Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
September 26, 2007
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http://FreeWillAstrology.com
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"And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth."
- Raymond Carver, "Last Fragment," *All of Us: The Collected Poems*
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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/lhwx2
Below is material that I didn't include in my book, but it's in close
alignment with the book's spirit.
DARK GODDESS WELCOMED BACK IN?
In 2004, astronomers announced the discovery of a shiny red planet-like
world orbiting the sun far beyond Pluto. They called it Sedna, a name they
said was derived from the Inuit deity that created the Arctic's sea
creatures. But the truth about the myth of Sedna is more complicated.
She is the Dark Goddess, embodiment of the wild female potencies that
are feared yet sorely needed by cultures in which the masculine
perspective dominates. Dwelling on the edge of life and death in her home
at the bottom of the sea, Sedna is both a source of fertile abundance and
a mysterious prodigy. Shamans from the world above swim down to sing
her songs and comb her long black hair. If they win her favor, she gives
them the magic necessary to heal their suffering patients.
The Beauty and Truth Laboratory enjoys entertaining the possibility that
the discovery of Sedna is an omen signaling our collective readiness to
welcome back the long-repressed influence of the Dark Goddess.
We'd like to direct your attention to two further omens. The first is a
book I wrote, *The Televisionary Oracle.* If you don't want to buy it, you
can read it for free on the Web at http://tinyurl.com/3c2j4x.
A second hopeful omen of the Dark Goddess's return is the work of
Andrew Harvey (http://www.andrewharvey.net). He has graciously
allowed us to publish a taste of his writing in the piece below.
BLACK MADONNA RETURNS
by Andrew Harvey
The entire world is now going through a massive crucifixion on all levels.
It's going through an environmental crucifixion. Hundreds of species are
vanishing every month. It's going through a personal crucifixion. There are
two billion people living on less than a dollar a day. It's going through a
crucifixion of all the patriarchal systems. Look at Enron and what it has
shown us about Corporate America. Look at the Catholic Church's
scandals of pedophilia and what it shows us about authority. Look at the
growing disillusionment with politicians of all kinds. All of the systems are
being exposed as illusory and fantasy-ridden, as deeply corrupt and
exploitative.
There's another kind of crucifixion going on: crucifixion of purpose and
hope. Everybody is totally bewildered. They know that the world is
potentially on the brink of total apocalypse. There's a tremendous danger
that as people wake up to the horror of what is going on, they will run
into political extremism or into fundamentalism of one kind or another.
So it's extremely important that the wisdom of the 'dark night of the
soul' gets across, because if people understand the necessity for this
crucifixion, and understand that it's preparing a resurrection and
empowerment, then they will be prepared to go through it without too
much fear, trusting in the logic of the divine transformation.
The Benedictine monk Bede Griffiths shared with me his experience of the
dark night of the soul. He said he was sitting outside his hut one day
when he felt as if a hand hit him on the right side of his being. He had
suffered a massive heart attack that destroyed what he described as his
patriarchal mind and gave him access to a much deeper elaboration of
Oneness with all things.
He said, "It's a very strange thing, but when I thought of surrendering to
the Mother I of course thought of Mary--I often say the 'Hail Mary'--but it
was Mary as the Black Madonna that came into my mind. She is the
mother of the earth as well as heaven, of the body as well as the soul, the
mother of the subconscious, the hidden, of all those powers that the
'masculine' mind represses; the Mother of the sacred darkness. In Her the
Western Christian vision of the Divine Mother and the Eastern one merge
and meet; you can think of her as both Mary and Kali, both preserver and
destroyer. From that time on, I have turned to Her again and again.
Invoking Her strength and grace, I find, makes the 'birth' go so much
faster and more cleanly."
The power that is doing this to us is coming towards us simultaneously
with terrifying destruction and extreme grace and prosperity. The
destruction is, in fact, a form of that extreme grace. It's quite clear that
humanity is now terminally ill, and can only be transfigured by a totally
shocking revelation of its shadow side. And this is what we're living
through, these shadow sides exploding in every direction because we have
done nothing but betray the sacred in us.
We have lacerated the sacred in others. We have betrayed the sacred in
an orgy of fundamentalism. We have brutalized the sacred in nature. We
are now terminally destructive.
So only an almost terminal destruction that reveals to us the full extent
of our responsibility in this destruction can wake us up. And that is what
is happening, and it will get worse. It's bound to get worse. But it is only
being done to us for our own redemption.
Those who turn to the Mother in total faith, those who turn to the Black
Madonna in total admiration, those who realize the mercy behind the
violence will be given extraordinary protection, strength, and revelation.
