New Moon in Taurus
Harness the Creative Power of the Heavenly Bull
By Abbey Quinn | abbey@siderealinternational.org
Taurus: The Bull of Heaven
To the Mesopotamians, Taurus was Gugalanna (MULGU4.(GAL)AN.NA 𒀯𒄞(𒃲)𒀭𒈾 Bull of Heaven/An) Bull of Heaven, or Bull of An, the supreme celestial creator deity. He was a benevolent servant of the creator, and intimately connected with heaven, fertility, and creativity. While the Mesopotamians didn’t have clear-cut planetary rulers, he was primarily associated with Mercury, a planet of creativity, justice, and cognitive endeavors. He had a secondary association with Venus, which can be observed in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
The goddess embodied in Venus was Inanna (dINANNA 𒀭𒈹 Inanna). When the Sumerian king Gilgamesh rejected her proposal, she demanded An (AN 𒀭 An) lend her his heavenly bull, that she might take him down to earth and wreak havoc on Gilgamesh’s city of Uruk (UNUGKI 𒀕𒆠). He obliged her, but only after she threatened to unleash the demons and spirits of the dead from the underworld.
She led him down by the halter, and being a massive wild ox, he created earthquakes with each stomp, and dug out canyons by pawing the ground. He drank consumed all the vegetation and drank all the rivers dry. Of course, he did all of this, not out of cruelty or malice, but because he was both a giant celestial cow, and a servant of a higher spiritual power.
Unfortunately, Gugalanna was slain, bringing in another element of sacrifice. But even in his death, his meat and hide were put to use by the people of Uruk.
Harness the Ancient Power of Taurus
In the earliest Mesopotamian period, the Bull of Heaven was the first constellation of the zodiac. All of the creative, initiating powers associated with modern day Aries would have been associated with Taurus. In fact, Taurus was a creative power; a fecund bull, fertilizing the land via rains and floods.
In the Mesopotamian system, this is the energy that permeates this lunar month: fertility, creativity, cognitive activity, service, devotion, and self-sacrifice. For thousands of years, the Bull of Heaven dominated the spring skies; its creative energy almost certainly playing a role in the reestablishment of civilization after the end of the last ice age.
Like Inanna, you can harness the divine power of the celestial bull! This month is a perfect time to engage in intellectual pursuits; to push yourself a little harder when it comes to your creative endeavors. It’s a time to consume and process new information, and transform it into something useful. But more than anything, the Bull of Heaven calls on you to recognize your connection to the supreme creative source; to tune into your intuition and allow your spirit to guide you on your spiritual path.
About the Author
Abbey Quinn is a Mesopotamian Astrologer specializing in Sumerian Astrology, and co-founder of the International Sidereal Astrology Association. In addition to providing ancient sidereal astrology readings, she teaches ancient astrology and the Sumerian Language, and hosts a weekly YouTube livestream with Niki Tennessen.
Website: SumerianAstrology.com | YouTube @SumerianAstrology
I love reading about the Babylonian meanings of the stars. It also reminds me of what you said about the Aries constellation and how it belonged to the back half of the Bull at one time. I will say that from personal experience in long relationships with two Aries risings (not at the same time, ha!) that is a true statement. It makes me feel as if we need to bring back the old view and interpretation of the constellation.