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You Have the Power to Heal Yourself

To launch the next healing, tell the brave truth about yourself

Rob Brezsny

Mar 15, 2022

I'll cavern you, and grotto you, and waterfall you, and wood you, and water you, and immense-rock you, and tremendous-sound you, and solitude you.

—John Keats in a letter to his friend John Hamilton Reynolds

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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 one more week.

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

https://RealAstrology.com

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.

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.

P.S. You can also listen to a short-term Expanded Audio Horoscope for the coming week.

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Words by Sam Keene

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WHERE DOES HELP COME FROM?

I get many requests from people who are going through challenging times in their lives and would like my personal advice. I wish I could respond to these inquiries, because they are often profound and well-thought-out, demonstrating an ability to define the problems at hand with lucid insight.

Unfortunately, I can't respond. My various lines of work are too demanding to add other tasks to my life, no matter how interesting they might be. But I've developed a response to people who seek my personal input. I offer it below.

I'm honored that you regard me as someone who might be able to provide answers or solace, but I don't think it would be responsible for me to fling advice your way without knowing more about the complexities of your problem. And I'm afraid I can't give the time necessary to explore those complexities.

The only thing I'll suggest, as you seek to clarify your situation, is for you to arrange to go on a retreat. During that time of withdrawal from the world's everyday madness, I urge you to avoid all media and to be as silent and relaxed as it's possible for you to be.

You don't necessarily have to go away to a private sanctuary. You can do it in your own home. And there's no need to try to do the retreat perfectly. Just do the best you can.

During the first part of your retreat, spend time visualizing in your mind's eye the entire story of your life, from the earliest memory to the present moment.

During the second phase of your retreat, begin your meditations by establishing contact with the highest source of wisdom and love within you. You can call this source God or Goddess or your Guardian Angel or Higher Self. Spend luxurious time in dialogue with this source, making sure to ask these questions:

1. "What is it I want more than anything else?"

2. "What is the best way to serve the mission I came to Earth to carry out? What are the very best gifts I have to offer other humans?"

3. "What path will allow me to ultimately learn the most about wise love?"

4. "How do I need to change in order to get what I want, carry out my life's mission, and learn about wise love? What influences and attitudes do I need to eliminate?"

During the third phase of the process, write out a mission statement: what you want to accomplish by the time you die many years hence. Then create a master plan of the actions you will take in order to make that mission statement come true. Include three actions you will take in the next month to get more serious about accomplishing your mission.

During the fourth phase, visualize the following scenarios in lush detail: that God/Goddess loves you, that the entire universe is conspiring to give you the lessons and blessings and kicks in the ass and liberations you need exactly when you need them, and that you are ready to welcome that love and guidance with all your heart.

P.S. I'm a big believer in trusting your intuition. Even if it doesn't lead you to what your ego thinks is a successful outcome, your intuition will always guide you to the experiences that your soul needs.

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THE ART OF CHANGING YOUR MIND

Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

—George Bernard Shaw

Sometimes, being true to yourself means changing your mind. Self changes, and you follow.

—Vera Nazarian

The person who never alters their opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.

—William Blake

The interesting thing is always to see if you can find a fact that will change your mind about something, to test and see if you can.

—Diane Sawyer

Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind.

—W. Somerset Maugham

Almost all of my many passionate interests, and my many changes of mind, came through books.

—Annie Dillard

The snake that can't cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.

—Friedrich Nietzsche

I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.

—Beverly Cleary

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Only the strongest people have the pluck to change their minds, and say so, if they see they have been wrong in their ideas.

—Enid Blyton

Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large — I contain multitudes.

—Walt Whitman

The willingness to change one’s mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality not weakness.

―Stuart Sutherland

I came from a different mind-set growing up, and my mind has changed.

—Katy Perry

Total loyalty is possible only when fidelity is emptied of all concrete content, from which changes of mind might naturally arise.

—Hannah Arendt

There is no point in asking me general questions because I am always changing my mind.

—Michel Houellebecq

You have the RIGHT to change your mind

—Oprah Winfrey

A person is a fluid process, not a fixed and static entity; a flowing river of change, not a block of solid material; a continually changing constellation of potentialities, not a fixed quantity of traits.

— Carl Rogers

We are the sum of our efforts to change who we are. Identity is no museum piece sitting stock-still in a display case, but rather the endlessly astonishing synthesis of the contradictions of everyday life.

—Eduardo Galeano

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WHAT IS EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE?

Some people understand emotional intelligence to be a skill at understanding other people's feeling states, having an intuitive grasp of them. That can be a very good thing!

But in this version, emotional intelligence can also be an ability to read people's subtle emanations and signals with such acuity that you can therefore coax them to see things your way, sell them things, influence them.

So people with emotional intelligence in this sense of the word may be highly manipulative.

My way of defining emotional intelligence contains the context of kindness, empathy, and sensitivity.

