Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology Newsletter
"Do not be critics, you people, I beg you. I was a critic and I wish I could
take it all back because it came from a smelly and ignorant place in me
and spoke with a voice that was all rage and envy. Do not dismiss a book
until you have written one, and do not dismiss a movie until you have
made one, and do not dismiss a person until you have met them. It is a
f***load of work to be open-minded and generous and understanding and
forgiving and accepting, but, Christ, that is what matters. What matters is
saying yes."
-Dave Eggers, *The Harvard Advocate*
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May 3, 2006
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http://www.freewillastrology.com
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ROB'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Harmony Festival
in Santa Rosa, CA
June 9, 10, 11
http://www.harmonyfestival.com
Oregon Country Fair
near Eugene, Oregon
July 7, 8, 9
http://www.oregoncountryfair.org
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ATTENTION READERS in PORTLAND and SEATTLE:
Can you help me get a gig in Portland or Seattle? I've been trying without
success to get a bookstore to host a performance celebrating my book
PRONOIA. Powells bookstore, which was my first choice in Portland, has
flat-out turned me down. Any suggestions or connections? Write me at
uaregod@comcast.net.
Since I'll be in nearby Eugene for the Oregon Country Fair on July 7, 8,
and 9, a Portland and/or Seattle event around that time would be perfect.
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Here's an excerpt from my book
"PRONOIA IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR PARANOIA:
How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings"
available at http://snipurl.com/krjj
or find out more at http://www.freewillastrology.com
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PRONOIA NEWS NETWORK
These are our top stories.
YOUR GUT BRAIN
You and I have always known that we can think with our bellies. Gut
instinct, we call it. Now scientists have found evidence confirming our
hunch. In the Second Brain: Your Gut Has a Mind of Its Own, Dr. Michael
Gershon documents the evidence for a literal second brain in our
stomachs and intestines. Here, in a bundle of 100 billion nerve cells, our
gut reactions originate.
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TEAR ABATEMENT
In his book *Crying: the Natural and Cultural History of Tears,* Tom Lutz
says that people don't cry as much as they used to. The English of the
Victorian era, renowned for their stuffy behavior, put us to shame with
their abundant outpouring of tears.
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WILD URBAN MEDICINE
Many plants used for prescription drugs originate in tropical rain forests.
There are unquestionably other healing herbs, as yet undiscovered, in
these endangered ecosystems. But a recent study suggests that weeds
growing in towns and villages may be an equally important source of
medicine. The *Journal of Ethnopharmacology* reports that the Highland
Mayans of Chiapa, for instance, get much of their medicinal plants from
vacant lots and other disturbed areas, even in communities that are
adjacent to stands of primary forest. (Source: http://www.eurekalert.org)
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OPINIONS ARE OVERRATED
Writing in *The Week* magazine, Bill Falk reminisced about how earlier in
his career he churned out three opinion columns a week for newspapers.
It was tough. "The truth is," he said, "there were many weeks in which I
didn't have three fresh opinions of any value."
These days, he added, he couldn't handle a gig like that. As he has
matured, he has become suspicious of his own certainties. "Opinions are
highly overrated," he concludes. "Most concern passing phenomena that,
six months or six years from now, will become utterly irrelevant." (Source:
http://www.theweekmagazine.com)
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GAY MARRIAGE WON'T WRECK CIVILIZATION
"The results of more than a century of anthropological research on
households, kinship relationships, and families, across cultures and
through time, provide no support whatsoever for the view that either
civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively
heterosexual institution. Rather, anthropological research supports the
conclusion that a vast array of family types, including families built upon
same-sex partnerships, can contribute to stable and humane societies." -
American Anthropological Association, http://www.aaanet.org
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WET CHICKEN FEATHERS
A poultry expert has come up with a revolutionary use for the feathers
that are left over when chickens are slaughtered. David Emery has built a
machine to turn the damp, dirty refuse into a strong, light fiber that's
suitable for making auto parts and medical instruments.
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RETURNED TO THE SOURCE
In 1999, the government of Canada officially created and recognized the
territory of Nunavut, giving back control of a huge part of the far north to
the Inuit people who have lived there for millennia. A story in the
*National Geographic* discussed the struggle of the Inuit to emerge from
the white man's domination. In one photo, a woman named Pauloosie
Muckpa crossed the tundra carrying the bloody head of a caribou, whose
brains and antler tips were to be the centerpiece of a great feast. "We
used to be ashamed of what we ate," she said. "But now we're not. Today
we are not ashamed of who we are."
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THE ROOTS OF MORALITY
"The first idea that the child must acquire, in order to be actively
disciplined, is that of the difference between good and evil; and the task
of the educator lies in seeing that the child does not confound good with
immobility, and evil with activity." —Maria Montessori, *The Montessori
Method*
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GATES GOES BOTH WAYS
Though many people consider him a JERK who has monopolized the
computer industry with inferior technology, Bill Gates is the most
generous philanthropist in history. He has donated more than $25 billion
to promote health and education all over the globe. Some of the
beneficiaries of his largesse have been the United Negro College Fund,
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Johns Hopkins University, Save the
Children Federation, and the United Nations Foundation.
