Seeking the Big Picture

Incremental Revolution

Dear Creative Geniuses, Unsung Transfomers, Sacred Agents, and Cool Readers:

Whether you're a devotee of God, Goddess, Nature, or the Creative Force at the Heart of the Universe, you have undoubtedly noticed a deeply rooted quirk about the way it works. It has an intense predisposition to generate ceaseless change. It likes to keep things moving right along.

Earlier in my life, I bore a grudge against this incorrigible proclivity. But after repeatedly having my karma crumpled for resisting it, I realized I'd better get used to it. In recent years, I've come a long way in retraining myself to be cheerfully cooperative with the primal flow.

That’s one reason why my nickname for myself is “Flux Mojo.” I aspire to derive magical potency by aligning myself with life’s ceaseless changes.

But here’s an important caveat: I also yearn to influence the way the flux unfolds. I am focused on the prospect of tweaking the flow so it bends in the direction of justice, beauty, truth, and love — not just for me but for everyone.

I am a revolutionary.

My desires to fulfill my own personal life goals are strong, but equally strong are my longings to be of service to the greater good.

I want to participate in the project of creating a paradise on earth.

I want to help alleviate the world's suffering and maximize liberation — among my fellow humans as well as among the animals and plants.

And I want to align myself and harmonize my efforts with dear colleagues: people who treasure an empathetic, compassionate, creative way of being in the world.

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Lately, I must admit, our work has seemed almost impossible. Many of us are understandably anxious about how everything seems upside-down and inside-out.

The grotesque onset of the Trumpocalypse has scared those of us whose destinies are in direct danger of being damaged. And Trump’s toxic agenda is horrific to all of us who care about the world outside of our personal sphere.

So no, at this peculiar turning point in the evolution of life’s 14-billion-year-old master game, it's not easy to carry out our holy mission.

Somehow, we've got to figure out how to be both wrathful insurrectionaries and exuberant lovers of life.

We've got to cultivate cheerful buoyancy even as we fiercely resist and refute the thousands of delusions that have been carefully crafted and seductively packaged by the know-it-all deceivers.

We have to learn how to stay in good yet unruly moods as we overthrow the sour, puckered mass hallucination that the selfish haters package and promote as "reality."

Maybe most importantly, we have to be forcefully and boisterously dedicated to the cause of beauty and truth and love — even as we keep our imaginations wild and hungry and free. We have to be both disciplined and rowdy.

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David Byrne Performs His Hymn of Optimism and Countercultural Anthem of Resistance and Resilience with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus: https://tinyurl.com/4u2hby47

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INCREMENTAL REVOLUTION

I said above that I am a revolutionary. I always have been. And my intention to commit revolution is unflappable in the face of the Trumpocalypse. More than ever, I yearn to overthrow the toxic rot that this stupid bully and his thugs embody and perpetrate.

My understanding of revolution is different from that of some people, however. They believe “revolution” means a sudden, radical destruction and demise of the sick old order and the rapid, thoroughgoing bloom of a beautiful new order.

I have a different perspective. While I am all in favor of giant, positive transformations, my natural style of revolution is incremental, persistent, and diligent. In my experience, major shifts in how life works are more likely to come about through a measured approach. Same with politics.

And so the revolutionary fervor that my colleagues and I stoke is tenacious, determined, and detail-oriented. The revolution we seek happens gradually, relentlessly, and inexorably.

Image from the book by Alice Walker with the same title. Created by Shiloh McCloud and Michelle Noe.

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DANCING, SINGING REVOLUTION

Another defining point of our revolution: It’s fun, even delightful. It stirs radiance and pleasure. It’s full of dancing, singing, and conviviality.

At the the marrow of our burning quest for justice is joy. Our rebellion inspires revelry. While we compost the death-culture's idiocies, we also pollinate tomorrow's gardens with seeds of benevolent mischief, exuberant artistry, and erotic glee. Our protests pulse with the rhythms of both fury and fertility.

