Scrying: Spells with Mirrors
Reflections have always presented human beings with both a dilemma and an attraction. Seeing oneself reflected made us think about parallel realities, about the possibilities of altering what was reflected, and the invention of mirrors and polished glass as a perpetual reflection was undoubtedly a key step for the world of images, but also for the esoteric world. Without going any further, we have the well-known crystal ball, but also scrying techniques (scrutinizing), as the British Renaissance magician John Dee did with his obsidian objects.
Mirrors have gained traction as an esoteric element because nowadays it is not difficult to find a reflective surface, something that used to be more complicated, and for this purpose, bowls of water were used (in the style of Nostradamus or Pierre Coton). Although mirrors are normally auxiliary elements in rituals, we find many cases in which they are the main element in spells and divinations.
A Little History
Early civilizations already used mirrors as objects with occult powers, especially for divination. In the Mediterranean, in Greece, it was called captromancy, which many folklorists have used to define this practice in many other cultures. Captromancy basically consisted of looking into a mirror in a darkened room, aided by the dim light of a candle (although sometimes it was done with just the candle). Images or visions of the future or the past could be seen in the mirror. Sometimes these manifested in the darkness, and the mirror was considered a portal tool for channeling them. In Rome, this practice continued under the name Specularii, while in Egypt, it seems its earliest uses were associated with the deceased, as they could return to the world of the living through their reflections. It was through contact with other cultures that they also used it for divination. It is assumed that this practice was also practiced in many other areas of Africa.
In the Middle East, we have examples of the use of mirrors for apotropaic purposes, that is, to protect oneself from demons and evil spirits: their own reflections or the light would ultimately scare them away. These traditions continued in popular culture, and protective mirrors have been found in the Greek lands of ancient Byzantium, in Turkey, in Israel, and also among European Jewish communities, even as part of funerary trousseaus.
In Asia, we again find very varied examples of divination (to predict one's future husband or the number of children, to know in advance the outcome of a battle or the enemy's position, etc.). But in both India and China, mirrors also had another use: medicinal. Through the reflection, diviners were able to discern the illness or external evil that was causing it, and the reflection was "cleansed" to spiritually purify the person. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Chinese bronze mirrors had carved images that reflected light, creating luminous murals with their designs.
In pre-Columbian America, mirrors have been found for ritual and divinatory use, similar to those of the Greeks, but with the special characteristic of not being exclusively used for divination, but also for contact with divinities and spirits through trances.
Returning to Europe, despite ecclesiastical prohibitions, mirrors have been used in all spheres from the Middle Ages to the present day. People used mirrors to determine the appearance of their future partner, the future of the year, whether or not they would recover from an illness, etc., by examining their reflection or the shadows of darkness. On the other hand, scholars with esoteric concerns sought to communicate with celestial and demonic spirits, or to inquire about the existential planes.
Most people use a mirror for a specific purpose that they have previously ritualized or purified, although there are also those who have several mirrors, each with a specific purpose, so as not to "infect" them.
Mirror Divination
As we have already analyzed, one of the recurring purposes of mirrors was divination. This is popularly known as scrying, the word with which the British esotericist John Dee defined his activities. This has been extended to crystals in general, and the tradition can be traced through the crystal ball, the use of quartz or reflective metals, as well as the light of a fire or candles (licnomancy). From tradition and current events, we can conclude that the most common method is to create a dark environment, illuminated only by candlelight, and perform visualizations or meditations in front of the crystal.
(The urban legends about pronouncing the names of the dead in front of mirrors in the middle of the night most likely come from these practices. But there is no need to go too far, and we can simply think of the queen's magic mirror in Snow White)
There are disputes among practitioners about whether the figures or images that can be detected through this divination system manifest within the mirror's frame, or can also occur outside of it, the mirror being a portal and not simply a window. In either case, for both types of answers, it would depend on what and who was asked; that is, if the mirror is considered a portal, questions could be asked of spirits or deceased who could enter and exit, or at least that is generally understood. Specifically, for this type of request, it is necessary to perform some kind of improvised invocation or present an object that is pleasing to the entity being summoned, as in any other necromancy ritual. However, if what has been requested is a purely visual response, it is reasonable to assume that said image is limited by the space in which it has been requested.
There is a notable branch of scrying that involves the use of black mirrors or polished black crystal objects, such as the obsidian mirrors Dee used. In this regard, you can find rituals involving mirrors painted with reflective black paint or mirrors or other objects made of carefully polished obsidian, hematite, tourmaline, etc.
With the crystal ball, answers can only appear through reflections and sensations, as we saw in the article dedicated to it.
With regard to lycnomancy, it is believed that the lights and shadows caused by the candle would produce the visions, which could occur throughout the dark space, or preferably, at the edges of the light and smoke. On the other hand, for some practitioners, the color of the candle should be relevant to the subject at hand, whether a mirror is used or not.
