Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia, Revised and Expanded: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings

by Rob Brezsny

Overview

Readers were instantly beguiled by Rob Brezsny's new approach to the humble horoscope when his "Free Will Astrology" column first appeared in 1996. Instead of the generic, one-size-fits-all style of similar columns, Brezsny used witty parables, tender rants, cultural riffs, pagan wisdom, and lively rituals in his playfully positive readings. He brings that same sensibility—and the same message of a smiling universe—to this self-help book for people who may be skeptical about self-help books. Brezsny persuasively advises readers to go along with the universe's good intentions, but his rejection of cynicism and a bleak view of human nature isn't rooted in denial. On the contrary, he makes a case for a cagey optimism that requires a vigorous engagement with the dark forces. He asks us to rethink life as a sublime game created for our amusement and illumination. The book is a chameleon of a tome. You can read it straight through, slowly and surely, or else pick it up and open it at random for tasty hits of inspiration as the spirit moves you. You can even start at the end and weave your way backward. Brezsny has substantially updated this edition—he added nearly one hundred pages—by expanding various sections, adding more than a dozen new pieces and a new chapter, and providing readers with a number of playtime activities and exercises that let them participate through their own writing and drawing. "Brezsny's horoscopes are like little valentines, buoyant and spilling over with mischievousness. They're a soul prognosis." —The New York Times

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556438189
Publisher:	North Atlantic Books
Publication date:	09/22/2009
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	645,166
Product dimensions:	10.86(w) x 8.56(h) x 1.12(d)

About the Author

As much a storyteller and social observer as astrologer, Rob Brezsny brings a literate, myth-savvy perspective to his astrological writing. "Free Will Astrology," his syndicated weekly column, appears in 120 publications all over the world.In addition to his books and column, Brezsny is a musician and has created five music albums. Three were with the band World Entertainment War, which recorded on MCA Records and was nominated for a Bammie, California's version of the Grammies. Bill Graham, one of rock's top impresarios, managed the band until his death. Brezsny is currently working on a new CD, This Is a Perfect Moment, which will serve as the soundtrack for the book Pronoia.Between 1979 and the present, Brezsny has performed in more than 700 shows, from intimate performance art venues to giant rock shows at the Whole Earth Festival in Davis, California. After leaving the rock music business for good in 2000, he branched out to develop a series of performance art shows, which he performed at the Burning Man Festival in 2001, 2002, and 2004. He lives in Mill Valley, CA.

Table of Contents

Chapter1 Bravo, Viva, Kudos, Whoopee, Eureka, Hallelujah, Abracadabra

2 This Is a Perfect Moment Primordial Gossip

4 The Experiment Secrets of Pronoia

6 Glory in the Highest Dionysian Manifesto

15 Sacred Advertisement (Lightning bolts from your fingers)

17 Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

18 Dear Gorgeous Genius Love Letter

Chapter2 When they say "Be yourself," which self do they mean?

20 Baby Wipe Communique Medicine Story

30 Your Inalienable Right to Fresh Omens Guerrilla Oracle

30 Burn, Baby, Burn Guerrilla Oracle

Chapter3 We're searching for the answers so we can destroy them and dream up better questions

32 Luminous Tease Love Letter

33 Evil is Boring Dionysian Manifesto

35 Slam Special Offer

36 I Have a Dream Primordial Gossip

37 Sacred Advertisement (Jung, Whitman, King)

38 Dreamy Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

39 Fat Lover Guerrilla Oracle

39 Sacred Advertisement (Your bone marrow)

40 What is the Beauty and Truth Laboratory? Medicine Story

Chapter4 Everyone who believes in the devil is the devil

44 Your Personal Manifesto Guerrilla Oracle

44 Sacred Advertisement (Ralph Waldo Emerson: Make your own Bible)

45 The Universe is Made of Stories Dionysian Manifesto

47 Welcome to the Show Primordial Gossip

48 PNN 1: Pronoia News Network

52 Gazing Into the Abyss of Happiness Dionysian Manifesto

53 Torrential Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

Chapter5 "I vow to interpret every experience as a direct dealing of the Goddess with my soul"

60 Beyond Goodness Guerrilla Oracle

60 Sacred Advertisement (Thousands of endogenous retroviruses)

61 A Dangerous Taboo Secrets of Pronoia

64 Origins of theHomeopathic Medicine Spells Secrets of Pronoia

65 Homeopathic Medicine Spell #1

66 Convulsive Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

68 Sacred Advertisement (Iroquois Thunderbird Clan)

69 World Kiss Primordial Gossip

70 Sacred Advertisement (The ecstatic state of mind)

71 How Pronoia Works Secrets of Pronoia

72 Glory in the Highest, Part 2 Dionysian Manifesto

78 Sacred Advertisement (Rigel 3200 Pro Night Vision Goggles)

Chapter6 Let's go wash some water. Let's go burn some fire.

