Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
June 15, 2011
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/iDgSOJ
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Two of my books are available:
*PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA*:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Pronoia
Powells: http://bit.ly/PronoiaPowells
*THE TELEVISIONARY ORACLE*:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Televisionary
Powells: http://bit.ly/juYYQm
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A Review of *Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia*
by Divalion, http://bit.ly/iifkkM
"Rob Brezsny's *PRONOIA* is a most unusual book. It takes ideas that he
has developed in his 'Free Will Astrology' column and in his amazing novel,
*THE TELEVISIONARY ORACLE,* and expands on them, shaping them into
a chaotically coherent philosophy of life. The style is undeniably Brezsny -
- quirky, irreverent, soulful, linguistically athletic, challenging, hopeful.
"The book has a freewheeling structure: part creative workbook (including
spaces for you to write your own thoughts and even your own chapter),
part essay collection, part word art, part exuberant poetry slam, and part
instruction manual for the inner development of 'rowdy bliss.'
"Big and packed full of interesting information and musings, illustrated
lavishly with quirky graphics and nifty fonts, it is the kind of book you can
either read straight through or flip around, seeing where the pages fall in
a bibliomantic attempt to receive an eccentric oracle. One thing's for
sure: A single reading is not enough to completely absorb everything this
book contains. But it will be a pleasure to go back and re-read many times
in the future.
"The less whimsically inclined might regard 'PRONOIA' with a raised
eyebrow and incredulity. Brezsny's a holy fool and a sacred clown, and he
can be downright outrageous and goofy even when he's at his most
heartfelt and profound. Cynics may find his relentless optimism over the
top.
"But this is a smart man who has invested a tremendous amount of
contemplation and personal experience into every idea he proposes. He is
in no small measure radical as he challenges the assumptions about the
bleakness of the world that are so constantly fed to us. His optimism and
faith are not at all blind, nor are they syrupy or saccharine; he addresses
the existence of sorrow and suffering in the world and encourages his
readers to adopt the scientist's tools to test and evaluate our beliefs.
"At the heart of his philosophy is that we all have the right to experience
tremendous joy in our lives, the ability to shape the world around us, and
the unceasing gifts of a benevolent universe that longs to help us and
communicate with us. He takes the previously-little-explored concept of
'pronoia' and expands it into a creative, active, loving, lusty way of life.
"Not for him is traditional religion's dichotomy of 'material = bad' versus
'spirit = good'; nor the 'fluffy New Age' optimism that shoves the shadow
self into the closet and slams the door. He prescribes neither quivering
submission to and timid requests of a scornful punisher deity, nor Spartan
rejection of the world in seeking a cold and lonely enlightenment.
"His ideas belong in the world, not apart from it; they go boldly into
crowds, creating beauty and weirdness, offering a hand to others, and
proclaiming the dangerous notion that the world is a rich and beautiful
place. He recruits 'guerrilla prayer warriors' and sacred artists and tantric
clowns with a charisma and dedication that is thrilling in its possibility and
irresistible in its charm.
"This is not a book to read if you are determined to be unhappy or if you
don't want your world shaken up a bit. However, if you have the sneaking
suspicion that leading a happy, fulfilled life might just not be a heresy, or
if you are tired of the status quo and eager for a truly unusual point of
view, or if you need the kind of healing that makes you laugh and cry at
the same time, or if you have already been crusading for beauty, truth,
freedom, and love -- you need this book. It is hope and humor and beauty
and love."
