The Universal Mirror and How It Can Help You

Note- I use the word ‘universe’ in a generic sense, but substitute ‘God’, ‘Allah’, the ‘All’, the ‘Is’, the Tao, the Supreme Being’, or whatever term or name you prefer to use other than ‘universe’.

The universal mirror is the same physical universe we all see, but it provides a personal reflection for every one of the seven and a half billion individuals on the planet.

We all have our ‘pet peeves’, little things that bother us for some reason or another. And that is perfectly normal. Then there are things that bother you beyond the ‘pet peeve’ state, actions taken by others that invoke an outsized reaction and even anger in you.

And those things done by others that really ‘get your goat’ to the point of inducing anger is where the universe is your mirror and reflects what it is that bothers you so much in others so that you can learn from it.

It shows you that what triggers anger or a reaction stronger than is really justified is an action you also take to some extent.

And that is how the universe is your personal mirror. The things others do that bother you the most are the very things you need to work on in your own life.

If you take a close look at just what it is that draws a strong, out of proportion, reaction to the point of anger, then you are guilty of doing those things yourself but do not realize it.

When you stop committing those actions, you will no longer see them being taken by others. It is the universe’s way of helping you to be happier, more content with your life.

The universe also tries to help you remain healthy by reducing the anger you feel. It is well known that anger causes, or contributes to, a multitude of damaging effects on the body, the most common being higher blood pressure, which complicates many other underlying health conditions, including heart problems, even cardiac arrest.

And high blood pressure is just one of the physical issues that anger can cause or aggravate. The emotional toll anger takes causes ill effects on your overall health, which could even lead to a shorter life span.

Not to mention the worry you put others through because of your anger-induced poor overall health. You can tell your loved ones as often as you want to ‘not worry’ but they will still worry. It is their right to worry about you, not yours, and worry can damage their health, too.

Your unresolved anger affects others’ lives, as well as your own.

Of course, you do not want to cause unneeded suffering in those whom you love or who love you.

And when you die, others are left to grieve your loss, further harming their own health by a death brought on all too soon in large part due to anger.

Remember, it is those left behind who suffer the most.

It is difficult to admit to oneself that the problem is with you, not the person doing the thing that bothers you most. But it must be done, and the issue must be dealt with, or you will continue to encounter those things that bother you the most, that trigger reactions far out of proportion to what is justified.

But the mirror of your universe offers a way to address those problems: just pay attention to what the universe is showing you and trust, have faith if you want to call it that, but trust that it is in your best interest.

Think of something others do that evokes an outsized reaction, even anger, and then look closely at your own actions. If you are honest with yourself, you will realize that you do the same thing. Stop doing whatever it is that bothers you so much and it will no longer affect you.

When I first read of the idea that the universe is my mirror, I had to test it for myself. I tend not to believe anything without empirical proof and thought the ‘universe is your mirror’ idea could never be replicated so it cannot be proven as fact. But I believe things I experience. And for me, testing the ‘mirror’ idea was relatively easy.

One thing that made me angry, drew an outsized reaction, was tailgating.

I could not stand to have other vehicles driving so close behind me that physics dictated they would not be able to safely stop in the event of an emergency, and I feared for myself and my passenger’s safety.

Threatening my safety and especially that of my son did indeed invoke strong anger in me.

So, I began to pay closer attention to my own driving habits and soon realized that I often ‘tail gated’ others when I was in a hurry to get somewhere. And I did that even when I was not in a rush but had plenty of time to get where I was going.

And realized I was endangering others as much as others endangered me.

I began to make a conscious effort to drive by the two second rule so that I would never drive closer behind another vehicle than was safe. And to drive only a few miles an hour over the posted speed limit, when traffic permitted. It took several weeks before I noticed the change but tailgating me became a thing of the past.

Test it for yourself. Do not just let it fall by the wayside or file it away as another tidbit of interesting but unneeded information from one of countless stories read. The universe will not offer you or put upon you anything that you do not need to live a better, more content, life. But you must take your cues from what your universal mirror shows you.

Think of something done by others that angers you, causes a reaction far out of proportion to the action itself. It may have to do with home life, driving, work-related, social media, politics, communications at home, or anything else in your life.

Take an objective look at your own actions or even ask someone close to you (we are often blind to any flaws we have, so ask someone who will be brutally honest) if you do the thing that bothers you, angers you so much. The answer will probably be a resounding yes.

Even if you do not think you do not do the things you abhor in others, at least make a conscious attempt to not do what invokes such a strong reaction in you. And regardless of what you believe you will begin to see less of that action being taken by others.

And that alone will make your life better.

By reducing your frustration and resultant anger, you reduce its physical consequences to your body and the emotional stress on those who love you, stress which can harm their health, too.

For yourself, and the sake of your family and loved ones, and your friendships, listen to what the universe, your personal mirror, is trying to tell you. And you will never be led astray.

It is, after all, your universe, and it is there to help you live a better, happier, and more content life.

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This was originally posted on Medium.

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