80 A Spell to Re-Genius Yourself Primordial Gossip

82 What's the Most Important Question for you to ask Today? Love Letter

83 Bigger, Better, More Interesting Problems Dionysian Manifesto

84 Sacred Advertisement (The mosquito that kept you up all night)

85 Tweakable Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

93 PNN 2: Pronoia News Network

97 The Rich Get Richer Guerrilla Oracle

98 Sacred Advertisement (Boris Pasternak's poem "Bacchanalia")

99 Further Evidence Special Offer

Chapter7 Everyone's a nobody-and nobody's perfect

102 You are Almost Everything Love Letter

103 Healing Shocks Guerrilla Oracle

104 Brain-Scrambling Meditation Primordial Gossip

106 Reap the Benefits of your Scrambled Brain Primordial Gossip

107 Apocalypse Versus Apocalypse Dionysian Manifesto

109 Sacred Advertisement (When you ate Peruvian figs)

110 Hype-Ocalypse Dionysian Manifesto

111 Pronoia's Villains Secrets of Pronoia

112 You're a Good Killer Guerrilla Oracle

112 Sacred Advertisement (Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa)

113 Ambidextrous Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

120 Homeopathic Medicine Spell #2

Chapter8 What's the difference between dumb pain and smart pain?

122 Fear of Beauty? Secrets of Pronoia

122 Sacred Advertisement (Wealthy silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo)

123 Shadow School Dionysian Manifesto

128 Sacred Advertisement (Seed rain)

129 Flip-Flop the Traumatic Imprint Medicine Story

130 Love Bomb Primordial Gossip

131 Subterranean Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

138 Sacred Advertisement (The decisions you didn't make)

139 PNN 3: Pronoia News Network

144 Art Lessons Guerrilla Oracle

144 Soaring And Scrounging Bonus Oracle

Chapter9 Visualize____________________at the moment of orgasmPut your deity's name here

146 All i ask of you Love Letter

147 What if your Desires are Holy? Dionysian Manifesto

149 The Mystery of your Thirst Guerrilla Oracle

150 The Orgasmic Roots of Pronoia Medicine Story

159 Sacred Advertisement (Sacred underwear)

160 Devotional Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

168 PNN 4: Pronoia News Network

173 Radical Everything Guerrilla Oracle

173 Sacred Advertisement (Ultrasensitive neural receptors)

174 Elationship Love Spells for Beauty and Truth Researchers Premium Bonus Benefit

Chapter10 Only you can prevent the genocide of the imagination

178 Prayer for us Love Letter

181 Four Dignities of the Warrior's Path Guerrilla Oracle

181 Sacred Advertisement (The River that Loses and Finds Itself)

182 You're a Prophet Dionysian Manifesto

183 Your Prophecies Dionysian Manifesto

184 Crimes that Don't Break any Laws Primordial Gossip

187 Crimes that Don't Break any Laws: The Theory Primordial Gossip

187 Sacred Advertisement (Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu)

188 Receptivity Remedies Dionysian Manifesto

193 Sacred Advertisement (Mahatma Gandhi's autobiograpy)

194 You are a Disseminator of Pronoia Secrets of Pronoia

195 Inscrutable Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

Chapter11 Stronger than hate, wetter than water, deeper than the abyss, more exotic than trust

202 Tummler and Ondinnonk Love Letter

203 Liberate your Imagination Primordial Gossip

205 Sacred Advertisement (Titian painting)

206 The More Accidental, The More True Dionysian Manifesto

208 Raucous Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

217 Homeopathic Medicine Spell #3

218 The 80 Percent Rule Dionysian Manifesto

219 Sacred Advertisement (Deena Metzger's prayer)

220 PNN 5: Pronoia News Network

Chapter12 This language prevents crime: This engineering moves you to sing: These advertisements make you smart: These rhythms free all prisoners of childhood.

