Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
May 6, 2020
FreeWillAstrology.com
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We've all seen many pictures of the coronavirus. Now here's a picture of healthy white blood cells: tinyurl.com/HealthyWhiteBloodCells
Let's focus on giving love and strength and cheer to our immune systems so that they work in just the right way to ensure we don't get the virus, or if we do, that we purge it gracefully from our beautiful bodies and remain healthy.
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YOUR CONTENTMENT
If you can sit quietly after difficult news; if in financial downturns you remain perfectly calm; if you can see others succeed without a twinge of jealousy; if you can happily eat whatever is put on your plate; if you can fall asleep after an intense day without a drink or a pill; if you can always find contentment just where you are: You are probably a dog.
—Jack Kornfield
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YOU ARE WORTH MORE
You are worth so much more than your productivity.
—Nicole Em
See the meme: tinyurl.com/YouAreWorthMore
Also see: tinyurl.com/y7ffre87
and www.facebook.com/radicalemprints?fref=nf
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THE CORONAVIRUS PRAYER
by James Parker
Dear Lord,
In this our hour of doorknobs and droplets,
when masks have canceled our personalities;
in this our hour of prickling perimeters, sinister surfaces,
defeated bodies, and victorious abstractions,
when some of us are stepping into rooms humid with contagion,
and some of us are standing in the pasta aisle;
in this our hour of vacant parks and boarded-up hoops,
when we miss the sky-high roar of the city
and hear instead the tarp that flaps on the unfinished roof,
the squirrel giving his hingelike cry, and the siren constantly passing,
to You we send up our prayer, as follows:
Let not heebie-jeebies become our religion,
our new ideology, with its own jargon.
Fortify us, Lord. Show us how.
What would your saints be doing now?
Saint Francis, he was a fan of the human.
He’d be rolling naked on Boston Common.
He’d be sharing a bottle. No mask, no gloves,
shielded only by burning love.
But I don’t think we’re in the mood
for feats of antic beatitude.
In New York City, and in Madrid,
the saints maintain the rumbling grid.
Bless the mailman, and equally bless
the bus driver, vector of steadfastness.
Protect the bravest, the best we’ve got.
Protect the rest of us, why not.
And if the virus that took John Prine
comes, as it may, for me and mine,
although we’ve mostly stayed indoors,
well—then, as ever, we’re all Yours.
Until further notice,
AMEN
—by James Parker
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GLOBAL SOLIDARITY IN BEHALF OF LOVE
When you go out and see the empty streets, the empty stadiums, the empty train platforms, don't say to yourself, "It looks like the end of the world."
What you're seeing is love in action. What you're seeing, in that negative space, is how much we do care for each other, for our grandparents, for our immuno-compromised brothers and sisters, for people we will never meet.
People will lose jobs over this. Some will lose their businesses. And some will lose their lives.
All the more reason to take a moment, when you're out on your walk, or on your way to the store, or just watching the news, to look into the emptiness and marvel at all of that love.
Let it fill you and sustain you. It isn't the end of the world. It is the most remarkable act of global solidarity we may ever witness.
—These words are from a video that was made by the Upper Springfield Covid-19 Community Response Team in Belfast, Northern Ireland:
tinyurl.com/LoveResponse
Here's the video: tinyurl.com/y7rls7el
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I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH
Let's normalize saying, "I don't know enough to have an opinion."
— Cecil Yongo
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THE HEART'S NEW CAPITAL
Strong, compassionate souls reach
the plateau of the heart’s new capital.
Tears enhance their eyesight through the dark.
They're not afraid to suffer. They learn to give back
heaviness to the churning weight of the Earth,
its mountains and seas
—adaptation of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke
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THE IMPORTANT THING
The important thing is to tell yourself a life story in which you, the hero, are primarily a problem solver rather than a helpless victim. This is well within your power, whatever fate might have dealt you.
—Martha Beck
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WHAT IS SUCCESS?
The criteria for success: you are free, you live in the present moment, you are useful to the people around you, and you feel love for all humanity.
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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Last week I celebrated the anniversary of the luckiest and most monumental turning point in my life. 32 years ago today, I first met the love of my life.
She has been crucial in my quest to become my True Self !
