Mercury transits Taurus from April 14 – 30
Click here to learn about Mercury. Click here to learn about Taurus.
Mercury transits to fixed earth Taurus after burning through Aries for the last couple weeks. In speech, writing and self-presentation, we are now decidedly matter-of-fact. Mercury in Taurus is slow yet self-assured, serious yet practical. Those born with Mercury in Taurus sound confident even when they’re not. When Mercury the Messenger rides the bull, we’re quick to make humorously bold statements that may or may not be true. Our style of communication is now gloriously straightforward, convincing and assertive.
Harnessing the power of defiance
Mercury, ruler of mental processes, lover of to-do lists, calendars, letters, media, schedules – everything that rolls us forward in the societal sense of linear progression. This is why Mercury transits are, in my opinion, a fine occasion to set some goals. You will have the most success now with goals that are defiant in nature. Mercury in Taurus is combative and obstinate; the bull is mighty when she is determined and well-known for her perseverance and capacity to sustain. Although it definitely doesn’t happen quickly, following things through to completion gives the bull deep satisfaction. We are encouraged now to be concise, so get to the point or get out!
It is easy now to become frustrated with others. When listening to “the facts,” you may be wont to ask impatiently: well, what makes you so sure? Mercury in Taurus can be too complacent or, on the other hand, unnecessarily argumentative if imbalanced. Imagine the bull’s horns goring the present moment: potentially refreshing and poignant, or maybe just unreasonably severe. It is important to remember that Mercury in Taurus is ultimately kind of silly. Sometimes the bull spouts off in jest or says something inflammatory just to amuse herself. But if you need to “get the job done” and communicate how you’re feeling about something, now is the perfect time to do so candidly and powerfully. Mercury in Taurus speaks with conviction, no fear or insecurity. Ask yourself: how can I be more real and upfront in the way that I communicate, or in the way I handle the day-to-day logistics of life? Taurus lives in the basics. When in doubt, keep it simple.
Rejecting surface image
You may recall that Mercury transited the bull’s opposite sign (Scorpio) at the end of September 2014. Any themes that predominated then will now resurface. Mercury in Scorpio is even more intense. Scorpio energy almost feels sharp, whereas the bull is rather soft and yielding if you catch her in a good mood. Neither Taurus nor Scorpio are interested in small talk; conversations run deep as there is a strong urge to get to the root of things. As with Mercury in Scorpio, we are now very direct and perhaps even a bit judgmental.
The balanced bull is minimalist and essentialist, effectively rejecting dependence upon material comforts and luxuries. The bull and scorpion are both very interested in eliminating what is not important so as to better see what is. Some Taureans feel uncomfortable with spirituality as a way of life because it is so difficult for them to ground in the unknown, whereas Mercury in Scorpio courageously explores topics such as metaphysics, taboos, occultism, sex, deep space and transcendentalism, among other things. Our greatest challenge now is to emulate the scorpion and discover what lies beneath the surface.
When balanced, Mercury in Taurus actually has quite a sunny disposition. The bull is content as long as her surroundings are peaceful, at least in appearance. We are less interested now in grasping the true essence of life and more so in implementing and maintaining peace. Mercury in Taurus doesn’t like complication or complexity, so we have to push now for greater depth. Whereas Mercury in Scorpio draws power from our intuition and capacity for empathy, Mercury in Taurus struggles to see past the raw physical details of external reality. The scorpion can’t help but probe others for insight and understanding. Mercury in Taurus is pragmatic, but this is still a rather odd placement; in his natural habitat, Mercury moves quickly and freely, rarely dwelling or lingering. The imbalanced bull may be slightly obsessive or harsh, but Mercury in Taurus is light and comfortable when balanced. Rather than break your head trying to attain conscious awareness, focus on the nuts and bolts of daily life. The bull teaches the scorpion that once we have some level of control over our bodies and manifest reality, transformation follows suit.
Although Taureans are not always intellects at heart, they possess a certain earthy charm that is hard to resist. The bull loves to engage in long, meaningful conversations. Mercury in Taurus is unabashedly sensual and passionate, but not particularly emotional or profound. This is not to say that all Taureans are simple beasts, just that this transit is not really one in which you will have to confront issues that have been lurking undetected. The bull is well equipped to handle arduous and elaborate missions so as long as they have some basis in the terrestrial scape perceived by the senses. Balanced Mercury in Taurus seeks and desires nothing, he just sinks into the earth with a big happy sigh. So just be, enjoy this clarity which will allow you to easily see past what is superfluous. Prepare to become delightfully in tune with your instincts and physical body. When imbalanced, we might be intransigent or unforgiving. Stirring things up just for the sake of “making things interesting” is not so far-fetched now; understand that the bull moves at a glacial pace because she needs time to choose her words carefully.
I was born with Mercury in Taurus, so these next two weeks will be a Mercury Return for me. More on that later! To ascertain your personal Mercury sign, click here. To learn more about how this transit affects you personally, please contact me for more insight.
Mantra: my home is within