Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
May 27, 2020
FreeWillAstrology.com
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In some ways, our current world situation seems to be not at all conducive for any of us to be cultivating and nurturing our ambitions. In some ways, now doesn't feel like the right time for us to be naming exactly what it is that we want from life and pushing forward with plans to experience exactly what it is we want out of life.
Because of the global pandemic, we are in an extended period of deep uncertainty. We are on our way to a new way of being and living, but no one knows what it will be.
So how can we realistically cultivate and nurture our ambitions in a time like this?
How can we even know what will be possible for us to achieve in the coming months and years?
How can we anticipate which of our personal goals will even make sense as the unknown transformations unfold?
These are all valid questions. They are essential to ponder.
At the same time, I propose that it's a favorable time for you to feed your desires to be the best you can be—at whatever tasks and roles you might end up carrying out in the coming months and years.
I propose that it's a favorable time for you to renew your love of being alive, and to fuel your yearnings to give back to life in return for all that life has given to you.
I propose that it's a favorable time for you to identify the unique talents and gifts you have to offer the world, and to re-consecrate your commitment to using those talents and gifts to create a beautiful life for yourself and find specific ways to offer them to the world.
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THE FREEDOM TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND COMPASSIONATE
Dear Rob: I follow your writing, and like a lot of it. But you seem to have gone off the rails and jumped the shark in your support of the dumb experts who advocate the lockdowns as a way to allegedly foil the spread of the coronavirus. I thought you supported freedom. I thought your concept of "pronoia" was about liberating us from control and manipulation. Why do you support the government telling us what to do? —Confused in Tampa
Dear Confused: My approach to freedom derives its inspiration from the freedom to love and care for and protect and help other people and all the creatures of the earth. The lockdowns serve the cause of cherishing life—thereby honoring and celebrating my freedom.
I don't mean to minimize the challenges of the lockdowns. Many of us are separated from loved ones and have lost our jobs or had our incomes reduced. Many of us feel alone and have faced dilemmas in our efforts to remedy non-COVID-19 health concerns.
But those are different issues from the minor inconvenience of having to wear protective masks in public and being careful to keep sufficient distance between ourselves and others. They're different from the very small problems of not being able to gather in groups at parks, salons, and tattoo parlors.
Those modest constraints on our freedom enable us to express a far-more robust kind of freedom, which is the freedom to take care of each other, to ensure we do no harm.
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WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT EACH OTHER?
we will not reveal
our conclusions until
the End of Times, which has
been scheduled repeatedly
and then canceled because
no one can imagine
what we would do
without each other
without these comings and
goings and the little gasp
of recognition that is all
we are allowed to leave behind
—excerpted from Eleanor Lerman's poem, "The Marfa Lights," from her book Strange Life
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CONSPIRACIES
Yes, there are actual conspiracies: Bad people do indeed work in coordinated ways behind the scenes to carry out nefarious plans.
But those conspiracies are uncovered by trained journaiists with strong research skills and a highly honed ability to track down objective evidence — not sloppy thinkers who can't tell the difference between their fantasies and real data.
More: tinyurl.com/y983vxcy and tinyurl.com/ycpqyyxs
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For those who want to learn about real conspiracies, they might stick to those that are researched and documented by very smart people who gather actual evidence. One such person is Naomi Klein.
Her book "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" documents a phenomenon that might be described as a "conspiracy" — how "free market" believers have exploited moments of shock and extreme violence in order to implement their economic policies.
Good link for where to buy Naomi Klein's book: tsd.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/where-to-buy
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YOUR NAMES
Each of us has a name
given by God
and given by our parents
Each of us has a name
given by our stature and our smile
and given by what we wear
Each of us has a name
given by the mountains
and given by our walls
Each of us has a name
given by the stars
and given by our neighbors
Each of us has a name
given by our sins
and given by our longing
Each of us has a name
given by our enemies
and given by our love
Each of us has a name
given by our celebrations
and given by our work
Each of us has a name
given by the seasons
and given by our blindness
Each of us has a name
given by the sea
and given by
our death.
-Israeli poet Zelda Schneurson Mishkovsky
Translated from the Hebrew by Marcia Lee Falk
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FAITH IN THE IMAGINATION
Some people put their faith in religion or science or political ideologies. English novelist J.G. Ballard placed his faith elsewhere: in the imagination.
"I believe in the power of the imagination to remake the world," he wrote, "to release the truth within us, to hold back the night, to transcend death, to charm motorways, to ingratiate ourselves with birds, to enlist the confidences of madmen."
How do you use the power of imagination to remake the world?