226 Your Horoscope Love Letter

227 Re-Dreaming Christ Guerrilla Oracle

228 How i Got Started in the Beauty and Truth Business Medicine Story

233 Sacred Advertisement (Telepathies Anonymous)

234 Dreamtime University Dionysian Manifesto

236 PNN 6: Pronoia News Network

242 Ecstatic Study Guide, Part 1

Chapter13 The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt not Bore God: The 12th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Bore Thyself.

250 Your Sledgehammer and Watercolor Brush Love Letter

251 Sacred Uproar Secrets of Pronoia

254 Evil Fears Laughter Dionysian Manifesto

256 Homeopathic Medicine Spell #4

257 Science of the Invisible Dionysian Manifesto

262 Sacred Advertisement (Galileo's mummified middle finger)

263 "Rebranding God" Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

275 PNN 7: Pronoia News Network

280 How is Enlightenment Like a Million-Dollar Vacation Home? Guerrilla Oracle

280 Sacred Advertisement (Salvador Dali and Walt Disney)

281 Exemption From Enlightenment Special Offer

282 Let's Make Morality Fun

Chapter14 You are a Lucky, Plucky, Good-Sucking Genius

284 It's Bad Luck to be Superstitious Love Letter

285 Be your Own Savior Guerrilla Oracle

285 Sacred Advertisement (Carl Jung and Jesus Christ)

286 Your Brand New Name Special Offer

287 I'm a Star, You're a Star Dionysian Manifesto

289 I'm a Brat, You're a Brat Dionysian Manifesto

290 Shapeshifting Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

301|Your Chalice Special Offer

301 Sacred Advertisement (Google your own unconscious)

302 Homeopathic Medicine Spell #5

303 I me Wed Primordial Gossip

Chapter15 "Ever since i learned to see three sides to every story, I'm finding much better stories"

308 Your Graduation Inscription Love Letter

309 PNN 8: Pronoia News Network

315 For Immediate Release Premium Bonus Benefit

316 Sacred Advertisement (The bumper sticker)

317 Anti-Dsm-Iv, or The Outlaw Catalog of Cagey Optimism Premium Bonus Benefit

320 Outlaw Pronoia Therapy Pronoia Therapy

Chapter16 I am totally opposed to all duality

330 Pronoiac Heroes Gallery Premium Bonus Benefit

334 Sacred Advertisement (I don't know)

335 Ecstatic Study Guide, Part 2

345 The Literary Equivalent of a Sex Change Medicine Story

348 Zero = One, or how to be Like the Real God Dionysian Manifesto

Chapter17 Think with your heart and feel with your head

358 Walking Uphill Backward Secrets of Pronoia

359 Letters to the Beauty and Truth Lab Premium Bonus Benefit

369 A Global Array of Further Pronoiac Resources Premium Bonus Benefit

370 Invitation to the Dance Special Offer

371 Your Assignment Guerrilla Oracle

372 Author's Thanks

372 About my Other Work

Chapter18 You are a Prolific Creator

374 It's Always the Beginning of the World

375 Your Title Here

376 Your Title Here

377 Your Title Here

378 Your Title Here

379 Your Title Here

380 Your Title Here

381 Your Title Here

382 Your Title Here

383 Your Title Here

384 Your Title Here

385 Your Title Here

386 Your Title Here

387 Your Title Here

388 Sacred Advertisement ("May you get what you want and still want it")

Editorial Reviews

"I have seen the future of American literature and its name is Rob Brezsny."
—Tom Robbins, author of Still Life with Woodpecker, Jitterbug Perfume, and many more

"With this work—an instant pop classic—Rob Brezsny offers a positive, participatory, proactive vision of the workings of our inner and outer universe, which will only give us as much pleasure, love, and ecstasy as we are prepared to accept."
—Daniel Pinchbeck, author of 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl

"This wild, wise, and subversive book is a must read for those who want to live a more imaginative and free life . . . Rob Brezsny is a Culture Hero."
—Utne Reader

"I dig Rob Brezsny for his powerful yet playful insights, his poetry, and his humor . . . I salute him for his dedication to inspiration."
—Jason Mraz, singer-songwriter

"Brezsny holds his own place next to other cultural shamans such as Robert Anton Wilson, Timothy Leary, Reverend Ivan Stang, William S. Burroughs, and Ken Kesey."
—PopMatters