Read the whole review here:
http://bit.ly/iifkkM
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
OUR PRONOIAC HEROES, part 1
Colin Wilson, philosopher of optimism
"Whereas in the past optimism had been regarded as rather shallow --
because 'oh well, it's just your temperament, you happen to be just a
cheerful sort of person' -- what I wanted to do was to establish that in
fact it is the pessimists who are allowing all kinds of errors to creep into
their work."
http://tinyurl.com/43y8emz
OUR PRONOIAC HEROES, part 2
William McDonough
"What would our buildings and products look like if designers took into
account 'all children, all species, for all time?'"
http://tinyurl.com/6fy3ev
OUR PRONOIAC HEROES, part 3
Clarissa Pinkola Estes
"In fairy-tale justice, as in the deep psyche, kindness to that which seems
less is rewarded by good, and refusal to do good for one who is not
beautiful is reviled and punished. When we enlarge ourselves to touch the
not-beautiful, we are rewarded. If we spurn the not-beautiful, we are
severed from life and left out in the cold."
http://tinyurl.com/428degd
(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 June 16
Copyright 2011 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Mark Harris's novel *Bang the Drum Slowly,*
professional baseball players cheat their fans out of money by engaging
them in a card game called TEGWAR, which is an acronym for The Exciting
Game Without Any Rules. Judging from your current astrological omens,
Gemini, I'd say it's prime time for you to play a more ethical version of
this game. Strictly speaking, the game *can* have rules, but they may be
changed at any time, and new ones may be added as needed. The object
of your brand of TEGWAR is to have as much smart fun as possible
without anyone getting hurt.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): "The only way to let your dreams come true
is to wake up," said poet Paul Valery. Here's how I think that applies to
you right now. You've become too engrossed in the mythic,
phantasmagorical feelings of your fantasies, and that's interfering with
your ability to muster all of the kick-ass pragmatism and supercharged
willpower you will need to actually make your fantasies come to life. In
other words, Cancerian, I advise you to snap out of your creamy dreamy
haze with a self-induced wake-up call. Stop floating and start grunting.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As we began our first session, the 79-year-old
Jungian psychotherapist looked at me with mischief in her eyes and said,
"Go ahead -- surprise me! What have you got?" I was torn. Part of me felt
like rising to her challenge, meeting her dare: I fantasized about telling her
such wild versions of my adventures that they would outstrip any tales
she'd heard in her long service as a deep listener. But in the end I chose
to tell the truth. I felt it was more important to explore my life's actual
mysteries than to entertain her. And that was the first healing she helped
me achieve. I suspect a similar test is ahead for you, Leo. Would you
rather be honest or impress people?
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I predict that at no time in the coming weeks
will anyone be justified in saying to you, "Your ego has been writing
checks that your body can't cash." Nor will anyone have any reason to tell
you, "You'd better start running if you hope to catch up with your
dreams," or "You may be an old soul but you've been acting like a naive
punk." No, Virgo, I firmly believe that none of those accusations will be
hurled at you. Why? Because from what I can tell, all of the various parts
of your psyche will be in a greater state of collaborative unity than
they've been in for a long time. Your alienation from yourself will be at an
all-time low, as will your levels of hypocrisy.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I'm brave in some ways, cowardly in others. I've
gone parasailing, performed on big stages in front of thousands of people,
assisted in the birth of two children, and explored the abyss of my own
unconscious. On the other hand, I'm scared of confined spaces, can't
bring myself to shoot a gun, and am a sissy when it comes time to be
around people who are dying. I imagine that you, too, have areas of
courage and timidity, Libra. And I suspect that in the coming weeks you
will be called to a challenge in both areas. See if you can transfer some of
the nervy power you're able to summon in one sphere to bolster you in
the place where you're a wimp.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Kinky Dream and Funky Paradise chapter
of your astrological cycle has arrived -- a phase when you'll have poetic
license to let your imagination run wilder than usual. In fact, it'll be prime
time to escape into fantasyland and try on a new identity or two,
complete with a host of outlandish nicknames. Your new hip hop name
could be Extasy TrixxMaster. Your pro wrestler name could be Velvet Soul
Pandora. Your mystic superhero name could be Mountain Wind Storm.
Your Irish prostitute name could be Luscious X. Mahoney. Your rock star
from the future name could be Destiny Acrobat.
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YOU NEED MAGIC EVERY DAY
Every day, you have to wade through a relentless surge of soul-less facts.
