Bull

The bull in your dream connects with your powerful sexual, protective and family feelings. If you are in conflict or frightened of the bull, it suggests you are feeling anxious about the strength of your own sexual drive, or of your aggressiveness.

The bull also denotes bodily, mental or spiritual strength; also inherited qualities or possessions; practical, useful powers or gifts. Its essential characteristic is that of service.

The symbol of the bull often refers to the instinctive responses in us that are powerful enough to drag us along, cause us anxiety if we are in conflict with them, or carry us further in our endeavours if we can work with them. Such instinctive urges may be in connection with sexual attraction and desire, feelings about people invading our territory, and protectiveness for family; sex drive, or the aspect of it that has generally been under control, but may be occasionally wild if provoked; the basic drives toward parenthood, and caring and providing via sex; an aggressive, ‘bullish’ trait in oneself or someone else.

Where the bull connects with sex drive, it may depict the aspect of it that is generally under control, but may occasionally be wild if provoked.

The bull can also represent the basic drives toward parenthood, and caring and providing via sex. The bull might link with aggressiveness, a ‘bullish’ trait in you or someone else; or personal traits to do with being very basic or earthy, and perhaps sexual in ones relationships, and being moved by impulses such as sex or aggression, without being aware of this. The bull is of course a symbol of strength, ferocity, obstinacy, maleness and power.

The bull may refer to personal traits to do with being very basic or earthy, and perhaps sexual in ones relationships; being moved by impulses such as sex or aggression, without being aware of this; strength; ferocity; obstinacy; maleness; power.

The aggressive bull: Often shows the frustration arising from these basic drives being taunted or thwarted. For instance a person may wish for a family, yet be frustrated by a form of sexuality in their partner which does not care for children.

The killed or dead bull: A killing of the natural drives to sex and procreation.

If sacrificed: May show self-giving.

The ridden bull: Shows a harmony between self awareness and its decision making, and the basic ‘animal’ drives.

Idioms: Like a bull at a gate; bull in a china shop; red rag to a bull; score a bull’s eye; sacred bull; take the bull by the horns.

As an astrological sign the bull is the sign of Taurus. Therefore with Taureans the bull may depict their innate characteristics and how they are dealing with them. Taurus is a ‘Fixed’ ‘Earth’ sign. The bull, and the time of year it is within, symbolises being in tune with the instinctive earthy side of oneself. An animal born out of season, a calf for instance, would find it difficult in nature to survive, because there would be less food, and it might not be strong enough to face the winter. Therefore the Taurean is born ‘in season’ and has a harmony with the natural cycles. The sign denotes bodily, mental or spiritual strength; also inherited qualities or possessions; practical, useful powers or gifts. Its essential characteristic is that of service. The person born with their Sun in Taurus is said to be a steady-going, reliable, practical, rather conservative person; slow to anger, but likely, if angered, to be a formidable adversary.

In past cultures the bull was considered sacred. In Egypt for instance the bull was never sacrificed. But in Mosaic times, and in the Persian cult of Mithras, the bull was used for sacrifice to God. In these approaches the bull was a symbol of servitude. But there are many different cultural approaches to the bull. In Christianity it was seen as representing brute force or the earthy quality of human life. In other cultures it was male procreative power, or the power of nature or God in action. . It was occasionally called the Shaker, as it was seen as a symbol of the earth shaking – earthquakes.

There is a theme which appears in many cultures or myths connected with the bull. It is of the Hero confronting and overcoming the bull. Lao Tzu for instance found, struggled with and eventually rode the bull, representing the human struggle and victory over instinctive or reactive forces influencing consciousness. Also Theseus saves Ariadne from the Minotaur, suggesting that the conscious self has to meet the entangling forces of emotional dependence upon cultural norms, mother and public opinion. Theseus, or our active growing self, frees Ariadne, the feminine or intuitive feeling principle in oneself. From this a new life can be born or emerge.

Useful questions are:

What is my relationship with the bull in the dream, and what does that suggest about my relationship with sex or natural urges?

Is the bull out of control or peaceful, and does that show my own inner condition?

Am I using or abusing the enormous energy of the bull in my dream, or am I afraid of it?