Superstition is an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear. superstition, a virtual entity we all are following in some way. sometimes peoples become ov

Image by kevin dooley via Flickr

erdosed partially or wholly.in my memories from childhood i can count on fingers the number of moments where i have seen peoples belief on such superstitions, i remember how a small crossover  of a cat on road made people worried and horrify them too.

i have seen how people halt their important journey only because of the “dimnished light” which is lit recently. one reason must have been the fear of losing valuables, (like a small gold earring).these spicious sings and symbols made the nerves thrives of the invinduals who believe them blindly.

Their are occassion when i have heard asupicious omen to like Dream of running: a sign of a big change in your life. If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn you will not catch a cold all winter.

With so many thoughts pooped into my mind. some times i think. Do superstitions decimate a person intellect and attitude?then answering myself thats……….

 it is illitracy and that can decimate a persons intellect and attitude….no everybody has some type of simple superstitions .main thing is that they should not be overpwering the person to much to the extent that he and his attitude. If such education is overwhelmed by superstitions, the person concerned has not earned the advantages of education. Thus superstitions affecting the intellect.

The very first time because 84, these a couple of Friday your own 13ths : right this moment, 04 Tough luck and Come july 1st Thirteen — are generally specifically Difficult luck a few months an important part.

A few Friday your current 13ths occur every single number of years. The very last was from 09, and this band are brilliant actually 2015. What is really particular with regards to 2012 : and precisely what will not likely take place again right up until 2040 * is actually niagra is happening after having a phase yr.

friday the 13th history origins

Friday the specific Thirteenth is a real problem to prospective customers at risk of superstitions — they generally commit the actual early morning searching for bad signs and omens and postpone outings. Based on the Anxiety Operations Centre and Dread Begin inside Asheville, Vermont, almost Seventeen so that you can Twenty one thousand people the united states have problems with anxiousness while today.

You will find inconsistent accounts about the probability of incidents about Friday the specific Thirteenth.

This Nederlander Heart regarding Insurance Numbers (Cv’s) about 06 A dozen, ‘08, explained that your lower amount of accidental injuries and evaluations with regards to fire and thieves occur if your Thirteenth through the thirty day period comes on the Friday when compared with additional Fridays, because individuals tend to be preventatively more careful or possibly work.

A whole new 1993 study in the Uk Health treatment Firewood that when when compared the number of visitors situations in between Friday this Sixth and Friday the actual Thirteenth, pointed out that there is a substantial increase in traffic-related incidents upon Fridays the particular 13th.

Worries with regards to Friday, this 13th possesses his own technological determine — paraskavedekatriaphobia, a thing produced by your own concatenation in the Ancient greek language terms Paraskeví (this means Friday), and dekatreís (which means challenging luck), attached to phobía (meaning get worried).

Based on folklorists, there’s no produced data to get a “Friday the actual 13th” superstition prior to the 19th hundred years, nonetheless, some traditions can be shifted by way of dental customs.

A particular idea boasts it’s actually a modern-day combinations with regards to several elderly superstitions: which 13 is undoubtedly an regrettable amount and that Friday is usually an unfortunate early morning.

In numerology, the phone amount 12 is definitely the amount of completeness, simply because looked like inside one year of the season, 12 warning signs of the actual indian native zodiac, A dozen several hours from the time clock, a dozen tribes connected with Israel, twelve Apostles involving Christ, twelve gods concerning Olympus, and so forth., whilst the product number tough good fortune ended up deemed unpredictable, transgressing these kinds of completeness.

There’s even a superstition, regarded as by having a variety of in order to be a result of the past Evening meal or even a Norse fable, that having Tough luck men and ladies resting in a cubical may lead to the certain loss of life of merely one from your diners.

Friday is becoming thought to be the sad time at very least given that Fourteen century’s The particular Canterbury Reports, and a great many other occupations get considered Friday as a possible unlucky early morning to try journeys as well as start brand-new duties. Dark-colored Friday may be linked with trading game accidents and other concerns as the 1800s. They have been offered in which Friday had been the afternoon that will Christ was crucified.

Nevertheless, one more concept by way of author Charles Panati, one of the main professionals with regards to “Origins” retains that superstition may be traced time for old misunderstanding.

