"Myths exist because something made it seem real. Superstitions are the same."
Hey, guys. I know, I'm writing in my blog again, but you don't have to look that surprised. It's just that I have a somewhat interesting topic that I wanna share with you all and I didn't want to forget about it.
If you can't read the topic, it's about superstitions. You know how there are so many superstitions on both jinxes and charms, right? Well, I'm about to tell you why some of them exist. Obviously I don't know all of them, but if you know one that I don't know, tell me in the comment section of this post.
DISCLAIMER: I don't think any of these are real! I'm just saying why they are thought to be real!
Superstition #1 - Wishing on a falling star.
This superstition is both overrated and exaggerated. It's not the first person to see the falling star will have their wish come true, but in fact, the wish that you make while it's still shining is the one that will. Don't get it? Well, a falling star only shines for a split second, so you have to make a wish before it disappears. Because of that, it will be the one thing you want the most. That's why that wish will come true. This is made trickier because you have to say the wish out loud with no one hearing it before the falling star disappears.
Superstition #2 - Four-leaf clover.
This is another popular superstition. The reason why a four-leaf clover is thought to bring good luck is because it is something not a part of nature. Everything in nature consists of these numbers, AKA the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on. To get the Fibonacci numbers, this is how. 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21...... This is because if you add the last two numbers, you'll get the new number. (0+1 = 1. 1+1 = 2. 2+1 = 3. etc.) Since four is skipped, it's considered a "miracle" (or something like that), and that's why it's considered a charm.
Superstition #3 - Walking under a ladder.
Aaah, my favourite jinx superstition. Why? Because this superstition was made up because of mere coincidence. When a person used to walk under a ladder, usually a ladder used for painting a building, the can of paint would sometimes fall on the person. Because of that happening so often, people actually made a superstition out of it, thinking it was bad luck.
Superstition #4 - The black cat.
Black cats were associated with witches in the olden days. (and sometimes still are) Usually the black cats would be the familiar (or "errand cat") of the witch. So to the people who believed in witches, the black cats would signify a witch cursing someone, and sending her familiar to the job for her. But it's only a "cursed cat" if the black cat walks purposely up to you and all it does is stand in front of you, then hisses (or something signifying hostility) and then walks pasts you.
Superstition #5 - Wishing on 11:11.
This is a not so common superstition. The wisher has to be very precise when it comes to this because he would have to wish at exactly 11:11 (in the 2400 time), as soon as it gets to that time. Like the wishing star, he has to do it instantly and before even a millisecond has passed. EDIT: I just found this out. You can't be waiting for the time to be 11:11. You just have to happen to see the time turn to 11:11 and you have to instantly make your wish.
Superstition #6 - The white mark on a nail.
Another uncommon superstition. You know how sometimes you get a white mark on your fingernail? This superstition is supposed to mean that someone likes you. But it's only true if the white colour is pure white (no transparent-ness to it) and it doesn't move when it should. (as your nail grows, the mark should move as well) How it's connected to someone liking you is still a mystery to me.
Superstition #7 - The mirror breaking.
Another classic superstition that if you don't know it, you probably don't know anything. There's a reason on to why people believed that it's bad luck for a mirror to break. In the past, people used to believe that the mirror held the soul. The soul was also believed to take 7 years (approximately) to heal. If you broke a mirror, you broke your soul, and it took 7 years for it to well, heal. In those 7 years, bad luck typically happens because it's a sort of backlash from God while your soul was in repair.
Superstition #8 - The silver horseshoe.
Another very popular superstition. Yet, this one is even easier to explain. In supernatural folklore, among the things that supernatural beings are weak against are silver (others are salt and any kind of holy water, from Christian holy water to Muslim ones). But the reason it has to be a horseshoe is because it has to be used by a horse beforehand. If the horseshoe is still in perfect condition, then it is blessed and able to ward off evil spirits.
There you go. A few common (and not so common) superstitions and how (and why) they came to be. If you've got either another superstition, or if you've found out some more stuff about this, let me know and I'll just edit it.
Till next time,
~Josh the Joshster~
Hey, guys. I know, I'm writing in my blog again, but you don't have to look that surprised. It's just that I have a somewhat interesting topic that I wanna share with you all and I didn't want to forget about it.
