Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter December 24, 2008

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
DECEMBER 24, 2008
FreeWillAstrology.com

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A PREVIEW OF YOUR DESTINY IN 2009

This week my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES offer you a teaser look at some major themes you'll be working and playing with in 2009.

Beginning next week, I will devote three consecutive weeks to an in-depth discussion of your long-range outlook for the coming 12 months.

Part One of my FORECAST FOR 2009 will be available on Tuesday, December 30.

Part Two will be available on Tuesday, January 6.

Part Three will be available on Tuesday, January 13.

To find out more about the Expanded Audio Horoscopes, go to RealAstrology.com.

The cost is $6 per sign on the Web, or $1.99 per minute by phone.

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BELOW IS A MESSAGE
FROM ASTROLOGER EXTRAORDINAIRE CAROLINE CASEY

I'm passing it on to you because I like it so much.

Check out Caroline's many excellent offerings at:

tinyurl.com/8szhyo

and

coyotenetworknews.com

SOLSTICE INVOCATION FOR TRICKSTER ALLIES
by Caroline Casey

This is the midnight hour of the year, and of 8,000 years of Empire in which humans ceded authority (Saturn) to socio-pathic dingbats. Until now!

This Solstice poses the question: "What must we die to, within and without, lest we die from."

The I Ching chimes in: 24. The Turning Point -- Winter Solstice

"After a time of decay comes the turning point. The powerful light that has been banished returns. There is movement but it is not brought about by force. Societies of people with a unifying vision are formed. But since these groups come together in full public knowledge and are in harmony with the time, all selfish tendencies are excluded, and no mistake is made. Everything comes of itself at the appointed time."

"From deep stillness comes replenishment and the gathering of strategy and wits. Not striving, but calm and merriment.

"The Winter Solstice has always been celebrated as the resting time of the year. In winter the life energy is still underground. Movement is just at its beginning; therefore it must be strengthened by rest, so that it will not be dissipated by being used prematurely.

"The return of health after illness, the return of understanding after an estrangement; everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning, so that the return may lead to flowering."

Now more than ever.

All of Creation is holding its breath at this deep time, anticipating the birth, within each human heart, of wonder and a willingness to cooperate with everything. May we kindle the warm glow of Trickster kindness, within us all, transform our emotional default setting to one of "Woof Woof, wanna play!?!" Each moment awaits our imaginative dedication.

So let's toss all that is neither beautiful nor useful into the roiling cauldron of re-birth, that Time is so kindly providing us. Let's compost all past-patterns of self-sabotage, personal and collective, for starters.

And let's bow at the threshold of this New Year, to release and redeem all that we do not wish to take with us through the door. Remorse is said to be the highest of the negative states, the closest to clarity --because we see and feel all those times when we didn't respond to life's "woof woof wanna play?!" When we fell for the compelling illusion of separateness, and forgot that we are all in one large, pulsing, shape-shifting-according-to-collaborative-intent dream.

The Sufi, and we with her, gently pats her heart and whispers "estafirahlah" "forgiveness of self and others." And may "forgive" mean "to give energy for change."

The protoplasm of reality is particularly susceptible to imprint now, by the power of word, language, story and metaphor. Allowing ourselves one true hyperbole: Never before has the power of human story-telling been so essential in determining what dies and what lives.

Let us dedicate ourselves to animating the desirable story. (To do otherwise would be complicitous with the evolutionary dead-end of empire.) We suck the chi of our complicity from that which is dying, and exhale into the blooming of dynamic collaborative kinship. We are here to re-dedicate ourselves to the responsibility of dreaming the desirable world into being.

Saturnalia: Deeper Dedication is the anti-dote to fear, as feeling useful is the anti-dote to depression. There -- that's handled.

So, let's visualize and dedicate, wherever we are around the Solstice time, and journeying on into this powerful Winter, that we are offering our unique and necessary Medicine, into the collective cauldron brew, and ladling ourselves a cup of All-Heal.

Trickster Medicine is really the sine qua non that brings all the other medicines into bubbling accord to produce the elixir of Dynamic Reverent Ingenuity.

