It’s Halloween season, and if you’ve broken a mirror lately, you may be feeling extra cautious about the broken mirror superstition.
As the saying goes, breaking a mirror brings on seven years of bad luck. If you’ve ever wondered where this superstition came from (and what you can do about it), read on to find out!
The Symbolism of Mirrors
Mirrors have long been full of meaning. A common belief is that the mirror not only reflects the physical appearance of the person looking into it, but it also represents the soul within. To damage a mirror, then, would be the same as damaging the soul of the viewer. In ancient lore, mirrors were said to have magical powers, such as the ability to foresee the future. This belief is reflected in many modern-day ideas, such as the TV show Black Mirror, which some have said to be scarily accurate in predicting the future.
In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the Mirror of Erised is a less ominous magical mirror. Instead of predicting the future, per se, it shows the viewer the things they most desire. In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, the mirror acts as a kind of portal into an alternate reality. No matter how you look at the looking glass, there’s plenty of mystery and wonder surrounding the reflection.
Seven Years
We’ve covered some of the meanings behind the mirror in the famous superstition, but where do the seven years of bad luck come from? That can be traced back to the ancient Romans and their beliefs about the cycles of life. According to them, life renewed itself every seven years, and any misfortunes a person had would be remedied. If a mirror image represented a soul, breaking the mirror could cause misfortune to that person for the next seven years, when the cycle would reset, and all would be right again.
What to Do?
While the broken mirror superstition only predicts bad luck for seven years, most of us don’t want to wait around that long for misfortune to turn around. There are a number of remedies you can try to speed up the process and reverse the bad luck. Gathering all the broken pieces and burying them in moonlight, or throwing them into running water, are said to turn your luck around. Another popular choice is to touch a tombstone with a piece of the broken mirror.
Murray Glass Specializes in All Things Glass
The truth is, there’s no need to fall prey to the broken mirror superstition. Take charge of your luck and simply replace your broken mirror. At Murray Glass, we have every type of mirror you can think of, from silvered mirrors to two-way mirrors. Whether you need to replace your grandmother’s antique mirror or put the finishing touch on your home gym with a full-length mirror, we’ve got what you need.
Contact us today to talk to a glass specialist and start creating your project. Whether you live in Salt Lake City, Ogden, or Provo, Utah, we’re here ready to help!
