Taurus: Your Ultimate Guide To Understanding The Zodiac Sign
Whether it's getting lost in the aromatic scents of foreign espresso beans at the local coffee shop, piecing apart the harmonious tones of a smooth Kenny G ensemble, or savoring the buttery notes of an oaked chardonnay from the south of France, everyday life is a rich, sensory-driven journey for those born under the Taurus sun sign. Though this earth sign may prove to be a bit indulgent, it actually remains one of the most stable, clear-headed signs of the zodiac due to its sense of drive and stubborn focus on living a sensible life. In fact, comfort may just be the name of the game for our bull friends.
"Taurus is ruled by Venus — the planet of love, beauty, and pleasure — and as an earth sign, it's connected to appealing to the five senses," astrologer Tamerri Ater-Ntonni tells PopSugar. "High-quality food, textures, music, and atmosphere can be the keys to winning a Taurus's heart." And because they tend to be so practical, achieving the goal of living a life of luxury typically comes naturally to a Taurus; one may make the connection of laziness to such a relaxed, high-maintenance sign, but in all actuality, Taurus are known to work hard just as much as they love to play hard.
So, in light of the true Taurus way, curl up with a cashmere blanket and sip on a Venezuelan dark drinking chocolate as we unravel all of the key elements needed to understand this fixed sign.
The mythology of Taurus
According to EarthSky, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere need to look no further than the early night sky in fall up until spring in order to see the constellation of Taurus. First, locate the constellation Orion, which is distinguished by its hourglass shape and the three stars that create its "belt" in the narrow portion. Because Orion and Taurus are adjacent to each other, simply look next to Orion for the distinctive cluster of stars shaped like a "two-pronged fork," which resembles a bull with horns. This is Taurus. Within the constellation, you'll notice two very bright stars: Aldebaran and Elnath. In fact, Aldebaran is notably the 14th brightest star in the sky.
But what exactly is the story behind this bull-like constellation of stars and how it became known as Taurus? The answer to that can be found rooted in Greek mythology. According to the myth, the Greek god Zeus became infatuated with the princess of Phoenicia, Europa, who was said to be the epitome of all earthly beauty (via GreekMythology.com). Zeus decided to approach Europa in the form of a glistening white bull, and she was mesmerized by the bull's glorious snowy appearance and gem-like horns. After walking over to pet the bull, Europa mounted his back and he too her, in his arms, across the ocean until they reached Crete, where the two eventually had three sons. Zeus, happy with his achievement, placed the image of a bull among the stars.
Taurus personality traits
Taureans — those born between April 20 and May 20 — are not represented by the bull without good reason. Taurus, like a bull, is stubborn, hard-headed, dependable, hardworking, intelligent, relaxed, and sensual. They typically find their grounding in stability and consistency, so they prefer to live life in their personal comfort zones. This persistence is exactly what makes Taurus resilient; there is no challenge that they aren't willing to accept and dive headfirst into. But unlike fellow earth sign Capricorn, Taurus has no problem throwing in the towel after a long day and sinking back into the billowy lap of luxury. In fact, the good life is likely the main priority for the bull.
When it comes to gifts, don't go thinking that the off-brand Beautyblender you saw at Target will suffice; Taurus only wants the real deal — the best of the best. This is likely because they have no interest in fantasy land. For them, it's all about the tangible material world around us. Whether it's food, drinks, sex, shopping, creating, or anything else, they will revere all of these pleasures. Their house will be a reflection of their materialistic tendencies because it's a place where they can truly put together a vision of high standards. In fact, the home is the area where a Taurus' artistic side can come out to play because they're actually undeniably creative. Who knew?
Taurus' ruling planet
According to Ganesha Speaks, Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, which governs everything we know about love, our creative passions, our satisfaction with everything we do in life, the things in which we find beauty, and more. Venus is gentle, soft, and never one of aggression — this trait lies in Mercury. As a matter of fact, without Venus, life would probably be pretty dull. Whenever you savor the sip of a fine wine, bask in the scent of a lovely perfume, or stare at the wonder of an incredible piece of art, you can be positive that the feelings instilled are the result of the effects of Venus.
