The connection between mirrors and spirituality spans several cultures and periods in time. For those who believe in superstitions and traditional practices like feng shui, mishandling a mirror could result in grave consequences. Removing one from your home, for instance, might bring you misfortune if you don’t know how to dispose of a mirror without bad luck.
Continue reading to find out how you can go about this task safely. We’ll also discuss bits about the superstition surrounding mirrors, like what a broken mirror symbolizes, what to do if you break a mirror, and how to get rid of bad luck after breaking a mirror.
What Happens if You Break a Mirror?
Many people believe that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck (to whoever is responsible), regardless if it’s on purpose or by accident. Similar to leaving a hat on the bed, stepping on a crack, and walking under a ladder, it’s one of the “unlucky” things that people avoid committing. But, why?
To better understand this popular superstition, we have to take a look at what mirrors symbolize. Ancient Greeks and Romans, for instance, believed that your reflection in the mirror shows your soul. And so, if you ever happen to break a mirror, it would take seven years for your damaged soul to regenerate. During that period, your soul won’t be able to protect you from any bad luck. It would also take this long to fix any damaged aspect of your life. Some even believe that the soul itself may purposely plague you with negative energy as vengeance for what you have done.
So, is it bad luck to have a broken mirror in your house? Most people think so. Misfortune and health issues are only some of the repercussions you might get from keeping it. This is the reason why you should know how to dispose of a mirror without bad luck.
How to Dispose of a Mirror Without Causing Bad Luck
So you happened to break a mirror. Are you doomed for the next seven years? Not just yet – that is if you know how to reverse the negative karma. So, how to dispose of a mirror without bad luck? How do you reverse bad luck from breaking a mirror?
Read on to find out and see which best suits you:
Throw Salt Over Your Left Shoulder
Throwing salt over your shoulder has got to be the most popular method of reversing bad luck from breaking a mirror. It’s quite convenient too, because who doesn’t have salt in their kitchen? All you have to do is take a pinch and toss the salt over your shoulder.
Which shoulder do you throw salt over? The answer is to the left, and that ties into the reasoning behind this superstition. According to some, the devil sits on our left shoulders. By, tossing salt over this area, you are essentially hitting the bringer of bad luck. The goal is to hit the devil’s eye, buying time so you can escape from it. After tossing the salt, some people even run to places like underneath the table or under the bed with the idea of hiding from the devil completely.
Spin Around Three Times
Spinning around three times is another popular one in this list of how to reverse bad luck. Like throwing salt over your shoulder, this is easy to do. It’s even better because you won’t need anything other than yourself, so no worries if you don’t have access to salt at the moment. After breaking a mirror by accident, immediately spin around three times counterclockwise (spinning towards the left) to confuse the spirits.
A word of warning, though. Do not do this unless you have broken a mirror. Otherwise, spinning around three times unprovoked might also bring you bad luck.
Pulverize the Mirror
Another way to reverse bad luck if you have smashed a mirror is to pulverize it. It may sound counter-intuitive to grind the broken shards even more, but many people believe that this may help undo the curse. Sounds like a probable scene in Stephen King movies, doesn’t it?
After breaking the mirror, avoid staring into the reflective pieces and pulverize everything immediately. Grinding it up into a powder prevents you from seeing your reflection in the broken mirror entirely. The caveat, though, is that you will need equipment or tools to do this, like a mortar and pestle. You also have to be extra careful when grinding the mirror because you might get cuts or abrasions from handling the sharp pieces. Make sure to wear protective gear like gloves and goggles too.
Toss the Mirror into Running Water
There is also the belief that washing the broken mirror under running water helps alleviate the bad karma. Instead of seven years, the curse will only last seven hours if you do this ritual. If you want to stick to tradition, toss the shards in a south-running river. But if you don’t have access to a running body of water in your vicinity, some say you can also wash the mirror under a faucet.
Touch a Tombstone With a Mirror Shard
Another method to lift the seven years of bad luck is to touch a tombstone with a mirror shard. Yes, it’s a little creepy but many people believe in this method. It doesn’t take much effort to do this one either. You will need to visit a nearby cemetery during a full moon to achieve this though, so it’s not recommended for the faint of heart. But if you manage to get past this thought, you simply have to touch a tombstone with the shard for a second or two, and you’re good to go. This may sound like the stuff that Halloween movies are made of, but it’s a small price to pay for some peace of mind.
Blacken the Mirror With Fire
To dispose of a mirror without bad luck, another good method is to blacken its reflective side first with fire. This one is also fairly easy to do at home. But of course, you will need fire. You can use anything from a simple matchstick to a burner stove to do the job, but you will need to be extra careful regardless of what you are using. Then, simply burn the shards until blackened. Finally, bury the mirror deep into the ground in your backyard or garden after a year to seal the deal.
