How is Your Genius a Gift to the World?

Expressing compassion is good for your health

I enjoy speaking to you about your personal struggle for liberation and your efforts to express your soul's code with ever-more ingenuity and completeness.

Here and now, I will shift the emphasis and address your sacred obligation to give back to life for all that life has given to you.

I invite you to ruminate on how you might engage in activities to help your community or serve your loved ones or work for the benefit of those less fortunate than you.

There are selfish benefits for you to do so. Your long-term, personal well-being will thrive if you engage in practical acts of compassion.

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Image by Banksy

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YOUR GENIUS, YOUR GIFTS

In your personal astrology chart, the planet Uranus symbolizes those special talents you have that are especially useful to other people.

Which aspects of your soulful beauty are potentially of greatest service to the world?

How can you express your uniqueness in ways that activate your most profound generosity?

If you learn the answers to these questions, you will make great progress toward solving the riddle that Uranus poses.

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THE ART OF LIBERATION

It's a free country. You're free to desecrate nature and live without any thought for our descendants and believe every borrowed idea that settled into your head when you were coming of age.

You're free to scarf down pesticide-laden junk food and memorize Ford truck jingles and vote for rich old white straight male millionaires.

On the other hand, you're also free to go on jubilant picnics in the wilderness using sustainable dishware and cleaning up after yourself.

You're free to formulate a master plan to achieve your own precious dreams in ways that will also serve our fellow humans and bestow blessings on our descendants.

You're free to radically revise your philosophy of life every once in a while to account for the ever-changing contours of your own destiny and the ever-evolving urgencies of our shared culture and history.

You're free—FREE!!!!—to care dearly about what foods you put in your body and regard advertising as a form of propagandistic brainwashing and do your part to increase the representation of women in political office to at least fifty percent.

I bring these thoughts to your attention because in my opinion, one of your life-long tasks is to become a connoisseur of freedom and a master of the art of liberation.

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THE THERAPY OF COMPASSION

James Hillman and Michael Ventura collaborated to write the book We've Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy and the World's Getting Worse.

They propose that talking about our dilemmas and suffering with a trained counselor is just one way to seek healing.

Another effective strategy might be to take practical actions to help people in need and make the world a finer place to live for everyone.

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Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.

—poet and activist Maya Angelou

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DOING HARD THINGS

The arc of history is longer than human vision. It bends. We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage. We have done hard things before.

And every time it took a terrible fight between people who could not imagine changing the rules, and those who said, "We already did. We have made the world new." The hardest part will be to convince yourself of the possibilities, and hang on.

—author Barbara Kingsolver

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Image by Robert Venosa. Words by Rumi and Coleman Barks

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TIPPING POINT

Here’s Malcolm Gladwell, writing in The Tipping Point:

“We need to prepare ourselves for the possibility that sometimes big changes follow from small events, and that sometimes these changes can happen quickly.

“Look at the world around you. It may seem an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push—in just the right place—it can be tipped.”

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CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

Ancient Hawaiians had a sport they called lele kawa, in which they dived off cliffs into the ocean. Pu'u Keka'a, a tall volcanic cinder cone in West Maui, was a perfect place from which to jump, but everyone avoided it.

Legend held it was a taboo place: "the leaping place of the soul," where the souls of the recently dead left the earth and ascended into the spirit world.

But that all changed one day in the eighteenth century when a great warrior, King Kahekili II, climbed to the top of Pu'u Keka'a and plunged into the sea, shattering the taboo and mutating the myth. Since then, hundreds of other divers have tried it.

Is there a comparable shift in the way things have always been done in your sphere? Either in your personal life or in the collective life you share with others? And are you ready to shatter a taboo and mutate a myth?

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Sign by Jonathan Herrera. Shown at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design

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ON NOT REMAINING SILENT

There are moments in life when keeping silent becomes a fault and speaking an obligation. A civic duty, a moral challenge, a categorical imperative from which we cannot escape.

—journalist Oriana Fallaci

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Go to where the silence is and say something.

—journalist Amy Goodman

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To be engrossed by something outside ourselves is a powerful antidote for the rational mind, the mind that so frequently has its head up its own ass.

—author Anne Lamott

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THE ABOLITION OF SUFFERING

Philosopher David Pearce is committed to the abolition of suffering. While he acknowledges that we’ve got a long way to go before accomplishing that goal, he believes it’s possible, mostly with the help of technology.

