Your soul's code is your sacred calling

. . . the blueprint of your destiny

Your soul's code is your sacred calling; the blueprint of your destiny; the mission you came to earth to fulfill.

Now and then life pushes you away from influences that might be interfering with your ability to discern and express your soul’s code.

Higher powers and mysterious forces purge obstacles that have been preventing you from achieving a more complete embodiment of who you were born to be.

When that happens, it's time to celebrate.

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SHADOW BLESSINGS

Life is a vast and intricate conspiracy that's guaranteed to keep you well supplied with blessings.

What kind of blessings? Ten million dollars, a gorgeous physique, a perfect marriage, a luxurious home, and high status?

Maybe. But it's just as likely that the blessings will be interesting surprises, dizzying adventures, gifts you hardly know what to do with, and conundrums that dare you to get smarter.

Novelist William Vollman referred to these types of blessings when he said that "the most important and enjoyable thing in life is grappling with a complicated, tricky problem that you don't know how to solve."

Sculptor Henry Moore had a similar idea. He said, "The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for your whole life. And the most important thing is—it must be something you cannot possibly do."

So in other words, pronoia does not guarantee that you will forevermore be free of all difficult experiences.

It doesn't ask you to pretend that everything is sweet and harmonious all the time.

On the contrary, when you embody the spirit of pronoia, you build your optimism by loving your challenges, not repressing them.

You know that your problems are gifts from the Goddess that are designed to make you smarter and wilder and kinder and trickier.

You welcome each fresh puzzle as a potential source of your future bliss, as an exciting teaching that will usher you to your next breakthrough.

Listen to my spoken word performance of "Shadow Blessings":

or click this link: https://tinyurl.com/ShadowBlessings

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Now here's a spell to commit pronoia, written by psychotherapist Jennifer Welwood. I invite you to say it:

Willing to experience aloneness,
I discover connection everywhere;

Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within me;

Opening to my loss and pain and ignorance,
I remember who I am and what I'm here for.

Surrendering into emptiness,
I find fullness without end.

Each condition I flee from pursues me,
Each condition I welcome transforms me

and becomes itself transformed
into the blessing it always was.

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THIS WORLD IS ASTONISHING

When poet Wislawa Szymborska delivered her speech for winning the Nobel Prize, she said that "whatever else we might think of this world—it is astonishing."

She added that for a poet, there really is no such thing as the "ordinary world," "ordinary life," and "the ordinary course of events."

In fact, "Nothing is usual or normal. Not a single stone and not a single cloud above it. Not a single day and not a single night after it. And above all, not a single existence, not anyone's existence in this world."

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ENLIGHTENMENT <-> INDIVIDUATION

The following is an oversimplification, but it's a useful inquiry:

In Eastern spiritual traditions, enlightenment is held to be the consummate goal.

In Western esoteric paths, the supreme accomplishment is individuation, which may also be deemed the art of creating one's soul.

In my view, enlightenment is interesting and worthwhile to pursue, but ultimately impossible. A person living in a body can never attain a permanent and final state of enlightenment.

Individuation and soul-making are also interesting, but are more feasible.

I celebrate those who prefer to seek enlightenment. My preference, though, is the Western way.

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Hermetic Qabalah is the spiritual path I've studied since I was a young punk. The primary work and play involved in my devotional practice is to do my best at approximating individuation.

Individuation unfolds as I cultivate union with the Divine Intelligence, whose presence permeates every cubic centimeter of the universe.

As I merge my personal awareness with this Sublime, Infinite-Dimensional Awareness, my unique soul's code is activated more and more.

The magic paradox is that by using my imagination, creativity, and ethical actions to merge with the One Will, I become more fully myself.

The work/play is never finished, of course. There's no final state of perfection, no utterly permanent enlightenment.

That's OK with me. I love the prospect of continuing to ply this fun experimental art-game until the end of time, in all the various forms I will incarnate.

PS: One great technique for merging my personal awareness with the Divine Intelligence is to practice compassion towards and seek healing and justice for all the other creatures of the world.

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I am using the term INDIVIDUATION mostly in the Jungian sense. Here's a definition from the book Jung: A Very Short Introduction, by Anthony Stevens:

"Individuation is the process by which the individual self develops out of an undifferentiated unconscious.