Other individuals have the superstitions useful resource throughout 1307, during Friday, March Tough luck, people from france Learn Philip 4 concerns an investment on the removing through the Knights throughout struggle Templar Purchase, who have been faced with many sins, including witchcraft. The web link involving the superstition and the specific Knights in battle inside fight Templar ended up made popular within 2004 clean The particular Nrrr Vinci Program code involving writer Dan Darkish.

Recent surveys show folks dwindle and much less superstitious and dependent upon this mistakenly as well as actually charged Friday.

Filipino sub-urban superstition tells us that, during New Year, fruits of different kinds and smells are necessary to display on the tables on the New Year’s Day. The concept is really to believe that Filipino people would do this for abundance and prosperity for the next year and onwards. It is said that preparing these fruits on the 31st of December may bring a myriad of luck for the coming years. Also, it is said that round shape fruits must be displayed because they symbolize money or simply the coin plates of currency. It is funny to think then that people rely on the superstitions in which they never understand other things except the luck given out and informed with that superstition. Indeed, it is only a superstition and it is out of the truth.

Though this superstition is quite comical, there is nothing to worry about it. It may be good or better and bad or worse. The preparation of round shape fruits has nothing to do with our luck or success. The concept maybe of preparing fruits during New Year’s Day is simply a Thanksgiving to God to the whole year round. It shows that the blessings are presented through the food displays and through inviting people and friends to come for the New Year’s Day.

Finally, I would like to remind that round shape fruits have nothing to do with anything else in luck and in success. The luck and success can be achieved through hard labor and diligence towards work plus prayer to the Almighty Father who is the Source of life and the Giver of everything. In contrast, I did not say I go against with this superstition because there is no wrong with it. What I say is this. If you display everything just like those – round shape fruits, you need to work and improve also your jobs with prayer to God. That is the key, and not on the round shapes of the fruits found in the fruit stands.

Now the question is: how far India has progressed in terms of the changed mindset brought about by the above leaders? Today we have an enlightened society that welcomes foreign direct investment (FDI), modern technology in science and medicine, western outfits, music, pizzas, and internet connectivity. In other words, we live in a globalised world where caste, race, religion, and gender are no longer the hot topics of discussion in our daily life. In this scenario, let us take note of what happened at Kukke Subrahmanya on 28th, 29th and 30th of November 2011.

Kukke Subrahmanya Temple: Karnataka.

Image via http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/06/17/dsc01570_1.jpg

Kukke Subrahmanya temple at Subrahmanya is one of the famous temples of Karnataka, being run by the state government. The temple is visited by devotees from all parts of India including presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers, cricketers, actors, and business tycoons. Unfortunately, no eminent persons had ever visited the temple during the annual festival called Champa Shasthi held in November/December every year, who could have been witness to a strange ritual called ‘Made Snana’ undertaken by a large number of devotees (around 6,000 this year). If they were witness to this event, perhaps they would have felt deep anguish, agony, disgust or mere shock at the nasty ritual undertaken here with the support of local swamiji and the Minister of Endowment.

Now let me tell you what this ‘made snana’ ritual is all about. ‘Made snana’ ritual has been in practice at the temple for about 400 years or more. People (mostly being dalits and backward classes) who take a vow on their own to get rid of their skin ailments go to the temple during the Champa Shashti fair (also called jathre in Kannada) and roll over the left-overs of food (lunch) served to Brahmins (who claim to belong to the superior caste) on banana leaves, around the precincts of the temple (see the picture elsewhere and also the links to videos on YouTube).

Made snana in progress at Kukke Subrahmanya temple.

Image via http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2011/12/10/kukke20subramanya201_1.jpg

Video on made snana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U6QmeSnYLY

This is one of the most demeaning, humiliating, shocking and shameful religious practices undertaken in India, especially in Karnataka, year after year. It may be noted here that last year (2010) there was a hue and cry about this obnoxious and degrading ritual as a result of which the local authorities had issued a notification in the local newspapers banning Made Snana, citing objections to the inhuman practice from the public earlier. However, when the festivities began, a few people belonging to a particular community insisted that the ritual should continue this year as well, and the local authorities permitted the ritual to go on due to the intervention of the Minister of Endowment. As a result, the ritual went on for three days to the dismay of the general public who had opposed this practice tooth-and-nail last year. What is distressing to note is that the Minister concerned was himself a practising doctor earlier whose medical practice prohibits him to prescribe made snana to his patients for skin-ailments, which is against the medical ethics.