More than two millennia ago, the Buddha also articulated a vision for the cessation of suffering. His methods revolve around psychological and spiritual work.

You may have a lot to contribute to this noble enterprise. You could ultimately figure out how to keep your level of suffering rather low, which would help you set in motion long-term strategies for reducing the pain that you cause.

More about David Pearce’s ideas: https://tinyurl.com/AbolitionOfSuffering

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TO DEFY AND TRANSGRESS

To defy and transgress in order to initiate creative action is the strategy of catalytic spirits. Autonomy comes through many small acts of disobedience, at once shrewd, well-reasoned, and patiently executed, so subtle as to evade penalty.

—philosopher and author Gaston Bachelard

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MAKING THE WORLD SAFE FOR POETRY

Does the word "revolution" have any useful meaning? Or has it been invoked by so many fanatics with such melodramatic agendas that it has lost its value? I suggest we give it another chance.

As for what exactly that might entail, let's call on author Rebecca Solnit for inspiration. She says, "I still think the revolution is to make the world safe for poetry, meandering, for the frail and vulnerable, the rare and obscure, the impractical and local and small."

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Oh my Goddess. Great news! ADRIENNE MAREE BROWN gave me a glowing blurb for my upcoming book, Lucky Storms, which will be published late this summer. She's one of my favorite thinkers and activists! Here's her praise:

"With Lucky Storms, Rob Brezny unleashes his wild imagination and his multiple ways of seeing and knowing into a visceral love note that is a novel which feels like a song, a set of spells, a tantric dance, and fierce fight for this earth. Brezsny invites us into a way of dreaming that can weave us back into relationship with each other, with all that has lived and all that will live."

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Among the many great works by adrienne maree brown is her New York Times' bestseller book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good. https://tinyurl.com/4x9j5tpt

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week beginning May 18

Copyright 2023 by Rob Brezsny

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the coming weeks, you Bulls must brook no bullies or bullying. Likewise, you should tolerate no bullshit from people trying to manipulate or fool you. Be a bulwark of integrity as you refuse to lower your standards. Bulk up the self-protective part of your psyche so you will be invincibly immune to careless and insensitive spoilers. Your word of power is BUILD. You will align yourself with cosmic rhythms as you work to create situations that will keep you strong and stable during the next 12 months.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): How much do you believe in your power to become the person you want to be? Ninety percent? Fifty-five? Twenty? Whatever it is, you can increase it in the coming weeks. Life will conspire with you to raise your confidence as you seek new ways to fulfill your soul's purpose. Surges of grace will come your way as you strive with intense focus to live your most meaningful destiny. To take maximum advantage of this opportunity, I suggest you enjoy extra amounts of quiet, meditative time. Request help from the deepest core of your intelligence.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Early in the 19th century, cultural researchers Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm gathered an array of old folk stories and published a collection of what we now call fairy tales. Because the two brothers wanted to earn money, they edited out some graphic elements of the original narratives. For example, in the Grimms' revised version, we don't get the juicy details of the princess fornicating with the frog prince once he has reverted to his handsome human form. In the earlier but not published stories of Rumpelstiltskin, the imp gets so frustrated when he's tricked by the queen that he rips himself apart. I hope you will do the opposite of the Brothers Grimm in the coming weeks, Cancerian. It's crucial that you reveal and expose and celebrate raw, unvarnished truths.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Is there a job you would love to have as your primary passion, but it's different from the job you're doing? Is there a calling you would delight in embracing, but you're too consumed by the daily routine? Do you have a hobby you’d like to turn into a professional pursuit? If you said even a partial yes to my questions, Leo, here's good news: In the coming months, you will have an enhanced ability to make these things happen. And now is an excellent time to get underway.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo-born Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was a versatile virtuoso. He excelled as an essayist, biographer, playwright, editor, poet, and lexicographer. How did he get so much done? Here’s one clue. He took his own advice, summed up in the following quote: “It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote. Present opportunities are neglected and attainable good is slighted by minds busied in extensive ranges and intent upon future advantages." Johnson’s counsel is perfect for you right now, Virgo. Forget about the future and be focused on the present. Dive into the interesting work and play that’s right in front of you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I would love you to go searching for treasure, and I hope you launch your quest soon. As you gather clues, I will be cheering you on. Before you embark, though, I want to make sure you are clear about the nature of the treasure you will be looking for. Please envision it in glorious detail. Write down a description of it and keep it with you for the next seven weeks. I also suggest you carry out a fun ritual to formally mark your entry into the treasure-hunting chapter of your life.

