Superstitions
July 23rd, 2010 by John WolfeToday’s vid asks, ‘How Superstitious Are you?’ A few of these superstitions are well known, but there’s also some obscure stuff referenced here, too. It’s interesting how many superstitions focus on the outcome or punishment for engaging (or not engaging) in a certain activity to be some sort of encounter with either witches, evil spirits, devils or death.
Source: YT user, beepbeepitsme
Here’s the first sentence from the second paragraph of the above vid’s description on You Tube: “Superstitions are based on general, culturally variable beliefs in a supernatural reality.” So, to answer the question being posed, based on that sentence, I’d have to say I am somewhat superstitious, because I believe a supernatural reality does exist.
However, even though I believe in the supernatural and have had encounters with that world, I know my interactions with broomsticks, mirrors, etc., have no bearing on my life being influenced by paranormal energies. The long and short of it: I believe ghosts exist, but I don’t think throwing salt over my shoulder (or any other superstitious activity) will prevent them from interacting with me.
I am curious about how the the superstition at 2:04 would even work: “If you get a chill up your back or goosebumps, does it mean that someone is walking over your grave?” Well, if you’re able to feel goosebumps, then I’m suspecting you’re not in a grave yet, so how could someone be walking over your grave? 
July 23rd, 2010 at 8:53 pm
I admit, I never really thought about superstitions as being worth my time, but I do actually have a couple weird ones. I hold my breath while driving past a cemetery (or you’ll be the next occupant) and I do lift my feet off the floorboard and put my hands on the ceiling in the car when going over a cattle guard (I never asked what happens if I don’t do it?) and if I look at the clock and it’s 11:11, I make a wish.
July 24th, 2010 at 11:17 am
I’m in the same boat as you, John. I was born on the 13th which happened to fall on a Friday. I almost embrace the things people steer clear of due to superstition simply based on my birth date. I believe a spiritual realm exists or some kind of dimension we are unaware of, but why would people NOT want to interact with those spirits/beings? Fear is a strange thing.
July 24th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
autumnforest,
I think cemeteries tend to inspire a lot of superstitions. I remember hearing the one about whistling as you walk past a graveyard when I was a kid. Speaking of whistling, as a boy, I also remember my friend’s mom getting very upset with me because I whistled in her house after dark. She said whistling at night would call the devil. I was around eight-years-old at the time, so her stern warning freaked me out! Needless to say I never whistled at night again during my childhood.
After reading your comment, I started thinking more about my own behavior and realized there actually are a lot of things I do that could be considered superstitious, but I usually don’t do those things to avoid contact with spirits or the devil, etc., as the video suggests. Instead, I’ve concocted my own reasons for doing them and those reasons are just as illogical as saying whistling calls the devil!
I guess I am extremely superstitious, just in my own weirdo ways.
I like the 11:11 thing! It’s so cool to see numbers align like that. I remember hearing Ellen discuss on her talk show how she sees 11:11 a lot, so much so that she called her recently launched record label “eleven-eleven.”
Doug,
I’ve also thought Friday the 13th birthdays were awesome and, of course, anyone born in October or on Halloween was extremely lucky, too! It’s great to hear your date of birth actually gives you a feeling of wanting to embrace those things most fear. That’s the best way to cause fear’s grip to be released.
I agree with you about wanting to interact and communicate with otherworldly energies. It should be more openly accepted, but again, fear has shut that down pretty hard for most. About the only time I distance myself from trying to communicate is when I feel an overwhelming sense of being drained and depleted. Being that I tend to be very empathic, I can at times feel a drain after doing EVP work, and the drain impacts my mood, but most of the time I’m up for it.
July 25th, 2010 at 10:09 am
I know ghosts are real, I have seen more than one in my life. I don’t really believe in most other stuff but I always cringe when I spill salt or break a mirror, so I guess I am superstitious on some level.
July 26th, 2010 at 11:05 am
You know honey, neither me, my parents nor my grand-parents were ever had any superstitions. In fact (you know me) when I used to work at the store, I would make a point to WALK UNDER a ladder
My fellow co-workers would seriously trip out and be horrified by my careless action. LoL, it’s all in the mind. In addition, as you know, I adore black cats. I consider it a good thing to have a black cat cross my path.
