I sent you all an email yesterday sharing about our current level of TWS participation as well as some thoughts about how we can come together more during this challenging time. This week’s blog post about The Mirror of Life, (“Polishing The Mirror”) is extremely relevant to the challenges we are facing. I encourage you to click on the link and engage with the post and share your insights on our website blog page. ~ Val Jon

Sir Isaac Newton’s translation of the 6th Century Hermetic “Emerald Tablet” we featured in our March Newsletter ended with a very powerful statement, “Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing and penetrates every solid thing.”

About the only forces we know of that can penetrate solid matter in this way are X Rays, Gamma Rays and other radioactive phenomena. But unlike the detrimental effects of these toxic energies, the “force above all force” Newton refers to is a benevolent spiritual energy, and one I believe we ought to seek out and make a point to bask in.

In this month’s Mirror of Life article I defined this spiritual energy as “an infinite capacity dwelling within us.” In keeping with our reflective theme of the inner and outer world being expressions of one another, I’m going to expand my definition by suggesting that this infinite capacity exists both within us as well as outside of us. What I like about this expansion is that it opens the way for us to not only look into the Mirror, but to recognize that we are the Mirror we’re looking into. In other words, who we are at our deepest core is a luminous being who possesses the ability to both receive as well as give life reflections.

This is where the title “Polishing The Mirror We Are” comes in. If in fact we possess the ability to reflect the outer world back unto itself, then it’s incumbent upon us to do so with the highest possible standards and integrity. In other words, we must make sure that the surface of the Mirror we are is as clean and unblemished as possible. If it’s not, our ego-tainted opinions could obscure or distort the validity of the reflections we offer. (This “polishing” process is done over many years of engaging in “clean energy and clear space” as outlined in one of our previous blogs, as well as constantly querying ourselves about what our motivations are for the feedback we plan on offering others.)

One could very well assume that any feedback we might share would be opinion-based, but this is not the case. Consider this scenario . . . imagine standing with a dear friend on an open cliff overlooking a treacherous ravine. Suddenly they unknowingly step dangerously close to the edge. Advising them of the danger they’re in isn’t just your opinion, it’s reality-based feedback that is vital to their well-being. While the status of our daily well-being may not be as extreme as my example, it doesn’t negate the fact that learning how to give and receive feedback is an essential skillset we ought to become proficient at.

How do we distinguish between ego-based and reality-based feedback? Essentially, the former is rooted in our personal agenda and the latter in our positive intention. If our intentions are to make a contribution to someone without promoting our own needs, or without needing to be right about something, our feedback will most likely be reality-based. If on the other hand, we want someone to adopt our preferences or ways, we want to exercise control over them, or prove how wrong they are, then our feedback will most likely be ego-based.

For those who are hesitant about giving feedback, there are two basic rules of thumb. The first is to get clear that you care about the person (and need to make it known to them). The second is that you must ask their permission before giving them any feedback. These two rules work together something like this. “___, I care about you and about our relationship, and because I care, I want to know if I can share something with you I feel might be of value. Would you be open to considering it? If your heart is in the right place and you’re humble in your delivery, the worst that will happen is a neutral result. This means you have nothing to lose and much to gain, so try it out and let me know how well your mirror shines!