[gnosis]

I've heard this advice myself; and have disregarded it. It's possible to see oneself age, to be disgusted with one's own face, to see someone else's face looking back at you, or be faced with other unpleasant sights or thoughts.

In retrospect, this kind of pat, simplistic advice has the ring of either inexperience or lack of self-knowledge. A person who is in touch with himself and his own subconscious will not avoid looking in the mirror (either literally or figuratively).

One of the most important things one can learn on psychedelics is how to deal with unpleasant aspects of yourself, others, and the world around you. One often learns much more from "bad" trips than good ones.

If one goes in to these experiences with a sincere determination to learn from whatever one may encounter, to use one's time constructively, and with a great deal of honesty and humility, then half the battle is won. Then looking in the mirror can be seen as an opportunity for self-discovery, not as a potential unpleasantness to be feared or avoided.