Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
August 31, 2016
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/2bNwVXX
Or read the horoscopes on my website: http://bit.ly/LoveFWA
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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 are excerpts.
Dear Co-Conspirators: Congratulations on having such ambidextrous
brains and hearts. Due to your ever-growing ability to blend supple
rationality with robust intuition, you're not falling prey to the inane strains
of insanity that are going around. Instead you're achieving glorious victory
after glorious victory over the fearful fantasies that pass for normalcy.
Best of all, you're increasing your mastery of the art of paradox; more
and more you're attuned to the amusing fact that when the mythic shifts
hit the fan, the apparent opposites turn inside-out and trade places. The
rot prepares the way for the splendor. The chaos becomes the source of
the rejuvenation. The end of the world mutates into the beginning of the
world.
Please accept the thunderous applause of my one hand clapping. The
people who take everything personally and seriously may not recognize
your ingenious work, but we connoisseurs of the liberated imagination do.
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"Objection, evasion, joyous distrust, and love of irony are signs of health.
Everything absolute belongs to pathology." So proclaimed Friedrich
Nietzsche in *Beyond Good and Evil.*
Note well that he used the adjective "joyous" to describe distrust, not
"cynical" or "grumbling" or "sour."
The key to remaining vital and strong while questioning every so-called
absolute is to cultivate a cheerful, buoyant mood as you do it.
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Sometimes hope is an irrelevant waste of time, even a stupid self-
indulgence. Let's say, for instance, that I'm intently hoping that a certain
disagreeable person I've got to communicate with won't answer when I
call on the phone. That way I can simply leave a message on his voice mail
and avoid an unpleasant exchange. But it doesn't matter what I hope. The
guy will either answer or not, regardless of what I hope.
But there is another kind of hope that's potentially invigorating. Let's say
I hope that we humans will reverse the environmental catastrophes we're
perpetrating. Let's say that my hope motivates me to live more
sustainably and to inspire others to live more sustainably. Then my hope
is a catalyst.
I invite you to give two examples from your life about the two kinds of
hope.
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People ask me what they should do now that Mercury, Uranus, Neptune,
and Pluto are all retrograde. Here's one possible answer: Stick to drinking
low-fat water; avoid the high-fat H20 whenever possible. Likewise, inhale
only the kind of oxygen that's low in cholesterol, and don't allow your
eyes to take in fatty landscapes or other calorie-rich sights.
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"Lama Surya Das, the "Buddha from Brooklyn," is one of the handful of
Westerners who have been teaching meditation for decades. And yet, he
says we're doing it wrong.
Lama Surya Das says there are other ways to meditate besides those that
are currently popular: "So many people seem to be moving narcissistically
into self-centered happiness-seeking and quietism, not to mention the use
of mindfulness for mere effectiveness," he says. "True meditation
generates wisdom and compassion, which may be very disquieting, at
least in the short term."
"'Quiet your mind' or 'calm and clear your mind' are instructions I hear
way too much," he says. "Some teachers actually encourage people to try
to stop thinking, when in fact meditative awareness means being mindful
of thoughts and feelings, not simply trying to reduce, alter or white them
out and achieve some kind of oblivion."
"The anti-intellectual meditators, thought-swatters and imagination-
suppressors have long ruled meditation-oriented circles in the West," he
says. "But authentic meditative practices can enhance and even unleash
the creativity and imagination.'
You don't have to quiet the mind to do many of the types of meditation
he proposes. They don't involve trying to find a quiet 'moment of Zen'
apart from the messy, noisy world of work, family and children, but rather
inviting all of the noise into meditation.
These thoughts are from an article by Jay Michaelson in
huffingtonpost.com. More here: http://tinyurl.com/o8yl9jc
Lama Surya Das's new book: http://tinyurl.com/ooltqx2
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
This 3,000-Mile-Long Bike Lane Will Let You Ride From Maine To Florida.
http://tinyurl.com/zn3ashg
Colorado proves free birth control works.
http://tinyurl.com/jykts9y
The UK's first natural public swimming pool will use plants, not chemicals,
to stay clean
http://tinyurl.com/jm4a587
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They aren't advertisements,
and I get no kickbacks.)
