Labour 2: Taurus (21 April to 20 May).
The Capture of the Cretan Bull
The story of Hercules’ labours has been interpreted by Alice Bailey in terms of the twelve signs of the zodiac. Hercules, represents the seeker within each of us.
We follow Hercules’ experiences and exploits as he passes through the twelve signs of the zodiac, and gradually we realize that each sign represents a part of Hercules’ character that he now needs to transform so that he can travel further along his path. Each story, if pondered deeply, can give us insight into our own natures, and offers guidance in what we can do to be stronger, clearer, wiser and more powerful creators of our lives.
This month is the story of Hercules’ task in the sign of Taurus.
The presiding One spoke to the Teacher of the man whose light shone forth among the sons of men, who are the sons of God.
“Let the man who stood with power before the Gods now proceed to the second Gate,” he said.
The gate stood open wide and, from the light veiling the distant scene, a voice emerged and said: “Pass through the Gate. Proceed upon thy way. Perform thy labour and return to me, reporting on the deed.”
Alone and sad, conscious of need and worn with deep distress, Hercules slowly passed between the pillars of the Gate into the light which shines where stands the sacred bull…1
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In the first labour of Aries (21 March – 20 April), Hercules began to understand the power of thought. He learned that creativity is a process of thinking which creates the desire for something to manifest. The Aries labour showed to Hercules the consequence of using his capacity to think.
In the second labour of Taurus, Hercules learns about the potency of desire and the law of attraction.
Minos, King of Crete, owned a sacred bull, which he kept on the island of Crete. The king told Hercules that he had to capture the bull and bring it to him. He gave no instructions about how to accomplish the mission, but warned Hercules that the bull hid in mazes that could be entered but led the wanderer into bewilderment. Hercules also knew that the bull was sacred, that it was born from the sea, and that it was destined as a sacrifice to Minos.
Hercules travelled to Crete and found the bull in the maze because it had a bright star which shone on its forehead. He followed the bull, pursuing it over the island, and chased it to its lair where he cornered it. Then he captured the bull and rode it like a horse, across the island and over the waters that separated Crete from the mainland.
On Crete lived three Cyclops, with only one eye in the middle of their forehead. They were called Brontes, meaning thunder; Steropes, lightning; and Arges, meaning whirling activity.
These three watched Hercules ride the bull through the waves and met him when he came ashore to the city gates. They took charge of the bull saying, “Depart in peace, my son, your task is done.”
When the Teacher saw Hercules returning he said, “You came with empty hands, oh, Hercules.”
“I have these empty hands, because I have fulfilled the task to which I was assigned,” Hercules replied. “The sacred bull is rescued, and now securely with the Three. What next?”
“Within the light shall you see light; walk in that light and there see light. Your light must brighter shine. The bull is in the Holy Place,” the Teacher replied.
The sign of Taurus is said to give illumination, and is connected with light (the bull’s lighted star on his forehead, and the Cyclops’s single eye perhaps refer to our third eye). This eye is a creative force. According to Alice Bailey, when the task in Taurus is understood and carried out, matter is glorified through light. In other words, matter is only spirit or light at its lowest point. As we begin to see our purpose more clearly, to manifest more light in our lives, we can understand how we are illuminating matter.
How do we do that?
By using our creative intelligence in illumined ways, directing our creativity through our third eye to benefits others.
Venus, the planet of both earthly and spiritual love; of the higher and lower desires, rules Taurus. Venus is the creator of love, beauty, rhythm, and unity. Taurus the bull is fertile, creative, virile, and so when we’re passing through the period ruled by Taurus, we have the opportunity to become more aware of how these forces are operating in our life. How do we use the law of attraction, which is love, to get what we desire? The task in Taurus is to use our creative energy and our love energy of attraction, for higher rather than selfish purposes.
Hercules found the bull because of its light and captured it. Then he rode the bull signifying control of the lower selfish desires. He rode it across the waters instead of sinking into the watery depths. Only by rising above the murky, dark parts of ourselves; by identifying with our higher self that drives us to seek something more, can we live both above yet also with, the lapping waves of the ocean of life. Hercules won the right to gain illumination, given to him by riding the bull.
In our striving for more light and meaning, we are helping to open our third eye of the intuition. Creative Change Makers are constantly asking: “How can I make a positive difference?” We are striving to walk our path through the waves that threaten to drown us. The mis-use of the Venus energy of love – the law of attraction – results in the insatiable appetite for trying to get people and things we want. When our creative intelligence is illuminated, we create from our third eye, using this law for higher purposes.
We then manifest something positive. Like Hercules, we gradually offer up the bull of our lower desire, and instead we choose to create more light, more beauty, more love and rhythm in our work, our creative projects and our lives.
1. Adapted from Labour 11. For the full story refer The Labours of Hercules, Alice Bailey, p. 39-41.
April 2010