“The sun shines down, and its image reflects in a thousand different pots filled with water. The reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same sun. Similarly, when we come to know who we truly are, we will see ourselves in all people.” ~Ammachi

❤ 😀

After putting this heartwarming quote here with this mirrored effect on a photo of me, I started to truly wonder how mirrors and reflections work. I looked it up and can only mostly find info on how mirrors themselves work. But I’m sure it’s not all about the mirror, our eyes and the way they operate must play a part as well. The cones, rods, retinas, the lens in them, the pupil… I want to know how it all works together but it’s hard to find much information on it.
I was wracking my brain trying to understand then my brain started philosophizing and my intention to post a sweet, simple universal love post got diverted.

Here are some fun facts about mirrors:

” Basically, anything with a smooth surface that reflects almost all of the light that hits it — with only very little light absorbed or scattered — can be a mirror. The key factor is a smooth surface, because rough surfaces scatter light instead of reflecting it.

Although calm, dark water has been used as a mirror since the beginning of time, people started making mirrors thousands of years ago. The first mirrors were likely polished stones, such as obsidian (a type of volcanic glass). Large pieces of polished metal, such as brass, were also used as mirrors, although these were very expensive.”

source:
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-mirrors-work/

Also there’s a rare condition or phenomenon called Mirrored self-misidentification that can result as a symptom of dementia but also can show up in young people without dementia for whatever reason, I don’t know.

A person afflicted with this cannot recognize her/his own self in a mirror. The person thinks the reflection isn’t a reflection at all but a whole other person.

And because our brains are designed to make sense of things, the person makes up a story for who the person in the mirror is.

I read about a man who came down with this condition (maybe after an injury?) and when he looked into a mirror, he did not know it was a mirror and thought it was a window into an apartment next door and that his reflection was his neighbor and they became good friends.

It must be heartbreaking to realize the truth. It’s like losing a friend. Delusions and hallucinations can be so real.

This is not a hallucination and the people with it are healthy in every other way. They can function like anyone else, go to work, hold intelligent conversations, it’s just something wrong in that part of the brain. They can identify the reflections of other people, just not their own.

So here is a sweet reminder to look for ourself in each other and look for others in ourself. Oneness.

And some interesting facts.

I love reflections & shadows. They are some of my favorite things to take pictures of. ❤

😀

Much love & light,

xoxo Kim