Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter August 31, 2011

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
AUGUST 31, 2011
FreeWillAstrology.com

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The piece below is excerpted from my book PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA
available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: bit.ly/PronoiaPowells

PRONOIA THERAPY

1. Once upon a time, you asked a certain someone for a blessing. Instead, he or she blasted you with a curse. The debilitating blow of that bad juju hit you right in the place that was ripe for the blessing you requested. What a tragedy!

Do you understand that the seed of the blessing you once needed (and still need) is hidden within the curse? If you figure out what that blessing is, you'll find the cure. (P.S. The French word for "wound" is blessure, which suggests that blessing can come from wounding.)

2. "Obstacles are a natural part of life, just as boulders are a natural part of the course of a river," declares the ancient Chinese book the I Ching. "The river does not complain or get depressed because there are boulders in its path."

I'd go so far to say -- this is not in the original text, but is my 21st-century addition -- that the river gets a sensual thrill as it glides its smooth current over the irregular shapes and hard skin of the rocks. It looks forward to the friction, exults in the intimate touch, loves the drama of the interaction. How would you go about imitating the river?

3. We all have a war going on inside ourselves. What's yours? Is it a just and fruitful war or a senseless and wasteful war, or both?

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

CONSPIRACIES TO COMMIT BEAUTY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Singapore will soon become more of a garden than a city
tinyurl.com/3vk8hxu

WHAT IF A LOT OF WHAT THEY TAUGHT YOU ABOUT DEATH IS A LIE?
No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life by Thich Nhat Hanh
Is it possible to live a life unfettered by fear?
tinyurl.com/3wleebe

PAY ATTENTION TO THE AMAZING RESEARCH BEING DONE BEHIND THE SCENES
Turning olive waste into "ecologically perfect" fuel.
"Olives are being looked at as a renewable energy source, since its wood produces 2.5 times more energy than others, the smoke it releases has no negative impact on neighbors or the environment, and the ash left can be used for fertilizing gardens."
tinyurl.com/3o46vds

THE EVIDENCE KEEPS ACCUMULATING
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 September 1

Copyright 2011 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Avante-garde author Gertrude Stein was renowned for her enigmatic word play and cryptic intuitions, which brought great pleasure to her long-time companion Alice B. Toklas. "This has been a most wonderful evening," Alice once remarked after an especially zesty night of socializing. "Gertrude has said things tonight it'll take her 10 years to understand." I expect that something similar could be said about you in the coming week, Virgo. It's as if you'll be glimpsing possibilities that won't fully ripen for a while; as if you'll be stumbling upon prophecies that will take months, maybe even years, to unveil their complete meaning.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

I periodically perform a public ritual called Unhappy Hour. During this focused binge of emotional cleansing, participants unburden themselves of their pent-up sadness, disappointment, frustration, and shame. They may choose to mutter loud complaints or howl with histrionic misery or even sob uncontrollably. At the end of the ceremony, they celebrate the relief they feel at having freely released so much psychic congestion, and they go back out into the world feeling refreshed. Many people find that by engaging in this purge, they are better able to conjure up positive emotional states in the days and weeks that follow. It's a perfect time for you to carry out your own Unhappy Hour, Libra. For inspiration, listen to my version here: bitly.com/UnhappyHour.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

"Age of Mythology" is a computer game that invites participants to strategically build up their own civilization and conquer others. There are of course many "cheats" that help you to bend the rules in your favor. For instance, the "Wrath of the Gods" cheat gives you the god-like powers of lightning storms, earthquakes, meteors, and tornadoes. With "Goatunheim," you can turn your enemies into goats, and "Channel Surfing" allows you to move your armies over water. But the cheat I would recommend for you right now, whether you're playing "Age of Mythology" or the game of your own life, would be Wuv Woo, a flying purple hippopotamus that blows rainbows out its back end and blasts lovey-dovey hearts from its mouth. (P.S. Using it will make other good cheats easier to access.)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Of all the tribes of the zodiac, Sagittarius is most skilled at not trying too hard. That isn't to say that you're lazy or lax. What I mean is that when it's time for you to up the ante and push toward your goal with more force and determination, you know how to cultivate a sense of spaciousness. You've got an innate knack for maintaining at least a touch of cool while immersed in the heat of the struggle. Even when the going gets tough, you can find oases of rejuvenating ease. In the coming week, I suggest you make an extra effort to draw on these capacities. You will need them more than usual.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Wild mountain goats in northern Italy have been photographed moseying their way up and across the near-vertical wall of the Cingino Dam. (Go here and scroll down seven rows to see photos: tinyurl.com/GoatTrick.) It looks impossible. How can they outmaneuver the downward drag of gravity, let alone maintain a relaxed demeanor while doing it? They are apparently motivated to perform this feat because they enjoy licking the salty minerals that coat the face of the dam. I foresee you having a comparable power in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Rarely have you been able to summon so much of your mountain goat-like power to master seemingly unclimbable heights.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Phrygia was an ancient kingdom in what is now Turkey. In its capital city was the Gordian Knot, a revered icon that symbolized the power of its ruler. According to legend, an oracle predicted that whoever would be able to untie this intricate knot would become the king of all Asia. Early in his military career, Alexander (who would later be called Alexander the Great) visited the capital and attempted to untie the Gordian Knot. He was unsuccessful, but then changed his tack. Whipping out his sword, he easily sliced through the gnarled weave. Some regarded this as the fulfillment of the prophecy, and Alexander did in fact go on to create a vast empire. Others say that he cheated -- didn't really do what the oracle had specified. And the truth is, his empire fell apart quickly. The moral of the story, as far as you're concerned, Aquarius: Untie the knot, don't cut through it.

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IF YOU WANT MORE FREE WILL ASTROLOGY,
TRY THE EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES

The written horoscopes I send out in this newsletter are pretty nutritious. You may never need any of the other stuff I create.

But if you ever do crave an added boost, you may want to sample my Expanded Audio Horoscopes. They're different in tone and intent than the written scopes, imbued with a little more of the psychologist in me, and a little less of the poet.

Find out more at RealAstrology.com.

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

"Your expanded audio horoscopes are the next best thing to actually having you here next to me to remind me who I really am."
- Alyssa R., Des Moines, Iowa

"When I listen to your audio 'scopes, my free will lights up."
- Alex D., Los Angeles

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

"If you don't become the ocean, you'll be seasick every day," sings Leonard Cohen in his song "Good Advice for Someone Like Me." I think you already know that, Pisces. Of all the signs of the zodiac, you're the top expert in simulating the look and feel of an ocean. But even experts sometime need tune-ups; even professionals always have more to learn about their specialty. And I think this is one of those times when you will benefit from upgrading your skills. If your intentions are pure and your methods crafty, you just may reach a new level of brilliance in the art of living oceanically.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Strange but true: To pave the way for your next liberation, you will have to impose some creative limitation on yourself. In other words, there's some trivial extravagance or unproductive excess in your current rhythm that is suppressing an interesting form of freedom. As soon as you cut away the faux "luxury" that is holding you back, all of life will conspire to give you a growth spurt.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Using two tons of colorful breakfast cereal, high school students in Smithfield, Utah helped their art teacher create a gymnasium-sized replica of Vincent van Gogh's painting "Starry Night." After admiring it for a few days, they dismantled the objet d'art and donated it as food to a farm full of pigs. You might benefit from trying a comparable project in the coming days, Taurus. What common everyday things could you use in novel ways to brighten up your personal palette? What humdrum part of your routine could you invigorate through the power of creative nonsense? It's high time to try some experiments in play therapy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

"The energy you use to read this sentence is powered, ultimately, by sunlight," says science writer K.C. Cole, "perhaps first soaked up by some grass that got digested by a cow before it turned into the milk that made the cheese that topped the pizza. But sunlight, just the same." That's a good seed thought to meditate on during the current phase of your astrological cycle. In the coming weeks, you will thrive by gleefully remembering your origins, by exuberantly honoring the depths that sustain you, and by reverently returning to the source for a nice, long drink of magic.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

Speaking about her character Harry on the TV show Harry's Law, Cancerian actress Kathy Bates said, "Harry is her own woman. She isn't going to take guff from anybody. I'm very much like her. I try to be diplomatic, but sometimes pterodactyls fly out of my mouth." I wouldn't always advise you to follow Bates' lead, Cancerian, but in the coming week I do: Be as tactful and sensitive as possible, but don't be shy about naming the difficult truths or revealing the hidden agendas. Pterodactyls may need to take wing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view," said gardener H. Fred Ale. I urge you to experiment with a similar approach in your own chosen field, Leo. Conjure up more empathy than you ever have before in your life. Use your imagination to put yourself in the place of whomever or whatever it is you hope to nurture and commune with and influence. And be perfectly willing to make productive errors as you engage in this extravagant immersion.

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HOMEWORK:

Pretend that your dream has come true: that you're living the life you've always wanted to. Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

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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 2011 Rob Brezsny

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