Taurus (Latin for "bull") is the second astrological sign of the zodiac, spanning 30° to 60° of celestial longitude. Its glyph, a stylized bull's head, directly evokes the animal's strength, stubbornness, and generative power. In the Western esoteric tradition, Taurus is classified as a fixed earth sign, ruled by Venus, and is associated with the element of Earth in its most stable and fertile aspect.

Position on the Tree of Life

Taurus corresponds to the 16th path on the Tree of Life, the path of the Hebrew letter Heh (ה). This path connects Chokmah (Wisdom, the second Sephirah) to Binah (Understanding, the third Sephirah). The Heh, meaning "window," symbolizes the aperture through which the raw creative force of Chokmah is received and shaped into the structured form of Binah. This placement underscores Taurus's role as a channel for materializing spiritual energy into concrete reality.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Astrologically, Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and value. This rulership tempers the bull's brute force with a sensual appreciation for the physical world. The sign is associated with the second house of the horoscope, governing possessions, resources, and self-worth. Its fixed modality grants persistence and resistance to change, while its earth element grounds it in practicality and sensory experience. In the zodiac, Taurus is the nocturnal house of Venus and is exalted by the Moon, further emphasizing its connection to fertility, growth, and the rhythms of nature.

Historical context

The bull has been a sacred symbol across ancient cultures long before its codification in Western astrology. In Sumerian mythology, the Bull of Heaven (Gugalanna) appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh, sent by the goddess Ishtar to punish the hero. In Egypt, the Apis bull was worshipped as a living incarnation of the god Ptah, and later associated with Osiris, embodying strength, virility, and the life-giving Nile flood. The Minoan civilization of Crete centered its religious practices on the bull, most famously in the ritual of bull-leaping depicted in frescoes at Knossos. The Greek myth of the Cretan Bull, captured by Heracles as his seventh labor, further cemented the bull's association with untamed earthly power.

In the Hellenistic period, Taurus was identified with the goddess Europa, whom Zeus abducted in the form of a white bull. The constellation Taurus itself contains the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters, both linked to agricultural cycles and rain in ancient Greek and Roman lore. The 1st-century astrologer Claudius Ptolemy, in his Tetrabiblos, described Taurus as a "feminine" and "nocturnal" sign, associated with the voice, throat, and neck, and with occupations involving agriculture, building, and music.

In the Hermetic and Qabalistic traditions synthesized by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Taurus was assigned to the 16th path of the Tree of Life. The 777 system of Aleister Crowley further codifies this correspondence, linking Taurus to the Tarot trump "The Hierophant" (Atu V), which represents spiritual authority and the transmission of esoteric doctrine. The Hebrew letter Heh, with its numerical value of 5, also connects to the five senses, reinforcing Taurus's dominion over the material and sensory realms.

In Liber 777

In Crowley's Liber 777, the row for Taurus (Path 16) lists its correspondences across multiple columns. The English of Column VI, the primary reference for this page, provides the name of the subject itself: Taurus. This single entry anchors the entire row, serving as the fixed point from which all other correspondences—gods, plants, stones, perfumes, and magical images—derive their meaning within the Qabalistic framework.