I know this is a bit off subject from your blog entry posting but I wanted to comment shortly on what autumnforest said about 11:11. She’s not alone with such a thing happening. There are billions of us who are seeing 11:11 at the oddest times or even just in passing on license plates, papers, tv, on a billboard….it’s odd just how many places you’ll find 11:11. What gets me is this: I’m fast alseep….as in DEEP under for my nightly rest and all of the sudden, out of nowhere, I’ll wake up and just glance at the clock to see how much more time I have to sleep in. To wake from a dead sleep, for no apparent reason, and the time on my clock is 11:11 exactly……….SHOCKING!!! For a while I would wake up at 3:11am like clock work. It’s almost as though something woke me up just for the occasion of the time turning to 11:11. Do you have that happening to you to John? On line it’s actually called the “11:11 Spiritual Phenomenon.” I wonder what’s behind it………..why now……..why so many seeing the same thing. Hmmmmmm…..(you hear my mind turning huh my friend?)
PS–Please don’t forget to check out the “nightcrawler” video!!! It’s also baffled all of the paranormal experts!!! The image is so unclear it’s hard to zero in on what could be causing it. I’ve never seen ANYTHING like it. Let me know what you think, ok babe?
July 26th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Ethan,
I’d love to hear about your paranormal experiences one of these day. Thanks for sharing some your superstitions. Though I try not to let it bother me beyond observing it’s there, I do notice the fact I give certain things like the mirror or opening an umbrella indoors somewhat of a second thought. We’ve all heard so many of these things since we were little, it’s almost impossible to not have them roaming around a bit in the backs of our minds.
Goldie,
I agree with you. Just like the line goes from the Gorillaz song, Clint Eastwood: “…remember that it’s all in your head.” But, with that being said, much of what’s in our head can be pretty powerful stuff at times. I’m so glad you’ve been able to remove that impulse or feeling (or you just never adopted it in the first place) to engage in any activity that’s usually described as superstitious.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with 11:11. I’ve had that happen on and off for a couple years now, but the frequency isn’t anything like what you’re describing. Of course, I don’t have very many functioning clocks in my house… LOL! I pretty much only use my cell and my computer clock and that’s about it. I can absolutely hear the wheels turning in your mind! I know when it’s happening either by the sound of your voice or the excitement in how you type that there’s a subject you’re mulling over quite deeply.
Thanks, I’ll definitely check out the night crawler vid. After hearing your description of it, I’m very curious.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I don’t know it might be unlucky to say one way or the other.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Hmm, could be…
July 29th, 2010 at 10:50 am
“I am curious about how the the superstition at 2:04 would even work: “If you get a chill up your back or goosebumps, does it mean that someone is walking over your grave?” Well, if you’re able to feel goosebumps, then I’m suspecting you’re not in a grave yet, so how could someone be walking over your grave? ”
I think it’s supposed to be your FUTURE grave, hence the unluckiness.
I have always professed non-belief in most of the American superstitions, like the ladder, black cat, mirror, salt, but they always run through my mind when the opportunity is in front of me – like the other poster I deliberately go under ladders and I like black cats. I know several people from Afghanistan, and they have some different ones, that I of course think are silly – if you hit someone’s foot with a broom while you are sweeping, they have to break a bristle off the broom and spit on it to avoid being arrested by the police. They believe strongly in the evil eye, and if you compliment someone, you have to counter it by looking at your cuticles – I’m not sure if the evil spirits get jealous of the complimented person, and I have no idea why the cuticles are so important. One superstition they have in common with us is knocking on wood. Very interesting.
July 29th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Thanks, Halloween Anna. That definitely makes more sense.
Those are some really different (and interesting) superstitions you shared from Afghanistan. I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of those. It’s very curious how these beliefs branch out and develop in different countries even though they all stem from similar ideas about luck/spirits/devils, etc.
Also, I don’t think I’ve spoken with you before, so I’d like to thank you for commenting and welcome you to Season of Shadows.