Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
December 11, 2013
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/1bs7lKJ
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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.
Some visionaries and prophets expect there to be a huge and sudden shift
in the world's story sometime in the coming years. A few of them even
predict that it will be "in the twinkling of an eye" -- a sudden cascade of
events that completely changes everything everywhere.
They 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 or the depletion of the
planet's oil reserves. 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 what 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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Expanded Audio Horoscopes: http://RealAstrology.com
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Are you in quest of an Intimate Ally? A Soul Friend? A Wild Confidante?
Check out Match.com via Free Will Astrology's link:
http://bit.ly/SoulMatch
Look for a Co-Pilot, Co-Conspirator, or Collaborator . . . an Agent to
represent you or a Disciple to worship you . . . a Secret Sharer who'll
listen better than anyone or an Amazing Accomplice with whom you can
practice the Art of Liberation.
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
Immigrants to the U.S. are less likely to shoplift, skip work or school, hurt
people or engage in other antisocial behaviors -- despite being poorer,
more urbanized, and less educated than people born in the States.
http://tinyurl.com/k6kzvf6
*One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life,* by Mitch
Horowitz -- http://tinyurl.com/n8d5q72
"Serious skeptics, true believers, and seekers of every stripe will want to
read Mitch Horowitz's vibrant, probing, and richly researched account of
the impact of the positive-thinking movement on every aspect of
American life today. Filled with a cast of remarkable characters and many
lively tales, *One Simple Idea* is a readable, responsible examination of
the limits and possibilities of mind-power as a source of constructive
transformation." - Judith Viorst
Germany Says No To Weaponized Drones
http://tinyurl.com/n5cf42n
(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 12
Copyright 2013 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): There are pregnant truths I could reveal
to you right now that I've decided not to disclose. I don't think you're
prepared to hear them yet. If I told you what they are, you wouldn't be
receptive or able to register their full meaning; you might even
misinterpret them. It is possible, however, that you could evolve rather
quickly in the next two weeks. So let's see if I can nudge you in the
direction of getting the experiences necessary to become ready. Meditate
on what parts of you are immature or underdeveloped -- aspects that
may one day be skilled and gracious, but are not yet. I bet that once you
identify what needs ripening, you will expedite the ripening. And then you
will become ready to welcome the pregnant truths.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "Finifugal" is a rarely used English
adjective that I need to invoke in order to provide you with the proper
horoscope. It refers to someone who avoids or dislikes endings -- like a
child who doesn't want a bedtime story to conclude, or an adult who's in
denial about how it's finally time to wrap up long-unfinished business. You
can't afford to be finifugal in the coming days, Capricorn. This is the tail
end of your cycle. It won't be healthy for you to shun climaxes and
denouements. Neither will it be wise to merely tolerate them. Somehow,
you've got to find a way to love and embrace them. (P.S. That's the best
strategy for ensuring the slow-motion eruption of vibrant beginnings after
your birthday.)
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to 20th-century British author
John Cowper Powys, "A bookshop is a dynamite-shed, a drugstore of
poisons, a bar of intoxicants, a den of opiates, an island of sirens." He
didn't mean that literally, of course. He was referring to the fact that the
words contained in books can inflame and enthrall the imagination. I think
you will be wise to seek out that level of arousal in the coming weeks,
Aquarius. Your thoughts need to be aired out and rearranged. Your
feelings are crying out for strenuous exercise, including some pure, primal
catharses. Do whatever it takes to make sure that happens.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "I am not fearless," says Mexican journalist
and women's right advocate Lydia Cacho, "but I'm not overtaken by fear.
Fear is quite an interesting animal. It's like a pet. If you mistreat it, it will
bite, but if you understand it and accept it in your house, it might protect
you." This is an excellent time to work on transforming your fright
reflexes, Pisces. You have just the right kind of power over them: strong
and crafty and dynamic, but not grandiose or cocky or delusional. You're
ready to make your fears serve you, not drain you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President of
the United States four times, more often than any other president. We
can conclude that he was one of the most popular American leaders ever.
And yet he never won a majority of the votes cast by the citizens of his
home county in New York. I foresee the possibility of a comparable
development in your life. You may be more successful working on the big
picture than you are in your immediate situation. It could be easier for
you to maneuver when you're not dealing with familiar, up-close matters.