What shocked the nation most was the argument put forth by the local swamiji who declared that made snana was an age-old practice undertaken by devotees on their own and that the practice should continue. (Wasn’t he aware that the Master-Saint Swami Vivekananda had advocated a scientific outlook and dynamic spirituality to the masses over a century ago?) It is strange that even when dharma and religious practices have undergone numerous changes in all parts of India over the years, this swamiji still advocated the obnoxious practice citing the sanctity of individual beliefs.

Worst of all, the incident that took place on the 30th of November 2011 served as a climax to the ritual of made snana. A group of activists from Mysore who had visited Kukke Subrahmanya to study the ritual of made snana and convince the devotees practising the ritual, not to undertake such demeaning rituals in this modern age, was assaulted temple staff in the presence of police who were mute spectators. It is pertinent to note here that the leader of the group, Mr  K S Shivaram, who is the  State President of  Karnataka Rajyada Hindulida Vargagala Jagrutha Vedike – Karnataka State Backward Classes Awareness Forum- ((KRHVJV) had taken permission from the local authorities previously to visit the temple and also to collect details of made snana from the devotees concerned. In spite of it, the local police did not provide the required security to the group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8TAYac4M4

Fact-finding team on made snana being attacked outside the Kukke Subrahmanya temple.

Kukke Subrahmanya temple, as mentioned earlier, is run by the Muzrai department of the Government of Karnataka and there are many kinds of sevas (kinds of pujas) available to the devotees for a certain fee. It may be noted that these sevas take care of all the needs of the devotees including relief from their skin-related problems, fertility-related problems of couples and the like. When this is the case, devotees should have been educated by the temple authorities not to undertake made snana as the same benefits of made snana are said to accrue to the devotees by performing these sevas. Moreover, the moot question is why the Brahmins alone should be served food exclusively in the precincts of the temple, which means giving them exclusive rights over other backward communities, thereby violating the principle of equality guaranteed under the Constitution. In India, Constitution is supreme and discrimination on the basis of caste, race, or colour is prohibited. Needless to say that if backward classes could get rid of their ailments by rolling over the left-overs of food served on plantain leaves to Brahmins, the opposite of it, i.e. Brahmins rolling over the left-overs of food served to the backward class people should also give them the same benefits. However, the Brahmins, on their part, are not inclined to undertake such a ritual.

Time will only tell when India would come out of the shackles of blind beliefs and exploitation of ignorant and vulnerable sections of society in the name of religion. 

Well, let’s try to understand this question.
How are superstitious?

Superstitions do not arise for a reason. Many generations have passed it from hand to hand. They retold by our grandmothers. Then we see firsthand that they work, begin to transfer them to your children and grandchildren. Believe me, it can not be superstition, which do not justify its essence. Most people would just laugh and forget about the existence of some sort of beliefs. But this does not happen. We stubbornly continue to keep this folk wisdom.

So how are all the same superstition? First, a person notices the strangeness is that under certain circumstances, always inevitably happens is an event. He once confronted with this, the second one. The third time he begins to see a pattern. Attempts to avoid this set of circumstances. He then shared with their loved ones suspected by these facts. They begin to turn in their own lives and to search for data matches. Find and conclude that there are actually some obscure relationship.

Further spreading superstition human mass. And for centuries they always justify their existence by the fact that people who believe and have taken certain steps, are protected from the negative impact of energy fields in your life.

At its core, superstition – is nothing more than close observation of the order of things in nature and human life. Scientists have proved the existence of biological energy field of the Earth and the individual. Each of our action has a negative or positively charged. Accordingly, we can not help every one of its thought or deed are making oscillatory movements in the overall aura. So do other sentient beings, including flowers, grass and trees. So, if you wilt or front of the flowers, lush bloom color, it means only one thing. Do you have a home energy changes. Grasp the relationship with that dog howling and a person near death is possible only under constant close observation of wildlife. We have not reached that level of development, which would be able to see with the naked eye changes in energy fields around us. It is possible that the dog as an animal predator by nature, is quite capable of catching these negative destructive changes. You can even suggest that in the past that allowed her more successful hunt those animals that were close to lethal limits. The same can be said of the distant relatives of dogs – wolves. They howl only when hungry and looking for prey. Their howl is likely to notify the school of that, near the place where they are located, will soon be a dead man among the animals. This will allow them to get more easy prey. That’s worth thinking about why we believe in superstition. Maybe they can help us navigate in space, which we do not see?
As there are signs?

