The Spiritual Life, Topic Thirty three, The mirror of holiness

Topic Thirty three

The mirror of holiness

“Just as you have to look into the mirror to see your physical face, you have to look in the mirror of love to see your spiritual face. Love is a spiritual mirror. It nourishes you, it integrates you, it makes you ready for the inner journey, it minds you of your original face.” p. 77

Osho. Maturity: The Responsibility of Being Oneself (Osho Insights for a New Way of Living) . St. Martin's Press.

In an ideal ego world, Osho is correct, and the attachment psychologists would agree that the mirror neurons are the gateway to the soul. However, this experience is rare and occurs when one is loved unconditionally.

Conditional love is not the gateway to the soul and does not reflect one’s original face. Conditional love is counterfeit and what is called “fool’s gold.” Conditional love creates hell on earth and is not the narrow gate to heaven which Osho describes in this passage.

The “love” which Osho is describing is unconditional love and is a rare experience but when it does occur is the gateway to heaven. Have you ever been unconditionally loved? Have you ever unconditionally loved another? Unconditional love requires a maturity that fewer people have achieved. This level of maturity is achieved when a person has achieved a level of satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy in their life that is unshakable. This level of satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy is constant and stable and is based on one’s peace of mind and not external events.

How does one achieve this level of maturity? It is based on a practice of forgiveness where the person decides to no longer make others responsible for their own unhappiness. The person gives up the victim role and chooses agency which is the willingness to be responsible for one’s own responses to the external circumstances that impact one’s  consciousness. It is in taking responsibility for one’s own functioning regardless of external circumstances that one becomes mature.

The love that radiates from such a soul is precious and rare, and is a mirror that anyone who perceives it is immediately aware of their own holiness which they see reflected back to them. Do you know such a person or people? It is in this kind of maturity that we can put our faith.

It is the mission of UU A Way Of Life to help people become aware of their own holiness. We aspire to become that mirror for our audience.