Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
December 12, 2007
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http://FreeWillAstrology.com
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"Where there is danger there grows also what saves."
- Friedrich Holderlin, "Patmos"
"Live at the empty heart of paradox.
I'll dance with you there, cheek to cheek."
-Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks
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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 are some reviews:
Read the definitive review by Rick DelVecchio in the *San Francisco
Chronicle*:
http://tinyurl.com/yhfczh
"While it may seem naive to put your faith in optimism these days,
Brezsny's new book offers up a convincing argument for leaving cynicism
and despair behind. This wild, wise, and subversive book is a must read for
those who want to live a more imaginative and free life." - *Utne Reader*
"Rob Brezsny has dedicated himself to putting the 'pro' back into
'protest.' In *Pronoia,* he presents his own irreverent manifesto, mixing
activism and optimism. It reads like the I Ching on Ecstasy and is as
insightful and puzzling as a Zen koan." - *Body + Soul* magazine
"In *Pronoia is the Antidote for Paranoia,* Brezsny tenderly leads us into
the practice of re-imagining the world as a compassionate miracle. It's the
best campaign platform I've heard in years. And the book offers a bevy of
ideas for tricksters to re-create the universe." - *Santa Cruz Sentinel*
"*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." - Cathoderaytan.net
"Like a mutant love-child of Jack Kerouac and Anais Nin, Rob Brezsny
writes with devilish humor, spiritual audacity, and erotic intensity." -Jay
Kinney, author of *Hidden Wisdom: A Guide to the Western Inner
Traditions*
"Like some voluble combination of H.L. Mencken and a Sufi whirling
dervish, Brezsny writes with disarming fluidity while still remaining acerbic.
In *PRONOIA,* his style is too sinuous, too wriggly and difficult to
classify." - *Santa Fe Reporter*
"You don't need The Church, a Savior, a Guru, or psilocybin mushrooms to
'break on through to the other side.' Brezsny takes you there in the
pages of *PRONOIA.* It's the best book I've read in the 21st Century!" -
Chris Duel, News-Talk 550 KTSA, San Antonio, Texas
"Rob Brezsny writes in a lyrical, irreverent, wildly unconventional and
beautiful style. I've never seen anyone else write like that. *PRONOIA*
reminds me of Ram Dass' *Be Here Now,* and I think it will be as popular."
- Amazon.com
"I've seen the future of American literature and its name is Rob Brezsny."
- novelist Tom Robbins
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To read 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:
EXALTED BUILDING
http://tinyurl.com/22umcy
http://tinyurl.com/2nueb5
Three decades ago, Italian spiritual leader Oberto Airaudi had a vision of
sacred temples built inside a mountain near Turin. As artists, artisans, and
builders excavated the equivalent of a five-story subterranean building, it
remained a secret from even its closest neighbors. Twenty years after the
project began, the Italian government received word of the burgeoning
community and became suspicious. Threatened by a full-scale military
invasion, Damanhur revealed itself to local officials and the world.
MACARTHUR GENIUS-TYPE AWARDS FOR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
The Youseum
http://tinyurl.com/24jm5l
Awards bestowed on unsung heroes who are not routinely in the public
eye and whose culture doesn't ordinarily acknowledge ingenious, sublime,
and unusually vigorous expressions of emotional intelligence.
SAVE THE WORLD BY MAKING LOVE?
The Marriage of Sex And Spirit: Relationships at the Heart of Conscious
Evolution* edited by Geralyn Gendreau, Randy Peyser, Francesca Gentille,
Courtney Arnold
http://tinyurl.com/ywqwxe
(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.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning December 13
Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A group of us decided to throw a party.
The Sagittarian among us, Rosa, insisted on being in charge of supplying
the desserts. She feared that if anyone else handled this task, there
wouldn't be enough, and they wouldn't be sweet enough or rich enough
or decadent enough. To make sure the delectable treats were available in
rapturous abundance, she felt she could only trust herself. In this spirit, I
appoint you to be the sweet, rich, decadent dessert-provider for the
entire world in the coming weeks. I'm using "desserts" in both the literal
and metaphorical senses.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Among modern Baghdad's most prominent
architectural features are its blast walls. These omnipresent concrete
barriers shield buildings from truck bombs and random gunfire. They were
nothing but oppressive eyesores up until a few months ago, when a team
of 40 artists began covering them with brightly colored murals that
depict idyllic landscapes and glorious scenes from Iraqi history. Your next
assignment, Capricorn, is to try an equivalent conversion. Add beauty to
something ugly; bring a light touch and a creative spirit to a troublesome
situation; dress up your defense mechanisms in silk and gold.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Let's meditate on events that have an
impact at a great distance from their origins. For instance, African dust
reaches Florida, raising pollution levels, just as particulate matter from
China floats over to sully California's skies. Here's another example: The
CIA played a major role in overthrowing the democratically elected prime
minister of Iran in 1953, and this is still wreaking chaos on the current
relationship between the U.S. and Iran. In the coming week, Aquarius, I
predict your life will provide another example of this theme, although in
your case the long-range influence is likely to be far more benign than the
other cases I cited -- possibly even downright benevolent.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "Open your minds, sweethearts," begins the
soothing rant of enlightenment advisor Dvorah Adler (Dvorahji.com).
"Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out. It's time for you to hear
the big secret of the ages, the radical truth of truths that only the wisest
gurus and avatars and grandmothers are brave enough to reveal. Are you
ready? Here it is: 'SHUT UP AND BE HAPPY!'" I'm pleased to convey
Dvorah's ancient truth to you, Pisces, because it's what you need to hear
right now. So please, darlings: Shout, whisper, or sing "SHUT UP!" to all
the voices in your head that are so addicted to saying "What am I doing
wrong?", "When will I finally be happy?", and "Why can't everything be
perfect forever?" The fact is, you are exactly where you need to be, and
everything is proceeding with mysterious grace.
