Mirrors and reflection

Cause and effect (aka karma) is akin to a mirror, in that the effect reflects the cause. The created world reflects the mind of the creator.

A mirror is the window to the soul in Oscar Wilde’s story “The Picture Of Dorian Gray”, about a man who cheats time and the ageing process through a portrait of himself that magically ages instead of his own body. The picture is likened to “the most magical of mirrors…[which] would reveal to him his own soul…”

SNOW WHITE – in this 19th century fairy tale, an evil queen is unhappy with a magic mirror that tells her what she doesn’t want to hear – that she’s not the most beautiful woman in the land.

THE SNOW QUEEN – 19th century fairy tale in which an evil troll makes a magic mirror that only reflects the bad and ugly, not the good and beautiful. Is this the separation of good and evil? The troll tries to get the mirror up to heaven, but it falls back to Earth and shatters into many pieces, which are scattered over Earth and into the hearts and eyes of people.

MIRROR OF JUSTICE – a title used for the virgin Mary in the Catholic LITANY OF LORETO. A depiction of this mirror shows the scales of justice above the mirror, and shows the ‘sun of justice’ whose light rays shine into the mirror, in which is Mary with the infant Jesus. Below the mirror is an inferior mirror overshadowed by the Devil.

NARCISSUS – in ancient Greek mythology Narcissus is obsessed with his own image (like the wicked Queen in Snow White) which he sees reflected in a pool of water. He realises that his love for his image can’t be reciprocated so – depending on which version of the story you read – either commits suicide or dies by the fire of his own passion. All that remains of him is a flower with white petals and a yellow centre.

More to come…