Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
June 24, 2020
FreeWillAstrology.com
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WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AHEAD FOR YOU in the coming months?
EXPLORE THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE
with my Expanded Audio Horoscopes
for the Second Half of 2020.
What new influences and experiences will be headed your way in the second half of 2020? What fresh resources will you be able to draw on? Would you like some guidance as you figure out how to make best use of those influences and experiences and resources?
To listen to my IN-DEPTH, LONG-TERM AUDIO FORECAST for YOUR LIFE during the next six months, go here, then register and/or sign in:
freewillastrology.sparkns.com
After you log in through the main page, click on the link "Long Term Forecast for Second Half of 2020."
You can also listen to your short-term forecast for the coming week by clicking on "This week (June 23, 2020)."
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The Expanded Audio horoscopes cost $6 apiece. There are discounts for the purchase of multiple reports.
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TRANSACTIONS WITH BEAUTY
Lovers find secret places
inside this violent world
where they make transactions
with beauty.
Reason says, Nonsense.
I have walked and measured the walls here.
There are no places like that.
Love says, There are.
— Rumi, from “Secret Places,” Bridge to the Soul: Journeys Into the Music and Silence of the Heart — as rendered by Coleman Barks
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THE RIGHT BLEND OF PRACTICAL LOVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE ANGER
How do we summon the right blend of practical love and constructive anger?
How do we refrain from hating the cruel haters even as we fight fiercely to diminish the hatred and danger they unleash?
How do we cultivate cheerful buoyancy even as we neutralize the bigoted, autocratic poisons that are on the loose?
How can we be both exuberant lovers of life and wrathful insurrectionaries?
How can we stay in a good yet unruly mood as we overthrow the mass hallucination that is mistakenly called "reality"?
In the face of the peril, how do we generate beauty and truth and justice and love? How do we keep our imaginations wild and free?
Can our struggle also be a form of play?
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ANGER AS DEEP COMPASSION
David Whyte says: “ANGER is the deepest form of compassion, for another, for the world, for the self, for a life, for the body, for a family and for all our ideals, all vulnerable and all, possibly about to be hurt.
“Stripped of physical imprisonment and violent reaction, anger is the purest form of care; the internal living flame of anger always illuminates what we belong to, what we wish to protect and what we are willing to hazard ourselves for.
“What we usually call anger is only what is left of its essence when we are overwhelmed by its accompanying vulnerability, when it reaches the lost surface of our mind or our body’s incapacity to hold it, or when it touches the limits of our understanding.
“What we name as anger is actually only the incoherent physical incapacity to sustain this deep form of care in our outer daily life; the unwillingness to be large enough and generous enough to hold what we love helplessly in our bodies or our mind with the clarity and breadth of our whole being.”
- From David Whyte’s book, "Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words” - tinyurl.com/go53hmg
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UPRISING AGAINST RACISM
If you'd like to read my commentary on the current uprisings against racism, I have posted frequently on the subject on my Facebook page. Go here: www.facebook.com/rob.brezsny
Sample posts:
tinyurl.com/yb8qfwbp
tinyurl.com/ydasahqo
tinyurl.com/yctgdy9g
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BLEND OF LIFE AND DEATH
Each one of us is a blend of life and death. In the most literal sense, our bodies always contain old cells that are dying and new cells that are emerging as replacements.
From a more metaphorical perspective, our familiar ways of seeing and thinking and feeling are constantly atrophying, even as fresh modes emerge. Both losing and winning are woven into every day; sinking down and rising up; shrinking and expanding.
In any given phase of our lives, one or the other polarity is often more pronounced. But sometimes they are evenly balanced; the Seasons of Rot and of Regeneration happen at the same time.
Where are you at in the cycle right now?
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BEHIND EVERYTHING
Behind everything
I see, something I don't
Know how to look for.
- Forrest Gander
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WOMEN LEADERS DURING THE PANDEMIC
Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times: Here are the results of comparing death rates from the coronavirus for 21 countries around the world, 13 led by men and eight by women.
The male-led countries suffered an average of 214 coronavirus-related deaths per million inhabitants. Those led by women lost only one-fifth as many, 36 per million.
If the United States had the coronavirus death rate of the average female-led country, 102,000 American lives would have been saved out of the 114,000 lost.
Read the entire analysis: tinyurl.com/ybtx89zl
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BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD
A reader who is upset about my ongoing outrage at racism scolded me, saying, "You should believe there is good in the world."
