Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
December 12, 2012
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/X2EyGm
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My book
*PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA*
is available at Powells: http://bit.ly/PronoiaPowells
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/a8j3h6u
Amazon: http://bit.ly/Pronoia
Below is an excerpt.
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 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.
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCES OF GOOD
Peace in our time? Scientist makes bold prediction that war is on the
wane and will halve over next 40 years.
http://tinyurl.com/c88o5kg
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE FORCES OF REGENERATION
Mexico City: Now One of Safest Places in Mexico - Once infamous for its
pollution, lawlessness, & chaos, it's at the vanguard of ecological & civic
change. Abortion, gay marriage, & gay adoption is legalized. Outsiders
who once viewed the city as terrorizing, now want to visit, to live here.
http://tinyurl.com/bbznnhm
DON'T UNDERSTIMATE YOUR NEED FOR BEAUTY
Jiuzhaigou Valley, China
http://i.imgur.com/AozdP.jpg
THE EVIDENCE KEEPS ACCUMULATING
A compendium of pronoiac news.
http://PronoiaResources.com
(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 December 13
Copyright 2012 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): For the last six decades of his life, Pablo
Picasso created art that was adventurous and experimental. He didn't
invent abstract painting, but he was instrumental in popularizing it. And
yet in his early years he was a master of realism, and had an impressive
ability to capture the nuances of human anatomy. Commenting on
Picasso's evolution, travel writer Rick Steves says that when he was
young, "he learned the rules he would later so skillfully break." I suspect
you're in a phase of your own development when you could profit from
doing the same thing. So I ask you, Sagittarius: What are the rules that
are so ripe for you to bend and twist as you graduate to a more mature
level of self-expression?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Through some cosmic intervention, a sad
or bad or mad story will get tweaked prior to the final turn of the plot.
Just as you're getting ready to nurse your regrets, an X-factor or wild
card will appear, transforming the meaning of a series of puzzling events.
This may not generate a perfectly happy ending, but it will at least result
in an interesting and redemptive climax. What is the precise nature of that
X-factor or wild card? Perhaps a big secret will be revealed or some
missing evidence will arrive or a mental block will crumble. And it's likely
that you will have an epiphany abut how valuable your problem has
actually been.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be honest. Have you had any of the
following symptoms? 1. Lack of interest in trivial matters and a yearning
for big, holy mysteries. 2. Unfamiliar but interesting impulses rising up in
you and demanding consideration. 3. Fresh insights into people and
situations you've known a long time. 4. An altered sense of the flow of
time. 5. Out-of-the-blue recall of long-forgotten memories. If you haven't
experienced any of the above, Aquarius, I must be totally off in my
analysis and this horoscope isn't for you. But if you've had even two of
these symptoms, you are on schedule to get what those of us in the
consciousness industry call a "religious experience."
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You just might be able to teach a statue to
talk this week -- or at least coax a useful message out of a stone-like
person. You could also probably extract a delicious clue from out of the
darkness or wrangle a tricky blessing from an adversary or find a small
treasure hidden in a big mess. In short, Pisces, you now have a knack for
accessing beauty and truth in unexpected sources. You can see what
everyone else is blind to and love what everyone else has given up on.
You're practically a superhero. Use your powers wisely, my friend. Be
benevolently unpredictable.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Can you manage to be both highly alert and
deeply relaxed? Could you be wildly curious and yet also serenely
reflective? Can you imagine yourself being extra hungry to crack life's
secrets but also at peace with your destiny exactly the way it is? If you
can honestly answer yes to those questions, you'll get a lot of help in the
coming week. The universe may even seem to be conspiring to educate
you and heal you. You will receive a steady flow of clues about how to get
closer to living your dreams.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the coming week, you would be wise to
deal with your vulnerability, your fallibility, and your own personal share of
the world's darkness. If you refuse to do that, either out of laziness or
fear, I'm worried that you will reinforce a status quo that needs to be
overthrown. You may end up rationalizing your mistakes, clinging to false
pride, and running away from challenges that could make you smarter and
stronger. Don't do that, Taurus! Be brave. Be willing to see what's difficult
to see. There will be big rewards if you choose to explore the weaker and
less mature parts of your personality.
