Maya and The Forest of Mirrors: A Short Parable on How Reflections Can Deceive

Part one is simply the parable. Part two will be a deep dive into the concepts for practical application

Maya and The Forest of Mirrors

In a quiet village nestled between two towering mountains, there lived a group of people who prided themselves on believing they knew “the truth” about everything.

Their village was surrounded by a mystical forest filled with mirrors that reflected, not only the physical world, but the deepest fears, desires, and beliefs of those who looked into them. Each mirror reflected a different version of reality, causing villagers to cling tightly and comfortably to their chosen reflections, believing theirs was the only "true" one.

One day, a young woman named Maya ventured into the forest after hearing whispers of a new mirror that was said to show something unexpected—something beyond the villagers' understanding. As she approached the mirror, she found herself confronted -not by her reflection- but by an image of swirling clouds, lightning bolts, and devastation. The scene was chaotic, unsettling, and utterly unfamiliar.

Curious but cautious, Maya remembered the wise teachings of non-attachment she had learned from her travels to the east, beyond the village. She did not let fear or confusion cloud her mind, but instead, she simply observed.

"What if these strange scenes are true?…and what if they’re aren’t?" she mused to herself, leaving the vision to rest in suspended animation in her mind. She wasn’t ready to make a judgment about it but was willing to hold space for the unknown.

Days passed, and the villagers grew anxious. "What did you see?" they anxiously asked her. "What does the mirror reveal?" Some were quite eager to dismiss her tale before she even told it, while others faithfully clung to it, believing it to be “truth” that foretold disaster.

But Maya remained calm.

"I don’t know if it’s true or not," she said with a gentle smile, "but what I learned is that the mirror doesn’t just show reality as we know it—it shows possibilities, things that we may not yet understand. Instead of being afraid or certain, I’m going to stay calm and curious to see what unfolds."

Her words were met with confusion with some scoffing at her seeming indecision, while others found comfort in her openness. As time went on, life’s storms came and went. Some resembled the images in the mirror, while others did not. Still, Maya's approach allowed her to navigate the uncertainty with grace.

In time, others in the village began to visit the forest, peeking into the mirrors without trepidation or judgment, like Maya did. Some began to learn to sit with the discomfort in the void of uncertainty not knowing what the mirror was showing.

Slowly, more people learned to sit in their discomfort of not knowing the “true” answer. Over time, the village grew more peaceful and less divided as fighting about competing "truths" lessened as they became more comfortable not knowing what “the truth” might actually be.

Maya's wisdom resonated with them. Sometimes, the most important knowledge isn't necessarily found in certainty, but in the ability to observe without judgment, to let possibilities swirl until clarity comes…or doesn’t.

Either way, it was the journey—not the final answer—that held the key to true understanding.

This is a parable that I created to address some things that have been on my heart. Part 2 of this posting will come out next week. I’ll resend the parable again which will be followed by some reflective musings topped off with observations that breathe life into the teachings providing examples for practical application.

This parable will be brought to life with YOU as the main character.