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EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES
In addition to the horoscopes that come to you in this newsletter, I create
audio horoscopes for your inspiration. They discuss themes and cover
material that I don't have room to deal with in the written horoscopes.
They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute over the
phone.
Try them at http://RealAstrology.com.
By phone: 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.
"I always feel like I know myself better after listening to your audio
'scopes."
-June R., Austin, TX
"Your audio horoscopes calm me down when I'm too manic and pep me up
when I'm down."
-Arthur T., Cleveland, OH
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ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Everything absolute belongs to pathology.
Joyous distrust is a sign of health." So proclaimed Friedrich Nietzsche.
Note well that he used the adjective "joyous" to describe distrust, not
"cynical" or "grumbling" or "sour." The key to remaining vital and strong
while questioning every so-called absolute is to cultivate a cheerful,
buoyant mood as you do it. That's one of your top assignments in the
coming weeks, Aries: Practice joyous distrust.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here are the best and most enjoyable ways to
capitalize on your current astrological omens: (1) Transform one of your
so-called liabilities into at least a temporary asset; (2) lose any
attachment you have to pleasures and rewards that won't mean much to
you a year from now; (3) allow and even invite people to show you how
you can get smarter; (4) compassionately identify the limits of the people
you care about; (5) squeeze every last lesson out of what you're leaving
behind.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In *Big Russ and Me,* a memoir about growing
up, journalist Tim Russert writes a lot about what he learned from his
father. Here's one story: Whenever a family member accidentally broke
some glass, his dad took extraordinary precautions wrapping up the
shards in a sealed box before depositing them in the trash can. Why?
Because he wanted to be sure the garbagemen wouldn't cut their hands. I
urge you to be that conscientious in the coming week, Gemini. Imagine in
detail the impact your actions might have on all the people, both known
and unknown, whose lives you touch. The gods will reward you for doing
so.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Are your cohorts looking at you quizzically,
wondering why you seem so energized from exploring the shadowy, off-
limits places? I'll offer some suggestions about what you could say to
them. First, try to make them see that until you've risked going too far,
you may not know when to stop. Second, tell them that you suspect
there are healthy desires buried at the roots of your dark feelings, and
you're hoping to free them. Third, explain to them that you're not picking
at your scabs in order to prolong your hurt, but rather to better
understand the hurt. If those rationales are too subtle for your
companions to understand, cackle softly and say that you just need to be
a little bad in order to give your goodness more soul.
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AUDIO HOROSCOPES
In addition to the horoscopes that you're reading here, I create audio
horoscopes for your amusement and 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.
"Your audio horoscopes work better than my therapist and cost me five
percent of what he charges." - Chris M., San Francisco, CO
"You've helped me remember important things about myself that I'd
forgotten." -Ruth V., Toronto
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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A lightning bolt is hot, fast, and potent. It can
travel at 100,000 mph, reach temperature of 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit,
and generate enough energy to illuminate a light bulb for two months.
And yet it's usually no more than an inch in diameter. This is an apt
metaphor for the kind of highly concentrated power you will have
available in the coming days, Leo: deceptively petite in proportion to its
enormous wallop. Please use it wisely.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At Free Will Astrology, we love to turn things
upside-down and inside-out every now and then. It keeps our mental
hygiene sparkling clean, and yours, too. This week, in order to incite a
purifying ruckus, we're offering you a challenge from psychologist James
Hillman. Please suck the following thoughts into the deepest recesses of
your understanding, and enjoy the brainstorms they detonate: "By
accepting the idea that you are the effect of a subtle buffeting between
hereditary and societal forces, you reduce yourself to a result. The more
your life is accounted for by what already occurred in your chromosomes,
by what your parents did or didn't do, and by your early years now long
past, the more your biography is the story of a victim." What I'm trying
to tell you, Virgo, is that it's a fine time to rebel against your genetic
heritage, your upbringing, and your conditioning. Imagine a life for
yourself in which you don't believe that those factors control what you're
capable of.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It's the Season of Returns and Recoveries,
Libra. You will generate good fortune if you look for what you lost. Here
are some suggestions on how to proceed: Recall important memories
you've almost forgotten, retrieve any valuable things you rashly threw
away, and bushwhack your way back to a promising path you strayed
from. For best results, you should forgive yourself of any mistakes you
think you made that led to the loss.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): For reasons too silly to go into here
(involving romance, of course), I once spent six months making thrice-
weekly three-and-a-half-hour roundtrips from Chapel Hill, NC to Columbia,
SC. The back roads I drove on were sparsely traveled and my ancient pick-
up truck didn't have a radio, so I passed the time by reading. I became
quite skilled at continually darting my eyes back and forth between the
road and the open book resting on my steering wheel. In this way I got
through James Joyce's *Ulysses,* Leo Tolstoy's *Anna Karenina*, and
Thomas Mann's *Magic Mountain.* I don't advise you to try something so
dangerous, Scorpio, but I do believe it's a perfect astrological moment for
you to master the art of slipping back and forth between two starkly
different realities.
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HOMEWORK: Forget what Time magazine thinks. Who is your "Person of
the Year?" Tell me by going to http://FreeWillAstrology.com and clicking
on "Email Rob."
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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?
I'm not doing personal charts, but I highly recommend my 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://YourSoulJourney.com
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
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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,
including but not limited to newsletters, books, the Free Will
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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
2007 Rob Brezsny
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