As any regular readers will be aware, at MirrorWorld, we’ve taken an interest not

just in the mirror as a physical object, but also as an important machination in

myths and legends. As promised, we will continue to update you on the history of
mirrors in myths, but today, we want to take a look at the symbolism of mirrors in
literature. Obviously this is not an in depth analysis as we don’t want to take up
too much of your time, however, here’re some thoughts in brief.
First of all, we must understand that physically, mirrors reflect light and thus reflect the
world around us. Spiritually, light has symbolic attachment to illumination, awareness
and wisdom etc. Therefore, in terms of spiritual symbolism, mirrors reflect truth. They
reflect what is.
Psychology however – as it often does – disagrees entirely and flips this symbolism on
its head. In a psychological sense, mirrors symbolize the threshold between the
conscious mind and the unconscious mind. By looking into a mirror, one may look
towards the depths of their unconsciousness. The image the mirror produces is
therefore symbolic and can be made sense of in both conscious and subconscious
thought processes.
In literature, mirrors have been used to symbolize a variety of things across both of
these spectrums of thought.
One example of the symbolic use of a mirror in literature is Sylvia Plath’s use of mirror
imagery and symbolism in her poem Mirror. The poem describes the life of a young
woman growing older as she looks into her mirror. In Plath’s poem – unlike in many of
the mirror’s appearances with women in literature, where the woman looking sees a
man, thus reflecting her subconscious desire to have the assurance of masculinity –
when the woman looks into it, she sees herself. It is open for debate whether the poem
spans years, or whether the woman is seeing a reflection of her future self. She
seemingly though, wants to discover who she is by looking into it.
Another example can be seen in the use of the magic mirror in
Goethe’s Faust. Mephistopheles takes Faust to the kitchen of a witch where he
discovers and becomes enchanted by (which has echoes of the story of Narcissus
which we touched on in the last newsletter) what he sees in it. However, unlike
Narcissus, Faust does not see a direct reflection of himself, he sees a subconscious
reflection of qualities he loves, but has lost in his conscious persona. He is portrayed as
a scholar who has lost his je ne sais quoi during his tireless dedication to his studies. In
the mirror he sees a beautiful young woman who he desires deeply. She symbolizes
everything he isn’t, and, having seen her, he is driven (by his subconscious desire to
become young and vibrant again) to eventually rediscover the joy in life.
Hopefully you’ve had your interest piqued, as we did, by this brief look at the symbolism
of mirrors in literature. We could go on, but we all, as Faust did, have lives to live and
that je ne sais quoi to find.
Remember, we can help your home rediscover its je ne sais quoi with one of our range
of beautiful bespoke mirrors.

The meaning of the dream symbol: Mirror

What you see in the mirror will probably be yourself, but as seen by your unconscious. For
that reason it may startle you; but take it seriously if you want self-knowledge.
It may represent the way you see yourself; or the way you want others to see you; or the
role-playing you do in life. Sooner or later, even in a business context, you may want to
base your life - attitudes, beliefs, values, relationships and behaviour - on something more
substantial, on the real centre of your being, which means finding your true self and fulfilling
your ‘destiny’. Perhaps that is what you are doing in the mirror in the dream - looking for
yourself.

Photo Gallery:
The mirror pertains to the image of oneself and how that image may compare to the inner
perception of oneself. The truth is, we live in a society which places all too much emphasis
on superficial images. Hence, we sometimes project the realities of our recent behavior
upon our own physical appearance.

We note the ‘anti-hero’ in modem movies who continuously observes his face in the mirror
as he falls deeper and deeper into the horrific territory of his ultimate demise. In this same
mythical sense, when we commit atrocities, or, if our life begins spiralling into a veritable
nightmare, we may find ourselves searching in the mirror for the familiarity of who we are.
We are searching for who we once were. More importantly, remembering that person, we
explore how (and why) our current (and presumably difficult) reality could have happened to
us in the first place? We seem to ask, is this face guilty, or innocent?

