Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
July 23, 2008
+
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
+
"To be truly atheistic, not just agnostic, you have to take the
nonexistence of God on faith."
- I.M. Boyd
"Be realistic: Plan for a miracle."
- Bhagwan Shree Rajnesh, also known as Osho
"Every person is a God in embryo. Its only desire is to be born."
- Deepak Chopra
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This newsletter is available via RSS. Go here to sign up:
http://FreeWillAstrology.com/newsletter/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
Here's an excerpt:
Now here's an excerpt from the book:
UNABASHED PRONOIA THERAPY, Part One
1. Go to the ugliest or most forlorn place you know -- a drugstore parking
lot, the front porch of a crack house, a toxic waste dump, or the place
that symbolizes your secret shame -- and build a shrine devoted to
beauty, truth, and love.
Here are some suggestions about what to put in your shrine: a silk scarf; a
smooth rock on which you've inscribed a haiku or joke with a felt-tip pen;
coconut cookies or ginger candy; pumpkin seeds and an origami crane; a
green kite shaped like a dragon; a music CD you love; a photo of your
hero; a votive candle carved with your word of power; a rubber ducky; a
bouquet of fresh beets; a print of Van Gogh's Starry Night.
2. Late at night when there's no traffic, stride down the middle of an
empty road that by day is crawling with cars. Dance, careen, and sing
songs that fill you with pleasurable emotions. Splay your arms
triumphantly as you extemporize prayers in which you make extravagant
demands and promises. Give pet names to the trees you pass, declare
your admiration for the workers who made the road, and celebrate your
sovereignty over a territory that usually belongs to heavy machines and
their operators.
3. Where exactly does happiness come from? That's the riddle posed by
David Meyers and Ed Diener in their article, "The Science of Happiness,"
published in *The Futurist* magazine.
Write your answers to their question. Map out the foundations of your
own science of happiness. Get serious about defining what makes you feel
good. What specific experiences arouse your deepest gratification?
Physical pleasure? Seeking the truth? Being a good person?
Contemplating the meaning of life? Enjoying the fruits of your
accomplishments? Purging pent-up emotion?
4. Have you ever seen the game called "Playing the Dozens?" Participants
compete in the exercise of hurling witty insults at each other. Here are
some examples: "You're so dumb, if you spoke your mind you'd be
speechless." "Your mother is so old, she was a waitress at the Last
Supper." "You're so ugly, you couldn't get laid if you were a brick."
I invite you to rebel against any impulse in you that resonates with the
spirit of "Playing the Dozens." Instead, try a new game, "Paying the
Tributes." Choose worthy targets and ransack your imagination to come
up with smart, true, and amusing praise about them. The best stuff will be
specific to the person you're addressing, not generic, but here are some
prototypes: "You're so far-seeing, you can probably catch a glimpse of
the back of your own head." "You're so ingenious, you could use your
nightmares to get rich and famous." "Your mastery of pronoia is so artful,
you could convince me to love my worst enemy."
5. Salvador Dali once staged a party in which guests were told to come
disguised as characters from their nightmares. Do the reverse. Throw a
bash in which everyone is invited to arrive dressed as a character from
the best dream they remember.
6. "The messiah will come when we don't need him any more," wrote
Franz Kafka. Give your interpretation of his remark.
7. On a big piece of cardboard, make a sign that says, "I love to help; I
need to give; please take some money." Then go out and stand on a
traffic island while wearing your best clothes, and give away money to
passing motorists. Offer a little more to drivers in rusty brown Pinto
station wagons and 1976 El Camino Classics than those in a late-model
Lexus or Jaguar.
8. In response to our culture's ever-rising levels of noise and frenzy, rites
of purification have become more popular. Many people now recognize
the value of taking periodic retreats. Withdrawing from their usual
compulsions, they go on fasts, avoid mass media, practice celibacy, or
even abstain from speaking. While we applaud cleansing ceremonies like
this, we recommend balancing them with periodic outbreaks of an equal
and opposite custom: the Bliss Blitz.
During this celebration, you tune out the numbing banality of the daily
grind. But instead of shrinking into asceticism, you indulge in uninhibited
explorations of joy, release, and expansion. Turning away from the mildly
stimulating distractions you seek out when you're bored or worried, you
become inexhaustibly resourceful as you search for unsurpassable sources
of cathartic pleasure. Try it for a day or a week: the Bliss Blitz.
9. When many people talk about their childhoods, they emphasize the
alienating, traumatic experiences they had. It has become fashionable to
avoid reporting memories of the good times in one's past. This seems
dishonest -- a testament to the popularity of cynicism rather than a
reflection of objective truth.
I don't mean to downplay the way your early encounters with pain
demoralized your spirit. But as you reconnoiter the promise of pronoia,
it's crucial for you to extol the gifts you were given in your early years: all
the helpful encounters, kind teachings, and simple acts of grace that
helped you bloom.
