Theme: “To be truly seen, we must first look.”
To allow each member to begin removing the inner armor—not in shame, but in courage.
To guide them to a place of profound self-recognition, not performance.
To set the foundation for radical honesty, intimacy, and shared humanity within the Council.
This is the emotional threshold.
“Who am I when I am no longer protecting myself?”
| Time | Segment | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival Ritual | 10 mins | Everyone enters in silence. On screen: |
“The mirror does not lie. It simply reflects.”
Music: sparse piano or ambient cello. Cameras off. | | Opening Reflection | 10 mins | You speak this line:
“Tonight, you meet yourself. Not the one you built. The one who has always been watching from behind your eyes.”
Followed by a slow read-through of short prompts (see below). | | The Mirror Prompt (Solo Reflection) | 10 mins | On screen:
“Where do I still hide?”
“What do I believe I must be to be loved?”
“What is the truest thing I’ve never said aloud?”
Participants journal silently. | | The Mirror Chamber (Breakouts) | 30 mins | 2-person deep shares. Prompts:
“Describe yourself without roles.”
“Where are you still pretending?”
“What do you long for that scares you to admit?”
Each person gets 12–13 minutes to speak without interruption. The other only listens, then offers a single mirror:
“Here’s what I see in you...” | | Council Resonance Return | 15 mins | Back in main room. Each person answers aloud (1 sentence only):
“When I looked in the mirror tonight, I saw…”
This is not a summary. It’s a truth. | | Ritual Closing | 10 mins | Closing words from facilitator:
“To be seen is the beginning of transformation. And the greatest seeing is not external—it is inward. The Mirror doesn’t break you. It reveals the cracks where your light enters.”
Then reveal:
“Next week, you will bring your Sacred Object. Let it choose you.”
“What mask have I worn for so long, it’s become skin?”
“Where did I learn that vulnerability was dangerous?”
“What part of me wants to cry when no one is watching?”
“If I took off my name, title, body—what would be left?”