Superstitions

[Mina90 134]

I woke up this morning and opened my window and when I looked down I saw a random black cat sitting on my deck looking up at me. I started at him for a moment and he stared right back at me. Then, he decided to jump down, over my fence and ran away.

This got me thinking of the old stories we used to hear as a child. I wonder if this black cat is sign of something, maybe my husband's immigration?

Any of you guys have any "spooky", superstitious event(s) of your own?

[oohpartiv 484]

Well, I don't personally believe in them, but there are a lot of Ecuadorian superstitions my in-laws have told me about. For example, if you're sweeping the floor and accidentally sweep someone's feet, it means that person is going to get married to an old lady/man. Or if you have unwanted guests, you should put the broom behind the front entrance and they'll leave. It's more of an old time thing that people nowadays laugh about, but I think they're cute!

[JstaRebel 48]

Too funny ooh.. My wife has two 7 pointed aloe plants hanging upside down in the salon on our boat (home). The superstition is that this will insure us "good luck" throughout our lives together. I never understood what it was for until I was cleaning up the boat and threw them away.. She was livid and only then explained their meaning to me. We then took a hike through the bush to find replacements which are still hanging up today!

Edited March 13, 2013 by JstaRebel

[Mina90 134]

Well, I don't personally believe in them, but there are a lot of Ecuadorian superstitions my in-laws have told me about. For example, if you're sweeping the floor and accidentally sweep someone's feet, it means that person is going to get married to an old lady/man. Or if you have unwanted guests, you should put the broom behind the front entrance and they'll leave. It's more of an old time thing that people nowadays laugh about, but I think they're cute!

Wow!

I'm glad I never accidentally swept someone's feet!

I know there are some people I wouldn't want coming into my house, so I'll try that, who knows, maybe it might work.

Too funny ooh.. My wife has two 7 pointed aloe plants hanging upside down in the salon on our boat (home). The superstition is that this will insure us "good luck" throughout our lives together. I never understood what it was for until I was cleaning up the boat and threw them away.. She was livid and only then explained their meaning to me. We then took a hike through the bush to find replacements which are still hanging up today!

My dad used to have this plant that grew like crazy (can't remember the name of the plant) all over the house. Supposedly, it was supposed to bring good fortune. Yeah, I know some people who are highly superstitious will be so mad if someone were to ruin their good luck charms!

[Caryh 5,206]

My wife has a million superstitions she has us follow. I couldn't believe how many things had to be followed on New Years in terms of food. This included Chinese New Years to. The two of us had more food that would a dozen people we just had to make. This was even more important because it was the year of the snake coming up, which apparently leads me to more risk of wanting to cheat. Eating duck was supposed to keep our marriage harmonious, so I bought and roasted a duck. A bowl with at least 7 different kinds of fruit. noodles for some reason I forget. Roast pork, noodles, of course rice, lumpia, fried fish, sautéed shrimp, etc... Everything had some meaning and was required.

Can't have a mango tree in the yard because a moomoo (ghost or evil spirit) will move into it.

Always need to travel with a rosary to be safe. She never leaves the house without one, we've even turned around to get it

One interesting superstition she had was something she asked god for. She prayed to god to let her know the right man for her by having him give her flowers. No one ever gave her flowers in life, but I did on her 27th birthday. She says thats when she knew I was the one for her. At age 27 and never once getting flowers? She said it was even a bigger thing because by then I was back in the USA and she in her home country, but I found a way to get flowers delivered to her there.

[Mina90 134]

My wife has a million superstitions she has us follow. I couldn't believe how many things had to be followed on New Years in terms of food. This included Chinese New Years to. The two of us had more food that would a dozen people we just had to make. This was even more important because it was the year of the snake coming up, which apparently leads me to more risk of wanting to cheat. Eating duck was supposed to keep our marriage harmonious, so I bought and roasted a duck. A bowl with at least 7 different kinds of fruit. noodles for some reason I forget. Roast pork, noodles, of course rice, lumpia, fried fish, sautéed shrimp, etc... Everything had some meaning and was required.