The wild awakenings we cultivate are woven exuberantly into our daily rhythm. We seek and welcome activations and inspirations in small, mundane moments as well as in big, thrilling adventures.

These approaches help ensure the inevitable outcome: that the malignant Empire’s toxic nightmares will get their last sick hurrah and then collapse in decay.

The pathological power of the retrograde bigots will putrefy and poison them from within, clearing the way for our empathy and tenderness to thrive.

Their festering, degenerate narratives will increasingly crack open portals for our revolutionary grace to pour through.

Listen to “The Future Belongs to Us”: https://tinyurl.com/TheFutureBelongsToUs

Listen to “This Is a Perfect Moment”: https://tinyurl.com/PerfectMomentIsNow

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SACRED ACTIVISM

Here's another key fact about our brand of revolution: It’s infused with SACRED ACTIVISM.

What’s that? Below are a few words about the nature of SACRED ACTIVISM—with a nod to author Andrew Harvey, the genius who coined the term.

Those of us who practice SACRED ACTIVISM say this: A spiritual path that’s rooted solely in personal investigation and communion with transcendent energies may ignore destructive historical forces—and even allow them, collude with them.

Without curiosity and care about our larger collective problems, an inward-focused approach allows, even sanctions, the world’s corruption and collapse.

To be holistic, spiritual practice must expoand beyond the selfish drive for individual enlightenment. It must include mercy and charity for all the rest of creation.

Conversely, activism that has no foundation in deep inner work and self-examination may merely reinforce ignorant patterns that fuel the decaying elements of society. It can in fact replicate the very systems of oppression and exploitation it seeks to dismantle.

A revolutionary intention to generate social justice requires more than passion and commitment; it needs ongoing self-reflection that cultivates humility and sincere compassion. It requires us to engage in shadow work. See Mandi Em’s book Feral Self Care: https://tinyurl.com/FeralSelfCare

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SACRED ACTIVISM thrives when spiritual insight and practical action are interwoven. It proposes that lasting transformation is possible only if inner wisdom and outer effort are integrated.

SACRED ACTIVISM doesn’t separate the pursuit of inner peace from the quest for social justice. It understands that one without the other is incomplete.

It calls upon us to bring our high ideals into tangible expression through hard work that is both visionary and pragmatic.

It requires our commitment to long-term, systemic change rather than short-term, superficial solutions.

SACRED ACTIVISM challenges the notion that transformation can be achieved through quick fixes or fleeting enthusiasm. It’s a patient and persistent approach that understands real change unfolds over time and is the result of sustained effort, collaboration, and adaptability.

All struggles to create a better world are interconnected, and SACRED ACTIVISM embraces this fact. We can’t strive to demolish racism without also working to dismantle misogyny. Fighting to end ecocidal terrorism by corporations is inextricably linked to reducing the gaping gap between the rich and poor. And so on.

Finally, SACRED ACTIVISM is not solely accomplished through public demonstrations and grand gestures. It emerges equally in small, everyday acts of compassion, service, and care.

Original artwork by Lily Seika Jones, who's on Instagram at @rivuletpaper

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PROPOSED BOTTOM-LINE PHILOSOPHY

Our happiness, potency, and spiritual skill are impossible and hollow unless we are in service to others. With this in mind, I propose an extension of the Bodhisattva’s Vow.

The Bodhisattva Vow: “My own personal quest for illumination is incomplete, and my own personal enlightenment is meaningless, unless I am also devoted to easing the suffering of others.”

I suggest we take this Vow a step further and say, “My quest for illumination is incomplete, and my enlightenment meaningless, unless I am also devoted to the goals of easing the suffering of others and helping them experience joy and pleasure and liberation and meaningfulness.”

A cornerstone of this Extended Version of the Bodhisattva’s Vow is that we are committed to providing the fundamental needs of all human beings—their food, shelter, medical care, money—so they have the ability to cultivate joy and pleasure and liberation and abundance.

