Rise Up Singing

Fierce and tender vitality, not toxic positivity

"Toxic positivity" happens when we forcibly dismiss and invalidate negative feelings that really need to be acknowledged and dealt with. If we are in the thrall of toxic positivity, we may be incapable of responding wisely to a difficult situation. We probably don’t have all the important facts at our disposal.

The term “toxic positivity” has been invoked a lot since the election. Some people who are in grief about the looming Trumpocalypse are not in the mood to hear chirpy optimism. They don't want to be told things like, "Oh, we survived the first Trump rampage, and maybe this second one won't turn out to be so bad."

I’m one of those people who is in grief about the looming Trumpocalypse. And I completely understand the criticism of toxic positivity. It's downright dangerous to downplay the threat posed by the racist rapist criminal theocratic demented fascist who has risen to the most powerful position in the world.

And it's not just millions of Americans whose future is in jeopardy. People worldwide are rightfully frightened about the potential mayhem that could be unleashed by this terrible human being and his sick thugs.

At the same time, I also understand why many fearful people are inclined to be in denial about the dire danger. I understand their panicked compulsion to retreat into unwarranted positivity. So I won't criticize them.

Furthermore, I vow to cultivate non-toxic positivity. I will encourage myself and all of us to redouble our wild devotion to loving the world and being in service to others.

At this turning point, we need to be able to go both ways. We must be fierce and relentless in our resistance to the authoritarian catastrophe threatened by the Trumpocalypse. We need to be highly practical in harnessing and expressing our sacred rage.

But we also need to take very good care of ourselves and each other. It's crucial that we rouse reserves of loving compassion beyond what we have dared to summon before. We must rise up in song and laughter and joy as we keep working and playing to create paradise on earth.

The energy I plan to summon is a balance of soulful grief, sacred rage, and vigorous joy. It has much in common with the raucous protest expressed by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke and her colleagues. They are Māori MPs in New Zealand's Parliament.

During a legislative session last week, they launched into the Kapa Haka, the forceful Māori ceremonial chant and dance. They were outraged by a bill seeking to dilute Māori rights. (Read more about this issue.)

Watch Māori legislators, led by Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, doing the Kapa Haka: https://tinyurl.com/OurSacredRage

More about the Maori’s Kapa Haka: https://tinyurl.com/MoreKapaHaka

More Kapa Haka in action: https://tinyurl.com/FierceWomenNow

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Songs to be inspired by:

Samantha Fish: “I Put a Spell on You”: https://tinyurl.com/SpellcastingNow

“Stand by Me” by Stephen Wilson Jr.: https://tinyurl.com/StandByMeNow

“I have embraced all hardships while staying unfazed: to discover the soul's gem”: https://tinyurl.com/DiscoverSoulGems

Let’s be tender, too: https://tinyurl.com/IwantEverybody

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THE LOOMING TRUMPOCALYPSE IS TERRIBLY REAL

Yes, the dangers of the Trumpocalypse are terribly real. It’s a bad idea to sugarcoat the horrors this foul criminal has in mind for the US and the world.

You think you know how bad Trump will be once he is fully unleashed? If you look at the evidence, you will realize it will be even worse: https://tinyurl.com/TrumpDangers

This article details every awful thing Trump has promised to do in his second term. He has pushed a slew of terrifying proposals that he plans to unleash on America: https://archive.ph/WoPQ0

How bad could a second Trump presidency get? The damage to America’s economy, institutions, and the world would be huge: https://archive.ph/GKg4x

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HOW WILL YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

Now let’s talk about vigorous joy, devoted service, and loving compassion.

Before the election, David Byrne's website ReasonsToBeCheerful.world asked readers, "No matter who wins the election, how will you continue to make the world a better place?''

The answers were fantastic. They include the following:

* I will continue helping my clients get sober and recover from addiction. —Meghan, Texas

* I will continue to be the best nurse I can be to all people, no matter their health insurance, or lack thereof. —Karen Haun, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

* I will continue to fight for women’s rights and arts and education funding. —Barbara Santoro, Milltown, New Jersey

* I will continue to be a voice for animals and veganism. —Karen Stoia, New Jersey

* I will continue to advocate for the elderly and their caregivers. —Leslie, Arizona

* I will keep fighting for a woman’s right to choose. —Leslie, Colorado

* I will continue my work on gun safety such as assault bans and gun licensing. —Christina F., Chevy Chase, Maryland

* I will still teach climate change to college students. —Ned J. Knight, Newberg, Oregon

