When using a scrying mirror to look into the future or communicate with spirits, you risk encountering negative energies. You must cleanse your mirror between sessions to minimize the risk of haunting and psychic attacks
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One of the most effective ways of cleansing a black mirror of negative energy is by using salt circles. Other options are sage smudging, burning of Palo Santo, or using Frankincense essential oil.
You can cleanse your scrying mirror in several ways to dispel demonic or unwanted energies. In the end, it is up to your personal preference. Sage smudging, burning of Palo Santo, or using Frankincense essential oil. Let us explore the different options at hand.
How to cleanse magic mirrors
There are different ways you can cleanse a black mirror. Depending on your expertise and personal preference, one method might fit better. In this article, I aimed to describe the most straightforward methods that almost anyone can do. Use the way you find best for you – they are all powerful and do the job.
Cleansing is an important ritual to clear negative energies and demonic. It is always recommended to learn at least one cleansing ritual before scrying.
Method #1: Salt cleansing
Salt cleansing is straightforward, even for a total beginner. Most of us have salt at home; if not, it is readily available in the grocery shop. Table salt is perfect; you don’t need anything fancier than this.
How to perform a salt cleansing ritual for cleansing mirrors
Salt is a powerful crystal believed to ward off harmful and demonic energies.
Place the mirror lying flat on the floor or a table.
Surround it with a ring of salt. If you want, you can also add an extra layer of protection by sprinkling salt on the reflective surface. Sometimes I draw a pentagram or X in salt, but that is unnecessary.
Let the mirror cleanse for a couple of hours, or you will feel that all the negative energies are gone.
Collect the salt, and be careful to remove it ALL. Dispose of it in the garden or nature by burying it or sprinkling it in the grass.
Feel how the negative energies are absorbed and neutralized by the healing power of Mother Nature and the Earth.
What you need: Table salt
- Place the mirror on a table (preferably lying down)
- Create a ring of salt that surrounds the mirror
- Sprinkle salt on the surface of the mirror (optional)
- Have a clear intention for the cleansing ritual
- Let it cleanse for a couple of hours or until your intuition tells you to
- Remove all salt and bury it in the dirt outside (or sprinkle it in the grass)
- Feel the negative energies return to the earth and free themselves from you and the mirror
Method #2: Cleansing with Palo Santo
Cleansing a scrying mirror with Palo Santo is one of my personal favorites. Palo Santo clears all negative energies but keeps the good ones.
Many recommend White Sage for cleansing and charging mirrors. I don’t recommend this as it cleanses all the energy – the good ones.
If you have a spirit guide or guardian angel, it is not great to use White Sage. You don’t want to ward off your guides and angels. You want to keep them close when using the mirror.
Sometimes, when dealing with very nasty energies that are hard to dispel, you might have to use White Sage. You can ask your guides and angels to leave your side for a short while. I never resort to White Sage if I don’t need to.
How to cleanse your mirror with Palo Santo
Start the cleansing by collecting Palo Santo, a fireproof tray, a candle, a lighter, and a feather if you have one. If you don’t have a feather, use your hand to disburse the smoke.
Close your eyes and ground yourself. Set a clear intention for the cleansing session – you want to remove the dark and block them from using the mirror as a portal or tool for communication.
Place the mirror on the floor or a table. Light the candle. Hold the Palo Santo at a 45-degree angle against the candle to make it burn. Let the flame turn into a glow.
If the glow dies out, you can light it again with the help of the candle. Let the smoke surround the mirror with the use of your feather (or feathering hand).
Imagine how the negative energies are dispelled and how you close any portal that might be open.
When your gut feeling tells you the work is done, place your burning Palo Santo in the fireproof tray and let it burn out for itself.
What you need: Candles, lighter, Palo Santo stick, feather (optional), and fire extinguisher.
Preparations: Make sure your fire alarm is turned off
- Collect your tools.
- Place the mirror on the floor or a table.
- Light your candle.
- Light your Palo Santo stick.
- Wait for the flame to turn into smoke.
- Feather the smoke around the mirror.
- Imagine how the negative energies are dispelled.
- Imagine how any open portals are closed.
- Imagine how the negative energies are blocked from using the mirror.
- Stop when your intuition tells you to.
- Let the Palo Santo die out by itself (don’t kill the glow)
- Make sure you turn on your fire alarm
- Place the Palo Santo stick in a fire-safe tray (I use sand in a shell)
Always remember that you can set the rules and boundaries for your divination tools.
If you want to learn more about how to cleanse your home with Palo Santo, I invite you to read the article at the end of this section.
Related article: Cleanse your home with Palo Santo: 9 easy steps
Method #3: Cleansing with essential oil
Another effective way to cleanse your black mirror is by using incense. My go-to is frankincense, as it clears negative energies like a charm.
Collect your essential oil tincture, a tea light, a lighter, and an essential oil burner. Close your eyes and ground yourself.
Light the essential oil burner (also called a defuser). Add some water and add 3 to 5 drops of essential oil. Let the incense fill the room. The scent will remove the negative energy, clear the space, and mirror anything nasty.
What you need: Essential oil burner (or electrical diffuser), lighter, tealight, water, essential oil of your choice (Frankincense is recommended)
- Collect your tools.
