Mirror

The mirror often reveals an unexpected truth. In dreams, the mirror shows us another, often compensatory image of ourselves, as it might be perceived by another side of us or by another person.  

The tale of Snow White is the most famous example of a mirror that always speaks the truth (and its connection to narcissism). A modern reflection of this archetypal image is Galadriel’s mirror in The Lord of the Rings, which carries an explicit ambiguity well-suited to the symbol. (See also Face.)  

Reflection  

The mirror reflects us, prompting us to reflect upon ourselves. Humanity’s capacity for self-reflection is a prerequisite for consciousness. Thus, the mirror can symbolize self-knowledge.  

However, everything has its shadow. To immerse oneself in one’s reflection can, much like an “immature” immersion into the unconscious, lead to pointless self-absorption—for instance, mere aesthetic fascination with one’s image, as illustrated by the fate of Narcissus.  

The mirror allows for “reflections,” perhaps reflections of reality. In this sense, the mirror may symbolize the intellect (as in Schopenhauer’s philosophy) and its capacity for insights. But more mystically, the reflection might create a symmetry between otherwise incompatible worlds—such as the conscious and the unconscious. In this way, the mirror becomes an intersection (compare below).  

Self-Image  

The mirror reveals an objective (unconscious) image of oneself. It answers the question, “Who am I, really?” We use mirrors to define ourselves, bolster our self-esteem, and, at times, question our identity. In external life, it serves as a simple tool for self-reflection.  

During the Eleusinian initiation, the initiate was required to look into a mirror and see an old, horrifying face. The reflection did not show the young man what he was at that moment or affirm his identity but rather presented a vision of his entire life—just as in dreams, we rarely see what we expect or wish to see in a mirror but instead encounter a different kind of deeper truth.  

Shadow  

The unpleasant truth one might see in the mirror can be one’s shadow—that which one does not want to acknowledge about oneself. Notably, the Icelandic word for mirror is skuggsjá, meaning “shadow-seer.” Similarly, the Old High German and Gothic words for mirror, scuwo and skuggwa, mean the same. “Thus,” says the Swedish Etymological Dictionary, “the mirror is conceived as a container of shadows,” which is striking in this context.  

Soul  

According to “primitive thinking,” the reflection in the mirror is one’s soul. This gives the mirror an eerie quality, suggesting a risk of losing oneself within it. Such beliefs led to the practice of covering mirrors when someone died, as the mirror was perceived as a portal between this world and the next.  

The mirror objectively reveals the human soul, reflected by the reflective person. Reflection implies that what is reflected exists in both worlds.  

To the Greeks, the image in the mirror in dreams was one’s doppelgänger or a representation of the soul. Vampires, lacking a soul, consequently have no reflection.  

Boundary Between Worlds  

In line with the above, the mirror is widely regarded as a boundary between worlds—between humans and their souls, and between the living and the dead. This symbolism reappears in modern dreams and fantasies; we might recall that Alice in Through the Looking-Glass steps into the world of the unconscious through a mirror.  

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