More: tinyurl.com/LoveAndLifeStory
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
Readers Have Reported So Many Good Deeds, We Can Barely Keep Up; Here’s 10 to Get You Through the Day
tinyurl.com/y8qmqvuh
New Positive Podcast – Inspiring Daily COVID Updates
tinyurl.com/yben72pe
Americans in Stable Financial Positions Answer the Call to Donate Their $1,200 Stimulus Checks
tinyurl.com/y8wtvaxz
Scuba Diving Group Swamped With Orders for Its Face Masks Made From Recycled Ocean Plastic
tinyurl.com/ya2g4u8q
Comedian Jay Leno is Producing Face Shields 24/7 in His Garage to Give to Health Care Workers
tinyurl.com/ybmlvhz5
One Million People Find Laughter During Isolation By Posting Pictures of Costume-Themed Garbage Bin Outings
tinyurl.com/y9qx4rs2
Beaches See Huge Increase in Leatherback Sea Turtle Nests After Travel Restrictions in Florida and Thailand
tinyurl.com/yc4plrgk
Video Gamers Join the Race to Produce COVID-19 Drugs With Innovative Citizen-Science Project
tinyurl.com/yb8mf79l
(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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MY GIFT PAGE
If you enjoy reading my free horoscopes and free newsletter, I invite you to make a contribution to support my work.
Visit my Gift Page — paypal.me/GiftsForRob — and contribute via the "Friends and Family" option.
No pressure, though! Whether or not you donate, I will continue to give away free stuff. And I understand that some of you don't have enough money yourself, and it wouldn't make sense for you to give some to me.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning May 7
Copyright 2020 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious," says businessperson and entrepreneur John Sculley. You Tauruses aren't renowned for such foresight. It's more likely to belong to Aries and Sagittarius people. Your tribe is more likely to specialize in doing the good work that turns others' bright visions into practical realities. But this Year of the Coronavirus could be an exception to the general rule. In the past three months as well as in the next six months, many of you Bulls have been and will continue to be catching glimpses of interesting possibilities before they become obvious. Give yourself credit for this knack. Be alert for what it reveals.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
For 148 uninterrupted years, American militias and the American army waged a series of wars against the native peoples who lived on the continent before Europeans came. There were more than 70 conflicts that lasted from 1776 until 1924. If there is any long-term struggle or strife that even mildly resembles that situation in your own personal life, our Global Healing Crisis is a favorable time to call a truce and cultivate peace. Start now! It's a ripe and propitious time to end hostilities that have gone on too long.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Novelist Marcel Proust was a sensitive, dreamy, emotional, self-protective, creative Cancerian. That may explain why he wasn't a good soldier. During his service in the French army, he was ranked 73rd in a squad of 74. On the other hand, his majestically intricate seven-volume novel In Search of Lost Time is a masterpiece—one of the 20th century's most influential literary works. In evaluating his success as a human being, should we emphasize his poor military performance and downplay his literary output? Of course not! Likewise, Cancerian, in the coming weeks I'd like to see you devote vigorous energy to appreciating what you do best and no energy at all to worrying about your inadequacies.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
"Fortune resists half-hearted prayers," wrote the poet Ovid more than 2,000 years ago. I will add that Fortune also resists poorly formulated intentions, feeble vows, and sketchy plans—especially now, during an historical turning point when the world is undergoing massive transformations. Luckily, I don't see those lapses being problems for you in the coming weeks, Leo. According to my analysis, you're primed to be clear and precise. Your willpower should be working with lucid grace. You'll have an enhanced ability to assess your assets and make smart plans for how to use them.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Last year the Baltimore Museum of Art announced it would acquire works exclusively from women artists in 2020. A male art critic complained, "That's unfair to male artists." Here's my reply: Among major permanent art collections in the U.S. and Europe, the work of women makes up five percent of the total. So what the Baltimore Museum did is a righteous attempt to rectify the existing excess. It's a just and fair way to address an unhealthy imbalance. In accordance with current omens and necessities, Virgo, I encourage you to perform a comparable correction in your personal sphere.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
In the course of my life, I've met many sharp thinkers with advanced degrees from fine universities—who are nonetheless stunted in their emotional intelligence. They may quote Shakespeare and discourse on quantum physics and explain the difference between the philosophies of Kant and Hegel, and yet have less skill in understanding the inner workings of human beings or in creating vibrant intimate relationships. Yet most of these folks are not extreme outliers. I've found that virtually all of us are smarter in our heads than we are in our hearts. The good news, Libra, is that our current Global Healing Crisis is an excellent time for you to play catch up. Do what poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti suggests: "Make your mind learn its way around the heart."
