While Aries symbolizes the sprouting seeds of spirituality, Taurus symbolizes establishing the root system which will nourish them.

Astrologically, Taurus represents the “real world” where practical issues – like food and water – must be faced. This does not mean, however, that Taurus is slow witted or dull. Indeed Taurus’ ruler is Venus – the brilliant morning and evening star – which, according to the Ptolemy, “is the preeminent cause of abundance, good yields, and profit. ”

But success takes hard work and patience and it is only with the steadfast, loyal perseverance of Taurus that we can ever reach the stars for which we set out in Aries.

Yet all will not be well if–as so often is the case with Taurus–we become too enamored with the pleasures of the material world.

Buddhism,  which emphasizes the detachment and eventual elimination of desire offers one way of dealing with  the problem. Indeed Buddhism is strongly connected with Taurus as both the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha are celebrated at the time of the May full moon when the sun is in Taurus.

Likewise, for the Christian mystic, the material world is neither to be worshiped nor despised as a distraction.   Instead, it must be recognized as our only vehicle to enlightenment (Teilhard de Chardin, The Divine Milieu, Harper and Row, New York, 1968.)

To avoid choking in the weeds of the ‘real world’, Taurus should remember that spiritual growth doesn’t come by concentrating on its cultivation. The more she can forget herself  (i.e. forget self-conscious spiritual development or the accumulation of material goods), the more lively her spiritual growth.

Just as a seed grows while the farmer sleeps, so the spirituality of Taurus increases by simply going about the business of daily living.