Signs are significantly different from superstition. It is rather a reference book of folk wisdom. There are hidden secret knowledge of how a change of the seasons, which portends a particular natural phenomenon, which leads to change in a particular plan.

The root of the origin and will take approximately the same superstitions. Both there and here are the basis of centuries of observation. No one specifically focuses on research, does not explain the mechanism of action people take. But most of us are confident that the signs of coming true.

More proof of this is the past winter and a subsequent summer. In winter 2009 – 2010, on the whole territory of the European part of the country were severe frosts. Old-timers say that it will be very hot summer. And so it happened.

Why the signs are almost always true? And by the way, this is a scientific signs from an astronomical point of view, the explanation. All the matter in Earth orbit. If the winter she went a little farther from the sun, it is natural

That observed in the cold and frost. But this inevitably leads to the fact that in passing to the opposite point of the orbit in the summer, the planet will be closer to the sun is at such a distance that it was removed in the winter. Logical? Absolutely.

There is nothing supernatural in popular superstitions is not and can not be. Only experience and observation. Take for example the calendar marks. Folk wisdom says that the summer and its yield can be determined in the spring. What’s so special? Indeed, the earlier spring and united, the greater the likelihood that sow all the necessary people have time to much earlier. Extended for a period of plant vegetation, fruits and berries will be much greater. Take a huge amount due to the birds. These creatures are still not fully understood by scientists. We do not know the mechanism that makes the birds fly south in the spring and return to their homes. It would seem, well, flew away, so there would have remained. What causes them to break away from the places where sufficient food and favorable climatic conditions? What mysterious force moves them every year in space. Why are they behind the centuries-old evolution has not managed to adapt to the conditions of the climate zone in which they derive their young.

All these questions have no answers for scientists. But people say the signs of the behavior of birds very much. For example, if a dove flew into the window sign says that the house is bad luck. And most importantly, all the signs in different people say about about the same. Discrepancies of various events are very rare. In most cases they are related to differences in cultural traditions.
Modern signs and superstitions

Today, with the development of technological progress folk omens and superstitions continue to occur. People are still watching the current events and display the slender theory. And all this is very quickly gaining a certain power and starts to really work. Do you know the secret of the rapid spread of modern superstitions and adopt? In the advanced technologies of communication networks.

It is in our time we can share and exchange information almost instantaneously. We have a unique opportunity to pass it over vast distances. All this makes it very quick to inform many people. Each of which contributes its share of power in the new omen and superstition. So it becomes energetically powerful enough and can actively intervene in the life of any person.

Scientists believe that dreams reflect the things that we think about and desire in our waking moments, and instead of foretelling the future, dreams tell us something about our past, as a result of which, they conclude that they can learn a great deal about a person from his dreams. For example, if a person is unhappy about something or the other, he or she may have an unpleasant dream, that may be called a nightmare. By this, scientists get a clue about what exactly is disturbing that person during the day, which makes him or her so unhappy.

Many hypotheses have been advanced with regard to the mechanism of dreaming. Dreams are sometimes believed, either directly or symbolically, to be events that would take place in the future; even visitations by ghosts or other spirits. Modern explanations of dreams are associated with psychoanalysis that relates to the activity of the mind that is known as the unconscious, the theory being that dreams represent the imaginative fulfillment of wishes and desires that are repressed in the conscious mind during periods of wakefulness. In young children, the wish-fulfillment of dreams is apparent. For example, a child would dream that he or she has been given a box of candy or a new toy, but, as far as adults are concerned, repressions are stronger and more deep-seated, in which case, the wish or desire becomes symbolical.

