Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter
AUGUST 20, 2008
FreeWillAstrology.com
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"If you need to visualize the soul, think of it as a cross
between a wolf howl, a photon, and a dribble of dark molasses.
But what it really is, as near as I can tell, is a packet of information.
It's a program, a piece of hyperspatial software designed explicitly
to interface with the Mystery. Not a mystery, mind you, the Mystery.
The one that can never be solved.
"To one degree or another, everybody is connected to the
Mystery, and everybody secretly yearns to expand the connection.
That requires expanding the soul. These things can enlarge the
soul: laughter, danger, imagination, meditation, wild nature,
passion, compassion, psychedelics, beauty, iconoclasm, and driving
around in the rain with the top down. These things can diminish
it: fear, bitterness, blandness, trendiness, egotism, violence,
corruption, ignorance, grasping, shining, and eating ketchup on
cottage cheese.
"Data in our psychic program is often nonlinear, nonhierarchical,
archaic, alive, and teeming with paradox. Simply booting up is
a challenge, if not for no other reason than that most of us find
acknowledging the unknowable and monitoring its intrusions upon
the familiar and mundane more than a little embarrassing. More
immediately, by waxing soulful you will have granted yourself
the possibility of ecstatic participation in what the ancients
considered a divinely animated universe. And on a day to day basis,
folks, it doesn't get any better than that."
- Tom Robbins, Esquire magazine, October 1993
To read Tom Robbins' whole passage about soul, go here: tinyurl.com/5waydp
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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
Here's an excerpt:
THE UNIVERSE IS MADE OF STORIES
The poet Muriel Rukeyser said the universe is composed of stories,
not of atoms. The physicist Werner Heisenberg declared that the
universe is made of music, not of matter.
And we believe that if you habitually expose yourself to toxic
stories and music, you could wind up living in the wrong universe,
where it's impossible to become the gorgeous genius you were born
to be.
That's why we implore you to nourish yourself with delicious,
nutritious tales and tunes that inspire you to exercise your willpower
for your highest good.
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"The only war that matters is the war against the imagination.
All other wars are subsumed by it."
- Diane Di Prima, "Rant," from Pieces of a Song
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Astrologer Caroline Casey offers an apt metaphor to illustrate
how crucial it is for us to hear and read good stories. She notes
that if we don't have enough of the normal, healthy kind of iodine
in our bodies, we absorb radioactive iodine, which has entered
the food chain through nuclear test explosions conducted in the
atmosphere. Similarly, unless we fill ourselves up with stories
that invigorate us, we're more susceptible to sopping up the poisonous,
degenerative narratives.
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Novelist Ursula K. Le Guin decries the linear perspective that
dominates modern storytelling. She says it's "like an arrow,
starting here and going straight there and THOK! hitting its mark."
Furthermore, she complains, plots are usually advanced through
conflict, as if interesting action can't possibly arise from any
other catalyst.
I invite you to rebel against these oppressive conventions. Wean
yourself from tales that have reductive plot lines fueled primarily
by painful events. Celebrate the luminous mysteries that have
shaped your own life story: the meandering fascinations that didn't
lead to tidy conclusions, the wobbly joys that fed your soul but
didn't serve your ego's ambitions, the adventures whose success
revolved around brain-teasing breakthroughs instead of exhausting
triumphs over suffering.
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How did it come to be that what we call the news is reported
solely by journalists? There are so many other kinds of events
besides the narrow band favored by that highly specialized brand
of storytellers. Indeed, there are many phenomena that can literally
not even be perceived by journalists. Their training, their temperament,
and their ambitions make vast areas of human experience invisible
to them.
"Ninety-six percent of the cosmos puzzles astronomers."
I loved reading that headline on the CNN website. It showed that
at least some of our culture's equivalents of high priests, the
scientists, are humble enough to acknowledge that the universe
is made mostly of stuff they can't even detect, let alone study.
If only the journalists were equally modest. Since they're not,
we'll say it: The majority of everything that happens on this
planet is invisible to them.
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In the early years of Christianity, there were hundreds of books
interpreting the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. But by 325
A.D., a group backed by the political and military might of the
Roman Empire had determined which few of the stories about Christ
would thereafter be considered the canonical New Testament, and
which would be regarded as heretical bilge. No better evidence
exists for the saying, "History is a tale told by the victors."
