Taboo Review: Where Does Superstition Come From?

Even the most rational people have at least one superstition. There are a few common superstitions — like crossing your fingers — that have become so ingrained we hardly even realize we’re doing it. People have been trying to get to the bottom of their sticking power for centuries and a recent study by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that our brains may just be hardwired to believe the unbelievable. Associate Professor Jane Risen explains, «People can simultaneously recognize that, rationally, their superstitious belief is impossible, but persist in their belief, and their behavior, regardless.» We explored some common superstitions and you may be surprised to learn how they started!

Pregnancy Cravings & Birthmarks

Okay, so this isn’t the most usual and no one is sure where it originated but it is intriguing. Many countries share the superstition that if a pregnant woman doesn’t indulge her food cravings and then happens to scratch herself, her baby will be born with a birthmark in the shape of the food she had a yen for in the exact spot she scratched. Hmmm.

Black Cats

Black cats are one of the most ubiquitous superstitions. They’re everywhere on Halloween and every book, movie, fairy tale, etc. about witches also features black cats. It’s believed that this idea that black cats are associated with the Devil started around the Middle Ages. Over the years, they became associated with witchcraft and witches were thought to be able to take the form of a black cat at will.

Lucky Penny

Find a penny, pick it up and all the day you’ll have good luck. This one is probably based on the the ancient belief that metal was a gift of protection from the gods. Just remember, it only applies if the penny is heads up!

Breaking a Mirror

Like so many common superstitions, there are a few theories why we think breaking a mirror means seven years of bad luck. Many cultures have pre-mirror mythology about reflections and your soul. The seven years of bad luck may have come from the fact that mirrors were extremely expensive back in the day so it was a good incentive for people to be careful with them. And then there’s the fact that breaking something expensive is bad luck in itself….

Knock on Wood

This started with the early pagans who worshipped nature and believed benevolent spirits lived in the trees. They knocked on trees to ask the spirits for protection and good luck. Later the idea of wood being lucky was also associated with the wooden cross.

Cross Your Fingers

And speaking of crosses…. It probably dates back to early Christianity. When Christians were being persecuted they used secret gestures and this may have been one that identified them as Christian. It could also have started with Europeans wishing on a cross by using both hands to form the cross leading to a more simplified gesture over time.

Friday the 13th

From a spiritual superstition to one of the most prolific horror movie franchises ever, Friday the 13th hasn’t lost its power. It is generally thought that this day is considered bad luck because Judas was the thirteenth person to come to the Last Supper and Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

Don’t Open an Umbrella Indoors

Again, there are a few theories about umbrellas. One is that it began in ancient Egypt where blocking the sun was offensive to the sun god. Another is that Victorian umbrellas were quite pointy and opening one indoors could put an eye out or break a few knick-knacks.

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