Reviving the Sacred Mirror: The Path to Soul Purification

In our endeavor to preserve the true reflection of the divine origin in the soul, we come to understand how life’s impurities can obscure our inner essence, as if covering a clear mirror with dust and grime. On the pages of spiritual reflections it becomes clear: when a person allows pride, accumulated shortcomings, and erroneous beliefs to overshadow their inner being, the ability to see and transmit the clear image of Divinity is lost. The soul, much like a canvas, must be cleansed through emotional and spiritual experiences to once again be capable of receiving the subtlest shades of spiritual painting, masterfully rendered by Christ through the Holy Spirit. Such a process of inner renewal requires not just accidental efforts, but a deliberate pursuit of repentance, self-improvement, and profound cleansing from everything that distorts the original design. In conclusion, it can be said that the transformation of the soul begins with the intention to free oneself from the accumulated dust of life’s trials and mistakes, thereby allowing the light of true values to shine once again, reflecting perfect harmony and spiritual beauty.

What can make the soul resemble a dust-covered mirror in a metaphorical sense?

Metaphorically, the soul becomes like a dust-covered mirror when it loses its ability to clearly reflect its true spiritual content due to the accumulation of sins, pride, and neglect of its inner being. In other words, if a person allows their inner shortcomings, erroneous beliefs, and disconnection from true values to overshadow the soul, it begins to reflect an image that is “cast aside,” covered in dirt and dust, incapable of conveying the light of the true image as originally intended.

For example, one reflection states:
"Let us begin spiritual painting! Let us pay attention to the cast-off, dirt-covered, scratched, and dusty image of God, inscribed upon us and entrusted to us by God! The painter is Christ; His brush is the Holy Spirit. Let us prepare the soul for this painting so that the soul, like a clean, new canvas, is capable of receiving everything – the subtlest features, the softest hues, and shades. For such preparation, one must cleanse oneself through repentance, washing with tears." (source: link )

This passage emphasizes that without inner cleansing and repentance the soul remains “covered” by life’s impurities, much like a mirror gathering dust, losing its ability to faithfully reflect the image of God. A similar idea is presented in a comparison that speaks of the need to cleanse the soul of the "dust" of accumulated character and pride:
"Just as clothing is cleansed of dust first by a thorough shaking and then by being beaten with a stick, so too should you strive to cleanse your soul—not only dusted with dust but, it seems, also smeared with grime..." (source: link )

Thus, the metaphor of the dust-covered mirror indicates that if the soul is not subjected to inner cleansing and constant self-cultivation, it will only reflect a distorted, murky image, losing its original beauty and light. To avoid such a state and to restore the soul’s ability to brightly reflect true spiritual content, one must consciously work on their inner world, cleansing it of all defects and delusions.

Supporting citation(s):
"Let us begin spiritual painting! Let us pay attention to the cast-off, dirt-covered, scratched, and dusty image of God, inscribed upon us and entrusted to us by God! The painter is Christ; His brush is the Holy Spirit. Let us prepare the soul for this painting so that the soul, like a clean, new canvas, is capable of receiving everything – the subtlest features, the softest hues, and shades. For such preparation, one must cleanse oneself through repentance, washing with tears." (source: link )

"Just as clothing is cleansed of dust first by a thorough shaking and then by being beaten with a stick, so too should you strive to cleanse your soul—not only dusted with dust but, it seems, also smeared with grime..." (source: link )