Here's my response: For more than a decade, I have been a tireless advocate for the importance of believing there is good in the world. But if we believers in the world's wonder and glory fail to identify and acknowledge the world's suffering, our advocacy is empty and feeble; our credibility is zero.
To celebrate the good -- indeed, to create and cultivate the good -- we must deal regularly with the darkness.
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ESCAPE SONG
by me
There is no steady path,
no unwavering way forward,
no clear strong signal from the future
guiding us home.
Or is there?
And we just haven't learned yet
how to request new passwords
and decipher the trick questions?
Even the polestar is obscured by pretty clouds,
surplus eclipses,
flocks of night birds,
aurora borealis,
beloved and torturous memories
firing in our neurons.
Or maybe not:
if we could figure out
how to fool
the foolers.
What's the difference
between a maze and a labyrinth?
We can't tell.
We wander in the mess
of overlapping convolutions.
Forgetting to sing
the Escape Song.
—by me.
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
In 2012, with crime and corruption rampant in Camden, New Jersey, the city disbanded its police department and created a new one with a community focus. Between 2012 and 2019, violent crime dropped 42% in a city that had routinely been one of the country’s most violent. They are trained to de-escalate situations and have a duty to intervene if they see another officer using excessive force.
tinyurl.com/y9rt2phj
In Eugene, Oregon, the White Bird Clinic operates a mobile mental health crisis intervention team called CAHOOTS, Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets. The team of trained mental health professionals supports the police department by responding to crisis situations, de-escalations, behavioral and mental health problems, intoxication calls, and even welfare checks.
tinyurl.com/ycmxdo2n
The movement to "defund the police" movement isn’t about eliminating all law enforcement from any city overnight. Rather, it’s about reimagining public safety and realigning priorities so that cities spend less on militarized police forces and more on services that lead to a reduction of crime in the first place.
tinyurl.com/ycezmkmk and tinyurl.com/DefundingCops
Please tell me your own nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES: Truthrooster@gmail.com.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning June 25
Copyright 2020 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
"Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant?" Author Diane Ackerman asks her readers that question, and now I pose the same inquiry to you—just in time for your Season of Transformation. "We are all shape-shifters and magical reinventors," Ackerman says. I will add that you Cancerians now have the potential to be exceptional shape-shifters and magical reinventors. What new amazements might you incorporate into your life? What dazzling twists and twinkles would you like to add to your character? What will the Future You be like?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Qabalistic teacher Ann Davies asked, "If you stick your finger in the fire, do you then complain that it is unfair when your finger gets burned? Do you call the fire bad?" I offer you this caution, Leo, because I want to encourage you not to stick your fingers or toes or any other parts of you into the fire during the coming weeks. And I'm happy to inform you that there are better approaches to finding out what's important to learn about the fire. The preferred way is to watch the fire keenly and patiently from a modest distance. If you do so long enough, you'll get all you need.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In accordance with upcoming astrological portents, I urge you to engage in a vigorous redefinition of the term "miracle." That will open you up to the full range of miraculous phenomena that are potentially available in the coming weeks. For inspiration, read this passage by Faith Baldwin: "Miracles are everyday things. Not only sudden great fortune wafting in on a new wind. They are almost routine, yet miracles just the same. Every time something hard becomes easier; every time you adjust to a situation which, last week, you didn't know existed; every time a kindness falls as softly as the dew; or someone you love who was ill grows better; every time a blessing comes, not with trumpet and fanfare, but silently as night, you have witnessed a miracle."
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
When Libras become authoritative enough to wield clout in their own sphere of influence, it's often due to three factors: 1. the attractive force of their empathy; 2. their abilities to listen well and ask good questions, which help enable them to accurately read people's emotional energy; 3. their knack for knowing specific tricks that promote harmony and a common sense of purpose. If you possess any of these talents, dear Libra, the next eight weeks will be a favorable time to employ them with maximum intensity and ingenuity and integrity. You're primed to acquire and wield more leverage.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
There is only one kind of erotic intimacy between consenting adults that can truly be called “unnatural”: an act that is physically impossible to perform. Everything else is potentially vitalizing and holy. No one knows this better than you Scorpios. You're the champions of exotic pleasure; the connoisseurs of blissful marvels; the masters of curious delight and extraordinary exultation. And from an astrological perspective, the coming weeks will be a time when these aspects of your character could be especially vivid. But wait a minute. What about the pandemic? What about social-distancing? What about being cautious in seeking intimate connection? If anyone can work around these constraints so as to have sexual fun, it's your tribe. Use your imagination!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
When he was 22 years old, Sagittarian-born Werner Heisenberg received his doctorate in physics and mathematics from a German university—even though he got a grade of C on his final exams. Nine years later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics because of his pioneering work on quantum mechanics. What happened in between? One key development: He was mentored by physicists Niels Bohr and Max Born, both of whom also garnered Nobel Prizes. Another factor in his success was his association with other brilliant colleagues working in his field. I hope this story inspires you Sagittarians to be on the lookout for catalytic teachers and colleagues who can expedite your evolution. The planetary omens are favorable for such an eventuality.
