Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter March 10, 2010

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
MARCH 10, 2010
FreeWillAstrology.com

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New song, "Prayer for Us": bit.ly/PrayerforUs

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Dear Readers,

I've been working on the soundtrack for my book PRONOIA since 2005. Why is it taking forever to finish it? One reason is that in order to even begin, I had to set up a home recording studio and learn how to use the technology.

Another reason is that I work verrrry slowwwwwly.

So here it is 2010, five years later, and the project isn't polished to my satisfaction. It's still a work in progress. But I've decided to release parts of it anyway.

This week I'm offering the song "Prayer for Us." You can access it here: bit.ly/PrayerforUs

It's based on a piece from the revised and expanded version of my book PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA, which I'm also excerpting below.

In addition to my music and vocals, "Prayer for Us" also features the singing of my friend Jessica Rice and guitar work by my friend Josh Brill.

Enjoy!

In the weeks to come, I'll be announcing the release of other new songs.

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I'm very grateful that you responded so heartily to my requests in last week's newsletter. You went out and bought lots of copies of PRONOIA, at one point bumping it up to #576 in the Amazon rankings. And you added more than 20 new reviews of the book to the Amazon page. Your show of support was generous. Thank you!

Rob

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Push hard to get better, become smarter, grow your devotion to the truth, fuel your commitment to beauty, refine your emotional intelligence, hone your dreams, negotiate with your shadow, cure your ignorance, shed your pettiness, heighten your drive to look for the best in people, and soften your heart -- even as you always accept yourself for exactly who you are with all of your so-called imperfections.
- PRONOIA

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The revised and expanded version of my book PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA is available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia

Below is an excerpt of "PRAYER FOR US." To read the whole text of the prayer, go here: bit.ly/OurPrayer

To hear the song based on "PRAYER FOR US," go here: bit.ly/PrayerforUs

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PRAYER FOR US

This is a perfect moment. It's a perfect moment because I have been inspired to say a gigantic prayer. I've been roused to unleash a divinely greedy, apocalyptically healing prayer for each and every one of us -- even those of us who don't believe in the power of prayer.

And so I am starting to pray right now to the God of Gods . . . the God beyond all Gods . . . the Girlfriend of God . . . the Teacher of God . . . the Goddess who invented God.

DEAR GODDESS, you who always answer our very best questions, even if we ignore you:

Please be here with us right now. Come inside us with your sly slippery slaphappy mojo. Invade us with your silky succulent salty sweet haha.

Hear with our ears, Goddess. Breathe with our lungs. See through our eyes.

DEAR GODDESS, you who never kill but only change:

I pray that my exuberant, suave, and accidental words will move you to shower ferocious blessings down on everyone who reads or hears this benediction.

I pray that you will give us what we don't even know we need -- not just the boons we think we want, but everything we've always been afraid to even imagine or ask for.

DEAR GODDESS, you wealthy anarchist burning heaven to the ground:

Many of us don't even know who we really are.

We've forgotten that our souls live forever.

We're blind to the fact that every little move we make sends ripples through eternity. Some of us are even ignorant of how extravagant, relentless, and practical your love for us is.

Please wake us up to the shocking truths. Use your brash magic to help us see that we are completely different from we've been led to believe, and more exciting than we can possibly imagine.

Guide us to realize that we are all unwitting messiahs who are much too big and ancient to fit inside our personalities . . . .

To READ THE REST of "PRAYER FOR US," go here: bit.ly/OurPrayer

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

LET'S CELEBRATE WHAT WORKS
Read about real heroes, and nominate your own.
tinyurl.com/cefezd

THERE'S MORE GOOD HEALTH NEWS THAN BAD
Norway conquers infections by cutting use of antibiotics
tinyurl.com/ybyj4po

THE EVIDENCE IS THAT LIFE IS AT LEAST 51% FANTASTIC
See all the pronoia resources in one radiant place.
pronoiaresources.com

(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 March 11

Copyright 2010 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

I used to have an acupuncturist who, as she poked me with needles, liked to talk about her understanding of Chinese medicine. Once she told me that every human being needs a "heart protector," which is a body function that's "like a holy warrior who serves as the queen's devoted ally." But the heart protector is not something you're born with. You've got to grow it by building your fortitude and taking care of your body. I think the heart protector will be an apt metaphor for you to play with in the coming weeks, Pisces. It's going to be an excellent time for you to cultivate any part of your life that gives your heart joy, strength, peace, and integrity.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) was called "the most famous actress the world has ever known." She did a few films in the early days of the cinema, but most of her work was in the theater. At age 70, she played the role of the 13-year-old Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I commend her on her refusal to act her age, and recommend that you make a comparable effort in the coming weeks. For example, if you're in your twenties, try something you thought you wouldn't do until you were at a very ripe age. If you're over 50, be 25 for a while. It's an excellent time to do this kind of time-traveling.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

You might have to use primitive means to accomplish modern wonders. It may be necessary to hearken back to what worked in the past in order to serve the brightest vision of the future. Take your cue from Luis Soriano, a saintly teacher who carries a library of 120 books on the back of a donkey as he meanders around the back country of Colombia, helping poor kids learn how to read.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Humans have been baking and eating bread for at least 5,000 years. But it wasn't until the 20th century that anyone figured out a fast and easy way to cut it into thin, precise pieces. Then Otto Rohwedder, who had been working on the project for 16 years, produced a machine that cut a loaf into individual slices. I bring him to your attention, Gemini, because I think you are in a phase of your life when you could very possibly create an innovation that would be as intimately revolutionary as Rohwedder's was for the masses. In fact, why aren't you working on it right now?