* As a public high school teacher, I will continue to support my students in reaching their goals for the future. —Stephanie Harrell, Oceanside, California

* I will continue to serve as a Narrative Therapy Practitioner working with survivors of abuse toward their preferred life narrative. —Kristin Pedemonti, Allentown, Pennsylvania

* I’ll continue to vote with my dollars to support companies and brands that share my values. —Molly, Austin, Texas

* I will continue to speak out about injustice and my unequivocal anti-war and anti-racism stance. —Stacey Thunes, US citizen living in Berlin, Germany

* My friends and I will fight for everyone’s right to access health care. —Patricia Butler, Phoenix, Arizona

* I will continue to fight for open space and parks in the urban landscape. —Candace, Cambridge, Massachusetts

* I will continue to support criminal justice reform. —Nancy, Tucson, Arizona

* I will keep fighting for the separation of church and state. —Casper Bemis

* I will never stop working for a barrier-free world for all, including those with disabilities. —Lauren Tuchman, Maryland

* I’ll keep making sure kids have access to books that represent them. —Cinda Nofziger, Homer, Alaska

* I will continue to support higher education, my LGBTQ family and friends, and fight against misinformation. —Tracey Banning, Wisconsin

* I’ll keep leading hikes in the woods to introduce folks to the serenity of nature. —Lori, Connecticut

* I will continue working on creative projects and facilitating other artists and writers, finding and sharing joy in the creative process! —Karen, New Mexico

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DEAR READERS :

Tell me how you will continue to make the world a better place. Write to me at newsletter@freewillastrology.com

Let’s take to heart what reasonstobesheerful.world wrote: Yes, it matters who won the election. But maybe what matters as much is how millions of people, on any given day, choose to live, work, fight and advocate for positive change. Maybe the cumulative effect of countless individuals, striving to improve the world around them, is larger than any decision made by cruel oligarchs in Washington, DC.

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Today, November 19, Pluto enters Aquarius and will be there until 2044. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius (1778-1798), 24 revolts erupted worldwide, including the French, Haitian, and Irish revolutions, as well as on ten Caribbean islands.

Read a list here: https://tinyurl.com/PlutoRevolutions

The Haitian Revolution was a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule. It's the only slave uprising in history that led to the founding of a state free from slavery and ruled by non-whites and former captives.

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There was a question on Reddit.com regarding Pluto in Aquarius:

“Isn't it the case that Aquarius is progressive and shakes up tradition? But the current trends around the world point to a rejection of the new and demand for the old and stale. It feels like all of the progressive activism since 2008 is being thrown out the window and replaced by conservative and religious tradition. Why is this?”

Responses:

1. Plants bloom profusely right before they die.

2. Old structures are fighting dirty to survive. They know their time is ending, and they are trying to remake the world in their image one last time. They will not succeed. Pluto in Aquarius assures this.

This is the last gasp of the patriarchal power-stealers. They are everywhere, not just in government. and business. The collective change that is just getting underway involves all of us reclaiming our rightful power, each in our own way.

3. The United States didn't truly begin as a (flawed) experiment in democracy until 1789, eleven years after Pluto last entered Aquarius. The French revolution didn't kick in until 1789.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