Another type of mirror divination is done by placing a mirror at the bottom of a container of water. In this case, whether in the dark or not, it is the movement of the water that must be interpreted, whether by the way it moves, by the areas, or by the tones reflected. Neither in this case nor in the previous ones are there a series of specific symbols and movements, as the interpretation is based on sensations and conscious suggestion. Some believe that scrying can be done directly with water, without the need for reflective objects.
Finally, as a precursor to the pendulum, we have a Greek text by Pausanias in which we are told that a mirror was tied to a rope, and based on its oscillation and reflections, illnesses were divined, and who would be cured and who would not.
Spells with Mirrors
Spells with mirrors are many and varied. We can see that reflection is the main characteristic that defines them.
-Protection
Mirrors continue to be used as protective objects on the exterior of homes or at entrances, to ward off or reflect bad things outward. This is also used, although less frequently, in some pieces of jewelry, or by wearing a small mirror as an amulet.
Among these, the Chinese feng shui Bagua mirrors stand out. Shaped like a Pa kua, these mirrors can have a concave or convex curvature. Being concave, they attract and retain good things (joy, health, money, etc.), and if connected, they repel and repel all bad energy.
To cast a protection spell on someone, a common practice is to hide their image or name behind a mirror, i.e., the non-reflective side. This way, it is believed that all bad influences will bounce off the mirror and not reach them.
-Returning Curses
On the other hand, a simple way to return a curse to its bearer is to place two mirrors facing each other with a symbol of that person or curse in between, for example, a candle that has been burned or a ritualized ending of the curse. The reflections on either side enclose the curse as well as any negative energies or spirits. Some people place the two mirrors directly against each other, leaving them in darkness.
-Charging Mirrors with Energies
This isn't the most common method, and yet we feel compelled to present it in this article because it is the most "esoteric and witchy" of all. It involves the belief that mirrors capture the energies of whatever they reflect. Following this belief, a mirror can be exposed to the sun to capture its warmth or light, or to the moon to capture its changes, its mysticism, its relationship with water... Specific moments can also be used, such as capturing the fury of a storm, the energies of a good or bad moment, etc. These mirrors are kept covered with cloth or in small boxes, and are used as enhancers in spells that require or seek these energies.
-Physical and mental healing
A spell to improve a person's energies and mood may involve performing a ritual in front of a mirror. A large mirror, where the person sees themselves continuously. The mirror is decorated and surrounded by candles, and can even be painted on. These types of acts can have different purposes: beauty, self-control, healing, etc.
For healing purposes specifically, the mirror is often cleaned, or the diseased areas in the reflection are marked with wax beforehand, which will then be erased when cleaned, thus helping, according to belief, to eliminate the discomfort.
- Destroying and Cursing
On the contrary, a spell to destroy consists of the opposite: breaking a mirror that was reflecting the enemy. Although the superstition that breaking a mirror for seven years brings bad luck originates from the high cost of mirrors, as a kind of warning to treat them with care, the truth is that the destruction of an image is one of the oldest rituals in existence. Therefore, it is natural to think that seeing oneself broken into pieces is automatically a negative sign. Most mirrors also have the characteristic that when broken, they don't reflect a single image, but rather several images, each in a fragment, adding to the magical thought of division. Coincidentally, to avoid bad luck for a mirror, the pieces are usually placed in water and then placed in a black bag before being disposed of, as if this way, they are cleaned and a second reflection from the cursed mirror is avoided. They can also be covered in sand or buried, the point being that they are unable to reflect anything else.
Regarding cursing another person, one should remember not to reflect oneself in the mirror being broken, so that the evil does not fall on the person casting the spell, but only on the person reflected.
-Multiplying the Effects
For both good and bad, placing several mirrors that reflect the main object of the ritual is considered an amplifying tool. Therefore, you can curse someone or help someone by using mirrors as an auxiliary tool that "multiplies" the power of the spells with their reflections, always taking care not to reflect yourself (unless the spell is being cast for yourself, of course).
- Waters and Oils
In spells that require creating some type of magical water or oil, a mirror is placed at the bottom of the cauldron or bowl and the ingredients are poured onto it. For example, for a love spell, place the mirror at the bottom of a container and pour water, rose petals or buds, cinnamon, flowers, honey, some essential oil or aroma, etc., then stir and use (or transfer to a container).
This system is also valid for creating waters to purify the home or for creating waters or oils to be used on the face or body.
Pietro V. Carracedo Ahumada - pietro.carracedo@gmail.com
Bibliography:
-Guiley, R. The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy. Facts on File, Inc. 2006
-Mueller, Mickie (2016), The Witch's Mirror: The Craft, Lore & Magick of the Looking Glass. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn.
-Telesco, P. A Little Book of Mirror Magick. Meditations, Myths, Spells. Ten Speed Press. 2003.
Related Articles:
> Candles and Their Esoteric Use
