Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology Newsletter
June 6, 2007
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
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"You are gods who have forgotten who they are. You are emperors who
have fallen asleep and are dreaming that they have become beggars. Now
beggars are trying to become emperors, in dreams they are making great
efforts to become emperors, and all that is needed is to wake up!"
- Osho
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ROB'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Harmony Festival
in Santa Rosa, CA
http://www.harmonyfestival.com
Rob will appear with the inimitable Shamanic Cheerleaders
Sunday, June 10, 4:15-5:15 -- Earthdance Dome
Also appearing:
Daniel Pinchbeck: http://www.realitysandwich.com/
Amy Goodman: http://www.democracynow.org/
Arianna Huffington: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Rabbi Michael Lerner: http://www.tikkun.org/
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My book
"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
is available for sale at http://tinyurl.com/qaj62
To read news and features from the book, go here:
http://tinyurl.com/2uhvjl
Now here's an excerpt from the book:
UNABASHED PRONOIA THERAPY, Part Two
10. Become a rapturist, which is the opposite of a terrorist: Conspire to
unleash blessings on unsuspecting recipients, causing them to feel good.
Before bringing your work as a rapturist to strangers, practice with two
close companions. Offer them each a gift that fires up their ambitions. It
should not be a practical necessity or consumer fetish, but rather a
provocative tool or toy. Give them an imaginative boon they've been
hesitant to ask for, a beautiful thing that expands their self-image, a
surprising intervention that says, "I love the way you move me."
11. "There are two ways for a person to look for adventure," said the
Lone Ranger, a TV character. "By tearing everything down, or building
everything up." Give an example of each from your own life.
12. To many people, "sacrifice" is a demoralizing word that connotes
deprivation. Is that how you feel? Do you make sacrifices because you're
forced to, or maybe because your generosity prompts you to incur a loss
in order to further a good cause?
Originally, "sacrifice" had a different meaning: to give up something
valuable in order that something even more valuable might be obtained.
Carry out an action that embodies this definition. For instance, sacrifice a
mediocre pleasure so as to free yourself to pursue a more exalted
pleasure.
13. Are other people luckier than you? If so, psychologist Richard
Wiseman says you can do something about it. His book The Luck Factor
presents research that proves you can learn to be lucky. It's not a
mystical force you're born with, he says, but a habit you can develop.
How? For starters, be open to new experiences, trust your gut wisdom,
expect good fortune, see the bright side of challenging events, and
master the art of maximizing serendipitous opportunities.
Name three specific actions you'd like to try in order to improve your
luck.
14. Conjure up an imaginary friend and have an intimate conversation with
him and her for at least 10 minutes. Bear in mind that this talk can be a
rational creative act, not an excursion into lunacy. Composer Robert
Schuman had long dialogues with his imaginary friends, Florestan and
Eusebius, who provided valuable ideas for his musical scores. W.S. Merwyn
wrote a poem in which he recounted the surprising counsel of his teacher
John Berryman: "He suggested I pray to the Muse/ get down on my knees
and pray/ right there in the corner and he/ said he meant it literally."
15. Some scholars believe the original Garden of Eden was where Iraq
stands today. Though remnants of that ancient paradise survived into
modern times, many were obliterated during the American war on Iraq in
2003. A Beauty and Truth Laboratory researcher who lives near the
confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers kept us posted on the fate
of the most famous remnant: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Until the invasion, it was a gnarled stump near Nasiriyah. But today it's
gone; only a crater remains.
Let this serve as an evocative symbol for you as you demolish your old
ideas about paradise, freeing you up to conjure a fresh vision of your ideal
realm.
16. The primary meaning of the word "healing" is "to cure what's
diseased or broken." Medical practitioners focus on sick people.
Psychotherapists wrestle with their clients' traumas and neuroses.
Philanthropists donate their money and social workers contribute their
time to helping the underprivileged. I am in awe of them all. The level of
one's spiritual enlightenment, I believe, is more accurately measured by
helping people in need than by meditation skills, shamanic shapeshifting,
supernatural powers, or religious knowledge.
But I also believe in a second kind of healing that is largely unrecognized:
to supercharge what is already healthy; to lift up what's merely sufficient
to a sublime state. Using this definition, describe two acts of healing: one
you would enjoy performing on yourself and another you'd like to provide
for someone you love.
17. Is the world a dangerous, chaotic place with no inherent purpose,
running on automatic like a malfunctioning machine and fundamentally
inimical to your happiness? Or are you surrounded by helpers in a friendly
universe that gives you challenges in order to make you smarter and
wilder and kinder? Trick questions! The answers may depend, at least to
some degree, on what you believe is true.