Much like Taurus, some view Venus as a rather hedonistic planet because it has no particular relation to anything philosophical, deep, or ethical, per Mysticsense. In other words, Venus can sometimes cloud our perspective on whether something is a superficial desire or a true need. So, while Venus is a planet much needed to bring us a sense of relaxation and the occasional vacation from reality that we all need, it's important to note that other planets are responsible for morality, analysis, and facts and data.
Taurus as a fixed sign
Taurus is the earth sign of the fixed modality group. If you're unfamiliar with the modalities, there are three classifications that each of the zodiac signs falls into: mutable, cardinal, and fixed. "The modalities are another way to break down signs and elements," astrologer Lisa Stardust shares with Bustle. "They represent the sign and element's ability to move and evolve with time," she explains, before adding, "Cardinal signs are always moving onto the next project, fixed signs are usually stuck in completing projects, and mutable signs can be uncommitted as a result of their relationship to the modalities."
Because Taurus falls under the fixed category, this means that they are very "rooted" in everything they do, hence their stubborn nature, per The AstroTwins (via MindBodyGreen). This is also where their desire for routine, security, and grounding comes into play. What's more, while cardinal signs kickstart each season with their go-getter energy and mutable signs end each season with preparation for change, fixed signs fall right in the middle of each of the four seasons. What does this mean for Taurus? Notably, it means that they are essentially the "sustainers"; they take all of the ideas and plans curated by the cardinal signs at the beginning of a season and use driving force to pull their weight. Then, they'll keep the task moving in the right direction before handing it off to the mutable signs for polishing.
Taurus in love
Though a Taurus may come across as a person who's always calm and collected, they are actually very sensual and romantic due to Venus' role in this sign. Once they've set their sights on someone new, their persistent and determined ways will stop at nothing to win the prize. In fact, Taurus is known to take this perseverance to the next level and become a bit obsessive over their romantic interests, even though they aren't particularly expressive of emotions. Ultimately, Taureans are searching for stable, reliable, and faithful partners with whom they can share life's fruitful pleasures while also having no shame in bringing them home to their parents.
Furthermore, Tarot.com advises Taurus to break away from their typical routine and spice things up in their love life every now and again. As a fixed sign, Taurus naturally struggles with change and this can trickle over into matters of the heart, but it's important to try and keep the romance alive for the sake of their partner. On the other hand, they may find themselves loyally remaining in unhealthy or toxic relationships just because things feel comfortable and they don't believe they could handle the immense change that follows a breakup. So, if you're a Taurus, be sure to ask yourself if you're devoted to someone out of love or security.
Taurus careers
Sure, Taureans love the finer things in life, but that doesn't mean they expect it all handed to them at no cost. As a matter of fact, Taurus values hard work just as much as they value the benefits that come as a result of it. Because they have so much influence from their ruling planet, Venus, they tend to be particularly lucky when it comes to fortune and money; any career in the finance or economic departments can be a great choice for this practical earth sign.
However, Taurus is so much more than just an analytical mind; their affinity for beautiful things gives them a keen eye for art and creativity, so careers in fashion, food, designing, photography, perfume development, floral designing, and music are perfect for these driven bulls (via Ganesha Speaks). This combination of both an eye for beauty and an intelligent, practical mind gives Taurus an upper hand in terms of career. For instance, creativity allows Taurus to be able to thrive on a lot of independence in the workplace, giving them a great chance at leadership, while their thoroughness gets the job done at maximum quality.
Taurus' weaknesses
A hard fact for many Taurus folk to face is that some of their greatest strengths can also be their greatest weaknesses if used in the wrong way. Even though Taurus has the envious capability of seeing beauty at the core, if they indulge too much in the finer things, they may end up going overboard and become addicted to all things materialistic. As reported by The Healthy Journal, some negative traits of a Taurus include gluttony, stubbornness, possessive qualities, a closed mind, and an unwillingness to accept change. Many of them miss out on amazing opportunities because of the deep fear they have of new things; life being different is what they dread.
