Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter October 24, 2007

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
October 24, 2007
FreeWillAstrology.com

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"A terrorist is the product of our education that says that fantasy is not real, that says aesthetics is just for artists, that says soul is only for priests, imagination is trivial or dangerous and for crazies, and that reality, what we must adapt to, is the external world, a world that is dead. A terrorist is a result of this whole long process of wiping out the psyche."
- James Hillman, Blue Fire

"Where does imagination go to school in America?"
- James Hillman

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My book
"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
is available for sale at
tinyurl.com/qaj62

To read news and features from the book, go here:
tinyurl.com/lhwx2

Here's an excerpt:

PRONOIA NEWS NETWORK

These are our top stories.

PRONOIA DOESN'T REQUIRE LOTS OF MONEY

"On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 means 'not at all satisfied with my life' and 7 means 'completely satisfied,' the people on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans score an average of 5.8--the same as the Inuit people in Greenland and the cattle-herding Masai of Kenya, who live in dung huts with no electricity or running water. Calcutta's slum dwellers score only a little lower, at 4.6."
(Source: tinyurl.com/2xqcsd)

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MAKE-BELIEVE ART

The Museum of Make Believe features artifacts from nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and classical literature. Among its treasures are Snow White's mirror, the baseball mitt from The Catcher in the Rye, Jack and Jill's notorious pail, and the tools Geppetto used to create his wooden son Pinocchio. (Source: tinyurl.com/25t5dr)

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HANDS THAT HARVESTED YOUR FOOD

"Strawberries are too delicate to be picked by machine. The perfectly ripe ones bruise even at too heavy a human touch. Every strawberry you have ever eaten has been picked by callused human hands. Every piece of toast with jelly represents someone's knees, someone's aching backs and hips, someone with a bandanna on her wrist to wipe away the sweat."
- Alison Luterman, quoted in After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, by Jack Kornfield

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NEW HEALTH CRAZE

Prayer can have a medicinal effect, according to a study of 990 heart patients at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. Five prayer teams prayed daily on behalf of half of the patients. Though they did not know they were being prayed for, their health improved faster and they needed fewer drugs than the patients who did not have the benefit of the prayers. The report on the experiment appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. (Source: Associated Press)

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DOMESTICATING DISEASES

Biologist Paul Ewald is opposed to efforts to exterminate diseases spread by germs. Instead, we should figure out how they co-evolve with humans, and push them to mutate in ways that are favorable for us.

Like every living thing, harmful microbial species change over time in response to environmental conditions. Syphilis, for example, was more lethal and fast-spreading 500 years ago. It killed its human victims relatively quickly, which diminished its ability to proliferate in new hosts. Ultimately, a milder variety evolved. An infected person survived longer and could spread the syphilis strain further.

Ewald wants to adopt this model as a conscious strategy, cultivating conditions that encourage the mellow strains of a disease to trump their nastier relatives.

"Maybe someday we'll barely notice when we get colonized by disease organisms," Ewald told journalist Joel Achenbach. "We'll have co-opted them. They'll be like in-laws, a little annoying but tolerable. If a friend sees us sniffling, we'll just say, Oh, it's nothing - just a touch of plague." (Source: Joel Achenbach, "Our Friend, the Plague," National Geographic, November 2003)

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TUNDRA CHEER

"A major psychiatric study of 1,200 Finnish reindeer herders found midwinter to be quite a cheery time, despite darkness and daily temperatures that averaged a bone-chilling minus 22 degrees. 'All kinds of disorders, including depression, were rare in the darkest season,' Dr. Nayha Vaisanen and his team of scientists concluded in the 1994 issue of the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia." - Lisa M. Krieger, San Francisco Examiner

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MIRABILIA REPORT

Mirabilia n. innovations generated by unseen presences, enigmatic phenomena on the cusp between fake and real, odd acts of deliverance that inspire love or wonder or both; from the Latin mirabilia, "marvels."

* In 2002, scientists discovered a secret underground river running 800 feet below a Mauritanian town in the Sahara Desert. With a flow rate of 8,450 gallons per hour, it is the biggest unnamed river in the world.

* Oblivious to dire biblical prophecies about swarms of locusts, residents of Beijing, China, warmly greeted their arrival in 2002. They scooped the insects up in large bags, deep-fried them, and made them the main dish of an enormous feast.

* Two percent of your fears are based in fact and are actually worth worrying about, while the other 98 percent are either imagined or else not yours, having infected you through the psychic version of contagion.

* Astronomers have discovered a crystal as big as our moon at the core of a dying white dwarf star.

* A Japanese genius invented a robot that can belly dance.

* Twelve percent of the population believes that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.

* Because half of the world's vanilla crop is grown in Madagascar, the whole island smells like vanilla ice cream.

* Your body contains so much iron that you could make a spike out of it, and that spike would be strong enough to hold you up.

* Bali has 80,000 temples.

* Some piranhas are vegetarians.

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THIS WEEK IN PRONOIAC HISTORY

In an act of random violence, playwright Samuel Beckett was stabbed by a pimp on a Paris street. A stranger, the pianist Suzanne Deschevaux-Dumesnil, found him and got medical help. She visited him in the hospital, and eventually the two were married.

