Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
September 16, 2020
FreeWillAstrology.com
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"Every minute of every hour of every day you are making the world, just as you are making yourself, and you might as well do it with generosity and kindness and style."
—Rebecca Solnit
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IT'S ALWAYS THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
It's always the beginning of the world.
Even if you don't call yourself an artist, you have the potential to be a dynamic creator who is always hatching new plans, coming up with fresh ideas, and shifting your approach to everything you do as you adjust to life's ceaseless invitation to change.
It's to this part of you -- the restless, inventive spirit -- that I address the following: Unleash yourself! Don't be satisfied with the world the way it is; don't sit back passively and blankly complain about the dead weight of the mediocre status quo.
Instead, call on your curiosity and charisma and expressiveness and lust for life as you tinker with and rebuild everything you see so that it's in greater harmony with the laws of love and more hospitable to your soul's code.
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HEALTHY STATES OF MIND
RADICAL CURIOSITY. Characterized by the following traits: an enthusiasm for the mystery embedded in the mundane; a preference for questions over answers; an aversion to stereotyping, generalizations, and jumping to conclusions; a belief that people are unsolvable puzzles; an inclination to be unafraid of both change and absence of change; a strong drive to avoid boredom; a lack of interest in possessing or dominating what you are curious about.
WILD DISCIPLINE. Possessing a talent for creating a kind of organization that's liberating; knowing how to introduce limitations into a situation in such a way that everyone involved is empowered to express his or her unique genius; having an ability to discern hidden order within a seemingly chaotic mess.
VISIONS OF THRILLING EXPLOITS. Experiencing an eruption of intuition that clearly reveals you will attempt a certain adventure in the future, as when you spy a particular mountain for the first time and know you'll climb it one day.
UNTWEAKABILITY. Having a composed, blame-free readiness to correct false impressions when your actions have been misunderstood and have led to awkward consequences.
SELF-ACCEPTANCE UNDER PRESSURE. The state achieved upon leaving a room filled with people who know you, and not worrying about what anyone will say about you. (Suggested by Shannen Davis.)
SELF-HONORING. Having an unwillingness to disparage, belittle, or hurt yourself; includes a taboo against speaking phrases like, "I'm such an idiot!" and "What's wrong with me?" (Suggested by Julie Levin.)
SLY TRUST. Having a discerning faith that the integrity of your efforts will inevitably lead to a result that's exactly what you need; being skillful in the art of never trying too hard.
UNSELFCONSCIOUSNESS. Doing what you're doing and being who you're being without thinking about it at all. Being happy by virtue of not worrying about whether or not you're happy; enjoying a unified state in which you are not split between the you who acts and the you who observes. (Suggested by Valerie Keller.)
More healthy states of mind: tinyurl.com/yy49lv68
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The above is excerpted from my book Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings
Available at Barnes & Noble: tinyurl.com/PronoiaBN
Available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia
A free preview of the book is available here: tinyurl.com/PronoiaPreview
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TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOUR BODY
"Nothing's going right in my life. I feel anxious and paranoid all the time. My relationships are a mess. Plus the whole world's going to hell!"
In my line of work, people make confessions like that to me.
My first response is usually something like this: "Do you habitually gobble junk food near bedtime, steal a paltry five hours of sleep per night, gulp two cups of coffee and no breakfast in the morning, then bolt to a workplace where you get no sunlight or exercise and sit in an uncomfortable chair?"
They often reply, "You must be psychic! How did you know?!"
My point is that many psychological troubles stem from our chronic failure to take good care of our physical needs.
Can you think of three things you can do to promote pronoia in yourself by taking better care of your body?
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HOW LOVE WORKS
"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."
—Erich Fried
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SOUL VERSUS SPIRIT
"I call the high and light aspects of my being spirit and the dark and heavy aspects soul.
"Soul is at home in the deep, shaded valleys. Heavy torpid flowers saturated with black grow there. The rivers flow like warm syrup.
"Spirit is a land of high, white peaks and glittering jewel-like lakes and flowers. Life is sparse and sounds travel great distances."
