Superstitions, myths and customs concerning mirrors cultures date back hundreds of years from all over the globe which share beliefs about the powers of mirrors.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Most of us are familiar with this famous line from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
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The Evil Queen appears in her mirror and asks the spirit within the famous question. Though it is just the product of a fairy tale, is there something more to mirror?
From their inception in ancient history, mirrors have a longstanding mythology with souls and true reflections. The mirror was considered a Godly object that could show the future and also reflect your soul.
The reflective nature of the mirror is believed to have given rise to the belief that mirrors can act as a portal between our world and the spirit world. Here are 15 superstitions and myths associated with mirrors that will definitely creep you out.
15. Breaking a Mirror
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In ancient Rome, the broken mirror was considered a bad omen and was believed to bring the one responsible seven years of bad luck.
Because the ancient Romans believed a human’s fortune is rewritten every 7 years! So breaking a mirror was like astraying your soul from your body and also bringing bad fortune for 7 years.
And if by some unfortunate chance, you do break a mirror, don’t despair, just take the broken pieces and bury them deep into the ground to reverse your bad luck.
14. Windows to another Universe
Ancient civilizations believed that seeing one’s reflection was a magical occurrence and surfaces that cast reflections were thought of as mystical ports to other realms, worlds where spirits and magical beings resided.
A spirit will travel through a mirror because it is the path of least resistance between the two worlds.
According to some parapsychologists, connection to other dimensions is possible using some places that spirits use to move from one dimension to another.
13. Catoptromancy
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Mirrors were fashioned from highly polished precious metals such as gold and silver and occasionally metals like brass and bronze were used.
These costly objects were held in great esteem and the belief in the magical ability of mirrors led to a practice known as Catoptromancy, which involves gazing into mirrors to foretell the future.
12. Mirror dropping from a wall
Dropping a mirror from a wall indicates the coming of death! Some cultures believe that if a mirror in the house breaks on its own, someone is about to die.
Also, one of the superstitions and myths associated with mirrors is breaking a mirror in a dream means you will face bad luck in the future.
11. Mirrors can suck your soul
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When a person died in a house, people covered the mirrors or turned them to face the wall. In the Victorian era, this was a common practice since funeral wakes were often held in the home.
The mirrors had to be covered or turned to face the wall in the room where a critically ill or dying person lay. Failure to do so would result in the spirit of the deceased person getting soul lost. Or even they might turn into a vampire.
To stop this, mirrors were extracted from the room of a sick or dying person because it was believed that they were perceived to be more vulnerable to a mirror’s negative influence.
10. Baby’s Reflection
In some cultures, there is a belief that a baby should never be shown its own reflection in a mirror before it’s a year old. Doing so could bring great harm to the child.
9. Candlelight and Mirror
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People have been warned not to look in a mirror at night or by candlelight. Unless you want to see demons, spirits, the devil, or your own portents of death!
Another superstition is that if you look at a mirror by candlelight you may see the spirit of a loved one who has died. Yes, it’s one of those superstitions and myths associated with mirrors, but why do we take risk?
8. Depression
It is believed that if you are experiencing negative emotions, such as depression, sadness, anger, etc., you will attract a negative spirit through the mirror.
Mirrors are thought to bounce energy around the bedroom, which can lead to restlessness and trigger worries.
7. Bloody Mary
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It is the most popular myth with several versions of this pastime have sprouted up over the years. And even now many people believe in it.
Bloody Mary is a folklore tale that consists of conjured ghosts, angels, or spirits that can predict the future. The main premise of Bloody Mary remains the same.
If you face a mirror in a dark room and chant her name three times, a spirit known as Bloody Mary would appear. She will appear as a distant shadowy figure at first that gets more distinct as she comes closer.
In this case, the mirror acts as a gateway separating our world from that of spirits.
6. Perseus and Medusa
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In Greek mythology, Perseus with the aid of a sword given to him by the God Hermes and a highly polished shield given to him by the Goddess Athena, watched Medusa’s reflection initiate and was able to cut off her head without turning to stone.
5. Antique Mirrors
Antique or old mirrors are more likely to have paranormal phenomena associated with them. So avoid purchasing antique mirrors from exhibitions and antique shops.
In order to prevent your old mirrors from being used as a portal by supernatural entities, the mirror should be frequently moved to different areas of the room.
As some paranormal incidents happened around mirrors, gives an indication that mirrors might be the portals to travel to other realms.
4. Reflection of Vampires
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The vampires could not be seen in mirrors. References to witches and vampires being unable to show a reflection in a mirror are described in old lore.
In ancient times, it was believed that mirrors reflect the soul. The belief is that they have no souls and thus are unable to cast a reflection.
3. Never place a mirror opposite your bed
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If there is a mirror opposite your bed, remove it ASAP! It is believed that our body is weakest during our deep sleep.
As the mirror acts as a portal between our world and the spirit world, it was thought best to cover your mirror as you could be vulnerable to attack from negative spirits or demons during the dark hours while you’re asleep.
It was also advised, to never place your bed in a place where it is reflected in a mirror. So you have a mirror in your bedroom, just don’t place it opposite your bed. Otherwise, you may face sleep problems or something far more sinister.
2. Narcissus
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The word narcissist originated from a Greek legend where Narcissus, a hunter who was known for his beauty, saw his reflection in the pool of water, and as he gazed at his reflection he fell in love with the image and eventually drowned.
This legend was so strong it spawned the word narcissist which is often used to describe a person’s fixation with their own appearance.
1. Cover the mirrors in case of a death
In some cultures, it’s believed that when a loved one is murdered or dies in a horrible accident or of a long illness or any kind of intense suffering, all the mirrors of the home must be covered.
This belief was that the spirit of the dead would linger in the home waiting for an unsuspecting person to see their reflection in the mirror.
Thus allowing the spirit of the dead to possess the body of the living and use them to resolve any important issues before moving on to the afterlife.
So what’s the creepiest mirror superstition you read in the list? After all, these superstitions and myths associated with mirrors have played a unique role in many horror movies and pop culture over the years.
Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a entirely different topic but it has pretty much the same layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!