What's more, it's very difficult to make a Taurus upset, but when it does happen, their anger can be a force of nature. Because they tend to be perfectionists, they can put too many expectations on their partner before looking inward at their own overly indulgent ways. But just like any other sign in the zodiac, if a Taurus is aware of their own flaws and issues, they can easily make it a priority to work on themselves for the better, even if it may take some hard lessons to desire that change.
Taurus in the bedroom
If you have your eye on a Taurus for a simple one-night stand or fling, Astrotalk recommends thinking again. Being ruled by Venus, the planet of sensuality, means sex is a highly meaningful and spiritual experience for this earth sign; the same way Taurus values good food, they value good sex — along with the "courting" journey it takes to get them into bed. Showering Taurus with gifts, flowers, wining and dining, and chivalry are all things that appeal to the romantic side of the bull, and those sweet nothings whispered during foreplay will go quite the long way.
Once you do get a Taurus into bed? "This isn't whimsical, imaginative sex; this is solid, good sex," Constance Stellas, author of "Sex Signs: Your Perfect Match Is In The Stars," tells Refinery29. Basic, everyday positions like missionary are ideal for Taurus; however, once a Taurus finds their comfort and grounding in a relationship, exploring new things is definitely on the table. "Some people think routine boring, but it's very comfortable to know what's coming — bad pun!" Stellas adds. "If someone says 'let's try something new,' it will take a while to get used to it, but if it works, then great."
Taurus as a friend
Similar to Taurus in a relationship, Taurus as a friend is loyal, trustworthy, and strong. Don't expect a Taurus to just drop you after a fight — these guys are in it for the long run, even through the tough times. Also a sign with a gentle heart, they will be there for you whenever you're in need of a shoulder to cry on. While all the emotional stuff like empathy and advice giving is better left to a sensitive water sign friend, Taurus' persistence to be there for you will have you feeling seen, heard, and loved.
In fact, Taurus is the friend who was probably designing "best friends forever" bracelets as a kid for all their friends, and if it were up to Taurus, that sentiment would hold true. This honorary place doesn't come lightly in a Taurus' life, however. The bull does not trust others lightly and does not let many people in due to a dislike for change and newcomers. They can smell a phony person just as easily as they can smell the warm notes of vanilla in a crème brûlée, so don't try to woo them with fake flattery.
Taurus' compatibility
Just because Taurus is a wonderful friend and lover doesn't mean that they are compatible with anyone. In fact, there are a few signs that mesh beautifully with this earth sign and a few that are better off keeping their distance. For instance, Taurus and Cancer tend to be naturally drawn to the same values like a stable home life and serious partnerships. Fellow earth signs Capricorn and Virgo crave a similar desire for success as Taurus does, so they can have a very mutual understanding of each other. Meanwhile, water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces desire long-term companionship, but can really help balance out the unemotional side of Taurus.
On the other hand, the worst matches for Taurus are generally agreed to be Sagittarius, Gemini, and Aquarius. This is likely because of the stark differences these signs share with Taurus; Taurus is notoriously structured and traditional, while Sagittarius, Gemini, and Aquarius tend to walk to the beat of their own drum and seek adventure and philosophy in life — things Taurus easily can say no thank you to. However, it's important to note that any zodiac sign can make it work as long as there's mutual respect and understanding.
Famous Taureans
Did you ever wonder what the late Queen Elizabeth II and Cher had in common? If you guessed that they were both born under Taurus, you'd be correct. Though these two may seem to be on polar opposite sides of the spectrum, their similarities can be discerned if you look a bit closer. For decades, Cher has handled her name in the spotlight with calm, realistic level-headedness, which has inspired many over the course of her career. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth was able to hold the throne in class and grace with a practical, traditional standpoint that holds true to genuine Taurus nature.
Other famous Taurus celebrities include Lizzo, Adele, Gigi Hadid, and Kelly Clarkson. As a matter of fact, Clarkson has publicly declared her Taurus traits on numerous occasions. On her eponymous daytime talk show, she shared that some of her best attributes are that she's "loyal and down-to-earth." However, she also noted that "On the negative, I am super-duper stubborn. I am a passionate person; I have a temper" (via Today). One thing that's for certain, though, is that being a Taurus certainly may have had its fair share in helping out the stars work their way to the very top of success.