I’ve been doing CrossFit for the past year. Any time we have a “WOD” (Workout Of the Day) that is scored based on time to finish, it’s a good bet that I’ll be the last one to finish.
I’d like to blame it on the early morning hour at which I generally do CrossFit.
5:30 am is not my ideal time to exercise.
You can train yourself to get up early, but you can’t change your chronotype. Although I’ve been getting up early to workout for the past decade, I move slowly in the morning.
In fairness, I’m not much faster at other times of day.
On the other hand, I’ve noticed that in workouts where we do multiple rounds of the same movements, I tend to improve with each set. When others are fading, I’m just hitting my stride.
And, as much as it’s a good bet that I’ll be the last to finish, it’s an equally good bet that long after my peers have left the gym, I’ll still be there, working on my technique and skills or doing a complete second workout.
In the immediate aftermath of a workout I may collapse on the ground, convinced that I’ll never move again. But after a short break to recover, refuel, and do some work, I rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes, ready for another round.
If I fail a big lift, I’ll keep coming back for more attempts until someone stops me or my body simply gives out.
No matter the context, I rarely launch right in. I need a wind-up, a lead-in, a moment.
Archetypal Taurus Energy
My rhythms are archetypal Taurus:
Slow to start.
Methodical.
Lingering in transitions.
Persistent.
Enduring.
Long after others have given up or packed it in, I’m still going.
I have “a slow burn.”
At times I may appear to quit, but I don’t give up or give in that easily.
What others mistake for laziness is often more aptly described as efficiency. I don’t like to waste energy on what’s not necessary.
What others mistake for stubbornness can also be viewed as persistence or endurance.
The Archetypal Degree of Taurus
It’s not just that I was born in Taurus season.
When I was born, the Sun was at 15º41’ of Taurus.
There’s Taurus, and then there’s 15° Taurus.
15° of Taurus is the archetypal degree of this fixed earth sign.
What makes it so archetypal? We’ll explore this in upcoming essays.
15° Taurus is a Hot Spot in 2023
We may be in the heart of Virgo season, but the 15º mark of Taurus is pulling our focus this week.
On September 4, Mercury retrograde in formed a trine to Jupiter at 15º34’ Taurus before stationing retrograde at 15º35’ Taurus.
Today, the Sun will trine Jupiter at 15º33’ Taurus.
And it’s not just this week.
The 15º mark of Taurus been a hot spot of significant astrological aspects in 2023, and will be relevant through the end of the year.
- In April, Mercury stationed retrograde at 15º38’ Taurus. It retrograded back to 5°51’ Taurus — notably the same path to the same degree that Jupiter will take in its retrograde.
Whatever story emerged during Mercury’s retrograde through Taurus is likely to resurface during Jupiter’s retrograde.
- On May 5, the full moon lunar eclipse in Scorpio was opposed the Sun at 14°58’ Taurus. Not quite at the 15° mark, but close enough to count.
- On August 22, Taurus’ ruler Venus, retrograde in Leo, formed a square to Jupiter at 15°18’ Taurus.
- On September 17, Venus, now direct in Leo, will form another square to Jupiter, again at 15°18’ Taurus.
- And let’s not forget about Uranus. The planet of revolution and unexpected changes has been slowly transiting Taurus since early 2019. It has spent longer at 15º Taurus than it has or will spend at any other degree of the sign.
Yes, I checked this.
When the planet of change and revolution is conjunct your natal Sun at the most fixed degree of the zodiac, you get curious about how long the torture is going to last.
Life is about noticing and decoding patterns.
That’s a lot of activity to happen at a specific degree of the zodiac in one year.
For me, and for anyone else born with the Sun at 15º Taurus, these aspects are personal. This astrology is also landing personally for anyone with planets at 15º Taurus or the other fixed signs.
Why should you care about this?
Even if you don’t have planets at the 15º mark of Taurus or fixed signs, understanding this energy is helpful to decoding the messages of the moment.
The degree at which a planet stations retrograde shapes the story and energy of the retrograde.
Because Jupiter stationed retrograde at 15º35’ Taurus, this degree will dictate the energy of Jupiter’s retrograde for the next four months.
If you feel the energy, it’s helpful to know what you’re in for.
What might this mean, how might it impact us, and what’s the message here?
That’s what we’ll explore in upcoming essays.
In typical Taurus fashion, this will be a slow unfolding.
Do you have planets at 15º Taurus?
If you have planets at 15º Taurus or the other fixed signs (Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), I’d love to hear from you. I’m forming a community for us to support each other and share experiences.
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