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WHAT'S AHEAD FOR YOU?
BRAINSTORM ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE
with my Expanded Audio Horoscopes for the Second Half of 2020:
RealAstrology.com
Where are you likely to find most success? How can you best cooperate with the cosmic rhythms? What questions should you be asking so as to create the best possible future for yourself?
Tune in to my report on your long-term outlook.
Go here: RealAstrology.com
Register or log in and click on the link
"Long Term Forecast for Second Half of 2020"
You can also listen to your short-term forecast for the coming week by clicking on "This week (Jun 23, 2020)."
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The Expanded Audio horoscopes cost $6 apiece if you access them on the Web. There are discounts for the purchase of multiple reports.
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"Your long-range audio horoscopes encouraged me to think bigger about my life. As I listened, I could feel my shrunken expectations melting away." - Therese P., San Diego
"I love the soothing kindness of your long-range audio horoscopes. I also love their invigorating encouragement and surprising inspiration!" - Franny K., Minneapolis
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
You Capricorns aren't renowned for causing controversy. For the most part you're skillful at managing your reputation and keeping it orderly. But there may soon be a departure from this norm. A bit of a hubbub could arise in regards to the impressions you're making and the effects you're generating. I'm reminded of Capricorn author J. D. Salinger, whose book Catcher in the Rye was for a time widely taught in American schools but also widely banned because of its allegedly controversial elements. These days the book is regarded as a beloved classic, and I suspect you will weather your commotion with similar panache.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Novelist Tom Robbins articulated a vision of what it means to be bold and brave. He said, "Real courage is risking something that might force you to rethink your thoughts and suffer change and stretch consciousness." I'm hoping you will make that formula your keynote in the coming weeks. The time is right for you to summon extra amounts of fortitude, determination, and audacity. What new possibilities are you ready to flesh out in ways that might prod you to revise your beliefs and welcome transformation and expand your awareness?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Joan of Arc performed her heroic and magical feats in 1430 and 1431. But she wasn't canonized as a saint until 1920—almost five centuries later. It took a while to garner the full appreciation she deserved. I'm sure you won't have to wait as long to be acknowledged for your good deeds and fine creations, Pisces. In fact, from what I can tell, there'll be a significant honor, enhancement, or reward coming your way sometime in the next four months. Start visualizing what you'd like it to be, and set your intention to claim it.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
In addition to being a magnificent storyteller, Aries author Barbara Kingsolver raises chickens at her home. "There are days when I am envious of my hens," she writes, "when I hunger for a purpose as perfect and sure as a single daily egg." Do you ever experience that delightful rush of assurance, Aries? I suspect that you're likely to do so on multiple occasions in the coming weeks. And if you are indeed visited by visions of a perfect and sure purpose, your next task will be to initiate practical action to manifest it in the real world.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Nobel Prize-winning Taurus physicist Richard Feynman got his undergraduate degree from prestigious MIT and his PhD from prestigious Princeton University. Later he taught at prestigious Caltech. But his approach to education had a maverick quality. "Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent, and original manner possible," he advised his students. I think his strategy will work well for you in the coming weeks, which will be a favorable time to gather valuable information and polish your existing aptitudes.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
You're entering a phase when you'll have the potential to upgrade and fine-tune your relationship with money. In the hope of encouraging that prospect, I offer you the counsel of author Katharine Butler Hathaway. "To me, money is alive," she wrote. "It is almost human. If you treat it with real sympathy and kindness and consideration, it will be a good servant and work hard for you, and stay with you and take care of you." I hope you'll consider cultivating that approach, dear Gemini: expressing benevolence and love toward money, and pledging to be benevolent and loving as you use the money you acquire.
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HOMEWORK:
What's one thing you could do to enhance the well-being of a person or people you don't know? 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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