Attraction

There’s an old sexist saying, “Clothes make the man.” I think clothes can make anyone. Look what they did for Patrick Swayze in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.

Patrick Swayze as Vida Boheme,
Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

There’s another much less sexist saying, “We are what we eat.” We eat junk food, we have a junk body.

And both Jesus and Buddha said something along the lines of our thoughts create our reality.

And then there’s the idea that like attracts like. Except with magnets. There, like repels like. So I guess we have two theories of attraction.

As well as a Law of Attraction.

How does that apply to us?

It seems that according to Jesus and Buddha (and a few other spiritual and psychological leaders) our thoughts create our reality. Whatever mindset we maintain, we maintain in life. If we believe we will never find the dream job, we will never find the dream job. If we believe we deserve poverty, we will live in poverty. If we believe all men or women cheat, we will attract men or women who cheat. If we believe we aren’t good enough, we never will be good enough.

It’s like what Henry Ford once said, 

All of this is fine in theory, but how does it seem to work? With magnets, it’s an opposite polarity thing.

But, with our thoughts, we are attracting like thoughts. So, it'a a same polarity thing. 

Follow me here.

We are made up of matter, which in turn is made up of atoms which are made up of energy. Energy vibrates. Different energies vibrate at different frequencies. Similar frequencies would attract one another. Have you ever noticed someone and felt there was something off about them? They may have been sending off a bad vibe or frequency which clashed with yours. Or, conversely, you were drawn to them? Their energy may have been pulling you toward them.

Perhaps this video can explain better than I can.

But, changing a mindset is not easy because we are steeped in old patterns of belief. 

Beliefs such as we don't deserve the good things in life. When we suffer a breakup, why do we seem to blame ourselves? What more could I have done? We believe we are always at fault or not good enough.

If we don't get that job we wanted it was because we believe we didn't deserve it.

Where do these beliefs come from?

Some come from our past. I grew up in an environment where I never felt I was good enough.

Some come from society. As a youth questioning my sexuality, I didn't want to be "one of those dirty old men" lurking in dark alleys.

Some come from religion. Nor did I want to be condemned to the fiery pits of hell for loving someone regardless of gender.

Changing those beliefs isn't easy, but necessary to raise our vibration in order to attract what we truly deserve.

So, how do we do that?

We just do.

Yeah, I know. Easier said than done.

I'm starting with positive affirmations.

I'm focusing on what I have, not what I need.

I'm rewarding myself intrinsically for completing something challenging, for meeting a goal and not punishing myself for incomplete work.

I'm focusing on embracing my shadows and working with them, not letting them work against me.

I'm focusing on being me and letting go of caring what others think. After all, it's not my business what they think of me, only what I think of myself.

I'm focusing on loving myself.

Just as I am.

The Chariot

When I think of a chariot, I think of movement. Forward movement in particular, because it would be hard, if not impossible, to move a chariot in reverse. Horses don't like to back up, especially when attached to a vehicle. I also envision the chariot races from ancient civilizations which in turn suggests speed. Plus with the races, there is a winner and a loser.

As I look at the Chariot card from the standard Rider Waite tarot deck, I see two sphinxes, instead of horses, pulling this chariot. The fact that one is black and the other is white suggests the idea of opposites. In Greek mythology, the sphinx was often depicted as female, while the Egyptians depicted it as male. Again, opposites.

The young man in the image is dressed in armor, a warrior maybe? Yet, he wears a crown. A warrior-prince? The crescent moon epaulets suggest emotions as the moon is said to affect ours. He has also crossed a moat, and water is often seen as a symbol of emotion in dream interpretation, while astrologically, the water signs are said to feel more intensely than the other signs. So, the chariot is moving through some emotional issues.

Above him is a canopy decorated with stars symbolizing the heavens. Divine guidance or protection, perhaps?

One can only imagine the strength needed to control a chariot with two powerful creatures pulling it, be they horses or sphinxes. Without that control, these two creatures could end up going in opposite directions, creating chaos, disruption, and possible destruction in their wake.

Stagnancy isn't pretty...

I am living a chariot moment right now.

My life is moving forward.

Well, it always has been moving forward because time has a habit of just marching onward. We can either move with it and grow, or remain stagnant while it marches on.

And I have been growing.

My chariot has begun to pick up speed, so I need to gather some strength. Perhaps a little control, too.

Someone very near and dear to me has re-entered my life, catching me totally by surprise and quite off-guard. Yet, it has been quite a pleasant reconnection. For both of us.

We have a very deep connection that we recognize but don't fully understand, yet we seem to understand each other in ways no one else can comprehend. Get it?

We are like the sphinxes in the card, quite opposite each other. He's a Leo, a fire sign full of passion, motivation, drive, and physical energy and I am Aquarius, an air sign-full of logic, rationalization, reason, all mental energy. Interestingly, if the body of the sphinx is typically a lion, does that make me the head of the sphinx bringing us together in one powerful creature? Leo falls in mid-summer, Aquarius in mid-winter which places them directly opposite each other in the zodiac, which is located in the heavens. Remember the canopy?

We have an age difference which brings an added dimension to this adventure. The crown reminds me to control my own ego. So, just because I'm older doesn't mean I will always know best. And while I can own up to more life experience, he will still have his own experiences to learn from. And I must let him learn. And not rescue, but support him.

The charioteer is determined. He is focused and serene. He senses victory but must not let himself get carried away; metaphorically by his emotions, nor literally by a chariot out of control.

Balance is the key.

Perhaps this is our lesson to keep our chariot moving in a forward direction towards victory.

This time.