It is difficult to observe dreams objectively. Psychologists have arrived at certain conclusions, one of which being that dreams are frequently considered to be nothing but interpretations of troubling experiences in the course of the day when a person is wide awake. Some psychologists believe that all human beings dream when asleep, although many people do not remember what they dream, or recall mere fragements of the dream that make no sense. By systematically attempting to remember dreams, an individual can be trained to remember the greater part of the dream.

In conclusion, dreams are nothing but idle fancies of the mind and are considered to be out of the domain of reality.

Hey folks I know this is a strange topic,to say the least ,but I was doing some research on this subject and found a great deal I didn’t know about  the traditions in my neck of the woods .I’ve lived in the south my entire life and have seen and heard some pretty weird superstitions,beliefs and traditions.here are a few for us to mull over,now don’t get offended if I make light on some of this stuff y’all know its just how I am.

In the South we celebrate the fact that this person lived. It’s just a shame they’re not around to enjoy it.We throw the most elaborate party you can imagine,Put on our Sunday best,and bring out the best recipes to honor the deceased.Death and food go hand-in-hand in the South,pound cakes, casseroles, ham and, fried chicken  let’s not forget the  Pickled Shrimp, Coconut Cake, and Bing Cherry Salad with Coca-Cola.In fact, people are so intent on feeding the bereft family that they will take food not only to the spouse’s house, but some will deliver to brothers, sisters, parents and cousins. We do love a good excuse to eat, and we all know that food can be very consoling.

At the funeral home,Some will lean way over into the casket as if they’re checking to make sure it’s really the person they came to see,and to make sure they are really dead,I once saw an old lady lean into a coffin and hold a mirror to the departed’s nose,when asked what she was doing she replied”just checking ,you can never be too careful“. Then they’ll turn to the person standing there waiting their turn and say, “He looks so natural.” Now, here’s a man with a pale face, dressed in an outfit that he never wore in everyday life, and he’s being compared to being alive. And then there’s the glasses. I have yet to look into a coffin and see a person’s eyes open, but many times they’ll have on their eyeglasses.I don’t think they’ll need them but,what the heck, but then we get those that are just paying lip-service to the dead, lots of times their comments are not even about the deceased. It’s not uncommon to see two people standing over the casket laughing and talking about something completely unrelated, totally ignoring the fact that there’s a dead body right there. And everyone behaves as if the person they are burying is a saint no matter what they really were in life,we give testimony of this persons life through the placing of a funeral notice in the local paper ,it’s also useful to convey details of the time and place the funeral will be held, thereby giving members of the community a chance to attend the funeral service and pay their respects.And then we get to the Eulogy  ,That’s  a written tribute to the deceased, or a speech delivered at a funeral or memorial service held in honor of the deceased. we give shining examples of the persons better qualities no matter what,nobody says ,John Doe was a complete jerk in life and I hope he’s somewhere really hot.He was a womanizer,and a skinflint,he beat his children and his dog(just a joke folks).Nope instead we say a glowing tribute to them and pray they are welcomed into the next life with open arms.Not to mention the grieving old ladies(whether they knew this person or not).These ladies are always dressed nicely, consoling family members and speaking kindly about the deceased.(I think they might be the Grim Reapers groupies ,because they’ve got one foot in the grave and the other on a patch of ice,so maybe they are trying to earn brownie points for the afterlife)And, of course, no funeral would be complete in the South without an abundance of songs and preaching. It’s not necessary that the Good Reverend know the deceased; he’ll find a good 30 minutes of something to talk about anyway.Mostly inviting those poor lost souls to come into the blessed savior arms for the sake of you souls.Then we get to the procession.The unique Jazz funeral of New Orleans features joyous and raucous music and dancing during the procession.Now that’s what I want (I’m dead let’s have a party!)

We put our dearly departed in the most luxurious caskets money can buy lined with beautiful satin  stuffed so well its like a dream.(and they really aren’t there to experience it)and ride in an expensive limousine with a parade in their honor. so we go through all this trouble and think why are we doing all this they aren’t really there to appreciate it,then we look at the bereaved family members standing in the cemetery over a huge hole in the ground blocked from view by a green tarp covered in flowers(like we don’t know that coffin is going in the ground) and realize a funeral is more for the living than the dead.

