Friday 13 March 2015

Superstitious?

Image courtesy of cargocollective.com

My word of the week is superstitious.

With it being Friday 13th and all that I thought an appropriate word for this week is superstitious. According to dictionary.com the word superstitious describes a notion or belief that isn't based on particular knowledge or reason in or of a particular circumstance, thing, or occurrence. It can also be a collection of beliefs. 

Am I superstitious? 

To a degree yes I suppose I am, I won't walk under ladders, I salute magpie's and worry about breaking mirrors. I have a lucky necklace and would never put a new pair of shoes on a table or open an umbrella indoors!! 

My most recent superstition has to be the magpie one, I remember seeing my husband a few years ago randomly saluting a magpie, my initial thoughts were what a complete weirdo, what on earth is he doing saluting a bird and saying good morning to it?!! Now I'm that weirdo that on seeing a magpie/s salutes and wishes them good morning and recites the poem in my mind!!! Random.

I thought it would be a fun idea to have a look into some of my superstitions in more detail and some of the origins I found are a little grim!

The walking under ladders superstition dates back to the days when people were hanged for terrible crimes, walking under a ladder is associated with walking to the hanging scaffold, never a good thing! 

Breaking mirrors is probably one of the most well known superstitions, mirrors were once thought to be windows to other worlds and to break a mirror was to break your soul, ohh spooky! 

Many people believe in lucky charms, it's usually through an association that they have been successful at something and they've had said charm on them at the time. I have three lucky charms, a silver bracelet that my Dad bought when I was a child, I always wear it when I feel a need a little bit luck, I also have a locket that my husband bought me one Valentine's Day, I have worn this during successful interviews and most recently when I went into labour I specifically put it on before going to hospital, I also have my Gran's engagement ring which I wear when I feel I want to feel comforted and safe. All of these are very special lucky charms to me.


I'm not too sure about the opening an umbrella in a house, one suggestion is that in the 18th century umbrella's were awkward to open and in cramped spaces injuries could have been caused! Regardless of this I'm not one to tempt fate and open one inside.

Putting new shoes on a table is a creepy one, the superstition dates back years and years ago when new shoes were traditionally put on the dead while they were laid out on the table therefore suggesting that putting new shoes on a table brings bad luck or death!

For some more superstitions click on this link, some of these I've never heard of and are great!

Are you superstitious? What are your superstitions?
The Reading Residence

14 comments:

  1. I'm really superstitious as well and can relate to having to salute a magpie as soon as I see a lone one x

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    1. I know what you mean, it was interesting to look a bit more into the different superstitions too! x

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  3. Loved this post :) I definitely have the magpie one and have a few charms I like to wear for important occasions.

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    1. Thanks Gem! I reckon most of us have lucky charms that we use! x

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  4. I'm not very superstitious, no, though I don't like seeing solitary magpies either! It's interesting thinking about where the superstition started, too. Thanks for sharing with #WotW x

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    1. I didn't think I was massively until I started thinking about it! Thanks for the linky X

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  5. I'm not that superstitious but we had a clinic today on Friday 13th. It rained, trains stopped, patients late!! Maybe I should be!! Hehe! Xx

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    1. Haha, I'd definitely be thinking Friday the 13th curse!! x

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  6. Sadly I am superstitious and I wish I am not as sometimes its a bit so backwards. I wish when I pass by railtrack. Makes a wish on my first time I visit new church. I so love odd numbers and thinks even numbers brings me bad luck. I dont wear clothes again if I had a really bad day while wearing it. And this is just few of the things I do!!! #wotw

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    1. I think most of have certain things like that perhaps that we don't even realise! x

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  7. I'm not too superstitious but do get a little worried when I see a lone magpie.

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    1. It's so funny how we all have our little quirks isn't it. X

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