Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
My Account | Help | View your shopping cart Shopping Cart We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Glossary
What's New
Most Popular
List of Articles

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

March / April 2010 Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Download the PDF File version of the latest issue of Llewellyn's New Worlds Catalog


The Llewellyn Encyclopedia
Print this Term Print this Article

Making the Mirror

This article was written by Donald Michael Kraig on August 04, 2005
posted under Magic Mirror

Making and using a magic mirror is an ancient tradition. There are many different variations on how to do this that have developed over the centuries, but the basics are very simple, especially since it is now possible to find the necessary curved piece of glass.

Making the Mirror:
1) Obtain a clear piece of glass that is curved like a bowl. These can be obtained from watchmakers or clockmakers. Alternatively, they are sometimes found in hobby shops. A hand-held one can be as small as three or four inches in diameter. Larger ones can be used by placing them on stands or keeping them in boxes. Some people like to line the box in black velvet.
2) Wash the glass thoroughly and dry it with a lint-free cloth. Some people like to use special herbal washes, including such items as eyebright.
3) If you were to use the glass to hold water, the part that holds the water is the inside while the part that would rest on a table is the outside. To make a magic mirror, you paint the outside flat black. Check with the store where you buy the paint, as some paints do not adhere well to glass. In the past, I’ve used paints designed for blackboards to great effect. It is better to apply several thin coats (being sure to let them dry thoroughly between coats) than one heavy coat, as the result may not be smooth. Do as many coats as necessary so that you cannot see through to the other side when you look at a light through the glass. Some people apply a mystically or magically significant number of coats of paint. When you look into the bowl, you should see no streaks or runs in the paint. If you do, remove the paint and start again at step two above.

Using the Mirror
1) Begin by doing any cleansing or banishing rituals you wish to use.
2) If you work with any deities, call on them for support. If you are going to do a divination for a specific purpose, clearly identify what that purpose is. You might even want to write this down on a piece of paper.
3) Dim the lights and darken the room, save for one small light. Many people prefer a candle. Hold the mirror so you are looking into the inside of the glass, similar to looking into a bowl. That is, the painted part is on the far side of the glass from where you are looking. If you used flat black paint, the glass will make it look shiny. You should not be looking at the side with the flat black paint on it. If it is too big to hold, set its holder with the mirror on it (or in it) on a table in front of you.
4) Move the light so you cannot see its reflection directly in the mirror, but make sure that you can see the mirror.
5) Focus on the purpose of the divination and look into the mirror—not at it, but literally into it or through it.
6) Relax. Breathe. Allow yourself to be open to anything you might see, feel, hear, smell, taste, or sense. Nothing may happen the first few times you try this or you may be flooded with images. Whether it occurs right away or after a few experiments, it will come! Be open to anything. You don’t need to force it or try. Just relax and allow yourself to be shown what you need to see. Eventually, it will come.
7) Observe and remember what happens.
8) Finish with thanks to any you have called and dismiss them. Cleanse and/or banish the area. It is important to immediately write down what you experienced, as divinations of this kind can fade rapidly from memory, just as even the most vivid dreams may quickly fade from memory when you awaken in the morning.
9) Sometimes, divination with a magic mirror opens the divination rather than completes it. You may have prophetic dreams or synchronistic experiences as a result of the work begun with the magic mirror. Don’t ignore this new information.

Looking through a typical tarot deck, you find that human characters in the cards are distinguished by many different kinds of headwear. Tarot artists are limited by how much detail they can fit into such small illustrations, but by drawing people with different hats, crowns, helmets, and other head coverings, they concisely convey information... read this article
The Astrological Elements: How Compatible Are Your Sun Signs?
The Everyday Clairvoyant: What’s Your Gift? (And Does It Help You Clean The House?)
Court Cards, Part I: The Kings of Tarot
Court Cards, Part II: The Queens of Tarot
Court Cards, Part III: The Knights of Tarot

Most recent posts:
Sabbat or sabbat?
This may be one of my shortest blog posts ever, but bear with me. I realized today while proofing some copy on "celebrating the sabbats" that I am...

The Houses of Your Astrology Chart
The horoscope is divided into twelve houses, each taking up 30 degrees (1/12) of the 360-degree circle; each house describes a different area of your...

The Gaian Tarot Hierophant
The other day I mentioned that I often thought of the Hierophant as the Teacher. Perhaps one of the many reasons I love The Gaian Tarot so much is...


Do you remember the first time you saw tarot cards? Do you remember when you fell in love with them? I do. My college roommate and I threw a...



Llewellyn's 2010 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2010 Astrological Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2010 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2010 Moon Sign Book
Plan Your Life by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!