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

In order to heal deep-seated problems, people may need to engage in long-term psychotherapy, patiently chipping away at their mental blocks for many years. But some lucky sufferers get their neuroses zapped virtually overnight, either with the help of a monumental event that shocks them out of their malaise or through the work of a brilliant healer who uses a few strokes of kamikaze compassion to creatively destroy their deluded fixations. I think you're now a candidate for this type of correction, Cancerian.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

To discover the most useful truths, you will have to peek behind the curtains and root around to see what's cloaked in the dark and maybe even explore messes you'd rather not touch. What complicates your task is that the fake truths may be extra loud and shiny, distracting you from the down and dirty stuff with their relentless come-ons. But I have confidence in your ability to outmaneuver the propaganda, Leo. You shall know the hype, and knowing the hype will set you free.

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WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES ARE LIKE?

To get an idea of how my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES might make you feel, tune in to my podcast, "Fear Versus Intuition."

It's here: bit.ly/FearVersusIntuition

"Fear Versus Intuition" is a meditation about the difference between your fearful fantasies and your authentic, accurate intuitions.

My approach there has a close resemblance to the style of my weekly EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. Go here to access them:

RealAstrology.com

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

The evil geniuses of the advertising industry are hard at work in their labs dreaming up seductive new mojo to artificially stimulate your consumer lusts. Meanwhile, the media's relentless campaign to get you to believe in debilitating fantasies and divert you from doing what's really good for you has reached a fever pitch. And here's the triple whammy: Even more than usual, some of your relatives and cohorts are angling to convince you that what pleases them is what pleases you. So is there any hope that you will be able to hone in on what truly excites you? (It's especially important that you do so right now.) The answer, in my opinion, is a qualified yes -- IF you're willing to conduct intensive research into the idiosyncratic secrets of what makes you happy; and IF you're not scared to discover who you are when you're turned on all the way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

If you were living in Greece in the fifth century B.C., I'd urge you to bathe in the healing spring at the shrine of Asklepios in Athens. If you were in 19th-century France, I'd recommend that you trek to the sacred shrine at Lourdes -- being sure to crawl the last half-mile on your hands and knees -- and sip from the curative waters there. But since you're a busy 21st-century sophisticate and may have a limited belief in miracles, I'll simply suggest that you visit the most interesting tree you know and spill a bottle of pristine water over your head as you confess your sins and ask the sky for forgiveness and sing songs that purify you to the bone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

It's quite possible that the nature of consciousness is in the midst of a fundamental transformation. The human race seems to be getting more empathetic, more compassionate, and even more psychic. Many of us are having experiences that were previously thought to be the province of mystics, such as epiphanies that give us visceral perceptions of the interconnectedness of all life. Even as some traditional religions lose members and devolve into cartoony fundamentalism, there are ever-increasing numbers of intelligent seekers who cultivate a more discerning spiritual awareness outside the decrepit frameworks. If you haven't been on this bandwagon, Scorpio, now's a good time to jump on. If you're already on board, get ready for an accelerated ride.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

This week you'll be working overtime while you sleep. Your dreaming mind will be playing around with solutions to your waking mind's dilemmas. Your ally, the wild conjurer in the ramshackle diamond-encrusted sanctuary at the edge of the deep dark forest, will be spinning out medicine stories and rounding up help for you. So of course you should keep a pen and notebook by your bed to record the dreams that come. I suggest that you also try to keep the first part of your mornings free of busy work so you can integrate the full impact of the nights' gifts. And don't despair if you can't actually remember any of your nocturnal adventures. Their tasty after-images will remain with you subliminally, giving your logical mind an intuitive edge.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

There'll be an abundance of unambiguous choices for you to make in the coming days. I'm not implying they'll be easy, just that the different alternatives will be clearly delineated. To get you warmed up for your hopefully crisp decisions, I've compiled a a few exercises. Pick one of each of these pairs: 1. exacting homework or free-form research; 2. pitiless logic or generous fantasies; 3. precise and disciplined communication or heedless self-expression; 4. grazing like a contented sheep or rambling like a restless mountain goat.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Among Eastern religions, some traditions preach the value of getting rid of your desires. To be righteously attuned to current cosmic rhythms, however, I think you should rebel against that ideal, and instead cultivate a whole host of excellent desires. Use your imagination, please! Here are a few I highly recommend: a desire for a revelation or experience that will steer you away from becoming more like a machine; a desire for a fresh blast of purity from a primal source; a desire for an imaginary pet snake that teaches you how to be more playful with your libidinous energy; and a desire for a jolt of unexpected beauty that reminds you how important it is to always keep a part of your mind untamed.

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HOMEWORK:

Wes Nisker says, "If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own." I'd love to hear about your efforts to create good news. Tell me at Truthrooster@gmail.com. For inspiration, check out these sources of good news: bit.ly/PronoiaNetwork

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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 2010 Rob Brezsny

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