Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
November 3, 2010
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IS PRONOIA JUST FOR RICH, COMFORTABLE PEOPLE? Part 5
Excerpted from *PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA*
available at Amazon: http://bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: http://bit.ly/PronoiaPowells
Is pronoia an attitude that only makes sense in the privileged enclaves of
the Western world? Or is the developing world experiencing bounties and
blessings that remain under-reported in the mainstream media? In the last
four weeks, I've been exploring these subjects. This week, I continue the
exploration.
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Since 1973, Freedom House (http://freedomhouse.org) has evaluated
the global state of civil liberties, democratic institutions, and independent
media. Its research suggests that the world is steadily becoming more
free, and is now the most free it has ever been.
In 1973, Freedom House said that 29 percent of the world's countries
were free, 25 percent were "partly free," and 46 percent were "not free."
By 2009, the figures were dramatically improved: 46 percent of the
nations on the planet were free, 32 percent were "partly free," and 22
percent were "not free." In 36 years, the percentage of "not free"
countries had dropped by over 50 percent.
Of the world's 193 countries evaluated in the most recent report, 151
were judged to be free or partly free. This group accounts for 94 percent
of the world's gross domestic product. Freedom House concluded that
the majority of the planet's economic, technological, and military
resources belong to electoral democracies.
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(Some progressives have complained that Freedom House is not
sufficiently strong in reporting the abuses of freedom perpetrated by the
U.S. and its allies. I think there may be some merit to their arguments, and
I don't mean to imply that Freedom House is the ultimate and sole
authority in the assessment of global freedom. However, it's also true
that the organization assailed the Bush Administration's policies on
interrogation and detention during its so-called War of Terror, and has
over the years given low rankings to countries the U.S. considers friendly,
like Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Chile, and Guatemala.)
(There's also this: In 2009, *Forbes* magazine named Fareed Zakaria as
one of the 25 most influential liberals in the American media. Here's his
opinion about Freedom House, published in *Newsweek*: "While there are
many sources of economic data, good political data is hard to find.
Freedom House's survey is an exception. For anyone concerned with the
state of freedom, or simply with the state of the world, its 'Freedom in
the World' is an indispensable guide.")
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Richard Falk is a professor of international law at Princeton, and has
served on the editorial boards of *The Nation* and *The Progressive*
magazines as well as on two different United Nations human rights
organizations. Writing in the magazine *Foreign Policy,* he said the
following: "Every reliable human rights indicator suggests progress in the
direction of self-determination and democratization in all parts of the
world."
But then what about the observers who theorize that human rights are in
alarming decline? "As with cancer and other diseases," responds Falk,
"the ability to identify human rights abuses more accurately and treat
their symptoms more effectively creates the illusion that the disease
itself is more prevalent."
Read his essay here: http://bit.ly/RichardFalk.
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The United Nations organization UNESCO tracks literacy rates. Its latest
news is very good. In 1950, 56 percent of the world's population could
read and write. As of 2009, that figure had risen to 84 percent. The most
dramatic improvement has occurred among young women. For example,
not quite half of South Asian females were literate in 1990, while 75
percent are now. There were 10 million East Asian girls who couldn't read
in 2000, but that had fallen to a million by 2009 (http://bit.ly/aLbmYz).
"There is a strong current of thought in the field of development
economics," wrote Andrew Leonard in Salon.com, commenting on this
report, "that the single most important factor in improving a variety of
outcomes in the developing world -- whether it be overpopulation,
economic growth, violence against women, public health -- is increasing
female education levels."
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TUNE IN NEXT WEEK TO PART 6 OF THE SERIES,
"Is Pronoia just for Rich, Comfortable People?"