For the Week of November 21

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Museum of Broken Relationships is in Zagreb, Croatia. It collects castaway objects left behind after intimate relationships have collapsed. Among its treasures are love letters, wedding rings, jars of bitter tears, stuffed animals, feather-filled quilts, and matching sweaters. Inspired by this sad spectacle, I invite you to create a very different shrine in your home: one that’s dedicated to wonderful memories from times of successful togetherness. Making this ritual gesture of hope and positivity will prepare you well for the potential relationship growth available for you in the coming months.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It's the Soul Retrieval phase of your long-term cycle, Capricorn. Have there been people, either alive or dead, who wounded or pirated parts of your treasured essence? Have you experienced painful events that weakened your connection to your inner riches? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to undertake meditations in which you carry out repair and restoration. You will summon curative agents whenever you reclaim lost and missing fragments of your soul. Be aggressive in seeking helpers who can synergize your own efforts.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Wistaria Vine in Sierra Madre, California is the world's biggest blooming plant. Spread over an acre, it weighs 250 tons and teems with over 1.5 million blossoms. I propose we regard it as your inspirational symbol for the coming months. Why? I expect you will be more abundantly creative and generative than maybe ever before. Your vitality will overflow. Your vigor will be delightfully lavish and profound. Homework: Start planning how you will wield and manage all that lushness.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean playwright and songwriter Robert Lopez is the only person to have won all four of the following awards more than once: Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and Grammys. He was also the youngest person to have won all four. I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming weeks and months. According to my astrological analysis, you are primed to ascend to new levels of accomplishment in your chosen field—and to be acknowledged for your success. Think big! Then think even bigger.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Award-winning Aries filmmaker Quentin Tarantino was born and raised in the US. But he has said, "I don't make movies for America. I make movies for planet Earth." I applaud his expansive perspective and recommend you cultivate your own version of it in the coming weeks. You will generate good fortune for yourself as you enlarge your audience, your range of influences, and your sphere of activity. It will be an excellent time to transcend previous notions of who you are and what your life’s assignments are. The frontiers are calling you to open your mind wider than ever as you leap to the next higher octave of your destiny.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "Earth knows no desolation. She smells regeneration in the moist breath of decay." Author George Meredith said that, and now I'm conveying it to you. Why? Because you’re entering a phase when you will have maximum power to ensure that decay leads to regeneration. My advice: Instead of trying to repress your awareness of what's decomposing, tune into it energetically. The sooner you embrace the challenging but interesting work to be done, the faster and more effective the redemption will be. Here’s your battle cry: Turn rot into splendor!

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Mercury will be your slippery but sticky companion in the coming weeks, Gemini. Whether or not you believe he is a literal god who abides in the spiritual realm, I trust you will acknowledge that he is a vivid archetype. He symbolizes forces that facilitate communication and promote connection. Since he is constantly traveling and conversing, he also represents boundary-crossing and thresholds. I encourage you to summon his assistance whenever you want to lubricate links and foster combinations. He can help you unify disparate influences and strengthen your network of allies.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Utility poles and telephones poles may seem to be indestructible towers, but they have a limited life span. A prime factor in their gradual demise is woodpeckers. The birds drill holes that over time weaken the wood. Their handiwork allows moisture to seep in, causing rot, and creates access points for small animals to burrow in and cause further disintegration. I bring this to your attention because I want to encourage you to launch a woodpecker-like campaign against any seemingly impregnable structures that oppress and restrict you. It might take a while to undermine their power to interfere with your life, but now is an excellent time to begin.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As an American, I'm jealous of how many festivals the Japanese people celebrate. By some estimates, there are over 100,000 events every year—an average of 274 per day! They may feature music, theater, dancing, entertainment, karaoke, sumo matches, games, delicious food, colorful costumes, spiritual observances, and parades of floats and shrines. If you are a Japanese Leo, you're in luck. The astrological indicators suggest that in the coming months, you should take extra advantage of your culture’s revels, parties, and social merriment. If you're not in Japan, do your best to fulfill your cosmic mandate to frolic and carouse. Start as soon as possible!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Flintstones was an animated TV comedy show broadcast in the US from 1960 to 1966. It was colossally silly and wildly popular. It portrayed cavemen and cavewomen living suburban lives in the Stone Age with dinosaurs as pets and cars made of wood and rocks. The chirpy theme song for the show was stolen from a piano sonata written by the classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven. In the coming weeks, Virgo, I invite you to steadily carry out the opposite of that conversion. Transform what’s daft or preposterous into what’s elegant and meaningful. Change superficial approaches into righteous devotions. Move away from trifling diversions and toward passionate magnificence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Even if you’re not a professional writer, I invite you to compose three lyrical messages in the coming days. One will be a psalm of appreciation for a person who enchants your imagination and inspires you to be your best self. Another will be a hymn of praise that you address to yourself—a gorgeous, expansive boast or an outpouring of gratitude for the marvel and mystery of you. The third salutation will be an address to a higher power, whether that’s God, Goddess, Nature, your Guardian Angel, Higher Self, or Life itself. If you can find it in your brave, wild heart to sing or chant these exaltations, you will place yourself in close alignment with cosmic rhythms. (PS: In general, now is a fantastic time to identify what you love and express your feelings for what you love.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Greek term pharmakon has a complicated set of meanings: scapegoat, poison, remedy, and recipe. According to my astrological analysis, all of these could soon be operative in your life. One surprise is that a metaphoric “poison” you are exposed to may ultimately serve as a remedy. Another curiosity is that a scapegoat may reveal a potent recipe for redemptive transformation. A further possibility: You will discover a new recipe for a very fine remedy. I’m not certain exactly how the whole story will unfold, but I’m betting the net effect will be a lot of healing.

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