Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
December 27, 2017
FreeWillAstrology.com
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EXPLORE THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE
with my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES for the Coming Year.
RealAstrology.com
What new influences and opportunities will be headed your way in 2018? What fresh resources will you be able to draw on? How can you conspire with life to create the best possible future for yourself?
Beginning this week, and for the next two weeks as well, I'm exploring the BIG PICTURE of your life in my Expanded Audio Horoscopes. If you slip into a philosophical, visionary mood at the end of each year, you might appreciate my perspectives on your long-term outlook.
To listen to your BIG PICTURE horoscopes online, go to RealAstrology.com.
Register and/or log in through the main page, and then click on the link "Long Term Prediction for 2018."
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The cost for the Expanded Audio Horoscopes is $6 per sign. (You can get discounts for multiple purchases.)
You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888.
The cost is $1.99 per minute.
Each forecast is 7-9 minutes long.
P.S. You can still access last week's sneak-peek at 2018. In these expanded audio horoscopes, I describe some major themes I think you'll be working and playing with in 2018. After you register and/or log in, click on "Last Week (Dec. 19, 2017)."
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99 REASONS WHY 2017 WAS A GREAT YEAR. If you're feeling despair about the fate of humanity, you might want to reconsider.
The uplifting list below comes from Future Crunch:
tinyurl.com/2017WasAGoodYear
1. The Indian government officially banned the use of all wild animals in circus performances. One month later, the Italian parliament did the same. 40 nations now have animal circus bans in place.
2. Cancer deaths have dropped by 25% in the United States since 1991, saving more than 2 million lives. Breast cancer deaths have fallen by 39%, saving the lives of 322,600 women.
3. Zika all but disappeared in 2017. Cases plummeted in Latin America and the Caribbean, and most people in those places are now immune.
4. A new report showed that the world's assault on tropical diseases is working. A massive, five-year international effort has saved millions of lives, and countries are now signing up for more.
5. Soft drink sales in the United States dropped for the 12th year in a row, thanks to consumer education and new sugar taxes aimed at stemming obesity and diabetes.
6. Trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, was eliminated as a public health problem in Oman and Morocco, and Mexico became the first country in the Americas to eliminate it.
7. Meet Sanduk Ruit and Geoff Tabin, two eye doctors responsible for helping restore sight to 4 million people in two dozen countries, including North Korea and Ethiopia.
8. Premature deaths for the world's four biggest noncommunicable diseases -- cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory -- have declined by 16% since 2000.
9. One of China's richest women, He Qiaonv, announced a $2 billion donation for wildlife conservation, the largest environmental philanthropic pledge of all time.
10. In July, UNAIDS, revealed that for the first time in history, half of all people on the planet with HIV are now getting treatment, and that AIDS deaths have dropped by half since 2005.
11. There were only 26 cases of Guinea worm in 2017, down from 3.5 million cases in 21 countries in Africa and Asia in 1986.
12. The United Kingdom announced a 20% fall in the incidence of dementia over the past two decades, meaning 40,000 fewer people are being affected every year.
13. Thanks to better access to clean water and sanitation, the number of children around the world who are dying from diarrhea has fallen by a third since 2005.
14. Leprosy is now easily treatable. The number of worldwide cases has dropped by 97% since 1985, and a new plan has set 2020 as the target for the end of the disease.
15. China agreed to ban the domestic ivory trade by the end of 2017. By mid year, the price of raw ivory in Asia had fallen by around half. And in October, the UK government banned the sale and export of all ivory items.
16. On the 17th November, the WHO said that global deaths from tuberculosis have fallen by 37% since 2000, saving an estimated 53 million lives. These astonishing achievements were not, of course, reported by every media outlet on the planet.
17. Chile set aside 11 million acres of land for national parks in Patagonia, following the largest-ever private land donation from a private entity to a country.
18. China invested more than $100 billion into treating and preventing water pollution, and launched nearly 8,000 water clean-up projects in the first half of 2017.
19. The United States, Russia, China, and the European Union reached a deal to make the Arctic off-limits to commercial fishers for the next 16 years.
20. In July, 1.5 million people in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh set a new Guinness record for reforestation by planting more than 67 million trees in a 12-hour period.
21. A province in Pakistan announced it has planted 1 billion trees in two years, in response to the terrible floods of 2015.
