Manly P. Hall The moment the Truth seeker discovers the fact about himself, and the universe of Illusion, which he had previously created and sustained, it dissolves. The formula is: Change Self and all else changes".
Looking into a Mirror is something both common and magical. Although we do it every morning when we get up and shave or apply make-up we forget how useful a tool it is in reflecting back to us our appearance. When we look into a Mirror we see ourself. Every morning when I get up and look into the Mirror it does not lie to me or try to spin the Truth. If I look red eyed, ragged and bushy haired then that is the image the mirror shows me. I then proceed to work on myself by shaving, showering and combing my hair so that I can become the person I want to be.
A Mirror can also help you do the very same thing but on a spiritual and psychological level. It has been a useful tool as part of my meditations and work in achieving a level of Individuation. The term "individuation" coined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung implies achieving a level of psychological maturity and Self Awareness. On occasion I will stand in a dimly lit room facing a mirror and will ask my Self a question such as "Who am I?" I do this on occasion to remind myself who I am and to better understand what is important to me. Too often I forget who I am because I get caught up in the "rat race" of society. I am bombarded by images, messages and people who are all trying to convince me why they are right and I am wrong. Television commercials strive to convince me to buy their product or to change my opinion regarding a competitor. If I am not careful the perceptions of "society" will become my reality.
Give it a try...find a quiet place and stand in front of a Mirror and ask your Self the important questions about Life, Love, Divinity and their relation to you personally. As silly as it may sound if done sincerely the effects are almost immediate. In this excercise you are effectively having a direct conversation with your self (i.e. subconscious, etc.). As easy as it may be to lie to yourself and others during the daily grind of the day, it is quite another story when you are alone staring at your Self in the mirror.
What does this all mean? Until we reach a level of individuation we remain at the mercy of our Ego and the mass group mind of Society and its preconceptions. Society frowns on the unconventional. Conformity is often the goal of society which as a whole, prefers regularity and compliance. Until we break away from the comfort of simply accepting society's morals and start to think for ourselves we remain easy prey for the media, advertising and the image makers who seek to inflate the insatiable human Ego. What is the person in the mirror saying to you? Just the ramblings of a humble unknown philosopher...
