MirrorsIn some spiritual thought, our relationships serve as mirrors to our soul. Sometimes frightening, this concept brings us face to face with ourselves through a not-so-subtle lesson. The things I find annoying about someone in my life are actually the things I don't like about myself. The mirror determines what I learn from others in my life and what wisdom I inherit from these interactions. The other person holds himself up as a mirror to me, and the glass I choose to use as a reflective agent varies according to my willingness and what I need to see. Sometimes, it's clear glass, enabling me to see the situation and myself without obstruction. Sometimes it's transparent as though no glass at all filled the mirror paddle. Other times, the glass is milky or translucent and I cannot see the lesson or my own shortcomings. Still other times, the glass is shattered with the denial of my mind to accept my spirit. When the mirror holds stained glass I look at the glory and intricacy of my life story, because stained glass, deliberately and artistically planned and meted out, tells a story of life-by-design. When the mirror holds bullet-proof or even shatterproof glass, I see myself as impenetrably stubborn in my ways and unwavering on my path. With tinted glass, I don't want to see myself as I truly exist, rather painted in a better light or reduced exposure to the truth. Depending on the hue of the tint, this glass tempers my perspective on my self view as well as my world view. Wide-angled glass, as in a camera lens, offers a perspective of the world around me and how I fit in. I choose to see the bigger picture of both myself and my environment. Conversely, if the mirror consists of a small peep hole as in a front door, then I choose to hide myself from the world and expose only small, relevant bits of the world to myself. The world cannot see me, though I can see it. Outside influences ineffective on my isolated psyche, the peep hole protects me from myself and the world ""out there." A mirror made of plexiglass allows me to see transparently through it and not back at myself, however it also allows the flexibility of my perception. With the appearance of true clear glass, plexiglass provides a safe yet almost elastic barrier between me and the truth. Double-paned glass gives me a channel in between what is within me and what is in the world. A nice cushion or layer of insulation to shield me from the elements of myself I cannot face, and the harsh, cold reality of an unforgiving world. A mirror made of glass block allows the light of the world to enter, yet I cannot see it. Knowing the value of the light yet unable to focus on the truth of what's in the world or in myself, the glass block creates a frustrating interface which I must confront with determination and depth. Crystal. Finely tuned and exquisitely manufactured, the mirror of crystal maintains my value as a beautiful expression of God while allowing me to see and hear clearly the many aspects of splendor I possess. A mirror of colorful mosaic provides no reflection of myself or the world, yet forces me to confront the very nature of my diversity within. I see the complexity and beauty of many facets of my personality and of life, held up for my fascination and admiration, yet the conclusions I draw from holding a mosaic mirror reflect more of the world around me than how I fit in the world. Hand-blown glass charms my outlook with style and grace and reminds me of my own uniqueness. Called into being by an artisan, the mirror of hand-blown glass crafted specifically for my own introspection, blesses me with the perfect conduit for self-discovery. Polarized glass removes all the negative ideas from my perception. Like harmful sunrays, our negative thoughts destroy us on an internal and invisible planes, and the polarized glass prevents me from hurting myself with damaging ideas and beliefs. Silver reflective glass distorts my world back at me. I can't see through the glass or around it, much like I cannot see through my own fears and doubts or around them. Like the bright glass on office buildings or certain sunglasses, my mirror of reflective glass shows me who I am right here and now. The hourglass, not really a type of glass, rather a use of glass, reminds me that time is precious and running out. When I see myself in the sands of the hourglass, I gently coax myself to remember that today is all I have. This minute holds precious gifts and once the sands of time run out you have to start over again. All of these types of glass serve a figurative purpose to assist you in your divine development. The Universe itself concerns itself not with the format of the messenger, the message rests in the process of looking in the mirror for answers. The mirror allows us to reach out beyond ourselves yet keep to ourselves. We focus our attention on who we are and what's behind us, while taking a good, deep look at our lives through endless avenues of interpretation. Just as important as your own mirror-work, the mirror you hold up for others to search within themselves also teaches you a lesson. Be mindful of your choice of glass because you, too, receive lessons based on the manner and nature of the reflection. And know that you'll always select the right glass at the right time for the right inspriation. |