Well if the last paragraph wasn’t strange enough for you let’s go to the history books folks.In the 19th century, people were a lot closer to death than we are now. And I don’t just mean poor medical technology poor health,poor diet, lack of hygien, and disease. I’m talking about the hands-on, close nature the people of that era had with their dead. Today, for many people, being in a cemetery at night would really creep them out, let alone letting a corpse rest in their home for several nights. (reminded of Ray Stevens Sitting Up With the Dead )To many, some of these rituals might seem insensitive, morbid, pointless, or uncomforting, but for them, it was just what had to be done to send their dead on to the greater beyond.When a family member died, several actions had to be taken to ensure that both the living members of the house would be safe, and the corpse would be tended to. Heavy Drapes and shutters were pulled closed, all the mirrors in the house were covered to keep spirits from passing through. If a mirror broke, this meant someone in the house would die soon(Gee,I thought it meant 7 yrs bad luck. Often times pictures would be turned face down to keep souls from possessing family members. If the deceased had died in that house, the clock in the room of their death must be stopped, or bad luck would surely come. The body was to be laid out on display in the coffin in the parlor. Black crape was to be placed over the door tied with a white ribbon on the knob/bell. This was to prevent people from knocking, as it would jolt the grieving family, so often times the door was left ajar for people to quietly enter. (Because that would scare them LESS, right?Could you imagine being snuck up on , Bet they had to change their drawers alot!) If it was a young person who had died, especially if it was a child,the black crape was to be substituted with white. The practice of shutting the eyes of the dead was to close the windows from the spirit, (sometimes coins where used for this,or a stong glue) to the real world, covering the face of the deceased comes from the pagan belief that a spirit escapes from the mouth. Depending on the culture, the house could be destroyed, or all closed in locked up for a time to keep the spirit from escaping, in others, all windows and doors were opened to do just that. When the body was carried out of the house, it was to be taken out feet first. If it was taken out head first it could look back and beckon others to death with it.
At the funeral, the coffin was seldom left open during the actual service. If the service was at the house, the person who had been closest to the deceased sat nearest to the head of the coffin, followed by the other relations relative to closeness. When the service had ended, the 6-8 pall bearers would carry the coffin to the hearse, and then to the grave. The pall bearers ride in the carriage that precedes the hearse, followed by the other carriages in proper order, just like the seating. And, I think we still do this in our funeral processions.During this time period, there was a great fear of getting buried alive. And it wasn’t unfounded either, because before the concepts of comas or Lazarus syndrome  were understood, people were unreasonably presumed dead, and buried, only to wake up in their coffin, and eventually die, often times with their palms face up, beards growing, their hair pulled out, laying face down, or fingers bloodied, from trying to scratch their way out. Because of this, it became almost common to outfit burial grounds to suit these phobias. Special graveyards, with a flag, and bell with the string down into the coffin tied around the finger of the deceased, though there have been no records of these being used successfully.As if we weren’t freaked out enough think about being buried alive,and the string broke.Well folks, those are just some of the practices still being used today hope you enjoyed our little romp with the dead.

http://www.themarysue.com/800-year-old-witches/

The image above if of eight century old remains believed by archaeologists to be those of a Middle Ages witch, because seven nails had been driven through her jaw bone when interred, the grim discovery made during a supposed witches graveyard dig.

The skeleton of another woman at the site was encircled by seventeen dice, extremely odd as this was not a game women allowed to play in that period. The archaeologists involved think that these 25 to 30 year old women having been were buried in simple shallow graves without coffins or shrouds is significant.

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione convinced that they are of suspected witches due to the strangeness of the burials.These gruesome human remnants remains were unearthed near by the sea-shore in Italy’s Tuscany region, at Piombino near Lucca,

http://www.themarysue.com/800-year-old-witches/

Those nails driven through the jaw, and the other nails hammered around the body to pin the clothes down indicate, Forgione feels, an attempt to ensure the dead woman would not return from the dead. In those far-off days, those burying her were undoubtedly convinced of her being in possession of evil powers.That second skeleton, surrounded by the seventeen – an unlucky number in Italy – dice was buried in similar fashion, as if exorcism rituals of some sort had been performed when the women were interred, though the unexplained conundrum is that of the burial site being consecrated ground, an 800 year old church on the site.

http://www.themarysue.com/800-year-old-witches/

It is quite possible that the two women were of influential families rather than peasants, their class and connections enabling the consecrated Christian ground burials. It is only two years ago that, close to Venice, the skull of a Medieval woman was found with a stone driven through the mouth. Archaeology experts maintain that such treatment was the traditional method employed for dealing with vampires and stopping them rising from the dead, as opposed to the east European stake through the heart, so there obviously was, in those dark days of history, a very real fear of the supernatural.

http://www.themarysue.com/800-year-old-witches/

So what is fan death?