"The verbally acrobatic, mystically literate Brezsny lets fly a thousand zingers, each with the feel of having been carved with poetic effort to express a hard reality instead of a platitude."
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Brilliant! Absorbing! Wildly useful! Rob Brezsny gets my nomination for best prophet in a starring role. He’s a script doctor for the soul."
—Marisa Tomei, actress

"With Pronoia, renegade wizard Rob Brezsny presents an irreverent manifesto, mixing activism and optimism. It reads like the I Ching on Ecstasy and is as insightful and puzzling as a Zen koan."
—Body + Soul

“If you read a snippet of [Pronoia] every day, you’re bound to experience more than a little bliss. We already loved Rob for his thoughtful and astute horoscopes…but those are mere glimpses of his abundant wisdom, humor, and encyclopedic storehouse of information. Sit down with this compendium of ruminations, suggestions and outlandish observations and let your imagination run wild.”
—Whole Life Times

“Pronoia depicts life as a gift whose purpose is to enrich the human soul… When you see life from this perspective, living takes on a newfound joy and illumination.”
—Spiritual Media Blog

“Like some voluble combination of HL Mencken and a Sufi whirling dervish, Brezsny writes with disarming fluidity while still remaining acerbic. Pronoia’s style is too sinuous, too wriggly and difficult to classify, edgy and uncomfortable and literally kick-ass (he advocates the athletic kicking of one’s own ass with some regularity).”
—Santa Fe Reporter
 
“I am deeply inspired by the illuminated words of Rob Brezsny. He is a word wizard for the soul."
—SARK, author of Succulent Wild Woman, Eat Mangoes Naked, and Change Your Life Without Getting Out of Bed
 
“You don't need The Church, a Savior, a Guru, or psilocybin mushrooms to ‘break on through to the other side.’ Brezsny takes you there in the pages of Pronoia. It’s the best book I’ve read in the 21st century!”
—Chris Duel, News-Talk 550 KTSA, San Antonio, Texas
 
“In Pronoia, Brezsny tenderly leads us into the practice of re-imagining the world as a compassionate miracle. It’s the best campaign platform I’ve heard in years. And the book offers a bevy of ideas for tricksters to re-create the universe. Brezsny for president!”
—Santa Cruz Sentinel
 
“Pronoia is like stepping through your very own magic looking glass. Brezsny is a diabolical lyricist, an infectious dreamer, and a riotous Doctor of Know.”
—Cathoderaytan.net
 
“In this age of divisiveness in politics and religion, it’s rare to come across something uplifting enough to catch your eye long enough for you to put down your remote and actually read something.”
—Chico News & Review
 
“Now, you might think that Pronoia is some kind of mealy new-aged crap, or yet another ‘business success/self-help’ rag. But you’d be wrong. It is, in fact, the most marvelous inanimate object I’ve ever held in my hands.”
—Corinna Bloom
 
“Pronoia is a food processor for the spirit, a socket wrench for attitude adjustment, and a garbage disposal for the soul. It shreds, dices, pulses, grinds, and disintegrates all the negative myths that the doom and gloomers throw our way, and blends them into a mind-soothing smoothie for vibrant living.”
—Rob Grogan, Front Porch
 
“Pronoia is a life manual for not just overthrowing the dictator within (and so without) but more vital than this, a manual for creating an intelligent, sexy and juicy alternative to the Big Should."
—Moonkissd.com

“If you know someone who is down on himself and the world, who spends most of his time complaining rather than creating (and who doesn’t know someone like that?) this is the perfect gift for him or her. Pronoia is filled with great uplifting information, and perhaps nothing says it better than the book’s tag line: ‘888 Tricks for Becoming a Wildly Disciplined, Fiercely Tender, Ironically Sincere, Scrupulously Curious, Aggressively Sensitive, Blasphemously Reverent, Lyrically Logical, Lustfully Compassionate Master of Rowdy Bliss.’”
—New Paradigm Digest

“With great zest and an inimitable creativity, Brezsny sees the present moment as the perfect moment. … Throughout this extraordinary book, he celebrates many of the qualities we have incorporated in our vision of Spiritual Literacy: imagination, wonder, gratitude, reverence, play, beauty, compassion, connections, mystery, and more. … Suffice it to say, this is a rollercoaster ride that surprises, entertains, and edifies in equal measures. It is the perfect resource to lift your spirits and send you on your way rejoicing!”
—Spirituality & Practice

From the Publisher