Beheading Medusa

Though I haven’t delved much into Greek mythology, the story of Medusa is an interesting one.  It’s a scathing depiction of the female ego.

As the plot unravels, Goddess Athena curses Medusa’s beauty and turns her hair into snakes.  She’s banished to a cave and all those who enter and look upon her, are turned to stone.

My own situation obliges me to write about Medusa since my companion left me for “her.”  After a month of heart-wrenching sadness, my mind is beginning to recover from the suffering that accompanies such betrayal.

My focus here is not on the male’s weakness, but the female’s that drew him away by manipulating him.  This is for the “Adams” who love their wives and would never seek another, just as mine was faithful.  Yet, once he stumbled into Medusa’s snare, his heart, too, turned to stone.

Medusa is first, a temptress, portrayed by her beautiful face and snake-like hair.  The snakes represent her desire for attention from all males, not just her husband.  Secretly, she bases her happiness and self-worth on her ability to draw the males in her direction. 

She feeds on the males’ desire for her, and this is represented by the snakes writhing on her head while their slithering tongues are searching for their next meal.  Once he’s caught in her web of desire, he will do anything for her, and her selfish motivations are momentarily satisfied.

A new day brings more opportunities for him to fulfill her desires.  These may be based more on the male attention she receives and what he can do for her, than sex, especially if she already has a husband at home. 

She knows, at least, what physical adultery is and denies that the emotional connection she is forming is anything more than friendship.  Unconsciously, she enjoys this game of luring him in and then keeping him at arm’s length.

In response, his desire for her only increases and he’s drawn into this game for her attention and approval.  Once her trap is set, he wants to fulfill her desires and he finds himself thinking about her more and more.

After a time, he loses his attraction for his wife since he gave away his spiritual affection to someone else.  This is depicted by the men who entered Medusa’s cave and turned to stone. 

Without affection, his heart becomes cold and stony towards his wife.  He no longer wants her attention and longs for Medusa’s.

I’ll provide such an example from my own experience.  My companion and I enjoyed holidays or special occasions with a glass of dry wine paired with tiramisu.  Alone, one tastes bitter and the other bland, but by coupling them together the blended flavors burst alive.

On this day, like every other Sunday during football season, we were due to watch our favorite team, the Green Bay Packers.  He left that morning to visit with his brother and texted that he would be home mid-afternoon to watch the game.

Two days prior, my health had taken a turn with a bad case of the flu accompanied by a high fever with fluid buildup in the lungs.  If I hadn’t the knowledge and persistence in using natural remedies to keep the infection at bay, I would have needed medical intervention.

In the meantime, Medusa texted him and said she was back from her week-long vacation with her husband.  She sent a picture of a special bottle of wine they had purchased on their trip. 

Unconsciously in celebration of her return, my companion stopped at the store on his way home and purchased a bottle of wine and enough tiramisu for two.

At the time, I was not aware of his interaction with Medusa and questioned why he would purchase these items with how sick I was and during a football game. 

His explanation was none other than, “I don’t know, I just wanted to.” He was right in that he was not consciously aware of his motivation.  She had purchased a special bottle and now he had to have one too.

The Holy Spirit and his Atman bore witness to me that day of how much his heart and mind had turned away from me over the last six months of working with her.  Unconsciously, he drank that glass of wine and ate the tiramisu in honor of her in front of me, as I lay there sick and weak.

For months, he showed all the signs of an affair and yet, I could account for his time before and after work.  He became aloof and cold, no longer wanting my love and attention.  The affair began when they shared lunch breaks every night together alone in his car.

She began confiding in him and shared intimate details, leaving her heart open and vulnerable to him.  This is how the female manipulates a man while her unconscious vices are numerous and complicated.

In response to her “vulnerability,” he wanted to protect her, and they became inseparable at work.  Every night, he sought her happiness by making her job easier and mindlessly running to fulfill all her selfish desires.  She had the best in both worlds, a man’s devoted attention at work and another at home.

The ego leaves the soul fragmented as each is unaware that their actions are harmful and dangerous to the union with their spouse.  One day, I needed to pick up some items, and his vehicle was parked behind mine.

I told him I was taking his car instead and for a second, his body language showed offense to my using his vehicle.  Instantly, this odd body language alerted me, and I sat in his vehicle looking around for what might appear to be out of place.