The image in the glass offers a silent answer which is gravely understood. In a variation of
this mirror reality, we examine the tenets of beauty. Can inner beauty be witnessed in the
external reflection of the glass? In other words, can we reveal our true psychological and
emotional make-up in the symmetrical expressions of our face and soulful gaze. The
answer, as any psychotherapist concerned with the psychology of Self knows, is absolutely
and positively, NO! Therefore, beauty (as well as bitter ugliness) is anything but skin deep.

What is reflected in the mirror if not truth, sincerity and what the heart and conscience hold?
Mirrors are used in this role in Western folk stories of initiation and in the rituals of Chinese
secret societies.

Although its deepest meaning may be different, in Japanese tradition mirrors are related to
the revelation of the truth as well as to purity. The same line of thought is behind the use of
a ‘mirror of the karma’ by Yama, the Indo-Buddhist Lord of the Kingdom of the Dead, when
he sits in judgement. Magic mirrors, instruments to reveal the word of God, may be
debased by use in divination, but in different forms of shamanism - rock-CRYSTAL being
the material - and among African Pygmies, they may be employed to astonishing effect.
The ‘truth’ revealed by the mirror may obviously be of a higher order and this conjures up
the magic mirror of the Ch’in, which Nichiren compares with the Buddhist ‘Mirror of the
Dharma’, which shows the causes of past actions. The mirror may be the instrument of
enlightenment. In fact the mirror is the symbol of wisdom and knowledge, a dusty mirror
being the symbol of the spirit darkened by ignorance. The Tibetan Buddhists’ ‘Wisdom of
the Great Mirror’ teaches the ultimate secret, namely that the world of shapes reflected in it
is only an aspect of shunyata, the void.
These reflections of the celestial Intellect or Word of Heaven have made the mirror seem as
if it were the symbol of the manifestation of the creative mind. It is also the symbol of the
divine intellect reflecting manifestation and creating it as such in its own image. This
revelation of identity and difference was the cause of the fall of Lucifer. In less specialized
terms it is the outcome of the most intense spiritual experience, as St Paul (2 Corinthians 3:
18) and many Christian and Muslim spiritual writers bear witness. ‘The human heart [is] the
mirror which reflects God’ is, for example, how Angelus Silesius expresses it, while for
Buddhists the mirror of the heart reflects the Buddha’s nature and for Taoists Heaven and
Earth.

Although the reflection of light or reality does not change its nature, it nevertheless carries
with it some illusory aspect (‘catching the Moon in the water’) or falsity with respect to the
First Cause. Hindu writers speak of ‘identity in difference’. ‘As the light is reflected in the
water but does not penetrate it, so is Shiva.’ Thus ‘speculation’ is indirect, ‘lunar’
knowledge. In any case the mirror presents a negative image of reality. ‘What is above is as
what is below’, says the alchemical Emerald Table, but with an opposite meaning.
Manifestation is a negative image of the First Cause, displayed in the two inverted triangles
of the star-shaped hexagon. The symbol of the ray of light reflected upon the surface of the
waters is the cosmogonic sign of manifestation, it is active purusha on passive prakrti,
vertical Heaven on horizontal Earth. Nevertheless, passivity, which reflects things while
remaining unaffected by them, is in China the symbol of the non-activity of the wise man.

The use which the Taoists made of the magic mirror was somewhat specialized. By
revealing the nature of evil influences, it drove them away and afforded protection against
them. Hence the survival of the custom of setting an octagonal mirror inscribed with the
eight trigrams above the entry to a house. Octagonal mirrors - undoubtedly signs of
harmony and perfection in the case of Amaterasu - in China are intermediaries between the
round mirror (Heaven) and the square mirror (Earth). Humans do not see their reflections
only in polished bronze or still waters, as this passage from the T’ang Chronicles, quoted by
Segalen, shows: ‘Men use bronze as a mirror. Men use the past as a mirror. Men use their
fellow-men as mirrors.’ In Japan the mirror, or kagami, is a symbol of the perfect purity of
the soul, of an unsullied spirit and of a reflection of self upon consciousness. It is also a
symbol of the Sun-goddess (Amaterasu-Omi-Kami). Sacred mirrors are to be found in many
Shinto shrines, like crucifixes in Catholic churches. A mirror is also one of the principal
imperial attributes and the Sacred Mirror is housed in a special building in the Imperial
Palace.

