Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
July 3, 2019
FreeWillAstrology.com
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Hypothesis: All omens should be interpreted favorably.
All omens should be regarded as revelations about what can be done to successfully wrangle with our problems, perpetrate liberation, ameliorate suffering, find redemption, avoid trouble, and perform the tricky maneuvers and ingenious tweaks that enable us to slip free of our mind-forged manacles and discover the deeper meanings behind and beneath our experiences.
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THERE'S NO SHAME . . .
PSA: There is no shame in admitting that you were previously speaking from a less informed place. There’s a lot of info in the world. No one has all of it. We do our best, and at your best, we help each other learn.
—Kelly M. Hayes
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Here's the most recent batch of my Free Will Astrology horoscopes: freewillastrology.com
Here are the Free Will Astrology horoscopes from a year ago: tinyurl.com/y4d35o8x
Here are the long-term, big-picture horoscopes I wrote for you at the beginning of 2019. How are they working for you?
tinyurl.com/y6bf3ycy
Here are the long-term, big-picture horoscopes I wrote for you at the beginning of 2018. How did they work for you? bit.ly/YourGloriousStory2018
Here are the long-term, big-picture horoscopes I wrote for you at the beginning of 2017. How did they work for you?
bit.ly/BigPicture2017
Here are the Free Will Astrology archives for the last 15 years: bit.ly/10x1Ghu
P.S. You can read my horoscopes in French and Italian.
Free Will Astrology in the French publication "Courrier International":
www.courrierinternational.com/horoscope
and in the Italian publication "Internazionale":
www.internazionale.it/oroscopo/
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GO TO THE LIMITS OF YOUR LONGING'
God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.
These are the words we dimly hear:
You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.
Flare up like a flame
and make big shadows I can move in.
Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don't let yourself lose me.
Nearby is the country they call life.
You will know it by its seriousness.
Give me your hand.
- Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows
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WE CHANGE EVERYTHING
We change everything we look at by looking at and forming ideas about it. So why not work as makers of meaning as much as understanders of meaning? Why not proceed on the hypothesis that our highest expression, our way of participating with the Divine Intelligence, is to create?
We could regard spiritual practice to be as much about play as about worship—changing what we're given even more than figuring out what we're given; artistry more than piety.
Since we can't possibly know what's ultimately true, why don't we create love and beauty and enchantment as much as possible?
Inspired by my old teacher Norman O. Brown, I aspire to find "words used not to interpret the world but to change it; not to advertise this world but to find another. To pass from this world to the next; from ordinary to extraordinary language."
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To all I care about, here’s a friendly tip: enlightenment is gaffe upon error upon blooper.
— Ikkyu
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THE MARVELOUS WOMEN
by Mohja Kahf
All women speak two languages:
the language of men
and the language of silent suffering.
Some women speak a third,
the language of queens.
They are marvelous
and they are my friends.
My friends give me poetry.
If it were not for them
I’d be a seamstress out of work.
They send me their dresses
and I sew together poems,
enormous sails for ocean journeys.
My marvelous friends, these women
who are elegant and fix engines,
who teach gynecology and literacy,
and work in jails and sing and sculpt
and paint the ninety-nine names,
who keep each other’s secrets
and pass on each other’s spirits
like small packets of leavening,
it is from you I fashion poetry.
I scoop up, in handfuls, glittering
sequins that fall from your bodies
as you fall in love, marry, divorce,
get custody, get cats, enter
supreme courts of justice,
argue with God.
You rescuers on galloping steeds
of the weak and the wounded–
Creatures of beauty and passion,
powerful workers in love–
you are the poems.
I am only your stenographer.
I am the hungry transcriber
of the conjuring recipes you hoard
in the chests of your great-grandmothers.
My marvelous friends—the women
of brilliance in my life,
who levitate my daughters,
you are a coat of many colors
in silk tie-dye so gossamer
it can be crumpled in one hand.
