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The TRUE MIRROR!

"True to Life, True to View
See What Others See In YOU!



I was totally blown away by the craftsmanship and sheer imagination of design that inspire the creation of these mirrors! John does a top-notch job turning what was once a novel idea into a must-see reality! Whether an individual or a progressive business owner, I would highly recommend these mirrors for the purpose of understanding how one is perceived by the larger world and as a unique and accurate tool in the interest of altering one's own appearance
Noah V., AZ

I will never forget that day, many years ago, on park av south at 21. You were having people take a look as they walked down the street; how frightened I was to look and view what others saw and when I looked I was truly surprised to see an attractive man. that was a very nice day -- Marc C., NY

 "I have my True Mirror in a special place, isolated amidst all the clutter of my life. I try, when showing people around, to make sure that each person who visits gets a chance to spend some time alone with it. For me, my time with this mirror is always fresh, provocative and entertaining - I could go on at length, but it MUST be seen and experienced first hand." - Jay Maisel, photographer

"Why are my eyes shiny in this mirror but not in that one?" - Molly, when first seeing a True Mirror (5 yrs old)

"The experience I had with the mirror was incredibly meaningful to me. I had never believed what people said they saw in me until then. I'd had a long and difficult year between trips to the Playa but I have felt regenerated since I got back, and your mirrors had a lot to do with it."
- Warren F.

I have lost my doppelganger, now I will have to meet me all over again! 5 out of 4 - Awesome! - Chris, at a festival


Welcome to the home of the fascinating True Mirror®, one of the most interesting and unique items you will ever see - a mirror that reflects you as others see you!
Simple idea - take two mirrors and place them at right angles - yet profound in the implications it has for our sense of self and our self-image. First patented in 1887, the idea of a true image mirror still was never seen as more than a curiosity until a surprising effect was discovered by founder John Walter. What he saw was recognition - the person in the mirror looked and felt right, and matched his sense of what others were seeing. In contrast, the flat, traditional mirror felt false and conveyed a host of inner thoughts that were in direct contrast to the way he was feeling. in other words, his real self was present in the true image.

The True Mirror®, made here in New Rochelle, NY, also solves one of the biggest issues with this kind of mirror - perfect optics. The True Mirror presents a non-distorted, seamless image - critical for seeing into your eyes as they really are! In fact, if you want to get an idea of what a true image mirror looks like, hold two mirrors at exactly 90 degrees and look into the angle. Hold writing up to confirm it is not backwards. Now envision the same without the distracting line in the center and you have a True Mirror!

What's a True Mirror?

For all of our history, when people think they see themselves, they are always seeing themselves reflected backwards. Recently, with cameras and video, they can get a sense of what they look like forwards, but its a static or non-eye to eye view. However, as it turns out, the backward images and person we see in a mirror is profoundly different from what is real. The backwardsness distorts not just our features, but the information in our faces and personalities as well. No wonder we see ourselves differently than others see us!

A True Mirror is surprisingly more than an amazing novelty. We are excited to promote as a new source of awareness and enlightenment.

The introspective use of the True Mirror can be an important boost towards your own self-awareness and greater self-esteem. This happens by knowing your actual image and expressions as you exist in real life, and as your are seen by everyone else.

In contrast, the incorrect view seen in a traditional mirror can be major source of self-doubt and self-criticism - simply because it is not the "real you" when your eyes meet in the mirror. How can you understand yourself, your emotions and your expressions when there is such distortion?

We've discovered some fascinating aspects of human nature that arise when people see their true appearance. Because it is very challenging to confront new information about one's self, the responses are usually very dramatic...some love it, some hate it, some see no difference, and some will not even look! But we feel its just a matter of time to become familiar with the new image, and most people will begin to prefer the new look. It is natural, after all.

War and Peace citation: We continue to find new references to the way that mirrors affect us, but we were really surprised when the following passage from War and Peace jumped out at us - it really highlights the essence of why the True Mirror is so important:

    (from a letter to Princess Mary from her friend Julie:) ...Why cannot i now, as three months ago, draw fresh moral strength from your look, so gentle, calm, and penetrating, a look I loved so well and seem to see before me as I write?"

