There are many physical elements that hold a deeper spiritual meaning. Some elements hold a strong and powerful meaning in the spiritual realm, while other elements hold a beauty and fragility in the spiritual realm. And then there are some unique elements that reside at the intersection of these two aspects. One such element that holds a unique, fragile power is glass.
The spiritual meaning of glass, or even broken glass, can hold a variety of different meanings in several different belief systems and superstitions. In most cases, broken glass can mean vulnerability, bad luck, or even a broken heart. But it can also represent security and safety from evil.
As intricate and delicate as glass itself is, so are the spiritual meanings that are related to it. Let us delve into the different nuances that glass holds.
What is Glass Made of?
Glass is an extraordinarily beautiful and fragile object that is made from elements of nature. Its entire composition holds intense relations to spiritual elements. It is made from sand and limestone, and when heated at extremely high temperatures, its entire structure and composition is altered.
After undergoing extreme heat, glass can then be manipulated into different shapes of varying strengths. This malleable property of glass shows its immense potential of strength despite being fragile.
What Does Glass Represent?
In its most prominent spiritual form, glass usually represents fragility. While glass can be extremely strong, it is commonly thought of as being weak and delicate. Glass has been known to also represent irreversible change.
Once glass has been broken, it cannot be fixed. If mended, the cracks and breaks on the glass will always be visible. On a spiritual level, glass is therefore usually associated with a brokenness that cannot be fixed. This brokenness can stem from a broken heart, broken relationships, and a broken spirit.
However, it is important to note that broken hearts and broken spirits may lead to a stronger character. The irreversible change that glass represents is not always assumed to be something negative and could lead to a positive, permanent change.
Glass in itself holds a representation of protection and weakness, but it also has a link to seeing things beyond the ordinary. Just in the same way as the eyes are the window to the soul, the way you can see into a house with clear windows, and the way windows are generally made of glass, it represents some sort of transparency into sight.
It has also been associated with representing intelligence, insight, and enlightenment.
The Link with Broken Mirrors
In light of its dual symbolism, glass has most commonly been associated with bad or unlucky omens. Additionally, if glass breaks, it proves to be extremely dangerous in the physical world. Broken glass can be associated with violence in that people use it as a weapon or even as a way of defending themselves.
Another spiritual or superstitious belief that is related to glass, is the breaking of a mirror, which is believed to carry seven years’ worth of bad luck. Dating back hundreds of years, in Roman history, it was believed that breaking a mirror was extremely disrespectful because the gods used it as a tool to watch over the souls in this realm.
However, not every aspect of broken glass is negative. If a glass breaks spontaneously, it is known to carry good luck and can actually be a good thing.
In long-standing Greek traditions, it was believed that festive and celebratory events enticed evil spirits to come and disrupt the festivities that were taking place. However, a practice that is carried out until today is the breaking of glass plates.
In the Greek culture, at weddings, birthdays, and other celebratory events, plates are broken as a way of warding off potential evil spirits. The act of breaking a plate seems to be such an aggressive act, that it is believed to confuse evil spirits and give them the impression that a joyful celebration would not take place anywhere near such violence.
Is it Good or Bad for Glass to Break?
With the two opposing sides to the spiritual significance of broken glass, certain folklore believes that the accidental breaking of glass signifies that good luck is coming your way. Whether it is a glass, a window, or even a mirror that is being broken, so long as it isn’t broken on purpose, you may experience good luck.
Glass seems to represent some sort of an enigma. While extremely fragile and easily broken, it is most deadly and most dangerous once it has already been broken. It holds extreme beauty with light easily gleaming and dancing on the edges, especially when broken, but it is too dangerous to bask in that beauty.
Perhaps an aspiration for humans is to be like glass: be transparent and unapologetic about who you are, be gentle to others in the same way that you’d appreciate others to be gentle with you, but guard yourself, and do not allow people to walk over you, just in the same way that people would never dare to walk over broken glass.
Conclusion
Despite broken glass holding two opposing meanings spiritually, much like faith, the belief lies within each individual. Perhaps the magnifying quality of glass is also present in one’s belief system. If you hold true to the belief that broken glass represents negativity, you may focus on the negative events that occur after breaking a glass.
However, if you are more inclined to the positivity held in the representation of broken glass, you may find yourself approaching the inclination that evil has been warded off and sent far away from you.