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WILD KINDNESS
By practicing kindness all over with everyone you will soon come into the holy trance, definite distinctions of personalities will become what they really mysteriously are, our common and eternal blissstuff, the pureness of everything forever, the great bright essence of mind, even and one thing everywhere the holy eternal milky love, the white light everywhere everything, emptybliss, svaha, shining, ready, and awake, the compassion in the sound of silence, the swarming myriad trillionaire you are.
— Jack Kerouac
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IT'S NOT JUST THE DEATH; IT'S THE DECIMATION
Virologist Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine says: "Many people think COVID-19 kills 1% of patients, and the rest get away with some flulike symptoms.
"But the story gets more complicated. Many people will be left with chronic kidney and heart problems. Even their neural system is disrupted. There will be hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, possibly more, who will need treatments such as renal dialysis for the rest of their lives.
"The more we learn about the coronavirus, the more questions arise. We are learning while we are sailing. That’s why I get so annoyed by the many commentators on the sidelines who, without much insight, criticize the scientists and policymakers trying hard to get the epidemic under control."
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ANIMAL SMARTS
I'm always striving to upgrade my ability to commune with non-human intelligences.
See the fantastic photos: tinyurl.com/AnimalSmarts
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WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ME
1. Visit my Gift Page — paypal.me/GiftsForRob — and contribute to me now and then via the "Friends and Family" option.
2. Commit to offering me a regular donation through my Patreon page at Patreon.com/FreeWillAstrology
3. Send checks or cash to me at P.O. Box 4400, San Rafael, CA 94913.
4. Buy my Expanded Audio Horoscopes and/or Daily Text Message Horoscopes. Go here: RealAstrology.com
P.S.: No pressure, though! 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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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
Here Are A Few Things To Feel Optimistic About Right Now: tinyurl.com/y7tpm238
* Smog is clearing up. There has been nearly a 17% decline in global carbon dioxide emissions since last year, potentially the largest drop in pollution ever recorded.
* Crisis is breeding innovation. There are over 250 trials currently looking at various drugs and treatments for COVID-19. There are new technologies that can sanitize personal protective equipment and medical equipment for reuse. Old drugs are being repurposed; new drugs are being developed.
* The world is united in a big way. The pandemic has ushered in an unprecedented era of cooperation and innovation from the private and public sector and medical community towards achieving common goals.
* Live entertainment is, in a way, more accessible.
* You can pretty much tune in to a performance every night of the week if you plan it right.
* You have a chance to reconnect with friends and family from afar.
* You can pick up new and old hobbies.
(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 May 28
Copyright 2020 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
I've got a message for you, courtesy of poet Lisel Mueller. I think her wisdom can help you thrive in the coming weeks. She writes, "The past pushed away, the future left unimagined, for the sake of the glorious, difficult, passionate present." Of course, it's always helpful for us to liberate ourselves from the oppressive thoughts of what once was in the past and what might be in the future. But it'll be especially valuable for you to claim that superpower in the coming weeks. To the degree that you do, the present will be more glorious and passionate and not so difficult.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
When Lewis Carroll's fictional heroine Alice visits an exotic underground realm, she encounters two odd men named Tweedledee and Tweedledum. The latter tells her, "You know very well you’re not real." He's implying that Alice is merely a character in the dream of a man who's sleeping nearby. This upsets her. "I am real!" she protests, and breaks into tears. Tweedledum presses on, insisting she's just a phantom. Alice summons her courageous wisdom and thinks to herself, "I know they're talking nonsense, and it's foolish to cry about it." I suspect you Cancerians may have to deal with people and influences that give you messages akin to those of Tweedledum. If that happens, be like Alice.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
"The less you fear, the more power you will have," says the rapper known as 50 Cent. I agree with him. If you can dissolve even, say, 25 percent of your fear, your ability to do what you want will rise significantly, as will your influence and clout. But here's the major riddle: How exactly can you dissolve your fear? My answers to that question would require far more room than I have in this horoscope. But here's the really good news, Leo: In the coming weeks, you will naturally have an abundance of good insights about to dissolve your own fear. Trust what your intuition tells you. And be receptive to clues that serendipity brings you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
For his film Parasite, Virgo filmmaker Bong Joon-ho received Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. In his natal horoscope, Joon-ho has Pluto conjunct his sun in Virgo, and during the time Parasite began to score major success, Saturn and Pluto were making a favorable transit to that powerful point in his chart. I'm expecting the next six months to be a time when you can make significant progress toward your own version of a Joon-ho style achievement. In what part of your life is that most likely to happen? Focus on it. Feed it. Love it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to seek out, seduce, and attract luck. To inspire you in this holy task, I'll provide a prayer written by Hoodoo conjurer Stephanie Rose Bird: "O sweet luck, I call your name. Luck with force and power to make change, walk with me and talk through me. With your help, all that can and should be will be!" If there are further invocations you'd like to add to hers, Libra, please do. The best way to ensure that good fortune will stream into your life is to have fun as you draw it to you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Scorpio comedian John Cleese does solo work, but many of his successful films, albums, stage shows, and TV programs have arisen from joining forces with other comedians. "When you collaborate with someone else on something creative," he testifies, "you get to places that you would never get to on your own." I propose you make this your temporary motto, Scorpio. Whatever line of work or play you're in, the coming weeks will offer opportunities to start getting involved in sterling synergies and symbioses. To overcome the potential limitations of social distancing, make creative use of Zoom and other online video conferencing. (Here's more from Cleese: "The way an idea builds as it careens back and forth is so unpredictable. Sometimes it depends on people misunderstanding each other, and that's why I don't think there's any such thing as a mistake in the creative process. You never know where it might lead.")