              Having read this far, Princess Mary sighed and glanced into the mirror which stood on her right. It reflected a weak, ungraceful figure and thin face. Her eyes, always sad, now looked with particular hopelessness at her reflection in the glass. "She flatters me," thought the princess, turning away and continuing to read. But Julie did not flatter her friend; the princess' eyes -- large, deep and luminous (it seemed as if at times there radiated from them shafts of warm light) -- were so beautiful that very often in spite of the plainness of her face they gave her an attraction more powerful than that of beauty. But the princess never saw the beautiful expression of her own eyes -- the look they had when she was not thinking of herself. As with everyone, her face assumed a forced unnatural expression as soon as she looked in a glass.
How often have you almost immediately lost your beauty in a mirror?

Check out the following image for our "best of" comments sheet...the people who wrote these comments were floored by the amazing new, alive person they saw in the True Mirror!

Click on image for full size

Click here for the full comments pages (there are a lot of wild comments sprinkled in because this was at a recent BurningMan festival!)

We have been making and demonstrating these special, precision mirrors for many years (since 1992!) -- and we've got a lot to say about them! To learn more about True Mirrors and why they should be so different,
click here - more info!


In New York City? Where to see a True Mirror

In addition to this amazing new mirror, the Mr. Walter and sister Catherine Walter developed the Hair Part Theory©, which says that hair parts affect perceptions and personalities. For full information click here: hpttmc.asp.



How to Contact Us:
True Mirror Company
288 Baileys Gap Road
Highland NY 12528
845-834-2063
Email: info@truemirror.com

Copyright © 2011 The True Mirror Company, Inc.
Upcoming shows:
Conscious Life Expo - True Mirror returns to the amazing world that is the Psychic/New Age Festival/Trade Show. Its a great place to see the True Mirror in an amazing element where people are seeking new ways of looking at themselves and the world! Dates: Feb 10-12, LAX Hilton, Los Angeles! See you there!



the True Mirror was recently at Burningman 2011 - see the latest photos and comments



True Mirrors/Hair Part Theory was on NPR's RadioLab!

NPR's Radiolab and Jad Abumrad interviewed founder John Walter on his theories about Hair Parts and True Mirrors as part of the show about Symmetry. Along with cohost Robert Krulwich, they put together a fascinating show called "Desperatly Seeking Symmetry", which explores our natural desire for symmetry, and yet finding that its pretty hard to find out there. The Hair Part Theory, and mirror images figured in a big section and was a lot of fun to listen to. In fact, they took the show on the road, playing to full houses in NYC, Los Angeles and Seattle.

The show was recently broadcast in early April and may rebroadcast in your area over the next month. However, if you want to hear it now, they are podcasting it at the following address: Desperately Seeking Symmetry (full show)

Mirror Mirror segment of the show: (we are about 1/3 of the way in).

Where to see the True Mirror:

New at Unison Arts Center in New Paltz!
Among all the other beautiful Sculptures, Fine Art and Performances, the bathroom now is outfitted with a specially decorated True Mirror! Go check it out there, but dont stay to long, there might be a line!
Location:
68 Mountain Rest Road
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845) 255-1559

www.unisonarts.org


Our new friends at Austin Ryan Optika have a True Mirror on display, so you can see yourself the right way before you pick that very special pair of glasses!
Location:
Austin Ryan Optika
StopnShop Plaza
12 New Paltz Plaza
New Paltz, NY 12561
www.http://www.austinryanoptika.com/

New Exhibit at the Science Museum in Norway!
The True Mirror is part of an Exhibit on "Science and Truth" at the The Museum of Natural History and Archaeology. (Vitenskapsmuseet) at the The Museum of Natural History and Archaeology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. In front of a full length True Mirror, the exhibit challenges viewers with this comment: "Looking in a mirror is a complicated process that involves light reflections, memory, perception, measuring distance and a conception of you. Still it is the easiest thing in the world, and we know exactly how we look. Because what you see must be true?"


the True Mirror was recently at Burningman 2011 - see the latest photos and comments

Pink Pony Restaurant
176 Ludlow Street (near Houston)
New York, NY 10002
(this is the most enduring spot - there has been a true mirror there for more than 10 years!)

Brickyard Bistro Restaurant
16 Division Street
New Rochelle, NY 10805
See the True Mirror at the following Beauty Salons
(please call first to confirm):

Soho Salon
130 West Houston
New York, NY 10012
(212) 941-7166

Beautiful Hair Color Salon & Spa
41 Washington Avenue,
Pleasantville, NY
(914) 741-1522

Susan Alan 2000
11149 Tampa Avenue
Northridge CA 91326
818.360.2234

Hair Expressions
9213 Douglas Fir Dr
Pittsburgh, PA 15239-2001
(412) 793-7349