Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter August 6, 2014

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
August 6, 2014
FreeWillAstrology.com

+

As someone who loves science, I understand why scientists get impatient and riled up about those who reject the overwhelming evidence for evolution and human-caused climate change. I, too, am disturbed about the damage done by fanatical believers who not only insist on cultivating their ignorance, but also want to foist it on others.

But I am far less sanguine about the scientists and science-lovers who wax arrogant and authoritative as they dogmatically dismiss all "alternative medicine" as pseudo-science that can't possible work . . .

I am perplexed by the scientists and science-lovers who assert with an angry omniscience that there are absolutely no concerns, none, never, about the safety of genetically engineered foods . . .

I am amazed by the scientists and science-lovers who pontificate with unskeptical certainty, with a despotic and doctrinaire condescension more befitting a religious fundamentalist, that all so-called paranormal phenomena is impossible, that all consciousness stems solely from the activities of brain chemicals, that there is and cannot be any such thing as a "soul" or non-material intelligences or life after death.

Ideas about evolution and human-caused climate change may come as close as we humans can approach to absolute truth about the material world. But those other things I mentioned don't belong in the same category. To vehemently insist that they do is not warranted or logical. And it's certainly not scientific.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

In Plato's Theaetetus, the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates spoke derisively about people who are "eu a-mousoi," an ancient Greek term that literally means "happily without muses." These are the plodding materialists who have no hunger for divine inspiration and no need of higher insights about reality. They mistakenly believe that in order to be real, a thing must be perceivable by the five senses. They aren't trustworthy.

"Socrates argues that the invisible world is the most intelligible and that the visible world is the least knowable, and the most obscure." - Wikipedia

One of the worst consequences of religious fundamentalism, in my opinion, has been to give justification to the rise of militant cults of plodding materialists who are "eu a-mousoi."

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

"You have more freedom than you are using," says artist Dan Attoe.

I hope that taunt gets under your skin and riles you up. Maybe it will motivate you to lay claim to all the potential spaciousness and independence and leeway that are just lying around going to waste.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

"Maverick biologist" Rupert Sheldrake thinks there is a big problem in science, caused by those who employ it as a belief system, rather than using it as a method of inquiry. He thinks science is being held back by the former, and in his book Science Set Free he offers the "ten dogmas of science" that he thinks need to be treated with more suspicion than they currently are:

1. That nature is mechanical.
2. That matter is unconscious.
3. The laws of nature are fixed.
4. The totally amount of matter and energy are always the same.
5. That nature is purposeless.
6. Biological inheritance is material.
7. That memories are stored as material traces.
8. The mind is in the brain.
9. Telepathy and other psychic phenomena are illusory.
10. Mechanistic medicine is the only kind that really works.

The "science delusion" is the uncritical belief in these dogmas, treating them not as beliefs but as truths. Science is much more fun, much more interesting, much more free, when we turn these dogmas into questions.

More at: tinyurl.com/bhxdoy9

The book Science Set Free:
tinyurl.com/a8plh5l

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

My book
PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA
is available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: bit.ly/PronoiaPowells

Below is an excerpt, "Welcome to the Beauty and Truth Lab."
To hear the song, go here: bit.ly/zTYYdd

Welcome to the Beauty and Truth Lab.

We're coming to you live from your repressed memories of paradise, reminding you that you can have anything you want if you will just ask for it in an unselfish way.

Welcome to the end of your nightmares, beauty and truth fans!

The world is young, your soul is free, and a naked celebrity is dying to talk to you about your most intimate secrets right now.

Just kidding.

In fact, the world is young, your soul is free, and at any moment you will feel a flood of ecstatic compassion for salamanders, oak trees, clouds, toasters, convenience store clerks, and even the ocean itself.

I'm your host. My name is the Sacred Janitor at the Edge of Time, and I'm proud to announce that this is a perfect moment.

It's a perfect moment for many reasons, but especially because you are on the verge of finally figuring out exactly what it is you really want more than anything else.

Bravo! Viva! Whoopee! Oooo Eureka! Hallelujah! Abracadabra!
Bravo! Viva! Whoopee! Oooo Eureka! Hallelujah! Abracadabra!

