mirror tarn

I'm standing by a lake, deep in an old forest in New Zealand. And this lake is known as Mirror Tarn, and with good reason: the water here is rather dark, peaty, and the lake is sheltered from any wind by the surrounding trees, so the surface of the water is still, and it gives a perfect reflection of the surrounding vegetation and the clouds above. If I did not know which way was up, from my sight alone it would be impossible to tell.

There's a tremendous stillness to this place. Close by where I am standing, there are a few leaves floating on the water, drifting ever so slowly. Even that movement does not disturb the stillness. And with the feeling of this stillness also comes a sense of silence, even though occasionally a fly buzzes is past, and I can hear birds chattering, and in the distance somewhere the sound of running water. But these sounds, also, do not disturb the feeling of silence.

And these moments of stillness and silence, I treasure. For my mind also becomes still and silent.

Seeing this mirror image reminds me that all the time we are seeing a mirror image. Everywhere we look, everything we perceive to be on the outside, it's no more than a reflection of what's on the inside. What we see in other people, is what is in ourself. And even the feeling we have about nature, is really a feeling about oneself. And this is why, looking out at the world, we are also really learning about ourself. There's a tremendous beauty in this.