Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
August 17, 2011
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The piece below is excerpted from my book
*PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA*
available at Amazon: http://bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: http://bit.ly/PronoiaPowells
IT'S ALREADY DECEMBER 21, 2012
Many visionaries and prophets expect there to be a huge and sudden shift
in the world's story sometime soon. Whether it happens on December 21,
2012 or a later date, a sizable proportion of them even predict that it will
be "in the twinkling of an eye" -- a sudden cascade of events that
completely changes everything everywhere.
Some paint the scenario in broad, catastrophic strokes, expecting
something -- they're not sure what -- that will have the impact of a large
meteor strike or nuclear war or pandemic disease. Others harbor a more
benign but equally fuzzy expectation, speculating that maybe some
higher psychic powers will kick in to the multitudes all at once, or that
benevolent extraterrestrials will arrive to solve our energy crisis.
What very few of the prophets do, however, is make a precise prediction
about exactly what will happen. Their visions contain no assurances, no
specifics. And in my view, that's worse than useless. It fills us with a
vague buzz of fear or amorphous sense of hope, but offers no concrete
directions about what to do to prevent the dreaded thing or help create
the hoped-for thing.
And the fact is, as I see it, they can't possibly know what the Big Shift is -
- if, that is, a Big Shift is really looming. The very nature of any Big Shift
will be so unexpected, so beyond our imaginations, and so utterly alien to
what we understand, that we can't possibly delineate its contours in
advance.
I'm reminded of Jung's formula, which is that we don't so much solve our
problems as we outgrow them. We add capacities and experiences that
eventually make us bigger than the problems.
This theory can be applied in reverse: If we have not yet grown wiser than
our current predicament, then we can't see what the evolved state is
beyond the predicament. Our minds are as-yet incapable of embodying
the vision that will catapult us beyond the problem we're stuck in.
When the Big Shift comes, whether or not it comes in the twinkling of an
eye, it will be something that no one foresaw, let alone described in detail.
It will be beyond our comprehension, unlike anything we could have
visualized headed our way. (Thirty years ago, did anyone imagine the
Internet or the impact it's having?)
And if that's true, then the inescapable conclusion is: There's no use
trying to plan ahead for it. It's counterproductive to hold a particular
scenario in our mind as the likely development. And it's downright crazy
to harbor a chronic sense of dread about an unknowable, unimaginable
series of events.
The best way to prepare for a Big Shift is to cultivate mental and
emotional states that ripen us to be ready for anything:
* a commitment to not getting lost inside our own heads;
* a strategy to avoid being enthralled with the hypnotic lure of painful
emotions, past events, and worries about the future;
* a trust in empirical evidence over our time-worn beliefs and old habits;
* a talent for turning up our curiosity full blast and tuning in to the raw
truth of every moment with our beginner's mind fully engaged;
* and an eagerness to dwell gracefully in the midst of all the interesting
questions that tease and teach us.
Everything I just described also happens to be an excellent way to prime
yourself for a chronic, low-grade, always-on, simmering-at-low-heat brand
of ecstasy -- a state of being more-or-less permanently in the Tao, in the
groove, in the zone.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
PRACTICAL PRONOIA IS THE BEST PRONOIA
Reinventing the toilet
"Water hygiene and safe waste disposal are two of the biggest causes of
infant mortality in the developing countries. Bill Gates and his foundation
hope to create inexpensive toilets to vastly improve the living conditions
of millions of people. It could save lives around the world."
http://tinyurl.com/3dwma9x
THE COMMUNITY OF HELPERS IS GROWING
Idealist News. Social news for all things nonprofit.
http://www.idealistnews.com/
GLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITH AN EDGE
View from the Moon
http://i.imgur.com/oElP2.jpg
(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 August 18
Copyright 2011 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Science writer K.C. Cole asks this question: "How
would you hold 100 tons of water in thin air with no visible means of
support?" Here's her answer: "Build a cloud." What you have before you
right now, Leo, is a comparable scenario. Your assignment is to
materialize a phenomenon that from a certain viewpoint may appear to be
laughably impossible. And yet, with the proper attitude on your part and
nature's help, the project at hand is eminently achievable. It won't
necessarily be fast and easy, mind you -- but you wouldn't want it to be,
because then it wouldn't be able to teach you all the precious wisdom it
has to impart.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "Dear Astrology Guy: Thank you kindly for
your assistance. One of your horoscopes gave me a kick in the butt that
propelled me free of a trap I had stupidly agreed to stay stuck in. At the
same time, I also have to tell you to go to hell, because no one, including
me, likes hearing the awful, embarrassing truth. As much healing as your
words helped bring me, they also stung my pride. Love and hate, Virgo."
Dear Virgo: You're welcome and I'm sorry. It's good to hear you're able to
appreciate the gifts of paradox. Let's hope that will keep you creatively
humble as you slip into an expansive building phase when your ego may
be understandably prone to a bit of inflation.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): *Newsweek* reported a fact that few
Westerners know about: Nigeria is accustomed to major oil spills. Every
year since the 1960s, the Niger Delta has been slammed with a spill as
extensive as the Exxon Valdez, which was the second biggest oil
catastrophe in U.S. history. "Large purple slicks cover once fertile fields,"
said *Newsweek,* "and rivers are clogged with oil leaked decades ago."