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Proposed bottom-line spiritual philosophy: For any one of us, our life is rooted in the principle that whatever hurts other people hurts us; that injustices experienced by others are also injustices experienced by us.

None of us can truly be free and fulfilled unless we work toward the goal of ensuring everyone is free and fulfilled.

These are not vague abstract ideals. They’re the central source of our soul's code and how we organize our beliefs, emotions, and actions.

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Dear Readers,

I've gathered all the long-term, big-picture horoscopes I wrote for you, and bundled them in one place. Here's a compendium of your forecasts for 2025:

https://tinyurl.com/YourDestiny2025

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MANIFESTO

We are dissident bodhisattvas rebelling against the warped potencies that celebrate fear and blaspheme love.

We are spiritual freedom fighters plotting and wrangling to revere nature and incubate the still small voice and foment the wildest peace we can conjure.

We are subversive mystics stoking the cool blue fires of poetry and lobbying for the liberated imagination.

We are militant ecstatics invoking the transformative powers of pleasure to sanctify and beautify our one and only Earth.

We are mutinous purveyors of grace who redistribute the wealth so that all creatures may have the means to thrive.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

For the Week of January 30

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): As I envision your life in the coming weeks, I am moved to compare you to certain birds. First, there will be similarities between you and the many species that can literally perceive Earth's magnetic fields, seeing them as patterns of shadow and light overlaid on their regular vision. You, too, will have an uncanny multi-dimensional awareness that helps guide your travels. Secondly, Aquarius, you will be like the migrating songbirds that recalibrate their internal compass every day when the sun sets. In other words, you will make steady efforts to ensure that your magical ways of knowing are grounded in earthy rhythms.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In some Polynesian cultures, there is a belief that one’s mistakes, including excessive anger, can cause physical sickness. Hawaiians traditionally have employed a ritual remedy for such ills called ho'oponopono. It includes acts of atonement, forgiveness, and correction. It may even involve a prayer conference where all the people involved talk about their mutual problems with respect and compassion, seeking solutions and restitution. The coming weeks will be a fantastically favorable time for you to carry out your own version of ho'oponopono, Pisces.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In medieval Europe, beekeepers made formal reports to their hives of significant events in the human world, like births, deaths, marriages, and departures. They believed the bees needed to be continually informed so as to ensure robust honey production. The practice was called “telling the bees.” Let’s make this an inspiring story for you in the coming weeks, Aries. I invite you to keep your community fully apprised of what’s happening in your life. Proceed on the assumption that sharing your plans and changes with others will generate harmony and support. Like the beekeepers, you may discover that keeping your community in the loop will strengthen your bonds and sweeten your endeavors.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A regular guy named Jesse Ronnebaum bought an old painting at a yard sale for 50 cents. For the next ten years, it hung on the wall in his living room. Then he noticed a dim inscription on the painting that suggested maybe it was more valuable than he realized. Consulting an art dealer, he discovered it was an unusual composition that featured the work of seven prominent artists—and was worth a lot of money. Ronnebaum said, "Years of struggling, barely making bills, and the whole time there's $50,000 hanging over my head, literally." I am predicting metaphorically comparable events unfolding in your life during the coming months, Taurus. Hidden value will no longer be hidden. You will potentize neglected sources of wealth and finally recognize subtle treasures.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Namibia’s arid grasslands, fairy circles periodically emerge. They are highly regular rings of bare land encompassed by vegetation. What causes them? Supernatural entities, as believed by the local people? Sand termites or hydrogen-loving microbes, according to a few scientists? As yet, no definitive explanation has emerged. I love that! I cherish mysteries that thwart attempts at rational explanation. In accordance with astrological omens, Gemini, I invite you to specialize in tantalizing and unsolvable enigmas in the coming weeks. Your soul needs rich doses of provocative riddles, mysterious truths, and fun puzzles. Exult in the liberating declaration, “I don’t know!”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Wherever you wander, be alert for signals that remind you of who you used to be. This will stimulate your creative speculation about who you want to evolve into during the next few years. As you ruminate about your history, you will get inspirations about who you want to become. The past will speak vividly, in ways that hint at your best possible future. So welcome clues from people who are no longer alive. Be receptive to old allies and influences that are no longer a central part of your world.