You houris, you mermaids, swimmers
in dangerous waters, defiers of sharks–
My marvelous friends,
thirsty Hagars and laughing Sarahs,
you eloquent radio Aishas,
Marys drinking the secret
milkshakes of heaven,
slinky Zuleikas of desire,
gay Walladas, Harriets
parting the sea, Esthers in the palace,
Penelopes of patient scheming,
you are the last hope of the shrinking women.
You are the last hand to the fallen knights
You are the only epics left in the world
Come with me, come with poetry
Jump on this wild chariot, hurry–
by Mohja Kahf
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SOME THINGS ARE BETTER THAN THEY USED TO BE
According to Noble Prize-winning economic historian Robert Fogel, human biology has changed dramatically in the past three centuries, and especially in the last 100 years. People in the developed world live twice as long as they used to. They weigh more and grow taller. They're far hardier and healthier and smarter. When sickness comes, they're better at defeating it than their ancestors were, and they're not as likely to contract diseases in the first place.
"We're just not falling apart like we used to," Fogel says. "Even our internal organs are stronger and better formed." What has occurred is "not only unique to humankind, but unique among the 7,000 or so generations of human beings who have inhabited the earth."
We're talking about a revolution. In the mid-19th century, Americans of all ages were much sicker than they are now. Child mortality was almost 25 percent, and of those kids lucky enough to survive into adolescence, 15 percent more expired before age 15. Chronic malnutrition was a horrendous curse, compromising immune systems from birth.
During the Civil War, one-sixth of the teenagers who applied to serve in the Union army were rejected because of chronic ailments like malaria, tuberculosis, arthritis, cardiovascular problems, and hernias. As for the older folks, the average ex-soldier in his 60s had at least six health problems, four more than a sexagenarian is likely to have today.
What happened between then and now? First, we harnessed electricity, made it universally available, and used it in a myriad ways to improve our lot. All of the other boons I'm about to name—improvements in our diet, medicine, sanitation, and workload—were organized around this fantastic, unprophesied new resource.
Our relationship with food has changed dramatically in the last century and a half. We discovered more accurate information about our nutritional needs and gained access to a greater variety and abundance of food.
The perfection of the science of refrigeration and the eventual universal availability of refrigerators made a big difference, too. Victory over widespread malnutrition meant that infants got a better start on building strong bodies, making them less susceptible to sickness throughout the course of their lives.
The drastic upgrade in the state of the human body was also made possible by steadily growing medical expertise, including the discovery of the germ theory of disease and radical new treatments like antibiotics and vaccination.
Physicians got better training, large numbers of new hospitals opened, and more people made medicine their career. Among the diseases that were wiped out were diphtheria, typhoid, cholera, whooping cough, tetanus, tuberculosis, smallpox, and polio.
Innovations in sanitation have been key to the upgrades in the way our bodies work. Everything and everyone are far cleaner than they used to be. People bathe more frequently and devote more attention to their hygiene.
Among the most important developments in this triumph were two practical miracles: indoor plumbing and the installation of municipal sewer systems. It took a while. As late as 1920, only one in 100 American homes had a toilet or even a bathroom—outhouses were standard—and toilet paper was a luxury.
For those few with bathtubs, a full-body cleanse was often a once-a-week ritual, and entire families might use the same bathwater. Fogel says that even into the early 1900s, "Chicago exported a lot of typhoid down to St. Louis," by disposing wastewater in the Illinois River.
Garbage disposal used to be a hit-and-miss proposition until the 20th century. Private citizens might bury their refuse in their backyards, take it to public incinerators, or offer it to pigs at local farms. But eventually, local governments took over the task. During my lifetime, every city where I've lived has done a stellar job of hauling my trash away.
In the middle of the 19th century, the average American worked 78 hours a week, often at exhausting manual labor and without the help of machines. As work became easier and of shorter duration, our health soared. Technological aids like washing machines and automatic heating systems also contributed to the rising tide of physical well-being.
