The Power of Mirrors

The power of mirrors to change your life.  Wisdom from Japan. 

Stand in front of a mirror and look beyond the shiny surface. Can you see not just your face, but your soul?

And while you stand there Consider this:

Perhaps your circumstances, your joys and your troubles, your obstacles and your triumphs, your friends and your enemies,  are a reflection of your soul.  To change your  outer reality, you must first change your  inner self.

Listen on for some reflective tales from Japan that may change your life forever.

Mirrors hold a central place in Shinto, the ancient religion of Japan. They symbolise purity and truth, reflecting things exactly as they are, without distortion. Just as a clean mirror shows a clear image, a pure heart and mind reflect the truth about ourselves.

But mirrors are more than just symbols—they are gateways to the divine.

In Shinto, everything in nature—from rocks to rivers—can house kami, or spirits. Among these spirits, none is more revered than Amaterasu, the sun goddess. She is the divine ancestor of the Japanese imperial family and embodies light, purity, and life itself.

The following story explains how the mirror became central to Shinto belief.

Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, was deeply offended by her brother’s pranks and retreated into a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The Worried  gods gathered by a heavenly riverbed to lure her out. They crafted a mirror as part of their plan.

They assembled outside the cave, lit bonfires, and called her name, but Amaterasu remained hidden. Then, the gods began to make music, clashing cymbals and banging clappers.

One goddess, known for her joyful dancing, began to move in time with the music, her dress of vines loosening as she twirled. The sight was so amusing that the gods laughed until the heavens thundered with their joy.

Curiosity finally got the better of Amaterasu, and she peeked out. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she was astonished by the beauty of the image, mistaking it for another goddess. At that moment, a strong god seized her arm and pulled her out of the cave, restoring light to the heavens and earth. The world flourished once more, with green grass, blooming flowers, and people able to see each other’s faces once again.

This mirror, known as Yata no Kagami, became one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, connecting to the divine soul of the goddess.

During the emperor's enthronement ceremony, the ancient ritual unfolds with the sacred mirror at its centre. As the emperor gazes into it, he is drawn into a mystical realm filled with the goddess’s eternal light.

In this symbolic journey, the emperor encounters Amaterasu, who imparts wisdom about leadership and the need for a pure heart. Her words, though simple, resonate deeply, reminding him that his role is a sacred trust, meant to maintain harmony in the land.

When the emperor returns to the physical world, he is forever changed. The divine blessing of Amaterasu now guides him.

Mirrors also play a central role in everyday worship. At home, families often place a mirror on their domestic shrine to commune with the spirit of their household kami. The family bows before the shrine, offering gifts and prayers.

The innermost sanctuary of the Shinto shrine, known as the Honden, is generally off-limits to the public. The mirror within is treated with the utmost reverence as it represents the presence of the kami, in some cases Amaterasu herself.

The truth of the mirror shows us what we need to do to purify our souls.

This deep connection between mirrors and self-reflection is beautifully illustrated in the tale of the Marriage Mirror.

A young bride received a beautiful mirror from her mother as one of her wedding gifts. At first, she was captivated by the reflection it showed—a face full of youthful beauty and contentment. But as the years passed and life’s hardships weighed on her, she noticed a disturbing change. The mirror now reflected a face twisted by anger, resentment, and bitterness.

Shocked by what she saw, the woman realised that her inner turmoil was not just altering her appearance but seeping into every part of her life. Determined to change, she began to cultivate kindness, patience, and compassion within herself. Slowly, as her heart softened, the reflection in the mirror transformed. The angry lines faded, replaced by a serene, peaceful face that mirrored the inner harmony she had worked so hard to achieve.

Similarly, the tale of the Rainbow Mirror reveals the mirror's power to uncover spiritual truth. A princess, wrongfully accused of an illicit affair, fled to a sacred place where she buried a mirror and tragically took her own life. When the emperor’s search party arrived, they were stunned to see a brilliant rainbow rising from the ground where the mirror was hidden. Digging up the mirror, they realised that the rainbow was a sign—the mirror had revealed the purity of the princess’s heart, proving her innocence even after death.

This concept of self-reflection is not unique to Japanese culture. In the West, the importance of knowing oneself is captured in the words written above the entrance to the sacred oracle of Delphi in Ancient Greece: “Know yourself.” This idea, like the Shinto practice of looking into a mirror, calls us to reflect on who we truly are beneath the surface.

Both Shinto and Western thought remind us that our inner state shapes the reality we experience. Just as in Shinto, where a pure heart leads to a clear reflection, in the West, changing our inner world can transform our outer world.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, a prominent self-help author, once said:

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”