The Magic Mirror
I recently listened to an excerpt from a Simon Sinek interview, which both surprised and inspired me. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Sinek, he is the profoundly inspirational author, motivational speaker and marketing consultant, who is most well-known for his 2009 bestseller Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.
In this interview, Sinek was asked his perspective on current state of US politics. He expressed his disappointment in many of our leaders across party lines. This didn’t surprise me. But the questions he posed next, did:
“Now there is the other side of it – which is the question that must be raised – which is, are our politicians a reflection of us?
Are our politicians a mirror raised to us? Should we be the first to throw stones, or should we accept that we get the politicians we deserve? If we want them to change, maybe we should change ourselves? Maybe we’re the ones that are divisive? Maybe we’re the ones that are narcissistic? Maybe we’re the ones who are putting our needs in front of everyone else’s? And if you look at the way we are raising our kids and running our companies, I don’t know if we can say that we’re any better? And so maybe instead of demanding that they change, we should demand that we change? And, take some accountability for own actions. And, maybe then we’ll get the politicians we deserve.”
That blew me away.
I hadn’t heard anyone openly speak about our politicians and government being a reflection of what we need to resolve within ourselves. But I happen to know that this is the truth. In fact, all of our reality – our day to day relationships, interactions and experiences – is a mirror for our inner world – beckoning us to find the map of wisdom within its reflection.
Freedom is not External
We are at a time in history when many of us feel burdened by external factors that seem to plague our daily life. There is a collective perception that we are at the mercy of something or someone outside of ourselves. That, if the government, the economy, the healthcare system, the educational system, our boss, our spouse, or some other external factor changed, we could be free to live our lives in peace, prosperity, good health and joy.
There is no question that self-determination is our inalienable right. But, this gift does not come to us externally. Freedom is a quality that is created within. And yet, we continue to point fingers at the people and systems we perceive have imprisoned us. The secret to dissolving any illusion of limitation, however, is to realize that nothing outside of us has the power to dictate our reality unless we choose it to be so.
“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred…Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.” Martin Luther King
So, the process of claiming freedom can start no other place but within. This is the truth that my own journey has taught me. And this is the story that I must tell.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
After the perfect storm of events caused my life to collapse around me, I was on a mission to gain a deeper understanding of how this earth gig, we call ‘life’, actually works.
I knew that life wasn’t happening in a vacuum. I realized that it wasn’t just a random and chaotic set of circumstances. And I was starting to understand that if you truly want to be free, you need to go beyond the superficial to the nuts and bolts of what makes our reality tick.
One of the very first truths that I discovered is that our reality – our relationships, interactions, and experiences – is a mirror reflection for our inner world. Our inner world – which is also known as our consciousness – manifests itself in the physical through a culmination of our intent, thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives. Our consciousness is the foundation for everything in our reality.
Our Reality (Relationships, Experiences, Interactions) = Our Inner World (Intent, Thoughts, Beliefs, and Perspectives)
So, by definition, we can better understand our path for healing and expansion by observing what our reality is telling us about our inner world.
You may ask the question, ‘Well, isn’t our action included in this equation?’ Yes. But action is based upon the contents of our inner world. Our consciousness is the primary source for all change, healing and expansion. That said – because our consciousness is composed of both the conscious and subconscious – our true intent, thoughts, beliefs and perspectives, aren’t always readily apparent and accessible. Even with a deep meditation practice, these intangible aspects of our inner world often remain hidden from us.
And, this is precisely why the practice of observing and learning from our reality – the mirror reflection of our inner world – is so powerful. Our reality is like a cheat sheet for understanding, healing and expanding our consciousness. It truly is amazing.
The Practice of Using the Wisdom in the Reflection of Your Experience to Heal, Expand, and Thrive:
1) Practice observing your experience as a mirror reflection of your inner world.
2) Practice understanding the wisdom and guidance the reflection is showing you needs to be healed within your consciousness.
3) Practice making these changes within.
4) Practice gratitude as your emotional wounds heal, limitations dissolve, and life transforms.
I use the word practice, because that’s exactly what is required to master this skill. When we first learn to ride a bike, most of us didn’t jump on ready for the Tour de France. We practiced. And this is no different.
And, at first I didn’t actually trust the guidance of the reflection. I needed to apply and implement the concept on a daily basis, before I could actually know it to be true.
But, after awhile, I became more comfortable with reading the signs and making the changes within. I began to trust the wisdom in the reflection. And, a pattern emerged. The pattern showed me that I was actually in charge of my reality.
Three Examples of Using Wisdom in the Reflection:
See the Reflection, Heal it Within Yourself, Change the Reflection: You recognize someone being judgmental towards you or someone else. You think about areas of your life where you could be more open-minded. As you change yourself, you experience less judgement in others.
See the Reflection, Choose the Meaning, Change the Reflection: You experience something that leaves you feeling victimized. You can choose to hang onto victimhood, and continue to have interactions that are demoralizing and disheartening. Or, you can see the experience as an opportunity for growth. You can flip the script. You can look for areas in your life where you can take more responsibility for the outcome. You take ownership and change the reflection from victimhood to empowerment.
See the Reflection, Don’t let the Reflection Stop You, Create the Reflection of Your Vision: You have a vision of what you want to create. Disappointment, chaos, frustration, failure etc. occurs. So what. That’s the nature of this experience. Miracles occur when you don’t allow the reflection to knock you off your path. Not permanently anyway. You can fall off. Just get back up and get back on. Thumb your nose at the reflection or embrace it as an opportunity, but either way, get back on that path. So, you see the reflection, but choose to know that you are the creator of your experience. You don’t allow the reflection to stop you and manifest the vision of your dreams.
The pattern that emerges, as you practice observing and using the wisdom in the reflection, is that you, and only you, are the creator of your experience. You have the power to CREATE and CHANGE the reflection. You are in charge. No one else. That’s why the mirror is magical.
You are a Creator: The Reflection of Your Life is a Map of Wisdom Just for You
What I am saying here is, learn from my experience. Do not give your power away. You are a creator. Use the tools of creation to mold your life into your greatest visions.
Reality is the mirror reflection of your personal map to freedom, healing, and expansion. It actually provides the directions to move out of the patterns in your life that leave you feeling trapped and miserable and opens the door to become the creator that you innately are.
Use the reflection. Use the map. Embrace the wisdom. Heal. Expand. Thrive.
Practice this. Every. Single. Day.
This is your inalienable right.
Become the creator.