He is a thirty something Roman citizen with a knack for minerals. Dressed in a white robe with simple leather strapped shoes he stays up through the evening in a dark and cold clay room on the outskirts of Rome mixing solutions, chipping away at rocks and clay, and melting silver compounds in a large cauldron over a fire. He has been commisioned by the emperor to create a mirror that reflects the details of physical existence. In a time when reflection was mystical and skewed off of water, royal curiosity begged for a cemented version of actuality.
What would have happened if this man's solution to make mirrors skewed reality and was in fact incorrect? Was the final draft mirror really revealing the true nature of corporal lives? Like a fun house mirror we would forever be fooled into thinking that we appeared a certain way, when we really didn't. Vanity would eventually become the downfall of all who would look upon this new creation, fabricating emotions and actions from a false pretense.
I do believe that the mirror was a discovery that has been misused and misinterpreted. The Roman inventor of my imagination knew the secret but it was much too complex and far reaching to access for the materialistic people of the time. The mirror is magical and shifts and changes with our perception. He understood that the mirror is beautifully flawed in only one manner; through the observer effect.
In today's time the Observer Effect is a term coined by quantum physicists to explain the dynamic of affecting an outcome by the action of merely observing it. It is thought that before we see something it is in a state of 'superposition' with unlimited possibilities like a blank piece of paper before it has been touched by an artist. Once we observe, though, the state of unlimited possibilities is narrowed into what we place our attention upon. In other words, by being the observer we sculpt the outcome of what we see.
The day before his deadline the inventor was perfecting the last model to show to the consortium of stately material-connoisseurs. The dark and dreary confines of his small dwelling had taken their toll on him. He had eaten all of his food and used up his initial loan for the project. He was tired and exhausted. As he glued the mirror to a beautiful marble-carved backing he felt a sense of relief. It was finally done. When he angled the mirror, just so, he was taken aback. His eyes were blood-shot and dark circles were beneath folding down with weight. His skin was dry and wrinkled and to him the features on his face suddenly looked oddly placed and foreign. This was a far cry from the initial model that he was so excited about. He had been a enthusiastic salesman, talking up his product to the townspeople with passion for the inspiration and beauty that could be beheld in its form. Now he realized that perhaps he was a bit overzealous. On further investigation he questioned the mirror, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, are you consistent at all?"
In my life the observer effect was noticed subtly. On those days where I was critical of myself and my decisions, the reflection was dire. I would zoom in and angle my face like a cameraman to look at my pores, pimples and blackheads realizing that in fact, from up close I was absolutely terrifying. In contrast, at the end of a wonderful day where I honored and respected my body and had joyful interactions with others what I saw in the exact same mirror was absolutely radiant. What was happening? In the matter of a day I had not lost weight or grown new skin. Was this invention a lie? Were both I and the Roman inventor of my imagination on to something? Had we cracked a secret code?
I began experimenting. I would turn on the shower and take a look at my naked body with my default perspective (this constituted a general respect for my body peppered with critical assertions). My thighs were still full and plump, my belly button slightly skewed and my face tired. Aww, bollocks. Then I would use my time in the shower to transform my state of observation. I would focus on the physical parts of myself that I adored. My collarbone and cheekbones, the deep dark brown of my eyes, my long raven hair, and my strong arms. If it was a day when I was feeling that any physical part of me was flawed I would think about qualities that were not physical. My passion for love, a work ethic that can go into the wee hours of the morning or my sense of humor that is uniquely sick and twisted. Whichever way I would go I would focus on creating an alternate observer experience. The results amazed me.
Stepping out of the shower and looking into the mirror after redirecting my focus was like a night and day difference. My body and face literally changed. I would notice the gleam illuminating off of the water beads on my skin or the way the darkness of my eyes looked deep and transformative. If I was centered on character attributes my body responded as well with a new posture and attitude that enveloped every pore of my skin. There was not a time that I did this exercise where I was not dumbfounded by complete alteration of the reflection.
Beginning to see the power of attention and the observer effect I began giving the exercise to clients. The dynamic was the same. It may have sounded silly at first but upon investigation the findings were astonishing. The reflection in the mirror is only a representation of what we place our attention on. What the mirror reflects changes and is altered in a matter of minutes. The physical self is a hologram that is affected by the programmer; us. And the results seemed to go beyond the confines of the mirror. From doing the exercise the outside world in every form took notice with extra compliments, looks and responses.
Apply the below exercise every morning or evening and see the difference.
Power of Observation Mirror Exercise: Transform Your Body in 5 Minutes
- Look in the mirror and evaluate yourself like you usually do. Take note of what you see and how you see it.
- Take minutes away from the mirror to write down or say to yourself what you like the most about your physical and emotional self. If this is initially hard think of compliments that friends, family or even strangers have given you. It does not have to be physical. Any positive trait has the power to transform the reflection.
- Choose a positive trait that is the most believable and has the most positive power for you. Energize it by seeing it come to life in or on your body. Visualize its radiance and attractive nature. Do as long as you need to for you to feel good in your body.
- Look in the mirror again with this energy still active. How has your body, face and overall look changed? Is what you are seeing different than step 1?
So here is my challenge for you. Do not use mirrors as a way to monitor your progress. Do not look in bathroom mirrors or at glass windowed store-front to measure your worth. Interact with mirrors using them as a tool to evaluate where your attention lies. Using them as a method to discovering your ability to create will reveal your true unique, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-replicated beauty or handsomeness.
Nat
So in other words, I see what I feel...
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