To read Part One of the series, go here: http://bit.ly/RichComfy
To read Part Two of the series, go here: http://bit.ly/RichComfy2
To read Part Three of the series, go here: http://bit.ly/RichComfy3
To read Part Four of the series, go here: http://bit.ly/RichComfy4
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
PRONOIA ISN'T JUST ABOUT BEING GOOD; IT'S ALSO ABOUT CULTIVATING
ECSTACY
*Brave New Prayers* by Hunter Reynolds
Here's the blurb that I wrote for Hunter's fantastic book: "Hunter
Reynolds' *Brave New Prayers* is the single best collection of prayers I've
ever found. And by best, I mean holiest, rowdiest, truest, and most
intimately aligned with the tricky nature of the Divine Wow. I'm keeping
his book beneath my pillow, sandwiched between Rumi and Hafiz, so I can
soak up its tonic effervescence while I dream."
http://tinyurl.com/2gywxf3
GIVE HUMAN INGENUITY SOME CREDIT, PLEASE
Ten of the greatest feats of engineering
http://tinyurl.com/25q9tbj
AN ENDANGERED SPECIES NO LONGER ENDANGERED
In Britain, otters were on the verge of extinction 30 years ago. They have
made an amazing comeback, and are now almost everywhere.
http://tinyurl.com/27amksw
(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 November 4
Copyright 2010 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Technorati, a search engine for blogs, says
there are well over 100 million blogs on the Internet, and that figure
doesn't include millions of Chinese language blogs. So self-expression is
thriving on a global scale, right? Not exactly. Most blogs -- the estimate is
94 percent -- have not been updated for at least four months. In
accordance with the current astrological indicators, Scorpio, I expect you
to do something about this problem. Refresh your blog in the coming
week, or consider launching one if you don't have one. But don't stop
there. Use every other way you can imagine to show the world who you
are. Be articulate and demonstrative and revelatory.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I think you can handle more hubbub and
uproar than you realize. I also suspect you're capable of integrating more
novelty, and at a faster rate, than the members of all the other signs of
the zodiac. That's why I think you should consider interpreting what's
happening in your life right now as "interesting adventures" instead of
"disorienting chaos." The entire universe is set up to help you thrive on
what non-Sagittarians might regard as stressful.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "Dear Rob: My boyfriend's heart is in the
right place. He likes to give me flowers. The only trouble is, the bouquets
he brings are homely. A recent batch was a hodgepodge of blue
delphiniums, white carnations, and red geraniums. Is there any way to
steer him in a more aesthetically correct direction without deflating his
tender kindness? - Unsatisfied Capricorn." Dear Unsatisfied: In my
astrological opinion, one of the tasks you Capricorns should be concerned
with right now is learning to love the gifts that people want to give you.
Maybe at a later date you can start training them to provide you with
exactly what you want. But for the moment, it won't kill you to simply
welcome and celebrate their generosity.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Your new vocabulary word for the week is
"skookum," a term from the Chinook Indians that is still used in some
parts of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. My astrological
colleague Caroline Casey says it means "in cahoots with good spirits" and
"completely made for the job." Wikipedia suggests that when you're
skookum, you've got a clear purpose and are standing in your power spot.
According to my reading of the omens, Aquarius, these definitions of
skookum fit you pretty well right now. (P.S. When skookum is used to
describe food, it means delicious and hearty, which could definitely be
applied to you if you were edible.)
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the coming days, it's crucial for you to be
spontaneous but not rash. Do you know the distinction? Read the words
of psychologist Abraham Maslow: "Spontaneity (the impulses from our
best self) gets confused with impulsivity and acting-out (the impulses
from our sick self), and there is then no way to tell the difference." Be
sure you stay true to the vitalizing prompts arising from your inner
genius, Pisces -- not the distorted compulsions erupting from your inner
maniac.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Marcel Proust's novel *In Search of Lost
Time,* one of the characters makes a vulgar observation about the odd
attractions that sometimes come over us human beings: "Anyone who
falls in love with a dog's behind will mistake it for a rose." It's my duty to
point out that the opposite occurs, too. People may think a marvelous
thing is worthless, and dislike it or ignore it as a result. Van Gogh's
paintings, for example: He sold only one while he was alive, although
today his work is regarded as extraordinarily beautiful. My advice to you,
Aries, is to avoid both of these errors in the coming week.
