Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter December 11, 2013

Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
DECEMBER 11, 2013
FreeWillAstrology.com

+

My book
PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA
is available at Amazon: bit.ly/Pronoia
or Powells: 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 exactly what 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.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Find me on Facebook: bit.ly/BrezFB

Find me on Tumblr: freewillastrology.tumblr.com/archive

Find me on Twitter: twitter.com/FreeWillAstro

Expanded Audio Horoscopes: RealAstrology.com

Free excerpts from my most recent book: bit.ly/BeautyTruth

Sign up for daily astrological text messages: bit.ly/PuzEBT

Tip Jar for Me: bit.ly/TipsforRob

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Are you in quest of an Intimate Ally? A Soul Friend? A Wild Confidante?

Check out Match.com via Free Will Astrology's link: 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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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.
tinyurl.com/k6kzvf6

One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life, by Mitch Horowitz
"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
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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning December 12

Copyright 2013 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com

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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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 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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HOMEWORK:

What holiday gifts do you want? Express your outrageous demands and humble requests. Freewillastrology.com.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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 2013 Rob Brezsny

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++