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The Enchanted World of Mirrors
*Mirror, mirror on the wall...* One of the most famous magical mirrors in the literature of all time is this one that belongs to the evil Queen in Snow White.
We all do love to look in the mirror at least once a day. We want to see our reflection, to fix ourselves and to check how do we look because we want to look presentable. Most of the time if we bought new clothes we want to see how it fits. The mirror is one of the important items in our home or a woman's bag or purse for its practical use. For thousands of years, mirrors have been mentioned in folklore and play a big part in many superstitions. Did you know that it's very expensive to make mirrors in ancient times? Thus, it was quite rare and powerful to have one. Tools of the Devils According to some of the legends, mirrors are said to be tools of the Devils. It was used to capture souls just as they capture images. Covering Mirrors when someone Died
The custom of covering mirrors became common in Victorian times, especially to Irish Catholics. It is their well-known tradition for the family of the deceased to cover all their mirrors to prevent the soul from getting trapped into it. They also turn the mirror facing the wall to hide the physical body from its soul. There's an Irish superstition that says, if you look into the mirror for a long time, you will see a devil looking over your shoulder. Demonic Pretender A Chinese myth believed that images in the mirror were actually demonic beings. They pretending to be our reflections to plot our deaths silently. The Ancient Chinese belief says that the reflection they saw in the mirror was not reflections at all but another creature to pretend to be our reflection which is quite frightening. According to Ancient Chinese folklore, this creature mimics us to learn our ways and when they are ready they will emerge through the mirrors which served as the windows into their world and take our place. Bad luck They said that if you break a mirror you will have seven years of bad luck. Why seven? Because the Romans believed that life renewed itself every 7 years so the unrenewed soul will be stuck in the mirror. As they say, if you pick up all the broken pieces and place them in paper or piece of cloth and throw it in a fast-flowing river you can obviate the curse. The river will carry away bad luck. Or the other way is burying the broken mirror into the ground. Windows to the future
In the Middle Ages, wizards and witches stared into mirrors to divine the future or answer questions and this was called "*Scrying*". Scrying is also known as peeping into a suitable medium in the hope of perceiving visions or significant messages. It's more on personal guidance and a form of fortune-telling or divination. I must admit I love to go and see a fortune teller myself. No Reflection Vampires and Demons don't have reflections. This must be originated from the ancient belief that mirrors reflected the true nature of the person being reflected. They do not cast a shadow as a manifestation that they lack a soul. Bloody Mary Have you ever played Bloody Mary? I'm sure you've heard of this before. In Bloody Mary, you are dared to chant "Bloody Mary" 13 times in front of a dark room. A vengeful ghost or spirit then pops out of the mirror behind you. I will not dare. The Emperor's Greatest Possession Mirrors we're used in China to capture energy primarily of the moons. There's a story of an Emperor of China apparently use a "magic mirror" to become an emperor. The first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty named Qin Shi Huang claimed that his mirror allowed him to see the inner personalities of those who looked into it. **Mirror, mirror** Did you know that the real-life influence of this well-known mirror in the Fairy Tale Snow White called*"The Talking Mirror"* can be seen at the Spessart Museum in Lohr am Main where the real-life Snow White named Maria Sophia Margaretha Catherina von und zu Erthal was born?
Maria Sophia was believed to be a Bavarian Baroness and when her father remarried, her new stepmother received a mirror as a gift and that is what they referred to as the "Talking Mirror". And as you know how the story goes the evil queen will always ask the mirror, "Who's the who is the fairest in the land?" The mirrors made in Lohr in Bavaria are made of good quality and believed to ****speak the truth at all times****. And just like I say, the Talking Mirror can still be seen at the Spessart Museum in the Lohr Castle. Perseus used his shield as a mirror to defeat Medusa
We all know that no one could look directly at Medusa because as the tale says if you look into her eyes you'll turn to a stone. And how genius Perseus is for not looking at her eyes directly but only at her reflection. **Alice Through the Looking-glass** *A portal to other worlds*... Alice in a quest to go back in time to rescue Mad Hatters Family with the help of the magical looking glass. **The Arabian Nights** In this tale, a genie gave a mirror to Prince Alasnam. The mirror has the magic to reveal if a lover could be trusted or not. The Mirror of Erised
The Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is no ordinary mirror. It will show the reflection of one's self. It will show not your face but of your heart's desire. Just as the words carved on the top of the mirror. Mirror Has Power A famous British Poet Geoffrey Chaucer created a series of stories called *The Canterbury Tales. There's this story, "The Squire's Tale",* wherein a mirror is given to a King named Cambinskan from the King of Araby and Ind. And he describes the mirror-like this: *This mirror...* *Has power such that men may in it see* *Weather will come to any adversity* *Unto your realm, or yourself also;* *And reveal who is your friend or foe.* *And also this: if any lady bright* *Has her heart set on any shining knight* *If he is false, she shall his treason see.* *And his other love, and all his secrecy.*
**I don't believe in superstitions but I'm always fascinated to know such.** There are wonderful myths and stories about mirrors just like what I shared above. Whatever purpose it may serve from ancient to our present time whether as tools of divination or portals to the other world, it is up to us if we're going to believe it or not. It would be wonderful to have the power to see the future! But real or not, I'm sure I will not dare to try bloody Mary or look at myself in the mirror at 3:00 Am holding a candle in a dark room trying to summon some creature that doesn't really belong to this human world. I will pee my knickers! I saw my Tia like this and I believe that some unwanted spirit whispered her to do such.
