Mirror Mirror on the Wall - oh F**k its a Demon!

Mirrors.
Legends.
Ghostly portals.
What is all of that about and where did the connection about mirrors and demonic entities come from?

Ever since human beings became aware of their own image, there has been fascination and fear of reflective surfaces. Originally any reflective surface seemed to be something to be in awe of. 

Folklore and legend have many stories relating to magic and haunted mirrors. Most of these tend to be warnings about the dangers of mirrors having negative, supernatural qualities.

Chunks of obsidian were used by those who could afford it.

Mirrors were seen to just not only be a reflection of the self - but of the soul and by looking into the mirror and seeing what may be behind you you may see your shadow side or the negative side of yourself.

Mirrors are believed by many to be portals to the spirit realm and even other dimensions.

It was and still is in many countries a very important task to take down or cover all mirrors in homes where someone has died so that it makes it impossible for the collectors of the dead to come through and choose another soul to take with them or for the dead person to see their own reflection as they wander around their house or that they do not choose to take another member of the family with them through the portal of the mirror when it is their time to move on.

Here are a few examples of the beliefs about mirrors that have been around for hundreds of years:

• Mirrors have the ability to suck out souls. To avoid this happening mirrors were removed from a room where an ill or dying person lay because they were thought to be more vulnerable to the negative power of a mirror.

• People were warned never to look into a mirror at night or by candlelight. If you did, you would be certain to see ghosts, demons and portents of death - even your own!

• When a person died in a room the mirrors had to be covered or turned to face the wall. Failure to do so would result in the deceased person's soul being lost - or they may even turn into a vampire.

• Even while asleep, it was thought best to cover your mirror as you could be vulnerable to attack from negative spirits or demons during the dark hours. It was also advised, to never place your bed in a place where it is reflected in a mirror.

• In order to prevent mirrors being used as a portal by supernatural entities, the mirror should be frequently moved to different areas of the room.

• Mirrors with a solid backing placed in the same position for a long period of time, are thought to be more likely to become spiritual portals.

As an item that only the rich would be able to afford for many hundreds of years it is no wonder that mirrors seemed mysterious objects.

Certainly many stories about witches have them using mirrors for scrying and other crafty concoctions!

So what kind of experiences have people had with mirrors?

There are hundreds of documented cases of haunted mirrors and they tend to have similar characteristics. People have reported paranormal experiences when:

• An old mirror is brought into the home from somewhere else.
• People, when moving into a new home, have had problems with mirrors left behind by the previous occupants.
• People have reported paranormal activity after using mirrors for divination/scrying. Usually no protection was used by the participants and it is thought that they may have created a portal. It’s suggested that when carrying out any kind of spiritual work with mirrors to use a cleansing and protective ritual. If you are doing spiritual work that doesn't involve a mirror or other scrying device, then these should either be covered or put away in a safe place.
• It has also been observed using a ouija board can also create portals. Mirrors nearby are often claimed to be the origin of the portal after a ouija board session.
• Often people have reported having experiences with haunted mirrors in hotels, friends/relatives home, visiting a place as a tourist and so on. These areas usually, but not always, have a reputation for being haunted.

The phenomena reported in connection with haunted mirrors are varied. The most common manifestation is the formation of images of people/entities other than the people occupying the room.

However, it should be remembered that natural distortions and curious light effects can create a number of bizarre effects. Added to this is the brain's phenomenal ability to create meaningful shapes and faces out of random patterns.

oh and it doesnt help that most of us have been bought up with superstitions such as 7 years bad luck if we break a mirror!!!

• A mirror figures prominently in 'Oculus,' an unsettling movie that mixes paranormal activity with psychological suspense. ...

Other movies featuring spooky and haunted mirrors are:

• Dracula (1931) ...
• Carrie (1976) ...
• An American Werewolf in London (1981) ...
• The Shining (1980) ...
• Candyman (1992) ...
• Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) ...
• Poltergeist (1982)

In any case mirrors are a theme that keep on coming back in cinema.

Harry Potter had a mirror where he could see his mother and father for example - not necessarily a spooky thing but certainly it added to the idea that mirrors can lend themselves to be portals into another dimension.

Most recently I am watching a show called 'Requiem' which also involves mirrors.

A quick synopsis:

In 1994, a toddler disappeares from a small Welsh village, never to be seen again. 

23 years later, in London, the mother of rising cello star Matilda Gray takes her own life, without apparent reason. 

Among her possessions, Matilda discovers tantalising evidence, linking her mother to the Welsh girl's disappearance all those years ago. And so grief stricken Matilda travels to Wales, determined to find out who she really is, even if it means unraveling her own identity. In the process, she uncovers long buried secrets in this remote community - including one secret more bizarre, terrifying and dangerous than anything she could have imagined: Dark otherworldly forces are gathering - they have been waiting many years for Matilda to return. 

In one scene Matilda sits in a cave looking into a mirror - she is told to look into it and not look around but keep staring into the mirror for the creatures to reveal themselves to her.

Certainly many of us may think that when we look into a mirror we will see something frightening!

The truth of that is more to do with the fact that as we get older we often do not recognise the reflection that stares back at us!