“We are all reflections of ourselves” was the phrase that a good colleague taught me at the end of 2016. I meditated on this topic for months and thus was able to understand the transcendental teaching that humanity has preserved for millennia. From the first time I heard this phrase, I knew that there was something magical and mystical in it, something powerful that would become my main tool for growth. Mirrors have been one of the main tools of our ancestors to perform their rituals and spells. Being such powerful tools, it is necessary to use them responsibly and with love. At first, the magic of mirrors can be overwhelming, but over time, the practitioner will gain strength. 

A mirror is an object with a very specific purpose: to reflect light. There are many materials that can reflect light and can be used as mirrors. For a long time, humans have used mirrors to discover the best hidden secrets of the Universe. In ancient times, they were used for purposes ranging from communicating with spirits to making profound scientific and technological advances to understanding the cosmos. Each culture has used them differently. Light has a very interesting role in the universe, since it is created from energy. The higher the energy (temperature), the more light is emitted. At low temperatures, matter lacks light. When light hits an object, matter absorbs that energy and reflects only a few specific frequencies due to its composition. This means that every object works like a mirror, since the colors of the objects are nothing more than the reflection of the light that illuminates them and that, losing energy in the reflection, becomes the color that reaches our eyes. Under this premise, material reality is built by an illusion. Any object without light illuminating it is meaningless; thanks to light, reality and matter have purpose. To understand the magic of mirrors, it is necessary to connect with our philosophical sense, allowing us to see in mirrors the analogies and metaphors that they offer us in our personal and collective development.

The Natural Mirror

The first mirror that must learn to master consciousness is the Natural Mirror. The reflection that this mirror causes is one that we find everywhere and that does not reflect the true nature of things. Through the Natural Mirror, we learn to stop judging and maintain a balance between what we know and what we believe. Let us remember that appearances are deceiving and that we should not be carried away by illusions that keep us from the truth.

When we understand that the natural reflection is an illusion, we activate the need to be more aware and begin to see ourselves as we are. We must learn from the illusions that surround us and mold them to fit our reality. It is important to break with all the illusions that we create, since the truth feeds on the direct interpretation of light. For example, it may be an illusion to be jealous of someone for not trusting yourself, or to justify our meat-based diet while supporting the fight against animal murder.

A useful exercise to discover the magic of the Natural Mirror is to speak out loud in front of it and dialogue with our reflection. It is an uncomfortable experience for many people, but it is essential to learn to have a conversation with ourselves and not fail in the first mirror test. We must avoid falling into narcissism and ask the most interesting questions that come to mind. Five minutes a day are enough to begin to get to know each other better and undo the illusion of our existence. 

If we get used to our own reflection, we can use its magic to go deeper into our being and reflect on how we want that reflection to look and speak to us. In this way, we can undo the illusions that keep us from the truth and be more aware of our reality.

The White Mirror

The second mirror is the White Mirror, and it is a way of interpreting the reflection of the natural mirror. It is like finding in all the people of the world an image of our own being. If we are aware, we can realize how this phrase has a deep philosophical relevance in our lives.

For example, if two people crash in their cars and both start to argue, this may be because their personalities are colliding, as if there is a mirror between them. Similarly, when a jealous man projects his own thoughts and desires onto his partner, he reveals his own mirror image of her. If we offend our neighbor, we are really offending ourselves, since we are projecting something that lives within us. When it seems to us that someone is speaking in a strong or offensive tone, our brain seeks to make sense of that lack of information and replaces it with what is more familiar to us, that is, our own actions and attitudes.

We must keep in mind that when we take things wrong hastily, we are exposing our own personality through the White Mirror. Therefore, we must be aware that what we see in others is a projection of our own being and not always objective reality. By believing everything we are told, we allow the magic of the White Mirror to immerse us in our own thoughts and beliefs.

During one of my trips to the picturesque town of Tulum, I was fortunate to meet a wise man who called himself a witch. His peaceful demeanor and excellent education inspired confidence and I considered him a true sage whose teachings have remained deeply rooted in my life. I remember that my attitude in Tulum was one of exploration, alertness and purification, which made my trip especially meaningful. I felt happily fulfilled, learning to enjoy the present and opening my mind to all the opportunities that the universe could offer me. At that time, I was in a very pleasant spiritual state that Buddhism had recently begun to offer me.

Over time, I learned that not everything the sorcerer had told me was necessarily true, but I found myself blinded by the magic of the white mirror, later being able to see myself through it. This sensation is unique, difficult to recognize and persistent over time. The white mirror is the way in which we can invoke our alter ego into our consciousness through the image of another..

Every significant encounter in our life presents us with a mirror that reflects our own personality. If we bump into someone on the street, feel offended by someone, or even admire someone, we are looking through the white mirror, seeing ourselves in the other. The white mirror helps us understand our own personality and develop greater self-knowledge, which in turn can improve our interpersonal relationships.

The white mirror is a tool that helps us understand that by wishing the well-being of others, we also wish the well-being of ourselves.. The basis of this reflection lies in the way we think, if we are happy and fulfilled, we can wish the same for all human beings. By becoming aware of this, our attitude towards the environment changes, and we become more empathetic and understanding with those around us.

