Mirrors and the spirit world: Legend and Lore~

Mirrors have always been an instrument of fascination for human beings. From early man who caught their reflections in streams to modern "bloody Mary" urban legends, the mystique of reflective surfaces have been a long time fuel for stories and folklore.
They've been viewed as portals to other realms-- particularly of the spirit realm.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Mirrors are commonly found at the center of paranormal activity in the home. It's not uncommon for someone to bring a mirror down from grandma's attic, or pick up a great buy on E-bay, only to find paranormal activity starting up soon after.

Many ancient cultures believed that if a mirror was present in a room when a person died, that their spirit could become trapped in the mirror. The mirror then, when carried around from home to home, would also carry the person's spirit.

The practice of covering mirrors in a house when someone dies can be traced back to these beliefs.
Scariest of all, shadow people and demons are closely associated with mirrors—these particularly dangerous spirits are said to use mirrors to freely enter and exit rooms when they have the inkling.

SPIRITUALISM

Have you ever taken part in a séance? Toyed with a Ouija board? Called to spirits of the dead? Some old legends hold that it's not the Ouija board, the medium or any other tools or people that are what bring the spirit into the home. Those are just the tools for communication used when the spirit arrives. The real entry way in and out of the spirit world are the mirrors in the house.

GLIMPSING THE SPIRIT WORLD

If you're really daring, you may wish to use a mirror as a tool to glimpse the spirit world intentionally. This is the root of all those ‘bloody Mary’ legends. I wouldn’t count on Queen Mary actually showing up; that’s just part of what makes for a good story. But the truth is you can catch site of spirits in the mirror if you try.

Some legends say lighting a candle and setting it before a mirror is all you need. Just darken the rest of the room and gaze into the mirror, past the candle and past your own reflection. Eventually, if there are any spirits in the room, they’ll either pass by or show up behind you.

Other legends say it’s a bit trickier than that. You have to arrange mirrors to catch each other’s reflections. In some legends it’s as few as three, in others it’s as many as seven. Some say the final reflection should be that of a door which is bounced from mirror to mirror— you’ll see the ghosts on the other side of the threshold if you try.

PROTECTING YOURSELF

If you’re not looking to see spirits, you may wish to protect yourself from any spirits showing up in or—Heaven forbid!- entering through the mirror. There are a few precautions that you can take.
For one thing, cover the mirrors at night; night time is when the more malevolent entities like to lurk. They prefer hiding in the shadows. By covering the mirror with a white cloth in your bedroom you can prevent anything from entering.

When you bring a mirror into a home, cleanse it with salt water. Hang or draw a protective religious symbol on the wall behind it to prevent it from acting as a portal.

Probably the smartest advice of all—don’t dabble in spiritualism. You never know what doors you might open up, especially if you provide the easy access of mirrors in your home.

http://www.psychicsuniverse.com/articles/spirituality/living-spiritual-life/rituals/mirrors-and-spirit-realm-legend-and-lore