A Novel Guide to the Law of Attraction

A Novel Guide to the Law of Attraction

Sheila Feigin

A Novel Guide to the Law of Attraction

Copyright 2015 by Sheila Feigin

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Prologue

As president of the Historians Guild, it is my duty to give you a brief history of our planet so you will understand how vitally important Sarah’s quest is to all of us on Arth. Her quest could be just as important to all of you on Earth. I leave it to you to decide.

As you may know, when Earth was created, a rush order was sent to the copy center. A duplicate planet had to be placed on the other end of the galaxy in order to maintain balance in the universe. The supervisor assigned the job to the new guy as it seemed pretty straightforward. It just needed water, land, air and a few more details. What could go wrong?

No one realized the warranty had expired on the planet duplicating machine the previous day. When the problems started the new guy thought it was his fault, and he didn’t want anyone to know he was having trouble. He slammed the machine with his hand and kicked it a few times, but it still jammed. As he tried to straighten out the jam, the plans stretched a bit and pieces of it tore off. (It was a few centuries before anyone realized one of the things that got torn off was the letter E, but by then it was too late to change Arth’s name.)

Because of the deadline, the new guy let the order go through in spite of its inaccuracies, and hoped no one would notice.

Our earliest written history shows there have always been debates about whether or not we are the same as Earth or if the problems we have are because we are not Earthlike. Some believe Earth must be perfect and could not possibly have anything that causes widespread suffering such as wars and natural disasters. Some believe even daily irritants, like potholes or women having to wait in long lines to use public restrooms, could not possibly occur on Earth.

Our teachers assure us that we are exactly Earthlike, although a few admit the possibility that just perhaps one of our moons (either Moon River or Moon Dance) may not be exactly the same as one of Earth’s moons.

One of the most powerful kingdoms on Arth is the Kingdom of Wy. It is a vast land with many natural resources. Like most kingdoms on the planet, it has a system of guilds. These guilds supply knowledge, materials and labor for all its citizens’ needs.

Merlin, the most powerful sorcerer ever known, lived there in ancient times. While he had a reputation for goodness, his last act, the creation of the Wy Knot, leaves room for doubt.

The Wy Knot, which resides at the headquarters of the Philosophers Guild, entices everyone to behave badly. Not everyone lets the Knot influence them, but it has led many people to do things such as lie, cheat, steal, and perform acts of violence. All sorts of human misery can be traced back to the Knot.

Merlin said that as our consciousness expands the Knot will shrink and become less powerful. He stated that once people understood their innate power and potential, they would consciously choose good rather than evil, and the Knot would disappear entirely. At that time human consciousness will make a giant evolutionally leap. (Skeptics believe the Knot was a spell gone terribly wrong and Merlin was merely trying to cover up his mistake.)

The Philosophers Guild is the most prestigious guild on the planet. Its purpose is to destroy the Wy Knot, as every bit of philosophical truth that elevates humankind makes the Knot smaller and less powerful. It is hoped that when the Knot is destroyed, there will be planet-wide peace.

Five years ago a terrible thing happened because of the Knot. Unscrupulous and greedy bankers caused the economy to come to the brink of collapse in kingdoms all over the planet. Some kingdoms were harder hit than others, of course. The Kingdom of Wy was one that suffered a lot. Housing prices crashed and there was widespread unemployment. Poverty spread throughout the Kingdom. When the culprits were asked why they would do such a thing, they answered with the typical criminal response. They just shrugged their shoulders and said, Wy Knot?

Two years ago, King Rodney of Wy, in an attempt to improve the economy and create full employment for the citizens, decreed that everyone must be accepted into a guild by their twenty-third birthday. All those who have not been accepted into a guild by that age would automatically be placed in the low paying Unskilled Laborers Guild. This decree caused a lot of pressure for people in their early twenties, including Sarah whose twenty-third birthday was only two weeks away.

1 The Quest

Sarah read the final question.

If you are admitted into the Philosophers Guild, you will be given a secret decoder ring. Name two new apps you’d like installed in it.

She sat back in the blue cushioned chair, and once again tried to calm her mind. Her answers to this test would help determine whether she’d be admitted into the Philosophers Guild or put in the Unskilled Laborers Guild. In spite of the powerful air conditioning, her hands were moist as she held her pen. She breathed deeply, reining in her nervousness and focusing her thoughts on what she knew about these decoder rings.

