Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
May 29, 2013
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/12dGLaL
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Does anyone out there have ideas about what New York publication might
want to publish my column Free Will Astrology? Anyone have any inside
connections?
I've recently been banished from New York's Village Voice, where I'd been
published every week for over 14 years. The Voice also fired three other
veteran writers, including lifestyle columnist Michael Musto, who'd been
with the newspaper since 1984.
I welcome any brainstorms you might have. Send ideas to me at
Truthrooster@gmail.com or post a message on my Facebook page at
http://bit.ly/BrezFB.
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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
Here's an excerpt:
I'M A STAR, YOU'RE A STAR
(To read the entirety of this feature, go here: http://bit.ly/YouStarYou)
You're a star -- and so am I. I'm a genius -- and so are you. Your success
encourages my brilliance, and my charisma enhances your power. Your
victory doesn't require my defeat, and vice versa.
Those are the rules in the New World -- quite unlike the rules in the Old
World, where zero-sum games are the norm, and only one of us can win
each time we play.
In the New World, you don't have to tone down or apologize for your
prowess, because you love it when other people shine. You exult in your
own excellence without regarding it as a sign of inherent superiority. As
you ripen more and more of your latent aptitude, you inspire the rest of
us to claim our own idiosyncratic magnificence.
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Tibetan Buddhist teacher Geshe Chekawa (1220–1295) specialized in
bodhicitta, seeking enlightenment not for personal gain but as a way to
serve others. On his deathbed, he prayed to be sent to hell so that he
might alleviate the suffering of the lost souls there.
As you explore pronoia, you will discover that like Chekawa, you have a
huge capacity to help people. Unlike him, you'll find that expressing your
benevolence doesn't require you to go to hell. It may even be
unnecessary for you to sacrifice your own joy or to practice self-denial.
Just the opposite:_Being in service to humanity and celebrating your
unique power will be synergistic. They will need each other to thrive.
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The Golden Rule is a decent ethical principle, but it could be even better.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" presumes that
others enjoy what you enjoy. But that's wrong. There are many things
you'd like to have done unto you that others would either despise or be
bored by. Here's a new, improved formulation, which we call the Platinum
Rule: Do unto others as they would like to have you do unto them.
Using this improved formula is not just a virtuous way to live, but is also
the best way to ensure the success of your selfish goals. The rituals and
spells of various occult orders purport to be supercharged techniques for
imposing your personal will on the chaotic flow of events, but I say that
practicing the Platinum Rule outstrips all of them as an exercise to
enhance your potency and happiness.
TO READ THE REST OF "I'M A STAR, YOU'RE A STAR," go here:
http://bit.ly/YouStarYou
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
THERE ARE LOTS OF BRILLIANT PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT
California teen invents device that could charge a cell phone in 20
seconds.
http://tinyurl.com/ltzbe8r
LIFE ISN'T HALF AS BAD AS THE NEWS MEDIA SUGGEST IT IS
Graduation Rate Hits Record High For High School Students
http://tinyurl.com/a8hhhy5
THIS WEEK IN PRONOIAC HISTORY
Canadian Nobel Prize recipient Dr. Frederick Banting, discoverer of insulin,
sold the rights to the University of Toronto for $1 so that it was available
to everyone.
http://tinyurl.com/7ml7p62
(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 May 30
Copyright 2013 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Japan it's not rude to slurp while you eat
your ramen noodles out of a bowl. That's what the *Lonely Planet* travel
guide told me. In fact, some Japanese hosts expect you to make sounds
with your mouth; they take it as a sign that you're enjoying your meal. In
that spirit, Gemini, and in accordance with the astrological omens, I
encourage you to be as uninhibited as you dare this week -- not just when
you're slurping your noodles, but in every situation where you've got to
express yourself uninhibitedly in order to experience the full potential of
the pleasurable opportunities. As one noodle-slurper testified: "How can
you possibly get the full flavor if you don't slurp?"
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Here's a thought from philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein: "A person will be imprisoned in a room with a door that's
unlocked and opens inwards as long as it does not occur to him to pull
rather than push that door." I'd like to suggest that his description fits
you right now, Cancerian. What are you going to do about it? Tell me I'm
wrong? Reflexively agree with me? I've got a better idea. Without either
accepting or rejecting my proposal, simply adopt a neutral, open-minded
attitude and experiment with the possibility. See what happens if you try
to pull the door open.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you have been waiting for the right moment to
perfect your party skills, I suspect this might be it. Is there anything you
can do to lower your inhibitions? Would you at least temporarily consider
slipping into a chronic state of fun? Are you prepared to commit yourself
to extra amounts of exuberant dancing, ebullient storytelling, and
unpredictable playtime? According to my reading of the astrological
omens, the cosmos is nudging you in the direction of rabble-rousing
revelry.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Where exactly are your power spots, Virgo?
Your bed, perhaps, where you rejuvenate and reinvent yourself every
night? A place in nature where you feel at peace and at home in the
world? A certain building where you consistently make good decisions and
initiate effective action? Wherever your power spots are, I advise you to
give them extra focus. They are on the verge of serving you even better
than they usually do, and you should take steps to ensure that happens. I
also advise you to be on the lookout for a new power spot. It's available.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Reverence is one of the most useful emotions.