—The Dalai Lama, as quoted by James Hillman in A Blue Fire
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PUTTING AN END TO SUFFERING
"You've probably heard the rumor that 'Life is suffering' is Buddhism's first principle, the Buddha's first noble truth. It's a rumor with good credentials, spread by well-respected academics and Dharma teachers alike, but a rumor nonetheless.
"The truth about the noble truths is far more interesting. The Buddha taught four truths — not one — about life: 1. There is suffering. 2. There is a cause for suffering. 3. There is an end of suffering. 4. There is a path of practice that puts an end to suffering.
"These truths, taken as a whole, are far from pessimistic. They're a practical, problem-solving approach — the way a doctor approaches an illness, or a mechanic a faulty engine. You identify a problem and look for its cause. You then put an end to the problem by eliminating the cause."
- Thanissaro Bhikkhu, tinyurl.com/y5p5bsep
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
How to Bring About Catastrophic Success in the Face of Climate Change.
tinyurl.com/yyqun3tx
A Mental Health Service for Inmates that Reduces Recidivism. In an effort to make its prisons more than punitive, Washington D.C. has begun offering cognitive behavioral therapy to incarcerated individuals.
tinyurl.com/y6toqjua
Pakistan Meets the UN Climate Goals One Decade Before Deadline in Continuation of Green Economic Legacy
tinyurl.com/y5xtn5pp
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For a lot more pronoiac resources and ideas, read my book Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings
Available at Barnes & Noble: tinyurl.com/PronoiaBN
Available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia
A free preview of the book is available here: tinyurl.com/PronoiaPreview
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning September 17
Copyright 2020 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
"At the necessary moment, going naked will be your most convincing disguise," writes poet Dobby Gibson. As I apply his witty statement to your life, I'll interpret it metaphorically. My sense is that you could really use the kind of "disguise" he's talking about. What I mean is that you would benefit by appearing to be different from what people expect of you. You can gain key advantages by shifting the image you present to the world—by expressing a part of your identity that is not usually obvious. And I think the best way to do that is to "go naked"—i.e. be candid and transparent and vulnerable about your core truths.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libran playwright Wendy Wasserstein wrote, "Every year I resolve to be a little less the me I know and leave a little room for the me I could be. Every year I make a note not to feel left behind by my friends and family who have managed to change far more than I." I recommend Wasserstein's practice to you, dear Libra. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to launch this ritual as an annual tradition. For best results, write it out as a vow. I mean take a pen and paper and compose a solemn pledge, then sign it on the bottom to seal your determination.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
"I may not lead the most dramatic life," confesses singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, "but in my brain it's War and Peace every day." He was referencing Leo Tolstoy's sprawling, exuberant 1,200-page novel War and Peace, which features stories about five families who lived through Napoléon's invasion of Russia in the 19th century. I'm guessing that these days your fantasy life may also be filled with epic fairy tales and heroic sagas and tear-jerking myths. Is there a problem with that? Not necessarily. It could be quite entertaining and educational. I do recommend that you keep your actual life a little calmer and saner, however.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
"I rejoice to live in such a splendidly disturbing time!" said author Helen Keller (1880–1968). She was a smart activist who worked hard in behalf of women's equality, labor rights, antimilitarism, and socialism. Was she being sarcastic in saying she loved being alive during a time of upheaval? Not at all. She derived excitement and vigor from critiquing injustice. Her lust for life soared as she lent her considerable energy to making life on earth more enjoyable for more people. I invite you to consider adopting her attitude in the coming weeks. It's a good time to experiment with generating the personal power that becomes available by taking practical action in behalf of your high ideals.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
You know what perfectionists are: people who obsessively strive to finesse every last detail, polishing and honing so compulsively that they risk sucking all the soul out of the finished product. In contrast to them, I propose that we identify a different class of humans known as imperfectionists. They understand that a ferocious drive for utter purity can make things sterile and ugly. They resolve to cultivate excellence while at the same time they understand that irregularities and eccentricities may infuse their work with beauty. I hope you'll act like an imperfectionist in the coming weeks, Capricorn.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
"Everything good I’ve ever gotten in life, I only got because I gave something else up," writes author Elizabeth Gilbert. To that melodramatic declaration, I say, "Really? Everything? I don't believe you." And yet I do think she has a point. On some occasions, the most effective strategy for bringing good new influences into our lives is to sacrifice an influence or habit or pattern we're attached to. And often the thing that needs to be sacrificed is comfortable or consoling or mildly pleasurable. I suspect that the coming weeks will offer you one of these opportunities, Aquarius.