She’d only heard rumors, of course, because the rings were in fact secret. She’d heard they were upgraded every few years and were up to Version 27.4. She guessed uses like being able to translate ancient texts were probably already built into them, as well as some important modern uses, such as being able to read doctors’ handwriting. Not knowing what else to write, and hoping for the best, she answered with things from her own personal wish list.

I’d like an app that understands the lyrics of all the songs I hear.

I’d like another app that understands the instructions that come with purchases where some assembly is required.

When she finished, she reread all her answers to the test. She put her pen in her purse and looked around the large auditorium. There must be at least two hundred people here, she thought. That’s a lot of competition for just a few openings in the Guild. She stood up on wobbly legs and walked up the aisle. After she walked past the other applicants still working on their exams, she handed in her finished exam to the proctor who was standing next to the exit.

Check your email early tomorrow morning, the proctor said. If you pass today’s exam you will receive an email to report here in the morning.

Sarah thanked him and went home.

~ ~ ~

Feeling some trepidation early the next morning, Sarah checked her email and felt a thrill of delight when she read one from the Philosophers Guild stating she was one of twenty-two people who had passed the written part of the entrance exam. She was to bring that email and report to the Philosophers Guild that morning at nine o’clock to receive further instructions.

She went for a two mile run to burn off her nervous energy. When she returned, she took a quick shower and had breakfast. She spent more time than usual deciding what to wear, settling on a short-sleeved shirt, a black skirt and flats. She went outside, hopped into her car and drove to the guild.

The drive went quickly and easily. She met with a surprising number of green lights on the way. When she got to the guild, she drove up to the gate and showed her email message to the elderly uniformed gatekeeper. After he looked it over and checked his list, he gave her a clip-on visitor pass to wear and a pass to place on her dashboard. He directed her to the building where she was expected and the parking lot where she was to park her car.

This was only the second time she’d been to this guild, and she had been so nervous the day before when she took the written exam she hadn’t paid attention to her surroundings. After she parked she got out and looked around with pleasure at the neatly trimmed greenery, the sculptures placed on the lawns, the mix of modern and well-established buildings, and the smooth well-tended sidewalks. She went into the glass-fronted building and reported to the conference room to which the gatekeeper had directed her.

She showed her email to the young woman standing in the doorway, and after she was checked off her clipboard, walked into the conference room. She chose a seat on a long side of the large rectangular table, and took a glass from the table and poured ice water for herself from the pitcher closest to her. After she had settled in she glanced around at the other people already in the room.

Most of the twenty-two candidates were already there. She recognized some of them from her classes at the University. Megan and Max sat opposite her. They were an attractive couple, both blue-eyed blondes who dressed better than most of their classmates. While she liked them both a lot, she also knew they were very stiff competition as they were two of the brightest students who had been in her classes. They were devoted to each other, so Sarah dismissed having any kind of alliance with either of them while they were in this competitive situation.

She was also happy that of the people she recognized, she felt certain that three of them had less of a chance than she did.

As soon as that happy thought faded, she noticed a couple of new arrivals. Sneaky Brandon walked through the door, holding hands with a pudgy girl with limp hair whom she didn’t know. Brandon, handsome in his six-foot two trim body, with his black hair, blue eyes and sensuous smile, exuded his usual charm and charisma. He handed in his papers and walked confidently to the table, acting as if his companion was a queen. Fortunately, there were no empty seats near Sarah, so she tried to ignore him.

In her freshman year at WyU, when she was shy and inexperienced, she made the mistake of falling for him when he was very attentive to her. She ignored her misgivings when he said he wanted to study with her but ended up copying her work. The next day one of their teachers kept her after class and accused her of copying Brandon’s work! He told her if it happened again, she would be thrown out of the university. She denied doing it of course, but her teacher didn’t believe her. She felt protective of Brandon so she didn’t tell her professor it was the other way around. She strode out of the classroom hurt and angry, looking for Brandon. She needed a hug and reassurance that all would be well. After a short search she found him standing in a corridor passionately kissing another girl. To make matters worse, for the rest of the semester her teacher treated her with suspicion, even though she consistently got better grades than Brandon did.

Since then, Sarah had refused to date good looking, charming guys. She didn’t want to get used again.

