Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter October 14, 2015

 Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
 October 14, 2015
 FreeWillAstrology.com

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

Below are excerpts.

Being a devotee of pronoia doesn't mean you will never have another difficult or painful experience. It doesn't obligate you to pretend that everything is perfectly right with the world. You don't have to cover your eyes whenever you come into proximity to a daily newspaper.

On the other hand, we're not going to waste our valuable space or your precious energy by giving more than equal time to stories of tragedy, failure, and tumult. They get far more than their fair share of attention everywhere else. Future historians might even conclude that our age suffered from a collective obsessive-compulsive disorder: the pathological need to repetitively seek out reasons for how bad life is.

Still, we feel the need to push a bit further in our acknowledgment of all the confusing evils of the world. It's hard to satisfy the paranoid cynics! Unless we demonstrate that we have some mastery of their ideology, they'll dismiss us as intellectual pussies. They will need proof that we're familiar with the data they favor.

Our Homeopathic Medicine Spells make it harder for the paranoids to dismiss us pronoiacs as naive optimists. They're designed to recognize the evils of the world, but in a controlled manner that prevents them from poisoning you. In this way, we can also practice what we preach, subverting any tendencies we might have toward fanaticism and unilateralism.

Each Homeopathic Medicine Spell consists of a contained space within which lies a recitation of Very Bad Things. The border around each space is a magical seal that we consecrated during a ritual invocation of the Cackling Goddess Who Eternally Creates Us Anew. Inspired through communion with Her fierce jokes, we also surrounded each seal with good mojo in the form of word charms and talismanic symbols.

As you gaze at the Homeopathic Medicine Spells, you'll be building up your protection against the dangers named inside the contained space. You'll also get intuitions about how to dissolve the pop nihilistic toxins within you that resonate with those dangers.

See the Spell: http://bit.ly/12nhPt1

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There is no God. God is dead. God is a drug for people who aren't very smart. God is an illusion sold to dupes by money-hungry religions. God is a right-wing conspiracy. God is an infantile fantasy favored by superstitious cowards who can't face life's existential meaninglessness.

JUST KIDDING! The truth is, anyone who says he knows what God is or isn't, doesn't really know.

Now read Adolfo Quezada's prayer, then confess what you don't know about God. "God of the Wild, you are different from what I expected. I cannot predict you. You are too free to be captured for the sake of my understanding. I can't find you in the sentimentalism of religion. You are everywhere I least expect to find you. You are not the force that saves me from the pain of living; you are the force that brings me life even in the midst of pain."

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What if the Creator is like the poet Rainer Maria Rilke's God: "like a webbing made of a hundred roots, that drink in silence"? What if the Source of All Life inhabits both the dark and the light, heals with strange splendor as much as with sweet insight, is hermaphroditic and omnisexual?

What if the Source loves to give you riddles that push you past the boundaries of your understanding, forcing you to change the ways you think about everything? What if, as Rusty Morrison speculates in Poetry Flash, "the sublime can only be glimpsed by pressing through fear's boundary, beyond one's previous conceptions of the beautiful"?

Close your eyes and imagine you can sense the presence of this tender, marvelous, difficult, entertaining intelligence.

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One goal of meditation is to empty the mind of its obsessively generated thoughts, habitual rationalizations, and addictive images. Alas, much of the media functions as a reverse meditation machine. Not only does it stir up your own mental clatter, it also floods you with the seething surge of other people's private pandemoniums.

Furthermore, it delivers this rattling racket with entertaining words and brilliant color and crystalline sound, driving it as deeply into your psyche as your own flotsam.

What might heal the effects of the media's reverse meditations? How about a day-long fast from all media once a month -- not just from Facebook, but the thousands of other sources that channel the collective's monkey mind?

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Increasing numbers of people are able to cultivate a chronic, low-grade ecstasy that never fully dissipates. This altered state often sensitizes their perceptions to the presence of subtle miracles that are hidden from others people. For these "everyday ecstatics," extraordinary stimulation and peak experiences are not necessary to sustain the constant flow of bliss . . .

[Read the rest of this exposé here: bit.ly/zC3r67]

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"We tend to associate the energy of intent with complicated or profoundly meaningful actions that require our full attention and effort in order to succeed. For example, walking a tightrope, taking a test, and taking a vow are all tasks that call us to be fully present and single-minded.