In Homer's epic tale, *The Odyssey,* he described nepenthe, a mythical
drug that induced the forgetfulness of pain and trouble. Modern culture
has turned the myth into reality: There are now many stimuli serving that
purpose.
If Homer were alive today, we wonder if he'd write about a potion that
stirs up memories of delight, serenity, and fulfillment? Imagine that you
have taken such a tonic. Spend an hour or two remembering the glorious
moments from your past.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
TABOO REPORTS FROM THE EDGES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
"Despite Frustrations, Americans Are Pretty Happy"
Americans rank #16 among 98 ranked nations, with Canada #9
http://tinyurl.com/5ptfny
"Study: World Gets Happier"
http://tinyurl.com/6rp6k8
COUNTERACT THE DAILY BRAINWASHING
Get Good News Daily
http://www.gimundo.com/
PRONOIA NEEDS THE TRICKSTER
The Culture Jammer's Encyclopedia
http://sniggle.net/
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They are not advertisements,
and I get no kickbacks.)
Please tell me your own personal nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning July 24
Copyright 2008 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): "Everybody experiences far more than he
understands," said philosopher Marshall McLuhan. "Yet it is experience,
rather than understanding, that influences behavior." This is always true,
but it will have special meaning for you in the coming days. You're about
to be inundated by a flood of raw perceptions, sensations, and feelings,
and only a fraction of it will be namable, let alone comprehensible. That
shouldn't be a problem, though. Your job is simply to marvel at all the
novelty that's flowing in, not to be in an anxious hurry to define it.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your life story is about to deepen and sweeten
and get more interesting -- *if,* that is, you follow the trail of clues into
the dark forest, and *if,* as you travel, you hum songs that are both sad
and happy, and *if* you call on the spirit of your favorite dead person to
accompany you. Of course, you're perfectly free to refuse the call of your
destiny, and never even take a glance into the dark forest. But in my
opinion, that would cheat you out of some profound fun that has the
potential to teach you and tune you for many years to come.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I came across a website called "The Common
Man's Book of World Records." It lists triumphs that have been ignored by
the more famous Guinness Book. It tells us that Basel Nevins licked an
asphalt road for 77 minutes straight, establishing an unsurpassed
benchmark. Melissa Lassitter set the world record for number of hoagies
crammed into a bra, with eight; Glen Schlacknik did an astounding 5,216
squat-thrusts on an escalator in one session; and Charles Zenk threw a
mailbox 33 feet. In the coming week, I invite you to be inspired by these
unsung masters, Libra. According to my reading of the omens, you're
primed to achieve peaks of accomplishment that few others have even
attempted.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to Jewish legend, there are in each
generation 36 righteous humans who prevent the rest of us from being
destroyed. Through their extraordinary good deeds and their love of the
divine spark, they save the world over and over again. They're not famous
saints, though. They go about their business anonymously, and no one
knows how crucial they are to our well-being. Might you be one of the
36? I bet you'll be acting like one of them in the coming week. Your
capacity for disseminating blessings will be astounding. The ripples of
benevolence you initiate could ultimately go around the planet and return
to you.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED HOROSCOPE
In addition to the horoscopes that you read here, I create additional in-
depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration.
They're not repeats or elaborations of the stuff you find here, but entirely
fresh explorations of your astrological omens, designed to help you tune
in to your soul's code.
Try them at http://RealAstrology.com.
They're available by phone at 1-877-873-4888
or 1-900-950-7700.
They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute over the
phone.
"Your audio horoscopes help me love myself better, and I mean that in a
non-narcissistic way."
-Deva P., Indianapolis
"I'm really grateful for the way you pick up my telepathic requests and
answer them in your expanded audio 'scopes."
-Marion H., Birmingham, AL
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In his book *The Medusa and the Snail,*
science writer Lewis Thomas said that the English word "error" developed
from a root meaning "to wander about, looking for something." That's
why he liked Darwin's idea that error is the driving force in evolution. I
think this wandering-about-looking-for-something approach should be the
driving force in your personal evolution, Sagittarius. The coming weeks will
be a great time to meander and get distracted and stumble upon
unexpected opportunities. May all your mutations have a positive spin!
(P.S. Lewis also wrote this: "The capacity to blunder slightly is the real
marvel of DNA. Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic
bacteria and there would be no music.")