Can't have a mango tree in the yard because a moomoo (ghost or evil spirit) will move into it.

Always need to travel with a rosary to be safe. She never leaves the house without one, we've even turned around to get it

One interesting superstition she had was something she asked god for. She prayed to god to let her know the right man for her by having him give her flowers. No one ever gave her flowers in life, but I did on her 27th birthday. She says thats when she knew I was the one for her. At age 27 and never once getting flowers? She said it was even a bigger thing because by then I was back in the USA and she in her home country, but I found a way to get flowers delivered to her there.

I would fail instantly if I were to try and follow all those superstitious rules!

But believe me, my family is from South East Asia and little things mean so much.

I remember my mom used to tell me that if a girl kept her hair open at night and walked around by herself, an evil spirit would possess her and make her go crazy. So I would never go out alone, even to check the mail with my hair open at night.

[Caryh 5,206]

I would fail instantly if I were to try and follow all those superstitious rules!

But believe me, my family is from South East Asia and little things mean so much.

I remember my mom used to tell me that if a girl kept her hair open at night and walked around by herself, an evil spirit would possess her and make her go crazy. So I would never go out alone, even to check the mail with my hair open at night.

Oh I've barely scratched the surface of all the superstitions she has. Although she once told me she wasn't superstitious and I believed her. Now I realize because she only believes half of the 2 million superstitions in her country, she's not really superstitious.

She still believes on of her brothers died because he had a spirit twin which was a snake and someone killed the snake.

She was afraid to go outside our room at night on this small island in her country, because there were so many witches there, and they just needed to touch you and you'd die.

The list is truly endless.

[Mina90 134]

Oh I've barely scratched the surface of all the superstitions she has. Although she once told me she wasn't superstitious and I believed her. Now I realize because she only believes half of the 2 million superstitions in her country, she's not really superstitious.

She still believes on of her brothers died because he had a spirit twin which was a snake and someone killed the snake.

She was afraid to go outside our room at night on this small island in her country, because there were so many witches there, and they just needed to touch you and you'd die.

The list is truly endless.

Only believes in 2 million superstitions of her country...

Wow, that is just scary...I try to ignore any scary stories or anything like that, but sometimes at night, it just keeps replaying in my head and I become all paranoid.

[X Factor 1,111]

Usually superstition is mind over matter and coincidence.

[Calypso 464]

I do not believe in superstitions but since I lived in the Philippines until I was 22, I know a lot of those beliefs due to attempted indoctrinations by my elders.

What brings misfortune:

- opening an umbrella inside the house

- trimming your nails at night

- sweeping the flooor after sunset

For good luck:

- keeping anthericum comosum in the surroundings

- raising a black cat

There are also superstitions that are specific to a celebration, event, or holiday.

- Jump as high as you could on New Year's Eve so you grow taller.

- To gain prosperity, place 13 types of round fruits on the table before New Year's Eve and eat one fruit each day until everything is gone.

- Avoid getting cuts or any type of injury during the Holy Week; otherwise, it would take a whole year to heal.

- When moving to a new house, always bring inside rice first and no other item.

- Choose your move-in date when a full moon occurs.

I can tell you so much more! My mother used to look at me sharply when I'd sweep the house at night in my tween years. Back then I would do things just to show my resistance to beliefs that I considered ridiculous. Our whole family has always been ardent, practicing Catholics so it was strange that it was very easy for them to mix religion with folk beliefs.

[Caryh 5,206]

I do not believe in superstitions but since I lived in the Philippines until I was 22, I know a lot of those beliefs due to attempted indoctrinations by my elders.

What brings misfortune:

- opening an umbrella inside the house

- trimming your nails at night

- sweeping the flooor after sunset

For good luck:

- keeping anthericum comosum in the surroundings

- raising a black cat

There are also superstitions that are specific to a celebration, event, or holiday.

- Jump as high as you could on New Year's Eve so you grow taller.

- To gain prosperity, place 13 types of round fruits on the table before New Year's Eve and eat one fruit each day until everything is gone.

