"Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where
it leads him."  - Henry Miller, The Wisdom of the Heart

"And when man faces destiny, destiny ends and  man comes into his own." - Andre Malraux, The Voices of Silence

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." - William Jennings Bryan

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare

                    Bulls often like to retreat into a private silence to get in touch with their self,
                    their inner serenity. But this also means that words are difficult to come by
                    from a Taurus - not for them the flowery indulgence of language or its finer
                    nuances. Taurus is excellent to have around in situations of conflict to bring
                    about order amidst chaos and calm  amidst the  storm. This earth sign is solidly
                    connected to the world through its senses (thanks to ruling planet Venus) and usually
                    up having good jobs, good friends, good marriages and good children. Bulls are
                    in their element in jobs connected to land and real estate but as owners rather than
                    builders. The Bull thrives in situations of continuity and permanence or even
                    sometimes in crisis.

                  Once in love, a Bull stays that way. Taurus take their time in ascertaining who will
                  fit the bill as their true love, but once the decision is made it's for keeps. Bulls are
                  attracted to water signs like Cancer and Pisces. They are often attracted by the
                  energy of signs like Aires, Gemini or Sagittarius but are put off  by their playful
                  antics. Perhaps the most important thing Taurus needs to guard against is the
                  tendency to be too possessive and too predictable.

                  Polar or opposite sign: Scorpio
                  Fixed star: Aldebarn
                  Colour: Green or pale blue.
                  Anatomy: Neck and throat - Many famous singers are Bulls
                  Celeb Taurus: Ajitabh Bachchan, Deve Gowda, Jack Nicholson, Madhuri Dixit,
                  Michelle Pfeiffer, Nayantara Sahgal, Pankaj Udhas, Pooja Bedi, PT Usha, Queen
                  Elizabeth II, Sachin Tendulkar, Sadashiv Amrapurkar
                  Taurus stone: Emerald

          You are a steadfast and patient soul, capable of tremendous
      devotion, dedication, endurance, and constancy. The ability to
      follow through and stick with things is one of your greatest
      assets. Once your course is set, you pursue it tenaciously until
      it is completed, stubbornly resisting any attempts to sway you
      from your purpose.

          You have a very practical nature and want to see concrete,
      tangible results for your efforts, and you are not one for
      spinning wild dreams that are unlikely to come into fruition.
      Most of your "wild dreams" have to do with material
      achievements, well-being, and security, for you have a great
      love of the physical world and you want to experience and enjoy
      it to the full. Though you will work long and persistently, you
      also have a strong sensual and comfort-loving side, and you want
      to enjoy what you have worked for. In fact, you can be
      enormously lazy at times and have a tendency to overindulge in
      good food and other earthly pleasures. You also love the beauty
      of the natural world and probably prefer a serene country
      setting rather than an urban life style.

          At heart your needs are simple and you are easy to please.
      You have a strong desire for security, stability, and peace, and
      will rarely make changes unless you are forced to do so. You are
      not very demanding emotionally, though you do crave lots of
      physical closeness and affection. Because of your faithfulness,
      emotional steadiness, and gentle strength, others often depend
      upon you for support. Though you hate upheaval and sudden
      changes, you usually maintain your poise and equanimity. You
      also have an innate sense of harmonizing with nature, allowing
      things to grow and unfold in their own time, and the patience to
      nurture something into being - be it a garden, a child, or some
      creative project. You make an excellent mother or father,
      especially if you follow your instincts more often than "the
      experts".

          You have three major faults: one is your bull-headed
      obstinacy. The second is your unwillingness to deviate from your
      safe, predictable routine. And the third is your tendency to
      always insist upon realism and undervalue the imaginative,
      speculative, and fanciful - in other words, you lack the ability
      to play with ideas and possibilities, to open your mind to the
      new.

     Section 2: Mental Interests and Abilities

         Your mind operates in a very deliberate and methodical
     manner and you dislike being rushed or forced to give an opinion
     before you have thoroughly ruminated and digested an idea. You
     are also difficult to influence once your mind is made up.

         Though slower to grasp new concepts or learn new skills, you
     are patient and persevering and, in fact, often become quite
     adept at whatever you put your mind and hand to, for you are
     willing to devote much time and attention to it. You succeed not
     so much because of your mental brilliance, but because you have
     the ability to concentrate and follow a project through to its
     completion. You have an aptitude for singing or drawing.

                              Taurus, the second Sign of the Zodiac, is all about reward.
                              Unlike the Aries love of the game, Taurus loves the rewards
                              of the game. Think physical pleasures and material goods,
                              for those born under this Sign revel in delicious excess.
                              They are also a tactile lot, enjoying a tender, even sensual,
                              touch. Taureans adore comfort and like being surrounded by
                              pleasing, soothing things. Along these lines, they also favor
                              a good meal and a fine wine. The good life in all its guises,
                              whether it's the arts or art of their own making (yes, these
                              folks are artistic as well), is heaven on Earth to the
                              Taurean-born.

