Superstitious Beliefs

The moment you sneeze, the person besides you has to come up with 'god bless'. This incident happens at least once in everybody's life, and you and me are no exceptions. This superstition started in the 16th century in Europe, wherein it was believed the person throws the evil spirits within his body out when he sneezes. Most of these superstitious beliefs are backed by some illogical knowledge, and spread by gullible people. Basically, superstitions are the beliefs which are not at all backed by science, and far from rationality. From Friday the 13th to eye twitching, everything has a superstitious belief associated with it, and some people just can't seem to survive without them.

Superstitious Beliefs and Practices
Over a period of time, superstitious beliefs have rooted themselves firmly in our society, so much so that it is virtually impossible for the person to ignore them. They have made a place for themselves in all the walks of life, including politics and sports. Politicians resorting to the astrological predictions is not at all rare. On the other hand, examples of superstitions in sports include cricketers carrying a colored handkerchief in their pocket, or soccer players putting their right foot first when they enter the field. Such superstitious practices are found all over the world.

While Africa is (in)famous for its voodoo culture, India has its own customs wherein animals are sacrificed to appease the gods. The problem arises when these very superstitions turn out to be a hindrance for the society, or any living beings for that matter. Basically, superstitious beliefs and practices are illogical assumptions based on one particular incident, and followed by the gullible. For instance a cricketer who casually carried a red handkerchief in his pocket and played a magnificent innings that day is bound to believe that the good luck was brought upon him by this very handkerchief, and therefore carry it in his pocket every time he goes out to bat.

List of Superstitious Beliefs Around the World
There are thousands of superstitions, ranging from itchy palm being a sign of good luck to knocking on the wood twice to reverse the bad luck. Given below is a list of some of the most common superstitions which are still practiced in various parts of the world.

• If a black cat crosses your path, it is a sign of bad luck.
• When a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune.
• Similarly, when a black cat walks away from you, it takes away your good fortune.
• Walking beneath a ladder is a bad omen.
• If the 13th day of the month is Friday, it is an unlucky day.
• Hanging a horseshoe in the bedroom tends to keep your nightmares at bay.
• A bird entering the house is a sign of the death of some family member.
• You should never turn a loaf of bread upside down after a slice has been cut from it.
• Finding a four leaf clover is a sign of good luck coming your way.
• Gifting a wallet without money in it, will bring the receiver bad luck.
• The sight of a white butterfly on the very first day of the year will ensure a prosperous year for the person.
• Keeping an acorn at the window will save your house from lightning.
• The howling of a dog when someone in the house is sick is a bad omen.
• You should always leave the house from the same door from which you entered.
• Similarly, you should leave the bed from the same side from where you entered it.
• Yet another common superstitious belief is that if you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck.
• If a mirror in the house falls on its own, and breaks, it is a sign of somebody's death in the house.
• If you can catch a falling leaf on the very first day of autumn, you will have an entire year without catching cold.
• Wearing a rabbits foot around your neck brings in good luck.
• When someone dies in the house, all the windows should be kept open for the soul to leave.
• The groom dropping the wedding band during the wedding ceremony is a sign of a bad marital alliance.
• Throwing a pinch of salt over your shoulder ends your bad luck.
• A lizard coming in your dream is a sign of an enemy attempting to harm you.
• Setting out for a trip on a Friday is bound to spell a disaster for you.
• Lighting three cigarettes with a same matchstick brings in bad luck for all the three people.
• In China, left eye twitching is considered to be a good sign, while the same in India is considered to be inauspicious.
• If you can blow out all the candles on your birthday cake in the first breath, you will get whatever you wish for.

These were just a few among the several superstitious beliefs which have reached an all new height of popularity. Surprisingly enough, the followers of these superstitious beliefs are not just restricted to illiterate people, but also include the likes of doctors, engineers, teachers, etc. That just highlights the very fact that, being literate need not necessarily mean the person is educated.

These were some of the most common superstitions which continue to be followed religiously in different parts of the world. Various rationalist organizations across the world are working to eradicate these superstitions, but the fact that they have been rooted deeply in the society means it will take a mammoth effort on the behalf of the rationalist fraternity to make the world free of these baseless superstitions.

PS: If you know about any such superstitions that we have missed, we would be glad to see you posting them here in form of comments.