- CAROLINE CASEY
tinyurl.com/8szhyo
coyotenetworknews.com

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!
by Rob

Some Christians might be shocked to learn that Jesus Christ is one of the Main High Dudes in my pantheon of deities and avatars.

They may believe that people like me -- Goddess-worshiping tantric Sufi Qabalist pagans who hang around with Zen trickster witches and espouse a socialist libertarian political philosophy -- couldn't possibly have an intimate and vivid relationship with the cosmic hero they claim to own. They act as if they have commandeered the trademark of one of the sweetest, wildest avatars in history.

But I do have an intimate and vivid relationship with Jesus Christ. How could I not? He was a champion of women's rights, an antidote to the established and corrupt political order, and a radical spiritual activist who worked outside religious institutions.

The dude owned nothing and was a passionate advocate for the poor and underprivileged. He was uncompromisingly opposed to violence and war.

Besides that, he was a master of love and he devoted his life to serving the Divine Intelligence.

He even went so far as to say, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you."

I want to be like Jesus Christ when I grow up!

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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:

A TEMPLATE FOR THE POWER AND THE GLORY
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
tinyurl.com/284uo

THIS PLANET IS CRAZY BEAUTIFUL
The Most Spectacular Waterfalls in the World
tinyurl.com/56fttk

PRAISE CAN BE SUBVERSIVE TO THE STATUS QUO
Give Someone a Compliment Today
tinyurl.com/57wh2g

(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They are not advertisements, and I get no kickbacks.)

Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning December 25

Copyright 2008 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

The most expensive bat mitzvah in history took place at New York's Rainbow Room in November 2005. David Brooks, a billionaire defense contractor, spent $10 million on his daughter's rite of passage. Among the stars he hired to perform at the bash were Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Nelly, and 50 Cent. Promise me, Capricorn, that if you get wealthy in the coming year, you won't blow your money on ridiculous "luxuries" like that. Here's a secret: The more high-minded you are in cultivating your dreams, the greater the likelihood is that you'll get richer quicker.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Imagine you're driving down a very wide highway that's 50 lanes across even though there are no lines dividing one lane from another. Speed limit signs aren't posted, and some vehicles are zipping along in zigzag paths at over 100 mph while others crawl along like old-lady turtles. Now and then you've got to weave your way through a congested area where many on-ramps all feed into the road simultaneously. You haven't seen an off-ramp yet, and you're not sure where to get off anyway. I figure, Aquarius, that 2008 had some resemblance to the scenario I just described. Luckily, I predict that no later than your birthday, you will find an off-ramp and exit onto an uncluttered backroad with great scenery.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

"How do you slay the dragon?" journalist Bill Moyers asked mythologist Joseph Campbell in an interview. By "dragon," he was referring to the dangerous beast that symbolizes the most unripe and uncontrollable part of each of our lives. In reply to Moyers, Campbell didn't suggest that you become a master warrior, nor did he recommend that you cultivate high levels of sleek, savage anger. "Follow your bliss," he said simply. Personally, I don't know if that's enough to slay the dragon -- I'm inclined to believe that you also have to take some defensive measures -- but it's definitely worth an extended experiment. Would you consider trying that in 2009?

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Most people spend their entire lives immersed in three modes of awareness: waking, sleeping, and dreaming. But there are many other modes that have been explored down through the ages by the pioneers of consciousness. Some of them aren't very interesting to me -- like those sought out by people who use cocaine or methamphetamines, for instance -- while others are states I aspire to inhabit, like lucid dreaming, deep meditation, and a visceral perception of the fact that love is the fundamental law of the universe. I bring this line of thought to your attention, Aries, because I believe that in 2009 you will have excellent opportunities to open up your mind to levels of consciousness that are beyond the basic three. No drugs are necessary to take advantage -- only a driving curiosity to tune in to realities that are currently outside of your field of vision.

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EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES

This week my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES offer you a teaser look of some major themes you'll be working and playing with in 2009.

Beginning next week, I will devote three consecutive weeks to an in-depth discussion of your long-range outlook for the coming 12 months.

To access the Expanded Audio Horoscopes, go to RealAstrology.com.

