Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
October 3, 2007
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http://FreeWillAstrology.com
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"The urge to transform one's appearance, to dance outdoors, to mock
the powerful and embrace perfect strangers is not easy to suppress . . .
The capacity for collective joy is encoded into us almost as deeply as the
capacity for the erotic love of one human for another. We can live
without it, as most of us do, but only at the risk of succumbing to the
solitary nightmare of depression.
"Why not reclaim our distinctively human heritage as creatures who
generate their own ecstatic pleasures out of music, color, feasting, and
dance . . . There is no 'point' to it -- no religious overtones, ideological
message, or money to be made -- just the chance, which we need much
more of on this crowded planet, to acknowledge the miracle of our
simultaneous existence with some sort of celebration."
-Barbara Ehrenreich, *Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy*
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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
Here's an excerpt from the book:
AMBIDEXTROUS PRONOIA THERAPY
Experiments and exercises in becoming a mysteriously truthful, teasingly
healing, fiercely magnanimous Master of Impartial Passion
1. What three ideas do you hate most? Pretend you believe those ideas
devoutly. Write about them as if they were the cornerstones of your
philosophy of life.
2. The Shinto monks of Iso, Japan, have a curious custom. Every 20 years
since the year 772, they've dismantled their central shrine and rebuilt it
from scratch. In so doing, they pass down the knowledge of their sacred
construction techniques from generation to generation. It's also an
effective way for the monks to participate eagerly in the transitoriness of
life, rather than merely being resigned to it. They practice the art of
death and rebirth not just in meditation but through a practical long-term
ritual.
Can you think of an analogous custom you might create for your personal
use?
5. Oceans are not exactly teeming with life. In fact, they're mostly barren,
and could rightly be called "wet deserts." Likewise, not all your emotions,
even those that come in floods, are fertile. Some are automatic reactions
that have discharged thousands of times since they were first
programmed into you many years ago. They're mechanical, not organic.
They became fixtures when you were a very different person than you are
now. Identify these.
6. We all have a war going on inside ourselves. What's yours? Is it a just
and fruitful war or a senseless and wasteful war, or both?
7. Hundreds of years ago, it was seemingly possible to buy forgiveness.
Until Martin Luther came along to spoil the fun, the Catholic Church used
to sell "indulgences," which buyers could supposedly trade in purgatory
for a reduced punishment for their earthly sins.
The forgiveness freaks at the Beauty and Truth Laboratory have revived
this practice in a mutated form. For the right price, we're able to
guarantee your absolution. To take advantage of our offer, simply send us
a million dollars for each sin you want to have forgiven.
There's just one condition: You can't pay us with the government's legal
tender. You must make the money—literally. Using crayons, paints,
scissors, glue, collage materials, or other media, create your own version
of large-denomination paper money. Instead of the images of politicians
that typically appear on government currency, draw pictures of your
muses and heroes and friends and pets. Rather than patriotic clichés and
meaningless decorative frills, add sayings and symbols that make you
happy. Be sure to write a description of the sin you want "indulged"
somewhere on the bill. Send your payment to the Beauty and Truth
Laboratory at P.O. Box 150628, San Rafael, CA 94915.
8. Many supposedly scientific debunkers deride astrology but have done
almost no research on the subject. That's one reason why these ill-
informed "skeptics" spread so many ignorant lies. For instance, they say
that astrologers think the stars and planets emit invisible beams that
affect people's lives. The truth is, most astrologers don't believe any such
thing.
Is there any way in which you engage in behavior similar to the lazy
debunkers? What subjects do you speak about with authority even
though you really don't know much about them? Do you ever spout
opinions about situations you've never experienced first-hand? Do you
pass judgment on ideas you've never studied and people you've never
spent time with? We all do these things—I confess to being guilty of it
myself—but this is your special time to make amends.
9. In our culture, vultures are considered ugly and disgusting. But in
ancient Egypt, they were sacred. Scholar Elinor Gadon says they were
called "compassionate purifiers." As devourers of corpses, they
transformed rotting flesh into usable energy, and expedited the soul's
transition to heaven. Queens of Egypt wore vulture headdresses to signify
their divine consecration.
How would you invoke the help of mythical vultures in your own life?
Here's one possibility. Meditate on death not as the end of physical life,
but as a metaphor for shedding what's outworn. In that light, what is the
best death you've ever experienced? What death would you like to enjoy
next?
11. The 17th-century surgeon Wilhelm Hilden had an interesting theory
about healing. He developed a medicinal salve that he applied not to the
wound itself but rather to the weapon that inflicted it. Though today we
may sneer at such foolishness, the fact is that Hilden's approach has
great potential if used for psychic wounds. Jesus understood this when he
articulated the revolutionary formula, "Love your enemy." More than any
other action, this strategy has the power to cure you of the distortions
your enemy has unleashed in you. Try it out.
