Mirrors have long been held as portals to the spirit world and there are numerous superstitions surrounding their use.
Many cultures believed that mirrors or reflections in the water would show us our souls. This made mirrors dangerous in the magical realm where dark spells could be performed on mirrors that held the image of the intended victim. They could also be used for divination purposes, scrying, and as a way to communicate with the dead.
Suddenly, the Mirror Breaks
We’ve all heard that breaking a mirror will give us seven years of bad luck, but did you know that if your mirror suddenly breaks of its own will, that means you are about to lose your best friend? Of course, if the mirror falls off the wall, it means that someone in the house will soon die.
Good Luck Newlyweds
To bring good fortune to their marriage, newlyweds should stand together in front of a mirror shortly after getting married. By doing this, they unite their souls in the spirit world.
Covered Mirrors
All mirrors must be covered in the house of someone who has just passed away. The reasoning for this is because the deceased person’s soul can get trapped inside the mirror world and haunt the family. In some superstitions, the deceased will try and grab the souls of the living who look in the possessed mirrors.
Unbroken Mirror
If a mirror suddenly falls to the ground and does not break, good fortune will enter your life.
Mirror Sleep
Many people believe that it is bad luck to sleep in front of a mirror. Spirits from the spirit world may be able to suck out your soul through the mirror while you are asleep and unprotected.
Good Luck Scare
If you suddenly scare yourself with your own reflection in a mirror, you can expect a good amount of luck to come your way.
Calm Yourself
If you are upset or highly anxious about something, you are supposed to gaze into a mirror. The spirit world will take your troubles away. On the other hand, you should avoid gazing too long into a mirror if you are sick because the spirits will find it easy to steal away your soul.
To See Your Future Husband
On Halloween night, a young woman is supposed to seat herself in front of a mirror with a lit candle, an apple and a knife. She must cut the apple into nine slices and eat eight of the slices, one at a time, with the knife. She must then pierce the ninth slice and throw it at the mirror. Her husband-to-be will appear inside the mirror to catch the final slice.
Dead Man’s Mirror
A mirror belonging to someone who just died must not be looked into. To see your reflection in the mirror will bring about your own death as the dead person’s soul takes you with him. The dead person’s mirror is unsafe for use until the dead person is in the ground or cremated.
Scares Away Evil Spirits
In China, brass mirrors would hang above their idols. This way, any evil spirits who would enter their place of worship would see their reflection and be scared off. This is also the reason why many people will hang a mirror opposite their front door – to protect the home by reflecting back any evil or negative energies.
Sources:
Daniels, C. (2003). Encyclopaedia of superstitions, folklore, and the occult sciences of the world: A comprehensive library of human belief and practice in the mysteries of life. Honolulu: University Press of the Pacific.
Radford, E. (1969). Encyclopaedia of superstitions. Greenwood Press.
