SEEING YOUR NON-REVERSED IMAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

What happens when your look in the True Mirror? The first views of the non-reversed image strike people in very different ways. We have shown the True Mirror to many thousands of people since 1994 with an interesting breakdown in responses. Our estimate is that:
      - 10% prefer what they see the very first time, and they have happy, even wonderful experiences.
      - 20% do not like what they see at first, but after hearing our discussion with them, end up understanding the effect and are willing to give it the time to get used to it.
      - 20% do not see much difference at all - often due to glasses, a beard, their hairstyle, particularly symmetrical faces, and a tendency to stare at themselves, instead of seeing their animated selves that others see.
      - 45% are quite disconcerted with what they are seeing the first time ( !! ).
      - Finally, a small percentage of people refuse to look into it at all!

Asymmetries: In the beginning, most people have an exaggerated perception of the asymmetries. It is largely an illusion due to head tilting and the picture you have in your mind versus the picture others have of you. For example, if your nose turns - we'll say 1 degree to the left - in a traditional mirror you have always seen it turning 1 degree to the right. The first view in the True Mirror, your nose is ending up in a spot that is 2 degrees different than where you are used to seeing it. This goes the same for the head tilt, the one-higher-shoulder, the one-higher-or-bigger-eye and the sides of the mouth's different shapes, turning up or down. Our asymmetries are usually tiny, measured in millimeters, but because most people in western societies have a heightened awareness of their traditional mirror image (due to the easy availability of mirrors in this period of human history), these millimeters seem very apparent during the first few viewings in the True Mirror. Over a short time, with exposure to your non-reversed image, the non-reversed image will become more and more normal, and less and less startlingly asymmetrical. Most people who allow themselves the time to get used to it actually end up preferring it. Your image is friendlier, more normal, and more predictable (it is, after all, just "you" that you are seeing).

Is it true? If you have someone who knows you well stand closely next to you and look at your True Mirror reflection, they will confirm that yes, this is the way you appear. They will not see the exaggerated asymmetries you see, and in fact will not even see your actual asymmetries. What they will see, and which you can finally see also, is the real person that you are - with your expressions, personality, and real emotions all intact. This can be very valuable to you in understanding your interpersonal relations - just how do you come across to others?

Why does it work this way? Eye contact: There are a few key reasons for why the True Mirror reflects the real you. The first is the all-important eye-to-eye contact -- the strongest way we understand what people are saying. When you communicate with every other individual in the world, your eyes always meet left-eye-to-right-eye and right-eye-to-left eye. This normal biological pattern conveys information "just so". With traditional mirrors, where the right eye picks up the right-eye reflection, and the left picks up the left's, you are experiencing a highly unnatural way of gathering information about yourself. You don't communicate with anyone else in the world in that pattern. The result is that we always feel we are somehow different than everyone else, often in a negative way. It is very common for people to feel "I won't join a club that will have me" or "I know there's something wrong with me, no one else seems to see it, but I sure do." Other people report that flat mirrors create uncomfortable or pointless feelings that really don't have any good explanation.

Information Processing: The second reason for the True Mirror's accuracy is because the sides of our faces are actually quite different when in action, when we are actually conveying our thoughts and feelings. The mind is split into left and right hemispheres; each side is "responsible" for specific tasks. In brief, the left hemisphere specializes in language, linear operations, math and logic and the right hemisphere specializes in visual processing, musical perception, memories of pictures and non-linear activities. Our studies show there is different information in each eye that directly reflects the mental processes inside - the left eye and left side of the face reflect a more rational expression and the right eye and right side of the face reflect more empathy and feeling. The idea is that your left side "belongs" on the left, the right on the right. Expressions viewed backwards convey different messages (try watching TV backwards, or look at famous people's pictures in a mirror - you will be surprised at what they see when they look into a traditional mirror!)

The result of "fixing" the mirror: The True Mirror allows for correct self-communication with your own mind in the same pattern and with the same information that you communicate with everyone else. This may erase a large source of self-doubt, as you become more and more clear of what your thoughts and feelings are, and how they are projected to the outside world. The biologically accurate eye-to-eye-communication fixes one of the most dynamic feedback loops in existence, leading to higher and higher levels of self-understanding and awareness. In general, this kind of knowledge of what you are expressing leads to higher levels of self-acceptance and self-confidence. Such a simple concept, yet with profound implications and values.

What about appearances alone? At the physical appearance level, there are also some very useful applications of the True Mirror. There is a 3-D effect from the two mirrors used in a True Mirror, which gives a better idea of how clothes fit on your body. Hair styles have very distinct "looks" depending on if an asymmetric hair part is chosen - something we believe contributes very strongly to the impression people have of us (read our Hair Part Theory for more information.) In addition, hats and glasses styles and any accessory can be accurately viewed for the effect. For example, if you wear a brimmed hat in an angle, your choice of which angle looks the best is probably exactly opposite from the angle that you should be wearing the hat!

More benefits: Because you can see if you hold your body in an angle, better posture starts to become more natural, as you can self-correct your shoulder heights or head tilts. The more correctly aligned, pulled back and down that the shoulders are, the more the rest of the body's posture follows.

Daily Uses: The True Mirror can be used just as any regular mirror - even shaving and makeup can be done correctly after getting used to the different hand movements. A daily, "how are you" to yourself may take 5 seconds or 5 minutes, but it feels much more normal and consistent - it is a lot easier to agree with yourself and show true confidence. The True Mirror has the real capacity to lead you to say to yourself… nice to see you!

Our 12"x12"8" mirror costs $200 and the 48" mirror costs $995. All sales carry a money back guarantee for 2 months and a 6 month warranty. For ordering information please see our ordering webpage Thank you for your interest!

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Copyright © 2004 The True Mirror Company
229 42nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Tele: 718-832-4785 | 888-230-2156
Email: info@truemirror.com