13. Chaos comes in two varieties. One is destructive and disorienting; the
other is rejuvenating and exciting. Give examples of both from your own
life.
14. Beauty and Truth Laboratory researcher Rebecca Rusche coined the
word "careenstable." Here's her explanation of how it originated:
"In high school, my mom used to let me use her VW Beetle to go to
basketball practice. One night after practice, a friend and I were chatting
and drinking Coke when we decided to see how fast we could get the
Beetle going down a nearby dirt road. Soon we were careening at 65 mph,
shouting 'careen!' every time we hit a bump and flew into the air. When
we arrived back at the gym and got out of the car half an hour later, we
saw my Coke can sitting on the front bumper next to the license plate. I
nudged it softly to see if it was lodged in there, but it fell right off—
wasn't stuck at all. I thought, 'There must be a word for this magic,' and
thus 'careenstable' was born. It came to mean anything that maintains its
poise in the midst of wild, fast movement."
Give an example of careenstable working in your own life.
15. POP QUIZ! By now, you should be sufficiently knowledgeable about
pronoia to speak about it with some authority. Your assignment is to
write a pronoiac rebuttal to the following news story, which appeared in a
weekly tabloid:
"If you want to be happier, feel better, and do more in life, just turn your
back on reality—and inflate your ego! A new study reveals that an
unrealistically positive attitude and unfounded optimism, along with some
denial of reality, help you accomplish great things in all areas of your life.
In other words, you don't need a firm grip on reality to be successful and
happy."
16. Leaving behind her beloved Europe, a young Anais Nin arrived in New
York full of misgivings. "I hate it," she wrote about the city in one of her
famous diaries. "I find it superficial. It's an ugly prison." She was not
unwilling to have her mind changed, however. "Make me love New York,"
she told photographer Alfred Stieglitz, a long-time resident. "Show me
what you love."
Be inspired by Nin's challenge. Imagine I've come to visit you. Envision the
places you'd take me and the experiences you'd give me to demonstrate
what delights you about your home turf.
17. Here are a few of the "Things That Don't Suck" listed in an article in
"The Wave" newspaper: "Eating someone else's food out of the
refrigerator and not getting sick. Buying someone a great gift and keeping
it for yourself. Losing your virginity to someone completely out of your
league." Make your own list of ten Things That Don't Suck.
18. Do something that you will remember with pride and passion until the
end of your days.
TO READ THE ENTIRETY OF THIS PIECE, GO HERE:
http://tinyurl.com/3da9p5
++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
MUSICAL MELTING POT: THE GOOD SIDE OF GLOBALIZATION
*Nomad Soul* BY Baaba Maal
Senegalese star collaborates with Brian Eno, Afro Celt Sound System, and
Irish singers "The Screaming Orphans"
http://tinyurl.com/3ex3xd
BOOKS: BREAKING THE TABOO AGAINST SPEAKING THE GOOD NEWS
*A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Become the
World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation*
by Diana L. Eck
http://tinyurl.com/2684rf
MASS HEALING
"Cancer cure may be available in two years"
http://tinyurl.com/2gvte2
(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 October 4
Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Would you be willing to get down on your
knees in the dirt and howl out adamant prayers? Would you be crazy
enough and sane enough to beg the gods, muses, and guardian angels to
dissolve anything that's interfering with your ability to be your authentic
self and live the life you were born to live? Until you do, you may have to
tolerate being less than authentic and living only part of the life you were
born to live. The good news is that it's a perfect moment to start
smashing the obstructions to your happiness.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "A person is a poet if difficulties inherent in
his art provide him with ideas," said Scorpio poet Paul Valéry. "He is not a
poet if they deprive him of ideas." Riffing off this definition, I nominate
you to be the zodiac's honorary poet for the next three weeks. You're in
prime position to capitalize spectacularly on your problems, both by
generating wildly useful ideas and by drumming up fascinating
opportunities for yourself. To assist you in your labors, I offer two more
aphorisms from Valéry: (1) "Two dangers constantly threaten the world:
order and disorder." (2) "The best way to make your dreams come true is
to wake up."
