Holding Steady

Astrology with Nate: Taurus

Let’s get right into it. Taurus, the bull, seldom needs an introduction. This is a big animal, an earthly creature, standing strong with four feet on the floor, forever grazing and foraging ahead. The Taurus will not sneak up on you, it’s not in their nature but they will charge at you out of fear or love or maybe just because you didn’t give them enough space.

I have a natural admiration for the Taurus. In my life I have always admired the steadfast nature of those with a strong Taurus placement. They can be your rock, one that can stand strong through many adverse situations, they can weather the storm. They are ready to go whenever there is a beck and call, or is it buck? They can carry a heavy load with ease, they can spend the day traversing dry barren land eating what little grows only to find water in the runoff of a mountain spring or at the low point of the valley. Their pace is steady, to those who move quickly they may appear slow or lazy, but even when moving slow they are inevitably aware and more cautious of their surroundings. While they can run with the rest of them, they are in no hurry as they examine and explore the land they travel over.

The bull tends to have a love affair with food, although I might say that Taurus has a love affair with grazing, which may have a more philosophical level to it. These creatures can consume, they are big and need a lot of whatever they’re fond of around. Many a bookworm I’ve known has a Taurus placement, they always got something queued up or are starting something before they finish the other. Their appetite never seems quite satisfied as they are always learning, always taking something new in, even if they don’t like it, they’ll try it on just so they can comment on the taste. The bull with its deeply complex digestion system can handle a lot coming in.

Taurus likes to feel like part of a team. These are not loner creatures, they love to go out and carry on with all of their friends. They get along and work in groups just fine because they love being a part of the herd. Anyone who’s worked with a Taurus or played on a team with a Taurus is probably going to enjoy the camaraderie they espouse in any given situation. They will carry the extra weight, they will walk the extra mile and do so quietly or very very loudly if they don’t feel like they are being acknowledged for their contribution. They can get stubborn and stick their hoofs in the ground, but seldom do this for the wrong reasons. A big creature must be sure footed, no cow likes to be tipped.

Let’s get down to the hardest working man in show business, the true legend James Brown. As a Taurus Sun and Leo Moon he was made for an incredible show of music and dance. While the Taurus may show some reluctance to be a lead, Leo is the natural born king of the jungle, ready to lead all of creation into an all out attack. It’s hard to recreate the sheer force that Brown brought to his music, he brought his attitude front and center. Cloaked in an amazing red sequin cape, when the red drops, the show is on. He charges the stage, he owns it, he steps from left to right, a sort of musical dust cloud only exasperated by the organised chaos of his incredibly tight backing band the Famous Flames. Brown ruled his band with an iron fist because he the bull needed to make sure every step was as sure as the last, a bull at full speed cannot lose a step. Brown also knew how to slow down and let a ballad take over, not so quick to not admire what was right in front of him. Here he is taking an intro like only he could performing “Out of Sight” on the TAMI show, hard to miss this bull on a charge, just pure unadulterated energy.

James Brown Out of Sight

Another incredible tour de force of the stage Iggy Pop, not only a Taurus Sun but a Taurus Moon as well. When I first saw Iggy Pop perform at the 2017 Burger Boogaloo he was well into his Senior years and he came running on stage to start the set with “I Wanna Be Your Dog” performing with nerves of steel and zero hesitation and he criss-crossed the stage and connected with his fans. Pop’s undeniably huge presence is something that has been with him forever. The straight ahead onslaught of Pop’s delivery and the way in which he contorts his body feels like a bull charging forward sure footed with zero hesitation. Iggy always kept good company, valued a team and twice worked with a rhythm section of brothers, the Asheton’s and the Sales’s brothers to create some unforgettable music. He has consistently found many collaborators, from Bowie to At the Drive-In to Kesha and everything in between, he has traveled far carving out a huge niche in the music world. Here he is with David Bowie on keys and backing vocals, singing a trail ballad.

Iggy Pop The Passenger

The last powerhouse Taurus I want to talk about is the master Roy Orbison. Orbison, a Taurus sun paired with a Gemini moon, delivers the emotional intensity, with the playfulness of the Gemini that makes it all the more inviting. He is straightforward and you are immediately transported to this landscape where his honest emotion is on display and it creates a profound resonate effect. I think of the song Running Scared, with so few lyrics, his deeply emotive voice creates vivid feelings, open and honest with his heart on his sleeve. There’s no hiding from the bull, they must confront and face the world head on. As the saying goes, you can run but you can’t hide.

Roy Orbison Running Scared

So what more can be said about the Taurus. They are an incredible creature, and if you’ve ever been out in the pasture in the Spring after a heavy rain, you may find that their constant grazing seems to produce the perfect environ for a mushroom, one that might perhaps reaffirm the beauty of simplicity in life.