Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
September 30, 2009
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"Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous,
barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new,
marvelous, intoxicating."
- Simone Weil
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The revised and expanded version of my book *PRONOIA IS THE
ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA* is now available. It has 55% brand new extra
added stuff! You can order it here:
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lxpnyt
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/kkadtb
(P.S. Don't order the old version of the book! Due to a mistake by my
publisher, the 2005 edition is still for sale online. Make sure you get the
revised and expanded *PRONOIA* published in September 2009. It's
available through the two links above.)
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Dear Readers,
When the original edition of *PRONOIA* came out in 2005, it had a fine
three-page essay called "Glory in the Highest," in which I spoke of all the
miraculous things that we take for granted. It was one of my personal
favorites, and I incorporated it into the performances that I did as I toured
to support the book.
But a lot changed for me between the time the first edition came out and
the time I started work on the revised and expanded version a couple of
years later. For starters, I became a magnet for revelations about the
marvels and wonders of the world -- including many I hadn't previously
been aware of.
It was as if, by publishing the book, I had invited the universe to shower
me with even more evidence for pronoia.
One of the results of this flood of good news was that when I finished the
revised version of "Glory in the Highest," it was eight times as long as the
original. Why? Because I crammed it full of the many shocking facts I had
discovered about how wrong the conventional wisdom is. It's not just that
we take our everyday miracles for granted. The further truth is that we
are fantastically lucky and blessed to be alive at this moment of history.
Among the well-researched points included in the new essay are the
seven below.
1. The world has become dramatically more peaceful since the end of the
Cold War, with steep declines in the numbers of armed conflicts, acts of
genocide, weapon sales, and refugees. In fact, our era is the most
peaceful time in recorded history.
2. Crime in the U.S. is at its lowest level since it was first officially
tracked. Between 1973 and 2005, the violent crime rate decreased by 56
percent, while crimes against property shrank by 70 percent. The years
2005 and 2006 brought a small increase in violent crimes, but by 2008,
the rate had fallen even lower than it was in 2005.
3. After rising steadily since the beginning of time, the number of people
in the world living in absolute poverty has fallen by nearly one-third in less
than three decades.
4. A Nobel prize-winning economic historian has shown that those of us
alive today are far hardier and healthier and smarter than our ancestors,
even those of 150 years ago. We get sick less, overcome the sickness we
do suffer from better, and live longer. Even our internal organs are formed
better.
5. Torture is no longer a commonplace feature of the justice system, as it
was in many places of the world for centuries.
6. The rate of child mortality in the developing world has dropped
precipitously, while literacy is increasing steadily.
7. Life expectancy is rising steadily. People live more than 50% longer
than they did a century ago. Many scientists believe there is no absolute
limit to the human life span, and are working hard to extend it.
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Check out my new Facebook page:
http://tinyurl.com/nkay2n
Sign up for the RSS feed of this newsletter:
http://www.freewillastrology.com/newsletter/
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
THERE REALLY ARE PEOPLE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES -- PEOPLE YOU
DON'T KNOW -- TO PROVIDE YOU WITH BLESSINGS
The virtually unknown hero who saved millions of lives
http://tinyurl.com/yekhuex
WHY WASN'T THIS NEWS ON THE FRONT PAGE?
Landlord goes back to work so that unemployed tenants can stay rent-
free
http://tinyurl.com/ybtawlo
EVEN THE BAD GUYS MAY DO SOME GOOD WORKS
Frito-Lay angrily introduces line of healthy snacks
http://tinyurl.com/y3mbml
(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.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning October 1
Copyright 2009 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there a big difference between your current
job and your beloved career? Do you suffer from the unsettling feeling
that your calling hasn't called you yet? Are you under the impression that
your main reason for being here on Earth may reveal itself at some
unknown time in the future, but not anytime soon? If you answered no to
all those questions, congrats! You are more than halfway toward living a
victorious life. But if you answered yes to at least one question, it's high
time to take action. Start by formulating an intention to find out what
you need to know in order to deal with the problem more aggressively.
The cosmic forces are arrayed in such a way as to reward you for doing
so.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Indian guru known as Amma has hugged
over 30 million people during her three-decades career. I've known people
who've received blessings from her, and they tell me that she can
magically undo your karmic knots with her spiritual power, freeing you
from having to suffer indefinitely for the bad decisions you made in the
past. Amma rarely does a complete unraveling of all karmic knots in one
sitting, however. Your negative conditioning might be holding you
together, after all, and a sudden super-fix could cause you to fall apart.
That's the situation I suspect is true for you right now, Scorpio: You'll be
wise to undo some, but not all, of your karmic knots.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The coming week will have something to
offend and agitate everyone -- except you. Whines and moans and yelps
will ring out across the land, even as you're emanating poise and aplomb.
You may be tempted to brazenly exploit everyone's vulnerability and seize
control of your corner of the world, but I think that would be shortsighted
of you. A better strategy for capitalizing on your advantage would be to
dole out large doses of mercy, making sure that the people who will be
important to your future don't lose their way.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "The bear must deal with 20 obstacles,
and each one of them involves pears," says the Sufi proverb, "because
the bear adores pears." That's a twisty truth worth meditating on,
Capricorn. I suspect that the gifts coming your way will bring their own
unique problems; the dreams you're in love with will generate new
dilemmas to solve. By no means does this imply that you should avoid
accepting the gifts or pursuing your dreams. Part of the fun of doing
great things is dealing with the changes they generate!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): On behalf of all us non-Aquarians, I'd like to
express our appreciation for the experiments you've been performing.
