The Mirror
Enlightenment and Spiritual Mastery
"Lord, said David, since you do not need us, why did you create these two worlds?
Reality replied: O prisoner of time, I was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity, and I wished this treasure to be known, so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart; its darkened back, the world; The back would please you if you've never seen the face."
— Rumi
I'd like to invite you into a reflection on my personal journey—a kind of spiritual "map" or "hero's journey" I've been exploring. Like all maps, it's ultimately just a model, a simplified representation of something infinitely complex.
Truth, after all, is something we live and experience directly, not something we merely theorize or conceptualize. Yet, as I navigate my own path, I've found it helpful—even essential—to create a practical, experiential guide. After all, a map is only useful if you can look at it and confidently say, "I am here."
There's a well-known saying in statistics: "All models are wrong, but some are useful." This insight applies equally well to spiritual exploration. Every model, every metaphor, every map we create is inherently limited, an approximation of something far greater and more mysterious.
Yet, despite their limitations, these maps can guide us, helping us orient ourselves within the vastness of existence. The challenge, of course, is deciphering the infinite through finite means. How can we ever truly know if anything is absolutely true?
My approach has been to seek out parallels and resonances across diverse fields—philosophy, art, science, spirituality, and everyday life. By identifying metaphors and patterns that consistently appear across these domains, I aim to uncover insights that feel true, harmonious, and genuinely helpful. In this essay, I'll share one such metaphor—the mirror—and explore how it illuminates two fundamental modes of spiritual experience: enlightenment and mastery.
Two Modes of Spiritual Operation
There are two “journeys” or “modes” of spiritual operation available to us, with a mirror effect between them. Although difficult to separate, they can be thought of as different layers on the same path.
As Rumi’s poem suggests, two worlds exist: the infinite and the momentary. One is true reality; the other is experiencing that reality as a “prisoner of time.” I call these modes Enlightenment and Mastery.
You may know these worlds by other metaphors: maya and brahman, quantum mechanics and relativity, the seen and unseen, temporary and eternal. They appear exclusive because they exist on different planes, naturally harmonious, with disharmony arising only from our false perceptions.
Mastery: The Realm of Creation
“Continuous creation is to be thought of not only as a series of successive acts of creation, but also as the eternal presence of the one creative act.”
— Carl Jung
Mastery is the realm of creation, where desires and fears become manifest. Learning to navigate this mode is, in my opinion, life's main point. Although “mastery” implies control, this mode is actually about acceptance and letting go of control. It exists within duality but seeks harmony with the whole.
In this realm, you manifest your desires through faith, but also your fears. Your position on this spectrum depends entirely on your perspective toward reality. Breaking free from limiting perspectives seems to be the journey in a nutshell.
Interestingly, the more you progress, the less effort is required to fulfill your desires. Is your perspective bending the universe, or is the universe bending to yours? It seems to be both, as nothing can ultimately be separated.
Gurdjieff similarly emphasizes the power of conscious intention. He distinguishes clearly between mere wanting and true wishing. For Gurdjieff, to say "I wish" is to engage the whole being, not just the surface desires of the ego. He writes:
“Only such a man, when he consciously says ‘I am’—he really is; ‘I can’—he really can; ‘I wish’—he really wishes. When ‘I wish’—I feel with my whole being that I wish, and can wish. This does not mean that I want, that I need, that I like or, lastly, that I desire. No. ‘I wish.’ I never like, never want, I do not desire anything and I do not need anything—all this is slavery.”
— G.I. Gurdjieff
Thus, mastery is not about superficial desires but about aligning your entire being with your true intention. It is about becoming the highest version of yourself, fully present, manifesting your deepest truths.
Enlightenment: The Realm of Pure Being
“Not creating delusions is enlightenment. Reduced to a single statement: Not to be in the mind is everything—liberation, finding the real home, enlightenment, finding the way.”
— Osho
Enlightenment is paradoxical. From one view, everyone is enlightened already; from another, no one is, because the enlightened self no longer exists separately.
If mastery is creation, enlightenment is pure being. Genesis 1:31 illustrates this beautifully: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Creation and pure being combined.
