Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter June 1, 2016

 Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
 June 1, 2016
 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.

Your yearly reminder: You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be.

You don’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations.

There’s no need to strive for a kind of perfection that’s not very interesting to you.

You don’t have to believe in ideas that make you sad or tormented.

You don’t have to feel emotions that others try to manipulate you into feeling.

You are free to be who you want to be.
 

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"Is it bad to live without a hell?" poet Pablo Neruda asks in The Book of Questions. Let's add these queries to his: Is it dangerous to live without the awakening force that an enemy provides? Is it naive to think you can achieve great success without the driving motivation that comes from thinking about ideas you hate?

Consider the issue from another angle. Dentists love tooth decay. Treating cavities provides them with a steady income. Likewise, exterminators are dependent on termites, lawyers need crime, and priests crave sinners. Lots of people have symbiotic connections with nasty stuff. In fact, isn't it true that most of us nurture our feelings for the things we love to despise and fear?

What's your favorite poison or adversary? Assume that your exposure to pronoia is changing you in ways that will require you to update your relationship with it. Speculate on how you'll go about this task.
 

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All of creation is alive and conscious, and all of creation deserves our burning, churning, yearning love. All of it. Not just the people and creatures and things that we personally find beautiful and helpful and interesting. But everything. All of creation.

If we want to become the gorgeous geniuses we were born to be, if we want to give back as many blessings as we are given, we've got to be in love with every single part of the Goddess's extravagant masterpiece.

And so we can't possibly be mere heterosexuals. We can't possibly be mere homosexuals or bisexuals.

If we want to commune with the world the way the Goddess does, we've got to be Pantheosexuals -- we've got to be experts in the art of Polymorphous Perverse Omnidirectional Goddess Cuddling. Anything less is a lie, an obscene limitation.

Hear the rest of this song: bit.ly/tlUzBZ
 

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Beauty and Truth Lab researcher Artemisia had just begun menstruating, and was suffering from debilitating cramps. Massive doses of ibuprofen were not relieving the distress, so she went to her regular acupuncturist, Dr. Lily Ming, to get relief.

Dr. Ming had Artemisia lie down on the table and proceeded to insert 10 needles in her belly and hand and ear. Then Dr. Ming introduced a treatment that Artemisia was unfamiliar with: She lightly pounded the nail of Artemisia's left big toe with a small silver hammer for a few minutes.

"Why are you doing that?" Artemisia asked.

"It is good for the uterus," the doctor replied.

Indeed, Artemisia's cramps diminished as the doctor thumped, and in the days to come they did not recur.

After the session, as Artemisia prepared to leave, the usually taciturn Ming started up a conversation. Artemisia was surprised, but listened attentively as Dr. Ming made a series of revelations. The most surprising was Dr. Ming's description of a traumatic event from her own childhood.

During the military occupation of her native Manchuria, a province of China, she was forced to witness Japanese soldiers torturing people she loved. Their primary atrocity was using hammers to drive bamboo shoots through their victims' big toes.

The moral of the story: Dr. Ming has accomplished the heroic feat of reversing the meaning of her most traumatic imprint. She has turned a symbol of pain into a symbol of healing.
 

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"The true rule, in determining to embrace or reject anything, is not whether it have any evil in it; but whether it have more of evil than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost every thing is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded."
- Abraham Lincoln
 

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

The Great Green Wall is a planned project to plant a wall of trees across Africa at the southern edge of the Sahara desert as a means to prevent desertification.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Green_Wall

Italy passes law to send unsold food to charities instead of dumpsters.
tinyurl.com/hm9a5mo

The global under-five mortality rate has dropped by half since 1990. Meanwhile, maternal mortality figures have also declined dramatically, by 45% globally, with the highest rates of reduction in Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Four million more lives could be saved every year for under $5 a person.
tinyurl.com/zd2o8ke
 

(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They aren't advertisements, and I get no kickbacks.)

Please tell me your own nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES: Truthrooster@gmail.com.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
 Week beginning June 2

Copyright 2016 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

I foresee fertile chaos in your immediate future, Gemini. I predict lucky accidents and smoldering lucidity and disciplined spontaneity. Do you catch the spirit of what I'm suggesting? Your experiences will not be describable by tidy theories. Your intentions will not fit into neat categories. You will be a vivid embodiment of sweet paradoxes and crazy wisdom and confusing clarity. Simple souls may try to tone you down, but I hope you will evade their pressure as you explore the elegant contradictions you encounter. Love your life exactly as it is! Methodical improvisations will be your specialty. Giving gifts that are both selfish and unselfish will be one of your best tricks. "Healing extremes" will be your code phrase of power.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

According to many sources on the Internet, "werifesteria" is an obscure word from Old English. But my research suggests it was in fact dreamed up within the last few years by a playful hoaxster. Regardless of its origins, I think it's an apt prescription to fix what's bugging you. Here's the definition: "to wander longingly through the forest in search of mystery and adventure." If you are not currently seeking out at least a metaphorical version of that state, I think you should be. Now is an excellent time to reap the catalytic benefits of being willingly lost in a wild, idyllic, relaxing setting.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

