Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
October 31, 2012
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/PE4ASH
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Vote for me! See the video of my campaign speech: "If I Am Elected"
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My book
*PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA*
is available at Amazon: http://bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: http://bit.ly/PronoiaPowells
Below is an excerpt.
To read the piece in its entirety, go here: http://bit.ly/wGN3iM
SHADOW SCHOOL
You're a gorgeous mystery with a wild heart and a lofty purpose. But like
all of us, you also have a dark side -- a part of your psyche that snarls and
bites, that's unconscious and irrational, that is motivated by ill will or
twisted passions or instinctual fears.
It's your own personal portion of the world's sickness: a mess of
repressed longings, enervating wounds, ignorant delusions, and unripe
powers. You'd prefer to ignore it because it's unflattering or
uncomfortable or very different from what you imagine yourself to be.
If you acknowledge its existence at all (many of us don't), you might call
it the devil, your evil twin, your inner monster, or your personal demon.
Psychologist Carl Jung referred to it as the shadow. He regarded it as the
lead that the authentic alchemists of the Middle Ages sought to
transmute into gold.
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Astrologer Steven Forrest has a different name for the shadow: stuff.
"Work on your stuff," he says, "or your stuff will work on you." He means
that it will sabotage you if you're not aggressive about identifying,
negotiating with, and transforming it.
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The shadow is not inherently evil. If it is ignored or denied, it may become
monstrous to compensate. Only then is it likely to "demonically possess"
its owner, leading to compulsive, exaggerated, "evil" behavior.
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"The shadow, which is in conflict with the acknowledged values, cannot
be accepted as a negative part of one's own psyche and is therefore
projected -- that is, it is transferred to the outside world and experienced
as an outside object. It is combated, punished, and exterminated as 'the
alien out there' instead of being dealt with as one's own inner problem." --
Erich Neumann, *Depth Psychology and a New Ethic*
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The qualities in ourselves that we deny or dislike are often the very
qualities that we most bitterly complain about in other people. So for
instance, an old friend of mine named Mark had a special disgust for
friends who were unavailable to him when he really needed them. But I
was witness to him engaging in the same behavior three different times,
disappearing from the lives of his friends just when they needed him
most.
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"Whatever is rejected from the self, appears in the world as an event,"
said Jung. If you disown a part of your personality, it'll materialize as an
unexpected detour.
Everyone who believes in the devil is the devil . . . .
TO READ THE REST OF "SHADOW SCHOOL," go here:
http://bit.ly/wGN3iM
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Steal a song from the soundtrack for *THE TELEVISIONARY ORACLE*:
http://bit.ly/smkFxM
Triple Witching Hour
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
FOR BEST RESULTS, KEEP RE-EVALUATING YOUR BIASES
Steven Pinker charts the decline of violence from Biblical times to the
present, and argues that, though it may seem illogical and even obscene,
given Iraq and Darfur, we are living in the most peaceful time in our
species' existence.
http://tinyurl.com/9eywawj
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE JUST ONE WAY TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Radical historian Howard Zinn: "We don't have to engage in grand, heroic
actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when
multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. Even when we
don't "win," there is fun and fulfillment in the fact that we have been
involved, with other good people, in something worthwhile. We need
hope. An optimist isn't necessarily a blithe, slightly sappy whistler in the
dark of our time. To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic.
It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty,
but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to
emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only
the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember
those times and places -- and there are so many -- where people have
behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the
possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some
grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and
to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is
bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
http://tinyurl.com/ygkxes2
GET YOUR MINIMUM DAILY REQUIREMENT OF BEAUTY
Snake River, Wyoming
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(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 1
Copyright 2012 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): This is an excellent time to explore the
frontiers of wise foolishness. I'm hoping you will take full advantage of
learning opportunities that might require you to shed your excess dignity
and acknowledge how much you don't know. Are you brave enough to
disavow cynical thoughts and jaded attitudes that muffle your lust for
life? Are you smart enough to understand how healthy it would be to go
out and play like an innocent wild child? Make yourself available for
delightful surprises.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Zombies used to be terrifying. But then
they became a featured motif in pop culture, often in humorous contexts,
and now there's a growing acceptance and even affection for them.
Here's the view of Max Brooks, author of *The Zombie Survival Guide*:
"Eventually rock and roll morphs from Sid Vicious to the Jonas Brothers.
Same thing with vampires: We went from *Dracula* to *Twilight* to make
them peachy and G-rated. I guarantee you someone is working on a way
to take the fear out of zombies and market them to children." Your
assignment, Sagittarius, is to do to your personal fears what the
entertainment industry has done to zombies: Turn them into amusing
caricatures that don't trouble you so much. For example, visualize an
adversary singing a duet with Justin Bieber.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "You must learn from the mistakes of
others," said humorist Sam Levenson. "You can't possibly live long
enough to make them all yourself." That's excellent advice for you right
now, Capricorn. In order to glean the teachings you need most, you won't
have to bumble through a single wrong turn or bad decision yourself.