Formulate a series of experiments that will allow you to objectively test
the hypothesis that the universe is conspiring to help you.
18. Those who explore pronoia often find they have a growing capacity to
help people laugh at themselves. While few arbiters of morality recognize
this skill as a mark of high character, I put it near the top of my list. In my
view, inducing people to take themselves less seriously is a supreme
virtue. Do you have any interest in cultivating it? How might you go about
it?
19. "God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose,"
wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. "Take which you please; you can never have
both." Give an example from your own life that refutes or proves
Emerson's assertion.
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To read other news and features from my book, go here:
http://snipurl.com/l9o3
You can buy the book here:
AMAZON
http://tinyurl.com/qaj62
POWELLS
http://tinyurl.com/3dsx6q
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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
THE MOST SHOCKING GOOD NEWS EVER!
"We're Getting Nicer Every Day" by Steven Pinker
http://tinyurl.com/2wn3w6
or
http://tinyurl.com/3bcryc
"Global violence has fallen steadily since the middle of the twentieth
century . . . We are now living in the most peaceful moment of our
species' time on earth . . . The decline of killing and cruelty poses several
challenges to our ability to make sense of the world."
THE LONG NOW
What are you going to be doing in the year 10,000?
http://www.longnow.org/about/
VISIONARY REVELATIONS OF THE TRICKY TRUTHS NO ONE TALKS ABOUT
*Embryos, Galaxies, and Sentient Beings: How the Universe Makes Life* by
Richard Grossinger
http://tinyurl.com/2h8tm4
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They're not advertisements,
and I get no kickbacks.)
Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning June 7
Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Surreal hope" means having faith in a future
opportunity that at first appears in an out-of-context situation. Say, for
example, that you have an unsettling initial exposure to a stranger whom
you will eventually realize is an important ally. Maybe when you see this
person for the first time, he or she is looking dazed and disheveled on a
street corner with tear stains on the cheek, having just broken up with a
lover. And maybe you feel a strange attraction to this weirdo despite his
or her unflattering appearance. Having surreal hope, in this instance,
would mean that you'd refrain from being dismissive and judgmental, but
would instead entertain the possibility that your fascination might
portend an interesting link under more favorable circumstances at a later
date.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "Idealism increases in direct proportion to
one's distance from the problem," wrote English novelist John Galsworthy.
In other words, most people find it easier to stick to their noble beliefs
and neat theories when they don't have to deal with the messy details of
real life. I trust that you will be a stirring exception to this rule in the
coming weeks, Taurus. Judging from the astrological omens, I predict that
you'll be a master of utopian pragmatism. As you penetrate further and
further into the heart of every matter, you'll come up with workable
strategies for bringing out the best in people.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): For millions of years, the great rivers of the
world have flowed into seas -- or at least they have up until now. Because
of their overuse by humans, several ancient rivers are in danger of drying
up before they reach their destinations. Among them are China's Yellow
River, the Tigris and Euphrates in the Middle East, and America's Rio
Grande. I offer this as a cautionary metaphor to consider as you
contemplate your long-term future. There are things you can do in the
next six weeks to ensure that the river of your life will always connect to
a greater source. I suggest you make that a high priority.
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AUDIO LOVE LETTERS
In addition to the horoscopes that you're reading here, I create more in-
depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration. Find out more at
http://RealAstrology.com.
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or
1-900-950-7700.
"Listening to your calming yet exciting audio horoscopes is sort of like
French-kissing Jesus." -Ariana B., Baltmore, MD
"I love the way you help me wake up from the daily trance." -Amy G.,
Sacramento
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CANCER (June 21-July 22): "Quetzalcoatl instructed the Aztecs to offer
hyacinths and copal [a resin] to their idols instead of human flesh," wrote
Edward Dahlberg in his book *The Sorrows of Priapus.* Alas, the priests
didn't heed their god's directive. Their predilection for ripping the hearts
out of their sacrificial victims is infamous. Now I'm asking you to attend
to a less dramatic but comparable matter, Cancerian. You have a prime
opportunity to stop making an extreme sacrifice you've been doing for a
long time. The gods no longer demand it of you; it serves no holy
purpose; and there's a milder and more useful sacrifice you can make
instead.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The geography of your heart is evolving. In places,
coastlines are disappearing. Elsewhere, new islands have risen out of the
sea. Boundaries are shifting, as some nations dissolve and others are
born. Even the climate is changing, with warm winds blowing where once
there was year-round chill, and monsoon-like conditions invading desert
ecosystems. Roads that formerly led to the center of the action no longer
do, and highways that used to be peripheral are now main routes. I
suggest you take note of all this by redrawing your map, Leo. Get up to
date with your heart's new landscapes.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the
United States for eight years after serving as Supreme Commander of the
Allied forces in Europe during World War II. Early in his career, however, he
didn't win many accolades. Referring to his mediocre stint as an
undergraduate at the U.S. Military Academy, he said, "If anybody saw
signs of greatness in me while at West Point, they kept it to themselves."
