It's the second Thursday of the month again ... time for the Global Writing
Challenge.
My posts always go live a little early (to avoid collision with the silent films), so if the posts of the others are not live yet, please check back later.
The current membership consists of Deb’s World, Suzy Turner, Within a World of My Own, Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After, Marsha in the Middle, Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa, and me. It's fun to learn how differently everyone interprets a topic.
You can play along and link up with us (only posts related to the topic, please)!
If that's too short notice for you, maybe next time? Here is the prompt for the coming month.
December - Why do you blog?
Today we are talking about superstition. Who was the fool who chose that?? Oh wait, it was yours truly who quickly felt she had shot herself in the foot with that random choice.
I mean how superstitious can you be if you have surrounded yourself with black cats for decades (that's Esme up there, by the way, and it was just the angle that made her look mad)?
Who knows, though ...
From "Miss Buncle Married" by D. E. Stevenson:
"Neither of them had the slightest idea of the extent to which Trivvie’s life was governed and restricted by “taboos” and strange pagan rites of her own fashioning. She made them herself, of course, but, once they were made, she could not unmake them; they were fixed for ever to be a burden to her back, and a menace to her comfort and convenience. The “taboos” were multiple, and of all kinds. Sometimes they were “lasting,” like the touching of the trees, sometimes they were merely passing superstitions. She would say to Ambrose, “If that blackbird flies away before I count twenty, I shall die in the night.” And, if the blackbird flew away, she would creep to bed in fear and trembling, and find herself alive in the morning with surprise and delight. Ambrose, who was of more stolid make, would pretend to be scornful of these signs and portents, but sometimes — he had to own — they came true. He was always glad when the time passed, and some dire catastrophe, predicted by his sister, had failed to eventuate."
Ok, I wouldn't go so far to say that I have to go to bed trembling if I don't grab the lamp post at a particular corner in town ... simply because I always touch it. Actually I use it to "swing" myself around that corner. Just that one, though, I couldn't be more indifferent to all the others.
It started on a day when I was in a fantastic mood. Maybe I was channeling Gene Kelly.
In my very restricted, non-dancing way of course, also the song in my earbuds was "I Feel Good" and I didn't sing out loud. Oh, and it didn't rain.
Then it just became a habit. Or is it a "strange pagan rite"?
It's not my only habit. I'm also an obsessive wood knocker to avoid jinxing, and of course I'm one of these "hilarious" people knocking on my own head if there's no wood around. It's a shame if a doctor's office is furnished in metal and plastic.
At least it's absolutely acceptable to knock on wood because people are so used to it. Sometimes they even join in. It can't hurt, can it?
You'll often find as explanation that this goes back to the ancient belief in tree spirits, knocking on wood - the tree in this case - was supposed to appease or call them.
It's kind of interesting we still do it because I'm not quite sure if spirits whose trees have turned into tables, desks or cupboards will be that easy to appease. Maybe they were even forced to move.
I'm even less sure about the spirits in my head ...
It's not difficult, however, to imagine whole generations of tree spirits living in gorgeous trees like these in my old neighborhood.
"Researchers at the University of Chicago and Harvard found that “undoing” actions — gestures that involve repelling something outward, like knocking or throwing — genuinely reduce anxiety about tempting fate." Realistic? Maybe. Much more boring than tree spirits? Absolutely.
I also admit having thrown coins into water before, but that was as a child and I can't remember making actual wishes then. It's not that I have become a miser and won't spare a coin, but I don't know any dedicated wishing wells around and wouldn't just throw coins into "wild" water.
On Instagram I follow several mudlarks, among them those who have a license for the River Thames Foreshore. As you can imagine, the finds are fascinating, votive offerings to the waters included.
Bogs, springs, and lakes were sacred places as well and offerings were not just coins, but also other objects ... and possibly more. You have probably heard of bog bodies who some researchers think were human sacrifices to appease the gods, for example in case of bad harvest.
There are a lot more superstitions (and a lot more sources I looked at, but I added just one compilation below).
Just some of them are the dreaded 13, even worse in connection with a Friday ... spilling salt ... a mirror breaking. Walking under a ladder!
And maybe you have been looking for four-leaf clover to bring you luck.
But do you really believe in these things? Or have those superstitions turned into an automatic ritual that you don't think about anymore instead of making you creep to bed in fear?
Yeah, I'm really not superstitious.
I don't mind a Friday the 13th, I don't throw spilled salt over my left shoulder, I can't remember ever having broken a mirror, so if it happened, it obviously wasn't a big deal.
I don't walk under a ladder if there's another way that's less of a hazard for both the persons under and on the ladder.
The only four-leaf clovers I ever owned were gifts by a gardener when I bought a plant. Thinking about it, that gardener isn't around anymore, maybe they gave away too much of their four-leaf clover?😜
And don't forget what has been going around as a Groucho Marx quote for a long time (more on that here):
"A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere."
Here's what the others have to say about superstition. Check it out!
Amy questions if she is a superstitious person and which superstitions, if any, she follows.
Suzy writes about superstitions, black cats, lucky omens and why we still follow mysterious old beliefs even when we don't believe in them.
Debbie is sharing an Australian take on the old rhyme 'one for sorrow, two for joy'.
Sally discusses the Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit phenomenon and shares some bunny-themed goodness from her closet.
Marsha doesn’t consider herself superstitious, but there are some things that make her think twice!
Leslie shares a few superstitions that have adorned her life. Hope you will stop by to learn more.
