Topic awaiting preservation: Mirror Meditation

Almost two weeks ago I decided to start mirror meditation. It is something that I had read about some years ago and the idea has fascinated me since.

Sometimes when I'm looking at things, my eyes will slightly unfocus and I'll see something in it. I have been seeing things like this ever since I can remember. I'll be looking at slightly mottled colour variations in tile and I'll suddenly see a samurai. Or the rain drops on the window will suddenly become a cat. These eye tricks is why I have been fascinated with mirror meditation.

Sit comfortably in front of a mirror. Lit candle off to the side but so direct reflection can't be seen in the mirror. Then stare at yourself in the mirror without blinking.

I've read quite a few things about what happens. One of the common denominators is that your face will shift and change. Lots of other things about this, but face changing seems to be the main thing. Tricks in the mirror... care for some urban legends? Heh.

So I did do this every night for as long as my eyes would let me. I am getting better at keeping my eyes open, but still lots of room for improvement. I guess anywhere from two to ten minutes.

Yeah, my face changed. Once I got past a certain point in keeping my eyes open, my face did indeed start shifting around. I didn't find it scary at all - I think it is damn cool.

But after a few days, I became stuck. The nature of the face changing had changed and it didn't feel right. It felt artificial and fake. Suddenly different and somehow wrong.

Going on intuition, I took off my glasses and gave it another go. Holy crap my face started flying again! Staring at myself in the mirror all blurry, but face changes all over the place. And it felt completely honest. It felt good.

I literally can not see myself clearly with my own naked eyes, but I was suddenly seeing myself clearer than ever. I learned a little something in that little twist of irony.

Heh.

The brain tries to make sense of visual information.

Staring induces tears, which causes sight to become somewhat blurry, and the brain attempts to make sense out of the blurred imagery.

If you ever get to a point where you can see your true self in a mirror, then you will have reached an absolute point in zen. However, staring with blurry vision will not accomplish this.

Still, it is an interesting exercise. I used to do this long ago.

I personally like cloud staring.

WebShaman | The keenest sorrow (and greatest truth) is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
- Sophocles

(Edited by WebShaman on 06-22-2011 11:57)

After turning fifty I got rid of all but my shaving mirror, you'll understand why. I'm spending this midsummer's night under a tarp in the woods, perchance to dream. I see shapes in the trees and my mind is open for dialogue.

Excellent points. This is an alternate version of a ritual practiced by Shamans in astral travel. It consists of seeking to face one's shadow self - the flame acts as an attractor to dark beings. There are affinities between the intrinsic nature of fire, pure creative force, and the chaotic nature of what I refer to as darkies.

It is only after facing my own shadow that I found a place of inner balance. My reflection did not only shift shape : it talked. Try to ask it something.

The astral version takes place in a clearing, by a campfire. If all goes well, shadow and light merge in the fire. Allegedly..

(Edited by argo_navis on 06-22-2011 08:17)

Meeting my true self... I always imagined it would be with my eyes closed - no glasses or mirror required. If I keep it up, we'll see.

I was reading about a particular candle gazing technique and I think I may try it.

The thing that sucks about meditation is time. Like exercising and/or losing weight. Takes time to see real differences. But I miss not having to think, so I am really going to stick with it.
~crosses fingers~

Rock on, you crazy nut jobs.

Will do. Carl Jung, the father of analytic psychology, was a huge fan of similar methods, that he introduced to psychology as "active imagination". It doesn't matter what gets us to perceive our shadow self : awareness of it and experiencing it as part of ourselves allows us to fully accept and control it.

Hence the most important thing in mirror meditation : daring to stare at oneself. Not everybody does.

The shadow self is the sum of our repressed impulses : his inner carelessness could be the reason why a person appears to be deeply caring. We often try to counterbalance our perceived defects; when we act out of balance, the inner angel and the inner darkie are "arguing" or disagreeing. If they agree we can express ourselves more harmoniously, more naturally.

Carl Jung's Red Book was released in 2009 to the public.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8316000/8316096.stm

(Edited by argo_navis on 06-26-2011 11:34)