My purpose in bringing this to your attention is not to depress you, Libra,
but rather to inspire you. In the coming weeks, I hope you will make it
your passion to uncover injustices you've been unaware of, including
those close to home. I think you'll be amazed at how much this buoys
your spirits. P.S.: You'll get extra credit if you actually take action to
address the unfairness.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the song "Fantasy World," the lead singer
of the band Pissed Jeans imagines himself in his happy place. "It's Friday
night and Saturday morning in my fantasy world / Sitting near piles of
clothes and drinking a soda / with a slice of pizza in my fantasy world."
He's not describing some unrealistic paradise where he can fly like an
eagle and seduce anyone he wants and find gold bars under his pillow in
the morning. Rather, he's content with the simple, familiar pleasures. I
urge you to follow his lead as you imagine and create your own fantasy
world this week. Love what you've got.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The highest unclimbed mountain in the
world is Gangkhar Puensum, an almost 25,000-foot-tall beauty in Bhutan.
It will remain free of human influence indefinitely, as local authorities are
keen on preventing the environmental degradation that has occurred on
popular peaks like Mt. Everest, where climbers have left lots of trash.
What's the equivalent in your sphere, Sagittarius? The most prominent
unconquered prize? The Grail that still remains elusive? The virgin
treasure your quest has not yet won? According to my analysis, you now
have the potential to make tangible progress toward that goal. Unlike the
case with Gangkhar Puensum, there are no rules or laws preventing you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "Mommy, are scientists real?" the boy
asked his mother. "Yes, son, they are," she replied. "Do they make stuff
that is dangerous?" continued the boy. "Sometimes they do," said the
mom. "Then I want to be one when I grow up," concluded the boy. In the
coming weeks, Capricorn, I see you as being like the boy. You'll be in the
mood to brainstorm about what you might like to evolve into, and your
fantasies will tend to move in the direction of what's most adventurous
and exciting. I urge you to fully indulge in those flights of fancy. It's time
to dream really big and really free.
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YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT MORE HELP AVAILABLE THAN YOU IMAGINE
What do you want to be when you grow up? Is it possible that you will
eventually develop beautiful capacities and sublime understandings that
you can't even imagine right now?
I might be able to help you move in the direction of becoming more of the
person you were born to be.
Tune in to my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES
Find out more at http://RealAstrology.com.
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.
"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
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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "I got expelled from college for cheating
during my metaphysics final," joked Woody Allen. "I got caught looking
into the soul of the guy next to me." Even if you're not taking a big test
for a metaphysics class, Aquarius, I urge you to do a lot of what Allen
claimed he did: Gaze into the souls of those around you. It's an excellent
time, astrologically speaking, for you to escape the enclosed container of
your own inner world and survey the raw truths and deep feelings that
other people hold dear.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "I have no doubt that in reality the future will
be vastly more surprising than anything I can imagine," said pioneering
geneticist J.B.S. Haldane. I share that view, and I think it's good to keep in
mind whenever we're tempted to rearrange our lives in accordance with
the visions of those who predict the future, whether they be New Age
prophets, indigenous elders, scientific experts, or political pundits.
Nobody knows much of anything about how it's all going to unfold! The
future is not set in stone, but is totally up for grabs. The sooner you
make that an everyday reminder, the more aggressive you'll become
about creating the life you want. Now is an excellent time to get the hang
of it.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): *Time* magazine asked Pulitzer Prize-winning
historian David McCullough why he started writing a biography of Pablo
Picasso but never finished it. McCullough said it was because the famous
artist turned out to be boring. He attracted a steady flow of new lovers,
and he made hundreds of paintings, but he didn't actually live an
interesting life. I'm urging you to be the anti-Picasso in the coming weeks,
Aries. Put the emphasis on the quality of your adventures more than on
what you produce. Regard your life as your most important work of art.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "Let's celebrate the first time you cried naked
in someone else's bed," is a message on an e-card I found at
Someecards.com. You might want to send that proposal to yourself,
Taurus. It's an excellent time to commemorate the rousing catharses of
the past. You may find that revisiting the breakthrough epiphanies of
yesteryear will help put you in the right frame of mind (and heart) to
conjure up a fresh batch.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Why is it so hard for Westerners of the last
two centuries to feel the intimate presence of the divine intelligences?
Every other culture in the history of the world has had a more vital
connection with the realm of spirit. According to poet Gary Snyder,
California's Yana Indians explained it this way: The gods have retreated to
the volcanic recesses of Mt. Lassen, passing the time playing gambling
games with magic sticks. They're simply waiting for such a time when
human beings will "reform themselves and become 'real people' that
spirits might want to associate with once again." Here's why I'm bringing
this up, Gemini: I think that right now is a special time in your life when
you have the power to become a "real person" with whom the spirits will
want to have closer communion.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): I strongly advise you against purchasing and
reading what some observers have called "the saddest book in the
universe." It's a recipe book by Sonia Allison called *Microwave for One*
(bit.ly/SadBook). No matter how inclined you might be to opt for
excessive self-sufficiency right now, no matter how peeved you are at the
human race for being so clumsy and ignorant, I believe you must keep
trying to reach out and touch those who are touchable, even if they're
barely so. You need what people have to offer you, even if it's sloppy,
wimpy, or kooky.
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Homework: What's the best surprise you could give yourself right now?
Testify at Freewillastrology.com.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2011 Rob Brezsny
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