By virtue of the analogies between mirrors and water, fragments of mirror are often used, as
for example by the Bambara, in rain-making ceremonies.
Both mirrors and water surfaces are used to interrogate the spirits in divination and their
replies to the questions asked are written by reflection upon them. Congolese fortune-tellers
employ this process, sprinkling a mirror - or the surface of a bowl of water - with chalk dust.
The white powder is an emanation of the spirits and the pattern in which it falls reveals their
answer. In central Asia, shamans practised divination by mirrors, by pointing them at the
Sun or Moon, the latter being also regarded as mirrors on which is reflected all that occurs
on Earth. Furthermore, shamanistic robes were often decorated with mirrors which ‘reflect
the activities of men or else protect the shaman [during his spirit flight] against the arrows of
evil spirits. After such shamanistic experiences the sorcerer sometimes has to make the
same number of scratches on these shields as arrows which have hit them’.

Both Plato and Plotinus sketch the notion of the soul regarded as a mirror and this theme
was developed by St Athanasius and St Gregory of Nyssa, in particular. According to
Plotinus the image of a being is ready to receive the influence of its model as in a mirror.
According to his line of reasoning, the individual, like a mirror, reflects beauty or ugliness.

In its very different aspects, the mirror has become an especial theme for Muslim
philosophers and mystics inspired by Neoplatonism. The mirror is even called the symbol of
symbolism itself.

The numinous aspect of the mirror, that is, the terror which self-knowledge inspires, is
characterized by the Sufi legend of the peacock. The mirror is Psyche’s and analysts have
stressed the dark side of the soul.

Al-Ghazall exerted a deep influence on Sufism by using the Neoplatonist notion of the two
sides of the soul, ‘its lower side directed at the body, its upper at the mind’.

Attar said that ‘in its dullness the body is like the back of a mirror; the soul is its polished
face’. When discussing the two sides of the mirror, RumI explained that God created this
world which is dull and dark so that his light might be made manifest.

By virtue of the theory of the microcosm as an image of the macrocosm, the individual and
the universe play their respective parts as two mirrors. Similarly, individual essences are
reflected in the Divine Being, according to Ibn ‘ArabI, and the Divine Being is reflected in
individual essences.

If the heart is symbolized by a mirror - which used to be made of metal - then rust
symbolizes sin, and polishing the mirror purification.

In Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, they still use the Mirror of Our Lady Mary (Ayin-i BTbi
Maryam) when betrothed couples first meet. It is hung on the far wall of the room in which
the meeting takes place, the couple entering from opposite doors and being expected to
look at their mirror images, instead of straight at one another. In so doing they will meet as if
they were in Paradise, seeing their faces corrected and not inverted as in this world. The
mirror’s image-correcting facility becomes a symbol in this context of things seen in their
essential reality.

Sufis regard the whole universe as comprising a group of mirrors in which the Infinite Being
gazes at itself in its manifold shapes or else which reflect in different degrees the radiation
of the One Being. The primary significance of the mirrors is that they symbolize the self-
determining potentiality of the Being. They also convey the cosmological meaning of
material receptacles in respect of pure action.

Lastly, a different meaning makes the mirror a symbol of reciprocal awareness. A famous
hadith declares that ‘the faithful is the mirror of the faithful.’ The more the face of the mirror
of the soul is polished by self-denial, the better it is able to reflect faithfully its surroundings
and even the thoughts of others. Sufi literature contains a wealth of instances of men made
pure who were capable of this sort of ‘reflection’.
NDAY, JUNE 27, 2010
The Mirror - Symbol Of Reflection

The Mirror is a Symbol of physical and spiritual reflection.

The Symbolism associated with The Mirror has its roots in the very
distant past. Some of the oldest drawings found on temple walls
and papyrus scrolls depict images of Egyptian Neters gazing into
hand-held Mirrors.

In ancient times, Mirrors were made of polished bronze. Today,

Mirrors are made of glass. However, a Mirror can be any reflective
surface such as highly polished black stone or still Water.

