This is a perfect moment

The miracle is here now

Author Umberto Eco declared that beauty is boring because it "must always follow certain rules." A beautiful nose has to be just the right shape and size, he said, while an "ugly nose" can be ugly in a million different unpredictable ways.

I find his definition narrow and boring, and prefer that of philosopher Francis Bacon, who wrote, "There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion."

Poet Charles Baudelaire agreed with Francis Bacon, saying, "That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal: from which it follows that irregularity—that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment—is an essential part and characteristic of beauty."

Then there's the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which honors beauty that's idiosyncratic, transitory, and incomplete.

Wabi-sabi may refer to an interesting or evocative imperfection in a work of art that makes it more beautiful than if it were merely perfect.

"The essence of wabi-sabi,” writes Todd Dominey, “is that true beauty, whether it comes from an object, architecture, or visual art, doesn't reveal itself until the winds of time have had their say. Beauty is in the cracks, the worn spots, and the imperfect lines."

In his book Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers, Leonard Koren says wabi-sabi differs from the Western notion that beauty resides in things that are "monumental, spectacular, and enduring."

It's about "the minor and the hidden, the tentative and the ephemeral: things so subtle and evanescent they are almost invisible at first glance."

"When bread is baked, some parts are split at the surface, and these parts which thus open, and have a certain fashion contrary to the purpose of the baker's art, are beautiful, and in a peculiar way excite a desire for eating.

“Again, figs, when they are quite ripe, gape open; and in the ripe olives the very circumstance of their being near to rottenness adds a peculiar beauty to the fruit.

“And the ears of corn bending down, and the lion's eyebrows, and the foam which flows from the mouth of wild boars, though they are far from being beautiful, please the mind."

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, translated by George Long

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"There is no beauty without some strangeness," wrote Edgar Allan Poe.

Fashion designer Rei Kawakubo ventured further, declaring, "Strangeness is a necessary ingredient in beauty."

She also added another nuance to her definition: "For something to be beautiful, it doesn't have to be pretty."

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In his book The Medusa and the Snail, science writer Lewis Thomas said that the English word "error" developed from a root meaning "to wander about, looking for something." That's why he liked Darwin's idea that error is the driving force in evolution.

"The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA," said Thomas. "Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic bacteria and there would be no music."

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“The great lessons from the true mystics, from the Zen monks, is that the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbors, friends, and family, in one's back yard, and that travel may be a flight from confronting the sacred.

“To be looking everywhere for miracles is a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous.”

—Abraham H. Maslow, Religions, Values, and Peak Experiences

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If you love the sacred and despise the ordinary, you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion.

—Lin-Chi, The Taoist Classics, translated by Thomas Cleary

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“The lesson that life constantly enforces is “Look underfoot.” You are always nearer to the true sources of your power than you think.

“The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.

“Don't despise your own place and hour. Every place is the center of the world.”

—Naturalist John Burroughs

“We want to be God in all the ways that are not the ways of God, in what we hope is indestructible or unmoving.

“But God is fragile, a bare smear of pollen, that scatter of yellow dust from the tree that tumbled over in a storm of grief and planted itself again.”

—Deena Metzger, Prayers for a Thousand Years

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"The more accidental, the more true," wrote Boris Pasternak in his poem "February."

Scholar Mikhail Epstein expanded this observation: "The more accidental the phenomenon, the more divine its nature, for the divine is what has not been envisioned, what cannot be deduced from general rules, nor irreducible to them."

If we pursue this line of thought to its logical conclusion, we may decide that the most useful sources of illumination are not always holy books, revered dogma, and great truths that everyone has heard.

They might also be serendipitous anomalies that erupt into the daily routine and break the trance of ordinary awareness. "The tiny spark," Epstein writes, "is the precise measure of the holiness of the world."

(Source: Mikhail Epstein, "Judaic Spiritual Traditions in the Poetry of Pasternak and Mandel'shtam." Translated from Russian by Ruth Rischin. Symposium. A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures, Volume 52, No. 4)

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When you're an aspiring master of pronoia, you see the cracks in the facades as opportunities; inspiration erupts as you careen over bumps in the road; you love the enticing magic that flows from situations that other people regard as rough or crooked.

