Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter http://ezezine.com
Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
April 11, 2012
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See a pretty version of this newsletter: http://bit.ly/Ihdlws
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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:
THE LITERARY EQUIVALENT OF A SEX-CHANGE
(To read the entire text of this piece, go here: http://bit.ly/SexChange)
When I was 19, while other man-boys my age were dreaming of becoming
doctors and lawyers and rock stars, a curious ambition overtook me: I
decided I wanted to be a feminist when I grew up. As I pursued that goal
over the years, I devoted many meditations to imagining what it's like to
be a woman. While writing my second book, *The Televisionary Oracle,* I
lived part-time inside the psyche of the heroine for five years.
But I have always been perfectly happy to be a heterosexual man. The
prospect of dressing in women's clothes, for costume parties or any other
reason, has never appealed to me. I'm mildly interested in the stories of
those who have decided to change their sex with the intervention of
surgery and drugs, but the fantasy of becoming a transgender person has
never flitted across my mind's eye.
My identity as an author, on the other hand, has not been as clear-cut. I
have sometimes felt like a storyteller trapped in the body of a journalist.
On other occasions, it's more the reverse. I imagine I'm an essayist stuck
inside the persona of a poet, or else maybe a scholar lurking within the
form of a wacky visionary.
The confusion doesn't stop there. My heart tells me I'm a mystical seeker
who was born to explore spiritual themes, even as my head says I'm an
artistic intellectual whose task it is to illuminate the mysteries of concrete
reality here on the material plane.
So while I've never dreamed of being a transgender person, I have
sometimes fantasized about getting a mythical *trans-genre* operation --
a procedure that would cure me of the nagging sense that I'm not the
writer I'm supposed to be.
My wish was finally fulfilled during the four and a half years I worked on
my new book, *PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia.* It taught me not
to struggle against my contradictions, but rather to celebrate them. It
didn't give me the literary equivalent of a sex-change, but rather
bestowed on me a poetic license to be the authorial equivalent of a
hermaphrodite . . . .
TO READ THE REST OF THIS ESSAY, GO HERE: http://bit.ly/SexChange
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"I dig Rob Brezsny for his powerful yet playful insights, his poetry, and his
humor . . . I salute him for his dedication to inspiration."
- Jason Mraz, singer-songwriter
Hear Jason Mraz talk about pronoia here: http://bit.ly/7OO7TQ
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My band WORLD ENTERTAINMENT WAR is a benevolent media virus
programmed to prevent the entertainment criminals from stealing your
imagination.
Read about us on Wikipedia:
http://bit.ly/ykYtSe
Listen to mp3's and grab free downloads here:
http://bit.ly/Ic90Wz
Or buy the CD here:
http://bit.ly/GiveTooMuch
Read the lyrics here:
http://bit.ly/HpA1FC
Here's a journalist's overview of our history:
http://bit.ly/WEWstory
More info:
http://freewillastrology.com/cds/
"They pack their songs full of enough heady words and phrases to fill a
Greil Marcus-style rock critique. But WORLD ENTERTAINMENT WAR
reminds us that smart music need not be the prisoner of rock academia.
It's a stirring, entertaining band with a smooth, funky sound and a loose,
punky attitude . . . They succeed at wresting 'smart' rock out of the
critics' hands."
- Gus Stadler, *SF Weekly*
"Calling this music 'smart rock,' as some critics have, does a disservice to
the emotional sweep of the music and the ready accessibility of Rob
Brezsny's lyrics."
- Joel Selvin, *San Francisco Chronicle*
"All the mystic power of the Zep, but with good will and good vibes. Very
powerful singers and thoughtful lyrics. Soul-feeding music. Occult wisdom.
Now anthemic fire, now intricate rhythms. Secret Orders take note."
- amazon.com
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
HOW MUCH BEAUTY CAN YOU ENDURE?
10 Years of Gorgeous Images of Earth From Space
http://tinyurl.com/7rto7me
NATURE WINS SOME VICTORIES NOW AND THEN
Hope for Salmon as Dams Come Down. The destruction of two
Washington State dams will restore depleted fisheries, create jobs, and
maybe even change how we manage our rivers.
http://tinyurl.com/6s3ngzq
REDEFINING WEALTH
Should happiness figure in a nation's bottom line? And should the concept
of Gross National Product be replaced by Gross National Happiness?
http://tinyurl.com/cklbqmq
THE EVIDENCE KEEPS ACCUMULATING
A compendium of pronoiac news.
http://PronoiaResources.com
(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 April 12
Copyright 2012 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Some people misunderstand the do-it-now
fervor of the Aries tribe, thinking it must inevitably lead to carelessness.
Please prove them wrong in the coming weeks. Launch into the
interesting new possibilities with all your exuberance unfurled. Refuse to
allow the natural energy to get hemmed in by theories and concepts. But
also be sure not to mistake rash impatience for intuitive guidance.
