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by admin on February 16th, 2010
filed under Mirrors
There is something quite magical about mirrors. When you think about it, they have always possessed an air of mystery. The quality of the unknown. A nagging thought in the back of our heads, making us wonder what is staring back at us as we stare into them. The superstitions of various cultures, along with the fables and folklore that is a result of them is a testament to this.
Just about the most common superstition is that breaking a mirror brings the unfortunate culprit seven years of bad fortune. But did you know that even if you should ever meet such a tragic fate, there are ways to reverse the curse? One method is to collect all the pieces of your broken mirror, take them outdoors, then bury them by the light of the moon. Yet another option for you would be to turn yourself around counter-clockwise three times right after shattering the mirror.
Whatever you do, don't let the superstitions about mirrors turn you away from getting them at all. Especially since it is also believed that having mirrors in your home is a beneficial thing that is sure to bring you good fortune. They are said to reflect evil away from them. As with anything else, there are rules to this too though. If your mirror is hanging low enough to cut off the top of someone's head, it is thought to bring about headaches. And here's something even more grim than that. A mirror that is not bumped or brushed against, that suddenly falls for no reason, is said to be an omen of death within the family before a year has passed.
In older times, a typical idea was that a mirror actually contains part of your soul. This is what was said to be looking back at you. You will find fairytale villains that use decorative mirrors in order to trap or even steal souls. Is it possible that, that's how the spooky face within the magic mirror of the wicked queen in Snow White got there? Perhaps he was imprisoned in the mirror by her dark magic.
Numerous tales deal with the idea that, on the other side of the glass, there exists another world. In Lewis Carroll's classic, "Through The Looking Glass," Alice finds a world full of strange and unfamiliar creatures when she goes through a mirror. Where there should only be a wall, the mirror exists to extend the background. Can we really step through it, into another room? Into a place wrapped in magic and wonder. Several mirrors can be lined up to create a hallway that is infinite. Your reflection would be the only thing to obstruct them. What thing may draw us towards the other side?
Magic mirrors can be used for many things. They might reflect reality, or show you parts of the world a great distance away. They can provide longevity, or deflect dark magic.
In a more recent fairytale, Harry Potter gazed into the Mirror of Erised and therein he discovered a reflection of his heart's greatest desire. In a story more ancient, Perseus used a shield in order to reflect Medusa's wicked stare back at her, turning her to stone. In the film "The Brothers Grimm," there is a queen who is only young and beautiful when looked at through her magic mirror, however, in fact she was gruesome. The list of fables, both old and new, goes on and on.
Here are another few interesting pieces of legend, all about our favorite piece of enchanted glass -
Vampires don't cast any reflection. Could this be because they have no souls to reflect?
Pigs are said to show a distaste for mirrors.
It is never a good idea for actors to use real mirrors when they are performing on stage. It brings very bad luck.
Furthermore, an actor shouldn't look into one over another actor's shoulder. This would cause the one who was looked over to experience misfortune of his own.
Who is to say where this fascination with mirrors began. This fanciful mystique. These ideas do seem to have taken root in many cultures in different parts of the world. Is the illusion of another, different piece of reality that waits for us through the looking glass just an idea, or could there be something magical there? It all depends on who you ask.