While she knew she was a lot smarter than Brandon, she didn’t know his companion. Sarah had the awful thought that the girl he was with had to be very smart and naïve and she would work with Brandon and get them both in the guild. Her stomach turned. She wished she had forgotten to eat breakfast.

The woman standing at the head of the table, who was dressed in a pastel blue suit and pumps, walked to the door and closed it. She cleared her throat and waited while conversations stopped and everyone looked at her.

Good morning everyone, I’m Ms. Fenwick, and I’m in charge of admissions to the guild. Congratulations to you all for passing the written exam. She smiled as she looked at each of them in turn.

This morning I will give you a tour of the guild and answer any questions you may have about membership. However, before we get to that I will tell you more about the guild and what you need to do to gain admission. Twenty-two of you passed the written exam. Unfortunately, there are only three openings in the guild at this time.

Several people at the table gasped at this news. They looked around trying to assess each other. The tension in the room was tangible.

Ms. Fenwick waited for everyone to settle down before she continued. We accept only the best and the brightest. Our guild members include best-selling authors, self-help gurus, talk show hosts, advice columnists, and advisors to the King. Some of our members are university professors. A few are song writers or poets. There are many other types of positions in the guild that are interesting, prestigious and powerful, and they all pay very, very well.

Ms. Fenwick glanced around the room at the sharply interested faces. "Once admitted into the guild, it is extremely rare for a member to choose to leave, and rarer still for us to ask someone to go. Most of our openings occur when someone retires or dies.

We will decide which of you to admit to the guild based on the outcome of your quest.

The candidates sent worried glances to each other when they heard the word quest. They knew a quest was never easy.

Ms. Fenwick’s assistant, a girl Sarah judged to be in her early twenties, dressed in a green shirt, skirt, and sandals, picked up a stack of folders from a credenza on the other side of the room, brought them to the table, and distributed them to the people sitting there.

Ms. Fenwick said, This is your information packet. It contains more details about the guild, including job descriptions and the benefits you’ll be entitled to, which you can read when you get home. Right now, please read the first page, which has the quest instructions, and let me know if you have any questions.

Everyone opened their glossily printed folder, turned to the first page, and started reading.

The Quest

Each applicant must go on a quest. You will be seeking an idea you will turn into an original phrase that will be philosophically thought-provoking and uplifting. It must be catchy and short enough to fit on bumper stickers, tee shirts, coffee mugs, and similar items that can be sold at our gift shop and on our website. It must be wise enough to potentially turn into a best seller (also known as a proverb). If accepted, your idea will henceforth be taught throughout the world for centuries to come.

Rules:

1. You have thirteen days, at which time you will appear at the quest final with a tee shirt printed with your phrase.

2. Your phrase must be original.

3. Your phrase must be able to elevate, improve or transform others.

4. At the quest final you will be given ten minutes to speak about your philosophical idea and show your tee shirt with the goal of Knot reduction. You must reduce the size of the Wy Knot.

5. You must slay a dragon*

* So many dragons have been slain on quests over the years they are now on the Endangered Species List. You must slay an inner dragon.

After everyone had a chance to read and think about it, the unattractive girl with Brandon asked, What exactly does an internal quest consist of?

That’s a very good question, Olivia, Ms. Fenwick replied. What we want is for you to tell us how your idea has helped you face and overcome your fears. Not all of your fears, she said quickly as she looked at the startled faces. Even one fear is enough. She noted their nervous reactions, and sighed. It doesn’t have to be an actual fear; it can be simply a dread or a trepidation.

Sarah was glad someone else had asked. She had a fear of looking foolish in public, she realized wryly.

Are there any other questions? Ms. Fenwick asked. When no one said anything else, she continued. It’s time for your tour. Please gather up your things and follow me.

There was some squeaking and scraping as everyone stood and pushed their chairs back in place under the table. Sarah looked around trying to gauge how her competitors felt about the quest. Most of them looked as intimidated about it as she felt.

They filed out of the room behind Ms. Fenwick. Sarah walked over to say hello to Megan and Max while they waited for the assistant to close the door after the room emptied.

Is everybody here? Ms. Fenwick counted heads, nodded with satisfaction, and said, This is the Administration Building. It contains offices regarding personnel matters, and staff to offer many types of assistance. She moved ahead briskly down the hallway on the lush carpeted floors. Sarah only had time to glimpse the soothing watercolor paintings on the walls as they walked past.