An enlightened person sees unity behind separateness, having broken through all illusions. Ego dissipates, merging with everything else. All beliefs are realized as false; only the infinite has reality.
Gurdjieff also speaks of enlightenment as a state beyond identification. He emphasizes that identification with thoughts, emotions, or roles is the primary obstacle to true self-awareness:
“Identifying is the chief obstacle to self-remembering. A man who identifies with anything is unable to remember himself. In order to remember oneself it is necessary first of all not to identify. But in order to learn not to identify man must first of all not be identified with himself, must not call himself ‘I’ always and on all occasions.”
— G.I. Gurdjieff
Thus, enlightenment is the state of pure awareness, free from identification with the transient egoic self.
The Mirror: Reflection and Reality
“Has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw? Yet clean away the mud and straw, and a mirror might be revealed.”
— Rumi
Underlying both mastery and enlightenment is the principle of reflection: “As above, so below.” This idea appears in many mystical traditions, such as the Kabbalist Zohar:
“Whatsoever is found on earth has its spiritual counterpart on high and is dependent on it... As it is in all things below, so it is above.”
— The Zohar
Imagine reality as one side of an infinite mirror. On our side is present reality; on the other, infinity, God, or Ultimate Reality. What is seen on one side reflects in the other.
If the mirror is infinite and perfect, why does it reflect pain and suffering? The answer lies not in the mirror, but in ourselves. The mirror, like in Rumi’s poem, is covered in mud and straw—our individual and collective egos, unconsciousness, and false perceptions.
The mirror reflects your mental state, not your desires, because desires originate from your mental state. If you ARE afraid, you manifest fear; if you ARE love, you manifest love.
“Your character is your fate.”
— Heraclitus
Roles, Not Identities
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.”
— William Shakespeare
How does the mirror interface with enlightenment and mastery?
Enlightenment: All ego (mud and straw) is wiped clean, leaving a perfect reflection.
Mastery: The universe creates a reflection (duality). God is both one and divided simultaneously.
The ego’s flaw is identifying with the reflection, not the whole. The reflection is transient, a false identity. Once we see this, we move our identity to the whole. Enlightenment realizes this truth.
Knowing our true identity, we can play with the reflection freely. Imagine life as a stage production. You play many roles—parent, worker, student—but do you identify with these roles, or simply play them?
A true actor plays roles without egoic attachment, never confusing the role with their true self. Similarly, our identity should be with the infinite whole, not the reflection. When we know ourselves as the whole, we freely create whatever role we desire.
Conclusion: Be Who You Truly Are
Ultimately, enlightenment and mastery intersect in one simple yet profound truth: we are here to play roles, not to become trapped in identities. Our ultimate identity is infinite, boundless, and eternal; ego identification is merely a seductive illusion. The mirror of reality faithfully reflects your soul’s deepest truths, not your ego’s fleeting fears and desires.
Clean away the mud and straw—the layers of false beliefs, unconscious habits, and egoic attachments—and the mirror reveals your true self. This is the essence of spiritual awakening: to see clearly, without distortion, who you truly are. Enlightenment is the realization of your infinite nature; mastery is the joyful, creative expression of that realization within the dance of duality.
Gurdjieff beautifully captures this interplay between awakening and creative living. He taught that true self-awareness—what he called "self-remembering"—is the key to liberation from mechanical existence. Without self-remembering, we remain asleep, identified with transient roles and desires. But once awake, we become conscious participants in the cosmic play, able to choose our roles freely and joyfully:
“Awakening begins when a man realizes that he is going nowhere and does not know where to go.”
— G.I. Gurdjieff
In other words, the first step toward freedom is recognizing our imprisonment. Only then can we begin to dismantle the illusions that bind us, clearing away the mud and straw to reveal the mirror beneath.
When we finally see clearly, we realize that life is not a solemn duty but a playful adventure. We are actors on the cosmic stage, free to choose our roles, to improvise, to create, and to delight in the unfolding drama. Enlightenment frees us from identification; mastery empowers us to create consciously and joyfully.
So, step boldly onto the stage of life. Remember who you truly are, and play your roles with passion, humor, and grace. After all, the universe is your mirror—smile into it, and it will surely smile back.
Phoenominal piece
Loved this.