Please tell me your own nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES:
Truthrooster@gmail.com.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning September 1
Copyright 2016 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Play a joke on your nervous anxiety. Leap off
the ground or whirl in a circle five times as you shout, "I am made of
love!" Learn the words and melody to a new song that lifts your mood
whenever you sing it. Visualize yourself going on an adventure that will
amplify your courage and surprise your heart. Make a bold promise to
yourself, and acquire an evocative object that will symbolize your
intention to fulfill that promise. Ask yourself a soul-shaking question you
haven't been wise enough to investigate before now. Go to a wide-open
space, spread your arms out in a greeting to the sky, and pray for a vision
of your next big goal.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Illuminati do not want you to receive the
prophecy I have prepared for you. Nor do the Overlords of the New World
Order, the Church of the SubGenius, the Fake God that masquerades as
the Real God, or the nagging little voice in the back of your head. So why
am I going ahead and divulging this oracle anyway? Because I love you. My
loyalty is to you, not those shadowy powers. Therefore, I am pleased to
inform you that the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to
evade, ignore, undermine, or rebel against controlling influences that
aren't in alignment with your soul's goals.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The dictionary says that the verb "to
schmooze" means to chat with people in order to promote oneself or
make a social connection that may prove to be advantageous. But that
definition puts a selfish spin on an activity that can, at least sometimes,
be carried out with artful integrity. Your assignment in the coming weeks
is to perform this noble version of schmoozing. If you are offering a
product or service that is beautiful or useful or both, I hope you will boost
its presence and influence with the power of your good listening skills and
smart conversations.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you are attuned with the cosmic
rhythms in the coming weeks, you will be a source of teaching and
leadership. Allies will feel fertilized by your creative vigor. You'll stimulate
team spirit with your savvy appeals to group solidarity. If anyone can
revive droopy procrastinators and demonstrate the catalytic power of
gratitude, it'll be you. Have you heard enough good news, Sagittarius, or
can you absorb more? I expect that you'll inspire interesting expressions
of harmony that will replace contrived versions of togetherness. And
every blessing you bestow will expand your capacity for attracting favors
you can really use.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The fictional character known as Superman
has one prominent vulnerability: the mineral kryptonite. When he's near
this stuff, it weakens his superpowers and may cause other problems. I
think we all have our own versions of kryptonite, even if they're
metaphorical. For instance, my own superpowers tend to decline when I
come into the presence of bad architecture, cheesy poetry, and off-pitch
singing. How about you, Capricorn? What's your version of kryptonite?
Whatever it is, I'm happy to let you know that you are currently less
susceptible to its debilitating influences than usual. Why? Well, you have a
sixth sense about how to avoid it. And even if it does draw near, you have
in your repertoire some new tricks to keep it from sapping your strength.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It's quite possible you will receive seductive
proposals in the coming weeks. You may also be invited to join your
fortunes with potential collaborators who have almost fully awakened to
your charms. I won't be surprised if you receive requests to share your
talents, offer your advice, or bestow your largesse. You're a hot prospect,
my dear. You're an attractive candidate. You appear to be ripe for the
plucking. How should you respond? My advice is to be flattered and
gratified, but also discerning. Just because an inquiry is exciting doesn't
mean it's good for you. Choose carefully.
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MY OTHER HOROSCOPES
Factual information and reasonable thinking alone are not sufficient to
guide you through life's labyrinthine tests. You need and deserve regular
deliveries of uncanny revelation.
One of your inalienable rights as a human being should therefore be to
receive mysteriously useful omens on a regular basis. In this spirit, I offer
you the free weekly horoscopes you read here.
If you ever want more, and think it's worth paying for, try my EXPANDED
AUDIO HOROSCOPES. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the
current state of your destiny and where you're headed.
To listen to your Expanded Audio Horoscope online, go to
http://RealAstrology.com.