- Take some relaxing deep breaths.
- Ground yourself and open your loving heart space.
- Start your diffuser.
- Add water to the diffuser.
- Add 3-5 drops of essential oil (Frankincense is recommended).
- Let the scent fill the room.
- Imagine how the negative energies are dispelled.
- Imagine how any open portals are closed.
- Imagine how the negative energies are blocked from using the mirror.
- Stop the diffuser when your intuition tells you to.
Never leave your essential oil burner unattended, as it might cause a fire. Remember that you have power over the situation and can set rules and boundaries for your divination tools. Not the other way around.
What to think about when cleansing your magic mirror
There are a few things to consider when cleansing your black mirror. Never cleanse your mirror in the sun, as it can cause a fire! I know people recommend charging mirrors in the sunlight, as you do with crystals; it is dangerous.
Can magic mirrors attract negative energies?
First of all, let’s take a look at if mirror scrying might attract negative energies. Even if scrying is done correctly, there is always a risk that you encounter negative energies. That is not exclusive to the mirror but to all divination tools.
As the black mirror (also called the magic mirror, scrying mirror, or gazing mirror) opens a portal to the spirit world, it comes with hazards. We don’t fully know what we will meet during our session.
The most crucial thing in the divination of all sorts is a clear intention and set boundaries. The risk of psychic attacks and hauntings is much less if you block negative energies from the start.
Negative energies and the demonic can only approach you if you let them. You have power over the situation at all times. This is why they try to trick and deceive you into allowing them in. Be sure to stay grounded when conducting spirit communications.
In the list below, you will find tips and tricks to lower the risk of attracting negative energies when scrying in mirrors. When you safely use the mirror, it is easier to remove unwanted energies.
- Stay grounded and calm at all times.
- Remember that you have the power over the situation
- Set a clear intention for the session
- Set boundaries for the session
- Go into the session with an open and loving heart
- Never summon dark energies
- Never use the mirror for spellwork
- Never use the mirror for evil deeds
- Never use the mirror to gain an advantage over a situation or person
- Always open and close the session correctly
Related article: Are Black Mirror Dangerous? [Scary Facts]
It is always good to remember that no scientific proof exists that scrying in a mirror works. There is no evidence of psychic abilities or ghosts and entities either.
With this said, if you believe that such things exist, they might. This is the tricky thing with the paranormal – if you accept their existence, you might be able to see them. If you are a stern believer that the supernatural is fake, you will probably never open your third eye to see them.
If you want to learn more about using a scrying mirror, I invite you to read the article at the end of this section. It will give you insights into the process and safety guidelines for safely using the mirror.
Related article: How to use a black mirror: Step-by-step guide
Do you need to cleanse magic mirrors?
Depending on your belief system and how you use the mirror, you might need to cleanse it from time to time. If you believe it can act as a portal to the spirit world, you should cleanse the mirror if you feel something is off.
On the other hand, if you don’t believe that your mirror can open portals or act as a tool for spirit communication, there is no need to cleanse it. It is not more than a regular mirror—nothing more.
It all comes down to what energy you add to the mix. The intention is a crucial factor here. If the purpose is to use the black mirror as a divination tool, there will always be a risk that you will attract negative energies. If you feel something is off, it is time to cleanse it.
If you use the mirror as a decoration and do not engage it in spiritual work, you don’t need to cleanse it. There is a reservation to this, and that is I you bought it secondhand. If you believe the mirror might bring negative energies, you might benefit from cleansing it.
I know this might not be the answer you wanted – a clear yes or no on what to do. When it comes to the supernatural, most things are gray – not black or white.
If you want to learn more about how a magic mirror works spiritually and scientifically, I have written an article on the subject. It explains more in-depth why it is such a big difference in how you use the mirror and what energy and intention you bring into the session.
When to cleanse the magic mirror
As there are no easy yes or no situations where you might benefit from cleansing the scrying mirror, I created a table to help you out. Remember always to trust your intuition thought. It is the most accurate spiritual tool we have.
| Yes | No | Do you need to cleanse the black mirror? |
|---|---|---|
| x | The mirror is feeling off | |
| x | It feels like you walk into a spiderweb near the mirror (static charge) | |
| x | You get unexplained stress, anxiety, or fear near the mirror | |
| x | You do not use the mirror in a safe way | |
| x | You don’t use it in occult or spiritual practices | |
| x | You bought the mirror secondhand or used | |
| x | You use it for self-development and personal growth (no external energies involved) | |
| x | You believe you have the power to deny negative energies access to the mirror | |
| x | You had scary experiences with the mirror during a session | |
| x | You feel a strange attachment to the magic mirror | |
| x | You find the mirror in places you did not leave it | |
| x | You dream about the mirror | |
| x | You can’t stop looking into it |
Related article: How black mirrors work [science and spirituality]
Final thoughts
Even if black mirrors have not been proven to work by science, many swear by their effectiveness in communicating with the world beyond.
As with all divination tools, they should be cleansed from time to time. This ensures that no residual or negative energy attaches to the mirror. In most cases, residual energy is not harmful, but it can make it harder for you to access the visions.
Never use the mirror if you feel down, sick, or weak. This up the risk of negative energies being attracted to you and your mirror. Safety comes first, always.