The experience tends to shut down your sense of wonder.
Every day, you're over-exposed to narratives that have been sucked free
of delight and mystery. That's why you have to make such strenuous
efforts to keep your world enchanted.
I like to think I can contribute to the sacred cause of feeding your sense
of wonder and enchantment. In fact, that's one of my prime motivations
for offering you the free weekly horoscopes you read in this newsletter.
If you ever want more of that good stuff, and think it's worth paying for,
please consider trying out my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're
four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny.
Go here to access them:
http://RealAstrology.com
You can also listen over the phone by calling
1-877-873-4888
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The coming weeks could be a Golden
Age for your perceptiveness. If you're even moderately aligned with the
cosmic rhythms, you will be able to discern hidden agendas that no one
else has spotted, catch clues that have been hidden, and be able to
recognize and register interesting sights you've previously been blind to.
To maximize your ability to cash in on this fantastic opportunity, say this
affirmation frequently: "My eyes are working twice as well as usual. I can
see things I don't normally notice."
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you were the star of a fairy tale in which
a spell had been placed on you, you would find a way to break that spell
sometime in the next seven months. If you were the hero of a myth about
a royal child abandoned in the wasteland by your evil nurse and raised by
emotionally clumsy but well-meaning gnomes, your exile would soon end;
your real parents, the king and queen, would find you after a long search,
and your birthright would be restored. Now translate these themes into
the actual circumstances of your life, Capricorn. Are you ready to do what
it takes to achieve a healing and restoration that have been a long time
coming?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What is sacred? The philosopher Friedrich
Nietzsche said it was anything that you cannot or will not laugh at. But I
have the exact opposite view. If I'm unable to crack a joke about what I
regard as holy, then it's not holy. For me, part of what makes an idea or
person or object holy is its power to animate my sense of humor and put
me in the mood to play. Where do you stand on this issue, Aquarius? If
you're aligned with my view, you will have some wonderful opportunities
to commune with the sacred in the coming days.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the chorus of my band's song "Apathy and
Ignorance," I sing, "What is the difference between apathy and
ignorance?" and the other two singers chant, "I don't know and I don't
care." I recommend you make that chant your mantra in the coming days,
Pisces: "I don't know and I don't care." You really do need to experiment
with a mischievous state of mind that is blithely heedless of what anyone
thinks about anything. You have the right and the privilege to be free of
expectations, precedents, and dogmas. Trust your intuition above all
other influences! It's an excellent time to at least temporarily declare your
independence from everything that's not interesting or useful or helpful
or appealing. (Listen to the song for free here:
http://bit.ly/ApathyIgnorance.)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The film *Tuck Everlasting* tells the story of a
family that becomes immortal after drinking from a magical spring. The
two parents and their two sons hide their gift from the world, but
eventually a mysterious man in a yellow suit finds out about their secret
and stalks them. At one point in his search, this man has a conversation
with a young pastor. "What if you could be eternal?" he asks the priest.
"Without having to face the uncertainty of death. Invincible to disease.
Forever young." The priest is rattled. "You speak blasphemy, sir," he
protests. "Fluently," replies the man in the yellow suit. You have that
mandate right now Aries: to speak blasphemy fluently, as well as any
other rebellious diction. It's time to rise up and express the unspeakable,
the controversial, the revolutionary.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): There's substantial evidence that the Amazon
River used to flow in the opposite direction from what it does now. Ages
ago, its currents traveled westward from the Atlantic Ocean toward the
Pacific (tinyurl.com/AmazonReversal). I'd like you to hold that image
firmly in mind as you contemplate a monumental shift of course in your
own life. Let it serve as a surprising symbol of what's possible -- as a
promise that you could actually manage to reverse a current that may
seem immutable.
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Homework: What part of yourself are you most scared of? Is it time to
give that part a peace offering? Testify at Freewillastrology.com.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2011 Rob Brezsny
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