***Do you believe in any of these Mirror Stories and Superstitions? Share your thoughts in the comment below.*** **THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!**
****References:**** Lead Image Source: pixabay.com The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter bbc.co.uk https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4jZWt1t6v0DV33pLWD0KcT/on-reflection-eight-mysterious-facts-about-mirrors Wikipedia.org https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Mirror_(Snow_White)
34 comments
Really interesting content and a lot of information from many cultures. Well done
Cheers PVMihalache!
I believed somehow on bloody mary po, lol, though there's another superstitions about the mirror po, kpag daw po hating-gabi o alas 12 daw po ng mdaling araw, wag daw po kau titingin sa salamin dhil iba po mkikita nyo lalo na po kpag mdyo mdilim daw po dun sa kinalalagyan po ng salamin, think it's on jessica soho's if i remember it right n krmihan po sa mga sinaunang salamin po dati eh my mga kababalaghan po tlga
That's why I'm so scared of the mirror when I was young. We have too many horror stories lol. I talk to myself in the mirror in the daylight and won't try it at night lol
Me po, not scared of it po though when i was a child po n my cousin, my childhood friends n i po one night played under a bright full moon, ung mdyo nkakatakot po na kabilugan ng buwan, eh dahil mga bata pa, gusto lagi mglaro khit gabi na po n mdyo mlpit lng po kc bhay nmin nun dati po, nglro po kmi ng tagu-taguan, akla q po ung pinsan q na po ung nkita q kya sbi q, taya, ikaw na ang taya, bgla aq tnwag ng pinsan q n ang sbi, cno daw kausap q dun n knina pa daw clang lahat at nkpgsave o nakahawak na sila sa base, sbi q, akla q ikaw ung ngtatago dun eh, pg lingon q po, wala na ung kmkha po ng pinsan q n cmula nun ndi na po kmi nglalaro sa gabi, lol, ntkot po ung nanay q nung cnbi q po un sknya, lol, salamat po pla sa upvotes nyo :)
Haha di ko kaya! 😅 Baka nanginginig tuhod ko habang naglalaro. Pero uso din naman talaga tagu taguan non pag kabilugan ng bwan. Ang galing di ka matatakitin, sana all 😅
Opo, uso po tlga un pero nung tym na un po tlga eh my nkpglaro po tlga sa amin, lol, ndi po, mrami na po aqng karanasan sa mga gnyan po ng bata po aq n d2 po nung bgo plang po aq n pero ngaun po, ndi na po msyado o mdalang nlng po, lol, kng mgpapadala po kau sa takot, talo po kau n dasal n paniniwala lng po sa nasa Itaas ang kylangan po pra ndi po kau mtkot o matalo po
Haha kahit mega dwende naniniwala ako e kaya naniniwala ako jan sa kalaro nyo! Katakot!
Opo, aq din po, pero d2 po iba, lol, yko nlng po mgkwento sa inyo dhil ms nakakatakot po un, buti nga po naagapan n naalimpungatan po aq, kng ndi po, bka ngsayoonara na po aq dati pa po kya naniniwala din po aq sa mga guardian angel po plus ilang bses na po aq naaksidente po d2 pero hlos galos lng po ntatamo q po
Yun patulog na ko then nabasa ko to, hahaha. Anyway, sa family din namin sa side ng lola ko, tinatakpan yun salamin pag may patay sa family.
