Taurus - The Bull of Beltane

Taurus - The Bull of Beltane

Welcome to the season of Taurus! As the Nature all around us prepares for the fires of Beltane, the greatest Wiccan Sabbat this side of Samhain, the constellation of Taurus rules the spring skies. From 20 April to 20 May, the children of Venus get to celebrate their birthday with the indulgence and sensuality that befits them. And with them, so we shall celebrate the midpoint between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.

Let us all eat cake — for both the Bull and Beltane advocate that we savor each and every bite of life’s bounty.

The bullheaded hedonists of the Zodiac

Taurus is actually one of the oldest constellations known to man; it was first observed by ancient astronomers as early as the Early Bronze Age. The second sign of the Zodiac after Aries, Taurus belongs in the fixed signs along with Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. With Earth as its element, Taurus represents a slow and steady force of nature that cannot (and will not) be stopped. If you were born under the astrological sign of Taurus or have your Ascendant/Rising sign in Taurus (aka the sign that rose on the eastern horizon at the time you were born), then the following description will probably sound familiar.

Much like the strong animal it was named after, Taurus is very skilled at holding their ground. This is an astrological sign that does not like to retreat, change course or even reevaluate their daily routine. They like doing things “the way things were always done around here”. As you can imagine, a Taurus is not usually very quick to admit their mistakes — if they ever do so. The good news? All this bullheadedness usually pays off. Where Aries’ gift lies in enthusiastically starting new endeavors but then forgetting about them, a Taurus will come along to make sure there’s actually a follow up and things get done.

As hardworking as they are however, people born under the sign of Taurus are definitely not "all work and no play". After all, the ruling planet of this astrological sign is Venus! And like proper children of Venus/Aphrodite, Taurus love living the good life and reveling in every pleasure the senses can bring. Like the other child of Venus, Libra, Taurus has a refined taste and knows how to properly appreciate the nice things in life. In contrast to Libra though, these things don't have to be expensive. Food is a source of great pleasure, as are fabrics and clothes that feel smooth to the skin. Sweet smells, especially in the form of perfume or essential oil, can make a Taurus feel content. Songs stir emotions; beautiful art makes them feel at home... but nothing rouses a Taurus' senses like a soft touch from the right person.

Relationships matter to a Taurus. They are at their best when they can relax in the intimacy of a relationship that has withstood the test of time — be it a romantic one, a professional one or a friendship. Of course the old adage “a lover, not a fighter” rings true here. A Taurus enjoys the thrill of courtship; although they won’t flirt with just anyone, very often they will find themselves in love with love itself. And when they find that special someone, Taurus will happily commit to that person for life.

Energetically speaking, Beltane is the perfect Wiccan Sabbat for a Taurus. Being an Earth sign, it’s very important for a Taurus to be out in Nature — and during Beltane, everything in Nature is in full bloom. Beltane is a social Sabbat: people are dancing merrily around the Maypole, drinking and laughing, frolicking in the fields… But at its core, Beltane is also a Holy Union (Hieros Gamos) of the Goddess and the God.

And no Taurus could ever resist a great love story!

The sacred symbolism of the Bull

Apart from embodying the constellation of Taurus, the Bull has also been a very prominent sacred symbol for our Pagan ancestors — ever since the dawn of humanity. Aurochs, the wild ancestors of bulls, were admired for their strong life force: several depictions of the animals have been found in Paleolithic cave paintings across Europe. It's this magical life force of the Bull, this manifestation of male energy, power and fertility, that has been venerated for

millennia.

As our ancestors came out of the caves and ancient civilizations started to form, the Bull became a symbol for many deities. In Mesopotamia, the god of storm and rain Hadad (also known as Iškur and very often equated with Zeus), was symbolized by the Bull: he would either appear as the animal, or as wearing a bull-horned helmet. In Egypt, the fertility deity Apis, also known as Hapis or Hapi-ankh, had the form of a bull and was considered the herald of Osiris, the Sun God. In fact in the Ancient Egyptian language, the word “ka” meant both “bull” and “life

force” or “power”.

The Bull’s connection to life and the sun in particular can be found in India as well, with the sacred bull Nandi being the vehicle of the Hindu sun God, Shiva. In Zoroastrian tradition, the gian bull Hadhayans could help people reach the seven regions of the then known earth. According to a later legend, he was also called “three burning places” because of the three great fires burning on his back.

Apart from the Sun and virility though, the sacred Bull is also associated with sacrifice — a sacrifice necessary to bring renewal. This is apparent in the Druid tradition of sacrificing a bull during a healing ritual: after the bull was killed, they would cut down a sprig of mistletoe and make a drink with it. The drink was supposed to act as an antidote to any poison and impart fertility. Another similar tradition is tauroctony, the killing of the “astral bull” in the cult of Mithras, to usher in power. In Irish tradition, two extremely fertile bulls, Finnbhennach and Donn Cuailnge were the subject of a big battle featuring the hero Cú Chulainn. In the end, one of the bulls was killed and the other mortally wounded.

In the Ancient Greek pantheon, the Bull was associated with love and lust. It was the form Zeus took in order to seduce Europa, a Phoenician princess he became infatuated with. To hide his affair from his wife Hera, Zeus transformed himself into a white, gentle bull — and approached Europa while she was gathering flowers at the garden. Europa climbed on the bull’s back and suddenly, the seemingly meek animal started galloping towards the sea. The bull swam all the way to the island of Crete with Europa on his back, upon the shores of which Zeus revealed his true form and took Europa as his mate. From their illegitimate union, a child was born: Minos, the king of Crete, who ushered in the Minoan civilization. As for Europa, legend has it that to honor her, Zeus named the whole “mainland north of Africa” (aka the continent we now know as Europe) after her.

The story though doesn't end here. When Minos became of age and got married, the god Poseidon gave him a white bull as a gift, to symbolize the fact that the Minoan kingdom was blessed. But Minos' wife Pasiphae had angered Aphrodite, who cursed the queen to fall madly in love with the bull. Unable to resist, Pasiphae mated with the bull — and gave birth to the famous Minotaur, a beast who was half man, half bull. With the help of inventor Daedalus, the Labyrinth was built to keep the Minotaur imprisoned.

This connection of the Bull with the goddess Aphrodite, is depicted to this day by the fact that the ruling planet of the Taurus constellation is Venus.

Beltane: The Sabbat of the Bull?

“When the wheel begins to turn, soon the Beltane fires will burn.” That verse from our Wiccan Rede illustrates the fiery nature of this Sabbat. The word itself comes from an Old Irish version of the word for “balefire” and is related to many words that refer to ashes and fire. Bel, a Celtic Sun God is also associated with Beltane (although it’s not certain the Sabbat took its name after that deity). During Beltane, both our actual and metaphorical fires will be burning. We are called to jump over a fire to kickstart the new phase of the Wheel, but also to further our creative goals, like any good Taurus would.

The figure of the Bull is not directly depicted in any Beltane symbols or rituals — apart from one. During this time of the year, our ancestors would traditionally make their cattle walk between fires, to make them fertile and healthy. And although today the connection of Beltane with the Bull is not that prominent, it’s exactly this celebration of fertility and passion that makes this season the season of the bull. The season of Taurus.