Keep his story in mind during the coming weeks, Virgo. You may have to
summon an extra measure of self-motivation as you keep pushing towards
your goal despite a lack of recognition or applause.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In their translation of a poem by Israeli poet
Yehuda Amichai, Chana Bloch and Stephen Mitchell write, "I'm the chimp
of chance, the champ of chance, I'm a chum of chance and a chump of
chance." Judging from your astrological omens, Libra, I suspect it'll soon
make sense for you to speak those words yourself. Dumb luck and blind
fate will be swirling around you, whipping up both unexpected pleasures
and knotty challenges. What can you do to be more of a champ and a
chum of chance, and not so much of a chimp and a chump of chance?
Welcome *everything* that happens, with no exceptions. Love the easy
and the difficult, the playful and the contrived, the lucid and the
confusing.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I suggest we title this chapter of your life
story "The Perplexing Joy of Hundreds of Emotions," or maybe "The Wild
Peace of Way Too Many Feelings." That may be a bit of an exaggeration,
but it's an apt reflection of your immediate future: extreme, expansive,
melodramatic, spectacularly educational, and filthy rich with intrigue. You
may not break the world's record for most mood shifts in a good cause,
but you could very well smash your own personal record.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES are my weekly oral reports on your
destiny. They're three to four minutes long, and are available at
http://RealAstrology.com.
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or
1-900-950-7700.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Imagine what it feels like to rub your
hand over the stubble that's just beginning to spring from the skin you
shaved. Visualize a single small purple flower jutting through the dry
brown stalks lining the trail you're hiking along. Remember a moment,
after an argument with an ally, when the first tentative spark of
reconciliation flowed between your eyes and his or hers. These are good
metaphors for the kinds of experiences you should seek out, cultivate,
and concentrate on in the coming week.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You've gotten a little addicted to habits
that are rooted in fear and worry. I suggest we resort to exotic measures
to pry you out of your rut. After you read the proposed actions below,
compose four more of a similar nature, then go out and actually do at
least half of them. (1) On an empty milk carton, paste a collage of cut-
out images and phrases that symbolize your anxieties. Then put it on the
floor and stomp it to death as you growl. (2) Slap your own hand briskly
ten times as you bark, "Stop being such a wuss!" (3) Everywhere you go,
visualize yourself being accompanied by three great warriors who're
dedicated to your well-being. (4) Gaze at a picture of a person who makes
you nervous and yell "I'm not afraid of you, you mysterious slime-sucking
bastard."
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 18th-century France, the public was
sometimes invited to watch when the women of the king's family gave
birth. Can you imagine the modern-day equivalent? As the actresses and
pop stars of Hollywood brought their babies into the world, TV news
teams would be there on the scene, their cameras rolling. It's probably
not going to happen anytime soon (though be on the alert if you hear
Paris Hilton is pregnant). But I suggest you seek out the nearest
metaphorical equivalent in the coming week. You'll really benefit from
being in the presence of a primal, ecstatic, royal hatching.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the ancient Gnostic Gospel of Philip,
discovered in Egypt last century, the author writes of the relationship
between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. In one place, he says, "Jesus often
kissed Mary on the . . . ." Unfortunately, there's a hole in the original
document right where that next word was. Did Jesus kiss her on the
cheek? The mouth? The neck? Unless other versions of the old text are
found, we'll never know. On the other hand, I predict that you will soon
solve a comparable mystery in your own love life. Some gap that has long
mystified you will be filled in. A missing clue will turn up.
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HOMEWORK: Upon waking up for the next seven mornings, sing the song
that fills you with feisty hope. Report results to me by going to
http://RealAstrology.com and clicking on "Email Rob."
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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?
I'm not doing personal charts these days, but I highly recommend my
favorite astrological colleague, RO LOUGHRAN. Her approach closely
matches my own. In our many discussions about astrology over the years,
we've had a major influence on each other's work.
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.
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.YourSoulJourney.com
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2007 Rob Brezsny
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