Haha I was writing this for two nights and I can't finish it because I got scared while writing hahaha 😅 Di namin ginagawa sa Batangas. Saan sa inyo bhe?
I'm originally from Davao, ganyan ginagawa ng Lola ko nun namatay yun kapatid nya at pamangkin. And sinasabi nila sa amin noon na tinatakpan nila para dw di maligaw doon yun kaluluwa ng namatay, kaya kami naman takot na takot sa salamin pag may patay. Even today, nadala ko yun takot na yun. Pag may patay kami na pupuntahan di ako tumitingin sa salamin. And noon namatay din unbyenan ko, tinakpan ko din un salamin.
Natatakot na naman ako as salamin😂
.I dont believe in this mirror stories.I only knew Fairy Tale Snow White and for this I heard.Others are unknow for me.In our house we havent many mirrors because I heard it is not good for health.
I don't want to believe in it even if it's true lol. See, there's one from you. Though I never heard of mirror not good for health it's nice to know that that belief exist. Thank you for the tip @Purebeauty! 🥰
Usage of mirrors really do get a lot of attention in films and tales and so much in chinese use. you forgot about the bagua XD the one that brings fortune when you hang on your doorway or store front
Oh yes! Seen the trailer but not the film, should have written that too, thank you for reminding me! 😀 I need to refresh its story. Do you like horror films?
Yes! I love horror that's why I remembered the bagua plus we have that at the door of our house since a bit of chinese roots and all
Aha! That's why. That Bagua thing gives me creeps lol But I know some of my Chinese officemates do have them as well. Cheers Hanz!
Same same. That movie ruined it for me because before, i always wanted to clean it but after watching it, i didn't even wanna touch the mirror because people might die ;;-;;
Permanent marker? So how did you remove it? 😅
While she's sleeping we use cream, oil etc! Not easy still have marks for a couple of days. She's not allowed to use markers since then just crayons. Then she started colouring the white wall. 😂
Didn't try alcohol? .. Naughty tia.. You need to repaint your wall then 😅
Wala alcohol dito. Luckily our wall paint is water based so I just rub it with a damp cloth. Ayan wag is muna mag aanak, jowa jowa muna!
Wala mga jowa eh 😭😭
Mirror mirror, when I look at it, I see that strong man striving through life unrelentless. While everyone lies to us, it tells us the truth about ourselves without a single lie. Its also believed here in Africa, that its better to cover the glass while going to bed to deter evil forces imitating your replica. Though the believe is fading away gradually. Nice write up you've got momma!
Keep striving! 💪🙌 Thank you Kennie for that lovely comment. How are you doing?
if you look in the mirror for a long time, you will see the devil looking over your shoulder.So embarrassing, creepy. When I was little, I sang in front of the mirror and then they scared me hehe. I was always afraid to look in the mirror for a long time
I know and I was writing this for two nights (after I put my kids to bed) I got scared of my own writing and I was trying to cover the mirror in our room. 😅 Then I went to toilet and accidentaly look into the mirror I came out running. For goodness sake this creepy things gets into my head now. 😂
As a kid, I used to watch cartoons, and I wanted a mirror that responds to voices by talking to myself and fulfilling desires, but now I laugh at that childhood thought. Sweet Tia's makeup looks innocent looking at herself in the mirror. Most of the time, when my daughters do that, I show them that I'm afraid.
Hahaha that's a good one! Maybe because when we were young we're not bound of which is real which is not. That wishes do come true lol. Then you grow up and understand that you really have to work and can't just sit in the mirror and make a wish 😂 I learn that the hard way my friend. And oh my Tia, I forget how I react but I burst out laughing when she told me, MOMMY TAKE ME PICTURE PLEASE! 😂 She's really proud. Hahaha
It's true that as a child I used to believe in magic and when I grow up I realize that I have to do everything myself. I love children when they are proud to do such things. And they become our source of happiness. Dear Tia, always be happy and live with pride
In your article, the most beautiful is your daughter. God bless her!! Most elevators have a large mirror near or inside. This is by no means a coincidence, but a psychological trick based on which you do not think about waiting. Namely, research shows that most people lose track of time while having fun, and observing their reflection is an activity that, no matter how narcissistic an individual is, preoccupies people.
Thank you my dear for your lovely comment. Oh my Tia is comic! 😄 And wow! Thank you for that information about the mirror in elevators as I not even thought of that. And now I know that there's science behind it. Cheers!