If you can't read the topic, it's about superstitions. You know how there are so many superstitions on both jinxes and charms, right? Well, I'm about to tell you why some of them exist. Obviously I don't know all of them, but if you know one that I don't know, tell me in the comment section of this post.
DISCLAIMER: I don't think any of these are real! I'm just saying why they are thought to be real!
Superstition #1 - Wishing on a falling star.
This superstition is both overrated and exaggerated. It's not the first person to see the falling star will have their wish come true, but in fact, the wish that you make while it's still shining is the one that will. Don't get it? Well, a falling star only shines for a split second, so you have to make a wish before it disappears. Because of that, it will be the one thing you want the most. That's why that wish will come true. This is made trickier because you have to say the wish out loud with no one hearing it before the falling star disappears.
Superstition #2 - Four-leaf clover.
This is another popular superstition. The reason why a four-leaf clover is thought to bring good luck is because it is something not a part of nature. Everything in nature consists of these numbers, AKA the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on. To get the Fibonacci numbers, this is how. 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21...... This is because if you add the last two numbers, you'll get the new number. (0+1 = 1. 1+1 = 2. 2+1 = 3. etc.) Since four is skipped, it's considered a "miracle" (or something like that), and that's why it's considered a charm.
Superstition #3 - Walking under a ladder.
Aaah, my favourite jinx superstition. Why? Because this superstition was made up because of mere coincidence. When a person used to walk under a ladder, usually a ladder used for painting a building, the can of paint would sometimes fall on the person. Because of that happening so often, people actually made a superstition out of it, thinking it was bad luck.
Superstition #4 - The black cat.
Black cats were associated with witches in the olden days. (and sometimes still are) Usually the black cats would be the familiar (or "errand cat") of the witch. So to the people who believed in witches, the black cats would signify a witch cursing someone, and sending her familiar to the job for her. But it's only a "cursed cat" if the black cat walks purposely up to you and all it does is stand in front of you, then hisses (or something signifying hostility) and then walks pasts you.
Superstition #5 - Wishing on 11:11.
This is a not so common superstition. The wisher has to be very precise when it comes to this because he would have to wish at exactly 11:11 (in the 2400 time), as soon as it gets to that time. Like the wishing star, he has to do it instantly and before even a millisecond has passed. EDIT: I just found this out. You can't be waiting for the time to be 11:11. You just have to happen to see the time turn to 11:11 and you have to instantly make your wish.
Superstition #6 - The white mark on a nail.
Another uncommon superstition. You know how sometimes you get a white mark on your fingernail? This superstition is supposed to mean that someone likes you. But it's only true if the white colour is pure white (no transparent-ness to it) and it doesn't move when it should. (as your nail grows, the mark should move as well) How it's connected to someone liking you is still a mystery to me.
Superstition #7 - The mirror breaking.
Another classic superstition that if you don't know it, you probably don't know anything. There's a reason on to why people believed that it's bad luck for a mirror to break. In the past, people used to believe that the mirror held the soul. The soul was also believed to take 7 years (approximately) to heal. If you broke a mirror, you broke your soul, and it took 7 years for it to well, heal. In those 7 years, bad luck typically happens because it's a sort of backlash from God while your soul was in repair.
Superstition #8 - The silver horseshoe.
Another very popular superstition. Yet, this one is even easier to explain. In supernatural folklore, among the things that supernatural beings are weak against are silver (others are salt and any kind of holy water, from Christian holy water to Muslim ones). But the reason it has to be a horseshoe is because it has to be used by a horse beforehand. If the horseshoe is still in perfect condition, then it is blessed and able to ward off evil spirits.
There you go. A few common (and not so common) superstitions and how (and why) they came to be. If you've got either another superstition, or if you've found out some more stuff about this, let me know and I'll just edit it.
Till next time,
~Josh the Joshster~
5 comments:
oh. wow some of the explainations were freaky o.o"
where'd you get em anyway?
Good brief and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you seeking your information.
A superstition you forgot is making a wish on the first star of the night, with that little rhyme "Star light, star bright. The first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."
Took me time to read the whole article, the article is great but the comments bring more brainstorm ideas, thanks.
- Johnson
@Mum: Internet research skills ftw.
@Kori: Ah, I didn't find anything on that. I also found other stuff that disproved the ones above, so it'll be edited. But thanks for the feedback. :)
@Johnson: Haha, thanks! :)
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