Welcome back.
You've returned.
To your haunted house.
Candle in hand.
Before.
You stepped through just the entryway.
A door waits.
Halfway down the hall,
So take a deep breath in Close your eyes if you're comfortable.
Allow yourself to re-enter the home.
And make your way down the hallway.
The store.
Its knob is cold.
It's hinges.
Sigh like they've been waiting for this very moment.
The door gently pushes open.
And the scent of rain in roses fill the room.
A hundred mirrors line the walls.
Some cracked.
Some clouded.
.
.
But all honest.
Take a slow breath in.
One long exhale.
Each exhale clearing a little bit of dust from every mirror.
You are not here to critique me.
The Reflection.
You are here to simply be.
Meet it.
Feel your feet on the floor.
Solid.
Loyal.
And notice the rhythm of your breath.
Out.
Let your shoulders drop and your jaw unclench.
And now lift your chin slightly.
Imagine standing before the largest mirror of them all.
Its frame is carved with vines that pulse faintly,
Alive with your heartbeat.
And stay softly.
I am willing to see myself clearly.
The air hums and the mirror fogs with your breath.
You wipe it clean with your hand.
And what looks back.
Is not perfection.
It's truth.
Reach for your tea now.
The same warmth as before,
But now different.
Steadier.
Hold the cup near your heart.
And as you inhale its fragrance.
Imagine its steam against the mirror.
A soft mist connecting your body to your reflection.
Take a sip.
Slow TENDER and let it roll across your tongue before you swallow.
Feel the heat spread through your chest like the first kind word you've ever given to yourself.
The T becomes a bridge.
Between who you think you are.
And who you've always been.
Look into the mirror again.
See the dark crescents beneath your eyes,
The scars,
The stories.
See the spark that refuses to die out.
You might notice judgment whispering.
The old voice that says.
.
.
Not enough.
You're too much.
Wrong again.
But don't fight it.
Turn toward it.
Ask Softly.
Whose voice is this?
Listen.
It might name a parent.
A lover.
A world that has profited off of your self-doubt.
You don't have to banish it.
Just recognize that it isn't truth.
Inhale through your nose.
And exhale through your mouth.
Imagine the mere rippling.
The unkind words dissolving like a fog burned away by a sunrise.
Behind them stands you.
The one who kept going.
Eyes haunted but kind.
Body imperfect but still offering sanctuary and safety.
Whisper.
I see you.
I know you tried.
Let the words land.
Let them hurt if they need to.
Let them heal.
When they can.
The mirror begins to shimmer now.
It shows not the one version of you,
But many.
A child you.
Caretaker you.
Rage you,
Even dreamer you.
All standing side by side.
Holding hands through time.
They're not fighting for dominance.
They're forming a choir.
Their eyes meet yours,
And together they say.
.
.
Thank you.
Thank you for finally looking at us without flinching.
And that's when you realize.
You were never supposed to erase any of them.
Self-love is not selective.
It's inclusive.
Take another sip of your tea now.
And feel the steam bless every face in that reflection.
Bring your focus now back to your body.
Notice the breath filling you.
Feel warmth moving around your heart down into your fingertips.
And say quietly to yourself.
My reflection is not my enemy.
My image.
Is an altar.
Not a verdict.
Let those lines loop.
With your breath.
Until they feel like a heartbeat mantras.
Inhale,
I am real.
Exhale.
I am enough.
Inhale.
I am learning.
Exhale.
I am love.
The mirrors fade into a gentle light.
Only one remains visible.
And instead of your face.
You see your own eyes.
From the inside out.
That's the shift.
That's presence.
Repeat slowly.
Leaving room to breathe in between each moment.
I forgive the lens that lied about me.
I honor the face that never gave up.
My reflection is my sacred testimony.
I see myself.
With compassion and awe.
I and beauty becoming aware of itself in whole.
Set your teacup down gently now.
Step backward once.
Keeping eye contact in the mirror.
It glows,
But not with judgment.
With a promise.
And you bow your head slightly.
Is a beautiful sign of respect.
And as you turn towards the door.
You walk out.
And you catch a final glimpse.
And for the first time.
Your reflection smiles first.
The hallway greets you with silence.
That feels like peace.
Breathe in.
Exhale.
And whisper.
I am seen.
The door closes behind you.
And the sound of wind fades.
Into a heartbeat.
Steady.
Certain.
And alive.
And when you are ready.
.
.
Gently open your eyes and return to the world.
Safe.
Secure.
Seen.
Your truth is what you choose,
Your perspective.
Is about presence.
And your identity does not live in the perspective of others or even yourself.
The way you see your past.
So I invite you every time.
That you find yourself.
Feeling unseen.
Judged,
Or even criticized.
Gently ask yourself,
Whose voice is this?
And is it true?
Because I promise you 9 times out of 10 it's not.
Take another deep breath in.
And as you enter the world,
Remember.
The present moment is now.
And always stay steeped in love.
And gratitude.
