Superstitions and Mirrors

Superstitions appear childish to some and vitally important to others. Understanding the roots of such superstitions aids in making a judgement as to their value and veracity. Superstitions regarding mirrors remain especially common and offer an excellent opportunity to explore the roots of superstitions and ways in which to approach them.

Mirrors and the soul

The most common traditional superstition about mirrors holds that the mirror reveals the soul. The idea that mirrors reveal the soul probably originated with the surreal experience of looking at oneself. Modern understanding of light makes mirrors seem mundane, but in older times it would certainly appear supernatural.This does not sound like a problem, but some claim that souls develop during the first year of life. They say that if a baby sees herself in a mirror, then the soul is injured and the child must die. Another way in which the reflection of souls causes problems comes from breaking a mirror. Most people know of the supposed bad luck that comes from breaking a mirror, but the breaker's soul, according to tradition, actually breaks because the mirror contains the person's soul. The only way to avoid such bad luck comes from burying the mirror or destroying it in some other way. A final way that mirrors cause harm to the soul comes during the wake of a recently deceased person. The basic belief comes from the idea that the deceased person's soul might inadvertently find itself trapped within a mirror.

Lack of evidence

Breaking mirrors is an extremely common occurrence worldwide, whether by accident or on purpose. With millions of mirrors broken every year, one would expect to see millions of people with horrifyingly bad luck. This is simply and obviously not the case.

Mirrors naturally brought about superstitious beliefs among people in older times. Today, science explains away much of the supernatural appearance of one's reflection, so the idea of the soul trapped inside of a mirror appears less valid. Understanding the history and details of superstitions, such as those connected to mirrors, offers a chance to better understand the origins and motivations behind superstitious beliefs.