"It's understood as a developmental psychic process during which innate elements of personality, the components of the immature psyche, and the experiences of the person's life become, if the process is more or less successful, integrated over time into a well-functioning whole.

"Some psychoanalytic theorists describe it as the stage where an individual transcends group attachment and narcissistic self-absorption."

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OPINIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING

Rebecca Solnit writes: "We are in an age when people think they should have opinions about everything, and they rush past the facts to get there, pass judgment without basis, and then spread the judgment as fact when the facts have never been uncovered or sifted through or verified.

"A lot of times you can't reach a firm conclusion from an action or connection or statement or association, and you shouldn't try to.

"We don't need to have opinions about everything, and every opinion we do have needs to be on a solid foundation of fact. "I don't know" is a really good position to take, and it's often the most honest and accurate one available.

"And we need to recognize the difference between an opinion and a fact, an inkling (or prejudice) and a settled truth, &etc.

"One thing that I recognize more and more is that public falsehoods (aka fake news) are not something foisted on us; they are something we must be active collaborators with, by accepting and repeating the unchecked lie / rumor / overintepretation.

"Or we can be their enemy, refusing to accept and repeat unless we know, and accepting that often we do not know."

—Rebecca Solnit

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Week beginning July 28

Copyright 2022 by Rob Brezsny

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): It's always advisable for you Leos to carry on a close personal relationship with mirrors. I'm speaking both literally and metaphorically. For the sake of your mental health, you need to be knowledgeable about your image and monitor its ever-shifting nuances. And according to my analysis of the astrological omens, you are now authorized to deepen your intimate connection with mirrors. I believe you will thrive by undertaking an intense phase of introspective explorations and creative self-inquiry. Please keep it all tender and kind, though. You're not allowed to bad-mouth yourself. Put a special emphasis on identifying aspects of your beauty that have been obscured or neglected. By the way, Leo, I also recommend you seek compassionate feedback from people you trust. Now is an excellent time to get reflections about your quest to become an even more amazing human.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At your best, you are a flexible purist, an adaptable stickler for detail, and a disciplined yet supple thinker. Maybe more than any other sign of the zodiac, you can be focused and resilient, intense and agile, attentive and graceful. And all of us non-Virgos will greatly appreciate it if you provide these talents in abundance during the coming weeks. We need you to be our humble, understated leader. Please be a role model who demonstrates the finely crafted, well-balanced approach to being healthy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In my Astrological Book of Life, your life purposes as a Libra may include the following: 1. to be beautiful in the smartest ways you can imagine and smart in the most beautiful ways you can imagine; 2. to always see at least two sides of the story, and preferably more; 3. to serve as an intermediary between disparate elements; 4. to lubricate and facilitate conversations between people who might not otherwise understand each other; 5. to find common ground between apparent contradictions; 6. to weave confusing paradoxes into invigorating amalgamations; 7. to never give up on finding the most elegant way to understand a problem. PS: In the coming weeks, I hope you will make extra efforts to call on the capacities I just named.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Author Clive James loved the Latin term gazofilacium, meaning "treasure chamber." He said that the related Italian word, gazofilacio, referred to the stash of beloved poems that he memorized and kept in a special place in his mind. In accordance with astrological omens, Scorpio, now would be an excellent time to begin creating your own personal gazofilacium: a storehouse of wonderful images and thoughts and memories that will serve as a beacon of joy and vitality for the rest of your long life. Here's your homework: Identify ten items you will store in your gazofilacium.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Tips to get the most out of the next three weeks: 1. Keep your interesting options open. Let your mediocre options shrivel and expire. 2. Have no regrets and make no apologies about doing what you love. 3. Keep in mind that every action you perform reverberates far beyond your immediate sphere. 4. Give your fears ridiculous names like "Gaffe" and "Wheezy" and "Lumpy." 5. Be honest to the point of frankness but not to the point of rudeness. 6. Don't just run. Gallop.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn poet Richard Hugo wrote, "It doesn't bother me that the word 'stone' appears more than 30 times in my third book, or that 'wind' and 'gray' appear over and over in my poems to the disdain of some reviewers." Hugo celebrated his obsessions. He treated them as riches because focusing on them enabled him to identify his deepest feelings and discover who he really was. In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend a similar approach to you in the coming weeks. Cultivate and honor and love the specific fascinations at the core of your destiny.

