Recently, we were riding in a car with a friend who asked us to tell him what our
“The universe is the mirror of the people, and each person is a mirror to every other person.”
—A Cheyenne tribal lesson
book, A View from the Cosmic Mirror, was all about. We replied that it was a tool that
could help him to look deeply within himself to discover what he may conceal from
his own awareness. We told him that what he keeps hidden from himself distorts his
view of others. We also told him that what he mistakenly perceives in others distorts
his view of himself. Laughing, our friend said, “Life is like a mirror. What we see out
there may be a reflection of us.”
This is the central theme of this book. Our outer world, which we label “reality,” is
linked to the inner world of our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, perceptions, wishes, and
fears. The view we have of ourselves mirrors what we see in the world. The view that
we form of the world, with all the people and objects in it, is a reflection of all that we
carry inside ourselves. To resolve the personal and interpersonal struggles we face in
our everyday lives requires learning how to know ourselves in deeper and more
profound ways. To do this, we must learn how to see ourselves more clearly in the
reflections surrounding us. It is our reflections in what we are calling the cosmic
mirror that reveal a more complete view of ourselves. And how we see ourselves
affects how we see and treat others.
It is our premise that we cannot really know ourselves without an awareness of
how others in our lives function as mirrors to us. Often without our knowing it, they
reflect back to us submerged and concealed parts of our self. It takes learning how to
see these reflections to really know ourselves in depth. It takes others to help us find
the parts of ourselves that are unknown to us and hidden in their reflections. Using
examples from history, pop culture, and from our everyday experiences, A View from
the Cosmic Mirror takes you on a journey of self-discovery. It is a journey that we hope
will awaken your unseen but life-affirming reflections in the world around you.
How do we discover the hidden parts of ourselves? How do we find our gateway to
real vitality and engagement in life? What drives us to repeat over and over again
unhealthy patterns in our relationships with others? A View from the Cosmic Mirror
describes how to better understand how the unseen parts of ourselves influence the
choices we make in our personal growth. It shows how to look deeply at our self in the
mirror to better understand our self. It also explains how we can relate to ourselves
and others more profoundly and in healthier ways.
In the first section of the book, The Foundation of the Cosmic Mirror, we define the
structure and processes of the cosmic mirror: the shadow, the aura, polarities,
projection, and magical thinking. We explain the origin of the cosmic mirror and how
we developed it. We demonstrate just how pervasive the cosmic mirror is. And finally,
we describe its central role in our perception of the world. Everyday Illustrations of the
Cosmic Mirror is the second section and begins with the role of the cosmic mirror in
our relationships with our parents and our children. Next, we use the cosmic mirror to
unravel our identity as men and as women. We also talk about its effect on our
romantic relationships. We discuss the dynamics of scapegoating, the creation of
leaders and icons, the role of the cosmic mirror in how we define mental health, and
in the complex dynamics of corporate work groups.
Finally, we discuss the process of Reparation and Healing of the self. Here, we
explain how to find the hidden half of our inner polarities; how to discover, take back,
and move beyond our disowned projections; how to uncover the unseen emotional
side of the cosmic mirror; and finally, how to use our feelings to guide us to a place of
renewal, to a place of endless possibilities, and to a new and more self-fulfilling
emotional life. We hope you enjoy the journey.