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IF YOU WANT MORE FREE WILL ASTROLOGY,
TRY THE EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES
The horoscopes you read in this newsletter may be plenty for your needs.
But if you'd like to experience more of my thoughts about your current
situation, you might want to try my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES.
They're 4 to 5 minute meditations on the state of your life and where
you're going.
Sign in and access them here:
http://RealAstrology.com
The weekly forecasts are also available by phone:
1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.
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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Paul Eluard frequently fantasized and
wrote about his dream woman, but he never actually found her. "The
cards have predicted that I would meet her but not recognize her," he
said. So he contented himself with being in love with love. I think he made
a sound decision that many of us should consider emulating. It's a losing
proposition to wait around hoping for a dream lover to show up in our
lives, since no one can ever match the idealized image we carry around in
our imagination. And even if there were such a thing as a perfect mate,
we would probably not recognize that person, as Eluard said, because
they'd be so different from our fantasy. Having said all that, Taurus, I'm
happy to inform you that the next two months will be prime time for you
to cultivate your connection with an imperfect beauty who's good for
you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When you begin treatment with a homeopathic
doctor, his or her first task is to determine your "constitutional," which is
the remedy that serves as your fundamental medicine -- the tonic you
take to keep your system balanced and functioning smoothly. Mine used
to be "aurum," or gold, but due to certain shifts in my energy, my doctor
ultimately changed it to "lac lupinum," or wolf's milk. After analyzing your
astrological omens, I'm guessing that you might need a similar adjustment
in the regimen that keeps you healthy. Your body's needs seem to be
evolving. Consider making some changes in the food you eat, the sleep
you get, the exercise you do, and the love you stir up.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): "Freedom is in the unknown," said philosopher
John C. Lilly. "If you believe there is an unknown everywhere, in your own
body, in your relationships with other people, in political institutions, in
the universe, then you have maximum freedom." I think this is the most
important thought you could meditate on right now, Cancerian. You are
close to summoning the magic that would allow you to revel in what's
unknown about everything and everyone you love. And that would
dramatically invigorate your instinct for freedom.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The first time I ever planted a garden was last
summer. It wasn't easy. The soil in my backyard was hard clay that I could
barely penetrate with a shovel. Luckily, a helpful clerk at the garden store
revealed a solution: gypsum. All I had to do was pour the white powder on
my intransigent dirt and wet it down for a few days. The stuff performed
as advertised on the package: It "worked like millions of tiny hoes,"
loosening the heavy clay. A week later I was able to begin planting. In the
coming days, Leo, I think you could benefit from the metaphorical
equivalent of a million tiny hoes. You've got to break down a hard surface
to create a soft bed for your seeds.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Recent research suggests that yawning raises
alertness, enhances cognitive awareness, reduces stress, and strengthens
the part of the brain that feels empathy. Andrew Newburg, M.D. goes so
far as to recommend that you regularly induce yawns. He says it helps
you solve problems, increases your efficiency, and intensifies your
spiritual experiences. (Read more here: http://bit.ly/YawnGenius.) So
here's my advice, Virgo. During the current phase of your astrological
cycle -- which is a time when self-improvement activities are especially
favored -- you should experiment with recreational yawning.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Check out this haiku by Mizuhara Shuoshi,
translated from the Japanese by William J. Higginson: "stuck in a vase /
deep mountain magnolia / blossoms open." Does that remind you of
anyone? It should. I think it pretty much sums up your current situation.
More accurately, it captures the best possible scenario you can strive to
achieve, given your circumstances. Yes, there are limitations you have to
deal with right now: being in the vase. And yet there's no reason you
can't bloom like a deep mountain magnolia.
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HOMEWORK: Imagine that thanks to scientific breakthroughs and good
luck, you're still alive in 2090. What's your life like? Testify at
Truthrooster@gmail.com.
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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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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2010 Rob Brezsny
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