Please don't be discouraged just because the results thus far have been
inconclusive and left you feeling a trifle rudderless. We feel confident that
sooner or later you'll come up with discoveries that will have bottom-line
value to both you and the rest of us. We'd also like to apologize for the
shortsighted and timid types among us who are accusing you of being
unrealistic or overly optimistic. Please keep trying those novel approaches
and making those imaginative forays.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): While reviewing the work of Angelina Jolie in
the film *Taking Lives,* A. O. Scott called her "the flesh-and-blood actress
most likely to be mistaken for a computer-generated special effect." I
don't expect you to rival Jolie's odd talent anytime soon, but I wonder if
maybe you'll be seeing a lot of that kind of stuff in the world around you.
Some of the characters who will be advancing the plotlines in your life
story may seem to be able to breathe fire, walk through walls, or change
the weather at will. At the very least, you'll witness phenomena that
resemble optical illusions. My advice: Try to get these exotic outbreaks to
work for you rather than against you. Embrace them, don't fear them.
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LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE
Since I put all my heart and soul into the written horoscopes I send out in
this newsletter, they're pretty nutritious. You may never need any of the
other stuff I create.
But if you ever do crave an added boost, you may want to sample my
Expanded Audio Horoscopes. They're different in tone and intent than the
written scopes, imbued with a little more of the psychologist in me, and a
little less of the poet.
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 expanded horoscopes get more personal and intimate with me than
some of my closest friends. Thanks for the loving reflections."
- Ari S., Ann Arbor, MI
"Your audio 'scopes have a knack for waking me up from whatever
random dream has sneaked into my brain and rendered me half-blind."
- Teresa F., Boston, MA
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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Is the electron a wave or a particle? Physicists
had to conduct thousands of experiments to arrive at the definitive
answer, which is that it's both. In other words, the solution to one of the
fundamental questions about the nature of reality is a paradox. I think this
strongly suggests that the correct response to many other riddles about
the ultimate truth might be two seemingly opposing explanations. Could
the Unitarians and Buddhists both be right? Socialists and capitalists?
Mystics and scientists? In the upcoming days, Aries, you will be offered
lots of practice in adopting this approach as you deal with a personal
dilemma that's very much akin to "Is the electron a wave or a particle?"
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Have you ever mused on the fact that your
body is actually a kind of furnace? And that your whole life depends upon
it? Food and oxygen are constantly combusting inside you, generating
fiery energy that fuels your every movement, thought, and feeling. This
awareness of fire as a source of vitality, not a destroyer, would be
valuable for you to cultivate in the coming days. Your steady, earthy
rhythm needs a shot of radiance and luminosity and fervor.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Several couples I know keep lists of the five
celebrities they'd be allowed to boink if the chance ever presented itself.
My friend Jim, for instance, will incur no karmic repercussions with his
girlfriend Alicia if he ever spends a night of carnal delight with the
following people: Lady Gaga, Sarah Silverman, Karen O, Shakira, or Halle
Berry. Alicia's permitted to enjoy liaisons with Johnny Depp, Chris Rock,
Marilyn Manson, Jimmy Fallon, and Portia de Rossi. I bring this up, Gemini,
because I believe you'll soon be the beneficiary of some extravagant
cosmic luck that could offer you a close brush with an exotic form of
pleasure. This might not exactly take the form of a one-night stand with a
famous fox, but it could be almost as extraordinary.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I'm happy you're getting back to
fundamentals and shedding pretensions and nourishing your roots, but I
also want to make sure that you don't get *too* funky and lowdown. I'd
hate to have to be hoisting you up out of the gutter next week, or
counseling you on how to cover for the fact that you've compromised
your own highest standards. So please resist any temptations you might
feel to descend toward the lowest common denominator, Cancerian. As
you deepen your center of gravity, make sure you keep your attitude
elevated.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): "I may not love you," wrote R. R. Doister, "but I
can certainly love my fantasy about you." Personally, I've been guilty of
embodying that attitude toward certain people in my life. There have also
been allies to whom I could have said, "I do love you, although I love my
fantasy about you a little more." And it has even been the case on
numerous occasions that I've been proud to declare, "I love you even
more than I love my fantasy about you." What about you, Leo? Where do
you stand on the issue? This is an excellent time to get on the righteous
side of the great divide, which is to say: Adore your special people for
who they really are more than for your fantasies about them.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In a puckish fantasy, the poet Linh Dinh
imagined a hypothetical scenario in which it would be uncool to be too
cool. "In an effort to inject more pep and resolve into its lethargic
citizens," he waxed with prophetic longing, "the government is mandating
the use of an exclamation mark at the end of each sentence, spoken or
written. 'It looks like rain!' for example, or 'I must sleep!'" I suggest that
you take his vision, Virgo, and turn it into reality for the immediate future!
You would really benefit from getting more excited than usual! Who
knows, maybe a simple thing like imagining every one of your sentences
ending with an exclamation mark could make your whole being more
thrillable!
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HOMEWORK: Are you doing anything in particular to kill the apocalypse
and usher in the Great Awakening? Go to http://FreeWillAstrology.com
and click 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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P.S. I totally respect your privacy. I'll never sell or give away your address
to anyone.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2009 Rob Brezsny
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