From April 20th to May 20th, we are under the influence of Taurus - the second sign of the zodiac and it is often considered the most sensual.
I find it interesting that the date for International Mother Earth Day (22nd April), is just two days into Taurus season. Considering that the archetype often assigned to Taurus is Mother Earth, it is not surprising that they share rose absolute as the heart and soul of both our Taurus and Mother Earth blend. However the two blends do smell quite different!
Individuals whose sign is Taurus view beauty as necessity and pleasure as their birthright. My dilemma is I am a true Capricorn, and while I love the Capricorn blend, I cannot explain why I am so captivated by the Taurus blend, especially when my moon sign is cancer and my rising sign is Aries. I am in love with the aroma of Taurus blend, and without a doubt it is my favourite zodiac blend.
Virtues and the Zodiacs
Robert Sardello, in his book The Power of Soul: Living the Twelve Virtues, lists twelve virtues that nourish the soul. He describes virtues as aspects of the ‘soul’ that are primarily concerned with meditating our emotional life. He suggests that living the virtues can be imagined as developing the art of the soul.
The dictionary defines virtue as a commendable quality or a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person. He also explains that these virtues are the means through which we serve the soul and spirit of other human beings.
He suggests that virtues are an inner quality that once we become aware of them and seek to strengthen them through practice, can be brought into behaviours that influence others.
He suggests taking an archetypal approach to virtues and compares the twelve zodiac signs with twelve virtues. He says we should think of the virtues as twelve stages of development. Virtues educate our emotions and feelings, and that takes not only practice but repetition.
He makes the following correlation between the zodiac constellations and the virtues:
• Aries – devotion
• Taurus – balance
• Gemini – faithfulness
• Cancer – selflessness
• Leo – compassion
• Virgo – courtesy
• Libra – equanimity
• Scorpio – patience
• Sagittarius – truth
• Capricorn – courage
• Aquarius – discernment
• Pisces – love
He refers to theological virtues such as faith, hope and charity and cardinal virtues such as prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude; however, he refers to the twelve virtues listed above as spiritual virtues.
The twelve virtues relate to how we engage in the practice of finding our ongoing connections with spiritual reality in practical activities of daily life.
I have contemplated the virtues that he has assigned to each of the zodiac signs and I can see how they embody the archetypal energies associated with each sign. As he suggests we need to draw on the strength of each virtue at different stages of our life, whenever we are dealing with the everyday challenges that life brings to our doorstep. I am indeed hoping for balance in my life so it is not surprising that I am so intensely drawn to Taurus blend.
Taurus and the Virtue of Balance
Sardello states in order to experience the virtue of balance we must be moving towards the future in a soulful and spiritual way. Balance also refers to the relationship of the efforts we bring to a situation in order to influence it. It is not surprising that disorders of balance often appear when we find ourselves in a situation where when we experience resistance or apathy and are unable to act at all.
Furthermore, Sardello states that developing the virtue of balance involves moving from the constant oscillations of mental life into the rhythmic movement of the feeling life, which is centered in the realm of the heart. No wonder rose is so important in the taurus blend as it plays such a powerful role in balancing the heart.
I found Sardello’s approach of assigning a virtue to each of the zodiac a very powerful and useful tool for intuitively choosing a zodiac blend, not just because it is our star sign but because we need to draw on the strength of that virtue.
The Taurus blend with rose absolute, geranium and lavender just to name a few, perfectly embodies the virtues associated with balance.
Whatever star sign you may be, if you need to bring the virtue of balance into your life, you will enjoy Taurus blend.
Salvatore Battaglia
Aromatherapist & Founder of Perfect Potion