The first thing I noticed was that his car was exceptionally clean.  During my association with him, the car would accumulate wrappers and empty containers from whatever he ate for lunch at night, and he typically cleaned out his car once a month. 

There was no evidence that he had recently done this since he always leaves bottles of cleaner lying around and I end up putting them away.  Too, we usually have extra trash that week and there was none.

As I was pondering on the obvious signs, I smelled something sweet and noticed the new dangling scents that hung from his mirror. 

The realization struck me that I had entered the secret cave where Medusa dwelled and where she had turned my companion’s heart to stone.  His body language showed the violation of my entrance.

But when and how?  I could account for all his time, except for work.  The truth poked its head that the only way this could have happened was during work.  Months ago, he began talking about his work associate, referring to her often. 

Finally, I said, “If I wanted to know what Medusa said or did, I’d invite her over here and ask her myself.”  I had already understood that he had formed an unhealthy affection for her and hoped that he would come to his “senses.”

While working, it is difficult to get to know another person to this extent, and my awareness increased that it must be during lunch breaks since the only way she could share such personal details of her life was within a private setting.  They must be taking lunch breaks alone.

At this point, I now realized how he acquired this unhealthy attraction to her.  Can he stop the hypnotism of her cunning eyes and the venom of her snakelike charm that draws every man to his destruction who lusts after her?

Before this time, we never argued, and once confronted, he tried to defend it as “We’re just friends!”  My response was, “If you’re just friends, then you should have no problem telling her you can’t take breaks with her alone anymore.  This behavior violates my trust.”

He agreed to cooperate and later lied that he had spoken to her and had stopped the lunch dates.  After a couple of weeks of continuous deception, I gave him the ultimatum of changing jobs or changing his place of residence.

The plot thickens as I knew Medusa’s husband since we had worked together in the same department for many years.  I contacted him to have a meeting about these lunch dates.  He said he already knew since his Gorgonian wife tells him everything.  He said, “She takes breaks with different people at different times.  She’s very open with me.”

I knew this was another Gorgonian deception but refrained from pointing it out.  He deeply loved his wife and the information I did exchange must have been painful.  I said, “She’s made him her confidant and reveals personal details about her life.”  He said, “I’m sure she’s not confiding anything to him that she hasn’t already said to me.”

As our meeting ended, he expressed that he was sure the infatuation was one-sided, and his advice was that I should give it some time and things would work out.  Little did we both know at the time that my companion decided to leave, not to change jobs.  He would not give up his affection or his alone time with her, regardless of the cost.

I said, “She has made you her mindless puppet without even touching you!  As far as I’m concerned, the biggest loser in this whole mess is the one who ends up with her!”  All the while, he’s screaming, “We’re just friends!”

I sent one last boon to her husband through text message.   “I want to update you on my situation.  Adam found a duplex for rent though he hasn’t signed the papers yet, and most likely, he will.”

“You should, at least, try to stop Medusa from getting into Adam’s car at night.  There is no third person, even occasionally, that sits with them.  His backseat isn’t set up to accommodate a third person.  That’s many hours of alone time together over the months.”

“She became a serious stumbling block for Adam and now our relationship is over because of it.  I don’t want this to happen to you.”

“There’s only a short distance between alone time in a man’s car and his new apartment.  Who do you think he’s going to contact to show off his new apartment with?  It won’t be me.”

Ouch!  I don’t even want to be a fly on the wall for the conversation that must have transpired after that information exchange!

She never had any concern for Adam’s ultimate happiness, only her own private desires.  She’s not building friendships; she’s destroying lives.  Now, Adam is alone in the world, unable to see this Medusa or the next that awaits to devour his happiness and crush his peace of mind.

I may not be able to save this Adam, but I will be able to save those who listen wisely to this council. The answer to how to defeat Medusa is written within the fable. 

The Greek Gods hatched a plan on how to kill her.  No one before this time had been able to get close enough without turning to stone.

Persius set out with the aid of the gods, who provided him with the divine tools.  The weapons he used were the keys to his protection and her demise.

He was given a helmet of invisibility so she wouldn’t see him coming.  A temptress craves men’s attention and if the man makes himself invisible, she won’t be able to manipulate him. 

In other words, don’t seek her attention or make yourself available to her advances of “friendship.”   Keep all conversations platonic, and cordial, and never give her the time of day to discuss any intimate details of her personal life.

