Thanks Stephen - this is very insightful. I regularly practice both these modes of inquiry and its helpful to see how they are both related and complementary. I guess I somehow knew they were, but your clarity on this is helpful. I can totally relate to the 'cage' analogy - it took me a long time to even see that I have been living my whole life in a cage. And what I see in the reflection is not all pretty to look at!
You're so welcome, Christine. It is a significant and often jarring shift when the mirror first starts working properly. It takes a great deal of courage to stay with the reflection when what we see isn't pretty.
Most people spend their lives looking away or trying to tilt the mirror to a more flattering angle, but as you’ve likely discovered, it’s only by looking at the cage directly that the bars begin to lose their density.
There is a beautiful paradox here: the clearer you see the unpretty patterns of the cage, the more the light of recognition (the window) begins to shine through.
The very awareness that is brave enough to look at the shadow is the same awareness that eventually realizes it is prior to the shadow!
I'm glad the distinction between the two modes resonated with you. They really are the two wings of the same bird.
Deliberate fleshing of light through skin. What a beautiful way to describe it. It really is an active, embodied prayer in every moment to be transparent to the Divine and ourselves. Thank you for sharing. 🙏✨
Thanks Stephen - this is very insightful. I regularly practice both these modes of inquiry and its helpful to see how they are both related and complementary. I guess I somehow knew they were, but your clarity on this is helpful. I can totally relate to the 'cage' analogy - it took me a long time to even see that I have been living my whole life in a cage. And what I see in the reflection is not all pretty to look at!
You're so welcome, Christine. It is a significant and often jarring shift when the mirror first starts working properly. It takes a great deal of courage to stay with the reflection when what we see isn't pretty.
Most people spend their lives looking away or trying to tilt the mirror to a more flattering angle, but as you’ve likely discovered, it’s only by looking at the cage directly that the bars begin to lose their density.
There is a beautiful paradox here: the clearer you see the unpretty patterns of the cage, the more the light of recognition (the window) begins to shine through.
The very awareness that is brave enough to look at the shadow is the same awareness that eventually realizes it is prior to the shadow!
I'm glad the distinction between the two modes resonated with you. They really are the two wings of the same bird.
Beautiful! Thank you Stephen.
This myth is so far off that I have almost forgotten it exists 😌it is deliberate fleshing of light through skin
Yes moment to moment
Deliberate fleshing of light through skin. What a beautiful way to describe it. It really is an active, embodied prayer in every moment to be transparent to the Divine and ourselves. Thank you for sharing. 🙏✨
Thank you for you 🙏