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Russian scientists have discovered gold
deposits in the dust of decayed tree stumps. The phenomenon occurs in
forests growing in ground where there is gold ore. Over the course of
centuries, the trees' roots suck in minute quantities of the precious
metal, eventually accumulating nuggets. According to my reading of the
omens, you have the potential to carry out a comparable process in the
coming years -- and right now is a perfect time to formulate a conscious
intention to do so. For best results, of course, you should place yourself
in regular proximity to the source of the metaphorical gold you'd love to
patiently suck into your sphere.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Jackson Pollack (1912-1956) was a
pioneer painter. Instead of using an easel, he laid his canvases on the
floor. Rather than manually applying paint with a brush, he poured the
liquid colors out and then used his whole body to shape his creation,
crawling and walking on it. Sometimes he'd employ trowels, sticks, pieces
of glass, and other objects to further manipulate the paint. He's your role
model for the coming week, Capricorn. I hope he will inspire you to expand
the way you carry out your specialties. Try new techniques. Involve more
of yourself in the process. Be willing to get messier than you've been
before.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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): According to the indigenous people who
lived in the Americas before Europeans arrived, the world is populated
with spiritual powers that take the shape of animals and plants and
natural forces. In other words, there are many forms of intelligence, not
just the kind that reside in human brains. And it's possible to
communicate with these other intelligences; we can tune in to their
alternate modes of knowing and seeing, thereby expanding our narrow
understanding of reality. To do that, however, we can't rely on spoken
and written language; we have to be receptive to their non-verbal
language. We also have to be humble enough to recognize how smart
they are, and how much they have to offer us. I mention this, Aquarius,
because it's a favorable time to learn from spiritual powers that reside in
things like hawks, horses, oak trees, and rivers. Nature is primed to tell
you intriguing, unimaginable, and useful secrets.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here are a few of the improvements I expect
you to be enjoying by the end of October: a new, more practical treaty
with your evil twin or nemesis; good reasons to eliminate superfluous
middlemen and middlewomen who claim you can't live without them; a
knack for avoiding other people's hells; the ability to adopt an enlightened
version of tunnel vision and call on the power of having a one-track mind;
and an enhanced grasp of the mysterious workings of money and the
marketplace, which could ultimately lead to some financial magic.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Vegan Erotica is a company that sells S & M
bondage gear suitable for vegans. Its whips, harnesses, collars, cuffs, and
restraints are made of fake leather. So it's now possible for you to
conduct puckish experiments with sexual power dynamics and yet not be
responsible for harming any animals in the process. This development
serves as an apt metaphor for your current astrological omens, Aries,
which recommend a paradoxical blend of tenderness and force, a judicious
mix of compassionate concern and playful aggressiveness, and daring
attempts to pull off mischievous healings.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "The curious paradox is that when I accept
myself just as I am, then I can change," said psychologist Carl Rogers. I
suggest you make that your guiding principle in the coming weeks,
Taurus. You're overdue for a purge of bad habits and a surge of fresh
approaches, but that won't happen unless you can conjure up a relaxed
acceptance towards those bad habits -- as well as a big dose of self-
forgiveness.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Buddhist legend, the udumbara is a rare
flower that blossoms unexpectedly every few millennia. It portends the
imminent arrival of a miraculous breakthrough, as it did when it appeared
near a lake at the foot of the Himalayas before the birth of Buddha. Many
people in Fremont, California believe they recently saw the udumbara
blooming on an oleander tree, its threadlike stalks erupting with tiny white
blooms. Was it real? Alas, no scientists were on hand to confer the
blessing of authentication. But that doesn't matter for my purpose, which
is to let you know that you'll soon have a close brush with the equivalent
of an udumabara. Be alert. Don't be so lost in your fantasies that you're
blind to the fantastic omen that's right in front of you. You've got to
actually *see* it in order to be ready for the wondrous event it
foreshadows.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Amputees sometimes experience agonizing
sensations that seem to originate in the part of their bodies that has been
severed. Called phantom pain, it's a very real feeling, although it does not
actually come from the missing arm or leg. Those of us who have
possession of all our limbs sometimes experience the psychic version of
phantom pain. We suffer terribly despite the fact that the source of our
suffering is long gone from our lives. The good news, Cancerian, is that
now is an opportune time for you to heal your phantom psychic pain. You
will receive unexpected help from the universe if you formulate a strong
intention to relieve the mysterious ache.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You can drive a car even though you have only a
vague idea of how the engine works. You can swim despite the fact that
you're unfamiliar with the laws of physics and the intricacies of biology
that underlie your ability to pull off that feat. Please keep this in mind as
you weave your way through the interesting challenges of the coming
days. It won't be crucial to reach a deep understanding of what's going
on. Far more important is that you trust your intuition to show you the
right thing to do and say at the right time. Knowing the big picture won't
be essential to mastering the ever-changing details.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "Water that is too pure has no fish," wrote
Zen teacher Ts'ai Ken T'an. Keep that advice close to your heart in the
coming days, Virgo. Your clean, clear ideas will become sterile unless you
mix in some quirky, unruly emotions. Your spiritual intentions may become
awkwardly rigid unless you loosen them up with a bit of healthy
blasphemy. So please don't push for utter perfection. Be careful not to
burn away every last flaw or banish every last messy doubt. In order to
know the truth, you'll have to consort with BS.
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HOMEWORK: Make up a secret identity for yourself. What is it? How do
you use it? By going to http://www.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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