Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
May 21, 2014
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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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It's time for the Freethinkers Festival. To celebrate, feel free to indulge in
any of the following festive acts:
1. Declare your independence from anyone who tries to tell you, either
subliminally or directly, who you are or how you should live your life.
2. Declare your independence from your past, especially memories that
oppress your sense of possibility and self-images that inhibit your urge to
explore.
3. Declare your independence from peer pressure, groupthink, and
conventional wisdom.
4. Declare your independence from beliefs and theories that hinder your
ability to perceive the raw and unruly truth about new experiences.
Any other festive acts you'd like to suggest?
- http://bit.ly/Pronoia
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You've heard of passive smoking, which occurs when the burning
cigarette wastes of smokers snake into the lungs of innocent bystanders.
Now poetry scientists at the Beauty and Truth Lab have identified a
phenomenon they call second-hand depression, wherein victims
inadvertently absorb the misery and cynicism of people who are spewing
out negative emotions.
Be especially careful to protect yourself against that contamination.
Refuse to be poisoned by the lazy blather of out-of-control naysayers.
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What were you doing a year ago today? Check out my horoscopes for this
time of year in 2013 and see if my oracle was applicable to what you
were going through: http://bit.ly/11aYjm3
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
A Happy Life or a Meaningful One -- Do We Really Need to Choose?
http://tinyurl.com/pcw64jw
"Plastic shopping bags, an abundant source of litter on land and at sea,
can be converted into diesel, natural gas and other useful petroleum
products, researchers report."
http://tinyurl.com/o2jfm55
"From an evolutionary standpoint, selfishness in humans is not beneficial."
http://tinyurl.com/l3hpsbp
(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 22
Copyright 2014 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): During the next 12 months you will have
exceptional opportunities to soak up knowledge, add to your skill set, and
get the training you need to pursue interesting kinds of success in the
coming six to eight years. What's the best way to prepare? Develop an
exciting new plan for your future education. To get in the mood, try the
following: make a list of your most promising but still unripe potentials;
meditate on the subjects that evoke your greatest curiosity; brainstorm
about what kinds of experiences would give you more control over your
destiny; and study three people you know who have improved their lives
by taking aggressive steps to enhance their proficiency.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The moon shows us a different phase every
24 hours, which makes it seem changeable. But in fact, not much actually
happens on the moon. It has no atmosphere, no weather, no wind, no
plant life, no seasons. There is some water, but it's all frozen. Is there
anything like this in your own life, Cancerian? Something that on the
surface of things seems to be in constant motion, but whose underlying
state never actually shifts or develops? According to my analysis, now
would be an excellent time for you to revise the way you understand this
part of your world, and then update your relationship with it.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Have you thought of organizing a crowdfunding
campaign to boost your pet project or labor of love? I suggest you get
serious about it in the next four weeks. This coming phase of your cycle
will be a favorable time to expand your audience, attract new allies, and
build a buzz. You will have a sixth sense about how to wield your personal
charm to serve your long-term goals. More than usual, your selfish
interests will dovetail with the greater good -- perhaps in unexpected
ways.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Years ago I had a Virgo friend who was a
talented singer. She had technical skill, stylistic flair, and animal
magnetism, making her worthy of being a lead vocalist in almost any
great band. And yet when she was asleep and had dreams of performing,
she often found herself standing in the shadows, barely visible and singing
tentatively, while her back-up singers hogged the spotlight at center
stage. Moral of the story: Some of you Virgos are shy about claiming your
full authority. It doesn't always come easy for you to shine your light and
radiate your power. And yet you can most definitely learn to do so. The
coming weeks will be an excellent time to make progress in this direction.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "There is always an enormous temptation in all
of life," writes Annie Dillard, "to diddle around making itsy-bitsy friends
and meals and journeys for itsy-bitsy years on end . . . I won't have it. The
world is wider than that in all directions, more dangerous and bitter, more
extravagant and bright." Your assignment in the coming weeks, Libra, is
to transcend whatever is itsy-bitsy about your life. The alternative? Head
toward the frontier and drum up experiences that will thrill your heart and
blow your mind.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "We are all searching for someone whose
demons play well with ours," writes novelist Heidi R. Kling. That's good
advice for you to keep in mind these days, Scorpio. Those little imps and
rascals that live within you may get you into bad trouble if they feel
bored. But if you arrange for them to have play dates with the imps and
rascals of people you trust, they are far more likely to get you into good
trouble. They may even provide you with bits of gritty inspiration. What's
that you say? You don't have any demons? Not true. Everyone has them.