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The literal meaning of the French term jolie-laide is "pretty and ugly." Bloggers at wordsnquotes.com define it as follows: "It's a fascinating quirkiness that's irresistible, like a face you want to keep looking at even if you can't decide whether it is beautiful or not."

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I give thanks for the dented rusty brown and gray 1967 Chevy 10 pick-up truck that my neighbor parks askew on the shoulder of the road near my house.

Its messy beauty snaps me back to sanity when my own perfectionism threatens to de-soul me, or when all the shiny, sleek, polished things of the world are on the verge of hypnotizing me into believing that only they should be considered attractive.

Are there equivalent triggers in your life?

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When playing the card game known as bridge, you're fortunate if you're dealt no cards of any particular suit. It allows you to use the trump suit to win tricks.

Identify a situation in your own life where a lack of a certain resource can work to your advantage, allowing you to be a free agent, an X-factor, a wild card; freeing you to capitalize on loopholes that aren't normally available; giving you access to luck that comes to you through what you're missing.

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While putting on your shirt or blouse some morning, fasten the top button in the second hole, the second button in the third hole, and so on all the way down.

For the rest of the day, preserve this dishevelment with all your composure intact, even in the face of odd stares and snide comments.

If anyone says, "Hey, your shirt's buttoned wrong," reply calmly, "No, it isn't. I buttoned it this way on purpose."

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To all I care about, here’s a friendly tip: enlightenment is gaffe upon error upon blooper.

—poet Ikkyu

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My upcoming book is titled

*Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as a Horoscope Columnist*.

I’m offering sneak peeks to paid subscribers of my newsletter. This week I’m publishing the tenth installment.

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week beginning April 6

Copyright 2022 by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries-born René Descartes (1596–1650) was instrumental in developing of modern science and philosophy. His famous motto, "I think, therefore I am" is an assertion that the analytical component of intelligence is primary and foremost. And yet, few history books mention the supernatural intervention that was pivotal in his evolution as a supreme rationalist. On the night of November 10, 1619, he had three mystical dreams that changed his life, revealing the contours of the quest to discern the "miraculous science" that would occupy him for the next 30 years. I suspect you are in store for a comparable experience or two, Aries. Brilliant ideas and marvelous solutions to your dilemmas will visit you as you bask in unusual and magical states of awareness.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The dirty work is becoming milder and easier. It's still a bit dirty, but is growing progressively less grungy and more rewarding. The command to "adjust, adjust, and adjust some more, you beast of burden" is giving way to "refine, refine, and refine some more, you beautiful animal." At this pivotal moment, it's crucial to remain consummately conscientious. If you stay in close touch with your shadowy side, it will never commandeer more than ten percent of your total personality. In other words, a bit of healthy distrust for your own motives will keep you trustworthy. (PS: Groaning and grousing, if done in righteous and constructive causes, will continue to be good therapy for now.)

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "'Tis the good reader that makes the good book," wrote Gemini philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. "In every book, he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear." In the coming weeks, a similar principle will apply to everything you encounter, Gemini—not just books. You will find rich meaning and entertainment wherever you go. From seemingly ordinary experiences, you’ll notice and pluck clues that will be wildly useful for you personally.  For inspiration, read this quote from author Sam Keen: "Enter each day with the expectation that the happenings of the day may contain a clandestine message addressed to you personally. Expect omens, epiphanies, casual blessings, and teachers who unknowingly speak to your condition."

