Reverse the Mirror: See Yourself Through Your Eyes Instead of Through Someone Else’s
Lessons in Awareness by Anthony de Mello
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Every once in a while you stumble upon a book that is more than a gem of a read. It’s a compass for life, a roadmap to happiness. A book that decreases anxiety and silences other inner demons. A book you wish everyone would read. Perhaps that’s why Tim Ferriss has recommended the book so many times on his podcast. Past summer I finally read it and there’s so much wisdom in it I might as well have copied the entire book here, but you should read it and experience it for yourself instead.
The book I’m talking about is ‘Awareness’ by Anthony de Mello. De Mello was an Indian priest and psychotherapist. He was a spiritual teacher and public speaker who drew wisdom from both East and West traditions.
On every page, there is a piece of wisdom to be found fitting whatever predicament you’re in. It’s that powerful. If you only read one more book this year, let it be this one. A spiritual guide that will help you put life and yourself in perspective, guide you in any decision you face, and helps to understand the world around you. Let this article convince you to wake up and become aware of yourself and your place in the world.
The following lessons will help you to wake up to reality, see the world again with wonder, crawl into the logic of being an animal, help reprogram your mind, and understand what happiness truly is.
“When we talk about self-worth, are we not talking, really, about how we are reflected in the mirrors of other people’s minds? But do we need to depend on that?” — Anthony de Mello
#1: Wake up and become aware
“Be aware of what you’re saying, be aware of what you’re doing, be aware of what you’re thinking, be aware of how you’re acting. We aware of where you’re coming from, what you’re motives are. The unaware life is not worth living. The unaware life is a mechanical life. It’s not human, it’s programmed, conditioned.” — Anthony de Mello
De Mello argues in the book that we have to truly understand everything that’s happening within us and outside of who we are. Bluntly, this means not merely living and acting as…