The Beauty and Truth Lab's experiments are brought to you by the pine trees whose seeds are so tightly compacted within their protective covering that only the intense heat of a forest fire can free them and allow them to sprout.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Are you in quest of an Intimate Ally? A Soul Friend? A Wild Confidante?

Check out Match.com via Free Will Astrology's link: bit.ly/SoulMatch

Look for a Co-Pilot, Co-Conspirator, or Collaborator . . . an Agent to represent you or a Disciple to worship you . . . a Secret Sharer who'll listen better than anyone or an Amazing Accomplice with whom you can practice the Art of Liberation.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

Art Is a Necessary Element of Every Revolution
tinyurl.com/p6dewwg

Multnomah Falls, the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States. Located in Oregon.
i.imgur.com/dJ7ObJ4.gif

In Two Years, Denmark's Wind Power Will Be Half the Cost of Fossil Fuels
tinyurl.com/kmv5ohj

A compendium of pronoiac news.
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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning August 7

Copyright 2014 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

Every 12 years, the planet Jupiter spends about a year cruising through the sign of Leo. It's there with you now, and will be with you through early August, 2015. What can you expect? EXPANSION! That's great, right? Yes and no. You might love to have some parts of your life expand; others, not so much. So I suggest you write down your intentions. Say something like this: "I want Jupiter to help me expand my faith in myself, my power to do what I love, and my ability to draw on the resources and allies I need. Meanwhile, I will prune my desires for things I don't really need and cut back on my involvement with things that don't inspire me. I don't want those to expand."

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

TV comedian Stephen Colbert confesses that his safeword is "pumpkin patch." Does that mean he participates in actual BDSM rituals? Is it the codeword he utters when he doesn't want the intensity to rise any further, when he doesn't want his next boundary crossed? I don't know. Perhaps he's simply joking or speaking metaphorically. Whether or not you engage in literal BDSM, Virgo, there's an aspect of your life right now that has metaphorical resemblances to it. And I suggest that you do the equivalent of using your safeword very soon. Nothing more can be gained from remaining embroiled in your predicament. Even if the ordeal has been interesting or educational up until now, it won't be for much longer. Escape your bondage.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

If you're planning to hurl a thunderbolt, make sure you are all warmed up and at full strength before you actually unleash it. It would be sad if you flung a half-assed thunderbolt that looked like a few fireflies and sounded like a cooing dove. And please don't interpret my wise-guy tone here as a sign that I'm just kidding around. No, Libra. This is serious stuff. Life is offering you opportunities to make a major impression, and I want you to be as big and forceful and wild as you need to be. Don't tamp down your energy out of fear of hurting people's feelings. Access your inner sky god or sky goddess, and have too much fun expressing your raw power.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

In your dreams you may travel to Stockholm, Sweden to accept the Nobel Prize or to Hollywood to pick up your Oscar. There's a decent chance that in your sleepy-time adventures you will finally score with the hot babe who rejected you back in high school, or return to the scene of your biggest mistake and do things right this time. I wouldn't be surprised if in one dream you find yourself riding in a gold chariot during a parade held in your honor. I'm afraid, however, that you will have to settle for less hoopla and glamour in your waking life. You will merely be doing a fantastic job at tasks you usually perform competently. You will be well-appreciated, well-treated, and well-rewarded. That's not so bad, right?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Lake Superior State University issues a "Unicorn Questing Privilege" to those people who are interested in hunting for unicorns. Are you one of them? I wouldn't be surprised if you felt an urge like that in the coming weeks. Unusual yearnings will be welling up in you. Exotic fantasies may replace your habitual daydreams. Certain possibilities you have considered to be unthinkable or unattainable may begin to seem feasible. Questions you have been too timid to ask could become crucial for you to entertain. (You can get your Unicorn Questing License here: tinyurl.com/unicornlicense.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Your ethical code may soon be tested. What will you do if you see a chance to get away with a minor sin or petty crime that no one will ever find out about? What if you are tempted to lie or cheat or deceive in ways that advance your good intentions and only hurt other people a little bit or not at all? I'm not here to tell you what to do, but rather to suggest that you be honest with yourself about what's really at stake. Even if you escape punishment for a lapse, you might nevertheless inflict a wound on your integrity that would taint your relationship with your own creativity. Contemplate the pleasures of purity and righteousness, and use them to enhance your power.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

LOVE YOUR LIFE

"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." So begins Charles Dickens' novel "David Copperfield." So let me ask you: Are you becoming the hero of your own life? Are you figuring out the secrets of how to create your destiny -- and not just waiting around for destiny to happen to you?