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LEARN TO BE LUCKY
You can learn to be lucky. It's not a mystical force you're born with, but a
habit you can develop. How? For starters, be open to new experiences,
trust your gut wisdom, expect good fortune, see the bright side of
challenging events, and master the art of maximizing serendipitous
opportunities.
For more help, tune in to my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're
reports on the current state of your destiny and where you're headed.
These forecasts are different in tone and format from the written
horoscopes you read in this newsletter. They're longer and more leisurely
in tone -- averaging four to five minutes. They tend to bring out more of
the patient counselor in me, and have a bit less of the poet.
To listen to your Expanded Audio Horoscope online, go to
http://RealAstrology.com.
Register and/or log in through the main page.
They're available on your tablets and smart phones as well as your
computers.
You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888.
"Your expanded horoscopes get more personal and intimate with me than
some of my closest friends. Thanks for the loving reflections."
- Ari S., Ann Arbor, MI
"Your audio 'scopes have a knack for waking me up from whatever
random dream has sneaked into my brain and rendered me half-blind."
- Teresa F., Boston, MA
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): "When people tell you who they are,
believe them," writes blogger Maria Popova (Brainpickings.org). "Just as
importantly, however, when people try to tell you who you are, don't
believe them." Those suggestions are especially crucial for you to keep in
mind these days. You are entering a phase when your best relationships
will be up for review and revision and revitalization. To foster an
environment in which intimacy will thrive, you've got to be extra
receptive, curious, tolerant, and tender. That's all! Not hard, right? A
good place to start is to proceed as if your allies know who they are
better than you do -- even as you ask them to return the favor.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "Kludge" (pronounced klooj) is a slang
word that refers to a clumsy but effective fix for an engineering problem.
It's a cobbled-together solution that works fine, at least temporarily, even
though it is inelegant or seems farfetched. Let's use this concept in a
metaphorical way to apply to you. I'm guessing that you will be a kludge
master in the coming days. You will be skilled at making the best of
mediocre situations. You may have surprising success at doing things that
don't come naturally, and I bet you will find unexpected ways to correct
glitches that no one else has any idea about how to fix.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I hesitate to compare you to your fellow
Aquarian Kim Jong-il. When he was alive and ruling North Korea, he was an
egomaniacal tyrant. You're definitely not that. But there are certain
descriptions of him in his official biography that remind me of the kinds of
powers you may soon exhibit. He was called The Great Sun of Life and
Highest Incarnation of Revolutionary Comradely Love, for instance. Titles
like that might suit you. It is said that he invented the hamburger. He
could command rain to fall from the sky. He once shot eleven holes-in-one
in a single round of golf, was a master of gliding down waterslides, and
never had to use a toilet because he produced no waste. You may be able
to express comparable feats in the coming weeks. (Do it without falling
prey to excessive pride, OK?)
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Even if you had a sensitive, nurturing mommy
when you were growing up, and even if she continues to play an
important role in your life, now would be a good time to learn how to
mother yourself better. You are finally ready to appreciate how important
it is to be your own primary caregiver. And I'm hoping you are no longer
resistant to or embarrassed about the idea that part of you is still like a
child who needs unconditional love 24/7. So get started! Treat yourself
with the expert tenderness that a crafty maternal goddess would provide.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I believe your persuasive powers will be
stronger than usual in the weeks ahead. The words coming out of your
mouth will sound especially interesting. I also suspect that your
intelligence will get at least a temporary upgrade. The clarity of your
thoughts will intensify. You will see truths you have been blind to in the
past. Innovative solutions to long-running dilemmas are likely to occur to
you. The only potential snag is that you might neglect to nurture your
emotional riches. You could become a bit too dry and hard. But now that
I've warned you of that possibility, let's hope you will take steps to
ensure it won't happen.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If there was a Hall of Fame for scientists,
physicist Isaac Newton (1642-1727) would have been the charter
member. He was like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry were to rock and roll,
like Babe Ruth was to baseball. The theory of gravity and the three laws
of motion were his gifts to the world. He made major contributions to
mathematics and optics, and was a central figure in defining modern
science. There is also a legend that he invented the cat door, inspired by
his pet felines. Whether or not that's true, it serves as an excellent
metaphor for this horoscope. It's an excellent time for you to apply your
finest talents and highest intelligence to dream up small, mundane, but
practical innovations.
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Homework: Name a beautiful thing you were never capable of doing until
this past year. http://RealAstrology
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2014 Rob Brezsny
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