Strange Beliefs and Lucky Charms

Superstitions remind us that we’re all storytellers. We look at a black cat and don’t just see an animal—we see mystery, omen, and magic

That’s the beauty of being human. But in a world filled with facts and science, it’s also important to know when to laugh at our own quirks.

By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden

In a high-rise New York hotel, the elevator goes from floor 12 straight to 14. In Tokyo, parents whisper warnings about the number 4. In Lagos, whistling at night might invite a snake into your bedroom. No, this isn’t the start of a horror movie—it’s just another day in the world of superstitions.

Whether you’re a skeptical scientist or someone who still avoids walking under ladders, superstitions have an uncanny way of creeping into our lives. They may seem irrational, even laughable, but they hold deep cultural, psychological, and historical significance.

Let’s unravel this curious human phenomenon—one rabbit’s foot and cracked mirror at a time.

Superstition: More Than Just “Silly Beliefs”

The term superstition comes from the Latin superstitio, which early Romans used to describe excessive religious devotion. Over time, it evolved to describe irrational beliefs linked to luck, fate, or supernatural forces. But modern anthropology and psychology offer broader lenses:

• Cultural anthropologists explore these as folk beliefs or ethnomagic, passed from generation to generation as part of a society’s unwritten laws.
• Psychologists consider superstitions as coping mechanisms—ways the human brain seeks control in a chaotic world.
• Sociologists link them to symbolic interactionism, where meaning is shaped by shared social experiences.

In short, superstitions aren’t just weird quirks—they’re windows into how we make sense of existence.

A Tour of Global Superstitions: Funny, Frightening, and Fascinating

Let’s take a globe-trotting tour through some of the world’s most captivating superstitions:

Japan

Avoid gifting anything in fours. The number 4 (shi) sounds eerily like the word for death. Hospitals may skip room 4, and families avoid scheduling important events on the 4th.

Italy

The number 17 is feared. In Roman numerals, XVII is an anagram of VIXI—Latin for “I have lived” (i.e., I’m dead now). Even planes sometimes skip row 17.

 Russia

Sitting down before a journey brings good fortune. But whistling indoors? That’s an invitation to poverty.

 South Korea

Beware the fan! Sleeping with an electric fan in a closed room is believed to cause death due to “fan death”—a phenomenon still taken seriously by many.

Brazil

Never place your purse on the floor—it’s believed your money will disappear. Financial advisors might not agree, but grandmothers across Brazil do.

 United States

From Friday the 13th to breaking mirrors, superstitions are alive and well. Some high-powered CEOs won’t schedule meetings on the 13th. Even buildings skip that floor. Triskaidekaphobia—the fear of the number 13—is a real thing.

 Pakistan

• Crows cawing near your house means guests are coming.
• Don’t cut nails at night, or bad luck will follow.
• If a shoe is upside down, it’s said to bring poverty or disrespect to the household.
• Women should avoid combing hair at night—it’s said to invite jinn.
• Eating fish with milk is considered taboo—it’s believed to cause vitiligo or skin disease.

 India

• Hiccups? Someone is thinking about you.
• Don’t leave home during an eclipse—especially pregnant women—it’s believed the child may be born with deformities.
• Black threads or bangles are worn to ward off evil eye.
• If your right eye twitches, it’s good luck for men, bad for women—and vice versa in some regions!
• Sweeping after sunset? It’ll sweep away your wealth. And if a lizard falls on your right shoulder, good luck is coming. Left shoulder? Not so much.

 Bangladesh

• Pregnant women shouldn’t go outside during an eclipse, or the baby might be born with a cleft lip.
• New brides avoid wearing black as it’s considered unlucky.
• Planting Tulsi (holy basil) in the yard is believed to protect from evil spirits.
• If a dog howls at night, someone nearby may pass away soon.

Sweden

• Stepping on a manhole marked with the letter “A” (for avlopp, sewer) is bad luck—“K” (for clean water) is good luck.
• Don’t put keys on the table—it’s a sign of misfortune or bad manners.
• Birds flying into your home are seen as a sign of death or tragedy.

Finland

• If you kill a spider, it’ll rain the next day.
• Wearing a hat indoors is considered bad luck or disrespectful to spirits.
• Breaking glass can bring good luck, especially at weddings or celebrations (borrowed from other European traditions too).

Morocco

• “Ain” or evil eye is a huge concern—blue beads, hand of Fatima (Hamsa), and kohl are used to protect against it.
• Don’t compliment children too much, or you might attract envy and harm.
• Walking over spilled salt invites misfortune—you must throw some over your left shoulder to counteract it.
• Witches and jinn are still part of popular belief—some even use animal sacrifices or incense rituals to ward off curses.

Bhutan

• Don’t point at rainbows—it is believed to bring bad luck or misfortune.
• Prayer flags are placed on hilltops and rooftops to ward off evil and bring blessings.
• Offerings to spirits and deities are common when building a new house or starting a project.

Nepal

• Dogs howling at night signals impending death or bad news.
• Seeing a mongoose or owl on the way to work or school is lucky.
• During menstruation, women are forbidden from entering kitchens or temples due to spiritual impurity beliefs in some areas.
• Wearing copper bracelets is believed to attract positive energy and repel negativity.

