That day was many, many moons ago, but it provided the backdrop for the ensuing years of my inner unfoldment.  Often I reflect upon those words when I encounter a particularly difficult person or situation and instead of looking outward, I turn the mirror of my mind’s eye upon myself to look within for my role in the situation. Admittedly, it is not always comfortable but in the end the result outweighs any initial discomfort.

For those who peer into the proverbial mirror to understand the how and why of any situation, knowledge of a truth echoed by many great teachers and sages of the past becomes supremely evident: "In order to change a thing, change how you think about a thing."  It is in the process of self-examination that the reflection in the mirror learns one of the most enduring of life lessons: we are the locus of control of that which we experience.   Accepting the reality of the outward emanation of life is one of our greatest opportunities for growth, both individually and collectively.  Our world is as we are.

The inward mirror exercise provides a way of knowing that all things that are, be they social values or physical things, have their genesis within the mind.  Looking around and observing the cause and effect nature of the physical world will illustrate this more clearly.   The mere fact that these lines are being read is a testament to the profundity of a simple but overlooked fact of life and living; the universe is mind and as parts of the larger whole we too are mind and all things we bring forth originate within our mind.   We have only as much control as we think we have.

With this understanding as the foundation for life, when faced with a particularly challenging moment, I resort to four questions which serve as my life-line to resolution. They are: What is the situation before me?   How did it come to be before me?   What role have I played in its manifestation?   What means do I have or have access to in order to make it better for all concerned?   While these four questions seem simple, they build upon one another in a way that is not unlike the process of planting and harvesting.

Taking time to examine ourselves deeply provides for growth on both an individual and collective level.  Coming to terms with the role played in life allows each of us to begin living from the inside out.  In so doing, we seek less to hold a mirror to others, and more to turn it on ourselves.  As we engage the process of becoming in a more direct manner, it is inevitable that our experiences will be more fulfilling and contributive to a larger, more whole understanding of ourselves as change agents; personal change which allows each of us to not only realize a return on our mirror-gazing investment personally, but for the larger, social circle within which we find ourselves.