Basically, the belief that you will die should you run an electric fan while sleeping. This only seems to be a concern if all sources of fresh air are sealed off, so many Koreans will leave a window open at the same time. This supply of fresh air is enough to keep you safe.

I’m not a technical person but the overall argument is that a fan will suck all the air from the room. Literally from your mouth if it is pointing directly at you. Hypothermia is also cited as a consequence of this dangerous practice, and fan users are urged to buy a model with a timer.

Why do people believe this?

Like all urban myths, fan death has its roots in truth. It’s likely that every year people are found dead with a fan running, and the windows closed. That there’s no significant connection between these events is usually overlooked. Regardless of how much reason and common sense you apply – if it doesn’t harm you to follow the rules then you probably will. After all, I still touch my collar when I see an ambulance. (A British superstition, said to prevent the emergency being at your house.) I know it’s ridiculous but I’m unable to stop myself.

Could there be a more reasonable explanation?

This is entirely my own opinion, but I suspect the fan death myth has more to do with economics than health risks. South Korea is a country which has modernised amazingly quickly. Perhaps one consequence is that the principles of frugality live on. Can you think of a better way to make sure people use less electricity than to encourage them to believe in fan death?

The million won question: do you believe in fan death?

In all honesty, no. But I do sleep with the window open because I like fresh air. (That’s what I tell myself anyhow!) I used to challenge people who were convinced that fan death was a real possibility. But even if you claim to have survived the night with the fan they will find another reason for your lucky escape.

You can’t fight superstition easily, and maybe you shouldn’t even try. The implications for global warming which inefficient use of the fan brings to mind are legitimate. But trying to rationalise established belief systems of any kind – that’s a losing battle.

Common superstitions, myths and omens for good and bad luck, around the world superstitions, wedding customs, and explore the world of ancient superstitions and beliefs.

Acorn, having an acorn with you will ensure good luck and longevity

Ant, if  bitten by an ant it represents your bad position

Apple,   to keep the doctor away have an apple a day

Ash,  when you remove ash from your home if dark,  means something bad will happen

Baseball bat,  before using a new bat spit on it first to make it lucky

Bats,  when you see bats in a flock at dusk it represents happiness

Bed,  always get out of the bed on the same side, and never keep a hat on the bed

Bee,  it represents strong passion when stung by a bee

Bells, the sounds of bells makes demons disappear, the loud noise is what they are afraid of

Black cat,  it brings you good luck when crossing your path

Boot, it is bad luck to put your boot on a table or chair

Bridge, never say goodbye to a  friend on the bridge if you want to see them again

Broom, borrowing  a broom represents a bad occurrence

Butterfly, if you see three butterflies flying together it represents you befalling

Calf,  the first calf born in the winter is white then it will be a  bad winter

Candle,  a candle lit in a ceremony blows out it is a sign of evil spirits close by

Having  a cat at your heal says you are getting money, but to see a white cat it signifies a disease

Cheeks, if your cheeks feel burny someone is flattering you

Chill up,  someone is walking over your grave if you get goosebumps up your back.

Chimney sweep, meeting the chimney sweeper on the street means happiness

Cigarettes, lighting three cigarettes with the same match will bring bad luck

Clock, if a clock suddenly chimes if it  doesn’t work will bring death to a family

Clover, finding a four leave clover signifies happiness

Comb, dropping your comb brings disappointment

Cow, when cows lift their tails, a rare sign that rain is coming

Crow, if you see a single crow it is unlucky, two crows brings good luck, three crows mean health, four crows means wealth, five is sickness and six mean death.

Dandelion, when picking a dandelion when in seed form,  blow the seeds into the breeze the amount of seeds it has will determine the amount of children you will have.