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Traditional astrologers don't regard the planet Mars as being a natural ally of you Crabs. But I suspect you will enjoy an invigorating relationship with the red planet during the next six weeks. For best results, tap into its rigorous vigor in the following ways: 1. Gather new wisdom about how to fight tenderly and fiercely for what's yours. 2. Refine and energize your ambitions so they become more ingenious and beautiful. 3. Find out more about how to provide your physical body with exactly what it needs to be strong and lively on an ongoing basis. 4. Mediate on how to activate a boost in your willpower.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I won't ask you to start heading back toward your comfort zone yet, Leo. I'd love to see you keep wandering out in the frontiers for a while longer. It's healthy and wise to be extra fanciful, improvisatory, and imaginative. The more rigorous and daring your experiments, the better. Possible bonus: If you are willing to question at least some of your fixed opinions and dogmatic beliefs, you could very well outgrow the part of the Old You that has finished its mission.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Supreme Deity with the most power may not be Jehovah or Allah or Brahman or Jesus's Dad. There's a good chance it's actually Mammon, the God of Money. The devoted worship that humans offer to Mammon far surpasses the loyalty offered to all the other gods combined. His values and commandments rule civilization. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because now is an excellent time for you to deliver extra intense prayers to Mammon. From what I can determine, this formidable Lord of Lords is far more likely to favor you than usual. (PS: I'm only half-kidding. I really do believe your financial luck will be at a peak in the coming weeks.)

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EXTRA HELP

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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 as little as 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

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Words are by Pablo Neruda. The Tarot card of the Empress is from the Spiral Tarot deck by Kay Steventon

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It's an excellent time to give up depleted, used-up obsessions so you have plenty of room and energy to embrace fresh, succulent passions. I hope you will take advantage of the cosmic help that's available as you try this fun experiment. You will get in touch with previously untapped resources as you wind down your attachments to old pleasures that have dissipated. You will activate dormant reserves of energy as you phase out connections that take more than they give.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "The best revenge is not to be like your enemy," said ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius. I'm tempted to advise every Scorpio to get a tattoo of that motto. That way, you will forever keep in mind this excellent advice; As fun as it may initially feel to retaliate against those who have crossed you, it rarely generates redemptive grace or glorious rebirth, which are key Scorpio birthrights. I believe these thoughts should be prime meditations for you in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sometimes love can be boring. We may become overly accustomed to feeling affection and tenderness for a special person or animal. What blazed like a fiery fountain in the early stages of our attraction might have subsided into a routine sensation of mild fondness. But here's the good news, Sagittarius: Even if you have been ensconced in bland sweetness, I suspect you will soon transition into a phase of enhanced zeal. Are you ready to be immersed in a luscious lusty bloom of heartful yearning and adventure?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What shall we call this latest chapter of your life story? How about "Stealthy Triumph over Lonely Fear" or maybe "Creating Rapport with the Holy Darkness." Other choices might be "As Far Down into the Wild Rich Depths That I Dare to Go" or "My Roots Are Stronger and Deeper Than I Ever Imagined." Congratulations on this quiet but amazing work you've been attending to. Some other possible descriptors: "I Didn't Have to Slay the Dragon Because I Figured Out How to Harness It" or "The Unexpected Wealth I Discovered Amidst the Confusing Chaos."

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It's sway-swirl-swivel time for you, Aquarius—a phase when you will be wise to gyrate and rollick and zigzag. This is a bouncy, shimmering interlude that will hopefully clean and clear your mind as it provides you with an abundance of reasons to utter "whee!" and "yahoo!" and "hooray!" My advice: Don't expect the straight-and-narrow version of anything. Be sure you get more than minimal doses of twirling and swooping and cavorting. Your brain needs to be teased and tickled, and your heart requires regular encounters with improvised fun.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When I was growing up in suburban America, way back in the 20th century, many adults told me that I was wrong and bad to grow my hair really long. Really! It's hard to believe now, but I endured ongoing assaults of criticism, ridicule, and threats because of how I shaped my physical appearance. Teachers, relatives, baseball coaches, neighbors, strangers in the grocery store—literally hundreds of people—warned me that sporting a big head of hair would cause the whole world to be prejudiced against me and sabotage my success. Decades later, I can safely say that all those critics were resoundingly wrong. My hair is still long, has always been so, and my ability to live the life I love has not been obstructed by it in the least. Telling you this story is my way of encouraging you to keep being who you really are, even in the face of people telling you that's not who you really are. The astrological omens say it's time for you to take a stand.

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Homework: What do you love most about yourself? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

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