音频下载[点击右键另存为][00:00.55]Passage 64 Mirror Mirror — What Do I See?

[00:06.56]A loving person lives in a loving world.

[00:10.50]A hostile person lives in a hostile world.

[00:14.11]Everyone you meet is your mirror.

[00:16.85]Mirrors have a very particular function.

[00:21.12]They reflect the image in front of them.

[00:24.62]Just as a physical mirror serves as the vehicle to reflection,

[00:29.77]so do all of the people in our lives.

[00:33.59]When we love someone, it’s a reflection of loving ourselves.

[00:38.95]Oftentimes, when we meet someone new, we feel as if we’ve known each other for a long time.

[00:46.50]That feeling can come from sharing similarities.

[00:51.32]We are comfortable because part of ourselves is being reflected.

[00:56.35]Just as the ‘mirror’ or other person can be a positive reflection,

[01:02.92]it is more likely that we’ll notice it when it has a negative connotation.

[01:09.81]Frequently, when we dislike qualities in other people, ironically,

[01:15.50]it’s usually the mirror that’s speaking to us.

[01:19.43]Example: Several years ago, I joined a friend who had invited several other friends as well.

[01:28.40]One woman, ‘Laura’ continuously dominated the conversation.

[01:34.42]It was particularly annoying as I felt there was little opportunity to get to know the other people.

[01:42.19]It wasn’t until several weeks had passed

[01:45.69]that I questioned and couldn’t understand why was I so disturbed by Laura’s behavior

[01:52.47]as I didn’t have to be friends or spend more time with her.

[01:57.40]Finally, it hit me! I saw aspects of those same traits in me.

[02:03.75]I realized that the reason we met was for me to hold up the ‘mirror’

[02:09.76]and see myself behaving in an unfavorable manner.

[02:14.47]So I began questioning myself further each time I encountered someone that I didn’t particularly like.

[02:23.99]Each time, I asked myself "What is it about that person that I don’t like?"

[02:31.65]And then "Is there something similar in me?”

[02:35.81]In every instance, and sometimes I had to really get very introspective,

[02:42.04]I could see a piece of that quality in me.

[02:45.75]At times we meet someone new and feel distant, disconnected, or disgusted.

[02:54.40]Although we don’t want to believe it—and it’s not easy or desirable to look further

[03:01.08]—it can be a great learning lesson to figure out what part of the person is being reflected in you.

[03:09.82]It’s simply just another way to create more self-awareness.