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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.
"The best part about your audio horoscopes is that they pat me on the
head and kick me in the ass at the same time." - Rita L., San Diego
"Your audio oracles go beyond helping me find the truth -- they inspire
me to find the WILD truth." - Patrick K., Montreal
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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the 1968 Olympics, Bob Beamon broke the
world record for the long jump. His leap was so far beyond the previous
mark that the optical device designed to calculate it didn't work. Officials
had to resort to an old-fashioned measuring tape. After that, the word
"Beamonesque" came to signify a feat that vastly outstripped all previous
efforts. According to my analysis, you Geminis will have an excellent
chance to be Beamonesque in 2013. I expect that you will at least
surpass your own peak levels of accomplishment. If you have not yet
launched your ascent, get started now.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The fire ants that invaded the southern U.S.
back in the 1930s are an annoyance. They swarm and bite and sting. The
venom they inject makes their victims feel like they've been burned. Two
communities have decided to make the best of the situation. Auburn,
Georgia and Marshall, Texas both stage annual Fire Ant Festivals, with
events like the Fire Ant Call, the Fire Ant Round-Up, and the Fire Ant Chili
Cook-Off. (To win the latter, your dish must contain at least one fire ant.)
Maybe their example could inspire you, Cancerian. Is there any pest you
could develop a more playful and festive relationship with? Could you
possibly turn into the equivalent of a Fire Ant Whisperer?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): While reading William Kittredge's book *The
Nature of Generosity,* I learned about the oldest known sentence written
in ancient Greek. It was inscribed on a wine jug that dates back to 740
B.C. Translated into English, it says, "Who now of all dancers sports most
playfully?" Another possible translation is "Which of these dancers plays
most delicately?" I'd love to make something like that be your mantra in
the coming week, Leo. The time is right for you to do more dancing and
playing and sporting than usual -- and to seek out companions who'd like
to help you achieve record-breaking levels of those recreational activities.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the movie *Groundhog Day,* Bill Murray
plays a man who gets trapped in a timeloop. Over and over again, he
experiences the same 24 hours. When he wakes up each morning, it's still
February 2. At first it drives him crazy, pushing him to the verge of
suicide. But eventually he decides to use his time wisely. He becomes a
skilled pianist and a fluent French-speaker. He does good deeds and saves
people's lives. He even learns what he needs to do to win the heart of the
woman he desires. This transformation turns out to be the key to gaining
his freedom. Near the end of the film, he escapes to February 3. A
comparable opportunity is looming for you, Virgo. You have a chance to
break a spell you've been under or slip away from a rut you've been in.
Generosity may play a major role.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Events in the immediate future may have
resemblances to reading a boring book that's packed with highly useful
information. You might feel that there's a disjunction between the critical
clues you need to gather and the ho-hum style in which they are offered.
It's OK to be a bit disgruntled by this problem as long as you promise to
remain alert for the partially disguised goodies. Don't fall asleep in the
middle of the unspectacular lesson.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "Instinct tells us that sharks are more deadly
than delicious fatty foods," writes Jason Daley in *Discover* magazine.
But "instinct is wrong," he adds. In fact, eating food that tastes good but
is actually bad for us is a far greater threat than shark bites. That's just
one example of how our uneducated urges can sometimes lead us astray.
I invite you to keep this possibility in mind during the coming week,
Scorpio. It's by no means certain that you will be misled by your natural
inclinations, but it is crucial that you monitor them with acute
discernment.
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Homework: In the astrological worldview, this week is the last gasp of the
yearly cycle. A good way to celebrate is to bid farewell to outworn
approaches and lost causes. Tell me if you do. Freewillastrology.com
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2012 Rob Brezsny
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