Brad Kronen presents the archived recordings from his “Welcome to the Zodiac“(WTZ) series, a group of 12 introductory lectures originally broadcasted on blogtalkradio.com, each dedicated to one of the 12 signs of the Zodiac. In each show, Brad explains everything you’d ever want or needed to know about those particular residents of that cosmic wheel of the Universe otherwise known as the signs of the Zodiac. Not only are the basic personality traits associated with each sign thoroughly discussed in easy to understand language, Brad also relays detailed aspects to each of the 12 signs of the Zodiac most never knew existed, such as their origin along with the variety of everyday things assigned to them such as a sign’s – tree, flower, spice, animal, foodstuff, dedicated cities throughout the globe, as well as famous personalities born beneath each sign and how their personas reflect the nature of the particular sign each celebrity was born under. Accompanying every WTZ show is a formal announcement which opens with three choice quotes said by three famous personalities born beneath that show’s highlighted sign. The series also has a “WTZ Icon” for every show, an image chosen by Brad which captures each sign’s overall essence, as well as a “WTZ Song”, a piece of music chosen by Brad which he considers to be that sign’s unofficial “anthem”.
So join the renowned astrologer and author of the 21st century guide to astrology and relationships “Love in the Stars” on a journey like no other, as Brad Kronen introduces the basic wonders which form the foundation of one of Mankind’s most ancient studies, better known as Astrology by welcoming you to the Zodiac.
BRAD KRONEN’S
WELCOME TO THE ZODIAC SERIES
Taurus – Placid Pleasantries or Sedentary Stagnation?
blogtalkradio.com Archive
“The body is a sacred garment.” – Martha Graham, Taurus
“M’aam, Do you know how I got these? (displaying all 10 multi-carat diamond ringed fingers to a fan in the audience who can only shake her head in response) Practice. Practice. Practice.” – Liberace, Taurus
“I’m scared to death of being poor. It’s like a fat girl who loses 500 pounds but is always fat inside. I grew up poor and will always feel poor inside.” – Cher, Taurus
Before I say a word, let’s get this one out of the way:
Taurus = Stubborn
Let’s graze further down pasture, shall we?
Taurus is the one sign that for some mysterious reason, has all of its inherent characteristics, be they good or bad, put into a karmic taffy machine, then pulled, twisted and compressed resulting in a condensed blob that simply says “Stubborn”.
As you will repeatedly hear throughout Brad’s “Welcome To The Zodiac” Series, EVERY sign has good and bad traits, it’s what we choose to tap into that makes all the difference. Taurus’ Fixed energy and resistance to change many times results in their unevolved behavior trait of stubborness, but how often do we hear the other dimensions of that sign’s Zodiacal personality such as:
Congeniality, Undaunted Loyalty, or Tireless tenacity, just to name a few?
If we take a helicopter view of said pasture and look at this sign from a societal perspective, Taurus takes a prominent position as it represents that most primal need man has had since time began to seek shelter from the elements as well as the security all of us derive by having material possessions, tangible assets, and what was that last one? O yeah, MONEY!
With Taurus’ key phrase being “I HAVE” ,the steadfast and hearty Bull has always been our symbol of wealth and financial security: from the Biblical worship of the “Golden Calf” to the bull in the china shop commercials of Merrill Lynch, even to describe when the stock market is on an upswing whenever we use the word “Bullish”.
Being ruled by the planet named after the ancient Goddess of Love and Commerce, Venus, “worth” is a key concept for the typical Taurean be it romantic, aesthetic, or financial. But the Goddess of Beauty has her ugly side whenever she weaves a web of comfort and pleasantries up and over the Bull’s Horns. Taurus’ attachment to being all nice and comfy in their cozy home can result in their evolutionary demise. By never experiencing the new, untried, or different from their daily routine, as well as becoming too attached to any of their “things”, the soul of the Bull risks karmic damage by becoming stuck in their stable of sedentary stagnation.
So join me, Won’t you? We’ll finally be having that “Our Thyroids, Our Selves” talk. – Taurus
Brad Kronen’s Welcome to the Zodiac Series Archives – Taurus
Taurus Fun Fact:
As mentioned earlier , building construction and architecture are two areas of life which fall under the sign of the Bull’s domain. This astrological fun fact really hit the bull’s eye in Taurean triple time back in 2009, when Architecture’s most esteemed award, The Pritzger Prize was given to Swiss architect, Peter Zumthor.
To quote the May 29th, 2009 edition of The New Republic:
“Zumthor commands the highest accolades from architects worldwide…. His buildings make poetic use of architecture’s most fundamental materials: translucent and transparent glass, as in his Kunsthaus in Bregenz, Austria; locally quarried stone, as in his stupendous Thermal Baths in Vals, Switzerland; wood, laid in shingles as in his St. Benedict chapel; or used as planar siding, as in the house for his wife, Annalisa.”
Mr. Zumthor just happens to have a bovine birthday of April 26th and when all factors are reviewed through strictly Taurean terms, things get quite bullish to say the least:
Peter Zumthor (Taurus) from Switzerland (a Taurus ruled country) won the highest prize in the field of architecture (Taurus ruled area of life). And that’s no bull (Get it, BULL?)!
Because of its Venusian rulership, the sign of the Bull is associated with the concept of beauty in and throughout the tangible plane. With the Bull’s influence over the tangibly beautiful in mind, Brad created a photo album on his Facebook profile entitled “Taurus – Ancient and Modern Icons“. At the risk of the Taurean viewers going mad cow, Brad thought he would share his favorite image from that album, a Peter Zumthor building located within the celebrated architect’s home cow country of Switzerland.