All of the improvements I've mentioned have flourished because of the most important change of all: greater wealth and more available resources. Despite periodic economic downturns, per capita income in the developing nations has grown enormously in the last 150 years.
Elsewhere, too: Wealth in India and China has doubled since 1989, according to The Economist magazine. As a result, more of us have been able to afford to take better care of ourselves. And more of us have been able to do the research and experimentation and development that advance the common good.
Even poor people are better off than they used to be. During the 17+ years when my annual income was less than $10,000, well below the official poverty line, I had many amenities the average American didn't have in 1900: electricity, telephone, bathtub, toilet, hot running water, refrigerator, radio, electric hotplate, space heater, TV, cassette player, shampoo, public transportation, asthma medicine, access to a laundromat, garbage collection, and sewer system.
—excerpted from "Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
bit.ly/Pronoia
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
Quickie reports of really good news:
tinyurl.com/ydfaw4nx
How Bill and Melinda Gates helped save 122m lives
tinyurl.com/y75o6elm
US generates more electricity from renewables than coal for first time ever
tinyurl.com/y2g8mfj7
(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 July 4
Copyright 2019 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Cancerian voice actor Tom Kenny has played the roles of over 1,500 cartoon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Spyro the Dragon, Jake Spidermonkey, Commander Peepers, and Doctor Octopus. I propose that we make him your role model in the coming weeks. It will be a favorable time for you to show your versatility; to demonstrate how multifaceted you can be; to express various sides of your soulful personality.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Leo author Donald Miller reminds us that fear can have two very different purposes. On the one hand, it may be "a guide to keep us safe," alerting us to situations that could be dangerous or abusive. On the other hand, fear may work as "a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life." After studying your astrological indicators for the coming weeks, Leo, I have come to the conclusion that fear may serve both of those functions for you. Your challenge will be to discern between them; to know which situations are genuinely risky and which situations are daunting but promising. Here's a hint that might help: trust your gut feelings more than your swirling fantasies.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Why do flocks of geese fly in a V-formation? Because to do so enhances the collective efficiency of their travel. Each bird generates a current that supports the bird behind it. Let's make this phenomenon one of your power metaphors for the coming weeks. What would be the equivalent strategy for you and your tribe or group as you seek to make your collaborative efforts more dynamic and productive? Unforeseen help will augment any actions you take in this regard.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
"A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue," mused Libra author Truman Capote. "That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet." That cynical formulation has more than a few grains of truth in it, I must admit. But I'm pleased to tell you that I suspect your experience in the coming weeks will be an exception to Capote's rule. I think you have the potential to embark on a virtual binge of rich discussion and intriguing interplay with people who stimulate and educate and entertain you. Rise to the challenge!
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
In accordance with astrological rhythms, you are authorized to make the following declarations in the next two weeks: 1. "I refuse to participate further in this situation on the grounds that it might impinge on the expansiveness of my imagination." 2. "I abstain from dealing with your skepticism on the grounds that doing so might discourage the flights of my imagination." 3. "I reject these ideas, theories, and beliefs on the grounds that they might pinch, squash, or deflate my imagination." What I'm trying to tell you, Scorpio, is that it's crucial for you to emancipate your imagination and authorize it to play uninhibitedly in the frontiers of possibilities.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Dear Sagittarius: I invite you to make a copy of the testimonial below and give it to anyone who is in a position to support your Noble Experiment. "To Whom It May Concern: I endorse this Soulful Sagittarius for the roles of monster-tamer, fun-locator, boredom-transcender, elation-inciter, and mountaintop visionary. This adroit explorer is endowed with charming zeal, disarming candor, and abundant generosity. If you need help in sparking your enthusiasm or galvanizing your drive to see the big picture, call on the expansive skills of this jaunty puzzle-solver."
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BRAINSTORM ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE
with my Expanded Audio Horoscopes for the Second Half of 2019 and onward into 2020.
