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Superstitions 

    With Halloween fast approaching I thought I would share some superstitions that go along with just everyday living. What are some of your superstitions? You may not even realize you have them!   First off, what exactly is a superstition? A superstition is a belief that human affairs are influenced, not by purposeful behaviour or natural causes, but by magic choice and divine favour. They usually involve beliefs and practises that attempt to influence events to bring about a good outcome or avoid a bad one. Now you know!

   Touch or knock on wood. Touching wood to avoid bad luck is a superstition borrowed from medieval times when European churchgoers would touch the entrance of wooden churches in the hope of feeling a divine sense of connection via Jesus Christ's wooden crucifixion cross.   Deisidaimonia! The concept of superstition began in the fourth century BC as this Greek word translated as "A fear of god". It is the origin of the phrase "putting the fear of God in them".   

    See a Penny as the old rhyme goes, “See a penny, pick it up and all day you'll have good luck”. This is a familiar superstition that is recognized around the world, the belief that if you found a penny on the floor, it would bring good fortune as it was a gift from the Gods and would also bring protection against evil. This one has sort of gone by the wayside as it is difficult to find many pennies these days!  In Mexico, it is believed that sleeping with a pair of scissors under your pillow can stop a bad dream. Scissors are also used by Mexicans to ward off wet weather with the belief that putting a pair of open scissors in the entrance to your home will keep the rain away. Well nothing else is working to halt the rain so give it a try. We really have nothing to lose at this point.  I will endeavour to have more Halloween and superstition stories leading up to Halloween. See you next time!