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WHY IS IT CALLED "FREE WILL" ASTROLOGY?

It's called Free Will Astrology because my goal is to create horoscopes that nurture your free will!

Contrary to what some horoscope fans believe, there's no such thing as predestination. Fate is a tricky phenomenon that keeps changing its mind about where it wants to go. The stars may impel, as the astrological saying goes, but they don't compel.

That's why I've never really considered myself a fortuneteller. I prefer to think that my greatest service is as a psychic intelligence agent, helping you expose the hidden patterns and unconscious forces that may be affecting your life without your knowledge.

If I "predict" anything, it's not so much the future as the unknown part of the present.

And if you ever want more than the 'scopes you're reading here, keep in mind that I also create EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES for you. They're four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your destiny.

To listen to your Expanded Audio Horoscope, go to https://RealAstrology.com

Register and/or log in through the main page.

The cost is $7 per sign. (Discounts are available for bulk purchases.)

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"I don't much believe in astrology. But that doesn't seem to get in the way of me deriving a whole lot of benefits from your expanded audio horoscopes."

—A. Arrosto, Indianapolis

"You have an amazing aptitude for cutting through the lies I tell myself. Thanks for the gentle shocks."

—T. Preneris, Toronto

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Author Violet Trefusis (1894–1972) and author Vita Sackville-West (1892–1962) loved each other. In one letter, Violet told Vita, "I want you hungrily, frenziedly, passionately. I am starving for you. Not only the physical you, but your fellowship, your sympathy, the innumerable points of view we share. I can't exist without you; you are my affinity." In the coming weeks, dear Aquarius, I invite you to use florid language like that in addressing your beloved allies. I also invite you to request such messages. According to my reading of the planetary omens, you are due for eruptions of articulate passion.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I'd like to honor and pay homage to a past disappointment that helped transform you into a beautiful soul. I know it didn't feel good for you when it happened, but it has generated results that have blessed you and the people whose lives you've touched. Would you consider performing a ritual of gratitude for all it taught you? Now is an excellent time to express your appreciation because doing so will lead to even further redemption.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Fiction-writer John Banville tells us, "There are moments when the past has a force so strong it seems one might be annihilated by it." I suspect that's sometimes true for many of us. But it won't apply to you Aries anytime soon. In fact, just the opposite situation will be in effect during the coming months: You will have more power to render the past irrelevant than maybe you've ever had. You will wield an almost indomitable capacity to launch new trends without having to answer to history. Take full advantage, please!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Researchers have proved that lullabies enhance the health of premature babies being cared for in hospitals. The soft, emotionally rich songs also promote the well-being of the babies' families. I bring this to your attention because I believe you should call on lullaby therapy yourself in the coming weeks. Listening to and singing those tunes will soothe and heal your inner child. And that, in my astrological opinion, is one of your top needs right now. For extra boosts, read fairy tales, eat food with your hands, make mud pies, and play on swings, seesaws, and merry-go-rounds.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Dancer and singer-songwriter FKA Twigs has taken dance lessons since she was a child. In 2017, she added a new form of physical training, the Chinese martial art of wushu. Doing so made her realize a key truth about herself: She loves to learn and practice new skills. Of all life's activities, they give her the most pleasure and activate her most vibrant energy. She feels at home in the world when she does them. I suspect you may have similar inclinations in the coming months. Your appetite for mastering new skills will be at an all-time high. You will find it natural and even exhilarating to undertake disciplined practice. Gathering knowledge will be even more exciting than it usually is.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Laurie Sheck writes, "So much of life is invisible, inscrutable: layers of thoughts, feelings, and outward events entwined with secrecies, ambiguities, ambivalences, obscurities, darknesses." While that's an experience we all have, especially you Cancerians, it will be far less pressing for you in the coming weeks. I foresee you embarking on a phase when clarity will be the rule, not the exception. Hidden parts of the world will reveal themselves to you. The mood will be brighter and lighter than usual. The chronic fuzziness of life will give way to a delightful acuity. I suspect you will see things that you have never or rarely seen.

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Homework: When it's impossible to do the totally right thing, you can do the half-right thing. Example? Newsletter.FreeWill.Astrology.com

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NEED TO CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS?

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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.

Requests for anonymity will be honored. We are not responsible for unsolicited submission of any creative material.

Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright 2022 Rob Brezsny

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