Emotional intelligence consists of creating connection that is equal in its power dynamic; that is freed from manipulative agendas; that seeks authentic communion and connection for its own sake, as a form of play that generates magic.

In this model, emotional intelligence has a moral and ethical intention—a quest not to assert one's own needs as more important than the other's, but rather to recognize the other as a Holy Thou who is as worthy of being treated fairly and kindly as oneself.

Here are further thoughts about emotional intelligence by Asha Sanaker, whose Substack newsletter is here.

For me, emotional intelligence is personal, in that it connotes a person who has committed to understanding their own emotional history and tendencies, in order to make more conscious choices about how to act, or not, out of their emotions.

The emotionally intelligent person takes full responsibility, always, for their emotions and how the way that they bring those emotions to the world impacts it.

Emotional intelligence is also relational, because it enables the individual to attend to patterns of emotional behavior in others, and account for those emotions constructively in how they communicate and behave in response to what they sense in the other, hopefully with an eye towards greater connection and deeper mutual respect and care.

Essential to this is a clear sense of "what is mine and what is yours." Folks who are emotionally intelligent can be empathic, but they work to be clear about what comes from them and what they are absorbing from others.

Finally, emotional intelligence is social. The emotionally intelligent person understands that institutions and systems encourage certain emotions and discourage others. These same institutions and systems often are based on power hierarchies, so they dictate who is "allowed" to feel what and when.

The emotionally intelligent person understands this and stands aside from it as much as possible, refusing to submit blindly to it, or force others to submit blindly. The emotionally intelligent person wants everyone to own themselves, and not to be owned.

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YOUR OTHER LIFE

In his book My Other Life, Paul Theroux imagines another version of himself—the "story of a life I could have lived had things been different."

Hmmm. One of my other lives might have been that I kept on doing my music career, didn't quit, and just finished recording my 10th album, which has modest sales but is appreciated by critics.

What about you? I invite you to daydream about the inner potentials you've never developed, the interesting destinations you've never actually sought out, the initial interests that never grew into full-fledged relationships -- and then fantasize that you are in fact doing those things.

Aside from being fun, this experiment could lead you to actually try out some possibilities that maybe you should have considered long ago.

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POLISH WITCHES

Maxim's "Hot 100" lists the planet's supposedly sexiest women. Sports Illustrated has its Swimsuit Issue, with young women dressed in bikinis. Esquire's "Women We Love" features skinny young celebrities.

Here are some of my favorite beauties, all of whom are witches from Poland, my ancestral homeland: https://tinyurl.com/o7c3hp6

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MORE PRONOIA RESOURCES:

Through Online Platforms, Thousands Open Their Homes to Ukraine’s Refugees. Airbnb-style home sharing is changing what it means to be displaced. https://tinyurl.com/2duff4ea

Brooklyn’s Yafa Café Supports Growers in War Torn Yemen – the Surprising Birthplace of the Coffee Bean. https://tinyurl.com/5d88za8x

Former Marine Drove 1,000 Miles to Ukraine Border in Minibus Loaded with Supplies, Toys, and Blankets for Refugees. https://tinyurl.com/4cvux64w

Ukraine Receives Truckload of Starlink Terminals From Elon Musk For Uninterrupted Internet. https://tinyurl.com/emdxm2dh

The Values of Giving, Compassion and Family, Flourishing Across the World. https://tinyurl.com/5ccwp23e

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

Please tell me your own nominations for PRONOIA RESOURCES: Truthrooster@gmail.com.

