Taurus in the court cards

King of Pentacles (trimmed):
© Universal Rider-Waite Tarot

Our final foray into Taurus in the tarot – Taurus in the court cards. Again, we have the question – which court card?  Many decks follow the Golden Dawn system, where the fixed signs are assigned to the Kings.  This gives us the King of Pentacles – with the bull being represented quite clearly on the throne in the Universal Rider-Waite deck, for example. This King looks comfortable – he’s achieved what he’s set out to do and is surrounded by what he’s achieved.  Very down-to-earth, practical achievements, as befits a Taurean King – accomplished through hard work, determination, and tenacity.

Prince of Disks (trimmed):
© Thoth Tarot

 The Thoth deck follows this convention, although there are no Kings in this deck, just to confuse things.  In the Thoth hierarchy, the Prince is at the top of the heap, so it’s the Prince of Disks who’s linked to Taurus.  The bull pulls the chariot in this image, steady, reliable, head down – nothing will stop him in his determination to reach his destination or goal.  Perseverance and patience. The Prince’s nakedness here also represents that straightforwardness, as well as openness and honesty.Behind the chariot we see flowers, while the chariot itself is full of fruit; both represent the abundance of the Earth. Perhaps even the blossoms of spring, in the northern hemisphere at least!

Queen of Pentacles (trimmed):
  © Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

Juliet Sharman-Burke, in her Beginner's Guide to the Tarot, assigns the Queens to the fixed signs, on the principle that Kings order things, Queens maintain, and Knights disseminate. So for Taurus, we have the Queen of Pentacles. Again, we see bulls’ heads on her throne.  Venus, the ruler of Taurus, is represented by the roses – symbols of love, youth and beauty. Taurus is often said to be the sign of the farmer and the gardener; well, we see plenty of evidence of nature’s abundance and the labour that’s gone into growing and nurturing it here.  The Queen of Pentacles in this deck is very connected to the earthy reality of Taurus – she’s maintaining what’s been started by the cardinal energy of Aries, and enjoying the fruits of her labour as only Taurus can!

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Taurus in the Minor Arcana: The Seven of Pentacles

The Seven of Pentacles, in the astrological correspondence system I follow, is linked to Saturn in Taurus - and to the final ten days of this sign.   

Let’s start by looking at what qualities Saturn brings to Taurus. Saturn is about establishing and preserving, as well as about having integrity.  In Taurus, that integrity could grow out of a sense of loyalty or reliability, or perhaps through building (Taurus) or establishing (Saturn) a safe and secure base – one that provides a sense of stability.  Saturn can also be about traditional values, as can Taurus (through its association with the Second House), as well as preserving the status quo, perhaps in order to maintain some sort of approval or recognition within a social context.   There can be a tendency towards conservatism in this combination, as well as that Taurean stubbornness (I like to call it tenacity!), linked to a Saturnian fear of not being in control.  Saturn wants to achieve but Taurus can slow things down, and at its worst could impede progress by not only stubbornness but also laziness.  At its best, progress is slow but sure; it’s steady, and often self-reliant.

Seven of Pentacles (trimmed):
© Sharman-Caselli Tarot

But how does this fit with the Seven of Pentacles? This card is often linked to the need to make a decision, depicted by the man on the edge of two fields – one with a well-established crop, one lying fallow, or less developed.  It’s about the choice between the familiar, the established, the ‘tried and tested’ – all very Saturnian – and the promise of something new.  Taurus is represented by the idea of the crops; an achievement on one hand, something that’s required hard work, and on the other, the fertility (symbolized by the rabbit) of the yet-to-be-used soil.  As Juliet Sharman-Burke says in her Beginner's Guide to the Tarot, there’s no judgement here, merely an indication that this is a good time to weigh things up – that we have choices. We can stick with what we know, or branch out.

Seven of Pentacles (trimmed):
© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes’ version of this card gives that sense too. I like the phrase given in the LWB: “a calm moment of consideration of alternative and different approaches”.  It’s all about choice – the Devil (Saturn rules Capricorn, the sign associated with The Devil card) you know or the Devil you don’t?! The emphasis is on the fact that the fruit on the trees are things that the figure has planted and nurtured – that this is all of her own making.  She can appreciate what’s she’s achieved through hard work (Saturn in Taurus), and choose what to do with it. 

Seven of Disks (trimmed):
© Thoth Tarot

Whereas many other decks show a more Taurean image, in terms of the earthy colours and the rural or agricultural scene, the illustrator of the Thoth deck, Lady Frieda Harris, has chosen much darker colours, drawing on the feelings of restriction perhaps that have been associated with Saturn.  The word that Crowley chose for the card is ‘failure’, which can sound very harsh and depressing.   I feel, however (as with many of the cards in this deck) that it’s coming from the other direction but still bringing us to the same point.   Here we have fear of failing – if we stick to what we know, we’re safe.  Very Saturn in Taurus!  But notice the peacock-feather effect of the background – this reminds us that fear, doubt, anxiety, and worry are all in the mind (birds and feathers being symbols of Air, and hence to mental processes).  We may run the risk of limiting ourselves to old, tried-and-tested ways of doing things (Saturn again), fearing to take a chance and exposing ourselves to something new.  But what if we do some very Saturn-in-Taurus hard work and find a way to accept and let go of those negative thoughts? By doing so, we free ourselves from any restrictions and can choose which direction to go.

