A history and overview of mirrors in magick.
By Ivy


Mirrors- we all are familiar with them. Hanging above our sinks or vanities, we use them to groom ourselves each morning- centuries of our ancestors have done the same. But much of the folklore and stories surrounding the darker side of the mirror has been lost with time, in this new science-minded era. The superstitions surrounding the mirror have faded with time, but the wise witch is able to harness the mirror’s reflective properties and use them in her magic.

The earliest mirrors were reflective pools, most like still water- possibly collected in vessels, such as bowls. The earliest manufactured mirrors were crafted of polished obsidian and found in modern Turkey- dated to around 600 BCE. Ancient polished copper mirrors were found in Mesopotamia and Egypt. 4000 year old polished stone mirrors have been found in Central and South America, as well as 4000 year old bronze mirrors in China. Glass mirrors seem to have been invented in Sidon (Lebanon) in the first century CE, and have been mentioned by Roman author Pliny in this work in 77 CE.

The reflective surface of the mirror lends itself to reflective symbolism: the moon, clarity, self-knowledge, self-love, and truth. It was said that the mirror could never tell a lie, so to see an image in the mirror that obviously shouldn’t be there was a considered a bad omen. One thing that both water and mirrors have in common is the myth that the soul is attracted to the reflective surface. Breaking a mirror is considered bad luck- most people have heard the legend- but this is because it was once believed that the soul of the last person to look upon the surface would be attracted and attached to the mirror. It’s been told that running the pieces through running water would wash away the remnants of any unlucky trapped soul.

One custom that traveled to the US from European countries is that of covering mirrors with cloth (or turning them to face walls) when a death occurs within the home. Again, its believed that the soul could be come trapped in the mirror. There are also legends of people intentionally trapping a soul within a mirror- then it’s used as an oracular tool, like in the story of Snow White.

In modern times, witches and other occult practitioners use mirrors in their magickal work. The most common uses of the mirror is in scrying, and as a protective tool. A scrying mirror usually doesn’t look so much like a mirror as it does a dark piece of glass. The practitioner looks into the glass and analyses any pictures, symbols or words she might see. Some people may cast a circle or use some sort of ritual to get them in the scrying mood, but many just light a candle. It’s been said that it’s important to have a small source of light in the room when using the mirror, but you it’s also important to not have the light glaring in the reflection of the mirror. Most place a candle behind and to the left or right of the mirror.

As a protective tool, mirrors have been placed in windows in order to send negative energy back to the sender. Likewise, some may cast protective or reflective spells using a mirror-to reflect what was sent back to the sender. Many practitioners also use mirrors when working within psychic shields- creating a hard-shelled shield with outward-facing mirrors can be very effective in shielding onesself from external energy- both positive and negative. Mirrors are wonderfully effective tools on both magickal and mundane planes.