Corinna Wyles-Plumley

Mind is a Mirror

For my work, I was inspired by the Buddhist idea of the human mind and consciousness being like a mirror, and I was inspired by this quote in particular: “Mind is thus neither the source of light, like a shining sun, nor the reflected light of something greater, like the moon, but a shimmering pool of contingent potential, capable of reflecting sun, moon, and any other object that happens to dance upon its surface.In this natural state, a mirror is indescribably clear and bright, and it reflects great light. Our fundamental nature is the same way. If all delusions are swept away, then a huge, all-pervading light appears like the sun appearing out of the clouds.” This clear, bright mind comes from stillness and quiet, and represents the appearance of wisdom. I wanted to take this concept and translate it in a physical way in both how it is written and how it made me feel. I used myself as the subject and wanted to create an intimate atmosphere and in some instances just having hints or “whispers” of myself visible to represent the quiet stillness. As the mirror is clear and clean in the photograph I wanted that to show that it was my true self being reflected, and show the relationship of how I am working towards my own wisdom through my reflections in my mind and the mirror.