The world is home to many superstitions. Superstitions date back to early man’s attempt to explain nature and his own existence. There was a deep belief that animals, nature and object held connections to spirits and spirit world. In order to having a feeling of appeasing these forces, different behaviors or customs arose that would dictate favorable fate and good fortune. Many superstitions have come from Mythology, where omens were common.
Superstitions live on even today because they have been passed on from generation to generation. Even today where direct evidence and facts outweigh superstitious beliefs, there are probably very few people, who can categorically deny that they do not at least secretly harbor a slight belief in one or two superstitions.
Origins of 13 Common Superstitions
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Even if you don’t consider yourself a superstitious person, you probably say “God bless you” when someone sneezes or find yourself knocking wood. And, though superstitions aren’t logical, the idea of luck and magic can be comforting—especially when so many things are beyond our control.
1. The Number 13
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The belief that the number 13 is unlucky is said to be the most common superstition. This fear is so widespread that many apartments and hotels omit the 13th floor, and some planes have no 13th row. Avoiding the number 13 is thought to stem from Christianity—there were 13 guests at the Last Supper, for example, and some believe that if you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil’s luck.
2. Black Cats
Although in the U.S. we believe that having a black cat cross your path is bad luck, it’s not the same the world over. In Egypt, for example, all cats are considered lucky—this dates back to ancient times, when cats were considered sacred. Our modern-day fear of black cats may stem from the Middle Ages, when it was believed that a witch could take the form of a black cat
3. Breaking a Mirror
The belief that you’ll have seven years’ bad luck if you break a mirror is said to come from the Romans, who were the first to create glass mirrors. But long ago many cultures, including Greek, Chinese, African and Indian, believed that a mirror had the power to confiscate part of the user’s soul. The thinking was that if the mirror was broken, the person’s soul would be trapped inside.
4. Walking Under a Ladder
It makes sense that you shouldn’t walk under a ladder for safety’s sake, but superstition advises against it for other reasons. First, an open ladder forms a triangle, and triangles were once considered a symbol of life, so walking through that shape was considered tempting your fate. It is also thought that because it has three sides, the triangle symbolizes the Holy Trinity, and “breaking” it by entering the triangle is bad luck.
5. Throwing Salt over Your Shoulder
The belief that you should toss a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to get rid of bad luck originates from the legend that the devil is always standing behind you, so throwing salt in his eye will distract him from causing trouble. Nowadays, most people only do this after spilling salt—which is thought to be bad luck, because salt was an expensive commodity long ago and folklore linked it to unlucky omens in order to prevent wasteful behavior
6. Opening an Umbrella Inside
According to superstition, bad luck will “rain” on you if you open an umbrella indoors. One explanation comes from the days when umbrellas were used as protection from the sun; opening one inside was an insult to the sun god. Another theory: An umbrella protects you against the storms of life, so opening one in your house insults the guardian spirits of your home, causing them to leave you unprotected.
7. Saying “God Bless You” After a Sneeze
Considered a polite response to a sneeze, the phrase “God bless you” is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who said it to people who sneezed during a bubonic plague. Aside from the idea of protecting against the spread of disease, “blessing” someone after they sneezed originated from the erroneous beliefs that the soul escapes the body during a sneeze and the heart momentarily stops as well. Therefore, saying “God bless you” was a way of welcoming the person back to life.
8. Carrying a Rabbit’s Foot
The superstition can be traced as far back as the seventh century BC, when the rabbit was considered a talismanic symbol, and the left hind foot was a handy way to benefit from the rabbit’s luck. Additionally, the Chinese consider it a sign of prosperity. In some cultures, the rabbit’s foot is believed to promote reproduction, so women carry one around to boost their odds of getting pregnant.
9. Knocking on Wood
Knocking on wood, or simply saying “knock on wood” after making a hopeful statement, is rooted in the idea that you’re tempting fate by acknowledging your good fortune. It’s thought that the expression comes from the ancient belief that good spirits lived in trees, so by knocking on something wooden, a person was calling on the spirits for protection.