If you'd like help in this noble work, consider trying my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny and where you're headed.

They are not repeats or extensions of the written 'scopes you read here for free. They are entirely fresh explorations of your astrological omens, and are designed to help you tune in to your soul's code. (P.S. They're not free.)

Register and/or sign in at RealAstrology.com

They're available on your tablets and smart phones as well as your computers.

"I don't much believe in astrology. But that doesn't seem to get in the way of me deriving a whole lot of benefits from your expanded audio horoscopes."
- A. Arrosto, Indianapolis

"You have an amazing aptitude for cutting through the lies I tell myself. Thanks for the gentle shocks."
- T. Preneris, Toronto

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

"The thorn arms the roses," says an old Latin motto. The astrological omens suggest you'll be wise to muse on that advice in the coming weeks. How should you interpret it? I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions, of course, but here are a few hints. It may be that beauty needs protection, or at least buffering. It's possible that you can't simply depend on your sincerity and good intentions, but also need to infuse some ferocity into your efforts. In order for soft, fragile, lovely things to do what they do best, they may require the assistance of tough, strong, hearty allies.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

If you go to an American doctor to be treated for an ailment, odds are that he or she will interrupt you no more than 14 seconds into your description of what's wrong. But you must not tolerate this kind of disrespect in the coming days, Pisces -- not from doctors, not from anyone. You simply must request or, if necessary, demand the receptivity you deserve. If and when it's given, I urge you to speak your truth in its entirety. Express what has been hidden and suppressed. And this is very important: Take responsibility for your own role in any problems you discuss.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Don't just be smart and articulate, Aries. Dare to be wildly wise and prone to unruly observations. Don't merely be kind and well-behaved. Explore the mysteries of healing through benevolent mischief. Don't buy into the all-too-serious trances. Break up the monotony with your unpredictable play and funny curiosity. Don't simply go along with the stories everyone seems to believe in as if they were the Truth and the Way. Question every assumption; rebel against every foregone conclusion; propose amusing plot twists that send the narratives off on interesting tangents.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Breve orazione penetra is an old Italian idiom. Its literal translation is "short prayers pierce" or "concise prayers penetrate." You can extrapolate from that to come up with the meaning that "God listens best to brief prayers." In the coming week, I invite you to apply this idea whenever you ask for anything, whether you are seeking the favors of the Divine Wow or the help of human beings. Know exactly what you want, and express it with no-nonsense succinctness.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Every February, you go through a phase when it's easier to see the big picture of your life. If you take advantage of this invitation, your experience is like being on a mountaintop and gazing into the vastness. Every August, on the other hand, you are more likely to see the details you have been missing. Transformations that have been too small and subtle to notice may become visible to you. If you capitalize on this opportunity, the experience is like peering through a microscope. Here's a third variation, Gemini: Around the full moons of both February and August, you may be able to alternately peer into the microscope and simulate the view from a mountaintop. I think that's about to happen.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

You wouldn't sip dirty water from a golden chalice. Am I right? Nor would you swig delicious poison from a fine crystal wine glass or ten-year-old vinegar from a queen's goblet. I'm sure you will agree that you'd much rather drink a magical elixir from a paper cup, or a rejuvenating tonic from a chipped coffee mug, or tasty medicine out of a kids' plastic soup bowl you bought at the thrift store. Don't you dare lie to yourself about what's best for you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOMEWORK:

Tell what techniques you've discovered about feeding honey to crocodiles. Truthrooster@gmail.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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 2014 Rob Brezsny

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++