Digital Diary
Superstition:
1. A belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance, occurrence, proceeding or the like.
2. A system or collection of such beliefs
3. a custom or act based on such a belief
*Beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy and spiritual beings
Original List of Superstitions:
· Salt over the shoulder
· Black cat
· Walking under a ladder
· Breaking a mirror
· Opening an umbrella inside
· Knocking on wood
· 4 leaf clover
· Stepping on a crack
· Friday the 13th
· Itchy nose->you will soon be kissed by a fool
· To dream of a lizard means you will have a secret enemy
· Saying God bless you
· Crossing you fingers
· Spilling salt
· Graveyard?
· Throwing a coin in a fountain
· Seeing a rainbow
· Religion (church)
· Lucky rabbits foot
· Full moon
· Black Crows
Ladder: A leaning ladder forms a triangle with the wall and ground. Triangles represent the Holy Trinity, and violating the Trinity by breaking it (walking through it) would put you in league with the devil himself. Considering what Christians did to those who were considered to be in league with the devil, it's hardly surprising that leaning ladders were avoided at all cost.
Dreaming of a lizard: means you have a secret enemy,
Friday the 13th: The idea that this day would have bad luck has roots in both Norse and Christian beliefs. The Scandinavian's believed that the number 13 was unlucky due to the mythological 12 demigods being joined by a 13th, an evil one, who brought misfortune upon humans. Christ was said to have been crucified on Friday and the number of guests at the party of the Last Supper was 13, with the 13th guest being Judas, the traitor.
Spilling Salt: Salt was, during the middle ages, a very expensive commodity used mainly for medicinal purposes. For this reason, spillage was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that it is unlucky to do so probably stems from the belief that Judas spilt salt during the last supper. Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder is linked to its medicinal use. If it could not be administered, the next best thing was to throw it into the eye of the evil spirits that brought sickness upon us. These spirits were thought to lurk behind your shoulder, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Fingers Crossed: This is probably the superstition that is most widely used today. By making the sign of the Christian faith with our fingers, evil spirits would be prevented from destroying our chances of good fortune.
Knocking on Wood: This goes back to the days before Christianity made it's entrance. It was believed that good spirits lived in trees, and that by knocking on anything made from wood, we could call upon these spirits for protection against misfortune.
Throwing a Coin Into a Fountain: a token gesture in return for a wish, water was regarded as sacred, Ancient Nordic myth described a "well of wisdom," which would give knowledge and discernment to anyone who sacrificed a precious object to its depths. Coventina's Well: Ancient Celts worshipped Coventina, and threw coins to the goddess in a pool in Northumberland, England. Over 16,000 coins have been found in this well, ranging from the 1st-5th century. Despite the great number of coins offered there, the actual value of the coins was not very great: the equivalent of throwing pennies in today's wishing wells.
Ravens/Crows: Ravens are associated with the devil in many parts of UK. In Yorkshire children were threatened with the Great Black Bird which would carry them off if they were bad. The Greeks said, "Go to the Crows" the same way we would say "Go to Hell."
Open an Umbrella Inside: The most common stems from the days when umbrellas were used mainly as protection against the sun. To open one indoors would be to insult the local sun god (especially Ra) and invite his wrath on everyone in your household. Another theory borrows from the idea of an umbrella as a protector against the storms of life. If you were to open one in your home, the household guardian spirits might think you felt their protection was insufficient, and then they'd leave in a huff. Once again, everyone in the house is cursed.
Finding a Four leaf clover: The superstition that the finding of a four-leaf clover can bring good luck is so old that its origin is lost in antiquity. One of the oldest legends has it that Eve, upon being ejected from the Garden of Eden, took a four-leaf clover with her. Because the clover was a bit of green from paradise, its presence in one's own garden came to be looked upon as an omen of good luck. According to some traditions, a young woman seeking a husband should go in search of a four-leaf clover. If she is fortunate enough to find one, she is to eat it. The first unmarried man she encounters after eating the clover will be the one she will wed.
Stepping on a crack: “Step on a crack you’ll break your mother’s back!”, I think is came from the fact the if a small child is holding his mother's hand, and trips on a crack, it might pull mother to the ground. It also could be a metaphor for the fact the when children make mistakes (step on a crack) it causes their Mother harm (break her back).
Rainbow: pot of gold at the end, Judio-Christian;God’s promise not to destroy the world by means of water, Norse; a bridge connecting Earth with Asgrad, Greek; Iris dressed in many hues delivers a message of peace and good fortune, Australian Aboriginal; rainbow snake is the creator in the Dreaming, Another common theme among all aboriginal tribes is that the Rainbow Serpent has no gender. And while the Rainbow Serpent can give fertility by creating rain, it can also let loose blindness and disease. "The Aboriginal Rainbow is humanity, because it causes the 'energy' and the 'breath' that gives people life."
“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder
Very superstitious, writing's on the wall,
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past.
oo When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way
Very superstitious, wash your face and hands,
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can,
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong,
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song.
When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, yeh, yeh.
Very superstitious, nothin' more to say,
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass,
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, no, no, no
shut up!
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past.
oo When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way
Very superstitious, wash your face and hands,
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can,
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong,
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song.
When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, yeh, yeh.
Very superstitious, nothin' more to say,
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass,
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, no, no, no
shut up!
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