Keep this in mind as you strategize your way through your personal
War of the Stories. Your account of events may have more truth
in it than everyone else's conflicting tales, but that won't carry
much weight unless you obtain the power to enforce your version.
. . . To read the rest of
"THE UNIVERSE IS MADE OF STORIES," go here:
tinyurl.com/2vx6wb
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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:
Hero of the Planet! Person of the Year! Genius of the Tribe!
William McDonough
Listen to his speech at Bioneers here: tinyurl.com/2tdx88
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
tinyurl.com/64ldo2
"Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael
Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we
could have something that is better -- say, edible grocery bags!
In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto
calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render
both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism
obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually 'downcycling,'
creating hybrids of biological and technical 'nutrients' which
are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect
and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether,
while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They
offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not
just doing less harm -- they're actually doing some good for
the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money
in the process."
- Therese Littleton
SOME PROPHETS AREN'T DOOM AND GLOOMERS, THEY'RE ZOOM AND BLOOMERS
The Law of Accelerating Returns
tinyurl.com/4hrkp7
THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS
"How To Win the Metaphorical Happiness Lottery" by Karen
Salmansohn
tinyurl.com/64s5m3
(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 August 21
Copyright 2008 by Rob Brezsny
FreeWillAstrology.com
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
"The advantage of the incomprehensible is that it never
loses its freshness," wrote French poet Paul Valery. From
that perspective, Virgo, I bet you'll be sparkling and brisk in
the coming days. You will be cheeky and saucy, crisp and rosy,
bright and well-ventilated. There'll be so much delightfully hard-to-understand
novelty flowing your way that you will be awakened again and again
and again, rising to a higher level of awareness each time.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The 19th-century American philosopher Henry David Thoreau accomplished
a lot. Among his voluminous body of work was Civil Disobedience,
a book that inspired Tolstoy, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.
In the two-million-word journal he kept for over two decades,
he wrote about nature with a precision and care that prefigured
modern-day environmentalism. But Thoreau also knew how to relax,
and he was free of anxiety about living up to other people's standards
of success. One passage in his journal reads, "For many years
I was a self-appointed inspector of snowstorms and rainstorms
and did my duty faithfully, though I never received payment for
it." He's your role model for the rest of 2008, Libra. May
he inspire you to give yourself the slack you need and compete
with no one but yourself as you become more of the unique work
of art you were born to be.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Everyone's life is a hero's journey, yours included. You have
been on an epic quest ever since you first realized that your
destiny is unlike anyone else's, and that you have specific tasks
to master as you pursue the long-term dreams that are uniquely
meaningful to you. But like all the rest of us, you sometimes
lose sight of this big-picture view for months at a time. You
may even be fairly happy as you focus on your daily details without
any thought of where your you'll be years from now. If that's
the rhythm you've been in lately, Scorpio -- and I suspect it
is -- it's about to change. Your immersion in the next major phase
of your hero's journey will begin soon.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Michelangelo never finished two-thirds of the sculptures he started.
Basketball mega-star Michael Jordan failed on 26 different occasions
when he was given the ball to try the game-winning shot as time
ran out. Of Bob Dylan's 57 albums, maybe only 15 of them are masterpieces.
I bring these facts to your attention, Sagittarius, in the hope
that they will give you some perspective on the down times in
your own track record. More importantly, I want to let you know
that in the coming weeks you should have access to the kind of
energy that Michelangelo, Jordan, and Dylan had when they were
creating their legends.
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LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED HOROSCOPE
In addition to the horoscopes that you read here, I create additional
in-depth audio horoscopes for your inspiration.
They're not repeats or elaborations of the stuff you find here,
but entirely fresh explorations of your astrological omens, designed
to help you tune in to your soul's code.
Try them at RealAstrology.com.
They're $6 if you access them on the Web, or $1.99 per minute
over the phone.
"Your audio horoscopes help me love myself better, and I
mean that in a non-narcissistic way."
- Deva P., Indianapolis
"I'm really grateful for the way you pick up my telepathic
requests and answer them in your expanded audio 'scopes."
- Marion H., Birmingham, AL
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
"The bewilderments of the eyes are of two kinds, and arise
from two causes," wrote Plato in The Republic,"either
from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which
is true of the mind's eye quite as much as of the bodily eye."