The group walked through an outer door and onto the pathway next to the lawn. The fresh mowed grass smelled lovely to Sarah. The blue sky was cloudless and the sun on her face was warm and pleasant. She wished there was more time to enjoy it. They walked quickly to the adjacent building, where they were ushered in.

This is our library, Ms. Fenwick said proudly. You may use these resources for your quest as much as you’d like. While she was talking her assistant went to the desk and retrieved their temporary passes and handed them out. Sarah looked closely at hers and noted it was good throughout the duration of the quest. She put it in her purse and looked around at the enormous room, filled with rows of bookcases six feet high. There were several large polished wood tables with matching chairs in the middle of the room situated underneath large lighting fixtures. There were upholstered armchairs at the end of some aisles, with side tables and lamps.

If you need help, do not hesitate to ask our staff librarians. Ms. Fenwick pointed out two members of the library staff, who were standing behind the checkout counter.

The tour took in most of the rest of the buildings on the campus. Sarah found it exciting, and she also felt a sense of being totally at home with a longing to stay, which startled her. She had never felt anything quite like that before.

At last they came to the gift shop and were shown the coffee mugs, bumper stickers, tee shirts, wall hangings, and other items with proverbs and bits of wisdom written on them.

This is where the winning candidates’ merchandise will be sold, Ms. Fenwick said as they entered. Sarah felt a thrill and noticed the smiles on the faces of many of the other members of the group. She walked through the shop, fingering a banner with a yellow happy face and Have a Nice Day in a cheerful script above it. Then she lifted a mug with Everything Happens for a Reason printed on it. She made her way around all the aisles, fingering merchandise and wondering what it would be like to have her own work sold there. After seeing the whole store, everyone walked outside and stood in front of the building.

Ms. Fenwick waited till they were all together and standing quietly, and said, Are there any questions regarding the sale of your work?

It’s only one medium size shop. Where else would our products be sold? one girl tentatively asked.

"This shop is mostly for display for our visitors and wholesale customers. We have enormous warehouses in several locations. We usually do a very high volume business, as we sell to stores throughout the Kingdom, as well as to many other places on the planet through our website. In fact, that is one of the reasons we are such a prosperous guild and, of course, those members who have sayings sold through our shop earn fifty percent of the profits.

Are there any other questions? Ms. Fenwick looked at each of them patiently. Well, then, it’s time for the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Follow me.

Sarah walked alongside Megan and Max as they followed Ms. Fenwick behind all the buildings to a very large grassy area. They stopped short and gasped as they saw what was at the far end of the large lawn.

Ms. Fenwick turned around and looked at them. I see from the look on your faces that you recognize the famous Wy Knot. She turned back and pointed her arm at the gigantic, ugly thing. It was the size of a large office building, and even when Sarah tilted her head back and blocked the sun with a hand across her forehead, she could not see the top. It was made of an unfamiliar metal and was twisted and knotted and quite grotesque. Around the sides of the Knot workers were erecting scaffolding.

"The scaffolding will be completed by the time of the quest final. It will hold cameras and measuring equipment designed to record the slightest change in size in the Knot when you give your presentations.

"If you have watched our quest finals in previous years, you may remember it takes about one hour for three candidates to complete their turn. They must be introduced, make their speeches, show their tee shirts, wait for the applause to stop, and have their post-presentation interviews. It is usually during their interviews when the Knot is measured and any reduction amounts are announced.

Because of the large number of candidates this year, we expect the event to last the entire day. We want you to arrive one hour early to have your hair and makeup done.

Ms. Fenwick pointed to various spots on the lawn as she said, "The make-up tent will be over there, and the tent where the candidates wait their turn will be over there. The audience will be seated in this location, the press will be seated over there, and the stage will be over here.

"You must wear clothing that looks good on camera. You will find details in your information packet. You are required to wear your tee shirt that has your phrase on it, as well as a garment that covers it until it is time to be revealed. Make sure your outfit from head to toe is appropriate to be televised.

Over there will be the giant TV screen that will show the event, and, of course, there will be screens and speakers all over the lawn and in the tents, so everyone can follow what’s happening no matter where they are located. Remember, this event will also be watched by viewers all over the planet.

Ms. Fenwick continued her explanation. "As each of you stands on stage wearing your tee shirt, you will have up to ten minutes to explain