Hi,
I'm Caroline and today I'm sharing with you a short meditation practice that you can do whenever you're experiencing a stressful moment or even a moment of self-doubt.
In this practice I will guide you through a mirror gazing meditation where rather than closing your eyes and looking inward while you meditate,
You'll keep your eyes open while gazing into your own reflection in a mirror.
If you don't have a mirror handy right now,
I invite you to pause this meditation while you go locate one.
You could also use your phone's camera in a pinch,
But the meditation is more effective when you're able to look into your own eyes,
Which you cannot do while using your phone's camera and screen.
So in this case,
An actual mirror would be better for you.
As adults,
We often use mirrors only to monitor our appearance and then critique it based on cultural standards of beauty,
Finding endless flaws and imperfections with how we look.
How often have you simply passed by a mirror to check?
Not how you look on the outside,
But rather how you feel on the inside.
Why practice a mirror meditation?
It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul,
But have you ever gazed into your own eyes to see what lies within?
This method of mirror gazing can provide you a direct route to the heart of any distress or emotional unease you may be feeling,
Making it easier for you to explore your emotions and identify any underlying causes behind them.
Gazing into your own eyes might make you feel uncomfortable at first,
But with practice,
It can help you to develop a deeper sense of self compassion.
As you acknowledge all aspects of yourself through your own reflection,
Feelings of shame or your own unworthiness will begin to dissolve,
Allowing self acceptance and love to rise instead in their places.
You don't need to turn away from any mistakes or imperfections you may perceive.
You instead have the choice to see them,
Greet them,
And welcome them as a part of your unique self.
If you tend to push down or suppress difficult emotions,
You may have already grown used to hiding how you truly feel.
However,
Your mirror will not allow you to hide from anything.
Any feelings of unpleasantness,
Worry,
Or self doubt will all begin to surface and break through the mask you might be so used to wearing in front of others.
Your emotions might not all be shown in your eyes,
However.
Take in your posture and body language as a whole and try to notice where you might be storing any feelings of distress in your body right now.
Finally,
We form attachments with those that we see the most.
But how much time do we actually spend with ourselves?
Do you tend to shy away from a mirror when passing by?
Spending more time with yourself can allow you to get to know yourself better.
If you're having a down day,
Or if opinions from others leave you questioning your own self worth,
You can always find a trusted friend by simply turning to your mirror.
Let's get started.
Depending on the mirror you have access to right now,
Your meditation position will be different.
I prefer to use a floor length mirror where I can then bring my chair or my meditation cushion on the ground in front of it and allow my arms to relax.
If you have a mirror hanging on the wall,
You may need to take this meditation while standing.
Or if you have a handheld mirror,
You could be flexible with where you choose to practice.
First,
Find your mirror and then make your spot as comfortable as you can.
Make sure your mirror is angled in a way so that you can easily make eye contact with your own reflection.
And we'll first begin by closing our eyes.
Start to notice your breath.
If you're not already,
Begin to breathe in and out only through your nose.
Slow down the pace of your breathing,
Noticing those small pauses at the end of your inhales and exhales.
Turn your attention inward and allow your body to relax.
Begin to check in with any areas where you regularly experience tension or even areas that just feel tense right now for whatever reason.
Let your inner gaze linger on these spots for one or two breaths each before moving on.
As you breathe and scan,
Try to visualize your attention dissolving with every breath out.
Once your body begins to feel more relaxed,
Slowly blink your eyes open and look at your reflection in the mirror.
Tune into your breath again.
Did the pace of your breath change as you opened your eyes and began to look at yourself?
Try to bring it back to that slow and steady pace.
First,
Check in with your posture and your own body language right now.
If you notice any areas that appear to be out of balance or look particularly tense,
Try to physically ease into these spots but still maintain a comfortable position for yourself right now.
Allow your gaze to begin to rest in the eyes of your reflection.
Consider the message that your eyes are conveying.
Is it critical or kind?
Are your eyes feeling strained?
Try to physically relax your eyeballs in their own sockets and notice what kind of effect it has on your expression.
If you've already begun to focus on things you dislike about yourself or your appearance,
Start to visualize your breaths dissolving these dislikes with each exhale.
Allow them to simply come up and then blow away with each breath out.
Try to look into your own eyes the way you would look into the eyes of someone you love.
A parent,
A sibling,
A partner,
A pet.
What thoughts begin to come into your mind?
Does your inner voice begin to point out flaws that you may see in yourself?
Or do you find it hard to hold your own gaze due to feelings of self-destain?
As each thought comes up,
Observe it and let it pass.
Pay attention to the way your emotions move across your face.
What does self-judgment look like?
Anger?
Fear?
Acceptance?
Love?
If you find yourself beginning to engage in any feelings or thoughts that come up,
Gently return your attention to your breath and your reflection.
Let your thoughts and feelings continue to travel,
Bubbling up,
Then drifting away.
But hold your own gaze steadily,
Looking at yourself with kindness.
When you feel ready,
Allow your eyes to softly close once more.
Continue your slow pace of breathing as you scan through your body.
Notice any areas with lingering tension,
Using your exhales to bring peace to these regions.
Notice all of the areas that also feel really good today.
Send love and appreciation to these parts of your body and mind,
Acknowledging that all pieces form a whole,
Complete,
And unique individual,
You.
As we spend more and more time alone and on our devices,
We miss out on this face-to-face reflection that can help us to stay emotionally connected to ourselves.
The mirror,
Therefore,
Can be a valuable tool for maintaining that connection,
As it reflects directly the quality of the relationship that we have with ourselves.
The mirror also reflects our feelings of self-criticism with extreme accuracy.
And therefore,
A mirror meditation then provides a choice and a practice to actively treat ourselves with kindness.
Slowly open your eyes once more.
Look upon your reflection and give yourself a smile.
I invite you to come back to this practice whenever you need it.
However,
You don't need a full guided meditation to practice appreciating yourself in the mirror every day.
The next time you pass by a mirror,
For example,
I invite you to gaze into your eyes for even just five or ten seconds and check in with how you feel rather than how you look at the moment.
The next time you are washing your hands in a bathroom with a mirror,
Try turning your gaze upward and focus on softening your eyes and giving yourself a moment to find a full deep breath in and out while looking upon your own reflection before continuing on with your day.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
May you always see your inner courage,
Speak your strengths,
And hold joy in your heart.
Namaste.