I'm debating about which of your astrological houses will be your featured hotspot in the coming days. I'm guessing it will come down to two options: your House of Valid Greed and your House of Obligatory Sharing. The House of Valid Greed has a good chance to predominate, with its lush feasts and its expansive moods. But the House of Obligatory Sharing has an austere beauty that makes it a strong possibility, as well. Now here's the trick ending, Leo: I'd like to see if you can emphasize both houses equally; I hope you'll try to inhabit them both at the same time. Together they will grant you a power that neither could bestow alone.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Between now and July 25, there's a chance you will reach the peak of a seemingly unclimbable mountain. You could win a privilege that neither you nor anyone else ever dreamed was within your reach. It's possible you'll achieve a milestone you've been secretly preparing for since childhood. Think I'm exaggerating, Virgo? I'm not. You could break a record for the biggest or best or fastest, or you might finally sneak past an obstacle that has cast a shadow over your self-image for years. And even if none of these exact events comes to pass, the odds are excellent that you will accomplish another unlikely or monumental feat. Congratulations in advance!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

"My mother gave birth to me once, yeah yeah yeah," writes author Sara Levine. "But I've redone myself a million times." I'm sure she is not demeaning her mom's hard work, but rather celebrating her own. When's the last time you gave birth to a fresh version of yourself? From where I stand, it looks like the next 12 to 15 months will be one of those fertile phases of reinvention. And right now is an excellent time to get a lightning-flash glimpse of what the New You might look like.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Author Rebecca Solnit offers some tough advice that I think you could use. "Pain serves a purpose," she says. "Without it you are in danger. What you cannot feel you cannot take care of." With that in mind, Scorpio, I urge you to take full advantage of the suffering you're experiencing. Treat it as a gift that will motivate you to transform the situation that's causing you to hurt. Honor it as a blessing you can use to rise above the mediocre or abusive circumstances you have been tolerating.
 

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LOVE YOUR LIFE!

How's your fight for freedom going? Are you making progress in liberating yourself from your unconscious obsessions, bad habits, and conditioned responses? Are you turning out to be the hero of your own life?

For assistance and inspiration, tune in to my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES.

These forecasts are different in tone and format from the written horoscopes you read here in the newsletter. They're longer and more leisurely in tone. They tend to bring out more of the patient counselor in me, and have a bit less of the poet.

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. Each forecast is 4-5 minutes long.

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

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"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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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Aphorist James Guida contemplates the good results that can come from not imposing expectations on the raw reality that's on its way. "Not to count chickens before they're hatched," he muses, "or eggs before they're laid, chickens who might possibly lay eggs, birds who from afar might be confused with chickens." I recommend this strategy for you in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. Experiment with the pleasure of being wide open to surprises. Cultivate a mood of welcoming one-of-a-kind people, things, and events. Be so empty you have ample room to accommodate an influx of new dispensations. As James Guida concludes: "Not to count or think of chickens."

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

"No gift is ever exactly right for me," mourns Capricorn poet James Richardson. Don't you dare be like him in the coming days. Do whatever you must to ensure that you receive at least one gift that's exactly right for you. Two gifts would be better; three sublime. Here's another thought from Richardson: "Success repeats itself until it is a failure." Don't you dare illustrate that theory. Either instigate changes in the way you've been achieving success, or else initiate an entirely new way. Here's one more tip from Richardson: "Those who demand consideration for their sacrifices were making investments, not sacrifices." Don't you dare be guilty of that sin. Make sacrifices, not investments. If you do, your sacrifices will ultimately turn out to be good investments.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Life will invite you to explore the archetype of the Ethical Interloper in the coming days. The archetype of the Helpful Transgressor may tempt you, as well, and even the Congenial Meddler or the Compassionate Trickster might look appealing. I urge you to consider experimenting with all of these. It will probably be both fun and productive to break taboos in friendly ways. You could reconnoiter forbidden areas without freaking anyone out or causing a troublesome ruckus. If you're sufficiently polite and kind in expressing your subversive intentions, you might leave a trail of good deeds in your wake.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

Your theme comes from the title of a poem by Fortesa Latifi: "I Am Still Learning How to Do the Easy Things." During the next phase of your astrological cycle, I invite you to specialize in this study. You may imagine that you are already a master of the simple, obvious arts of life, but here's the news: Few of us are. And the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to refine your practice. Here's a good place to start: Eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired, and give love when you're lonely.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

The voices in our heads are our constant companions. They fill our inner sanctuary with streams of manic commentary. Often we're not fully cognizant of the bedlam, since the outer world dominates our focus. But as soon as we close our eyes and turn our attention inward, we're immersed in the jabbering babble. That's the bad news, Aries. Now here's the good news. In the coming weeks you will have far more power than usual to ignore, dodge, or even tamp down the jabbering babble. As a result, you may get a chance to spend unprecedented amounts of quality time with the still, small voice at your core -- the wise guide that is often drowned out by all the noise.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

We are inclined to believe that the best way to see the whole picture or the complete story is from above. The eagle that soars overhead can survey a vast terrain in one long gaze. The mountaintop perspective affords a sweeping look at a vast landscape. But sometimes this perspective isn't perfectly useful. What we most need to see may be right next to us, or nearby, and it's only visible if our vision is narrowly focused. Here's how poet Charles Bernstein expresses it: "What's missing from the bird's eye view is plain to see on the ground." Use this clue in the coming weeks.
 

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HOMEWORK:

Psychologists say that a good way to eliminate a bad habit is to replace it with a good one. How will you do that? Freewillastrology.com

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Submissions sent to Rob Brezsny's Astrology 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 submissions for length, style, and content. Requests for anonymity will be honored. We are not responsible for unsolicited submission of any creative material.

Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright 2016 Rob Brezsny

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