Rejecting the magic of the white mirror without first experiencing it means losing the opportunity to discover something about ourselves that we may not like, which in turn prevents us from learning and correcting mistakes. By understanding ourselves better through the white mirror, we can be more honest with ourselves and, consequently, with the world around us. We must always keep in mind the idea of doing to our neighbor what we wish for ourselves, and understand that our attitude towards them helps us to know ourselves better. However, we must remember that the illusion of the white mirror is only the beginning of a path of enlightenment, since there are still two more reflections to discover and transcend.

The Black Mirror

The third mirror, known as the Black Mirror, is related to wisdom.. The reflection that a black mirror provides is similar to that of American obsidian; We only see in its reflection the details of light necessary to give meaning to the image it reflects. The reflection of a black mirror is dim, delicate and barely distinguishable. This type of reflection works as a light filter, considerably reducing the amount of detail that we can see. When we have learned the deepest lessons through the white mirror, it is necessary to resume the direction of our individuality with the black mirror. The black mirror not only allows us to see the most important aspects of ourselves in others, but also filters the rest of the information we process to make solid and supported conjectures, without excessive reflection and analysis.

The black mirror gives peace of mind to the soul, but reveals the truth in a more sagacious and raw way, not because of the amount of light we receive, but because of the decisions that we begin to make from this perspective. Those beings who come to the reflection of the black mirror seek illumination among the deepest darkness. The black mirror does not reflect the illusion of lighting like the white mirror, so here the perception of everything is more sober and strategic. It is like a wild animal with the power to see better than others in the dark in a jungle. Working this reflection brings discernment.

When a father looks at his son through the white mirror, he can connect with his son's innocence and empathize with him. But looking through the black mirror, you can see how some expressions and displays of your love (such as providing money or material goods) can have consequences on your child's development. This reflection gives the father wisdom and discernment about what he gives his son as a sign of his love. Or when someone overcomes jealousy and envy in their relationship, the black mirror becomes a valuable tool to understand how their love affects the objective reality of their partner, which allows them to make informed and mutually beneficial decisions. This way, they can enjoy their relationship without losing sight of reality.

One more example is when through the white mirror we have understood our function within our social circle, being able to see in each of our relationships a different representation of ourselves; with the wisdom of the black mirror is that then we can choose to transform ourselves into a mirror knowing that our neighbor sees himself in us. By understanding this, we can decide to become a mirror for others, regardless of whether they are aware of it or not, and be able to influence them from our authenticity for collective growth. This level of consciousness allows us to serve higher purposes or influence objective reality through our subjective reality and our will.

The Mirror of Water

The last mirror of consciousness is the Water Mirror. Water, like any material, is capable of creating a reflection, so this analogy works perfectly. The first and most important characteristic of water is that it is a vital element for life; Thanks to their existence, the earth, the air and the fire adopt a specific function. In addition, it is amorphous and adapts and flows through the channel without opposing said flow. If the water is calm, it is because the earth wants it that way; if the water is moving, it is because gravity dictates it. Water can afford this luxury because it does not need to oppose any force, it adapts and flows.

A characteristic of the mirror of water is that we can not only see our reflection, but we can also see through it. If we stand in front of a pond or pool and observe our reflection carefully, we can change the focus of our gaze and see what is beyond the reflection. This is the mirror of natural transcendence, since when we learn to see others with the mirror of water in the middle, we can not only appreciate our reflection and be aware of it, but we can go through the reflection and know the reality that is there. behind; this leads us to sacred empathy, which allows us to be in harmonious communion with ourselves and with others.

Through the reflection of the Water Mirror, we lose our identity and the diffuse image of what we are loses importance when we find depth in what is behind the mirror. It is a transition from "I" to "it"; that is to say, to put aside all illusion of the "Ego" to open the way to understand and feel what others really are. We then begin to flow between our reflection and what is behind it, like naturally flowing water. This experience can be eternal or ephemeral, since the Ego can never be overcome, it is something we learn to deal with until the day we die. What is a fact is that learning to see through the Water Mirror is a magical experience, full of mystery and awakening; it is a drama with an outcome as dignified as our conscience desires.

Let's imagine that you have a communication problem with a close person, and you feel frustrated because you can't make them understand you.

We begin by looking through the natural mirror, reflecting on how the way we see ourselves and others can affect the situation. Is there any judgment or prejudice that we have that may be influencing the way we communicate?

Then we use the white mirror to find the best in the other person. What skills or qualities do you have that could help in the situation? How can we take advantage of them to achieve better communication?

Next, we need to look through the black mirror, confronting the fears and shadows that may be hindering communication. Is there a fear that we have that may be affecting the way we communicate? What shadows could be influencing the situation?

Finally, we submerge ourselves in the mirror of water, looking for depth in what is behind the communication. What values or needs are at stake in this situation? How can we communicate from a more authentic and compassionate place?

Through reflection and exploration in each of the mirrors, we can obtain a clearer vision of the situation and of ourselves, which will allow us to find more effective and satisfactory solutions.. The natural mirror refers to the reflection of light in nature, and invites us to reflect on what we see in others and how it reflects on ourselves. The white mirror refers to enlightenment and seeing the best in others, but it also warns us about the illusion of not being able to distinguish between what we see in others and ourselves. The black mirror works with the confrontation of fears and shadows, and helps us filter and better understand reality. And the mirror of water invites us to flow and find depth behind our own image reflected in the water. When we have learned to see the realities through the four mirrors, it is when our consciousness expands and we become more aware of the totality of ourselves.

Hunab amaya