Halloween Mirror Magic

Hey how for Hallow E'en
A' the witches tae be seen
Some in black and some in green
Hey How for Hallow E'en!

I recently saw the the movie Paranormal Activity 3. As I watched the scene featuring the urban legend of Bloody Mary I immediately thought of the power of mirrors as tools of divination, and of their symbolism as doorways between the material world and the spirit world. I determined to do a bit of research as soon as I exited the theater.

For those readers who haven't seen the movie or who are unfamiliar with the Bloody Mary urban legend, this is how the most common variation goes: Bloody Mary committed some horrible crime before her death, and now her ghost haunts the world. The subject goes into a dark room and, while facing a mirror, repeats the name of Bloody Mary three times, usually on a dare. It is said that the ghost of Bloody Mary will appear in the mirror, often with dire consequences to the subject. Dares like these are rather common this time of year when there is a heightened interested in the supernatural and the macabre, especially among bored youngsters (and apparently among film directors as well).

In any event, what my research revealed is that the origin of this myth could lie in actual divination rituals. A hundred years ago it was a common practice for a woman to sit before a mirror combing her hair or eating an apple by candlelight on Halloween to catch a glimpse of her future husband. Supposedly he would appear in the mirror over her shoulder. The same procedure is sometimes said to cause the Devil to appear (over the left shoulder rather than the right no doubt), and therefore this divination ritual is sometimes changed into a dare. Still others believe that no apple eating is required, that simply staring into a mirror long enough will conjure the Devil.

In ancient times it was common for mirrors to be used for divination by viewing and interpreting the reflections of smoke or rippling water. Many modern witches make black divination mirrors by painting black one side of a glass pane, or create mirrors by partially filling a black bowl with water.

Since the veil between the worlds is thinnest at Halloween, one could use mirror magic in any number of ways. With that in mind, here is a list of suggestions:

1. To contact a deceased friend or loved one, sit before the mirror eating the decedent's favorite food.
2. Another option would be to consume a type of food or beverage of a sympathetic nature -- perhaps a piece of cake to see a deceased spouse, a bottle of beer to see an old drinking buddy, etc.
3. Sip wine while paying respects to the Hidden Company or the Fairy Court and perhaps one or more of them will become visible.

Obviously these rituals should be attempted with the utmost care, caution, and respect. And, as always, any act of divination or conjuration that summons a spirit or entity should be be concluded with a banishment or at least a firm farewell, such as, "I bid now farewell to you all; let each of you return unto his own place, and let there be peace between us all" or some such.

References:

1. Wikipedia entry, Bloody Mary (folklore)
2. Wikipedia entry, Catoptromancy (divination using mirrors)
3. The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore by Charles Kightly
4. The Zingara Fortune Teller by A Gypsy Queen