Meditation – looking in a mirror – what do I see?

The purpose of this exercise is to be aware of how we see ourselves. Do it for at least a month, 4 times a week preferable, a similar time each day would be ideal.

Have a pad next to you and jot down your experiences, emotions, criticisms, and feelings, after the 5 minutes are up, not during.

1. Give yourself 5 minutes, sit somewhere with a mirror in front, and gaze at yourself.

2. Slowly focus on your eyes, left or right, either. What do you see?  What emotions do you sense behind the eyes gazing back at you from the mirror?  What bubbles up from your depths?

Do you see yourself with soft, hard, or critical eyes? How much of your body are you present as you gaze?

Who are you? Do you like who you see, not just superficially but deeper down?  Do you hear criticisms from your mind?

3. We are all at different stages of dis-entanglement from our prison, so our experience will alter with our present state.

The aim is, to be honest with oneself, not to censor whatever comes up from our depths. To be willing to fully experience any resulting emotions in our bodies (see previous meditations).

By all means, keep hankies next to you. However, if you find yourself disconsolate and crying DO NOT tidy yourself up, allow the tears and mucus to run, you can tidy yourself up after the five minutes.

The reason for this?  That the action becomes a displacement activity by your mind to move you away from the release of your emotional sensations.

Next Meditation on Death