Consider the likelihood that your original vision of the future might need
to be tinkered with a bit as you translate it into the concrete details.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): There is a possibility that a pot of gold sits at
the end of the rainbow. The likelihood is small, true, but it's not zero. On
the other hand, the rainbow is definitely here and available for you to
enjoy. Of course, you would have to do some more work on yourself in
order to gather in the fullness of that enjoyment. Here's the potential
problem: You may be under the impression that the rainbow is less
valuable than the pot of gold. So let me ask you: What if the rainbow's
the real prize?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "It's eternity in a person that turns the crank
handle," said Franz Kafka. At least that should be the case, I would add.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that a lot of people let other, lesser
things turn the crank handle -- like the compulsive yearning for money,
power, and love, for example. I challenge you to check in with yourself
sometime soon and determine what exactly has been turning your crank
handle. If it ain't eternity, or whatever serves as eternity in your world
view, get yourself adjusted. In the coming months, it's crucial that you're
running on the cleanest, purest fuel.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): For a white guy from 19th-century England,
David Livingstone was unusually egalitarian. As he traveled in Africa, he
referred to what were then called "witch doctors" as "my professional
colleagues." In the coming weeks, Cancerian, I encourage you to be
inspired by Livingstone as you expand your notion of who your allies are.
For example, consider people to be your colleagues if they simply try to
influence the world in the same ways you do, even if they work in
different jobs or spheres. What might be your version of Livingstone's
witch doctors? Go outside of your usual network as you scout around for
confederates who might connect you to exotic new perspectives and
resources you never imagined you could use.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The flag of California features the image of a
grizzly bear, and the huge carnivore is the state's official animal. And yet
grizzly bears have been extinct in California since 1922, when the last one
was shot and killed. Is there any discrepancy like that in your own life,
Leo? Do you continue to act as if a particular symbol or icon is important
to you even though it has no practical presence in your life? If so, this
would be a good time to update your attitude.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The cartoon character Felix the Cat made his
debut in 1919. He was a movie star in the era of silent films, and
eventually appeared in his own comic strip and TV show. But it wasn't
until 1953, when he was 34 years old, that he first got his Magic Bag of
Tricks, which allowed him to do many things he wasn't able to do before. I
bring this up, Virgo, because I believe you're close to acquiring a magic
bag of tricks that wasn't on your radar until you had matured to the point
where you are now. To ensure that you get that bag, though, you will
have to ripen even a bit more.
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LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE
In addition to the horoscopes you're reading here, I create more in-depth
audio horoscopes for your inspiration. Find out more at
http://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
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I have one child, a daughter, and raising her
conscientiously has been one of the great privileges and joys of my life.
Bonus: She has turned out to be a stellar human being. Every now and
then, though, I get a bit envious of parents who've created bigger
families. If bringing up one kid is so rewarding, maybe more would be even
better. I asked an acquaintance of mine, a man with six kids, how he had
managed to pull off that difficult feat. He told me quite candidly, "My
secret is that I'm not a good father; I'm very neglectful." I offer up this
story as a way to encourage you, at this juncture in your development, to
favor quality over quantity.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I expect there'll be some curious goings-on
this week. A seemingly uninspired idea could save you from a dumb
decision, for example. An obvious secret may be the key to defeating a
covert enemy. And a messy inconvenience might show up just in time to
help you do the slightly uncool but eminently right thing. Can you deal
with this much irony, Scorpio? Can you handle such big doses of the old
flippety-flop and oopsie-loopsie? For extra credit, here are two additional
odd blessings you could capitalize on: a humble teaching from an unlikely
expert and a surge of motivation from an embarrassing excitement.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some of our pagan forbears imagined
they had a duty to assist with nature's revival every spring by performing
fertility rituals. And wouldn't it be fun if it were even slightly true that you
could help the crops germinate and bloom by making sweet love in the
fields? At the very least, carrying out such a ceremony might stimulate
your own personal creativity. In accordance with the astrological omens, I
invite you to slip away to a secluded outdoor spot, either by yourself or
with a romantic companion. On a piece of paper, write down a project
you'd like to make thrive in the coming months. Bury the note in the good
earth, then enjoy an act of love right on top of it.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Once upon a time, I fell in love with a
brilliant businesswoman named Loreen. I pursued her with all my wiles,
hoping to win her amorous affection. After playing hard to get for two
months, she shocked me with a brazen invitation: Would I like to
accompany her on a whirlwind vacation to Paris? "I think I can swing it," I
told her. But there was a problem: I was flat broke. What to do? I decided
to raise the funds by selling off a precious heirloom from childhood, my
collection of 6,000 vintage baseball cards. Maybe this story will inspire
you to do something comparable, Capricorn: Sacrifice an outmoded
attachment or juvenile treasure or youthful fantasy so as to empower the
future of love.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): We all know that spiders are talented little
creatures. Spiders' silk is as strong as steel, and their precisely geometric
webs are engineering marvels. But even though they have admirable
qualities I admire, I don't expect to have an intimate connection with a
spider any time soon. A similar situation is at work in the human realm. I
know certain people who are amazing creators and leaders but don't have
the personal integrity or relationship skills that would make them
trustworthy enough to seek out as close allies. Their beauty is best
appreciated from afar. Consider the possibility that the ideas I'm
articulating here would be good for you to meditate on right now,
Aquarius.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Have you ever had the wind knocked out of
you? It feels weird for a short time, but leaves no lasting damage. I'm
expecting that you will experience a form of that phenomenon sometime
soon. Metaphorically speaking, the wind will get knocked out of you. But
wait -- before you jump to conclusions and curse me out for predicting
this, listen to the rest of my message. The wind that will get knocked out
of you will be a wind that needed to be knocked out -- a wind that was
causing confusion in your gut-level intuition. In other words, you'll be
lucky to get that wind knocked out of you. You'll feel much better
afterwards, and you will see things more clearly.
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Homework: Why is this a perfect moment? Tell me at
Truthrooster@gmail.com. To hear my reasons why, tune in to my podcast:
http://bit.ly/PerfectionNow.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2012 Rob Brezsny
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