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EDITORIAL
The superstition of materialism is the dominant ideology of a majority of
people in the world. It's the specious doctrine that physical matter is the
only reality and that nothing can be said to exist unless it's perceivable by
a human being's five senses or detected by technologies that humans
have created. Materialism paradoxically preaches the value of being
skeptical about all phenomena it does not recognize as real, even as it
obsessively evades skepticism about its own fundamentalist assumptions.
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YOUR INCREASED BRAINPOWER
Michael Weliky, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences, decided to
test the accuracy of the old saw that we only use 10 percent of our
brains. He dreamed up an experiment that involved 12 ferrets watching
the movie *The Matrix.* His research was so convincing that the journal
*Nature* published it. He concluded that we actually use 80 percent of
our available brainpower, though much of the activity takes place
unconsciously.
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REAL LOVE POETRY
Early in his career, Robert Bly rarely wrote love poetry, though he studied
the work of others who did. As he aged, he stopped reading the angst-
ridden ruminations of modern poets and sought out the ecstatic love
poetry of mystics like Rumi and Kabir. Increasingly, forgiveness and
compassion became central aspects of Bly's emotional repertoire. His rage
about his own past romantic disappointments dissipated. In his mid-40s,
he wrote *Loving a Woman in Two Worlds,* his first collection of love
poetry. Critiquing it for *The New York Times Book Review,* Fred Chappell
said it wasn't a real book of love poems, because there wasn't enough
hatred and anger in it. On Bly's behalf, we offer a response to Mr.
Chappell: We love you, goddamnit.
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PNN is brought to you by Agatha Christie's feeling that she came up with
the best ideas for her books while she was washing dishes, and by
Goethe's belief that in order to write he needed an apple rotting in his
desk drawer.
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To read other news and features from my book, go here:
http://snipurl.com/l9o3
or
http://freewillastrology.com/beauty/beauty.main145.shtml
To buy the book, use the links to Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble,
which are on my homepage at http://www.freewillastrology.com
Or cut and paste the direct links below:
AMAZON
http://snipurl.com/krjj
BARNES & NOBLE
http://snipurl.com/krjn
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OTHER PRONOIA RESOURCES:
QUESTION
"Should humanity should build godlike massively intelligent machines?"
http://snipurl.com/pkc4
WEBSITE
"Damn Interesting"
http://www.damninteresting.com/
MUSIC
*Naked Spirit* by Sainkho
NEWS
"U.S. Records Drastic Decline in Death Rate"
http://snipurl.com/pkb7
CONFERENCE
Spiritual Activism Conference: May 17-20, 2006
http://www.spiritualprogressives.org
(Note: I endorse these because I like them. They're 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 4
Copyright 2006 by Rob Brezsny
http://www.freewillastrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Any idiot can face a crisis," said Russian
writer Anton Chekhov. "It is the day-to-day living that wears you out."
Your main assignment in the coming weeks, Aries, will be to use your
ingenuity to keep from being burned out by the subtle and minor trials of
the daily grind. It won't be as dramatic a challenge as some of the epic
travails you dealt with in March, but in my opinion it will be just as heroic.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): New Rule: During the next two weeks, you're
not allowed to think any thought or feel any feeling you've experienced a
million times before. If you detect one of those stale ingredients bubbling
up into the mix, it's your sacred duty to immediately substitute a fresh-
from-the-garden idea or feeling that you've never entertained before. It's
the season of novelty, Taurus--time to compost the old ways and revel in
raw innocence. Invite the universe to gorge you with virginal blessings.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the entire history of the world, there has
never been a time that neglects dreams more than ours. Every other
culture has paid more attention to the information that's available to us
while we're sleeping. This ennervating ignorance incurs a personal cost. If
you're one of those who rarely recalls your dreams, you're suffering a
grievous loss of connection with the wisdom of your unconscious mind.
And even if you do stay in touch with your dreams, most of the people
around you aren't connected to theirs, and that generates stupendous
stupidity. Want to remedy the problem, Gemini? It's a perfect astrological
moment to improve your relationship with the realm where you spend
one-third of your life. Here are a few resources: the book *Living Your
Dreams* by Gayle Delaney; the book *Radical Dreaming: Use Your Dreams
to Change Your Life* by John Goldhammer; the Lucid Dream Institute
(http://www.lucidity.com); dream interpretations by Jonathan Zap
(http://snipurl.com/paar).