"However, intent can also be applied to everyday events, like eating breakfast or going to work. In fact, everything we do benefits from the presence of intent, which has the power to transform seemingly mundane tasks into profound experiences. You only have to try it to find out.

"From the moment we wake up, we can apply intent to our situation by simply saying to ourselves, 'I am aware that I am now awake.' We can use this simple tool throughout our day, saying, 'I am aware that I am driving to work.' 'I am aware that I am making dinner.' Or even, 'I am aware that I am breathing.'

"As we acknowledge what we are doing in these moments, we come alive to our bodies and to the world, owning our actions instead of habitually performing them. We may realize how often we act without intention and how this disengages us from reality. Applying the energy of intent to even one task a day has the power to transform our lives. Just imagine what would happen if we were able to apply that power to our entire day."

- By Madisyn Taylor of Daily Om, http://dailyom.com

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

From the upcoming book, "The Great Surge: The Ascent of the Developing World," by Steven Radelet:

"We live today at a time of great progress for the global poor. Never before have so many people, in so many developing countries, made so much progress. Most Americans believe the opposite: that the majority of developing countries are hopelessly mired in deep poverty, led by inept dictators, and living with pervasive famine, widespread disease, constant violence, and little hope for change.

"But in fact a major transformation is underway -- and has been for two decades now. Since the early 1990s more than 700 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty, six million fewer children die every year from disease, tens of millions more girls are in school, millions more people have access to clean water, and democracy -- often fragile and imperfect -- has become the norm in developing countries around the world."

tinyurl.com/phv4a8a

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Many people living in Africa need electricity, but don't have it. Luckily, something of a solar power revolution is afoot in Africa, triggering a wave of innovation from solar energy entrepreneurs.
tinyurl.com/pcq49r2

(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 October 15

Copyright 2015 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

Many astronomers believe that our universe began with the Big Bang. An inconceivably condensed speck of matter exploded, eventually expanding into thousands of billions of stars. It must have been a noisy event, right? Actually, no. Astronomers estimate that the roar of the primal eruption was just 120 decibels -- less than the volume of a live rock concert. I suspect that you are also on the verge of your own personal Big Bang, Libra. It, too, will be relatively quiet for the amount of energy it unleashes.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

For now, you are excused from further work on the impossible tasks that have been grinding you down. You may take a break from the unsolvable riddles and cease your exhaustive efforts. And if you would also like to distance yourself from the farcical jokes the universe has been playing, go right ahead. To help enforce this transition, I hereby authorize you to enjoy a time of feasting and frolicking, which will serve as an antidote to your baffling trials. And I hereby declare that you have been as successful at weathering these trials as you could possibly be, even if the concrete proof of that is not yet entirely visible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

One afternoon in September, I was hiking along a familiar path in the woods. As I passed my favorite grandmother oak, I spied a thick, six-foot-long snake loitering on the trail in front of me. In hundreds of previous visits, I had never before seen a creature bigger than a mouse. The serpent's tail was hidden in the brush, but its head looked more like a harmless gopher snake's than a dangerous rattler's. I took the opportunity to sing it three songs. It stayed for the duration, then slipped away after I finished. What a great omen! The next day, I made a tough but liberating decision to leave behind a good part of my life so as to focus more fully on a great part. With or without a snake sighting, Sagittarius, I foresee a comparable breakthrough for you sometime soon.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Canadian author Margaret Atwood has finished a new manuscript. It's called Scribbler Moon. But it won't be published as a book until the year 2114. Until then, it will be kept secret, along with the texts of many other writers who are creating work for a "Future Library." The project's director is conceptual artist Katie Paterson, who sees it as a response to George Orwell's question, "How could you communicate with the future?" With this as your inspiration, Capricorn, try this exercise: Compose five messages you would you like to deliver to the person you will be in 2025.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Every hour of your life, millions of new cells are born to replace old cells that are dying. That's why many parts of your body are composed of an entirely different collection of cells than they were years ago. If you are 35, for example, you have replaced your skeleton three times. Congratulations! Your creativity is spectacular, as is your ability to transform yourself. Normally these instinctual talents aren't nearly as available to you in your efforts to recreate and transform your psyche, but they are now. In the coming months, you will have extraordinary power to revamp and rejuvenate everything about yourself, not just your physical organism.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

The coming weeks will NOT be a favorable time to seek out allies you don't even like that much or adventures that provide thrills you have felt a thousand times before. But the near future will be an excellent time to go on a quest for your personal version of the Holy Grail, a magic carpet, the key to the kingdom, or an answer to the Sphinx's riddle. In other words, Pisces, I advise you to channel your yearning toward experiences that steep your heart with a sense of wonder. Don't bother with anything that degrades, disappoints, or desensitizes you.

