Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter January 9, 2008

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
JANUARY 9, 2008
FreeWillAstrology.com

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"You have everything you need in the present situation to work with impeccability. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't work toward manifesting additional resources and opportunities. It does mean that the present situation supplies you with everything you need to take the next step."

- Jonathan Zap, "A Guide to the Perplexed Interdimensional Traveler"

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EXPLORE THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE

with my 3-Part EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES for the Coming Year.

What new influences will be headed your way in 2008? What fresh resources will you be able to draw on? How can you conspire with life to create the best possible future for yourself?

This week, my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES feature Part 3 of the long-range, in-depth explorations of your destiny in 2008. Part 1 and Part 2 of your Year-End Predictions, which I offered the last two weeks, are also still available.

To find out more about how to listen to your BIG PICTURE horoscopes online, go to RealAstrology.com.

You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700

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My book
"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
is available for sale at
tinyurl.com/qaj62 and
tinyurl.com/3dsx6q

Here's an excerpt:

ART LESSONS

French Impressionist painter Henri Matisse wanted his art to be "free from unsettling or disturbing subjects . . . soothing, a cerebral sedative as relaxing as a comfortable armchair."

Spanish painter Pablo Picasso had a different opinion. "Art is offensive," he asserted. "At least, art should be allowed to be offensive. It ought to be forbidden to ignorant innocents, never allowed into contact with those not sufficiently prepared. Yes, art is dangerous."

As you practice the art of pronoia, you will probably get best results if you swing back and forth between Matisse's and Picasso's approaches.

Every once in a while, try out William Butler Yeats' idea, too: "Art that doesn't attempt the impossible is not performing its function."

To read news and features from my book, go here:
tinyurl.com/lhwx2

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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:

This week I'm featuring the work of JONATHAN ZAPP.

He's putting together a collection of his writings in book form. For the moment, we have to be satisfied with reading his insights on his website at zaporacle.com.

Here are some of my favorite essays:
"The Glorified Body: Metamorphosis of the Body and the Crisis Phase of Human Evolution"
tinyurl.com/2bg6ag
"Suffering associated with body image has reached such epidemic proportions in our culture that it must be counted as one of the greatest spiritual plagues ever to be visited upon mankind."

"Resource Fluctuations Happen--Working with Scarcity and Abundance"
tinyurl.com/yq96pq
"The Taoist assumption is that the universe is unfolding as it should. Resources fluctuate, and fluctuation is the heartbeat of life, an essential part of the dynamic aliveness and interest of incarnation. And it takes times of both abundance and scarcity, along with every other sort of fluctuation, for there to be development."

"Projection: The Enemy of Peace and Justice"
tinyurl.com/28etdr
"Environmental destruction, racism, violence, injustice, war derive from a single source -- the human psyche. An activist who is not interested in psychological underpinnings is analogous to a botanist who is not interested in biology."

"Dynamic Paradoxicalism"
tinyurl.com/2djg56
"The greatest of life skills is the ability to live with ambiguity, ambivalence, and paradox without trying to regularize these uncertainties into finished, absolute truths."

"Kill the Time Grid and Fire up your Life: A Lesson in Practical Magic"
tinyurl.com/yutjyd
"The test of a big dream is to ask yourself, 'Will I remember this well on my death bed?' If you have a big dream you will probably find that to accomplish it will require a minimum of two hours of devoted activity per day."

"The Path of the Numinous: Living and Working with the Creative Muse"
or "The Muse: Ego Can't Live with Her, Creative Fulfillment Can't Happen without Her"
tinyurl.com/yvcwls

"A Guide to the Perplexed Interdimensional Traveler"
tinyurl.com/2vn7a7

To find out about Jonathan's DREAM INTERPRETATION service and other counseling services, go to zaporacle.com and click on the blue-green sphere. I have personally benefited greatly from doing dream work with him.

To use Jonathan's ORACLE, go to zaporacle.com and click on the gold sphere at the top. Here are some quotes from the Oracle cards:

1. "The core of your relationships to people, sex, time, money, power, eating, politics, career, health, and spirituality is your relationship to yourself. Get that relationship right (a moment-by-moment challenge of epic proportions) and all those other relationships will be as good as they possibly can be. Omit, neglect, or distort any part of your relationship to yourself and all those other relationships will accordingly be diminished and distorted."

2. "Find your spirit medicine and remember that what works for someone else, may not work for you (and vice-versa). Also what works for you when used consciously, sparingly, in just right the circumstances, might be disastrous as a habit."