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

The Beginner's Guide to the  Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Thoth Tarot, created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. Published by US Games Systems Inc.

Taurus in the Minor Arcana: The Six of Pentacles

Today we move on to the Six of Pentacles, which - in the system I use - is linked to the Moon in Taurus, and to the middle ten days of this sign. 

Six of Pentacles (trimmed):
© Sharman-Caselli Tarot

Taurus is the fixed Earth sign, so Taurus will want to maintain personal resources in a practical, down-to-earth way. Those resources include anything that gives us a sense of security or stability – so this covers financial matters, material concerns, issues around health and well-being...whatever it takes to make us feel safe and comfortable.

And to help with that, we have the Moon in Taurus. Now, in astrology, the Moon is said to be exalted in Taurus – it feels very comfortable here, even though this isn’t the sign it rules.  The Moon rules Cancer, and is associated with intuition, instinct, feelings (Cancer being a Water sign), as well as protecting and nurturing.  The Moon is about what we need, as opposed to what we want – and it represents our automatic or instinctive responses to things on an emotional level.  In Taurus, that automatic response may not be as speedy as it would be in Aries, for instance, but it’s there – it’s grounded, connected to the earth and nature. It’s patient, willing to wait, to be still.  And of course, the physical sensations that accompany feelings – the ‘gut’ instinct, for example, or the need to be in physical contact (touch) – is very much a part of this.

Six of Pentacles (trimmed):
© Druid Craft Tarot

In the Six of Pentacles, we can see the Moon in Taurus in the generosity and sharing of our personal resources with others in need.  The sharing is unconditional, almost unthinking – the instinct to help and care and share comes naturally.  There’s plenty of symbolism in the images used for this card, regardless of deck, to illustrate the attributes of Taurus: the stone arch representing stability, the vine leaves – earth’s bounty, the distant castle – good fortune and wealth. 

The Moon’s contribution is perhaps more subtle, but I see it in the scales – weighing up what’s needed and sharing that, as well as weighing up what we have and can afford to give.  

Six of Pentacles (trimmed):
  © Shadowscapes Tarot

No scales in the Shadowscapes’ or the Druid Craft’s version, but there is a sense of harmony and potential for growth through the giving and receiving - in the Shadowscapes, as the coins or pentacles – the treasure – falls to the ground, where it can start to grow into something new (as depicted by the new shoot emerging from the ground).  It may not necessarily be money or material help that we can give and receive – it could also be emotional or spiritual assistance.  And of course, the Moon also reminds us that what we want isn’t necessarily what we need!

DruidCraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

The Beginner's Guide to the  Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Fertility and abundance - The Empress

Fertility and abundance - perfect Beltane topics!

The Empress has an astrological link to Taurus through its ruler, Venus.  Venus is probably best known to us as one of the great lovers in Roman mythology, along with Mars (Aphrodite and Ares in the Greek pantheon). In astrology, the planet has become associated with love and relationships.  It also, by extension, reflects our tastes – what we find beautiful or attractive, or pleasurable. Venus rules Libra, the Airy sign seeking peaceful and harmonious partnership.

The Lady (trimmed):
© Druid Craft Tarot

Our relationship to the more material side comes through Taurus, the Earthy, sensuous sign.  Here our relationship to money and ownership, for instance, comes through. It also reflects our relationship to the Earth itself.

The Empress symbolizes natural, earthy creativity. The earthiness of Taurus brings fertility into the mix, so in The Empress we have the heat and passion of Venus and the nurturing of creativity.  She’s often depicted as a pregnant woman, basking in nature and in the element of Earth, reflecting the idea of fertility and motherhood.  Sometimes a waterfall flowing into a river is present in the image, represents the union of female and male in procreation. Creating life is not the only possibility, of course, but it’s such a wonderful metaphor for the birth of any new creative process.

The Hierophant (trimmed):
©Beginner's Guide to the Tarot

Venus, representing the principle of attraction, brings passion and love to the process, be it a new relationship or a new creative project.  That unconditional love, particularly of a mother, is seen in the Thoth’s version of the card – a pelican feeding its young with its own blood. The Empress not only gives birth but also nurtures its creation through to maturity.

Sometimes we see a Horn of Plenty, or cornucopia, representing abundance – a very Venusian-Taurean concept. Venus’ rulership of Taurus reflects the sense of stability and contentment through being comfortable physically – and through bringing something to fruition.  

DruidCraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

The Beginner's Guide to Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections