Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter September 14, 2011

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
SEPTEMBER 14, 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

YOUR BRAND NEW NAME

In some spiritual traditions, devotees attempt an arduous process of self-transformation as they retrain themselves to perceive the world from God's point of view. If they succeed, they're honored with an initiation ritual and given a new name to consecrate their altered state.

I have the same problem with this custom that I have with the idea of enlightenment: Once isn't enough. Just as anyone in his or her right spiritual mind has a duty to keep claiming fresh varieties of enlightenment until the end of time, so should the initiations and renamings continue forever.

In my opinion, these considerations apply to you. You may not have sequestered yourself for years in a mountaintop monastery, and you may not have risen every morning at 5 a.m. to say prayers for hours, but you are an authentic devotee who has undergone equivalent ordeals. Your spiritual transformation has unfolded as you've dealt with the challenges of daily life during our epic moment in history, when unprecedented levels of annihilation and resurrection are the norm.

You have earned the right, therefore, to enjoy enlightenment after enlightenment and initiation after initiation and renaming after renaming.

I invite you to get started with a do-it-yourself initiation ceremony. It doesn't have to be long and complicated, and you can create it yourself. As an example of what you might do, here's a ritual that some Beauty and Truth Laboratory's initiates have performed: 1. Eat a pinch of dirt to declare your solidarity with Mother Earth. 2. Burn a five-dollar bill to purify your relationship with symbols of wealth. 3. Kick yourself in the ass to affirm your ongoing intention to discipline your shadow.

As one of your initiatory rewards, consider adopting a fresh alias during this and every initiation you carry out in the future. You can abandon your existing name if you want, or simply add your new tag to the current mix.

To celebrate the occasion, I invoke on your behalf the inspiration of all shedding things. Your tree of power will be the eucalyptus, whose bark peels away to reveal fresh layers beneath. Your lucky symbol will be the molting snake. Your sacred insect will be the silverfish, which bursts through its exoskeleton as it grows a new and bigger one. Your role model will be Japanese artist Hokusai (1760-1849), who had such a passionate commitment to reinventing himself that he celebrated 60 births, each time giving himself a new name.

Below is a list of Native American-style titles and names you might want to steal for your own use. Feel free to dream up your own, of course.

Wild Face
Shadow Wrestler
Kiss Genius
Goal Thwacker
Boink Worthy
Fizzy Nectar
Thrill Witch
Rowdy Gusto
Bliss Mutator
Silky Banger
Phoenix Nectar
Mucho Gusto Coco Loco
Mango Sucker
Pain Killer
Fire Keeper
Wobble Binder
Earthshaker
Wish Crayon
Pearly Thunder
Thumper
Gut Stormer
Storm Tamer
Free Sigh

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

CONSPIRACY TO CREATE CLEAN ENERGY
Brazilian wind power now cheaper than natural gas
tinyurl.com/3tueyac

CONSPIRACY TO CREATE LIFE-SAVING DRUGS
New drug could cure nearly any virus
tinyurl.com/3m7pt8f

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT INCREDIBLE BEAUTY
Whoever or whatever makes crop circles, they're beautiful.
tinyurl.com/3saqrun

(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 15

Copyright 2011 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

"Everything is unique," said the 19th-century authors known as the Goncourt brothers, who wrote all their books together. "Nothing happens more than once in a lifetime. The physical pleasure that a certain woman gave you at a certain moment, the exquisite dish that you ate on a certain day -- you will never meet either again. Nothing is repeated, and everything is unparalleled." Of course this is always true. But I suspect you will be more intensely aware of it in the coming days than you have in a long time. In part that's because the sensations and experiences headed your way will be so piquantly unique, so exquisitely fresh. And in part it's because you'll be wide-awake to the novel pleasures that are possible when you appreciate the fact that everything changes all the time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul," said environmentalist Edward Abbey. The "ruin" doesn't happen all of a sudden, because of a single small failure to translate sincere intentions into good works. Rather, it's the result of long-running laziness or passivity -- a consistent inability to do what one's passions demand. If there is even a shred of this tendency in your make-up, Libra, now is an urgent time to shed it. According to my astrological analysis, you simply must carry out your soul's mandates.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

I would of course never advocate burning all copies of the book Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself. I'm a staunch defender of freedom of speech, even if the speech offends my moral sense. On the other hand, my freedom of speech allows me to advise you to strenuously avoid that book and any influence that resembles it. In my astrological opinion, you need to actually become a better person in the coming weeks, not just pretend you are. Here's a good place to start: Don't just pay lip service to the idea of supporting others' freedom of speech. Help them claim and express that freedom, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Every one of us is born with up to 150 new mutations that make us different from both of our parents. Most of those genetic alterations are neutral in their effects. Some are negative and a few may be beneficial. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because you're entering a phase when it's possible to take more advantage of your positive mutations than you ever have before. Can you guess what they are? Try to, because you're primed to tap in to their fuller potential.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Dictionary.com says there are 19 words in the English language with no perfect rhymes. Among them are six words that are useful in constructing this week's horoscope for you: cusp, glimpsed, depth, rhythm, gulf, and opus. I like the fact that none of them rhyme because it's symbolic of the task you have ahead of you. You're on the cusp of a shift in your rhythm that will take you out of your depth, compelling you to close the gulf between you and a resource that will be crucial for you to have access to in the future. You've glimpsed what needs to be done -- the creation of a new opus -- but in order to accomplish it, you will need to be motivated by a frustration that feels like having to rhyme unrhymeable words.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