If it’s not something she can divulge in a group setting, then she shouldn’t be saying it to you.  This communication is only to draw you in for her selfish desires.   If you have a companion, then for her sake, consider it none of your business and communicate it to the bimbo.

The second tool Persius possessed was an adamantine sword, called a harpe to kill and behead her.  I found this interesting since a harp is a stringed instrument denoting love.  When you speak warmly of your companion, it feels like daggers to the heart of a temptress.

After work, when she asks, “Can I speak with you for a minute?”  If you say, “No, I need to get home to my beautiful wife,” you are essentially cutting off her head and the ability to drive a wedge between you and your wife.  Her selfish motivation may not be conscious, but that doesn’t mean it’s not deadly.

If single, this is true if you speak warmly of an activity you enjoy.  She’ll want to direct the conversation away from your affection and lure you toward the desire that she be the center of your focus.

She draws her self-worth from the attention she receives.  If you never give it to her, she’ll be offended and soon grow tired of the harpe you keep piercing into her side. In essence, Medusa dies to live another day. 

If married and you work with her for years, she may continue to test the waters now and then but keep your heart set and mind pure for the one who loves and cherishes you.  Giving Medusa your personal attention will only feed her desire for more until one day your heart, too, will turn to stone.

Lastly, Persius possessed Athena’s polished shield so he could see Medusa’s reflection without looking directly at her.

Goddess Athena represents the Divine Feminine and her shield, divine protection.  Through the shield’s reflection, watch Medusa indirectly as she interacts with other males.

Watch to learn she is not really interested in you as a person but is only craving male attention from any direction.  How many others are getting the same interaction and flirtatious glances?  If she’s got lots of snakes going in different directions, don’t bother counting them, run!

Next time, she’ll have a viper with your name on it, hissing for another chance to inflict you with its venomous bite.  With Athena’s shield, Perseus fought the ones turned toward him, and easily defeated Medusa.  So, if you ignore her cheap advances, her writhing snakes will send her somewhere else.

Full use of the shield is in searching for your soulmate.  What could be worse than marrying a temptress who has her venom pointing in all directions?  Even if she never has a physical affair, she’ll be drawing every man to lust after her.

When courting, it is important to establish first whether the lady you are pursuing likes you as an individual and is attracted to the way you think, not your male body.  If not, then the marriage will end in disaster. 

She will incessantly pick at the way your mind moves causing quarrels and difficulties.  Adding children to the equation will only cause more suffering to an already difficult situation. 

You must be able to be her closest friend and she, yours.  This won’t be accomplished by touching her, but by spending time with her and engaging in activities you both enjoy.

Part of the shield’s protection once you’ve established a life with your soulmate, is to be aware of the Gorgonian’s charm and trickery. 

Continue to indirectly watch the females around you and their unconscious motivations in seeking male attention.  Once you train your awareness, you’ll spot Medusa’s vipers coming from a distance and won’t get tangled up in her serpentine hair.         

Let Athena’s shield protect and keep you from the harlot who hides in plain clothes.  Once she has your affections, she will devour your heart until someone else captures her attention.

For the one chasing her, Maya’s illusion is that he can capture her affection, unlike the last guy.  It will never happen since all she wants is the fulfillment of her selfish desires, which is where her affections lie.  No matter how many hearts she breaks or homes she destroys, one man’s attention is never enough.

With the helmet of invisibility, harpe, and Athena’s shield of awareness, you can beat Medusa and win!  Cut off her head and don’t allow her to wreck your life and happiness by turning your heart to stone.  Beware of her snakelike charm and keep your heart and mind safe with your companion.

For men who are single, don’t let her engage in private conversations that she wouldn’t say in front of a group.  Befriending her is just that and nothing more.  Don’t become her counselor or confidant or you’ll end up her next victim. 

Does she want to engage in an activity with you?  If so, great, then go.  Just don’t let her drag you into her private life or she’ll manipulate you.

You can set boundaries by forcing her to change topics should she start down a “dirt” road.  It’s not that difficult to notice when she’s saying things that she wouldn’t want everyone else to hear.  Once the boundary is violated, you can always cut off her head by retreating.

By providing a caring ear, you’re only showing compassion to her ego.  What else is her unconscious motivation than to manipulate the heart of all the “Adams” in the world?  As for me, I’d rather go hiking, let’s go!