Love Our "Blemishes" and "Mistakes"
The "Deviation" May Be at the Core of Our Strength
It turns out that the "blemish" is actually essential to the beauty. The "deviation" is at the core of the strength. The "wrong turn" was crucial to you getting onto the path with heart.
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WHAT LIFE STORY WILL YOU CREATE FOR YOURSELF IN THE COMING MONTHS?
Get inspired by listening to my 3-part EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES about your LONG-RANGE FUTURE.
These forecasts will be available for just a few more weeks.
Who do you want to become between now and January 2023? Where do you want to go and what do you want to do?
How can you exert your free will to create adventures that'll bring out the best in you, even as you find graceful ways to cooperate with the tides of destiny?
To listen to my three-part, in-depth reports, go here:
Register and/or log in through the main page, and then access the horoscopes by clicking on "Long Range Prediction." Choose from Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Each part is a standalone report, not dependent on the other two.
If you'd like a boost of inspiration to fuel you in your quest for beauty and truth and love and meaning, tune in to my meditations on your Big-Picture Outlook.
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Each of the three-part long-range reports is seven to nine minutes long. The cost is $6 per report. There are discounts for the purchase of multiple reports.
P.S. You can also listen to a short-term Expanded Audio Horoscope for the coming week.
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FOLLOW YOUR BLISTERS
Most of us have heard the exhortation "Follow your bliss!" It was popularized by mythologist Joseph Campbell. After studying the archetypal stories of many cultures throughout history, he concluded that it was the most important principle driving the success of most heroes.
Here's another way to say it: Identify the job or activity that deeply excites you, and find a way to make it the center of your life. Do what you love. Honor the strong drives of your heart.
But in his later years, Campbell worried that too many people had misinterpreted "Follow your bliss" to mean "Do what comes easily."
That's all wrong, he said. Anything worth doing takes work and struggle. "Maybe I should have said, 'Follow your blisters,'" he laughed.
Although many people believed Campbell's original quote was, "Follow your bliss and the money will come," he didn't actually say that.
In the days before fact-checking quotes on the internet became easy and routine, I was one of those who was under that misimpression.
I used "follow your bliss and the money will come" as a primary hypothesis for many years as I cooked my twice-a-day rice and beans and veggies on a hot plate in my one-room shack; as I rode my bike everywhere since I couldn't afford a car or insurance; as I neglected my dental care because I had no money to pay for it, and Medi-Cal, the California state government's insurance program. financed only the most meager and mediocre treatments.
After a while, when it was clear the money wasn't coming anytime soon, I amended Campbell's motto to read, "Follow your bliss and your blisters, and the money may come—although long past the time when you wish it would have."
I faithfully wrote my astrology column for 18 years before the money came. The process of getting it syndicated was brutally slow and gradual.
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NO RETROGRADE PLANETS!
For people who believe in such things, it’s interesting to note that there is not a single planet retrograde right now. That’s unusual.
How should we respond? Here's one possible answer: Indulge in drinking the lushest, most luxuriant water; avoid the low-fat H20 whenever possible. Likewise, inhale the kind of oxygen that's high in good cholesterol, and feast your eyes on creamy, full-bodied landscapes and other calorie-rich sights.
Also highly recommended: erotic encounters with the sky, wind, trees, mist, fog, rivers, lakes, and mountains.
First planet to go retrograde again is Pluto, on April 29. So almost two and a half months of no retrogrades.
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SACRED OUTRAGE
How do we summon the right blend of practical love and constructive anger?
How do we refrain from hating other people even as we fight fiercely against the hatred and danger they have helped unleash?
How do we cultivate cheerful buoyancy even as we neutralize the bigoted, autocratic poisons that are on the loose?
How can we be both wrathful insurrectionaries and exuberant lovers of life?
How can we stay in a good yet unruly mood as we overthrow the mass hallucinations that are metastasizing?
In the face of the danger, how do we remain intensely dedicated to building beauty and truth and justice and love even as we keep our imaginations wild and hungry and free?
Can our struggle also be a form of play?