22. In August, the Canadian government and Inuit groups signed a deal to create the "Serengeti of the Arctic," by far the largest marine reserve in the country's history.
23. A month later, one of the world's largest marine parks was created off the coast of Easter Island, and will protect 142 species, including 27 threatened with extinction.
24. The EU imposed new, stricter limits on pollutants such as nitrogen, sulfur, mercury, and particulates that will apply to all 2,900 of Europe's large power plants.
25. China carried out its largest ever crackdown on pollution, reprimanding, fining or jailing officials in 80,000 factories, 40% of the country's total.
26. Indonesia pledged $1 billion to clean up its seas from plastic, Kenya announced a ban on plastic bags, and Chile said it will ban them in its coastal cities. 30 countries now have existing or impending bans in place.
27. Eleven countries continued their plan to build a wall of trees from east to west across Africa in order to push back the desert. In Senegal, it's already working.
28. Cameroon committed to restoring over 12 million hectares of forest in the Congo Basin, and Brazil started a project to plan 73 million trees, the largest tropical reforestation project in history.
29. In November, Mexico's government created a new 148,000 square kilometer ocean reserve, "the Galapagos of North America," for the conservation of hundreds of species, including rays, humpback whales, sea turtles, lizards and migratory birds.
30. In 2017, the ozone hole shrunk to its smallest size since 1988, the year Bobby McFerrin topped the charts with 'Don't Worry Be Happy.'
31. The International Energy Agency announced that nearly 1.2 billion people around the world have gained access to electricity in the last 16 years.
32. In February, the World Bank published new figures showing that 20 years ago, the average malnourished person on planet Earth consumed 155 fewer calories per day than they needed. Today, that number is down to 88.
READ 67 MORE REASONS WHY 2017 WAS A GREAT YEAR
at FUTURE CRUNCH:
tinyurl.com/2017WasAGoodYear
You can find FUTURE CRUNCH on Facebook at www.facebook.com/futurecrunch
You can find FUTURE CRUNCH on Twitter at
twitter.com/future_crunch
Subscribe to the FUTURE CRUNCH newsletter: futurecrun.ch/subscribe
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning December 28
Copyright 2017 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Hungarian psychiatrist Thomas Szasz dismissed the idea that a person should be on a quest to "find himself" or "find herself." "The self is not something that one finds," he said. Rather, "it is something one creates." I think that's great advice for you in 2018, Capricorn. There'll be little value in wandering around in search of fantastic clues about who you were born to be. Instead you should simply be gung-ho as you shape and craft yourself into the person you want to be.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Is there anything about your attitude or your approach that is a bit immature or unripe? Have you in some way remained an amateur or apprentice when you should or could have become fully professional by now? Are you still a dabbler in a field where you could be a connoisseur or master? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, the coming months will be an excellent time to grow up, climb higher, and try harder. I invite you to regard 2018 as the Year of Kicking Your Own Ass.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In 2018, one of your themes will be "secret freedom." What does that mean? The muse who whispered this clue in my ear did not elaborate further. But based on the astrological aspects, here are several possible interpretations. 1. You may have to dig deep and be strategic to access resources that have the power to emancipate you. 2. You may be able to discover a rewarding escape and provocative deliverance that have been hidden from you up until now. 3. You shouldn't brag about the liberations you intend to accomplish until you have accomplished them. 4. The exact nature of the freedom that will be valuable to you might be useless or irrelevant or incomprehensible to other people.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
"I need more smart allies, compassionate supporters, ethical role models, and loyal friends, and I need them right now!" writes Joanna K., an Aries reader from Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the other hand, there's Jacques T., an Aries reader from Montreal. "To my amazement, I actually have much of the support and assistance I need," he declares. "What I seem to need more of are constructive critics, fair-minded competitors with integrity, colleagues and loved ones who don't assume that every little thing I do is perfect, and adversaries who galvanize me to get better." I'm happy to announce, dear Aries, that in 2018 you will benefit more than usual from the influences that both Joanna and Jacques seek.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
In the Scots language spoken in Lowland Scotland, a watergaw is a fragmented rainbow that appears between clouds. A skafer is a faint rainbow that arises behind a mist, presaging the imminent dissipation of the mist. A silk napkin is a splintered rainbow that heralds the arrival of brisk wind and rain. In accordance with the astrological omens, I propose we use these mysterious phenomena as symbols of power for you in 2018. The good fortune that comes your way will sometimes be partially veiled and seemingly incomplete. Don't compare it to some "perfect" ideal. It'll be more interesting and inspiring than any perfect ideal.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In 2018, half-buried residues from the past will be resurfacing as influences in your life. Old dreams that you abandoned prematurely are ripe to be re-evaluated in light of what has happened since you last took them seriously. Are these good or bad developments? It will probably depend on your ability to be charitable and expansive as you deal with them. One thing is certain: To move forward into the future, you will have to update your relationships with these residues and dreams.