10. Crossing Your Fingers
It’s a near-universal sign of wishing for something, but there are many theories about its origin. One is that when Christianity was illegal, crossing fingers was a secret way for Christians to recognize each other. Another is that during the Hundred Years’ War, an archer would cross his fingers to pray for luck, before drawing back his longbow with those same fingers. Yet another, even older, theory is that crossed fingers were used as a gesture to ward off witches and other evil spirits.
11. Horseshoes
There are several theories here. The first is that the devil appeared at the door of a blacksmith, who agreed to remove a shoe from his hoof if he promised never to enter a place where a horseshoe is hung over the door. The second belief is that witches rode on broomsticks because they were afraid of horses, so a horseshoe is a good charm to scare them off with.
12. Four-Leaf Clovers
Universal symbols of good luck, four-leaf clovers exist—they’re just hard to find. Legend says that when Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden, Eve snatched a four-leaf clover as a remembrance of her days in Paradise. Since then, lucky attributes have been assigned to all four leaves of the rare plant—each associated with St. Patrick and the Holy Trinity in Irish legend.
13. Bird Droppings on Your Head
It sounds like a recipe for the ultimate bad hair day, but many people the world over believe that if a bird lets loose on you, good things are coming your way. One idea is that it’s a sign of major wealth coming from heaven, based on the belief that when you suffer an inconvenience, you’ll have good fortune in return.
Right and Left Eyebrow Twitching Superstition and Meaning
In most cultures around the world, there are different myths and eye twitching superstitions that try to give explanations on why eyebrows twitch. There are many superstitions that are associated with eyebrow tics. Some are said to be good omen while others tell of bad things and misfortunes to come. Right and left eyebrow twitching superstition and meaning is a very ancient practice that has been carried on to some present generations. Most cultures believe that twitching of the left eyebrow is good for women while the opposite brings good luck to men.
⦁ Right Eyebrow Twitching Superstition: In China right eyebrow twitching superstition is linked to bringing bad luck and misfortune Indians believe that right eyebrow spasms are considered good omen for men.
⦁ Left Eyebrow Twitching Superstition: Left eye twitching superstition in India and China is deeply connected with astrology and is presently practiced. Note that these are the two biggest champions of culture and astrology.
Left Eye Twitching Meaning in Chinese and India
Chinese: The Chinese believe that left eye twitching signals good fortune and bad omen for men. This is however the complete opposite in women in that left eyebrow tics brings good news and birth of a baby. The Chinese however interpret left eyebrow spasms according to the time of the day they happen.
Left eye twitching meaning in India: The Indian interpretation of left eyebrow twitching is the complete opposite of the Chinese version. Indians, specifically the epic Ramayana, when the left eyebrow shakes, it is said to bring bad omen to men but means good for women like the birth of a child.
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Eyebrow twitching causes, meaning and superstitions
In some parts of Africa, left eyebrow tics is believed to be a sign of sorrow, shedding of tears or meeting someone unexpectedly. In Hawaii, arrival of a stranger or mourning related to a family member is believed to happen soon after the left eyebrow starts twitching.
Left Eyebrow Twitching
A left eyebrow spasm is commoner of the two. It is most of the times associated with a weaker muscle line of the left hand side in those who are right handed.1
This is however not scientifically proven. In many cultures left eyebrow spasms is believed to be a signal bad omen, extreme weather changes and defeat in those still practicing ancient astrology.
Right Eyebrow Twitching
In astrology, right eye twitching is believed to be a bearer of good news and fortune. According to Dr. Shanker Adawal, a Hindu astrologer interprets the twitching of the right eyebrow as an indication of money gain.
The causes and management of right eyebrow twitching does not differ from those of the left eyebrow. The medical approach to right eye twitching is similar to that of left eyebrow. If it occurs suddenly, a simple massage or rest should be able to relieve it.
Shekar Moily
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