Bad Luck

                Bad luck superstitions have been around for many years. Many people believe that certain characteristics or actions can cause bad luck. There are actions such as walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors, breaking a mirror, singing or sleeping at a table and more are known to cause bad luck, some for a few years. These superstitions are rooted in the human trait that believes in monsters and ghosts. When our brain can’t believe in something, we tend to make things up. Sometimes it could turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy because people believe in them so much.

                Walking under a ladder almost makes sense. I mean, no one wants to knock someone over who is a ladder. In addition, it could arise from Christian beliefs in the holy trinity where there is a ladder leaning against a wall and breaking the trinity would be sacrilegious. The mirror breaking superstition stems from the belief that mirrors are a window to the soul. The seven years of bad luck comes from the fact that it was believed that the body or soul is reborn every seven years. Furthermore, when opening an umbrella inside, it was rooted in tale where people opened umbrellas indoors and some catastrophe happens like sudden death or a house collapse. It’s almost as if you’re asking bad luck to “rain on you”.

                Though there are some remedies known to ward off bad luck. For instance, spilling salt is known to be bad luck but it is thought that throwing some over your left shoulder would cancel it out. This is because in the ancient times, salt was valuable and almost looked at as a salary of sort so throwing some away after you accidently wasting it is a way to acknowledge is value and their remorse for wasting it. In addition, it is sometimes thought that you can break a bad luck spell by turning seven times in a clockwise circle.

                There are also some strange origins to some good luck charms. A horse shoe for instance is known to be good luck because there are often seven little holes in it and seven is considered a lucky number. Also, they are made of iron as a way to ward off evil spirits. In addition, a four leaf clover is always known to be good luck, and it’s not just because they are so hard to find. The stories state that when you find one, you must either eat one or put it in your shoe to activate the lucky powers. It also causes the next person you come in contact with will be your future mate.  But these charms won’t help you if a black cat crosses you path, especially on Friday the 13^th.

 

 

http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/common_superstitions/