Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology Newsletter
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July 13, 2005
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"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
is the title of my new book.
for more info, go to my website at
http://www.freewillastrology.com.
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Dear Beauty and Truth Fans,
I've been touting my new book a lot lately in this newsletter. Some of you
might be weary of hearing about it. Maybe you're even thinking, "Uh, Rob,
thanks for letting us know about the new book, but you don't need to tell
us anymore."
I understand if you feel that way. Remember that you can skip the stuff
about the book and go straight to the horoscopes. My astrological love
letters will always be here for you, free and welcoming.
But for the foreseeable future, I'll keep celebrating the book in this space.
I'll continue to excerpt passages from it. There's no question that it's
helping sales. Every Wednesday, when this newsletter goes out to its
30,000 subscribers, there's a big spike in the book's rank on
Amazon.com. It has reached as high as #221 and is rarely below #1,200,
which means it's flying off the shelves. It has also been selling well at
Powells.com and Barnes & Noble.
Maybe I'll actually make some money, though that's still far from certain.
Because I paid for the book's design and manufacture out of my own
pocket, I'll have to sell 7,000 books just to break even. I'm about halfway
there.
I'm pleased at the book's initial success for other reasons, too, but they
have nothing to do with pumping up my ego. You see, I'm well aware that
"PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia" is a co-creation of me and every
teacher I have ever been privileged to learn from, as well as all the muses,
lovers, friends, family members, divine helpers, benevolent enemies, and
wild allies who have ever showered me with their blessings. You, my
readers, are also among the gorgeous geniuses who have had a lot to do
with shaping who I am and what I do.
I want the book to sell well not because I am under the delusion that its
success will prove I'm great. Rather, I want the book to thrive because it's
a buoyant collaboration that has a subversive power to heal and inspire.
It's a gift from us to us; I've merely been the facilitator.
Rowdy blessings,
Rob
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"'PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia' is like stepping through your very
own magic looking glass. These are not your mother's fairy stories, and if
you have no desire to learn to laugh at yourself, forget it. Brezsny is a
diabolical lyricist, an infectious dreamer, and a riotous Doctor of Know. His
antics have slain the Medusa that held me captive. I'm finding things I
thought I'd lost (including my voice) and things I never had (like a
courage that goes beyond martyrdom)." -Violet at
http://www.cathoderaytan.net/
"'PRONOIA' is a food processor for the spirit, a socket wrench for attitude
adjustment, and a garbage disposal for the soul. It shreds, dices, pulses,
grinds, and disintegrates all the negative myths that the doom and
gloomers throw our way, and blends them into a mind-soothing smoothie
for vibrant living." -Rob Grogan, "Front Porch"
Read all about it in my new book,
PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings
For more info about buying the book, go to my website at
http://www.freewillastrology.com.
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Now here's an excerpt from
PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
WHAT IS THE BEAUTY AND TRUTH LABORATORY?
The Beauty and Truth Laboratory is an ever-expanding web of think tanks
and mystery schools devoted to exploring pronoia. Since I launched the
prototype in October 2001, 12 other branches have sprung up in
basements, barns, and bedrooms all over the world: eight in North
America and others in Amsterdam, London, Florence, Italy, and Sydney,
Australia.
All of these, including my own in Marin County, California, are similar in
spirit to pirate radio stations. They're not registered, incorporated, or
licensed, and Goddess forbid that they should ever become the canonical
hubs of a franchise.
That doesn't mean I eschew power, authority, and wealth. My own branch
of the Beauty and Truth Laboratory is stationed in a garage next to the
house I rent on the seedy outskirts of suburbia, but I'd have no problem
moving to a more expansive location, like say, a conference center on a
100-acre compound in an idyllic place that the original inhabitants of this
continent regarded as a power spot. And I'd love it if this book sold a
million copies, or if Beauty and Truth Laboratories were as common as 7-
Elevens in 10 years.
On the other hand, I'm happy with whatever blessings life conspires to
bring me. If it's to my and your ultimate benefit that this book reaches no
more than 10,000 wise guys and riot grrrls, I will celebrate that outcome.
And my garage-based laboratory is fine just the way it is, with its sloping
floor and row of tiny windows darkened by the exuberant persimmon tree
outside. The modesty of its structure is a constant reminder that the
most important aspect of my work is building the Beauty and Truth
Laboratory within me. As I prod my imagination to nurture ever-more
detailed visions of love, compassion, joy, freedom, beauty, and truth, I'm
better able to spot and name all those good things in the world around
me. I also become more skilled at creating them.
My humble headquarters brings another advantage. It encourages me to
regard everywhere I go as a potential extension of the Beauty and Truth
Laboratory. My experiments aren't confined to the hours I spend in the
solitude of my ivory tower, but also spill out into the fertile chaos of daily
life.
