Just as we were closing out our four-part series on moving from judgment to love and coming home to ourselves, something unexpected happened.
The final session of the Transformations Master Mentoring Series landed right in the heart of everything we had been exploring. Tamarack Song and Lety Seibel offered something profound—a teaching that reflected it all back to us, both literally and metaphorically.
It was a session about mirrors.
Not just the kind we hang on our walls, but the kind life holds up to us every day. The kind that shows us what we may not want to see, but need to. The kind that doesn't lie.
Seeing What Life Reflects Back
Tamarack said it plainly:
"Everything in the outer world is a mirror. There is nothing out there that is not mirroring something in us."
That one sentence landed deep. Because that's what we've been exploring here all along—how our judgments reflect our fears, how love reveals our wholeness, how coming home to ourselves changes how we see everything.
But Tamarack and Lety didn't just teach this as an idea. They guided us through an experience of it. They helped us meet our reflection, not just as an image, but as a teacher.
A Mirror Practice You Can Try
If you want to explore this for yourself, here's a version of the practice they led:
1. Start by not looking.
Before you face the mirror, sit quietly. Think of a recent interaction that brought up strong feelings—conflict, rejection, shame, blame. Notice your emotional response. Name what you felt. Don't try to figure it out or fix it. Just notice.
2. Turn to the mirror.
Now, look into your own eyes. Not your face. Not your hair. Not your flaws. Just your eyes. Stay with it. Breathe.
3. Let the mirror speak.
Ask yourself, "What part of me was reflected in that moment?" or "What is this emotion trying to show me about myself?" You're not looking for judgment here. You're looking for understanding.
4. Say it out loud.
If you feel safe doing so, say something honest to yourself in the mirror. It might be, "I'm scared of being rejected," or "I want to be seen." Let the words rise from your body, not just your mind.
5. Close with grace.
Before stepping away, soften your gaze. You can place a hand on your heart, or simply nod to your reflection. Thank yourself for showing up.
It's not always easy to stay with our reflection. But that's the point. This practice is about noticing what we normally look away from, and finding compassion there instead of shame.
What I Found in My Own Reflection
When I followed this practice myself, something unexpected happened.
I looked in my eyes and saw the teenager who carried anxiety like armor for three decades. Who said yes when his body said no. Who learned to be what others needed instead of who he was. And for the first time, instead of judgment, I felt something softer. Compassion for the kid who just wanted to feel safe.
This wasn't about analyzing or fixing anything. It was about meeting myself with the same grace we've been learning to extend to others throughout this series. The same love that sees beyond survival patterns to the person underneath.
As Tamarack reminded us,
"The mirror never lies. It reflects what is. The question is—are we willing to see it?"
Why It Matters
This teaching didn't come from nowhere. It showed up at the exact moment many of us were asking, "What's next?"
We've been learning to trust our inner voice and come home to ourselves. We've done the foundational work of recognizing who we really are. Now comes the part where we ask ourselves: Can I stay connected to this truth even when life pulls me away from my center?
That's what the mirror asks. It doesn't flatter. It doesn't filter. It simply shows us who we are and invites us to be honest about it.
And when we accept that invitation, something opens. Grace moves in. We soften toward ourselves. We soften toward others.
The mirror practice bridges the inner work we've been doing with the daily practices that help us stay connected to who we really are. Because staying centered begins with seeing ourselves clearly—not just seeing others with love, but seeing ourselves with that same compassion.
As Lety said,
"We don't need to analyze so much. Just be with what's there, and notice what shifts."
What's Coming Next
That's the path we'll be walking in our next series.
The Daily Practice: Staying Connected to Who You Really Are
We'll explore practical tools for maintaining the connection to ourselves in a world that constantly pulls us away from our center. We'll look at practices like walking meditation, breathwork, and somatic awareness. Not as self-help tricks, but as daily practices to stay grounded in who we really are.
If you'd like to go deeper with Tamarack and Lety, you can learn more about their work at TeachingDrum.org. Their approach is grounded in nature-based wisdom, deep listening, and embodied presence. It's the kind of work that doesn't just inform. It transforms.
This mirror work is just the beginning of what we'll explore in the upcoming series—practical tools for living authentically in a world that often pulls us away from who we really are.
If this practice resonates with you, I'd be grateful if you shared it with someone who might need to hear it. And if you're not subscribed yet, join us for this journey of learning how to live our best life.
The next post drops soon. Until then, meet yourself in the mirror. You might be surprised what you find there.
Keith Rowe is a breathworker, teacher, and founder of Vital Healing, a nonprofit where he helps people reconnect to the wisdom of the body and transform through breathwork, shadow work, somatic practice, and spiritual clarity.
He is also the co-creator of the Walking Pilgrim app, a 33-day journey of breath, presence, and personal transformation through mindful walking. Sign up at walkingpilgrim.com.