Superstitions: Good Karma, Bad Omen, Or Old Wives Tales?

CLEAR LAKE, TX — Superstitions have long been a part of human history, probably since humanity itself began walking the earth and creating a distinctive culture.

One of the most common superstitions involves the calendar, when the 13th of any month falls on a Friday, conjuring thoughts of foreboding and bad luck that are likely to happen on that day.

This superstition is particularly new, having originated in the 1800s, but it’s one that people literally mark on their calendars, and today is such a day. (Want to get daily news updates and hear about other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Clear Lake Patch morning newsletter.)

Today, a few of those who dread this Friday the 13th probably woke and expelled a heavy sigh, and thought about calling in sick, while those who drove through the thick Houston fog into work were especially watchful of black cats crossing their paths.

Horror movies have been made with this title, and some of us have even had a touch of bad luck on that date, which we will then simply say: "Well, it is Friday the 13th."

In any case, belief that this or any other auspicious date is a harbinger of bad luck is something we seem to do often.

In fact, it has happened several times in our recent history.

In 2000, Y2K hysteria caused many to run out and stock up on food and water, in fear that everything related to technology would stop, sending humanity back to the Dark Ages, but that didn’t happen.

In 2012, the Mayan Calendar presumably predicted an end or a spontaneous awakening of human consciousness before the end of that year, and it made for hundreds of stories, but that didn’t happen either.

In September, the social media world erupted with rumors of a dark Planet X that was on a collision course with earth, and would wipe out humanity on Sept. 23, but that didn’t happen.

In fact, many superstitions or bad omens come to pass and never bear the fruit rotten luck they are suppose to bear, or at least we hope so.

But every culture seems to have its superstitions.

In Latin cultures, using a raw egg and rubbing the egg on the sickness the form of a cross is suppose to remove the evil eye and the sickness for the ill person, but only if someone take the egg and cracks it in a busy area, to confuse the evil that become trapped in the egg.

An old superstition, or custom in England, involves cheese, speficially Groaning Cheese where mothers-to-be made this huge wheel of cheese and allwed the cheese to age for the nine months.

When it was time, the mom-to-be and her family would eat the cheese, but they had to save the out ring of the cheese for the baby's christening, so he baby could be passed through the ring, which was a sign of good luck.

Even where your head is positioned on your pillow can bring bad luck.

In Africa, it's bad luck to sleep with your head pointing west, while in Japan, if your head is north, well that's bad luck too.

Some sports figures will wear the same socks for good luck, or carry a personal memento of a loved one into a big game.

Whether it's a date on the calendar, karma or mojo, it seems supersitions of nearly every kind abound in cultures everywhere.

Here are a few other superstition you may believe yourself:

• Don’t walk under a ladder (bad luck)
• Don’t break a mirror (bad luck for 7 years)
• Don’t step on a crack (you’ll break your mother’s back, and that’s bad luck and bad manners)
• Find a penny, preferably heads up, pick it up (good luck)
• Find a horseshoe (good luck)
• Whistling indoors (bad luck)
• Hanging the horseshoe so the good luck doesn’t run out (better luck)
• A black cat crossing your path (bad luck)
• The number 13 (good luck if you’re Egyptian or Chinese, otherwise, not so good)
• The number 7 (good luck)
• Having a rabbit’s foot (Good luck, but not for the rabbit)
• Opening an umbrella indoors (bad luck)
• Knocking on wood (protects the superstitious one from bad luck)
• Spilling salt (bad luck, unless you scoop it up and toss over your shoulder, then it’s good luck)
• Picking flowers in a graveyard (bad luck and really bad manners)
• Itchy Palms (good luck)
• Sweaty palms (you’re just nervous, calm down)
• Cross your fingers (for good luck)
• Wishing on a star (good luck)
• Full Moon (crazy bad luck)
• Things that happen in threes (bad luck)

How many of these do you believe?

Maybe R&B Legend Stevie Wonder said it best in his 1972 hit, “Superstition,” when he sang:
“...When you believe in things that you don't understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain't the way.”

Image: Pixabay

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