On one epiphanic occasion, an eight-lane highway at rush hour turned into
a temporary Beauty and Truth Laboratory. It was just a few days after my
return from the Burning Man festival, where the dream of the Laboratory
had hatched. I was driving on 101, the artery that bisects Marin County
just north of San Francisco.
As I cruised at 65 mph between Larkspur and Corte Madera, a blonde in a
Jaguar convertible with the top down passed me on the right. Perhaps
distracted by the chat she was enjoying on her cell phone, she suddenly
zipped in front of me. After hitting my brakes to avoid rear-ending her, I
honked my horn to express my annoyance.
In response, she careened back over to the lane she'd been in before
cutting me off, then slowed down and waited for me to catch up. I
avoided eye contact at first, but finally looked over. Quaking with
agitation, she was flashing me a middle-finger salute and a mad face as
fierce as a Tibetan demon. Her car was veering closer to mine. I wondered
if she might she actually crash into me on purpose . . . .
. . . To read the rest of
"WHAT IS THE BEAUTY AND TRUTH LABORATORY,"
excerpted from "PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia,"
go here:
http://www.freewillastrology.com/beauty/
To buy the book, use the links to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and
Powells, which are on my homepage at http://www.freewillastrology.com
Or here are the direct links:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-
/1583941231/qid=1117646708/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-8504044-
3522341?v=glance&s=books
BARNES & NOBLE
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=Pb
6oZrnAQk&isbn=1583941231&itm=2
POWELLS
is temporarily out of stock, unfortunately.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning July 14
Copyright 2005 by Rob Brezsny
http://www.freewillastrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Always star in your own movie," said novelist
Ken Kesey. In other words, don't let some charismatic authority or well-
meaning companion play the lead role in your great adventure; don't be a
supporting actor or actress who only indirectly advances the plot of your
life story. This is an ideal time to meditate on this matter for several
reasons: 1. You'll soon be given an opportunity to be a hero or heroine. 2.
You're showing flashes of star quality. 3. Your creative powers are
especially available for use in ripening your fondest dreams.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You really need a new 7,000-square-foot
home with 15 bedrooms, three jacuzzis, a state-of-the-art kitchen,
expansive views, terraced gardens, and a swimming pool. If you can't
afford that right now, you should at least spruce up and renovate your
inner environment. I suggest you throw out a bunch of old psychic
furniture, repaint the walls of your imagination, and plant some make-
believe fruit trees in your conscience.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pablo Picasso is the patron saint of getting
paid for doing what you love to do. Over 200 of his paintings sold for
more than a million dollars apiece, and he didn't have to wait until he was
dead to get a lot of that money. He's your role model in the coming
weeks, Gemini. It will be an excellent time for you not only to follow your
bliss, but also to *profit* from following your bliss. Turn your thoughts to
Picasso whenever you need a boost. Imagine that like him, you can find a
way to be secure about money as you do what makes you feel at home in
the world.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): During my years in college, I enjoyed watching
the evolution of Richard, a shy geek in my creative writing classes. Long
before he penned a single good poem, he was a bohemian art poseur. On
his backpack there was a button with the image of rock poet Patti Smith.
He often wore a t-shirt bearing a quote from poetry icon Allen Ginsberg,
and he was never without his book of Rimbaud poems. Everywhere I went
I saw him scribbling ostentatiously in his journal as he chain-smoked clove
cigarettes. To my surprise, Richard's work gradually began to match his
persona. By sophomore year he'd spawned some evocative poems, and
soon after he graduated, he published a fine chapbook. In his
development I witnessed a perfect example of the saying, "You become
what you pretend to be." That's an excellent theme for you to meditate
on right now, Cancerian.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An archaeologist found 2,000-year-old date seeds
in an excavation at King Herod's palace on Israel's Mount Masada. He
brought them back to a lab at his university and left them in a drawer.
They eventually caught the attention of botanist Elaine Solowey, who
decided to see if they'd grow. Seven months later, one plant was over a
foot tall and had six healthy leaves. An ancient seed, lifeless for so long,
had bloomed. I foresee a comparable development in your life, Leo: You
will retrieve a dormant kernel or fading ember from the past and bring it
to vibrant life.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Even if you're an intellectual atheist who
doesn't believe in mysteries you can't see, I encourage you to make
Artemis your ally. The goddess of wild places, she asks you to believe
that the best place to rest and recharge is not a luxurious spa where all
your needs are attended to, but rather a lush wilderness deep in the
middle of nowhere. Artemis loves the animals, and she loves the animal in
you. She arouses your instinctual fertility, which may fill you with a kind of
longing that awakens your creativity. A fierce nurturer, she feeds your
soul by stirring your sense of adventure. She unleashes the wild woman
within you, even if you're a man.
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EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES
In addition to the written horoscopes you get in this newsletter, I offer
Expanded Audio Horoscopes. They're $6 if you access them on the Web,
or $1.99 per minute over the phone.