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EXPLORING YOUR LONG-RANGE FUTURE
Would you like some inspiration as you muse and wonder about your upcoming adventures in 2018?
In this week's EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, I offer you a long-term, in-depth exploration of your destiny in the coming months. This is Part One of a three-part series.
Part Two and Part Three will be available in the next two weeks.
Access them online at RealAstrology.com. Register and/or sign in.
They are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.
The cost is $6 per sign on the Web (discounts are available for bulk purchases), or $1.99 per minute by phone.
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CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Poet Diane Ackerman tells us that human tongues, lips, and genitals possess neural receptors that are ultra-responsive. Anatomists have given unsexy names to these bliss-generating parts of our bodies: Krause end bulbs, also known as bulboid corpuscles. (Couldn't they have called them "glimmering rapture hubs" or "magic buttons"?) In any case, these sweet spots enable us to experience surpassing pleasure. According to my understanding of the astrological omens for 2018, Cancerian, your personal complement of bulboid corpuscles will be even more sensitive than usual. Here's further good news: Your soul will also have a heightened capacity to receive and register delight.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Mise en place is a French term whose literal translation is "putting in place." When used by professional chefs in a restaurant kitchen, it refers to the task of gathering and organizing all the ingredients and tools before beginning to cook. I think this is an excellent metaphor for you to emphasize throughout 2018. In every area of your life, thorough preparation will be the key to your success and fulfillment. Make sure you have everything you need before launching any new enterprise or creative effort.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Experimental composer Harry Partch played one-of-a-kind musical instruments that he made from objects like car hubcaps, gourds, aluminum ketchup bottles, and nose cones from airplanes. Collage artist Jason Mecier fashions portraits of celebrities using materials like noodles, pills, licorice candy, bacon, and lipstick tubes. Given the astrological configurations for 2018, you could flourish by adopting a similar strategy in your own chosen field. Your most interesting successes could come from using things as they're not "supposed" to be used. You could further your goals by mixing and matching resources in unique ways.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
I wish I could make it nice and easy for you. I wish I could proclaim that the forces of darkness are lined up against the forces of light. I'd like to be able to advise you that the opening months of 2018 will bring you a showdown between wrong and right, between ugliness and beauty. But it just ain't that simple. It's more like the forces of plaid will be arrayed against the forces of paisley. The showdown will feature two equally flawed and equally appealing sources of intrigue. And so you may inquire, Libra, what is the most honorable role you can play in these matters? Should you lend your support to one side or the other? I advise you to create a third side.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In 2018, your tribe will be extra skilled at opening things that have been shut or sealed for a long time: heavy doors, treasure boxes, rich possibilities, buried secrets, shy eyes, mum mouths, guarded hearts, and insular minds. You'll have a knack for initiating new markets and clearing blocked passageways and staging grand openings. You'll be more inclined to speak candidly and freely than any other generation of Scorpios in a long time. Getting stuck things unstuck will come naturally. Making yourself available for bighearted fun and games will be your specialty. Given these wonders, maybe you should adopt a new nickname, like Apertura (the Italian word for "opening"), Ouverture (the French word for "opening"), Šiši (Yoruban), Otevírací (Czech), Öffnung (German), or Kufungua (Swahili).
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
I predict that the coming months won't bring you the kinds of opportunities you were imagining and expecting, but will bring you opportunities you haven't imagined and didn't expect. Will you be alert and receptive to these sly divergences from your master plan? If so, by September of 2018 you will have become as smart a gambler as maybe you have ever been. You will be more flexible and adaptable, too, which means you'll be better able to get what you want without breaking stuff and wreaking whirlwinds. Congratulations in advance, my daring darling. May your experiments be both visionary and practical. May your fiery intentions be both steady and fluidic.
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HOMEWORK:
Name ten items you would put in a time capsule to be dug up by your descendants in 500 years. Testify at 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 2017 and 2018 Rob Brezsny
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