Sun has crossed over into Taurus Decan 2. The decan is ruled by the Moon, which is exalted in Taurus. There is also an influence of the Sun, as a six, and Venus, ruler of the sign. Overall a pleasant combination, resulting in the Six of Disks, Lord of Material Success.

It’s Beltane Eve, tomorrow is the cross-quarter holiday Beltane aka May Day. It is the halfway point between the Vernal Equinox and the Summer Solstice, in the Northern hemisphere. Here the trees are budding, the fruit trees are beginning to flower, and spring bulbs are up. Weather is incredibly gorgeous so far. I’m trying to get in the celebratory mood, but my energy is a bit low at the moment. Maybe it will kick in tomorrow.

This is a card of appreciating what you have. Reflecting on that helps, when I’m feeling down. I feel better already just taking that moment of gratitude.

Telos Six of Disks. Magical image of the decan per 777: A man of like figure with cloven hoofs like an ox.

Note “of like figure” probably is referring back to the figure in the first decan of Taurus, in her flame-singed garb.

The Hellenistic fragmentary text 36 Airs of the Zodiac attributes the Horae to this decan. The Horae were goddesses of proper timing – thus their name referring to “hours.” In some cases, they were a group of twelve who oversaw the hours of the day and the months of the year; these guided the path of Helios through the sky. In other cases, they were in groups of three.

There were actually a few different triads and groupings of Horae. The three seasonal goddesses were associated with Aphrodite (Venus) and Helios (Sun). They oversaw the revolutions of the constellations measuring the agricultural year: Thalo of Spring, Auxo of Summer, and Carpo of Autumn. These are shown by the three phases of a blooming Rose (flower of Venus) in the lower disks.

The other common triad of Horae are associated with law and order contributing to stability: Eirene (Peace), Dike (Justice), and Eunomia, (Good Order and Good Pasture). The three upper disks contain emblems of this triad.

In the top disk, Eirene (Peace), has iconography of the overflowing cornucopia, the celebratory rhyton of ale, and the scepter. Her iconography also seems very Taurean and Venusisan.

Dike (Justice) is shown as the disk with the balancing scales of Justice, which is a symbol of Venus’ other sign Libra. The scales are also featured in the Rider Waite Smith Six of Pentacles card, as the scales that measure out the proper amount of alms, while the figure altruistically shares the bounty with those less fortunate.

The third upper disk shows an open book for Eunomia, Order – a goddess whose name refers to “good laws” – and makes a pun on “fields” for the agricultural motif. The open book also is a symbol of the Priestess, for the Moon as ruler of the decan.

In both the Rosetta deck (above) and the Telos image, there are references to bees and honey. Bees are both solar and lunar, and Venusian.

For your celebrations, should you celebrate, a Beltane cake recipe follows, because cake is ruled by Venus and Taurus loves food. Three ingredients in proportions that relate to each other in parts of three.

Eggs, which correspond to Venus. Honey, which corresponds to both Venus and the Sun, and flour, which has connections to both Venus and the Moon.

If you are inspired to ritually prepare the cake, all the better. The preparation of prasad or blessed food makes the cake a sacred offering that spiritually nourishes the preparer as devotee, and blesses and unifies bonds between those who partake of it. I share more about how to do that in the chapter for this card, but didn’t want to make this post too long. Your intention and good will put into the preparation counts for a lot. Food made with love is always better!

Threefold blessing honey cake

325F oven. 7” generously buttered springform or cake pan (butter corresponds to the Moon!)

• · 3 large cold eggs
• · 1/3 cup local honey
• · 1 cup (128 g) all-purpose flour

You will also need a sprig of fresh rosemary and some additional honey for drizzling.

Beat the eggs and honey until they triple in volume. A mixer at high speed will do this in about ten minutes.  Sift in half of the flour and very gently fold into the whipped egg and honey mixture without deflating it. Only mix until the flour is not visible. Then sift in the rest of the flour and fold it in. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Surface will be lightly brown and an inserted toothpick will come out cleanly.

Take your rosemary sprig, break it up a little and put it in a pan with honey covering it, enough to be able to drizzle the entire surface of the cake. Warm the honey until it is infused with the rosemary scent, remove the rosemary and drizzle the honey over the cake before serving. Cut into 6 slices and share with others!

Rosemary is the secret ingredient, as it is ruled by both Venus (Taurus) and the Moon, ruler of the decan. It is a powerful herb of love, growth, wisdom, and protection. It is believed to have originated from the goddess Aphrodite (Venus), who emerged from the sea and rested on a bed of rosemary.

Be thankful for your food daily, bless it before consuming it, and be thankful to the cooks and the farms and the farmers and the earth that produced it. Doing this before every meal, and blessing what you eat, is one of the best things you can do for your spiritual and physical health. Heath is wealth, and one form of material success is surely good health.

Toast your good fortune and health with a celebratory libation served with the honey cake. When you are blessed with material success and resources, share when you can. This will help others but also create the effect of more abundance for you, because of the feedback loop that occurs from giving generously to others. Even when done in small ways, this practice will ensure that your blessings continue.

May you meet with Success.