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WHY IS IT CALLED "FREE WILL" ASTROLOGY?
It's called Free Will Astrology because my goal is to create horoscopes that nurture your free will!
And if you ever want more than the 'scopes you're reading here, keep in mind that I also create EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES for you. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny.
Need more help in figuring out the questions life is asking you? Crave more support in your efforts to build your courage? Check out the EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES.
To 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 online. (Discounts are available for bulk purchases.)
You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888. The cost is $1.99 per minute. Each forecast is 4-5 minutes long.
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"Your expanded audio horoscopes help me remember the important things I've forgotten and they help me forget about the unimportant things I don't need to dwell on."
—Raven Hudson, Austin
"I love the soothing kindness of your audio horoscopes. I also love their invigorating encouragement and surprising inspiration!"
—Franny Kaiser, Minneapolis
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
"I and me are always too deeply in conversation," confessed philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. I wonder why he said "too deeply" and not just "deeply." Did he mean his dialogs with himself distracted him from important matters in the world outside of his imagination? Was he implying that he got so consumed while conducting his self-interviews that he lost his bearings and forgot what his goals were? With these cautions in mind, Pisces, I invite you to dive into an intense but spacious communion with yourself. Make this a delightful and illuminating conference, not a raging debate or a debilitating argument.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
In one of your past lives, maybe you were a Neanderthal midwife in what’s now southern France. In another incarnation, you may have been a 17th-century Guarani shaman who shared your knowledge about local plants with an Italian Jesuit missionary in what's now Uruguay. All the powers and aptitudes you perfected in those and other previous ages could prove helpful as you cultivate your genius in the coming weeks. JUST KIDDING! Cancel my previous speculations. For you Aries folks, past achievements are often of secondary importance as you create your future. In fact, your mandate is usually to transcend the old days and old ways. It may be better not to imitate or rely on old stories, no matter how dazzling. This will be especially true in the coming weeks.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
"There are no ordinary feelings," says poet Dean Young. "Just as there are no ordinary spring days or kicked over cans of paint." That's always true, but it will be especially true for you in the coming weeks. I suspect you will be host to a wealth of interesting, unique, and profound feelings. They might be a bit overwhelming at times, but I think they will mostly provide rich opportunities for your soul to grow deeper and stronger and more resilient.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
"There should be a science of discontent," said novelist Frank Herbert. "People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles." I partially agree with that observation, but I also think it's a gratuitous cliché that's not at all absolute. In fact, our culture is under the spell of a mass delusion that tempts us to believe "no pain, no gain" is the supreme learning principle. I'd like to see the development of a robust science of contentment: how fascination and freedom and generosity can build psychic muscles. You'll be a good candidate to study that subject in the coming weeks.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Cancerian songwriter Mathangi Arulpragasam is better known by her stage name M.I.A. She has accomplished a lot in her 45 years on the planet, having been nominated for three Grammy Awards and an Academy Award. Esquire magazine named her the 75th most influential person of the 21st century. One key to her success is the fact that she formulated a clear master plan many years ago, and has used it to guide her decisions. In her song "Matangi," she refers to it: "If you’re gonna be me, you need a manifesto / If you ain’t got one, you better get one presto." I bring this to your attention, Cancerian, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time to formulate (or re-formulate) your life manifesto and master plan.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
"If you're not invited to the party, throw your own," declares singer and actress Diahann Carroll. In the coming weeks, I urge you Leos to use that advice as a metaphor in every way you can imagine. For example, if you're not getting the love you want from a certain someone, give it to yourself. If no one hands you the opportunity you need, hand it to yourself. If you wish people would tell you what you want to hear, but they're not saying it, tell yourself what you want to hear. It's a time when you need to go beyond mere self-sufficiency. Be self-gratifying, self-rewarding, self-acknowledging.
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HOMEWORK:
What's your favorite rule to break? 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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