In the material world of our Current Incarnation Mirrors are both a

necessity and convenience. We use Mirrors every day to reflect
physical images. We make use of rear-view Mirrors in our vehicles
to alert us of potential dangers and cautions behind us. We station
Mirrors at corners of buildings and hallways to "see" what is around
the corner. And, of course, we spend a fair amount of time every day
standing before our personal Mirrors while we preen ourselves prior
to going out into the world.

However, when we consider the esoteric, or mystic, Symbolism

associated with The Mirror we find that it alludes to a much higher
and sublime purpose...Spiritual Reflection!

Just as a physical Mirror is a reflection of how we currently appear,

and how the world around us currently appears, so too does our
Spiritual Mirror Truthfully reflect the Consequences of our actions
along with the Karmic rewards, or punishments, which the
consequences of our actions have brought upon us.

Our Spiritual Mirror reflects back to us our external surroundings. In

other words, our Spiritual Mirror shows us the people, places and
Events which are currently a part of the life we have created for
ourselves. By gazing at our external surroundings we are looking
directly into our Spiritual Mirror.

The Egyptian Neters, the Divine Principles of Nature referred to

earlier, gaze into their hand-held Mirrors in order to reflect upon
how they truly appear within the realm in which they are currently
expressing themselves. They are also gazing into their Mirrors in
order to "see" what consequences have been created as a result of
the Events which they have set in motion. In other words, they are
continually reflecting upon the results of their Thoughts and Actions
in an eternal process of self-evaluation.

Just as the Egyptian Neters gaze into their Divine Mirrors in order
to reflect upon themselves and ponder their thoughts and actions,
we too can use our very own personal Spiritual Mirrors to do the
very same.

In order for a Mirror to cast a reflection, it requires Light.

Symbolically, Light represents Illumination, Enlightenment,
Awareness and Wisdom. Therefore, in order for us to Honestly
evaluate ourselves and the world we have created around ourselves
when using our personal Spiritual Mirror, we must view our current
reflection with an Enlightened mind.

Keeping in mind that The Mirror can only reflect what is Truly
before it, whatever we view in our personal Spiritual Mirror is
currently the Truth of not only our Personality And Reputation
(who we are) but also the Truth of the world which we have created
around ourselves.

It is important to remind ourselves, however, that The Mirror

simply reflects that which is currently True. As Enlightened Beings
we have both the ability and responsibility to change our personal,
mental, and Spiritual reflection whenever we "see" something in our
Mirror that is not Harmonious with who we truly aspire to be. In
this way we are identical to the Egyptian Neters who gaze into their
hand-held Mirrors in an Eternal process of self-evaluation, self-
improvement, self-change and self-Enlightenment.

See also: "Personality and Reputation"

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from

people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be

either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2010

Posted by Joseph Panek at 6:00 AM

Labels: Egyptian Neter, karma, mirror, philosophy, reflection, spiritual mirror,spirituality, symbol, symbolism
5 comments:

Abby Bee said...

Thank you for posting this! I was trying to find inspiration for a project involving mirrors but I
needed to see other people's ideas of what mirrors symbolize. This was very helpful and an
interesting perspective.

September 22, 2013 at 12:12 PM

Jenny Jones said...

Thank you for sharing your insight. I kept having dreams of hand mirrors laying around.
Everywhere talks about the symbolism of what you see in the mirror, but not of the mirrors
themselves. I especially like your insight of how mirrors need light to reflect. I have been trying to
do a lot of introspection to make changes in my life, and I have many tools at my disposal, but I
realize I need to involve my higher power and connect with God more in order to fully see my
reflection. Without that, it's just like the mirrors just laying around. Tools of reflection going
unused.

May 5, 2015 at 7:31 AM

 Ra T Cash said...
I had a vision I saw a guy I'm dating in the mirror. After the vision was over seven early this
thought came to me that same pain that makes you want to quit is that same pain that keeps you
going

October 20, 2015 at 11:27 PM

Jacknjill Hershey said...

Wow i love the way you explained that I've been having a thing with mirrors and reflection and im
desperatly trying to piece it all together

June 10, 2016 at 7:50 PM

Jacknjill Hershey said...

I love that

June 10, 2016 at 7:52 PM

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