He goes on to say that when a person leaves the light and enters
into the shadows, his vision in perplexed, being unaccustomed
to the dark. And when he moves from the murk into the brightness,
it takes a while for his sight to adjust to the dazzle. According
to my analysis of the astrological omens, Capricorn, you had to
deal with the first kind of temporary blindness about three weeks
ago, and will begin experiencing the second kind any day now.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
In addition to food, air, water, sleep, and love, every human
being needs stories. No one can psychically survive without the
continuous flow of narrative through his or her imagination. And
just as there is a big difference between the physical nourishment
provided by a salad or by a candy bar, so is there a wide range
of quality in the stories you expose yourself to. Soaking up the
adventures of Über-playboy Hugh Hefner and his three girlfriends
on the TV show "The Girls Next Door" will probably deplete
your energy and lower your intelligence, while reading Tom Robbins'
novel Jitterbug Perfume may enhance your mental hygiene
and sharpen your perceptions. What I'm saying here is always true,
of course, but it's especially important for you to keep in mind
right now. From what I can tell, you're ravenous for beautiful,
uncanny, uplifting stories.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
"The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes
a very creative mind to spot wrong questions," said British
writer Antony Jay. If you'd like to be in close alignment with
cosmic rhythms, Pisces, you will keep that meditation in the foreground
of your awareness. Your imagination will be extraordinarily fertile
in the coming week, and I can't think of a better way to deploy
it than to smoke out and lovingly annihilate the lazy, useless,
and just plain bad questions that are threatening to lead you
and others astray.
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Your next assignment is to inject more fun into your job -- or
into anything that feels like work, for that matter. You've got
a head start because lately you've been playing harder than usual.
That should give you creative momentum as you reinvent your approach
to activities that push you to your limits and test your resolve.
For best results, be open to the possibility that you really don't
have to keep being bored and cranky in places where you've assumed
you will always be bored and cranky.
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LISTEN TO AN EXPANDED HOROSCOPE
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.
"The best part about your audio horoscopes is that they
pat me on the head and kick me in the ass at the same time."
- Rita L., San Diego
"Your audio oracles go beyond helping me find the truth
-- they inspire me to find the WILD truth."
- Patrick K., Montreal
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TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
After studying your astrological omens, I closed my eyes and
asked the spirits for a psychic vision that would symbolize your
imminent future. The scenario that came up was a pair of toddlers
dressed in fine purple satin garments and wearing golden hats.
They looked like a prince and princess, and were wandering around
inside a ritual circle about ten yards in diameter, drawn with
white chalk in a green meadow. Vases of cut flowers and statues
of gods and goddesses ringed the circle. So what does my vision
mean? Maybe this: Two magnificent possibilities have recently
been born or will soon be born. You should cast a protective spell
around them, letting them amble and dally within a proscribed
area as their magic ripens.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Some spas are now offering their clients "butt facials."
The cost for smoothing and toning your skin in the lower realms
can range up to $800 per session. At that steep price, I can't
in good conscience mandate the procedure for you. But the astrological
omens are favorable for you to take special care of things
at the bottom of your life, even if they are more metaphorical
in nature. So please brainstorm about how you could upgrade your
ballast, strengthen your foundation, and give your center of gravity
a boost.
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Studies show that 58 percent of us think our IQs are higher than
average. That can't be true, of course. But maybe one sign of
a person with a below-average IQ is the delusion that he's pretty
intelligent. Having said that, however, I confidently predict
that at least 58 percent of all Cancerians will exceed the mediocre
norm in the coming weeks. The figure may even rise as high as
75 percent. The astrological omens suggest you have the potential
to be smarter than you've ever been. Use your acuity constructively!
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Was there a dream that you abandoned some time ago? Was there
a power you recklessly gave up? Do you ever think longingly about
a knack or skill that withered away because you stopped wielding
it with the regularity and excellence it demanded? It's time to
revisit defeats like those, Leo. According to my analysis of the
astrological omens, you're in good shape to reimagine the original
experiences in ways that could help you recover what was lost.
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HOMEWORK:
Do you remember the last time you loved yourself with consummate
artfulness and grace? See if you can recreate that golden age.
Testify by going to FreeWillAstrology.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 YourSoulJourney.com
She can also be reached at roloughran@comcast.net
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2008 Rob Brezsny
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