Bach's St. Matthew Passion is a highly regarded musical composition. Yet the score disappeared and the work wasn't played for years after Bach's death in 1750. In 1829, composer Felix Mendelssohn rediscovered the long-lost manuscript being used as wrapping paper in the estate sale of a deceased cheese salesman. He arranged for a public performance of the piece, and its revival began.

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SACRED ADVERTISEMENT

This perfect moment is brought to you by the thousand-year-old rose bush that's growing on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany, and by the fossilized remains of a 40-million-year-old wild rose found in Florissant, Colorado.

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To read news and features from my book, go here: tinyurl.com/lhwx2

You can buy the book here:

AMAZON
tinyurl.com/qaj62

POWELLS
tinyurl.com/3dsx6q

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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS CONTINUE
Cancer Death Rates Falling Fast
tinyurl.com/2pjlmo

HE ROBIN HOODS HIMSELF
Frugal billionaire who doesn't own a home or a car has given away a fortune to fund charities and human rights
tinyurl.com/2rdc35

WE'RE ALL CONNECTED IN THE DREAMTIME
Check out these dream tales from dreamers around the world.
www.WorldDreamBank.org
"I was Eve's guardian angel the second time round, and I blew it again. But this time, it came out right . . ."
"I'm a hippie girl in San Francisco, in hard times. To escape the Four Horsemen, I lie down with Death . . ."
"I'm a sexy singing beast, the Krelkin, trying to lure the Reading Man out of his Moral Kiosk . . ."
"My best friend and I are shapeshifters; I seduce him, just so my daughter Krytha can be born . . ."

(Note: I endorse these because I like them. These 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 October 25

Copyright 2007 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Don't eat stale candy from a vending machine where it has sat for six months. Don't seek advice from people who haven't changed their minds about anything since the last century. And don't wear clothes you acquired before 2005 or cling to attitudes you adopted before last month. Catch my drift, Scorpio? You need to evade every influence that tends to keep you frozen in the past. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that it's time to make yourself fully available for the healthiest kind of future shock. Halloween costume suggestions: a grinning exclamation point, a rose bud about to burst open, a welcome sign, a religious devotee dressed in white.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

If you've been put on a pedestal by a person who admires you a little too much, it's likely you'll have to climb down from that pedestal in the coming weeks. If you've been floating up in the clouds, it's time to get your feet on the ground. In fact, Sagittarius, if there's any way in which you've been too high and mighty, too far outside and beyond, you'd be wise to leave it behind in favor of a more down-to-earth perspective. This is very good news, by the way. After an initial jolt, life will be more interesting and people will become more helpful. Halloween costume suggestions: an angel coming down a ladder, a parachutist, a celebrity drunk in rehab.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

A 12-year-old sea lion at the Pittsburgh zoo has taken up painting. Maggie's trainer had to coax her at first, but now she truly enjoys swabbing canvases with paint-soaked brushes. Let's make her your inspirational role model, Capricorn. It's an excellent time to cultivate and refine your instinctual nature . . . to teach your inner animal new tricks . . . to bring more conscious intention to things that come second-nature. Halloween costume suggestion: the creature you'd be if you weren't human.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

A 30-foot-high shaft of concrete draped in straw sprouts from an altar at an amusement park in Changchun, China. According to the China Folk Culture Association, this phallic symbol celebrates "our ancestors' pursuit of happiness and prosperity." Even if you're a lesbian, I suggest you make a comparable tribute to divine virility, Aquarius. Perform a ritual to tap into the archetypal energy of the Wild Man. Make or buy a lucky talisman that will inspire the full bloom of your martial exuberance and primal will. Halloween costume suggestions: Dionysus, Pan, a shamanatrix with a strap-on, a transgender magician with a huge wand.

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AUDIO LOVE LETTERS

In addition to the horoscopes that come to you in this newsletter, I create more in-depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration. I think of them as my love letters to you. They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute over the phone.

Try them at RealAstrology.com.

They're available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

"Your expanded astrology thingees help me remember who I really am." - Gareth N., Toronto

"I never knew it was possible to get my butt kicked and my head patted at the same time -- until I listened to you, Rob." - Kristi P., Portland, OR

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

Bending the rules of the game? Blowing off the expectations of the pack? Circumventing the conventions of the way it's always been done? Good work, Pisces. But why stop there? How about if you invoke an outrageous spiritual truth so you can suspend a humdrum old law of nature or two? After all, lyrical transgression is your specialty these days. It's one of those rare times when your "sins" are likely to be so sublimely necessary that they will generate no bad karma. Halloween costume suggestion: Blend a deity with a superhero, like Buddha and Spiderman, or the goddess Athena and Storm from X-Men, or Jesus and Neo from The Matrix.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