Further reading:
Natasha Sheldon: The Origins of 10 Ancient Superstitions We Still Follow Today. On: History Collection, April 25, 2018
My posts always go live a little early (to avoid collision with the silent films), so if the posts of the others are not live yet, please check back later.
The current membership consists of Deb’s World, Suzy Turner, Within a World of My Own, Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After, Marsha in the Middle, Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa, and me. It's fun to learn how differently everyone interprets a topic.
You can play along and link up with us (only posts related to the topic, please)!
If that's too short notice for you, maybe next time? Here is the prompt for the coming month.
December - Why do you blog?
Today we are talking about superstition. Who was the fool who chose that?? Oh wait, it was yours truly who quickly felt she had shot herself in the foot with that random choice.
I mean how superstitious can you be if you have surrounded yourself with black cats for decades (that's Esme up there, by the way, and it was just the angle that made her look mad)?
Who knows, though ...
From "Miss Buncle Married" by D. E. Stevenson:
"Neither of them had the slightest idea of the extent to which Trivvie’s life was governed and restricted by “taboos” and strange pagan rites of her own fashioning. She made them herself, of course, but, once they were made, she could not unmake them; they were fixed for ever to be a burden to her back, and a menace to her comfort and convenience. The “taboos” were multiple, and of all kinds. Sometimes they were “lasting,” like the touching of the trees, sometimes they were merely passing superstitions. She would say to Ambrose, “If that blackbird flies away before I count twenty, I shall die in the night.” And, if the blackbird flew away, she would creep to bed in fear and trembling, and find herself alive in the morning with surprise and delight. Ambrose, who was of more stolid make, would pretend to be scornful of these signs and portents, but sometimes — he had to own — they came true. He was always glad when the time passed, and some dire catastrophe, predicted by his sister, had failed to eventuate."
Ok, I wouldn't go so far to say that I have to go to bed trembling if I don't grab the lamp post at a particular corner in town ... simply because I always touch it. Actually I use it to "swing" myself around that corner. Just that one, though, I couldn't be more indifferent to all the others.
It started on a day when I was in a fantastic mood. Maybe I was channeling Gene Kelly.
In my very restricted, non-dancing way of course, also the song in my earbuds was "I Feel Good" and I didn't sing out loud. Oh, and it didn't rain.
Then it just became a habit. Or is it a "strange pagan rite"?
It's not my only habit. I'm also an obsessive wood knocker to avoid jinxing, and of course I'm one of these "hilarious" people knocking on my own head if there's no wood around. It's a shame if a doctor's office is furnished in metal and plastic.
At least it's absolutely acceptable to knock on wood because people are so used to it. Sometimes they even join in. It can't hurt, can it?
You'll often find as explanation that this goes back to the ancient belief in tree spirits, knocking on wood - the tree in this case - was supposed to appease or call them.
It's kind of interesting we still do it because I'm not quite sure if spirits whose trees have turned into tables, desks or cupboards will be that easy to appease. Maybe they were even forced to move.
I'm even less sure about the spirits in my head ...
It's not difficult, however, to imagine whole generations of tree spirits living in gorgeous trees like these in my old neighborhood.
"Researchers at the University of Chicago and Harvard found that “undoing” actions — gestures that involve repelling something outward, like knocking or throwing — genuinely reduce anxiety about tempting fate." Realistic? Maybe. Much more boring than tree spirits? Absolutely.
I also admit having thrown coins into water before, but that was as a child and I can't remember making actual wishes then. It's not that I have become a miser and won't spare a coin, but I don't know any dedicated wishing wells around and wouldn't just throw coins into "wild" water.
On Instagram I follow several mudlarks, among them those who have a license for the River Thames Foreshore. As you can imagine, the finds are fascinating, votive offerings to the waters included.
Bogs, springs, and lakes were sacred places as well and offerings were not just coins, but also other objects ... and possibly more. You have probably heard of bog bodies who some researchers think were human sacrifices to appease the gods, for example in case of bad harvest.
There are a lot more superstitions (and a lot more sources I looked at, but I added just one compilation below).
Just some of them are the dreaded 13, even worse in connection with a Friday ... spilling salt ... a mirror breaking. Walking under a ladder!
And maybe you have been looking for four-leaf clover to bring you luck.
But do you really believe in these things? Or have those superstitions turned into an automatic ritual that you don't think about anymore instead of making you creep to bed in fear?
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Yeah, I'm really not superstitious.
I don't mind a Friday the 13th, I don't throw spilled salt over my left shoulder, I can't remember ever having broken a mirror, so if it happened, it obviously wasn't a big deal.
I don't walk under a ladder if there's another way that's less of a hazard for both the persons under and on the ladder.
The only four-leaf clovers I ever owned were gifts by a gardener when I bought a plant. Thinking about it, that gardener isn't around anymore, maybe they gave away too much of their four-leaf clover?😜
And don't forget what has been going around as a Groucho Marx quote for a long time (more on that here):
"A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere."
Here's what the others have to say about superstition. Check it out!
Amy questions if she is a superstitious person and which superstitions, if any, she follows.
Suzy writes about superstitions, black cats, lucky omens and why we still follow mysterious old beliefs even when we don't believe in them.
Debbie is sharing an Australian take on the old rhyme 'one for sorrow, two for joy'.
Sally discusses the Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit phenomenon and shares some bunny-themed goodness from her closet.
Marsha doesn’t consider herself superstitious, but there are some things that make her think twice!
Leslie shares a few superstitions that have adorned her life. Hope you will stop by to learn more.
Further reading:
Natasha Sheldon: The Origins of 10 Ancient Superstitions We Still Follow Today. On: History Collection, April 25, 2018
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