They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute over the phone: 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

In the original Constitution of the United States, adopted in 1787, each black slave living in America was counted as three-fifths of a person. Seventy-eight years later, the Thirteenth Amendment conferred the missing two-fifths on all who had up until then been regarded as partial humans. I predict that a comparable milestone will come for you in 2009, Taurus. Where in your life have you been marginalized or perpetually unfinished? What fragmented role have you been compelled to play? What situation has prevented you from being all you can be? You will have an excellent chance of completing the circuit in the coming months.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

According to the novelist John Gardner, there are just two kinds of stories in literature: you go on a journey, or a stranger arrives in your world. According to my analysis of your destiny in 2009, you will reap rich rewards by including both of those plotlines in your life story. So let the brainstorming begin, Gemini: What's the best journey you could choose for yourself -- a journey that will educate, challenge, and delight you? And what can you do to attract the best kinds of strangers into your world -- strangers who will educate, challenge, and delight you?

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

To get ready for 2009, I invite you to fantasize in depth about the fertile alliances that might be possible for you to cultivate in the coming months. These lively, inspiring bonds could be with people you haven't met yet. They could be with acquaintances you barely know but would like to know better. And they could be with friends, collaborators, and loved ones you're already intimate with but want to become even closer to. The coming year has the potential to bring revolutionary advances in the quality and intensity of your relationships, so it will be smart for you to work hard on making that happen.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

"What do I long for?" should be a core question for you -- always, of course, but especially in 2009. Are you adventurous enough to look beyond the status symbols your ego is attached to and the transitory wishes that constantly flit through your imagination? If so, you'll prime yourself to establish a root connection with your soul's deepest yearnings. And when you're in daily touch with those primal motivators, the obstacles in your life will seem less overwhelming; the lies you tell yourself will dissolve; and you will consistently have crisp intuitions about what your next move must be. Life may not necessarily be a breeze, but it'll be profoundly magical.

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EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES

This week my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES offer you a teaser look of some major themes you'll be working and playing with in 2009.

Beginning next week, I will devote three consecutive weeks to an in-depth discussion of your long-range outlook for the coming 12 months.

To access the Expanded Audio Horoscopes, go to RealAstrology.com.

They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute over the phone: 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

When I predict that liberation will be one of your primary tasks in 2009, Virgo, I'm not speaking about it in the usual way. The definition I'm working with is one that the writer David Foster Wallace articulated: "The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day." I hope you'll be moved to add other nuances and flourishes to that approach as you experiment with it liberally in the coming months.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

"I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free." That was Michelangelo talking about how he approached his work as a sculptor. He didn't build the statue, in other words, but got rid of the unnecessary stuff that was surrounding it. I suggest that you try this approach in 2009. You have the potential to create a great thing -- maybe even two great things -- by chiseling away the extraneous material that's obscuring their unique beauty.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

In 2009, don't just tune in to your hunches now and then. Be more diligent and intense than that. Check in with your intuition at least three times a day on all 365 days of the year. Be precise in the questions you pose it. Gather its clues craftily. Have fun as you joke and play with it. Conscientiously experiment with the suggestions it provides. This will be the year you can establish a steady, reliable connection with your inner voice. Be devout in your dedication to the cult of your intuition!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Want to supercharge your luck in 2009? Get yourself some vivid new superstitions. The more outrageous they are, the more likely it is they'll generate lots of crazy sweet karma. You might want to draw inspiration from pro football player John Henderson, for instance, who swears he can trick destiny into working in his favor if his trainer smacks him in the face before each game. Former hockey player Bruce Gardiner might also be a worthy role model. To rev up his good fortune, he always shoved his hockey stick into a toilet prior to skating out onto the ice. JUST KIDDING, Sagittarius! In fact, I hope you will make 2009 your least superstitious year ever. Let's drink a toast to lucid logic, impeccable objectivity, and cool, clean reason! Add some compassionate sarcasm and loving satire into the mix, and you will generate lots of crazy sweet karma.

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HOMEWORK:

Make three predictions about your life in 2009. Tell me by going to FreeWillAstrology.com and clicking 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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