- Avoid getting cuts or any type of injury during the Holy Week; otherwise, it would take a whole year to heal.

- When moving to a new house, always bring inside rice first and no other item.

- Choose your move-in date when a full moon occurs.

I can tell you so much more! My mother used to look at me sharply when I'd sweep the house at night in my tween years. Back then I would do things just to show my resistance to beliefs that I considered ridiculous. Our whole family has always been ardent, practicing Catholics so it was strange that it was very easy for them to mix religion with folk beliefs.

Now I know why my wife has that spider plant! She got it from another Filipina to. At least my wife doesn't like cats, or I bet we'd have a black one right now. Although I think our dog would eventually eat it.

Oh it was 13 fruits we had to have on New Years. For some reason I thought it was 7, but just looked at a photo I have of it, and I definitely count 13. I even had to run to the store and pick up more fruit so we had enough. I had to buy the duck any way, so no big deal.

I think my wife never heard of the jumping trick, she's very short. Or maybe she was tying to ignore that superstition. :rofl: :rofl:

[X Factor 1,111]

Surprisingly my wife doesn't believe in superstitions even though she is from the Philippines

[mrsSpitze 9]

to add -

on new years you would also have to wear anything that has a polka dot pattern to attract money

shake some coins in your pocket - to attract money

lay down on paper money - for money

black cat - bad luck

sweeping at night sweeps the good luck away from your family

you shuold put a mirror right infront of your entrace to ward of evil spirits

you cant be "happy" during holy week as jesus is dead

sitting on stacked up chairs would make you have two or more marriages

singing while cooking will hinder you from marrying

you ahve to wait till the baby turns 1 before you cut their hair

theres many more i couldnt remember everything right now..

[Calypso 464]

Now I know why my wife has that spider plant! She got it from another Filipina to. At least my wife doesn't like cats, or I bet we'd have a black one right now. Although I think our dog would eventually eat it.

Oh it was 13 fruits we had to have on New Years. For some reason I thought it was 7, but just looked at a photo I have of it, and I definitely count 13. I even had to run to the store and pick up more fruit so we had enough. I had to buy the duck any way, so no big deal.

I think my wife never heard of the jumping trick, she's very short. Or maybe she was tying to ignore that superstition. :rofl: :rofl:

I can't believe you had to count the fruits again on the photo!

We were also told as kids to pinch and pull our nose so it won't remain flat. You know Filipinos are not known to have very attractive nose structure. I've never heard of the duck belief until today.

- If you sleep while your hair is wet, you'd become a lunatic or you'd lose your eyesight.

- If there is a kalachuchi plant anywhere near your house, one of the single ladies in your family would remain a spinster for life.

- If you raise bunnies, someone in your family would give birth nonstop.

- As a remedy for a baby's hiccups, pull a string or thread from his or her shirt, wet the string/thread with your saliva, and rub the thread/string on the baby's forehead. Ick!!!

- Spaghetti or some other long noodles should be cooked during someone's birthday so that person will have a longer life.

- The bigger and longer your ears are, the longer your life will be.

- Stepping over chicken manure after circumcision worsens the wound and will make it redder.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I can't believe you had to count the fruits again on the photo!

We were also told as kids to pinch and pull our nose so it won't remain flat. You know Filipinos are not known to have very attractive nose structure. I've never heard of the duck belief until today.

- If you sleep while your hair is wet, you'd become a lunatic or you'd lose your eyesight.

- If there is a kalachuchi plant anywhere near your house, one of the single ladies in your family would remain a spinster for life.

- If you raise bunnies, someone in your family would give birth nonstop.

- As a remedy for a baby's hiccups, pull a string or thread from his or her shirt, wet the string/thread with your saliva, and rub the thread/string on the baby's forehead. Ick!!!

- Spaghetti or some other long noodles should be cooked during someone's birthday so that person will have a longer life.

- The bigger and longer your ears are, the longer your life will be.

- Stepping over chicken manure after circumcision worsens the wound and will make it redder.