Death, to allow the soul to leave all windows must be left open in the home

Dog, having an unfamiliar dog brought to your home brings you good happenings

Door, it is not good to leave your house through a different door than the one you usually come through

Ears, if someone is talking about you,  you will feel your ear burning, decide if it  is good or bad remember left is for love and right is for spite

Easter, you should wear new clothing for Easter for good luck

Elephant,  having a picture of an elephant or a figure brings you luck if faced towards a door

Finger nails, cutting your  nails, on Fridays and Sundays is bad luck

Fingers Crossed, this superstition is used worldwide, just so, this is to  keep evil spirits away from spoiling the goodwill.

Fish, always eat fish from the head  to the tail

Fishing, when you catch the first fish throw it back, you will be lucky  for the rest of the day, if you count the number of fish caught you won’t catch any more and don’t say the word,  pig,  when fishing.

Flag,  if  the  flag touches the ground it brings bad luck

Foot, the bottom of your foot itches means you are going on a trip

Frog, if it enters a house there will be good luck

Glass, a white glass  broken represents a good omen, a red glass is anxiety, a green glass, meaning disappointing hopes, a full wine glass represents lasting love

Glove, a loose glove represents you befalling

Hair, if you pull out gray hairs more will grow in its place

Haircut, it means happiness if you have your haircut during a storm

Hand, when your palm of your hand is itchy money is coming to you, but don’t scratch it this prevents you from receiving the money, if it is your left hand that is itchy, scratch away, it means you will be paying out,

Hive,   if you are given a hive of bees, signifies happiness

Horseshoe,   represents happiness

Iron,  to hit your head accidentally on the iron means you are not a favourite

Ivy, this  protects your home from witchcraft and evil

Knives,  when crossed at the table there will be an argument, receiving knives as  a present  from your lover, signifies a break up.

Knock on Wood, often it is believed that spirits live in trees thus th the reason for touching wood

Leaf, to catch  a falling leaf on the first day of autumn, for all winter you won’t catch a cold or flu

Lettuce, it has healing properties and has the power of  arousing love

Magpies, if seen one for sorrow, two for joy, three is for a girl,  four  for boy, five is for silver, six for gold,  and seven for  a secret never to be told.

Mirror, if you break a mirror it is seven years bad luck,  unless you  bury the pieces in the moonlight, and a mirror that crashes and falls means soon to be death

Moon

Seeing the moon over your right shoulder means happiness, seeing the full moon, this represents no money, seeing the full moon above the fire, means you will have plenty money.  If men pray to the full moon, it represents money and youth, and if women pray to the full moon, means luck and long hair, when both  genders pray towards the full moon they will conceive

When an animal mates during the full moon means the offspring will be good.

Nail,  when you pick up a nail, and to cut or burn your nails means happiness

Needle,  if you break a needle wile sewing it means a man is thinking of you

New Year,  throwing things in your home on New Years Eve means you will befall.

Nose,  itchy nose represents an argument coming soon

Opal, you must be born in October to wear an Opal or else you will be ill-fated

Owl, if you hear an owl three times, and seeing it in the day it  represents that something bad will happen,

Peacock feathers, having  a home decked with peacock feathers represents a misfortune

Pen, finding a pen signifies happiness

Pepper, a split pepper means an argument with a friend

Pregnancy, it means bad luck if a women reveals her pregnancy before the third month, if you touch someones beard accidentally it will mean you are having a girl, if unknowingly  you sprinkled salt on your head you will have a boy.

A difficult birth if you sew when pregnant

If you eat secretly  during pregnancy means your child will grow into a thief

Being photographed when pregnant means bad luck

To have a flat tummy and buttocks during pregnancy, signifies a boy.

To have a curved bottom and flat tummy during pregnancy, represents a boy.

The lady becomes to look unhealthy during pregnancy, signifies a boy.

The color of the persons eyes who you watch during the time the baby first kicks, represents the color of your baby eyes.

If the nipples of the pregnant women are white, signifies a girl. To see a black tail from the navel during pregnancy, represents a boy.

Ring,  to remove a wedding ring means bad luck,  a ring should not betaken off by you rather someone else

Superstitious beliefs for most cultures worldwide