Sensual Mirror Work
This practice is designed to promote radical acceptance and connection to self.
Mirror work is as difficult as it is liberating. Through this style of intentional divination, you can cultivate a deeper sense of body acceptance and self-love.
The practice involves spending time in front of a mirror, unclothed, and simply looking deeply at yourself.
Don't suppress your feelings, let them flow. Notice what thoughts come up. What admirations, what criticisms. When you hear critique or negativity, follow it and see where it comes from. Is this feeling your own? Does it come from a past lover? A comparison? Socialized conditioning?
As you accumulate the critical voice, counter that with soft apologies. Those can look like, "I'm sorry for not loving you the way you need. I'm sorry for not setting boundaries. I'm sorry for shaming the parts of my body. I'm sorry for neglecting you...etc." The forgiveness is personal to you.
After you work through self-forgiveness, notice what you truly appreciate about your body. Look for appreciations that aren't immediately obvious. Ways your body shows up for you. Things that are uniquely yours.
We are all conditioned to disavow the most sacred parts of our humanness.
Allow yourself to feel grateful for your unique qualities and to really soak in the beauty of your own body.
It’s important to include your vulva in this mirrored appreciation ceremony!
You may even decide to end with self-massage, yoni-massage, or self-pleasure – pleasuring yourself in front of a mirror can be a wild & healing adventure!
To close your experience, write down what came up for you in a journal. The good, the bad, the shameful thoughts, the criticisms, the admirations and appreciations. We can use this in the future to turn this into an even more powerful exercise, but for now, just write it all out so you have a record of your experience. The more times you practice this exercise, the more you can start to see shifts in how you appreciate your body and let go of the thoughts and critiques that aren't even yours or true.