For Web access, go here:
http://www.relationshipnetwork.com/horo/index.asp?client_id=50700
From the United States, call
1-900-950-7700
or if you prefer to pay by credit card
1-877-873-4888
If you live in Canada, call 1-888-499-4425 to purchase a Block of Time
with your credit card.
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There is a proverb from the American culture
of the early 21st century that I'd like to run by you, Libra: "Never reveal
all you know, confess everything you feel, show how much you care, or
give all you have." According to my astrological analysis, this is the worst
possible advice you could receive in order to thrive in the coming weeks.
In fact, if it were up to me, you'd do just the opposite. I understand if you
can't bring yourself to do that, especially if you're an American.
Nonetheless, that's what would be good for you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): When I saw the grandmother of one of my
friends dancing exuberantly at a party in a San Francisco warehouse, I was
confounded. "Isn't she 80 years old?" I asked my friend, who was one of
the DJs. "82, actually," he said nonchalantly. "She's in great shape." But
my amazement wasn't based merely on how much energy she had; her
agile movements were stunningly sensual. I've rarely seen young dancers
display so much erotic abandon. I decided that she's a rare example of a
person whose aging process has not made her rigid and cautious, but just
the opposite: It has lightened and liberated her. She's a good example for
you right now, Scorpio. You should be cultivating the kind of maturity
that will loosen your inhibitions and banish your fears.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Pink elephants are usually invoked in the
same spirit as flying pigs. Both are emblematic of silly fantasies generated
by intoxication or an aberrant imagination. And yet the truth is that there
*are* such beasts as pink elephants. Many of them live in India where the
soil is red. They constantly spray dust on themselves to serve as a barrier
against insects, and in so doing take on a permanent pink hue. Let's make
those pink elephants your power animals in the coming week, Sagittarius.
They'll be an inspiration as you start turning one of your seemingly
unlikely or impossible dreams into a practical reality.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The astrological omens will soon favor a
splashy union. It could come in the form of a wedding or a reworking of
your marriage vows. It could mean an adventurous collaboration with a
business partner or a deepened commitment to an old ally. You might
even consider intensifying your devotion to an idea that inspires you or
sharpening your concentration on a future event that will marshal your
lust for life.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A man in Illinois was growing increasingly
impatient with his two houseguests. He didn't like how much crack they
smoked, and was hesitant to bring a potential girlfriend home for fear
she'd be turned off by the seedy ambiance. Unable to convince the drug-
crazed parasites to leave, he resorted to an extreme measure: He set his
own house on fire. The ploy worked, in the sense that his house was
empty again. Unfortunately, the damage was so extensive that he himself
couldn't live there anymore. Make sure you don't do anything similar in
the coming week, Aquarius. There are lots of effective ways to get rid of
a certain annoyance without hurting your own interests.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Psychiatrist R.D. Laing espoused a view of
insanity that's radically different from the conventional wisdom. He said
the rules of the game in the so-called normal world are crazy and sick. So
when a person has a breakdown and no longer agrees to play by those
rules, it's actually a sign of vitality. In fact, a period of chaotic rebellion
may be the only way to burst free from the lunacy of everyday life.
Eventually, of course, the escapee has to return to a semblance of mental
health and create a new relationship with the normal world, though in
such a way that he or she will be less susceptible to its pathologies. Often
the process I've just described is a terrible ordeal, even when it results in
a dramatic healing. But right now, you Pisceans can experience a fun and
enjoyable version of it.
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HOMEWORK:
Every one of us has a secret ignorance that's burning a hole in our soul.
What's yours, and what are you going to do about it? Testify by going to
http://www.freewillastrology.com and clicking on "Email Rob."
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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?
I'm not doing charts these days. In addition to writing my weekly column
and expanded audio horoscopes, I'm also working on a CD and promoting
my new book.
But I can recommend a colleague whose astro-aesthetics closely match
my own. She's RO LOUGHRAN.
Ro utilizes a blend of well-trained intuition, emotional warmth, and a high
degree of technical proficiency in horoscope interpretation; she is skilled
at exploring the mysteries of your life's purpose and nurturing your
connection with your own inner wisdom. In addition to over 20 years of
astrological experience, Ro is also a licensed psychotherapist, allowing her
to integrate psychological insight with the cosmological perspective that
astrology offers.
Ro is based in California, but can do phone consultations and otherwise
work with you regardless of geographic boundaries.
Ro's website is at
http://www.astrology-psychotherapy.com/
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
Namaste,
Rob
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I totally respect your privacy. I'll never sell or give away your address to
anyone.
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Submissions sent to the Free Will Astrology Weekly Newsletter
or in response to "homework assignments" may be
published in a variety of formats at Rob Brezsny's discretion,
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Please be sure to note your preference when sending to us. We
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2005 Rob Brezsny
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