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Pathologist Paul Wolf has suggested that
some of history's great artists may have never created their masterpieces
if the wonders of modern medicine had been available to them. For
example, what if doctors had cured van Gogh's mental illness with a
regimen of drugs like Prozac and Xanax? Maybe he would have been
spared the torment that goaded him to the outbursts of genius that
erupted on his canvases. It's an interesting theory--one that I invite you
to apply to your own life history. Are there ways in which the very things
that have driven you crazy have played a role in your finest
accomplishments? This is a perfect time to acknowledge and celebrate
that ironic miracle.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Let's talk about the gift that it is your destiny to
offer the world. Are you still struggling to figure out what it is? Here's
what storyteller Michael Meade advises: You'll know it's the gift you were
born to give if your energy is renewed, not exhausted, by giving it. It so
happens that the coming weeks will be a perfect time to make dramatic
progress in exploring this crucial truth, Leo.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to research done by *Forbes*
magazine, more billionaires are Virgos than any other sign of the zodiac. A
disproportionate 12 percent of the world's wealthiest people are
members of your tribe. I hope this startling fact inspires you to be more
proactive in cultivating your natural advantages. It's high time for you to
prime your cash flow. Now please promise that you will say the following
affirmation three times a day for the next 30 days: "Because I am shrewd,
analytical, practical, attentive, and strategic, I possess all the necessary
qualities to become wealthier. I am a money magnet. Money is my
servant. O monnee gimmee summ."
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Espertantina, a town in Brazil, celebrates May 9
as Orgasm Day. As much as I'd love to import this enlightened holiday to
my home country of America, it might be difficult in the foreseeable
future. Why? Because religious fundamentalists have been spreading their
infectious mental disease, seducing people into mistrusting their bodies'
natural urges. Meanwhile, the advertising and entertainment industries try
to sell us on the glamour of being in a chronic state of titillation without
satisfaction. I'm calling on you Libras to do what you can to resist these
cultural trends. The astrological omens say this is an auspicious time for
you to seek out, cultivate, and honor your own orgasms.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I have a rabid appreciation for your efforts to
make this world a steamier, wilder, more lyrical labyrinth. Thank you for all
the entertaining mysteries you conjure so regularly. You are a true Puzzle
Master, both in the sense that you create beautiful enigmas and that you
solve seemingly impossible riddles. Having said that, though, I want to beg
you to ease up on the drama for a while. Now and then there come times
when you get so heavy and thick with obsessive longing and complicated
emotions that you're in danger of imploding. This is such a moment. So
lighten up, please. Consider indulging in the pleasures of harmless fun and
frivolous diversions for a few days.
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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.
For Web access, go here:
http://www.relationshipnetwork.com/horo/index.asp?client_id=50700
From the United States, call
1-900-950-7700
or if you prefer to pay by credit card
1-877-873-4888
If you live in Canada, call 1-888-499-4425 to purchase a Block of Time
with your credit card.
"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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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I would never make light of your pain,
Sagittarius, but it's my duty to inform you that you now have a rather
amusing opportunity to capitalize on it. You may have heard that Star
Trek actor William Shatner sold his kidney stone to an online casino for
$33,000. In a comparable though perhaps more metaphorical way, I
foresee you being able to cash in on or at least make very good use of
something that once hurt you very much.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your meditation for the week comes from
playwright Bertolt Brecht. "Art is not a mirror held up to reality," he said,
"but a hammer with which to shape it." This is an excellent idea to keep in
mind even if you're not a writer, painter, dancer, filmmaker, actor, or
musician. What it means is that you now have the duty and opportunity
to fully unleash the creator in you. Don't be satisfied with the world the
way it is; don't sit back and complain about the dead weight of the
mediocre status quo. Instead, stir up your curiosity and charisma and
expressiveness and lust for life. Then rebuild everything you see so that
it's in greater harmony with the laws of love.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "People seem not to see that their opinion
of the world is also a confession of their character," wrote Ralph Waldo
Emerson. Your assignment in the coming week, Aquarius, is to take
inventory of your opinions about the world, and then analyze what they
reveal about your character. Here are some questions to guide your
explorations. How do the feelings and theories you carry within you get
projected onto the life you find around you? Do your prevailing attitudes
help shape the experiences you attract? Is the reality you've built in your
psyche at least partially responsible for creating the reality you encounter
everywhere you go?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Whenever I'm on top of the world and able to
see for miles, it's easier for me to view the big picture of my life. That's
why I rode my bike to the crest of the mountain today. I wanted to
meditate on a certain personal problem that has had me stumped. But
when I arrived there after a long ascent, a frigid, relentless wind was
blustering so hard that I could barely think. Reluctantly, I came down the
mountain and did my meditation in the valley below, where a mild, warmer
wind posed no aggravation. There I was able to get the insight I needed.
Now I'm passing my lesson on to you, Pisces. You may not be able to
accomplish your current goal where you thought you could, but you can
do it in a different place. Be flexible about the setting.
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HOMEWORK:
If you had a little baby clone of yourself to take care of, what would be
your child-rearing strategy? Tell all by going to
http://www.freewillastrology.com and clicking on "Email Rob."
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WANT TO GET YOUR CHART DONE?
I'm not doing charts these days. In addition to writing my weekly column
and expanded audio horoscopes, I'm also working on a CD and promoting
my new book.
But I can recommend a colleague whose astro-aesthetics closely match
my own. She's RO LOUGHRAN.
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
http://www.astrology-psychotherapy.com/
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
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I totally respect your privacy. I'll never sell or give away your address to
anyone.
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Submissions sent to the Free Will Astrology Weekly Newsletter
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Please be sure to note your preference when sending to us. We
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2006 Rob Brezsny
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