To this day, the fear of the double is observed, if unknowingly, in the custom of covering all the mirrors in a house where a death has just occurred. The double of anyone passing the glass, it was once thought, could be projected into the mirror and carried off by the deceased to the afterworld.
It's a Jewish custom that the house in which shiva is held has all its mirrors covered, but the explanation we are given is that in a time of mourning, it is inappropriate to be concerned about one's appearance.
Very interesting. I've seen traditional older catholics in Southern Germany cover mirrors and stop all clocks after a death occured in the family. Unsure why exactly it is done -- I'm neither Catholic nor religious -- but any related rituals and customs are fascinating.
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It's a Jewish custom that the house in which shiva is held has all its mirrors covered, but the explanation we are given is that in a time of mourning, it is inappropriate to be concerned about one's appearance.
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