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I predict you will have 32 dreams as you
sleep in the coming week. In at least five of those adventures, you will be
offered a chance to wield a magic hammer like the one that belonged to
the Norse god Thor. You're under no obligation to use it, of course. But if
you do, it could help you smite dream adversaries, from stupid giants to
evil ducks to rash-covered devils. You could also take advantage of it to
build things, like a dream house or a dream boat. The proper use of the
hammer will be a constant test, since you'll have to be ever-alert and
adaptable as you decide whether to employ it for destruction or creation.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "Why, I don't even respect myself, I tell ya,"
said comedian Rodney Dangerfield. "When I make love, I have to fantasize
that I am somebody else!" Your assignment, Aquarius, is to experiment
with just the second half of that formulation. In other words, while you're
making love, fantasize that you're somebody else. But do it because you
care deeply about yourself -- so deeply that you want to transcend your
customary reactions and expand your identity. Do it because you dare to
awaken to previously unknown possibilities of who you might be. By the
way, this exercise will yield even better results if you not only play with
experimental self-images when you're doing the wild thing, but all the rest
of the time as well.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In her book *Zen Miracles,* Brenda Shoshanna
defines the "shadow" as being the unacceptable aspects of ourselves that
we dump into our unconscious minds. As we avoid looking at that hidden
stuff, it festers. Meanwhile, we project it onto people we know, imagining
that they possess the qualities we're repressing. The antidote to this
problem, says Shoshanna, is to "eat our shadow" -- haul it up from out of
the pit and develop a conscious connection with it. Doing so not only
prevents our unacknowledged darkness from haunting our thoughts and
distorting our relationships; it also liberates tremendous psychic energy.
I'm telling you this, Pisces, because it's an excellent time to eat your
shadow.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED HOROSCOPE
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.
"The best part about your audio horoscopes is that they pat me on the
head and kick me in the ass at the same time." - Rita L., San Diego
"Your audio oracles go beyond helping me find the truth -- they inspire
me to find the WILD truth." - Patrick K., Montreal
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Anna Renalda Hyatt, a reader from Colorado,
bragged to me about her prowess. "My capacity for expressing love far
surpasses that of anyone I have ever met," she wrote. "I am a Sublime
Genius of Love, a Master of Unconditional Compassion, a Virtuoso of Deep
Empathy." Your assignment in the coming days, Aries, is to compete with
her: Unleash a perfect storm of ingenious passion that will ignite subtle
revolutions everywhere you go. Explore the frontiers of smart love.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your teeth aren't white enough. Your laugh
sounds weird. Something's amiss with the way you solve problems; I'm
not sure what, I just know you've got a disability there. And as for your
hair: Could you please change it so it doesn't make you appear so out of
touch with reality? OK, now relax. Everything I just said was a bad joke --
it wasn't true at all. I wanted to show you how susceptible you are to
believing the lie that you should be different from what you actually are.
The fact is, Taurus, this is an excellent time for you to practice feeling a
total acceptance of and curious fascination with yourself. Try saying this
out loud: "I am perfectly myself."
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): At the end of a recent school year, only 37
percent of New York's high school students passed the state-
administered math exam. Instead of withholding diplomas from the other
63 percent, officials nullified the results and eased the standards for
future tests. Normally I'm queasy about lowering the criteria for success,
but in this case I approve. Math is absurdly overvalued as an educational
necessity. There are many other subjects that should get more emphasis
in the high school curriculum. Teach logic, not algebra! Teach critical
thinking, not trigonometry! My rant is a prelude to the climax of your
horoscope, which is this: Stop pushing so hard to accomplish a task that's
really not all that important in the long run.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): During a trip to India, my friend Jeff paid a
boatman to row him out into the Ganges River for a little recreational
cruise. When they got there, the boatman stopped and refused to move,
let alone row him back to shore, unless Jeff forked over a surcharge.
Don't let something like that happen to you in the coming week,
Cancerian. Always have a well-planned arrangement, agreed on in
advance, to come back from wherever you're brave enough to go. Be
experimental, yes. Explore new territory, yes. Be willing to surrender some
control, yes. But make sure you've got a return ticket.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HOMEWORK: See what you can do to influence an institution that
influences you. Go to http://RealAstrology.com and click on "Email Rob."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NEED TO CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS?
To join or leave the email list for this newsletter, or to change the address
where you receive it, go to:
http://www.freewillastrology.com/newsletter/
Once you do join, check all the below points to make sure you'll actually
receive the newsletter:
1. Add my address, televisionary@comcast.net, to your address book so
that the newsletter won't be treated as spam and filtered out.
2. Adjust your spam filter so it doesn't treat my address as a source of
spam.
3. Tell your company's IT group to allow my address to pass through any
filtering software they may have set up.
4. If my newsletters don't reach your inbox, look in your "Bulk Mail" or
"Junk Mail" folder.
5. The problems may not have to do with anything you do, but may
originate with your email provider. It may be using a "content filter" that
prevents my newsletter from ever reaching you at all. If you suspect
that's the case, complain. Tell your email provider to stop blocking my
newsletter from reaching you.
P.S. I totally respect your privacy. I'll never sell or give away your address
to anyone.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
Astrology column, and Free Will Astrology website. We reserve
the right to edit such submissions for length, style, and content.
Requests for anonymity will be honored with submissions;
otherwise, reader names, screen names, or initials will be used.
Please be sure to note your preference when sending to us. We
are not responsible for unsolicited submission of any creative
material.
Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2008 Rob Brezsny
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++