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WHAT IF JOY AND PLEASURE ARE ESSENTIAL SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES?
Assume that your drive to experience pleasure and happiness isn't a barrier to your spiritual growth, but is in fact essential to it. Proceed on the hypothesis that cultivating joy can make you a more ethical and compassionate person. Imagine that feeling good has something important to teach you every day.
For inspiration in practicing this approach, tune in to your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny.
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.
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The cost is $6 per sign on the On the Web. (Discounts are available for bulk purchases.) You can also access them for $1.99 per minute by phone
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"Your Expanded Audio Horoscopes provide me with the Rest of the Story. I'm not necessarily a believer in the scientific accuracy of astrology, but I do think you've got a lot of practical wisdom to impart."
- M. Tennenbaum, New York
"No one knows more about me than me. But you're right up there near the top of the list of people who do understand something about how I tick. How is that possible?"
- R. Goren, Albuquerque
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
"Wherever I am, let me never forget to distinguish want from need," vows author Barbara Kingsolver. "Let me be a good animal," she adds. That would be a stirring prayer to keep simmering at the forefront of your awareness in the next six weeks. According to my understanding of the astrological omens, you'll be getting clear signals about the differences between your wants and needs. You will also discover effective strategies about how to satisfy them both in the post-pandemic world, and fine intuitions about which one to prioritize at any particular time.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Writing some Chinese characters can be quite demanding. To make "biáng," for example, which is used in the name for a certain kind of noodle, you must draw 58 separate strokes. This is a good metaphor for exactly what you should avoid in the coming weeks: spending too much time and devoting too much thought and getting wrapped up in too much complexity about trivial matters. Your focus should instead be on simple, bold approaches that encourage you to be crisp and decisive.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Singer-songwriter Jill Scott is strongly committed to her creative process. She tells us, "I was once making a burger for myself at my boyfriend’s house and a lyric started pouring out and I had to catch it, so I ran to another room to write it down, but then the kitchen caught fire. His cabinets were charred, and he was furious. But it was worth it for a song." My perspective: Scott's level of devotion to the muse is too intense for my tastes. Personally, I would have taken the burger off the stove before fleeing the scene to record my good idea. What about you, Aquarius? According to my analysis, you're in a phase when creative ideas should flow even better than usual. Pay close attention. Be prepared to capture as much of that potentially life-altering stuff as possible.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
To protect ourselves and others from the pandemic, most of us have been spending more time than usual at home—often engaged in what amounts to enforced relaxation. For some of us, that has been a problem. But I'm going to propose that it will be the opposite of a problem for you in the next three weeks. In my astrological opinion, your words to live by will be this counsel from author and philosopher Mike Dooley: "What if it was your downtime, your lounging-in-bed-too-long time, that made possible your greatest achievements? Would they still make you feel guilty? Or would you allow yourself to enjoy them?"
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
"The best of my nature reveals itself in play, and play is sacred," wrote the feisty Aries author Karen Blixen, who sometimes used the pen name Isak Dinesen. The attitude described in that statement helps illuminate the meaning of another one of her famous quotations: "I do not think that I could ever really love a woman who had not, at one time or another, been up on a broomstick." In my interpretation of this humorous remark, Blixen referred to the fact that she had a strong preference for witchy women with rascally magical ways. I bring this to your attention, Aries, because I'm inviting you to cultivate a Blixen-like streak of sacred play and sly magic in the coming days.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Taurus music legend Willie Nelson has played the same guitar since 1969. He calls it "my horse," and named it after Trigger, a famous horse in Hollywood films. Although Nelson still loves the tones that come from his instrument, it's neither sleek nor elegant. It's bruised with multiple stains and has a jagged gash near its sound hole. Some Tauruses want their useful things to be fine and beautiful, but not Willie. Having said that, I wonder if maybe he will finally change guitars sometime soon. For you Bulls, the coming months will be time to consider trading in an old horse for a new one.
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HOMEWORK:
What's the story or song that provides you with your greatest consolation? 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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