3. "The Warrior must be aware that the psyche is conservative in nature, preferring old, self-destructive neurotic patterns to the unknown. The Warrior must have the insight and determination to break those patterns, particularly those created by early childhood situations."

4. "The liminal state is characterized by ambiguity, openness, and indeterminacy. One's sense of identity dissolves to some extent, bringing about disorientation. Liminality is a period of transition where normal limits to thought, self-understanding, and behavior are relaxed -- a situation which can lead to new perspectives."

(Note: I endorse Jonathan Zap because I like his work. This is not an advertisement, and I get no kickbacks.)

Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning January 10

Copyright 2008 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

The Wind Horse is a mythical creature in Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Symbolizing vigorous life force, it embodies the quick, cleansing power of the wind and the primal vitality of the horse. In accordance with your astrological omens, Capricorn, I nominate this archetype to be your ruling metaphor in the coming weeks. Visualize yourself being accompanied by a Wind Horse everywhere you go. See yourself riding it, feeding it, playing with it. Call on its inspiring presence as you align yourself with the natural beneficence of the universe. Ask it to help you sweep obstacles out of the way as you attract a flow of opportunities to open your mind and heart.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

This will be an excellent week for you to buy $50 worth of silence. And to hang around people who won't try to coax you or manipulate you into doing anything. And to wander out into a barren wilderness -- the Mars-like landscape of the crater near the summit of Maui's Mt. Haleakala would be ideal -- and howl wordless, senseless, empty-headed melodies to a god who may or may not exist. Do you catch my drift, Aquarius? You are likely to attract cosmic luck and generate useful serendipity if you can achieve a state that combines Zen Buddhism's "beginner's mind" with the attitude Henry Miller enjoyed when he said, "I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive."

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

"The stars would love to influence your future," reported a horoscope for Pisces in The Onion newspaper, "but they are powerless against your well-established patterns of behavior." While this might sometimes be an accurate statement, it's not true now. The next three weeks will be a very favorable time for you to escape well-established patterns of behavior, especially the ones that are no damn good for you. Here's a bonus perk: You will also have marked success if you not only rebel against your habits but also against the stars' influence. The upshot of all this good news is that you'll be in prime time to unleash your freest free will.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

"My calling hasn't called yet," wrote Rennie, an Aries reader from Austin. "Please, Rob, say a prayer to all the applicable gods and angels, asking them to do whatever it takes to make sure that I am at home when it finally does." I've got good news for Rennie. Many Aries who have never before had a hint about their calling will be able to gather many clues in 2008. Meanwhile, those of your tribe who have already found their higher purpose will be evolving it to a much deeper level. To help ensure that all the magic unfolds, I have unleashed a fist-pumping prayer to the goddess of mission plans, urging her to invite you Rams to claim the empowering joy that comes from being united with your source code.

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EXPLORING YOUR LONG-RANGE FUTURE

Would you like some inspiration as you muse and wonder about your upcoming adventures in 2008?

In this week's EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, I give you Part Three of a long-term, in-depth exploration of your destiny in the coming year.

Part One and Part Two are still available.

Find out how to access them online at RealAstrology.com.

They are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

The longest waves on the planet unfurl in the place where the Atlantic Ocean flows into the mouth of the Amazon River. The phenomenon is called the "pororoca" (from a word meaning "tumultuous noise"), and has become a favorite challenge for surfers. In 2003, a Brazilian daredevil named Picuruta Salazar rode a single wave for 37 minutes, gliding and plowing for almost eight miles. Judging from your current astrological omens, Taurus, I'd say that's an apt metaphor for the kind of wave you now have the chance to jump on. If you choose to give it a whirl, don't plan for a short sweet burst of adrenaline. Be ready for a long, rollicking balancing act.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

This is a very favorable time to discover what has been hidden from you, to strip away disguises, and to penetrate to the real story that has been buried by the official propaganda. You're also likely to generate luck if you go in search of buried treasure, lost keys, and missing links. To help you achieve success in these noble if sometimes stealthy goals, keep in mind the advice of inventor George Washington Carver: "Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough."