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David Whyte writes: “ANGER is the deepest form of compassion, for another, for the world, for the self, for a life, for the body, for a family and for all our ideals, all vulnerable and all, possibly about to be hurt.
“Stripped of physical imprisonment and violent reaction, anger is the purest form of care; the internal living flame of anger always illuminates what we belong to, what we wish to protect and what we are willing to hazard ourselves for.
“What we usually call anger is only what is left of its essence when we are overwhelmed by its accompanying vulnerability, when it reaches the lost surface of our mind or our body’s incapacity to hold it, or when it touches the limits of our understanding.
“What we name as anger is actually only the incoherent physical incapacity to sustain this deep form of care in our outer daily life; the unwillingness to be large enough and generous enough to hold what we love helplessly in our bodies or our mind with the clarity and breadth of our whole being.”
- From David Whyte’s book, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words
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VIRTUE-SIGNALING
Some rightwingers fling the clichéd term "virtue signaling" as if it were a bad thing. Personally, I am all in favor of virtue-signaling.
I love to see people making full-bodied expressions of how much they care and what they want to do to make the world a better place. It's even fine with me if a part of their motivation is the desire to be loved by the rest of us do-gooders.
So yes, please feel free to flaunt your virtue-signaling in front of me. I will applaud and appreciate. Maybe you talk the do-good talk 70% of the time and walk the do-good walk 30% of the time. In my eyes, that's WAY preferable to those who walk the do-good walk 0% of the time.
If for some reason anyone doesn't like my virtue-signaling, they have my authorization to go in search of people who prefer to engage in vice-signaling and selfishness-signaling and I've-got-mine-and-fuck-the-rest-of-you signaling.
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Virtue signaling is one of the ways I offer teaching. I express what I think is moral behavior, and tell how I myself embody that moral behavior, in the hope of inspiring people to do good works.
We all work for a better world in the ways that are suitable for our unique constellation of interests and skills, and that may change over time.
When I was young, I protested in the streets and worked on action committees and educated myself about the issues so I could educate others.
In recent years, my activism has been expressed mostly through my words, music, and performances. I'm a teacher and influencer.
Serving in political offices is one way, but not the only way, of accomplishing practical activism. Very few of us are called to serve in political offices.
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CONGRATS TO THE CINCINNATI BENGALS!
Technically, the Los Angeles Rams racked up three more points than the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. They were the stronger team. But due to the exigencies of the Electoral College, the Bengals have been declared the winner.
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LOVING OUR BODIES
Many spiritual teachers, some of whom I respect, say things like "I am not my body" or "This body is not me."
I don't understand that. It's an insult and disparagement. It's dismissive of our bodies' sublime beauty and our bodies' divine role in educating our souls.
I mean, I do agree that we are not ONLY our bodies. I do agree that a big part of us is eternal, lives free of all limitations, and is ecstatically immersed in the interconnected web of life—not just trapped in some solitary boundaried form.
But hell yes, I am my body. It's a glorious aspect of who I am. It's a miraculous creation that has taken millions of years to evolve into the masterpiece it is now.
So for me, yes, I am my body, and yes, this body is me. I love my body. I am in awe of it. I am pleased to be united with it.
PS: My body is my teacher, my boon ally, my initiator, my redeemer. Its presence and influence imprint themselves on my eternal soul.
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PLEASURE EQUALS PEACE?
Among human beings, a pleasure-prone personality rarely displays violence or aggressive behaviors, and a violent personality has little ability to tolerate, experience, or enjoy sensuously pleasing activities. As either violence or pleasure goes up, the other goes down.
—James W. Prescott, "Body Pleasure and the Origins of Violence"
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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:
19-Year-Old Just Set the Record for the Youngest Woman to Fly Solo Around the World. https://tinyurl.com/2p8n7d8t
Amazing Quarter Million Monarchs in 2021 Western Migration – Up From Just 2,000 the Year Before. https://tinyurl.com/2p8nykrc
Visit ‘Fortlandia’ Where Designers Have Built Odes to Childhood Fort-Building in Austin, Texas. https://tinyurl.com/yckvvfza
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For a lot more pronoiac resources and ideas, read my book Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings
Available at Bookshop.org: https://tinyurl.com/548hp8y8
Available at Powells: https://bit.ly/PowellsPronoia
Available at Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/PronoiaBN
Available at Amazon: https://bit.ly/Pronoia
A free preview of the book is available here: https://tinyurl.com/PronoiaPreview
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Please tell me your own nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES: Truthrooster@gmail.com.
