Broken Mirror – Why Does It Bring 7 Years of Bad Luck?
The sound of shattering glass is enough to send the same thought through many minds: seven years of bad luck. The broken mirror superstition is one of the oldest and most widespread of all, and its roots reach back to a time when a mirror was a treasure – and much more than an ordinary object.
The Soul in the Reflection – Origins of the Belief
Ancient peoples believed that a reflection in water, metal or glass showed the human soul. Damaging the reflection meant wounding the soul itself. When the Romans adopted this belief, they added an expiration date: they held that human health and vitality renewed themselves in seven-year cycles, so a broken mirror harmed the soul exactly that long – until the cycle renewed.
There was likely a very earthly practical reason as well: the first glass mirrors were extremely expensive, and the fear of seven years of misfortune was an excellent way to make servants handle them with care.
How to Undo the Bad Luck – Folk Remedies
Folk wisdom never leaves a person without a way out, so even a broken mirror comes with a whole list of "antidotes":
- Bury the pieces – the shards are gathered and buried in the earth, ideally under moonlight, so the ground can "absorb" the misfortune.
- Throw over the left shoulder – a fragment is tossed over the left shoulder, the same side over which spilled salt is thrown.
- Rinse in running water – the shards are held in a stream or under running water that carries the ill fate away.
- Never look into the broken reflection – most important of all: one must not look into a cracked mirror, because it was believed this would "break" one's own image as well.
Shards kept in the house, according to these beliefs, hold on to bad energy, which is why a broken mirror is never left hanging on the wall. You will find more home-related beliefs in our House Superstitions section.
Other Beliefs About Mirrors
In folk traditions, the mirror has always been a "window" to the other side, so a wealth of customs grew around it. In many regions, mirrors are covered after a death in the household, so the soul of the deceased does not linger in the reflection. A bride was not supposed to see herself in the mirror in her full wedding attire before the ceremony, and according to tradition, a new mirror should first be "looked into" by a cat or dog – so that the first face it reflects is not a member of the household.
At night, it was said, one should not gaze into a mirror by candlelight, because a "path opens" between the flame and the glass. You will find similar beliefs about household objects in our Dish Superstitions section, and objects that ward off ill fortune in the Amulets section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why exactly 7 years of bad luck?
The Romans believed that human life and health renewed themselves in seven-year cycles. A broken mirror damaged the soul in the reflection, and the harm lasted until the end of the current cycle – at most seven years.
What should you do with a broken mirror?
According to folk tradition, the shards should be carefully gathered without looking into the reflection, then buried in the earth or rinsed in running water. The more practical advice: wrap them safely, throw them away, and leave the bad luck to imagination.
Why are mirrors covered after a death?
According to old belief, the soul of the deceased could linger in the reflection, or a household member who saw themselves in a mirror in a house of mourning might 'follow the deceased'. That is why mirrors in many regions were draped with cloth until the burial.