They will be empowered in the core of themselves to become what
everybody who has a heart and a mind must now become--a spiritual
revolutionary devoting their entire life and all their resources to the
preservation of the planet.
Finding the Black Madonna, in whatever form you want to find her,
realizing the massive task that she's doing and turning to her for
protection is now crucial to the preservation of the planet. It's extremely
important that people really come to understand the feminine and turn
towards it, because it's our betrayal of the feminine in ourselves and in
the divine that has led to this crisis.
--Andrew Harvey, in an interview with Colleen O'Connor on the Grace
Cathedral website at http://tinyurl.com/3avtf6
Copyright Andrew Harvey 2004--All Rights Reserved
For more information about Andrew Harvey, see his website at
http://www.andrewharvey.net
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To read other news and features from my book, go here:
http://tinyurl.com/lhwx2
You can buy the book here:
AMAZON
http://tinyurl.com/qaj62
POWELLS
http://tinyurl.com/3dsx6q
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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
LUCID DREAMS HIT THE BIG TIME
The New York Times discovers one of the great wonders of the world.
http://tinyurl.com/39c5s5
THE ECOLOGY OF PROFIT
http://tinyurl.com/32ej3l
"Business schools across the country are incorporating the environmental
and social costs of doing business into their curricula, and a few aim for
an all-green program . . . MBA programs are adding social and
environmental issues to their courses . . . The move to balance economy
and ecology is showing up all over."
WAKING UP IN THE DREAM OF THE MATRIX
http://tinyurl.com/3cnc57
"Wherever You Are is The Center of The Universe"
RADICAL MEDICAL NEWS
http://tinyurl.com/2gvte2
Cure for cancer ready in two years?
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. These are not advertisements,
and I get no kickbacks.)
Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning September 27
Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Here's a brief mythic history of the birch tree,
according to Philip Carr-Gomm's book *Druid Mysteries.* The birch used
to be called the pioneer tree because it was often the first tree planted
on virgin soil, and so in a sense gave birth to the forest. The word "birch"
is derived from a root meaning "bright" or "shining" in Indo-European
languages. In Britain, birches were made into maypoles, which celebrants
danced around during the fertility feast of Beltane. Siberian shamans, at
the climax of their initiation ceremonies, climbed a birch tree, circling its
trunk nine times. In the spirit of this rich folklore, Libra, I nominate the
birch to be your tree of power as you begin a phase of bright beginnings
and exuberant fertility.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You will soon be dealing with a challenge you
have faced before: how to synchronize your two major archetypes, the
lover and the warrior. As always, it will be a daunting task. You will be
asked to cultivate the tender, considerate instincts of the lover within you
while simultaneously feeding the fiery discipline of your inner warrior. I
know you can do it, Scorpio -- even if it seems impossible from where
you're standing right now.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In one of his "Letters to Lucilius," the
ancient Roman writer Seneca described the daily habits of his ancestors.
"Those who have studied the customs of our early history tell us that
people washed their arms and legs every day," he reported, "but washed
the whole body only three times a month." In the coming weeks,
Sagittarius, you should avoid this approach not only in the way you bathe,
but in everything you do. It will be crucial for you to always go all the
way. No partial solutions, please. No half-assed efforts or slapdash
treatments.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Washington, D.C.'s most renowned vagrant
never begs for money. Instead, he hangs around the streets all day and
doles out praise and flattery to passers-by. He calls himself Compliment
Man. "Those are beautiful shoes you're wearing," he may say as you walk
by, or "The two of you look great together" if you're with a friend. In
accordance with the astrological omens, Capricorn, your assignment is to
be inspired by the Compliment Man in two ways. First, dramatically
increase the blessings you bestow and the admiration you express; be a
fount of felicitations. Second, expand your capacity for attracting and
gracefully accepting compliments. Make yourself fully available, in every
way you can imagine, to receive approval and applause. (P.S. I think you'll
find that carrying out task #1 will make task #2 occur quite naturally.)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
AUDIO LOVE LETTERS
In addition to the horoscopes that come to you in this newsletter, I create
more in-depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration. I think of them as
my love letters to you. They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or
$1.99 per minute over the phone.
Try them at http://RealAstrology.com.
They're available by phone at 1-877-873-4888
or 1-900-950-7700.