What's outside your circle might be more attracted to your influence than
what's nearer to home.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 2009, actress Sandra Bullock starred in
three films, two of which earned her major recognition. For her
performance in *All About Steve,* she was given a Golden Raspberry
Award for Worst Actress. Her work in *The Blind Side,* on the other hand,
won her an Oscar for Best Actress. I'm thinking that you may experience a
similar paradox in the coming days, Taurus. Some of your efforts might be
denigrated, while others are praised. It may even be the case that you're
criticized and applauded for the same damn thing. How to respond? Learn
from Bullock's example. She gave gracious acceptance speeches at the
award ceremonies for both the Golden Raspberry and the Oscar.
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WHAT NEW INFLUENCES ARE HEADED 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.
Find out more at http://RealAstrology.com.
The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888.
"I don't much believe in astrology. But that doesn't seem to get in the
way of me deriving a whole lot of benefits from your expanded audio
horoscopes."
- A. Arrosto, Indianapolis
"You have an amazing aptitude for cutting through the lies I tell myself.
Thanks for the gentle shocks."
- T. Preneris, Toronto
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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Almost 2,000 years ago, a Roman doctor
named Scribonius Largus developed recipes for three different kinds of
toothpaste. One contained the ashes of burned-up deer antler, aromatic
resin from an evergreen shrub known as mastic, and a rare mineral called
sal ammoniac. His second toothpaste was a mix of barley flour, vinegar,
honey, and rock salt. Then there was the third: sun-dried radish blended
with finely ground glass. Let's get a bit rowdy here and propose that
these three toothpastes have metaphorical resemblances to the life
choices in front of you right now. I'm going to suggest you go with the
second option. At the very least, avoid the third.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Are you feeling a bit pinched, parched, and
prickly? Given the limitations you've had to wrestle with lately, I wouldn't
be surprised if you were. Even though you have passed some of the
sneaky tests and solved some of the itchy riddles you've been compelled
to deal with, they have no doubt contributed to the pinched, parched
prickliness. Now what can be done to help you recover your verve? I'm
thinking that all you will have to do is respond smartly to the succulent
temptations that life will bring your way in the coming weeks.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you ever situated yourself between two big
bonfires on a beach and basked in the primal power? Was there a special
moment in your past when you found yourself sitting between two
charismatic people you loved and admired, soaking up the life-giving
radiance they exuded? Did you ever read a book that filled you with
exaltation as you listened to music that thrilled your soul? These are the
kinds of experiences I hope you seek out in the coming week. I'd love to
see you get nourished stereophonically by rich sources of excitement.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Mythically speaking, this would be a propitious
time for you to make an offering to the sea goddess. In dreams or
meditations or fantasies, I suggest you dive down into the depths, find
the supreme feminine power in her natural habitat, and give her a special
gift. Show her how smart you are in the way you express love, or tell her
exactly how you will honor her wisdom in the future. If she is receptive,
you may even ask her for a favor. Maybe she'll be willing to assist you in
accessing the deep feelings that haven't been fully available to you. Or
perhaps she will teach you how to make conscious the secrets you have
been keeping from yourself.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don't linger in a doorway, Libra. Don't camp
out in a threshold or get stuck in the middle of anything. I understand
your caution, considering the fact that life is presenting you with such
paradoxical clues. But if you remain ambivalent too much longer, you may
obstruct the influx of more definitive information. The best way to
generate the clarity and attract the help you need will be to make a
decisive move -- either in or out, either forward or backward, either up or
down.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "It's a rare person who wants to hear what
he doesn't want to hear," said TV talk show host Dick Cavett. I will love it
if you make yourself one of those rare types in the coming week, Scorpio.
Can you bring yourself to be receptive to truths that might be disruptive?
Are you willing to send out an invitation to the world, asking to be shown
revelations that contradict your fixed theories and foregone conclusions?
If you do this hard work, I promise that you will be granted a brainstorm
and a breakthrough. You might also be given a new reason to brag.
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Homework: What holiday gifts do you want? Express your outrageous
demands and humble requests. Freewillastrology.com.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2013 Rob Brezsny
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