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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
Week beginning August 21
Copyright 2014 by Rob Brezsny
http://FreeWillAstrology.com
Grammar key: Asterisks equal *italics*


VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I've got three new vocabulary words for you. I
need them to provide you with the proper oracle. First is the German term
*Schwellenangst.* It refers to timidity or nervousness about crossing a
threshold and heading into unknown territory. The second word is a new
English term, "strikhedonia." It means the joy that rises up when you feel
the courage to say "to hell with it." The third word is from Portuguese:
*desenrascanço.* It means the spontaneous improvisation of haphazard
but ultimately effective plans. Now let's put them all together: To
conquer your *Schwellenangst,* you must summon a bolt of strikhedonia
and have faith in your ability to carry out *desenrascanço.* (Thanks to
http://other-wordly.tumblr.com for the new words.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Desire can conquer fear. Love trumps
cowardice. The power that your tenderness affords you may not
completely dissolve your doubt and worry, but it will quiet them down so
much that they will lose their ability to paralyze you. These truths are
always good to keep in mind, of course, but they are especially useful to
you right now. No obstacle will faze you, no shadow will intimidate you, as
long as you feed your holy longing and unshakable compassion.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): On August 2, 1830, Louis Antoine, Duke of
Angouleme, was King of France for 20 minutes. (It's a long story.) I offer
this to you as a cautionary tale. A few weeks from now, I don't want to
have to be comparing you to him. If you hope to hold your new position
or continue to wield your added clout for longer than just a little while,
you should take all necessary steps. How? Nurture the web of support
that will sustain you, for example. Don't burn a single bridge. Cultivate
real empathy, not just the showy kind. Avoid manipulative behavior, even
if you think you can get away with it. Be a skillful gatherer of information.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Golda Meir was Prime Minister of Israel
from 1969 to 1974. Her admirers described her as  "strong-willed,
straight-talking, grey-bunned grandmother of the Jewish people." She had
a good sense of humor, too. "Let me tell you the one thing I have against
Moses," she said. "He took us forty years into the desert in order to bring
us to the one place in the Middle East that has no oil." I bring this up as a
teaching story for you, Sagittarius. If you plan to make any big moves,
transitions, or journeys in the coming months, I suggest you choose
destinations that will allow you to gain access to wealth-building
resources.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Do you know what phase of your cycle it
is? Here are a few hints. It doesn't come around often. It's not
characterized by predictable events or boring certainties. And it may
allow you, even encourage you, to take a break from being your usual
self. Give up? OK. I'll tell you. You have entered the Nicolas Cage Phase of
your cycle. Cage is a Capricorn, but not a typical one. He's eccentric and
manic and certifiably batty. He refers to his acting technique as "Nouveau
Shamanic," once lived in a fake castle, and owns a Lamborghini that
belonged to the legendary tyrant, the Shah of Iran. For our current
purposes, he has also testified, "I am not a demon. I am a lizard, a shark, a
heat-seeking panther. I want to be Bob Denver on acid playing the
accordion."

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Here's one of my goals in life, Aquarius: to
show you a type of astrology that does not infringe on your free will, but
rather clarifies your options. In this horoscope, for instance, I will outline
your alternatives so that you will be fully informed as you determine what
course of action will be most closely aligned with your high ideals. Ponder
the following question, and then briskly exert your freedom of choice:
Would you prefer to have love make your head spin, knock you off your
feet, tickle your X-factor, kick you gently but firmly in the ass, or all of
the above?


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WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?

Grace emerges in the ebb and flow, not just the flow. The waning reveals
a different kind of blessing than the waxing.

But whether it's our time to ferment in the valley of shadows or rise up
singing in the sun-splashed meadow, fresh power to transform ourselves
is always on the way. Our suffering won't last, nor will our triumph.
Without fail, life will deliver the creative energy we need
to change into the new thing we must become.

Where are you in the great cycle of your life? For inspiration in figuring it
all out, tune in to my EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES.

They are four-to-five-minute meditations on the current state of your
destiny and where you're headed.

They are not repeats or extensions of the written 'scopes you read here
for free. They are entirely fresh explorations of your astrological omens,
and are designed to help you tune in to your soul's code. (P.S. They're
not free.)

Register and/or sign in at http://RealAstrology.com/

They're available on your tablets and smart phones as well as your
computers.

The forecasts are also available by phone: 1-877-873-4888

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "God changes caterpillars into butterflies,
sand into pearls, and coal into diamonds by using time and pressure,"
says pastor Rick Warren. "He is working on you, too." Let's make that
idea your meditation, Pisces. If the word "God" doesn't suit you,
substitute "life," "nature" or "Wakan Tanka," the Lakotan term for "The
Great Mystery." The essential point is that you are being worked on and
shaped by forces beyond your conscious awareness. Some of them are
vast and impersonal, like your culture, the media, and the entertainment
industry. Others are intimate and close at hand, like your genes, your
childhood imprints, and the characters you encounter daily. Now is an
excellent time to contemplate all the influences that make you who you
are.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): An American named Kevin Shelley
accomplished a feat worthy of inclusion in the *Guinness Book of World
Records.* While wearing a blue satin martial arts outfit, he smashed 46
wooden toilet seats over his head in just one minute. Some observers
may be inclined to dismiss his efforts as frivolous and ridiculous. But I
admire how he playfully mocked his own competitiveness while fully
expressing his competitiveness. He satirized his ego's drive to be first and
best even as achieved the goal of being first and best. I recommend you
try something similar. You're entering a phase when you'll be wise to add
a bit of humility to your bold self-presentation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are about to make the transition from
plodding to skipping; from moping to exulting. You will no longer be
bogged down by cloudy doubt, but will instead be buoyed by giddy hope.
To what do we owe this imminent turnaround in your fortunes? One
reason is that it's Justifiable Narcissism Week -- for Tauruses only. During
this jubilee, the Free Will Astrology Council on Extreme Self-Esteem
authorizes you to engage in unabashed self-worship -- and to corral a host
of other people who want to join in celebrating you, praising you, and
helping you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): An eagle does not catch flies. A lion won't hunt
for mice. A gourmet chef shuns recipes that call for canned soup and
potato chips. And I trust that you won't indulge a hankering for non-
nutritious sweets and treats that would spoil your appetite for more
robust sustenance. You understand I'm not just talking about your literal
eating habits, right? Interpret this oracle metaphorically, please.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Now is an excellent time to phase out
fantasies that bog you down or drag you backward. Are you up for that
challenge? Can you summon the courage to leave the mediocre past
behind? If so, here are your assignments: Wean yourself of longings to
reconstruct bygone pleasures. Forget about trying to be like the person
you used to be and to have the keys you used to have. Stop feeding the
feelings that keep you affixed to obsolete goals. Break any taboo that
makes you scared to change what needs to be changed.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The artist Amedeo Modigliani lived in Paris from
1906 until his death in 1920. For most of that time, he was destitute.
Proprietors of local stores and restaurants sometimes accepted his art
work as payment in lieu of actual money. They didn't necessarily
appreciate it, though. One food seller used Modigliani's drawings as wraps
for the fried potatoes he sold. Another stashed the artist's paintings in
his cellar, where they turned into feasts for rodents. Too bad for these
short-sighted people and their heirs: The worth of Modigliani's works
eventually increased, and some sold for millions of dollars. In the weeks
ahead, Leo, don't be like those food sellers. Know the value of what you
have, even if it's still latent.


Contents of the Free Will Astrology Newsletter are Copyright
2014 Rob Brezsny