"Your expanded astrology thingees help me remember who I really am." -
Gareth N., Toronto
"I never knew it was possible to get my butt kicked and my head patted
at the same time -- until I listened to you, Rob." -Kristi P., Portland, OR
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It'll be a good week to watch clouds. In fact,
you're likely to tune in to very useful information while communing with
the ever-changing skyscape. You may think catalytic thoughts and
overflow with interesting feelings that would never have come to you
unless you gazed upwards for extended periods. Please also consider
exposing yourself to these influences: people who expand your sense of
what's possible; sights and sounds that diminish your fear; experiences
that fill you with compassion for your fellow humans; and stories that
awaken your longing for adventure.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "You know how it feels when you're leaning
back on a chair," muses comedian Steven Wright, "and you lean too far
back, and you almost fall over backwards, but then you catch yourself at
the last second? I feel like that all the time." If you're a typical Pisces, you
know exactly what he's talking about. That's the bad news. The good
news is that you're in a phase when you could figure out how to escape
that feeling forever. It may be hard for you to imagine (but luckily I'm
here to help you imagine) how much power you have right now to build
more security and stability into your life.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your first assignment is to practice feeling
that everywhere you go you are standing on holy ground. Capitalize that
phrase in your imagination -- "I AM STANDING ON HOLY GROUND" -- as
you move through the world. Your second assignment, which may at first
seem unrelated, is to kick your evil twin's ass. Do it tenderly and
compassionately, with full awareness that both you and your evil twin are
standing on holy ground. But don't stop kicking until you convince your
evil twin to take greater responsibility for his or her personal share of the
world's darkness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
AUDIO HOROSCOPES
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.
"You told me the truth when no one else in my life would." -Darren H.,
Minneapolis
"Your wake-up calls keep me from getting stale." -Arris T., Aspen, CO
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "Which kind of person are you?" asks editor
Paul Somerson. "Are you a spineless lickspittle wage-slave cog toiling
away to make someone else wealthy, destined to lead a bleak anonymous
Wal-Mart life of relative poverty? Or are you someone with guts and
brains who wants to get out from under the thumb of capricious,
unappreciative bosses, create something new, and reap financial
rewards?" Personally, I think he's engaging in a bit of hype. There's lots of
fine territory to stake out in-between the extremes he describes. Still, it's
a good idea to push and prod you with his provocative question. You're in
a phase when you have more potential than usual to change your
livelihood for the better.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober,"
mourns Nerina Pallot in her song "Everybody's Gone to War." Your two-
part assignment stems from that formulation. First, you should
experiment with the hypothesis that love is in a sense a drug. Meditate on
the fact that it literally changes your body chemistry and affects the way
your mind functions. Second, make sure you're not sober. Get yourself
high on love in every way you can imagine, whether that means giving
generously of yourself, encouraging the best in everyone, expressing your
beauty extravagantly, or making it easy for others to adore you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Move the furniture around. In fact, why not
move some of it right through the front door and out of your life? If we're
lucky, this will get you in the mood to launch a purge of everything that
no longer belongs under your roof. Maybe you could throw a Simplification
Party, complete with an exorcism. Or corral your friends for a haul-it-all-
away caravan to the garbage dump. I don't care how you do it, Cancerian.
Just get rid of all knick-knacks, wall hangings, funny mirrors, broken
dreams, balls and chains, and formerly cute mementoes that have lost
their cuteness. It's time to liberate your home.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Zam Zam Cola is a popular soft drink in the Middle
East, an alternative to Pepsi and Coke in a place where many people have
made a political decision not to buy American products. It's named after
the revered Well of Zamzam, which is located near the Kaaba in Mecca,
the holiest place in Islam. In accordance with your current omens, Leo, I
urge you to do the metaphorical equivalent of naming a cola beverage
after a spiritual power spot. For example, you might imagine that a peanut
butter-and-jelly sandwich contains the essence of your favorite god or
goddess. As you eat it, fantasize that you're absorbing that deity's divine
energy. The point is to be casual about something you regard as precious;
to be playful with something you take seriously; to have fun with what's
most sacrosanct to you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If forced to decide between being filthy rich
and living with one's soulmate, 92 percent of the population would
choose the big bucks. I hope that's not your position, Virgo. In fact, I
hope you're not the kind of person who would even agree to entertain a
question like that. The fact is, you *won't* have to choose between love
and money in the coming weeks, even if that initially seems to be the
case. I urge you to hold out for both the $10 million AND the romantic
bliss. Formulate a clear intention that you won't sacrifice material security
for emotional intimacy, or vice versa.
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HOMEWORK: Picasso said, "I am always doing that which I cannot do in
order that I may learn how to do it." Comment, please. Tell me by going
to http://www.RealAstrology.com; click 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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