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

Mirrors can be powerful tools and useful symbols for you in the coming days. When is the last time you gazed serenely into your own eyes for at least ten minutes? Try it! If you're brave, go on from there: Actually talk to the interesting creature you see reflected back at you. Ask questions. Give advice. Sing songs. And if you're even braver, move on to the next project: Bring a friend or loved one to the mirror, and converse with each other's images. Tell each other the kinds of raw, shimmering truths that can only be revealed in a mirror.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

At the Plow & Hearth stores, you can buy realistic boulders "to disguise your yard problems." These gigantic plastic monstrosities, which sell for $90, are hollow inside and fit right over the pipes, holes, and other eyesores you want to hide. In the coming days, Leo, you might want to consider acquiring a metaphorical version of this item. There's a big old messy place in your kingdom that seems to be getting bigger and messier. It's high time to either conceal it or clean it up.

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LET'S IMAGINE WHAT BEAUTIFUL MYSTERIES
MIGHT COME YOUR WAY IN 2008

Listen to my Expanded Audio Horoscopes for the Coming Year.

They're available for you to buy at RealAstrology.com

What hidden factors will be massaging your destiny in 2008? Could you use some hints about how to prepare for the adventures awaiting you in the next 12 months?

In this week's EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, I give you Part Three of a long-term, in-depth exploration of your destiny in the coming year.

Part One and Part Two are still available.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

The U.K. newspaper The Independent reports that avid reader Mark Bastable consumed the collected works of D.H. Lawrence and found "not a single laugh, not a wry chuckle, not even a quiet grin in the entire po-faced oeuvre." If that's true, I say we put an asterisk on the covers of his books, similar to the mark that will go on the home run record of the allegedly steroid-enhanced baseball star Barry Bonds. In D.H.'s case, the asterisk will denote that he won a place in the literature hall of fame despite having never expressed the second-most essential human emotion. In any case, Virgo, don't you dare read Lawrence in the next four weeks. You need to be surrounded by influences that will encourage you to look for humor and amusement in every single thing you do.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

In 15 million years, Los Angeles will be a suburb of San Francisco. It will take that long for the constant slipping of the San Andreas Fault to push the southern city 400 miles north. That will be lucky for the people alive then, since they won't have to travel far to enjoy the distinctive pleasures of two of the West Coast's finest cultural centers. In your case, Libra, you don't have to wait so long. I predict that two of your personal centers of gravity will combine by the end of 2008. Your divided sense of home will disappear, allowing you to feel more united than you've been in years.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Why does human anatomy include the organ known as the appendix? For centuries, doctors have been unable to determine its purpose. Most have decided it's unnecessary, a vestigial structure left over from an earlier stage of evolution. But recent research suggests the conventional wisdom has to be revised. In fact, the appendix seems to protect and regenerate the good bacteria that live in the intestines. I predict that you're on the verge of a metaphorically comparable discovery, Scorpio. Something you have always considered to be useless or irrelevant will reveal its value.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Astronomers say that the Sagittarius Galaxy is being devoured by our own galaxy. It's getting stretched, rearranged, and assimilated by our massive gravity. I'd like to offer up this scenario as a metaphor for you to put into play in the coming week, Sagittarius. Imagine all the fun and interesting ways that you yourself could be "eaten." Maybe you could get absorbed into an exciting social scene, or be integrated into an institution you love, or become part of a movement you've admired from afar. And maybe you could simply do what's necessary to get yourself kissed, licked, and sucked all over.

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HOMEWORK:

Make three predictions about your life in 2008. Go to FreeWillAstrology.com and click on "Email Rob."

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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?

I'm not doing personal charts, but I highly recommend my astrological colleague, RO LOUGHRAN. Her approach closely matches my own. In our many discussions about astrology over the years, we've had a major influence on each other's work.

Ro utilizes a blend of well-trained intuition, emotional warmth, and a high degree of technical proficiency in horoscope interpretation; she is skilled at exploring the mysteries of your life's purpose and nurturing your connection with your own inner wisdom.

Ro is based in California, but can do phone consultations and otherwise work with you regardless of geographic boundaries.

Ro's website is at YourSoulJourney.com

She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net

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Submissions sent to the Free Will Astrology Weekly Newsletter or in response to "homework assignments" may be published in a variety of formats at Rob Brezsny's discretion, including but not limited to newsletters, books, the Free Will Astrology column, and Free Will Astrology website. We reserve the right to edit such submissions for length, style, and content. Requests for anonymity will be honored with submissions; otherwise, reader names, screen names, or initials will be used. Please be sure to note your preference when sending to us. We are not responsible for unsolicited submission of any creative material.

Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright 2008 Rob Brezsny

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