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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 here.

If you ever want more, and think it's worth paying for, try my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny and where you're headed.

To listen to your Expanded Audio Horoscope online, go to RealAstrology.com.

Register and/or log in through the main page.

You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888.

The cost is $6 per sign on the Web (discounts available for bulk purchases), or $1.99 per minute by phone.

The Expanded Audio Horoscopes work on most smart phones and tablets.

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"Your expanded horoscopes get more personal and intimate with me than some of my closest friends. Thanks for the loving reflections."
- Ari S., Ann Arbor, MI

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

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ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Here's actor Bill Murray's advice about relationships: "If you have someone that you think is The One, don't just say, 'OK, let's pick a date. Let's get married.' Take that person and travel around the world. Buy a plane ticket for the two of you to go to places that are hard to go to and hard to get out of. And if, when you come back, you're still in love with that person, get married at the airport." In the coming weeks, Aries, I suggest you make comparable moves to test and deepen your own closest alliances. See what it's like to get more seriously and deliriously intimate.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

Some firefighters use a wetter kind of water than the rest of us. It contains a small amount of biodegradable foam that makes it ten times more effective in dousing blazes. With this as your cue, I suggest you work on making your emotions "wetter" than usual. By that I mean the following: When your feelings arise, give them your reverent attention. Marvel at how mysterious they are. Be grateful for how much life force they endow you with. Whether they are relatively "negative" or "positive," regard them as interesting revelations that provide useful information and potential opportunities for growth.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a BBC TV min-series set in the early 19th century. It's the fictional story of a lone wizard, Mr. Norrell, who seeks to revive the art of occult magic so as to accomplish practical works, like helping the English navy in its war against the French navy. Norrell is pleased to find an apprentice, Jonathan Strange, and draws up a course of study for him. Norrell tells Strange that the practice of magic is daunting, "but the study is a continual delight." If you're interested in taking on a similar challenge, Gemini, it's available.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

We humans have put buttons on clothing for seven millennia. But for a long time these small knobs and disks were purely ornamental -- meant to add beauty but not serve any other function. That changed in the 13th century, when our ancestors finally got around to inventing buttonholes. Buttons could then serve an additional purpose, providing a convenient way to fasten garments. I foresee the possibility of a comparable evolution in your personal life, Cancerian. You have an opening to dream up further uses for elements that have previously been one-dimensional. Brainstorm about how you might expand the value of familiar things.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

You would be wise to rediscover and revive your primal innocence. If you can figure out how to shed a few shreds of your sophistication and a few slivers of your excess dignity, you will literally boost your intelligence. That's why I'm inviting you to explore the kingdom of childhood, where you can encounter stimuli that will freshen and sweeten your adulthood. Your upcoming schedule could include jumping in mud puddles, attending parties with imaginary friends, having uncivilized fun with wild toys, and drinking boisterously from fountains of youth.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

While still a young man, Virgo author Leo Tolstoy wrote that "I have not met one man who is morally as good as I am." He lived by a strict creed. "Eat moderately" was one of his "rules of life," along with "Walk for an hour every day." Others were equally stern: "Go to bed no later than ten o'clock," "Only do one thing at a time," and "Disallow flights of imagination unless necessary." He did provide himself with wiggle room, however. One guideline allowed him to sleep two hours during the day. Another specified that he could visit a brothel twice a month. I'd love for you to be inspired by Tolstoy's approach, Virgo. Now is a favorable time to revisit your own rules of life. As you refine and recommit yourself to these fundamental disciplines, be sure to give yourself enough slack.

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HOMEWORK:

In what part of your life are you doing less than your best? Why? 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 2015 Rob Brezsny

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