In the coming months, what areas of your life are likely to receive unexpected assistance and divine inspiration?
Where are you likely to find most success?
How can you best cooperate with the cosmic rhythms?
What questions should you be asking?
To hear my LONG-TERM AUDIO FORECAST, register and/or sign in here:
freewillastrology.sparkns.com
After you log in through the main page, click on the link "Long Term Forecast for Second Half of 2019."
You can also listen to your short-term forecast for the coming week by clicking on "This week (July 2, 2019)."
The horoscopes cost $6 apiece. Discounts are available for multiple purchases.
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Life will conspire to bring you a surge of love in the coming weeks—if you can handle it. Can you? Will you be able to deal adeptly with rumbling love and icy hot love and mostly sweet but also a bit sour love? Do you possess the resourcefulness and curiosity necessary to have fun with funny spiritual love and running-through-the-labyrinth love and unexpectedly catalytic love? Are you open-minded and open-hearted enough to make the most of brilliant shadowy love and unruly sensitive love and toughly graceful love?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
I don't endlessly champion the "no pain, no gain" theory of personal growth. My philosophy holds that we are at least as likely to learn valuable lessons from pleasurable and joyful experiences as we are from difficult and taxing struggles. Having said that, I also think it's true that our suffering may lead us to treasure if we know how to work with it. According to my assessment, the coming weeks will bring one such opening for you. To help you cultivate the proper spirit, keep in mind the teaching of Aquarian theologian and author Henri Nouwen. He said that life's gifts may be "hidden in the places that hurt most."
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
The Japanese word "wabi-sabi" refers to an interesting or evocative imperfection in a work of art that makes it more beautiful than if it were merely perfect. "Duende" is a Spanish word referring to a work of art that gives its viewers the chills because it's so emotionally rich and unpredictably soulful. In the coming weeks, I think that you yourself will be a work of art with an abundance of these qualities. Your wabi-sabi will give you the power to free yourself from the oppressive pressures of seeking too much precision and purity. Your duende can give you the courage you need to go further than you've ever dared in your quest for the love you really want.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
When the universe began 13.8 billion years ago, there were only four elements: mostly hydrogen and helium, plus tiny amounts of lithium and beryllium. Now there are 118 elements, including five that are key components of your body: oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. All of those were created by nuclear reactions blazing on the insides of stars that later died. So it's literally true to say that much of your flesh and blood and bones and nerves originated at the hearts of stars. I invite you to meditate on that amazing fact. It's a favorable time to muse on your origins and your ancestry; to ruminate about all the events that led to you being here today—including more recent decades, as well as the past 13.8 billion years.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Most American women couldn't vote until a hundred years ago. Women in Japan, France, and Italy couldn't vote until the 1940s. Universal suffrage has been a fundamental change in how society is structured. Similarly, same-sex marriage was opposed by vast majorities in most countries until 15 years ago, but has since become widely accepted. African American slavery lasted for hundreds of years before being delegitimized all over the Western world in the nineteenth century. Brazil, which hosted forty percent of all kidnapped Africans, didn't free its slaves until 1888. What would be the equivalent of such revolutionary transformations in your own personal life? According to my reading of the astrological omens, you have the power to make that happen during the next twelve months.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Gemini musician Paul Weller is famous in the UK, though not so much elsewhere. According to the BBC, he is one of Britain's "most revered music writers and performers." To which I say: revered, maybe, but mentally healthy? Not so much. He bragged that he broke up his marriage with his wife Dee C. Lee because "things were going too well, we were too happy, too comfortable, everything seemed too nice." He was afraid that "as a writer and an artist I might lose my edge." Don't you dare allow yourself to get infected with that perverse way of thinking, my dear Gemini. Please capitalize on your current comfort and happiness. Use them to build your strength and resilience for the months and years to come.
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HOMEWORK:
"Know thyself—or else! Follow your dreams—or else!" Please comment. Truthrooster@gmail.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 2019 Rob Brezsny
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