Russian beliefs about mirrors and useful conclusions that can be drawn from them
The old superstitions about mirrors, passed down from generation to generation, have lived up to the age of digital technologies. Ancient signs warn of possible troubles that may entail improper handling of mirrors. Our ancestors were convinced that a mirror surface could bring a lot of troubles.
Until the end of the XVII century in Russia it was a sin to stare at your reflection. The confessors believed that mirrors pose a threat to the immortal soul. Therefore, in 1666, the Church Council forbade the clergy to use mirrors. Surprisingly, the Slavs perceived the reflecting surface as a kind of portal to another dimension.
In ancient times, the reflection of our world on the surface of the water disturbed curious minds. The spiritual law forbade keeping a mirror in the house, but did not apply to the water surface. People had to come into contact with water many times a day. Folk superstitions warned of the mystical danger that lurks behind the alluring reflection.
According to legend, girls and young women who committed suicide because of unhappy love became mermaids. After death, these unfortunate people did not miss the moment to take revenge on the living. With sweet speeches and a clear face, they lured the young men into the swamp. Swimming in the river or walking on the water at night was considered complete recklessness.
It would seem that what do mirrors and death have in common? Our ancestors took care of the souls of the dead and the well-being of the living. Burial is only a small part of a large ritual. According to beliefs, the soul of a deceased person hovers in the world of the living 40 days after death. As a rule, on the last day of this period, relatives arranged a wake, saying goodbye to the departing soul forever.
Before burial, psalms, funeral prayers and other texts were read over the deceased. An open mirror could reflect back the spoken words, distorting their meaning. The dense fabric protected the house from terrible consequences. Also, the soul of the deceased, going into the "looking glass", could take with him the spirit of a living person, bringing upon him an early death.
In Russia, mirrors were attributed magnetic properties. Allegedly, they absorbed negative energy. Admiring the reflection attracted diseases and other troubles. People sincerely believed that at first the mirror absorbs the negative, and then begins to give it away. Therefore, it was impossible to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror.
In the old days, it was believed that the special power of mirrors is manifested on moonlit nights, when the revelry of various evil spirits begins. Fortune-telling on a mirror was considered an extremely risky venture. Desperate girls indulged in a grave sin, dreaming of seeing in the reflection the image of the intended. Superstitions warn that the devil himself may appear in his role.
Slavs often wondered where so much power came from in mirrors. According to beliefs, they absorbed the negative emotions of people when they "caught" their reflections. Looking in the mirror, a person does not think about emotions and, unwittingly, feeds a mystical object with fear, anger, envy, indignation. Superstitious ancestors warned that at some point the old mirror would throw out the accumulated negativity back.
It was considered very unwise to hang a mirror by the bed. After all, during sleep, the soul travels freely and cannot protect the owner. The reflection of a sleeping person could serve as a key for otherworldly forces that languish in the mystical "looking glass".
The most terrible superstitions are associated with broken mirrors. According to the logic of our ancestors, a whole mirror is less dangerous than a cracked one. A sign is still alive that portends great misfortunes to the person who broke the mirror. In Russia, it was believed that through a crack accumulated negativity breaks free. The smaller the fragments and the older the mirror— the more bad energy. After all, over a long life, it has managed to absorb a huge amount of negative emotions from different owners.
Keywords: Mirrors | Omens | Rus | Slavs | Superstition