Are you worried that you’ll receive bad luck for seven years if you accidentally break a mirror in your home? If so, you aren’t alone. It’s estimated that nearly 1 in 4 Americans believe in this superstition. Here’s where this myth came from and why we have a tendency to believe it.

Where Did This Myth Come From?

The ancient Romans thought that mirrors were the entryway to the soul and that they contained magical powers. If one was broken, they believed it lost all of its power, and the last person whose reflection was seen would be the recipient of bad luck.

If you’re wondering where the seven-year rule came from, it was a Roman belief that the renewal of life took seven years. The thought was that those unfortunate enough to break a mirror would be living with seven years’ worth of misfortune before they could go back to their normal lives.

Why Do People Believe Superstitions?

While nobody knows exactly why people believe superstitions, scientists think there are two possible reasons. The first has to do with risk vs. reward. For instance, taking precautions to not break a mirror is worth the effort to avoid receiving seven years of bad luck. 

The second reason has to do with confirmation bias. Humans are inclined to believe what they’ve experienced. So, for instance, if you avoid stepping on a crack and nothing bad happens, you may associate that with the superstition working.

Fortunately, superstitions are just that—superstitions. Breaking a mirror doesn’t actually mean you’ll have bad luck for seven years.

If you’ve broken a mirror recently, call the team at The Glass Guru of Macedonia to repair it for you. They’ve been serving the Macedonia, OH, area since 2004. They can restore, repair, or replace mirrors, glass, and windows. Visit their website to learn more or contact them at (330) 467-5318 to set up an appointment.