Brad Kronen’s Facebook Photo Album: Taurus – Ancient and Modern Icons
Welcome to the Zodiac Icon for Taurus: Every sign of the Zodiac has its symbol. Brad has taken things an astrological step further by choosing images which capture each sign’s essence and making them their official “Icon” for his Welcome to the Zodiac series. The icon selected for each sign ranges from the obvious to the esoteric.
Say the word “Taurus”, and most people will conjure up a one-dimensional image as limited as a certain summarizing word of a stubborn nature mentioned earlier – that of a lumbering, slowly blinking bovine who moves so lethargically, one wonders if the animal is on cow queludes.
With that said, the icon I have chosen for the first of the Earth signs dramatically differs from its traditional Taurean trademark – the Pacific Northwest Ballet performing the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” from the holiday classic, “The Nutcracker“.*
Taurus is ruled by the planet named after the goddess of beauty, Venus, and beauty is something every Taurean strives for, be it through their looks, décor, or even choice of romantic partner.
The composer of the most popular ballet ever written, “The Nutcracker”, Petr Ilyich Tchaikowsky, was born a Taurus on May 7th**, 1840. Many don’t realize the great Russian composer was a homosexual and his self-loathing drove him to try taking his life on more than one occasion. One of these attempts reveals how intensely vulnerable the man must have felt when during the harsh Russian winter Tchaikovsky walked naked into the Arctic-like Volga River with the intent of freezing himself to death.
Believed by many to be one of the greatest composers of classical music, Tchaikowsky himself would dismiss any artistic merit attributed to the score he wrote for the ballet “The Nutcracker”. It was just recently while attending a live performance of the ballet during the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” as the Children’s Chorus was singing that I couldn’t help but exclaim: “This music is so………so………PRETTY.”
And so it is.
Being Venus ruled, Tchaikowsky wrote music that was sheer beauty unto itself. It was a natural expression of his Taurean artistry. If only he could have delighted in the music that has become a Christmas tradition as the rest of us do each time the holiday classic is performed year after year.
**It’s no coincidence Johannes Brahms, another composer of “sheer beauty” was a fellow Taurus and interestingly enough shared Tchaikowsky’s birthday of May 7th.
TAURUS’ SONG
Despite being a classically trained opera singer, I’ll be the first to admit – I am not the biggest fan of Richard Wagner, the German guy from whose works all opera jokes involving fat ladies and winged head gear are based upon. Even with that said, there are many aspects to Wagner’s music that I completely relish and one Wagnerian piece in particular happens to be one of my all time favorite pieces of sung music. From his opera entitled “Tannhauser” pronounced “Tahn-HOY-zer”, Elisabeth’s salute, “Dich Teure Halle” in English “I Greet you dear Hall” is the quintessential Taurus theme song.
The first of the Earth signs’ planetary ruler is named after the ancient goddess of beauty and EVERYTHING about this piece is beautiful, especially the orchestral beginning. The piece sweeps you up with buoyant cheer as the female lead character, Elisabeth enters the great Hall of her ancestral home. Those born beneath the sign of the Bull derive the most security from their material possessions and the music reflects Elisabeth’s appreciative marvel as she enters the Hall which also serves as home to her and her family. She greets the Hall, acknowledging the structure as if it were an actual person.
Building construction and Architecture are activities both attributed to the sign of the Bull. A Taurean’s home and possessions give those born beneath this sign a sense of content satisfaction and like Elisabeth they’re ready to face the world upon knowing their things are secure and safe. Richard Wagner would have known this secure contentment first hand given the composer was born on the Taurus/Gemini cusp with his date of birth being May 22.
It was only after choosing this piece that I realized how Taurean this opera is in so many ways, right down to its cast of characters, given one of “Tannhauser”’s main roles is the Bull’s planetary ruler, the goddess Venus, herself.
My definitive interpreter of this Taurean tune is the late but very great Wagnerian soprano, Birgit Nilsson, who not only sings the bull crap out of this piece, her birthday also happens to be May 17th. Can anyone say Taurus?
“Dich Teure Halle”
Elisabeth’s Salute from the opera “Tannhauser” by Richard Wagner
Dich, teure Halle, gruss wieder,
Froh gruss ich dich, geliebter Raum!
In dir erwachen seine Lieder,
Und wecken mich aus dustrem Traum.
Da er aus dir geschieden,
Wie od’ ershienst du mir!
Aus mir entfloh der Friede,
Die Freude zog aus dir.
Wie jetzt mein busen hoch sich hebet,
So scheinst du jetzt mir stolz und hehr;
Der dich und mich so neu belebet,
Nicht langer weilt er ferne mehr.
Sei mir gegrusst! Sei mir gegrusst!
Du Teure Halle, Sei mir gegrusst!
“I Greet you, dear Hall” (English translation)
I greet you, dear Hall, once again,
Joyfully I greet you, beloved space!
His songs awake in you
And waken me from gloomy dreams.
When he departed from you
How desolate you appeared to me!
Peace flew out from me,
Joy took leave of you.
How strongly now my heart is leaping,
To me now you appear exalted and sublime.
He who thus revives both me and you
Tarries afar no more.
I greet you! I greet you!
Dear Hall, I greet you!
*Nutcracker Photo by Angela Sterling Photography
Brad Kronen’s dating guide written for specifically for the sign of Taurus entitled “Love in the Stars: Taurus Edition” can be purchased at amazon.com at the link listed below:
bradkronen.com 