Mercury is currently in its shadow phase in Taurus, slowing towards its station retrograde on 6 May at 1+° Gemini before retrograding back to 22+° Taurus on 30 May.

Taurus gives an earthy stability to Mercury’s communications process, imbuing its usual freneticism with a measure of certainty and deliberation. Where the earth energy of Mercury in Capricorn is expressed by imbuing ideas with authority and organisation, in Taurus Mercurial processes can take on a practical, if not physically sensual, turn. This is Stephen Arroyo’s delineation:

  • Communicates carefully, making sure of each word before saying it; slow expression of one’s thoughts
  • A need to learn slowly and deliberately can limit the variety of one’s perceptions
  • A retentive, steady mind, based on consolidation of ideas; brings ideas down to earth for practical application
  • Urge to express one’s perceptions of physical sensations; tangibly savoring one’s words while speaking
  • The need to establish connections with others is restricted by a reluctance to share self freely and spontaneously (62)

But let’s not forget that the usually-placid bull can dig its heels in quite deep when it is certain of its convictions, and charge quite single-mindedly when provoked.

Reference
Arroyo, Stephen. Chart Interpretation Handbook. Sebastapol, Ca.: CRCS, 1989.

Image: Bull attacks matador. Source: Wikimedia Commons.