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WOULD YOU LIKE FURTHER INSPIRATION?
My Expanded Audio Horoscopes offer suggestions about how you might make best use of your time as you navigate your way through our Shared Healing Crisis.
To buy and listen to your Expanded Audio Horoscope online, go to RealAstrology.com
Register and/or log in through the main page.
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The cost is $6 per sign. (Discounts are available for bulk purchases.)
You can also access the horoscopes for $1.99 per minute by phone at 1-877-873-4888.
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"Nothing's easy for me right now. Everything's hard. But your audio horoscopes help me feel grounded in the midst of the struggle. They keep me anchored to my own deepest reserves."
—Lara Y.
"Thanks for your contributions to my sanity, Rob. Your audio horoscopes help me remember my strength!"
—Adele J.
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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Aphorist Aaron Haspel writes, "The less you are contradicted, the stupider you become. The more powerful you become, the less you are contradicted." Let's discuss how this counsel might be useful to you in the coming weeks. First of all, I suspect you will be countered and challenged more than usual, which will offer you rich opportunities to become smarter. Secondly, I believe you will become more powerful as long as you don't try to stop or discourage the influences that contradict you. In other words, you'll grow your personal authority and influence to the degree that you welcome opinions and perspectives that are not identical to yours.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
"It's always too early to quit," wrote author Norman Vincent Peale. We should put his words into perspective, though. He preached "the power of positive thinking." He was relentless in his insistence that we can and should transcend discouragement and disappointment. So we should consider the possibility that he was overly enthusiastic in his implication that we should NEVER give up. What do you think, Sagittarius? I'm guessing this will be an important question for you to consider in the coming weeks. It may be time to re-evaluate your previous thoughts on the matter and come up with a fresh perspective. For example, maybe it's right to give up on one project if it enables you to persevere in another.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
The 16-century mystic nun Saint Teresa of Avila was renowned for being overcome with rapture during her spiritual devotions. At times she experienced such profound bliss through her union with God that she levitated off the ground. "Any real ecstasy is a sign you are moving in the right direction," she wrote. I hope that you will be periodically moving in that direction yourself during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Although it may seem odd advice to receive during our Global Healing Crisis, I really believe you should make appointments with euphoria, delight, and enchantment.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Grammy-winning musician and composer Pharrell Williams has expertise in the creative process. "If someone asks me what inspires me," he testifies, "I always say, 'That which is missing.'" According to my understanding of the astrological omens, you would benefit from making that your motto in the coming weeks. Our Global Healing Crisis is a favorable time to discover what's absent or empty or blank about your life, and then learn all you can from exploring it. I think you'll be glad to be shown what you didn't consciously realize was lost, omitted, or lacking.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
"I am doing my best to not become a museum of myself," declares poet Natalie Diaz. I think she means that she wants to avoid defining herself entirely by her past. She is exploring tricks that will help her keep from relying so much on her old accomplishments that she neglects to keep growing. Her goal is to be free of her history, not to be weighed down and limited by it. These would be worthy goals for you to work on in the coming weeks, Pisces. What would your first step be?
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
According to Aries author and mythologist Joseph Campbell, "The quest for fire occurred not because anyone knew what the practical uses for fire would be, but because it was fascinating." He was referring to our early human ancestors, and how they stumbled upon a valuable addition to their culture because they were curious about a powerful phenomenon, not because they knew it would ultimately be so valuable. I invite you to be guided by a similar principle in the coming weeks, Aries. Unforeseen benefits may emerge during your investigation into flows and bursts that captivate your imagination.
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HOMEWORK:
Experiment: To begin the next momentous healing, tell the simple, brave, and humble truth about yourself. 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 2020 Rob Brezsny
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