For all we know, in your past life you were a virgin who was thrown into a volcano to appease a fire deity. But whether or not that's an actual fact, we can say this with certainty: At some time in your current life, you made a great sacrifice in an effort to pacify a person whose anger or violence or manipulativeness you were intimidated by. Now I say unto you, Aries, that it's an excellent time to fix any distortions that were unleashed in your life because of that sacrifice. You've got the personal power and insight you need to set the healing in motion. Halloween costume suggestions: the mythical phoenix; a virgin-turned-warrior carrying the severed head of the fire deity; a fireman, firewoman, or firedancer.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

"Empathy is the most radical of human emotions," says activist Gloria Steinem. What does she mean by "radical"? I think the word implies audacity, fierceness, and extreme courage. It connotes a revolt against the status quo, a transcendence of what's normal and habitual. And that's exactly the spirit I hope you bring to your expression of empathy in the near future, Taurus. To enjoy life to the fullest, you should marshal an extravagant ability to feel what others are feeling. Halloween costume suggestions: Be a mirror, a psychotherapist, a giant ear, or a sponge.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

My writer friend Jeff Greenwald is looking for a publisher for his book Fifty Ways to Leave Your Comfort Zone. I think it's a great concept, which is why I'm surprised that some of Jeff's colleagues discouraged him from using that title. "At this tormented moment in history," said one person, "the last thing anyone wants to hear is how to do what's inconvenient and nerve-wracking." To be true to your current omens, however, that's exactly the advice I'm duty-bound to offer you, Gemini. The most interesting pleasures you can generate in the next few weeks will come from leaving your comfort zone. Halloween costume suggestion: whoever is least like you in the whole world.

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AUDIO HOROSCOPES

In addition to the horoscopes that you're reading here, I create more in-depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration. Find out more at RealAstrology.com.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

"You told me the truth when no one else in my life would." - Darren H., Minneapolis

"Your wake-up calls keep me from getting stale." - Arris T., Aspen, CO

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CANCER (June 21-July 22):

Spiritual teacher A.H. Almaas believes that a genuinely creative act is always motivated by generosity. If that's true, how do you explain all the ego-obsessed "geniuses" who treat everyone like dirt even as they churn out their supposedly brilliant art? In any case, I'm siding with Almaas' definition, and I advise you to keep it in mind now that you're in the most imaginative and self-expressive phase of your astrological cycle. To ensure that your creative juices keep flowing in ways that make you feel really good, dedicate them to spreading inspiration and giving gifts. Halloween costume suggestions: a pregnant painter, a flower exuding bursts of pollen, a sexy midwife.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

If you visit the Polish village of Szymbark, you'll find an upside-down house. Philanthropist Daniel Czaplewski hired a team of construction workers to build it in the reverse position with meticulous detail. The floor is above you, with all the furniture hanging down, and the ceiling is what you walk on. I urge you to make this place your power symbol in the coming weeks, Leo. Use it to inspire you as you experiment with changing your home around every which way. Dare to be crazy, wise, and funny as you rearrange, reinvent, and renovate the domestic vibes. Halloween costume suggestion: an upside-down house. (See a news story on the place at tinyurl.com/2ywstz.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Writing in the L.A. Times, Rosa Brooks bemoaned the budgetary cuts that have caused the mass firings of reporters at many major newspapers. This sad development means there are "fewer persistent, nosy people with a mandate to wander around the world asking questions." Whatever you do in the coming weeks cannot single-handedly fix this problem, of course. But it will be your astrological mandate to be a persistent, nosy person wandering around asking questions. Halloween costume suggestions: journalist, spy, muckraker, whistleblower.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

A survey of Russians revealed their thoughts about the best ways to get rich. A third of them said that stealing is most effective, whether that comes in the form of embezzlement, fraud, extortion, or plain old larceny. I don't recommend that approach to you, Libra, even though you're in an astrological phase that's favorable for increasing your wealth. Instead, consider these strategies: working harder and smarter, expanding and deepening your web of connections, intensifying your commitment to excellence, and reading a book like Personal Finance for Dummies. Halloween costume suggestion: an impeccably styled schmooze specialist carrying a wad of big bills and a Wall Street Journal.

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HOMEWORK:

What Halloween costume could you choose to help you activate a secret or dormant part of your potential? Testify by going to RealAstrology.com and clicking on "Email Rob."

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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?

I'm not doing personal charts, but I highly recommend my astrological colleague, RO LOUGHRAN. Her approach closely matches my own. In our many discussions about astrology over the years, we've had a major influence on each other's work.

Ro utilizes a blend of well-trained intuition, emotional warmth, and a high degree of technical proficiency in horoscope interpretation; she is skilled at exploring the mysteries of your life's purpose and nurturing your connection with your own inner wisdom.

Ro is based in California, but can do phone consultations and otherwise work with you regardless of geographic boundaries.

Ro's website is at www.YourSoulJourney.com

She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net

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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, including but not limited to newsletters, books, the Free Will Astrology column, and Free Will Astrology website. We reserve the right to edit such submissions for length, style, and content. Requests for anonymity will be honored with submissions; otherwise, reader names, screen names, or initials will be used. Please be sure to note your preference when sending to us. We are not responsible for unsolicited submission of any creative material.

Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright 2007 Rob Brezsny

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