There will be plenty of blundering role models who will be providing you
with the precise inspiration you need. Study them carefully.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Every November, thousands of writers
participate in National Novel Writing Month. They pledge to compose at
least 50,000 words of a new novel in that 30-day period. In accordance
with the astrological omens, Aquarius, I propose that you commit yourself
to a comparable project in your own field. Is there a potential masterpiece
on which you could get a substantial amount of work done? Is there a
major transformation you've long wanted to undertake but have always
had some excuse to avoid? I predict that you will attract unexpected help
and luck if you summon the willpower to focus on that task.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don't believe the climate is changing? Go ask
the birds what they think. Sixty percent of all the feathered species in
North America have moved north in the past 46 years. Scientists are
pretty sure their migration is a response to the warming trend that's
afoot. I like the idea of tuning in to how animals behave in order to get
accurate information about the state of the world. Would you consider
doing more of that, Pisces? According to my astrological analysis, the
coming months will be a time when you can learn a lot from non-human
intelligences.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Big opportunities are coming up for you. Even
if you cash in on them, though, they aren't likely to make an immediate
practical impact. They are subtle and deep, these prospects. They have
the potential of catalyzing monumental shifts in your long-term unfolding,
but will take a while to transform your day-to-day rhythm. So what are
these openings? Here are my guesses: 1. You could root out a bad seed
that got embedded in your subconscious mind before you knew any
better. 2. You could reinterpret the meaning of certain turning points in
your past, thereby revising the flow of your life story. 3. You could
forgive yourself for an old sin you thought you'd never let go of. 4. You
could receive a friendly shock that will diminish some sadness you've
carried for a long time.
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EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES GO FURTHER
In addition to the horoscopes that come to you in this newsletter, I create
more in-depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration. I think of them as
my love letters to you. They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or
$1.99 per minute over the phone.
Try them at http://RealAstrology.com.
They're 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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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): This would be a good time to get
introspective and meditative about your urge to merge . . . to think
objectively about the way you approach togetherness . . . to be honest
with yourself about what strengths and weaknesses you bring to the art
of collaboration. The most important question you can ask yourself during
this inventory is this: "How do I personally contribute, either knowingly or
unconsciously, to the problems I experience in relationships." Here's
another query you might consider: "How hard am I willing to work to
create the kinds of intimacy and alliances I say I want?"
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "Dear Rob: I seem to be marooned in an
interesting limbo. The sights and sounds are not exactly pretty, but they
keep me perversely entertained. I'm sampling tastes that are more sour
than sweet, thinking that sooner or later the sweetness will start to
prevail -- but it never does. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a trance, unable to
do what's best for me. Can you offer any help? Like maybe give me a
password that would break me out of the trance? -Meandering Gemini."
Dear Meandering: This is one of those rare times when you have cosmic
permission to favor what's calming and reassuring rather than what's
amusing and stimulating. Your password is *sanctuary.*
CANCER (June 21-July 22): On September 22, the San Francisco Giants
played a baseball game against the San Diego Padres. In the fourth inning,
Giants' third baseman Pablo Sandoval sprinted to the edge of the field,
then hurled himself over a railing and into the crowd in order to snag a
foul pop-up. The fact that he landed upside down but perfectly unhurt
wasn't the most impressive aspect of his feat. Nor was his improbable
ability to wield such precise concentration while invoking so much raw
force. Even more amazing was the pink bubble that Sandoval blew with his
chewing gum nanoseconds before he dived. It was a supremely playful and
successful Zen moment. That's the spirit I hope you will bring to your
efforts in the coming days.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your unconscious mind will be more accessible
than usual in the coming weeks. It will reveal its agendas more clearly and
play more of an active role in your life. Is that a good thing or a bad
thing? It will depend on how open-minded you are toward the surprises
your secret self will reveal. If you try to ignore or repress its eruptions,
they'll probably wreak chaos. If, on the other hand, you treat this other
part of you as an unpredictable but generous ally, you may be able to
work out a collaboration that serves you both.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Urbandictionary.com defines "Skymall
solution" as "an absurdly single-purposed tool or solution that solves a
problem you don't actually have." The term is derived from the famous
Skymall catalog, which sells unusual specialty products. According to my
analysis of the current astrological omens, you should be wary of any
attraction you might have to Skymall solutions. Do you really need a King
Tut tissue box cover or an ice cube tray that makes ice in the shape of
dachshunds or a stencil set for putting messages on your bundt cake? I
doubt it. Nor do you need their metaphorical equivalents.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Right before I woke up this morning, I had a
dream that one of my teeth fell out. As I lay there groggily in bed, my
mind searched for its meaning. "What does losing a tooth symbolize?" I
asked myself. "What is its psychological meaning?" I promised myself that
when I got up, I would google that question. But my rumination was
interrupted by a dull ache in the back of my mouth, and it was only then
that I remembered: Yesterday, in actual waking life, I had a real tooth
yanked out by a real dentist. The moral of the story, Libra: Be wary of
making up elaborate stories and mythic assumptions about events that
have simple, mundane explanations.
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Homework: It's easy to see fanaticism, rigidity, and intolerance in other
people, but harder to acknowledge them in yourself. Do you dare? Tell all
at Freewillastrology.com.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2012 Rob Brezsny
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