Register and/or log in through the main page.
You can also listen over the phone by calling 1-877-873-4888.
The cost is $6 per sign on the Web (discounts available for bulk
purchases), or $1.99 per minute by phone.
The Expanded Audio Horoscopes work on most smart phones and tablets.
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"Your Expanded Audio Horoscopes seem to have the effect of activating
my inner teacher. Thanks!" - Eleanor A., Toronto
"Your expanded audio horoscopes are the next best thing to actually
having you here next to me to remind me who I really am." - Alyssa R.,
Des Moines, Iowa
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Would you like to become a master of
intimacy? Can you imagine yourself handling the challenges of
togetherness with the skill of a great artist and the wisdom of a love
genius? If that prospect appeals to you, now would be a favorable time to
up your game. Here's a hot tip on how to porceed: You must cultivate
two seemingly contradictory skills. The first is the capacity to identify and
nurture the best qualities in your beloved friend. The second is the ability
to thrive on the fact that healthy relationships require you to periodically
wrestle with each other's ignorance and immaturity.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Truth decay is in its early stages. If you take
action soon, you can prevent a full-scale decomposition. But be
forewarned: Things could get messy, especially if you intervene with the
relentless candor and clarity that will be required for medicinal
purification. So what do you think? Are you up for the struggle? I
understand if you're not. I'll forgive you if you simply flee. But if you
decide to work your cagey magic, here are some tips. 1. Compile your
evidence with rigor. 2. As much as is humanly possible, put aside rancor.
Root your efforts in compassionate objectivity. 3. Even as you dig around
in the unsightly facts, cherish the beautiful truths you'd like to replace
them with.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Are you willing to lose at least some of your
inhibitions? Are you curious to find out what it feels like to cavort like a
wise wild child? If you want to fully cooperate with life's plans, you will
need to consider those courses of action. I am hoping that you'll accept
the dare, of course. I suspect you will thrive as you explore the pleasures
of playful audacity and whimsical courage and effervescent experiments.
So be blithe, Taurus! Be exuberant! Be open to the hypothesis that
opening to jaunty and jovial possibilities is the single most intelligent thing
you can do right now.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): What's the current status of your relationship
with your feet? Have you been cultivating and cherishing your connection
with the earth below you? The reason I ask, Gemini, is that right now it's
especially important for you to enjoy intimacy with gravity, roots, and
foundations. Whatever leads you down and deeper will be a source of
good fortune. Feeling grounded will provide you with an aptitude for
practical magic. Consider the possibilities of going barefoot, getting a
foot massage, or buying a new shoes that are both beautiful and
comfortable.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): A woman in the final stages of giving birth
may experience acute discomfort. But once her infant spills out into the
world, her distress can transform into bliss. I don't foresee quite so
dramatic a shift for you, Cancerian. But the transition you undergo could
have similar elements: from uncertainty to grace; from agitation to relief;
from constriction to spaciousness. To take maximum advantage of this
blessing, don't hold onto the state you're leaving behind -- or the feelings
it aroused in you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In one of my dreams last night, a Leo sensualist I
know advised me to take smart pills and eat an entire chocolate
cheesecake before writing my next Leo horoscope. In another dream, my
Leo friend Erica suggested that I compose your horoscope while attending
an orgy where all the participants were brilliant physicists, musicians, and
poets. In a third dream, my old teacher Rudolf (also a Leo) said I should
create the Leo horoscope as I sunbathed on a beach in Maui while being
massaged by two sexy geniuses. Here's how I interpret my dreams: In the
coming days, you can literally increase your intelligence by indulging in
luxurious comforts and sensory delights.
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Homework: All of us are trying to wake up from our sleepy delusions
about the nature of life. What's your most potent wake-up technique?
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Submissions sent to Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
or in response to "homework assignments" may be
published in a variety of formats at Rob Brezsny's discretion,
including but not limited to newsletters, books, the Free Will
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the right to edit submissions for length, style, and content.
Requests for anonymity will be honored. We are not responsible for
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2016 Rob Brezsny
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