When you respectfully acknowledge the sublime beauty of something
greater than yourself, you do yourself a big favor. You generate authentic
humility and sincere gratitude, which are healthy for your body as well as
your soul. Please note that reverence is not solely the province of
religious people. A biologist may venerate the scientific method. An
atheist might experience a devout sense of awe toward geniuses who
have bequeathed to us their brilliant ideas. What about you, Libra? What
excites your reverence? Now is an excellent time to explore the deeper
mysteries of this altered state of consciousness.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): When explorer Ernest Shackleton was
planning his expedition to Antarctica in 1914, he placed this ad in London
newspapers: "Wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold,
long months of complete darkness, constant danger, return doubtful.
Honor and recognition in case of success." Would you respond to a come-
on like that if you saw it today? I hope not. It's true that your sense of
adventure is ratcheting up. And I suspect you're itching for intense
engagement with the good kind of darkness that in the past has inspired
so much smoldering wisdom. But I believe you can satisfy those yearnings
without putting yourself at risk or suffering severe deprivation.
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WANT TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER?
What new influences are heading your way?
How do you want to create your life story in the coming weeks?
How can you exert your free will to seek out the adventures that'll bring
out the best in you, even as you find graceful ways to cooperate with the
tides of destiny?
If you'd like help in figuring it all out, consider trying my EXPANDED AUDIO
HOROSCOPES. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current
state of your destiny and where you're headed.
Go here to register and log in: http://Realastrology.com
You can also listen over the phone by calling
1-877-873-4888
The cost is $6 if you access them on the Web -- with discounts for
multiple purchases -- or $1.99 per minute over the phone.
"I always feel like I know myself better after listening to your audio
'scopes."
-June R., Austin, TX
"Your audio horoscopes calm me down when I'm too manic and pep me up
when I'm down."
-Arthur T., Cleveland, OH
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): "I'd rather not sing than sing quiet," said
the vivacious chanteuse Janis Joplin. Her attitude reminds me a little of
Salvador Dali's. He said, "It is never difficult to paint. It is either easy or
impossible." I suspect you Sagittarians may soon be in either-or states like
those. You will want to give everything you've got, or else nothing at all.
You will either be in the zone, flowing along in a smooth and natural
groove, or else totally stuck. Luckily, I suspect that giving it all and being
in the zone will predominate.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1948, Nelson Mandela began his fight to
end the system of apartheid in his native South Africa. Eventually he was
arrested for dissident activities and sentenced to life imprisonment. He
remained in jail until 1990, when his government bowed to international
pressure and freed him. By 1994, apartheid collapsed. Mandela was
elected president of his country and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Fast-
forward to 2008. Mandela was still considered a terrorist by the United
States, and had to get special permission to enter the country. Yikes! You
probably don't have an antiquated rule or obsolescent habit that's as
horrendous as that, Capricorn. But it's past time for you to dissolve your
attachment to *any* outdated attachments, even if they're only mildly
repressive and harmful.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): As a renowned artist, photographer, and
fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld has overflowed with creative expression
for 50 years. His imagination is weird and fantastic, yet highly practical.
He has produced a profusion of flamboyant stuff. "I'm very down to
earth," he has said, "just not this earth." Let's make that your mantra for
the coming weeks, Aquarius: You, too, will be very down to earth in your
own unique way. You'll follow your quirky intuition, but always with the
intent of channeling it constructively.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the following passage, French novelist
Georges Perec invites us to renew the way we look upon things that are
familiar to us. "What we need to question," he says, "is bricks, concrete,
glass, our table manners, our utensils, our tools, the way we spend our
time, our rhythms. To question that which seems to have ceased forever
to astonish us." A meditation like this could nourish and even thrill you,
Pisces. I suggest you boost your ability to be sincerely amazed by the
small wonders and obvious marvels that you sometimes take for granted.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Back in the 1920s, the governor of Texas was
determined to forbid the teaching of foreign languages in public schools.
To bolster her case, she called on the Bible. "If English was good enough
for Jesus Christ," she said, "it's good enough for us." She was dead
serious. I suspect you may soon have to deal with that kind of garbled
thinking, Aries. And it may be impossible to simply ignore it, since the
people wielding it may have some influence on your life. So what's the
best way to deal with it? Here's what I advise: Be amused. Quell your
rage. Stay calm. And methodically gather the cool, clear evidence about
what is *really* true.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A few weeks ago, the principal at a school in
Bellingham, Washington announced that classes would be canceled the
next day. What was his rationale? A big storm, a bomb threat, or an
outbreak of sickness? None of the above. He decided to give students
and teachers the day off so they could enjoy the beautiful weather that
had arrived. I encourage you to make a similar move in the coming days,
Taurus. Take an extended Joy Break -- maybe several of them. Grant
yourself permission to sneak away and indulge in spontaneous
celebrations. Be creative as you capitalize profoundly on the gifts that life
is offering you.
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Homework: Name one of your least useful attitudes: a belief or
perspective you know you should live without, but which you haven't had
the courage to banish. Freewillastrology.com
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to anyone.
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Submissions sent to the Free Will Astrology Weekly Newsletter
or in response to "homework assignments" may be
published in a variety of formats at Rob Brezsny's discretion,
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2013 Rob Brezsny
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