The Moon
and the Implications of Its Satellite Position
22.18
page 18 of 24
Virtual and realistic images
With bent mirrors, depending on the distance from the object to its center and focal point, both virtual and realistic images can be created (22.18.a).
The concave mirror
a. The concave mirror offers a close-by object a magnified, virtual image compared to its actual size. As the Self moves closer to the focal point, the contours of the image gradually fade away until the image finally dissolves.
The Self that identifies with this mirror image will first take itself to be bigger than it is, but will end up losing itself in it.
So this form of mirroring has a divergent or diffusing effect, which is not conducive to Self-development. On Bali, this line of development is common practice.
Apart from educational situations, this mirror function may be useful in social interactions, in order to blur boundaries and avoid the impact of images that are too confrontational. However, when we lose contact with our own boundaries, our Self becomes dependent on its environment for its Self-awareness.
b. A realistic image arises when the object stands behind the focal point and the center point. In this case, the image is reduced; it is not visible inside the mirror, but in front of it. It is put forward as a realistic image in front of the mirror. This way of mirroring has a convergent effect, which is conducive to the formation of a Self.
In this mirror, the Self may receive a sharper, intensified image of itself, but it is within reach, so it can come to grips with it. With this kind of projection, it is also possible to purposely imprint an image onto another person. When this occurs with too much intensity, the image will be burnt in, leaving a strong (sometimes lasting) mark on the Self of the other person.
In strong personalities, these mirroring effects can be easily recognized. When they are unaware of them, their Self-interest will predominate, with the Ich planets as its instruments. Once one becomes aware of these influences, the Es may start to take part in the image that is presented. This is the domain of the educator.
The convex mirror
In the case of a convex mirror, the focal point lies behind the mirror plane. The Self puffs itself up, curling around itself as it were, placing itself in the center and showing the environment as smaller than it is. This mirror gives the onlooker an overview of a larger area, as just like a car mirror.
Any image that is relevant for larger groups of people may be provided by this kind of mirror. Actors, musicians, writers and lecturers convey their imagination and vision to us in this manner. During their performance, they will expand, making themselves bigger in order to be able to hold their audience in their aura. They literally keep their readers and audience captivated.
The sergeant who is rousing his troupes with a flourish of trumpets, is another example of working with a convex mirror. Other people will attract attention just for the sake of it. They, too, place the focal point in themselves.
The flat mirror
A flat, smooth mirror reflects images without any Self-intention; the mirroring agent is neutral, non-intentional and objective. The envelopment, the attachment and the capacity for imagination and realistic projection that concave and convex mirrors can offer, are absent here.
Echo and Wailing Wall
A mirroring surface may also serve to reflect back sounds in echo form. In that case, we can act as a sounding-board for one another.
When the mirror’s surface is perfectly flat and smooth, the person eventually becomes a wailing wall. With infinite patience it will listen to people’s distress and secrets, absorbing them.
A real wailing wall will not use the information entrusted to it for its own ends. It can always be found where it stands, in silence. This offers comfort and alleviates loneliness. Here the Moon collaborates with Saturn in a truly unique way. The wailing wall is in the world, but not of the world.
Sucking in and infusing
Finally, in this overview of the Moon’s various focus adjustments, we can discern both a sucking and an infusing influence, both of which we will encounter again when discussing the planets beyond Saturn’s orbit and the aspects on their outgoing and incoming arc.
In later texts I hope to work out the various personality structures related to these influences and to the aspects on the outgoing and incoming arc.
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