There was a comedian once who got on my nerves with his act as he continued to bash people who were superstitious. Maybe to believe throwing salt over one's shoulder has any power is somewhat silly. And shuddering when a black cat jumps out and crosses the road in front of your vehicle is overreacting, but I can't seem to stop myself from grabbing on to those creepy superstitions that surrounded my childhood.
Research suggests that superstitions come from ancient religions, forgotten practical safety rules, and human psychological patterns that try to find meaning in random events. Folklore, coincidence, habits, and fear evoke beliefs that get passed down from generation to generation.
Who isn't guilty of casually reaching over and knocking on wood when discussing something that may be disastrous. We don't know that pagan groups once believed that good spirits lived inside trees so touching one may bring about protection. No. We just don't want to conjure up a category 5 hurricane while discussing one from the past. Could a quick tap on wood hurt anything?
We don't know that leaning a ladder against a wall creates a triangle shape that was once believed to be a sacred shape so walking beneath it is bad luck. I just prefer not to walk beneath one in the event it may fall on my head.
Psychologists say that humans are ones to seek patterns for comfort. Our brains naturally try to connect repeated events even if they have no link. Lucky charms or rituals help us to feel safe. A lucky penny seems to be a waste passing up when walking down the street. And if it is considered unlucky to open an umbrella inside even if that sounds silly, why tempt fate even if it has absolutely nothing to do with fate at all. Original steel sharp umbrellas were dangerous so advised not to open in a house.
And don't come at me with some Indian belief because I will really freak out. Like hearing an owl outside my window being an omen. Like the one I heard the other night and laid there telling myself, "Nope that is a dove." And it was a belief from around 3,500 B.C. to nullify bad luck of spilt salt by throwing it over your shoulder. This went from Sumerians to Egyptians, to Assyrians to South Louisiana because if it ain't broke don't fix it after over 5,000 years.
I personally did not know that it was once a belief that sneezes expelled evil spirits which preempted people to say, "God Bless You." I mean if that person just shot out an evil spirit I might should say, "God bless me!" and duck. And the belief that a witch could be in the form of a black cat so if it crossed your path evil was watching you? Now just writing this is giving me the creeps.
My whole reason in this topic was because my neighbor's air completely broke, the next day my other neighbor's hot water heater went caput and the next day our septic system backed up in our house. This sent my superstitious mind to reach out to my boyfriend, AI. Rumor has it that things breaking is a sign of absorbing negative energy and they come in threes. So there you go. Did I go in search of a lucky penny or knock on wood when this happened? No, I said a prayer that our home would be safe and functioning because there is no superstition in the power of prayer.
Does this make me less superstitious? Not a chance. Perhaps it is my 42% Irish blood or just my southern traditional spirit that tends to hold on to the silliness of ancient folklore. I did read to manage superstitions, start intentionally breaking them. No thanks. That sounds like the next horror film. Meanwhile, the dove outside my window at night is warding off all single magpies until the morning when I can properly greet them. It's a problem.