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Words by Roberto Assagioli

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week beginning March 17

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "Never underestimate the wisdom of being easily satisfied," wrote aphorist Marty Rubin. If you're open to welcoming such a challenge, Pisces, I propose that you work on being very easily satisfied during the coming weeks. See if you can figure out how to enjoy even the smallest daily events with blissful gratitude. Exult in the details that make your daily rhythm so rich. Use your ingenuity to deepen your capacity for regarding life as an ongoing miracle. If you do this right, there will be no need to pretend you're having fun. You will vividly enhance your sensitivity to the ordinary glories we all tend to take for granted.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Singer, dancer, and comedian Sammy Davis Jr. disliked the song "The Candy Man," but he recorded it anyway, heeding his advisors. He spent just a brief time in the studio, finishing his vocals in two takes. "The song is going straight to the toilet," he complained, "pulling my career down with it." Surprise! It became the best-selling tune of his career, topping the Billboard charts for three weeks. I suspect there could be a similar phenomenon (or two!) in your life during the coming months, Aries. Don't be too sure you know how or where your interesting accomplishments will arise.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I love author Maya Angelou's definition of high accomplishment, and I recommend you take steps to make it your own in the coming weeks. She wrote, "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." Please note that in her view, success is not primarily about being popular, prestigious, powerful, or prosperous. I'm sure she wouldn't exclude those qualities from her formula, but the key point is that they are all less crucial than self-love. Please devote quality time to refining and upgrading this aspect of your drive for success.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "I'm not fake in any way," declared Gemini actor Courteney Cox. On the face of it, that's an amazing statement for a Gemini to make. After all, many in your tribe are masters of disguise and shapeshifting. Cox herself has won accolades for playing a wide variety of characters during her film and TV career, ranging from comedy to drama to horror. But let's consider the possibility that, yes, you Geminis can be versatile, mutable, and mercurial, yet also authentic and genuine. I think this specialty of yours could and should be extra prominent in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): "Sometimes I prayed for Baby Jesus to make me good, but Baby Jesus didn't," wrote author Barbara Kingsolver about her childhood approach to self-improvement. Just because this method failed to work for her, however, doesn't mean it won't work for others. In saying that, I'm not implying you should send out appeals to Baby Jesus. But I suggest you call on your imagination to help you figure out what influences may, in fact, boost your goodness. It's an excellent time to seek help as you elevate your integrity, expand your compassion, and deepen your commitment to ethical behavior. It's not that you're deficient in those departments; just that now is your special time to do what we all need to do periodically: Make sure our actual behavior is in rapt alignment with our high ideals.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo classicist and author Edith Hamilton specialized in the history of ancient Greece. The poet Homer was one of the most influential voices of that world. Hamilton wrote, "An ancient writer said of Homer that he touched nothing without somehow honoring and glorifying it." I love that about his work, and I invite you to match his energy in the coming weeks. I realize that's a lot to ask. But according to my reading of the astrological omens, you will indeed have a knack for honoring and glorifying all you touch.

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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 one more week.

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.

"I almost always come away from listening to your audio horoscopes with greater clarity about what's best for me to give my attention to next."

—Jada Washington, New York

"I love how your audio horoscopes stimulate my idealism and also help me think about the practical actions I can take to support my idealism."

—Rita Mashner, Tampa

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Starhawk, one of my favorite witches, reminds us that "sexuality is the expression of the creative life force of the universe. It is not dirty, nor is it merely 'normal'; it is sacred. And sacred can also be affectionate, joyful, pleasurable, passionate, funny, or purely animal." I hope you enjoy an abundance of such lushness in the coming weeks, Virgo. It's a favorable time in your astrological cycle for synergizing eros and spirituality. You have poetic license to express your delight about being alive with imaginative acts of sublime love.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1634, English poet John Milton coined the phrase "silver lining." It has become an idiom referring to a redemptive aspect of an experience that falls short of expectations. Over 350 years later, American author Arthur Yorinks wrote, "Too many people miss the silver lining because they’re expecting gold." Now I'm relaying his message to you. Hopefully, my heads-up will ensure that you won't miss the silver lining for any reason, including the possibility that you're fixated on gold.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "This is the most profound spiritual truth I know," declares author Anne Lamott. "That even when we're most sure that love can't conquer all, it seems to anyway. It goes down into the rat hole with us, in the guise of our friends, and there it swells and comforts. It gives us second winds, third winds, hundredth winds." Lamott's thoughts will be your wisdom to live by during the next eight weeks, Scorpio. Even if you think you already know everything there is to know about the powers of love to heal and transform, I urge you to be open to new powers that you have never before seen in action.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Witty Sagittarian author Ashleigh Brilliant has created thousands of cheerful yet often sardonic epigrams. In accordance with current astrological omens, I have chosen six that will be useful for you to treat as your own in the coming weeks. 1. "I may not be totally perfect, but parts of me are excellent." 2. "I have abandoned my search for truth and am now looking for a good fantasy." 3. "All I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power." 4. "Do your best to satisfy me—that's all I ask of everybody." 5. "I'm just moving clouds today, tomorrow I'll try mountains." 6. "A terrible thing has happened. I have lost my will to suffer."

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): "All experience is an enrichment rather than an impoverishment," wrote author Eudora Welty. That may seem like a simple and obvious statement, but in my view, it's profound and revolutionary. Too often, we are inclined to conclude that a relatively unpleasant or inconvenient event has diminished us. And while it may indeed have drained some of our vitality or caused us angst, it has almost certainly taught us a lesson or given us insight that will serve us well in the long run—if only to help us avoid similar downers in the future. According to my analysis of your current astrological omens, these thoughts are of prime importance for you right now.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): "Life swarms with innocent monsters," observed poet Charles Baudelaire. Who are the "innocent monsters"? I'll suggest a few candidates. Boring people who waste your time but who aren't inherently evil. Cute advertisements that subtly coax you to want stuff you don't really need. Social media that seem like amusing diversions except for the fact that they suck your time and drain your energy. That's the bad news, Aquarius. The good news is that the coming weeks will be a favorable time to eliminate from your life at least some of those innocent monsters. You're entering a period when you'll have a strong knack for purging "nice" influences that aren't really very nice.

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Homework: What small change could you initiate that will make a big beneficial difference? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

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P.S. I totally respect your privacy. I'll never sell or give away your address to anyone.

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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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