The number 13 is unlucky!

Oh no! A black cat just crossed my path!

A broken mirror brings 7 years of bad luck!

Doesn’t matter how educated, logical and modern thinking you may be, it is not possible that you have not come across such weird and superstitious beliefs. 

All humans hold some beliefs which may not sound rational to others, but which form an integral part of who they are.

Where do superstitions come from?

One school of thought believes that superstitions were often created to enforce certain behavior, which could not be done through plain logic.

Modern science tells us that plants utilize carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the day, on account of photosynthesis. However, at night, when there is no photosynthesis, there may be a higher concentration of carbon dioxide near trees, which may not be ideal breathing conditions for human beings. Try explain that to a young child, or even a less educated adult. Tough task. However, it is easy to just tell them that ghosts inhabit trees at night. Stay away from them!

Have you heard these explanations behind some common superstitions?

Unlucky number 13

This seems like a superstition that originate in the west and has now become commonplace all over. While some people attribute the belief to the last supper (from Christianity) where Judas Iscariot was the thirteenth person at the gathering and turned out to be a traitor to Jesus Christ, others believe, it originates from Nordic mythology where Loki (the god of mischief) was the 13th guest at a dinner party and caused trouble.

I have heard a version where, primitive man learned counting using the ten digits of the hands plus two feet, and did not know 13. However, this version does not sit well with me, as one can count upto 20, using the ten fingers and ten toes.

Whatever be the origin, the belief in 13 being unlucky is so deep rooted, that even today, many modern buildings refuse to have the number 13 assigned to a floor. You could have floors numbered 12, 12a and 14!

Black Cats

In ancient cultures (Especially Egyptian), cats were considered special creatures and worshipped. This was apparently true for a lot of pagan religions.

When organised religion started establishing its presence, there seemed to be a trend of subverting holy pagan symbols. This could probably lead to the establishment of the superstition that cats, especially black ones, were unlucky.

In the west, black cats were often associated with witchcraft and dark magic.

Broken Mirrors

Why are broken mirrors considered unlucky?

Ancient Romans believed that mirrors held part of the human soul. Breaking a mirror would represent shattering of the soul. Humans have believed in the sanctity of the soul and even a symbolic shattering of the same was believed to be catastrophic. In Harry Potter, the splitting of soul (by Lord Voldemort) probably alludes to the same belief.

If one logically thinks about it, a broken mirror creates shards which are dangerous. It is very easy to break mirrors on account of their fragile nature. This superstition, probably originated, as a means to ensure that people handled mirrors carefully.

Gesundheit! Bless you

When a person sneezes, it is common to hear people bless them.

In ancient times, it was belief that sneezing led to expulsion of part of the soul.

In modern times, some people believe that the human heart skips a beat when we sneeze.

In any case, a sneeze could probably be a symptom of some illness. To play it safe, people give a blessing to the sneezer.

Touch wood

People rap their knuckles on a piece of wood when they do not want to jinx themselves. The phrase “Touch wood” often signifies the same.

This probably originate from the ancient pagan belief that holy spirits resided in trees and touching wood would impart good luck, or ward off evil.

Wish upon a shooting star

Humans believe that the Gods live above beyond the skies. When you see a shooting star, it indicates that the heavens have opened up and the Gods are paying attention to human beings on earth. If you make a wish during this small window of time, you have a better chance of being heard by the residents of heaven.

Some other common superstitions:

• Spilling salt is unlucky
• It is unlucky to walk under a ladder
• Don’t open an umbrella indoors
• It is unlucky for footwear to be kept upside down
• Do not sleep with your head facing north
• It is unlucky to hand over sharp objects like a knife or a pair of scissors
• Having a bird poop on you, brings luck
• Owls are unlucky
• Horseshoes, Rabbits Tails, Four leaved clovers etc. bring good luck
• Bad things happen in threes
• Don’t jump over children, it stunts their growth
• Don’t cut nails after sunset
• Throwing coins in a fountain, brings good luck
• It’s bad luck for the couple, if a groom sees the bride in her wedding dress, before she walks the aisle
• Lighting three cigarettes with a single match stick is unlucky
• Its bad luck to place shoes on a table
• A lemon and a bunch of chillies can ward off evil
• Good fortune will desert your house if you sweep after sunset
• Itchy palms can indicate the future (depending on which palm itches, it could mean good or bad luck)
• Hiccups mean that someone is remembering you
• Do not step out of the house during an eclipse
• In a house where death has taken place, the kitchen fire cannot be lit till certain religious ceremonies have been concluded
• One must not wash hair on certain days
• Eat curd with sugar before setting out for some important task

Which other superstitions are you familiar with?