The Jerusalem Syndrome is a temporary psychological phenomenon that on rare occasions overtakes travelers who visit Jerusalem. Under the influence of ancient holy sites, these people may become obsessed with religious themes or experience delusions that they are characters from stories in the Bible or Koran. I don't expect you to fall under the sway of such an outbreak, Aquarius, but I do suspect that you will soon have some intense spiritual stirrings. To ensure that they will enlighten you, not dishevel you, stay well-grounded. Have regular meals, please. Sleep well and exercise now and then.

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MY OTHER HOROSCOPES

Factual information and reasonable thinking alone are not sufficient to guide you through life's labyrinthine tests. You need and deserve regular deliveries of uncanny revelation.

One of your inalienable rights as a human being should therefore be to receive mysteriously useful omens on a regular basis. In this spirit, I offer you the free weekly horoscopes you read in this newsletter.

If you ever want more, and think it's worth paying for, try my daily text message 'scopes or my expanded audio 'scopes.

Go here to access them: RealAstrology.com.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.

"The best part about your audio horoscopes is that they pat me on the head and kick me in the ass at the same time."
- Rita L., San Diego

"Your audio oracles go beyond helping me find the truth -- they inspire me to find the WILD truth."
- Patrick K., Montreal

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

My Pisces friend Rana Satori Stewart coined some new words that happen to be perfect for you to begin using and embodying. "Blissipline," she says, is "the commitment to experiencing a little or a lot of bliss every day; the practice of expanding one's capacity for bliss and being open to receive it in any moment." A "blissiplinarian" is "someone who enforces pleasure and invites opportunities for more pleasure," while a "blissciple" is a person who aspires to master the art of blissipline. I encourage you to be a blissciple, Pisces, because it will put you in sync with the effervescent invitations the cosmos has scheduled for you.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

"An awakened Aries would rather err on the side of making a daring, improvisational mistake than cuddle up with passionless peace," writes astrologer Hunter Reynolds. "He or she knows that creative conflict can be a greater unifying force than superficial harmony." This is an excellent keynote for you to keep in mind during the coming days. But make sure your motivations are pure and humble, please. If the daring improvisation you launch is fueled by arrogance or the urge to dominate, your efforts to shake things up for the greater good will fail. Fight against what Reynolds calls "terrified niceness" -- but do it with fierce compassion, not sneering rage.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Back in 2009, John Allwood, an Australian melon-picker, used his head to smash 47 watermelons in 60 seconds. That broke the previous world record of 40 in a minute, also set by him a couple of years earlier. I've chosen him to be your role model for the coming week, Taurus -- for two reasons. First, you're primed to outstrip a personal best you achieved some time back. So do it! Second, it's a perfect time to use your head in fun and creative ways.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

According to April Winchell's book Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF, here are some of the treasures you can find for sale at Etsy.com: a toy pig made from a root beer can; a "juicy enchanted pouch" for holding runes; a handmade hornet's nest; a stuffed feral goat fashioned to resemble a unicorn; fake tapeworms that are actually spray-painted fettucine; and a "haunted Ouija board Las Vegas casino-style blackjack roulette poker chip." I would absolutely love it if you designed something like this and hawked it on Etsy, Gemini. Your skill as an idiosyncratic creator will soon be peaking, as will your capacity for marketing the most unique aspects of your shtick and style.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

"Specialization is for insects," said science fiction writer Robert Heinlein. "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, pitch manure, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently." I bring this thought to your attention, Cancerian, because it's an excellent time for you to broaden your understanding and expand your repertoire. How many of the things that Heinlein names can you do? Make a list of your talents, and try to add some new ones to that list in the coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

A veterinarian in Nashville was asked to do something he had never done: diagnose and treat a wounded whooping crane. Experts devoted to safeguarding the endangered species advised him to wear a billowy white suit. That way the wild bird would be more likely to accept his attention. "You learn very quickly how to communicate dressed as a marshmallow," the vet said after completing his work. Be prepared for a metaphorically similar encounter, Leo. You, too, may face a prospect that resembles interspecies conversation. I hope you'll be as adaptable as the vet.

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HOMEWORK:

What are the main dreams you want to accomplish in each of the next three decades? Have fun brainstorming. 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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