Mirror Meditation
Mirror Meditation by Vincent Cooper
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Meditation using a mirror is a form of object meditation (similar to Candle Meditation) except in this instance you are fixating on a point located on yourself and reflected back to you in a mirror. This is one of my favorite forms of meditation and with a little practice it can create very deep meditative states.
To perform mirror meditation sit yourself comfortably with a mirror (of any size) placed before you at least a couple of meters away. Take a few deep breaths to settle yourself and then focus your attention on your reflected visage. Exactly where you focus can vary but I prefer and recommend that you fixate on the area between your eyes. This is an important point in many spiritual traditions because, if you were able to gaze further back into your brain along the same plane, you would be looking directly at your pineal gland, or your 'third eye'. Wherever you choose to fixate, maintain a steady gaze and give yourself time to relax as you continue your mirror meditation.
The location of the pineal gland, our 'third eye'. The pineal gland is located directly between and behind our eyes. One of the most common symbols of the pineal gland that we see everyday is from Hindu culture with believers adorning themselves with a red dot placed between the eyes. I recommend that when performing mirror meditation you fix your gaze on a point between your eyes thereby connecting you to your pineal gland / 'third eye'.
As you begin to relax you should become aware that your surroundings ‘disappear’ from your vision and your concentration on your focal point becomes stronger. Do not worry if your vision shifts for a moment; simply refocus and continue with the meditation. You may also find that your eyes become heavy and begin to close. Do not fight this. Allow it to happen naturally. If you do become conscious of this (remember, your aim is to act unconsciously) again, just refocus your attention and allow the process to continue. Falling asleep is acceptable but with practice this will happen less and less frequently and instead you will enter a very deep state of meditation. Start with 5-10 minutes of mirror meditation once or twice a day. Remember as well, as with all forms of meditation, avoid entering a deep state when you are agitated and stressed out. Although your mind may eventually clear, that will only happen after a period of concentrated focus on whatever it is that is causing your stress in the first place. Advanced meditators are able to bypass this quickly and efficiently and go quickly into a state of mushin (no conscious mind), but for beginning practitioners, try to perform mediation (of any type) when your mind is relaxed and calm (but preferably not sleepy). When your period of introspection is ended do not make any sudden movements. Instead gently stretch your body, moving your limbs slowly and deliberately. Rub your eyes softly if you want to. Allow your blood to start flowing at a faster pace through your body and shift your eyes to different objects around the room. Give yourself a few minutes to move out of the meditative state and when you are ready stand up and walk around slowly, swinging your arms gently as you do so. As with all forms of meditation, different people will have different experiences so allow yourself to relax into the meditation and see where it takes you. Surrender control of your conscious mind to uncover what lies in the subconscious. Guided Meditation The image and use of a mirror in meditation is extremely powerful and both the meaning and symbolism of reflection very useful subjects to contemplate. As an adjunct to your normal practice of mirror meditation I also recommend you take the time to dwell on the following observations: * You are a reflection of what is around you. * Everything around you is a reflection of you. * Your life is a reflection of who you are. If you want to change your life, change who you are as a person. * The mirror never lies. Your reflection - whether in a physical mirror or not - is a true portrayal of who you are. Heed it well. View reality as it is and cultivate non-judgment. * In your practice of martial arts, when facing your opponent develop your ability to react and move with the same speed and precision as a mirror image would. Related Articles Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay up to date or follow us on Twitter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates on the site: Return to the top of Mirror Meditation Return to the Martial Arts Insight Blog Home Page Return to the Martial Arts Insight Home Page |