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EXTRA HELP

Would you enjoy getting further insights into the intriguing twists and turns of your amazing journey? Are you ready to seek more help from me in solving the riddles that confuse you?

Check out your EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPE at https://Realastrology.com

The cost is $7 per sign. Discounts are available for bulk purchases.

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Did you know that I also write daily horoscopes called Sunbursts, available as text messages? They're shorter than the weekly 'scopes, but more frequent. They cost 57 cents a day if you sign up for a subscription.

If you think you might enjoy getting regular bursts of inspiration from me to illuminate your adventures, register and/or sign in at https://RealAstrology.com

Click on "Daily Sunbursts" in the left-hand panel.

If you need help, contact my tech support team at freewillcs@gmail.com

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the coming weeks, you'll be guided by your deep intelligence as you explore and converse with the darkness. You will derive key revelations and helpful signs as you wander around inside the mysteries. Be poised and lucid, dear Scorpio. Trust your ability to sense what's important and what's not. Be confident that you can thrive amidst uncertainty as you remain loyal to your core truths. No matter how murky this challenge may seem, it will ultimately be a blessing. You will emerge both smarter and wiser.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you take the Bible’s teachings seriously, you give generously to the poor and you welcome immigrants. You regard the suffering of others as being worthy of your compassionate attention, and you express love not just for people who agree with you and share your cultural traditions, but for everyone. Numerous Biblical verses, including many attributed to Jesus Christ, make it clear that living according to these principles is essential to being a good human. Even if you are not Jewish or Christian, Sagittarius, I recommend this approach to you. Now is an excellent time to hone your generosity of spirit and expand your urge to care for others.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1982, Capricorn actor Ben Kingsley won an Oscar for his role in the film Gandhi. Then his career declined. In an animated movie in 1992, he voiced the role of an immortal frog named F.R.O.7. who worked as a James Bond-like secret agent. It was a critical and financial disaster. But Kingsley’s fortunes rebounded, and he was nominated for Academy Awards in 2002 and 2003. Then his trajectory dipped again. He was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for four separate films between 2005 and 2008. Now, at age 79, he's rich and famous and mostly remembered for the great things he has done. I suggest we make him your role model for the coming months. May he inspire you to emphasize your hits and downplay your misses.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I’m devoted to cultivating the art of relaxation. But I live in a world dominated by stress addicts and frenzied overachievers. Here's another problem: I aspire to be curious, innocent, and open-minded, but the civilization I'm embedded in highly values know-it-all experts who are very sure they are in command of life's secrets. One further snag: I’m an ultra-sensitive creator who is nourished by original thinking and original feeling. And yet I constantly encounter formulaic literalists who thrive on clichés. Now here's the good news: I am a successful person! I do what I love and enjoy an interesting life. Here’s even more good news, Aquarius: In the next 12 months, you will have a knack for creating rhythms that bring you closer than ever to doing what you love and enjoying an interesting life.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Most of us suffer from at least one absurd, irrational fear. I have a daft fear of heights, even when I’m perfectly safe, and a manic fear of mosquitoes dive-bombing me as I sleep, an event that has only happened four times in my life. My anxiety about running out of money is more rational, though, as is my dread of getting sick. Those worries help motivate me to work hard to earn a living and take superb care of my health. What about you, Pisces? Do you know which of your fears are preposterous and which make at least some sense? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to get a good handle on this question. Ask yourself: “Which of my fears are misdirected or exaggerated, and which are realistic and worthy of my attention?”

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries dramatist Samuel Beckett, winner of the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature, wrote 22 plays. The shortest was Breath. It has no dialogue or actors and lasts less than a minute. It begins and ends with a recording of the cry of a newborn baby. In between there are the sounds of someone breathing and variations in the lighting. I recommend you draw inspiration from Breath in the coming weeks, Aries. Be succinct and pithy. Call on the powers of graceful efficiency and no-nonsense effectiveness. Relish the joys of shrewd simplicity.

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Homework: Make a pledge to the person you’ll be two years from now: a beautiful promise. NewsletterFreeWillAstrology.com

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