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EXPLORING THE BIG PICTURE OF YOUR LONG-RANGE FUTURE

Would you like some inspiration and guidance as you muse and wonder about your upcoming adventures in 2025?

You can still listen to my long-range, in-depth explorations of your destiny in the coming months. Each report in the three-part series is 7 to 11 minutes long.

To hear these three-part, in-depth reports, go here:

https://RealAstrology.com

Register and/or log in through the main page. Under “Select Reading to Play,” choose "Part 1" or “Part 2” or “Part 3” of the "Long-Term Prediction for 2025

The cost for the Expanded Audio Horoscopes is $7 per sign. (You can get discounts for multiple purchases.)

A new short-range forecast for this week is also available.

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Crown shyness” is a phenomenon seen among some trees like lodgepole pines. In forests, they grow big and strong and tall, yet avoid touching each other at their tops. This creates canopies full of pronounced gaps. What causes this curious phenomenon? First, if branches don’t brush up against each other, harmful insects find it harder to spread from tree to tree. Second, when winds blow, branches are less likely to collide with each other and cause damage. There’s a third benefit: More sunlight penetrates to the forest floor, nourishing animals and other plants. I propose that you adopt crown shyness as a metaphor for your use, Leo. Express your beauty to the max—be bold and vivid and radiant—but also provide plenty of space for your allies to shine. Be your authentically amazing self, but create boundaries that allow others to be their amazing selves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Some astrologers assert that you Virgos suffer from an ambition deficit. They authoritatively assert that a fiery aspiration to achieve greatness never burns hot within you. But in the coming months, I will work to show you a different perspective. Let’s start now: Many of you Virgos are highly skilled at being self-sufficient. But sometimes this natural strength warps into a hesitancy to ask for help and support. And that can diminish your ability to fulfill your ambitions. My goal will be to celebrate and nurture your self-sufficiency even as I coach you to be dynamic about gathering all the assistance you can.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Life is not fair. In the coming days, you will be odd proof of this fact. That’s because you are likely to be the beneficiary of uncommon luck. The only kind of karma that will be operating in your vicinity will be good karma. X-factors and wild cards will be more available to you than usual. Your timing will be impeccable, and your intuition will be extra incisive. You may even be tempted to theorize that life is conspiring to bring you an extra supply of meaningful experiences. Here’s the clincher: If anyone in your sphere is prone to feeling envy because you’re flourishing, your charm will defuse it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Here are three questions to ruminate on: 1. What resources are you afraid you will run out of or squander? 2. What if your fear of running out or squandering these resources obstructs your ability to understand what you need to know and do so that you won’t run out or squander them? 3. How can you dissolve the fear and feel confident that the necessary resources will keep steadily flowing in, and you will use them well?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Most stars have at least one companion star, sometimes two. Our sun, which is all alone, is in the minority. Astronomers have found evidence that our home star once had a companion but lost it. Is there any chance of this situation changing in the future? Might our sun eventually link up with a new compatriot? It’s not likely. But in contrast to our sun’s fate, I suspect that 2025 will offer you a significant diminishment in your personal loneliness quotient. If you crave more camaraderie and togetherness, the coming months will be a favorable time to seek them out. Your meditation question: What’s the opposite of loneliness?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the coming weeks, your authenticity will be your greatest strength. The more genuine and honest you are, the more life will reward you. Be alert for situations that may seem to demand camouflage when in fact they will ultimately reward your complete transparency. You will be most powerful and attractive as you allow yourself to be fully seen. You can even use your vulnerability to your advantage. Be openly, clearly, unabashedly yourself.

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