become a personal strength. More energetic planets, like Mars or Uranus, may have difficulty expressing their functions through Taurus. In time, though, the stabilizing qualities of Taurus will strengthen these planets. The real dangers of planets in Taurus come in the forms of stubbornness and an emphasis on egotistical, materialistic desires.

When Taurus is found on the cusp of a house, the individual approaches the affairs of the house in a slow, steady, and down-to-earth fashion. The individual may become possessive of whatever the house represents. This house may also point to the individual’s natural values, desires, possessions, wealth, talents, and abilities.