Bury the Mirror
For the superstitious, burying the mirror is a much better alternative to throwing it away. So if you’re also a believer, this is a much better choice. With this, you are essentially “hiding” the shards from the spirits. We recommend doing this at night when it’s harder to see your reflection in the damaged mirror.
Repurpose the Glass Shards
Although checking your reflection in the mirror is not advised, repurposing the shards to make an art piece for your wall is something to consider. Some even believe that this method is better than completely disposing of the shards. So the next time you wonder what to do with a broken mirror, you can also try crafting with it.
If you want, you can make a geode mirror using epoxy resin. Even better, you can even make this as a piece of decoration for your small bedroom ideas.
Dispose of the Mirror
In case you wish to get rid of the mirror ASAP without grinding it to bits or tossing it into a body of water, you can. All you have to do is dispose of the mirror. While it may be the least favored in terms of getting rid of bad luck, there are ways around it.
First of all, you can give away the item. This is the most harmless option if you don’t want to keep the mirror in your house. If the damage is only minimal, give the mirror away to someone who wants it. But in case it’s completely broken, you can donate it to someone who may want to repurpose it.
If these aren’t possible in your case, we’ll teach you how to dispose of a mirror without bad luck in the following section.
How to Dispose of a Mirror Properly
Should you wish to rid of the mirror entirely, follow these steps to dispose of a mirror properly:
Scenario 1: Disposing of a Broken Mirror
This is how you can safely throw out a cracked mirror:
- Wear protective gear. Keep yourself safe by wearing goggles, gloves, and shoes before handling the shards to avoid any accidents.
- Fix the cracked mirror. If there are only a few detached pieces, duct tape the shards in place so that you can safely handle the mirror.
- Collect the broken pieces. If the mirror is too damaged to be put together, just collect the pieces in one area so you can easily clean it up.
- Sprinkle salt on the mirror and the floor. Many people recommend doing this on a Thursday. However, feel free to skip this step if you’re not superstitious.
- Wrap everything in bubble wrap. This serves as an extra layer of protection so that the collectors are also protected while handling your item.
- Put a bag or box on your mirror. Make sure to seal it properly too.
- Label your trash appropriately. “Broken mirror” or “fragile” are good examples.
- Take the mirror to the trash bin. Do this just as the trash is being collected. For example, you may want to take it out the night before or in the morning when the collectors usually visit. Avoid keeping the broken mirror near your front door at all times. Ideally, it should be placed as far from your house as possible.
Note: Do not put your broken mirror in the recycling bin. Collectors may refuse mirrors for recycling, so it’s better to confirm this with them first.
Scenario 2: Letting Go of a Whole Mirror
Haven’t broken your mirror but you want to let it go? This one is easier because it’s not considered bad luck to throw away a whole mirror.
Here’s how to dispose of large mirrors:
- Tape a large “X” on the front and back of the mirror. Doing this keeps it from splintering in case it gets broken.
- Wrap the mirror in bubble wrap. This will serve as its extra layer of protection.
- Label it as “fragile.” Like in disposing of a broken mirror, you should also identify a wrapped whole mirror so the garbage collectors will know what they are handling.
- Take the mirror out to the trash bin. Do not put it inside the bin, though, so people passing by can still adopt it if they wish to do so. When it’s separate from the rest of the trash, it’s also a lot safer to handle.
Tip: If the mirror is attached to the wall, you can easily detach it using a heat gun.
Why Dispose of a Mirror?
So, can you throw away a mirror? Yes, you can, but carefully. Despite knowing the risks, many people still decide to do it.
Here are other superstitions about mirrors and why people let go of their precious belongings:
Deterioration
People believe it’s a bad omen when the reflective surface of the mirror shows noticeable signs of deterioration without any apparent reason. They believe that glass breaking by itself means that the mirror has protected its owner from a kind of misfortune, sickness, and even death. The negative energy is captured inside of the household accessory, so the mirror should be therefore thrown out.
Owner Passing Away
Some people decide to dispose of a mirror if its owner has already passed away. They believe that the mirror might serve as a passageway for the owner’s soul, so it should also be thrown out 40 days after the owner’s death.
Negative Energy
For others, they dispose of a mirror to remove negative energy from their homes. Particularly if the object has been present during dramatic and unpleasant events in the household, most people decide to get rid of it. Otherwise, some believe that keeping the mirror may only hinder the owners from moving forward and improving their self-image.
Damage
Finally, people decide to dispose of a mirror if it has been damaged either intentionally or accidentally. Apart from the fact that the mirror won’t be able to serve its purpose, it’s also considered unlucky to have a broken mirror in the home as we have established in the previous sections.
Get Rid of a Mirror to Dispel Negative Energy
That is the main reason why people decide to discard mirrors that have served them for years. A good home should be able to attract positive energy, wealth, and good luck, and you can’t have that peace of mind if you’re continuously worried about the superstitions surrounding broken mirrors and spirituality. Put your mind at ease by knowing how to dispose of a mirror without bad luck.