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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning February 17
Copyright 2022 by Rob Brezsny
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1961, Piscean cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human to orbit the Earth in a spacecraft. As his feat neared its end, Gagarin left the capsule at 20,000 feet above the ground and parachuted the rest of the way. He arrived in a turnip field where a girl and her grandmother were working. They provided him with a horse and cart so he could travel to the nearest telephone and make a call to get picked up and brought back to headquarters. I foresee a metaphorically comparable series of events transpiring in your life, Pisces. Be flexible and adaptable as you adjust to changing conditions with changing strategies. Your exceptional and illustrious activities may require the assistance of humble influences.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You're slipping into a phase when stuff that has been invisible will become visible, at least to you. You will have extra power to peer beneath the surfaces and discern the hidden agendas and study the deeper workings. Your interest in trivia and distractions will dissipate, and you'll feel intensified yearnings to home in on core truths. Here's your guiding principle during this time: Favor the interests of the soul over those of the ego. And for inspiration, have fun with this quote by religious scholar Huston Smith: "The Transcendent was my morning meal, we had the Eternal at lunch, and I ate a slice of the Infinite at dinner."
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "You cannot have fun with anything that you don’t love or admire or respect," declared comedian Mel Brooks. I agree! The joyous release that comes through playful amusement is most likely to unfold when you're in the presence of influences you are fond of. The good news, Taurus, is that in the coming weeks, you will have a special inclination and knack for hanging around people and influences like that. Therefore, you will have an enhanced capacity for mirth and delight and pleasure. Take full advantage, please! As much as possible, gravitate toward what you love and admire and respect.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "The thing about inspiration is that it takes your mind off everything else," says Gemini author Vikram Seth. I bring this truth to your attention because I believe you will soon be the beneficiary of steady, strong waves of inspiration. I also predict that these waves will transport you away from minor irritations that are best left alone for now. Be alert and ever-ready to spring into action, my dear, so that as the inspirational surges flow, you will harvest the maximum rewards from their gifts.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The advice that Reb Nachman of Breslov offered two centuries ago is just right for you now: "Never ask directions from someone who knows the way, or you will never be able to get lost." In the coming weeks, you will attract tricky but palpable blessings from meandering around without knowing exactly where you are. It's time for you to find out what you don't even realize you need to know; to stumble upon quiet little wonders and marvels that will ultimately prove to be guideposts for your holy quests in the future. Yes, I understand that being in unknown territory without a reliable map isn't usually a pleasure, but I believe it will be for you. PS: Our fellow Cancerian, author Rebecca Solnit, wrote a book entitled A Field Guide to Getting Lost. It might be helpful during your wanderings. Read a summary of it here: https://tinyurl.com/GuideToGettingLost
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): "You face your greatest opposition when you're closest to your biggest miracle," wrote author and filmmaker T. D. Jakes. According to my analysis of upcoming astrological omens, that's good advice for you. I suspect that the problems you encounter will be among your best and most useful ever. With the right attitude, you will harness the challenges to generate magnificent breakthroughs. And what's the right attitude? Proceed with the hypothesis that life is now conspiring to bring your soul exactly what your soul needs to express its ripest beauty.
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EXPLORING THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LONG-RANGE FUTURE
My long-range, big-picture EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES for the coming months are still available, but only for a few more weeks.
Who do you want to become between now and January 2023? Where do you want to go and what do you want to do? How can you exert your free will to create adventures that'll bring out the best in you, even as you find graceful ways to cooperate with the tides of destiny?
Go to https://RealAstrology.com to register and/or sign in through the main page.
Then access the horoscopes by clicking on "Long Range Prediction." Choose from Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Each part is a standalone report, not dependent on the other two.
