What You See in the Mirror

It's almost been a decade since the Dean of the institute where I was pursuing my diploma threw us a challenge. A challenge which would profoundly impact us if we had the courage to practice it. But it is easier said than done, he cautioned us, for only a handful few had really managed to go beyond the first few days. And those who did reaped benefits of the habit. The challenge was to stand in front of the mirror everyday and look into your eyes for 2-3 minutes everyday. Simple as it may sound, it's equally daunting task. Give it a shot, if you don't agree. Over the years, I have come realize why only a handful people have managed to go beyond the first few days.

It's a psychological truth that we often see in others what we don't like about ourselves. When there is an aspect of ourselves we find unacceptable it is human nature to hide it from ourselves, even to pretend the opposite and instead project those feelings we have about ourselves unto to others. But when we look into the mirror all we see is ourselves in a mirror. The mirror reflects back at us the way we look at it. There is no one else to dilute it or bias the look or put in their perspective in what is being reflected. It's just us. There is no escaping. All that we see is us. That is the reality. It only lasts long as we are looking at the mirror. The moment we look away, we have a memory of the image in the mirror, but the reality itself is gone. And if we don't have the penchant for accepting what we see it can be quite discomforting and disheartening. To be frank and honest about it, very rarely do we have it. The minute we accept what we see, it profoundly impacts us leading to amazing transformations.

The mirror thus symbolizes the power of self knowledge. And according to a Japanese legend, self-knowledge is the most treasured of the the three powers (other two being sword and jewel) because it guides how all other powers are used, whether they are used for good or ill. The power of the mirror is unsurpassed. A mirror helps us to change freely and willingly. For when we look into the mirror we see the person who is responsible for our future, present and past. And when we acknowledge and accept what we see in the mirror is nothing but our true self with much more power than we usually recognize everything changes.

We get a sneak peek of how what you see in the mirror impacts you in the movie "Cool Runnings", a movie that traces the journey of the first Jamaican bobsled team. One of the members of the team, Junior, has always been the awe of his father who has dictated what's best for him and to date has never quite realized what lies within him. Knowing that his father is about to get him back home and he has no choice but to return home, Junior gets easily intimidated by one of their competitors at the bar. What follows next is the crux of what looking into the mirror is all about. 

Motivated and inspired by his team mate Yul Brenner, Junior becomes aware his power within. His realization of true power though comes later when he follows his father, who has come to take him back home, to the lift in order to persuade him to let him continue with the bobsled team. It's precisely at this moment Junior happens to look into the mirror and is reminded of what he sees in himself. It's just him. There is no escaping. All that he sees his him. The only person responsible for his future his he himself. That is the reality and he accepts it before it is gone. Something, which he has never done before. "I see pride. I see power", he says to himself and tells his dad, "No, I am NOT a scared little boy, I am a MAN...and I am staying right here."

That is his amazing transformation. Just because he happened to look into the mirror and accept the reality being a man. As Yul Brenner puts it, "...it's not about what I see. It's about what you see." 

So what is that you see when you look in to the mirror?

References

http://johnkuypers.com/blog/the-power-of-a-mirror/

http://www.richdad.com/Resources/Rich-Dad-Financial-Education-Blog/October-2012/Look-in-the-Mirror.aspx

http://ajitkanojia.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/boost-your-self-esteem/