Being that I have had a rash of "bad luck", I decided to explore some of the so called "good luck charms."In my quest to find good luck charms, I came across several superstitions about wishes. It is believed that if one wishes on a penny and throws it into a fountain, that their wish will come true. A falling star is not something most people see on a regular basis, so it is believed that if you see a falling star and wish on it, that wish will come true. On the grounds of wishes, what about wishing on any star? "Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may I wish I might. Grant this wish I wish tonight." What about wishing on your birthday cake candles?
Bringing luck to oneself could be as simple as finding something. It is believed that finding a horse shoe will bring a person good luck. My entire family has always placed a horse shoe or two above the doorway of a house. I asked my mother what it meant, and she told me that it was for good luck. Most people who believe in this superstition believe that the shoes should be placed facing upward so that the luck will not run out. The next time you find yourself walking through a field or pasture to find that horse shoe, pay close attention to the grass. You may find a four leaf clover. Three of the leaves is said to represent the Holy Trinity in some Irish beliefs. In others, the four cloves represent hope, faith, love, and luck, which the finder of one will have good luck in all of these areas. If you happen to walking in that same pasture looking for horseshoe and four leaf clovers, look for acorns. The superstition behind this is that an acorn carried in your pocket will bring good luck and long life. When you get home from your excursion in the pasture, take the acorn and put it in your window. This is believed to keep lightning away. If you find a cricket in your home, don't kill it! Little Jiminy may just bring some good fortune!
Who would have thought that locking lips with someone at a certain time would usher in good luck? Kissing under mistletoe is a common practice during the Christmas holidays. According to David Beaulieu, one of the guides to landscaping for About.com, mistletoe "was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day." Beaulieu also tells of the Norse myth of their most beloved god Balder, and how the mistletoe became a symbol for kissing.
“The Norse god Balder was the best loved of all the gods. His mother was Frigga, goddess of love and beauty. She loved her son so much that she wanted to make sure no harm would come to him. So she went through the world, securing promises from everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not harm her beloved Balder.
Leave it to Loki, a sly, evil spirit, to find the loophole. The loophole was mistletoe. He made an arrow from its wood. To make the prank even nastier, he took the arrow to Hoder, Balder's brother, who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart, and he fell dead. Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy ending, Balder is restored to life, and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the reputation of the offending plant--making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who passes under it (Beaulieu).”
Even though I have outlined a few of the many lucky superstitions, I feel like I must throw out this disclosure for all of you highly superstitious believers. Remember, luck is a two sided coin. If you practice any of these superstitions, you may want to get the entire facts so that you do not violate the “good luck” factors. It’s like the third law of Sir Isaac Newton, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. What you do with your lucky charm may not be the problem, but rather what you don’t do. Think about it!
Works Cited:
Beaulieu, David. “Norse Myths and the History of Mistletoe.” About.com: Landscaping. 2008. New York Time Company. 30 Oct. 2008
5 comments:
Fed, interesting blog. I am a slightly superstitious person, more with the common ones (walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors, black cats, etc.). I found it interesting to learn about the various ones you described. I also learned a lot about the mistletoe from your blog. I didn't realize the story that went with it. Thanks for the info.
Fed, Good start here. I find it intriguing that you're writing about superstition. I hope to see some posts describing the psychology of superstition in addition to some of the myths. Why is it that people are superstitious? Good writing here!
Hey man, interesting topic. I don't consider myself a superstitious person whatsoever, however, I find it very interesting to learn about the origins of superstitions; particularly Norse mythology. The best part of mythology, in general, is the archetypal characters and their respective stories. As far as the writing is concerned, I thought it was put together well but, there are some grammatical errors that I think could be caught by having someone proofread your work or doing it yourself. For example, in your first paragraph you use quotation marks several times but, you put your periods and commas outside of the marks. Also there are inconsistencies in tenses (starting with present and finishing with future in a single line) as well as your references to horseshoe(s) which, I believe is a compound word, and not two separate words. Other than the slight grammatical issues, it flows well.
Wow Fed,
You are a very creative writer. I never knew about the story behind mistletoe or horseshoes. I honestly love your blog and hope to model mine after yours. So what exactly happens if a person don't keep an equal balance with their superstitiouns.
Post a Comment