Each of the three-part reports is seven to nine minutes long. The cost is $6 per report. There are discounts for the purchase of multiple reports.
A new short-range forecast for this week is also available.
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"Your audio horoscopes help me love myself better, and I mean that in a non-narcissistic way."
—Deva Paramaus, Indianapolis
"I'm really grateful for the way you pick up my telepathic requests and answer them in your expanded audio 'scopes."
—Marion Houseman, Birmingham, AL
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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "Always remember this," said actor Hattie McDaniel (1893–1952). "There are only 18 inches between a pat on the back and a kick in the rump." Metaphorically speaking, I believe her advice will be useful for you in the coming days. Lately, you've had to deal with too many experiences and influences akin to kicks in the rump. But now that will change. Soon there'll be a surge of experiences and influences that resemble pats on the back. In my estimation, you have finished paying your dues and making course corrections. Now it's time for you to receive meaningful appreciation and constructive approval.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author Gayle Forman offers a set of truths that I suspect will be useful for you in the coming weeks. They may even be inspirational and motivational. Forman writes, "Sometimes fate or life or whatever you want to call it, leaves a door a little open, and you walk through it. But sometimes it locks the door and you have to find the key, or pick the lock, or knock the damn thing down. And sometimes, it doesn't even show you the door, and you have to build it yourself." Are you ready for the challenge, Libra? I think you are. Do whatever you must do to go through the doorways you want and need to go through.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash described her process. "I dream of songs," she began. "I dream they fall down through the centuries, from my distant ancestors, and come to me. I dream of lullabies and sea shanties and keening cries and rhythms and stories and backbeats." Scorpio, I would love for you to explore comparable approaches to getting the creative ideas you need to live your best life possible. I would love for you to draw freely from sources beyond your conscious ego—including your ancestors, the people you were in previous incarnations, gods and spirits, heroes and allies, the intelligence of animals, and the wisdom of nature. The coming months will be a favorable time to expand your access. Start boosting the signals now!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Author Madeleine Thien has lived in Vancouver, Montreal, and Iowa City, and has taught at schools in Hong Kong and Brooklyn. Her father was born and raised in Malaysia and her mother in Hong Kong. She has a rich array of different roots. Not surprisingly, then, she has said, "I like to think of home as a verb, something we keep recreating." That's an excellent meditation for you right now, Sagittarius. And it will continue to be worthy of your ruminations for another four months. What's the next step you could take to feel comfortable and secure and at peace?
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The fastest animal on earth is the peregrine falcon, which can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour when it dives from a great height. The seventh-fastest creature is the humble pigeon. Having been clocked at 92.5 miles per hour, the bird outpaces the cheetah, which is the fastest land animal. I propose we make the pigeon your spirit creature for the coming weeks. On the one hand, you may seem mild and modest to casual observers. On the other hand, you will in fact be sleek, quick, and agile. Like the pigeon, you will also be highly adaptable, able to thrive in a variety of situations.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "Self-control might be as passionate and as active as the surrender to passion," wrote Aquarian author W. Somerset Maugham. Yes! I agree! And that's the perfect message for you to hear right now. If you choose to take advantage of the potentials that life is offering you, you will explore and experiment with the mysteries of self-discipline and self-command. You'll be a trailblazer of discernment and poise. You will indulge in and enjoy the pleasures of self-regulation.
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Homework: Name the three things most worthy of celebrating right now. Then celebrate them! Newsletter@freewillastrology.com
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Submissions sent to Rob Brezsny's Astrology 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 submissions for length, style, and content.
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Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright 2022 Rob Brezsny
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The notes on violence is quite powerful, thanks a lot for these words, much needed those days
Thank you for your inspiring, uplifting messages, Rob Brezsny. You are one of the many cool, wonderful, delightful divine sparkles on Earth at this time for which I’m so grateful! I love David Whyte so glad you included that bit about anger and all the good news and loving ones body..
🙏🥰♒️☀️🌎🌝🌷🎶✍🏼🎨🌟🤣 ♌️