                              It's the Bull that serves as the Taurean's mascot, and along
                              with that comes the expectation that these folks are
                              bull-headed and stubborn. Yes, they are. Hey, this Sign has
                              a Fixed Quality attached to it after all, so expect that things
                              will occasionally grind to a halt. That said, Taureans don't
                              start out with the intention of getting stuck. They simply
                              want to get things done, and it's that steady, dogged
                              persistence that winds up being viewed as stubbornness.
                              Bulls are actually among the most practical and reliable
                              members of the Zodiac, and they are happy to plod along,
                              as it were, in pursuit of their goals. The good news for Bulls
                              is that once they get to the finish line, they'll swaddle
                              themselves in material goods. A self-indulgent beast?
                              Perhaps, but if you toiled as laboriously as these folks do,
                              you'd need some goodies, too.
 

                              Taurus is ruled by the Planet Venus, a lovely gal who didn't
                              deny herself many things. In ancient Roman mythology,
                              Venus was the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Pleasure, and
                              Taureans have pretty much taken up where she left off. Bulls
                              are fond of all things pretty, whether it's in their home, at a
                              museum or on the stage. Life as one sweet pas de deux is
                              how the Taurean-born like it. To onlookers, this may look
                              like so much materialism and blessed excess, but Bulls
                              really aren't interested in living without beauty in their lives.
                              Beauty to the Bull also comes in the way of a happy home
                              life, one which includes a partner and a stable relationship.

                              Taureans value harmony in their personal lives, so they'll
                              work hard on keeping their mate happy. The Bull's penchant
                              for sensual pleasures, of course, can only help things along!
                              Bulls can also be the sappiest of sentimentalists. Will all
                              this overweening attention to their mate turn a Bull into a
                              possessive mess? Probably not, although these folks do
                              have to manage their tendency to latch on a bit tight. At the
                              end of the day, however, the Taurean-born are true romantics
                              and loyal to the core.

                              The Element associated with Taurus is Earth. No
                              pie-in-the-sky for these practical folks, since they'd much
                              rather be on terra firma. Bulls tend toward conservatism, and
                              this is often seen in their day-to-day behavior. No far-out
                              schemes (that's Air) or shrieking ultimatums (more like Fire)
                              here. Taureans far prefer to take each day slowly and
                              steadily and work toward their ultimate goal. Along these
                              lines, those born under this Sign are happy to stick with
                              their projects until they have reached a successful
                              conclusion. They are also extremely patient and dependable
                              along the way. Does that sound earthy enough? The only
                              kink in this well-oiled chain is the heckler in the gallery that
                              tries to upbraid the Bull. These folks may not have a
                              hair-trigger temper, but it's short enough. Bulls in a hissy fit
                              can get pretty argumentative, but eventually they'll calm
                              down and come back to center, since these folks would
                              much rather be Zen. The Earth in this Sign does tend to act
                              as a balancing mechanism so that things never get truly out
                              of hand. For every one person who considers the Bull a pain,
                              there are two who will say 'No way!' and happily take the
                              Taurean's gentle charms any day.

                              Seeing as how Bulls are generally strong and well-built, it's
                              no surprise that these folks enjoy testing their strength on
                              the field of play. Expect to find a Bull engaged in a spirited
                              game of hoops or mountain climbing. Hiking is also a favorite
                              pastime, since it keeps Taureans close to their beloved
                              earth. Indoor adventures are also favored by Bulls, which is
                              why the opera or ballet is right up a Taurean's alley. When it
                              comes to love, the Taurus-born are devoted, romantic and
                              somewhat possessive. Their sensual nature has a way of
                              erasing any mistakes! Since Taurus rules the neck and
                              throat, Bulls would be wise to keep a silky scarf at hand,
                              ideally in a warm (and soothing) earth tone.

                              The great strength of the Taurean-born is in their stability,
                              loyalty and dogged determination. Bulls want to get the job
                              done, and they will. What better way to get the riches they
                              so fervently crave?

                                  Possessive and conventional, Taurus will nevertheless
                                  show signs of great passion and will often get physical.
                                  Some Taurus can be over protective as they value security
                                  in a relationship. And finally, there is the flirtatious kind of
                                  Bull who is capable of having several relationships simultaneously.

                                 Ideal Taurus gifts: Hand crafted jewelry, intricate carvings
                                  on wood or marble, a chess-set, leisure wear that has a
                                  sporty look especially in pale blue or green, club
                                  membership, indoor plants, a warm blanket or quilt,
                                  sweetmeats, cakes and pastry.

                 Great places to take Taurus for a holiday: The same Taurus went to last year!
                 Taurus finds it difficult to break habit and likes to return to places. However, opt for
                 a holiday on a river or a hill station that has a cool climate with plenty of outdoor
                 walks across rolling meadows.

                 Taurus likes to eat and drink: Sweets, corn flakes, wheat and fruits such as
                 apples and grapes that have a slight tang

                 Favorite flowers, plants and spices: Roses, fig, mint