 Africa (various regions)

West Africa (e.g., Nigeria, Ghana)

• Never whistle at night, or you might attract spirits or snakes. It’s a rule passed down in many homes and rural communities.
• Newborns aren’t named immediately to avoid attracting the attention of evil spirits.
• Twins are considered mystical, especially in Yoruba culture—one twin’s spirit may protect or harm depending on the rituals.

East Africa (e.g., Kenya, Tanzania)

• If your palm itches, it means money is coming your way—or going, depending on the hand!
• Certain trees are sacred—cutting them down can bring a curse.

Southern Africa (e.g., Zimbabwe, South Africa)

• Witchcraft is feared and respected—illness, misfortune, or infertility is often blamed on a curse.
• Albino individuals are sometimes believed to have magical powers, leading to dangerous superstitions.

Argentina

• Tuesday the 13th, not Friday, is the unlucky day—especially for travel or weddings.
• Putting a hat on a bed brings bad luck or illness.
• Yellow clothing is unlucky unless worn on a Thursday.
• Sweeping someone’s feet with a broom means they’ll never marry unless they immediately spit on the broom.

Taiwan

• Ghost Month (7th lunar month) is sacred—people avoid weddings, moving houses, or swimming during this time.
• Chopsticks stuck upright in rice are taboo—it resembles offerings made to the dead.
• Nighttime whistling attracts wandering spirits.
• Never gift clocks—it symbolizes “sending someone off” (to death).

Vietnam

• Don’t sweep the house during Lunar New Year (Tết)—you’ll sweep away your luck and prosperity.
• Pregnant women shouldn’t attend funerals—it’s believed to bring bad luck to the baby.
• Opening an umbrella indoors is seen as inviting spirits.
• Lucky money (lì xì) in red envelopes is a must during the New Year—it brings good fortune for the rest of the year.

Why Do Superstitions Exist? The Psychology and Sociology of Belief

Superstitions are ancient, but they’re also deeply human. Here’s why they exist:

1. The Need for Control: Life is unpredictable. Superstitions give people the illusion of influence, like crossing fingers during uncertainty.
2. Fear of the Unknown: What we don’t understand, we ritualize. A baby gets a black thread tied to its wrist to ward off the evil eye, not germs.
3. Cognitive Biases: Humans are wired to see patterns—even when there aren’t any. It’s called apophenia—the mind’s trick of connecting unrelated dots.
4. Cultural Continuity: Shared beliefs build unity. In this way, superstitions become part of a society’s collective identity.

In some cases, they also serve as early warning systems—folk wisdom that hides practical knowledge. “Don’t go near trees at night” may have once helped people avoid predators or danger.

Superstitions That’ll Make You Smile

Let’s lighten up with some of the more bizarrely hilarious beliefs from around the globe

• In Iceland, some road construction projects have been diverted to avoid disturbing elf habitats. Yes—elves.
• In Thailand, it’s considered bad luck to nap at dusk because your soul might wander off and not return.
• In the Philippines, if you drop a utensil, it means a visitor is coming. A spoon? Female. A fork? Male.
• In Pakistan, spilling milk is not just messy—it’s unlucky. But spilling salt? Now you’re just cursed.
• In China, 8 is the luckiest number. People pay extra for phone numbers, license plates, and even wedding dates with multiple 8s.

Even technology hasn’t escaped. Some people won’t launch a website or buy a domain on a full moon. Astrologers, anyone?

Superstition in the Modern World: A Hidden Force

We may live in the age of AI, but superstitions still subtly shape:

• Business decisions: Avoiding certain dates or numbers in contracts.
• Real estate: Properties with “unlucky numbers” stay unsold longer.
• Politics: World leaders have been known to consult astrologers. (Yes, even presidents.)
• Healthcare: In some places, people delay surgery until an “auspicious” date—even when medical urgency says otherwise.

Incredibly, stock markets sometimes show measurable drops on Friday the 13th, driven purely by investor anxiety, not economics.

Harmless Fun or Harmful Fiction? The Impact of Superstition

Positive Aspects:

• Provides comfort in stressful situations (think lucky charms before exams).
• Preserves cultural heritage and identity.
• Encourages ritual and routine, which can calm anxiety.

Negative Impacts:

• Promotes fear or discrimination (like “witch hunts” in modern times).
• Blocks scientific progress or rational thinking.
• Limits opportunity (e.g., avoiding travel, jobs, or relationships based on horoscopes).

Did Superstition Ever Change the World?

Surprisingly, yes.

• Apollo 13 was plagued with malfunctions, adding to 13’s bad rap.
• Ronald and Nancy Reagan famously consulted astrologers about scheduling political events.
• During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the opening ceremony began at exactly 8:08 PM on 8/8/08.

Coincidence? Maybe. Powerful psychological framing? Definitely.

So, What Should We Do—Keep or Kill Superstitions?

Here’s the balanced view:

• Keep them when they’re harmless, fun, or culturally meaningful. Like tossing coins in fountains or wearing lucky socks.
• Question them when they spread fear, discourage education, or cause real harm.

The goal isn’t to erase traditions, but to stay curious, not controlled. Use superstition like seasoning—sprinkle it lightly, but don’t eat the whole dish.

 Final Thought: Belief is a Beautiful Thing—But Balance is Better

Superstitions remind us that we’re all storytellers. We look at a black cat and don’t just see an animal—we see mystery, omen, and magic. That’s the beauty of being human. But in a world filled with facts and science, it’s also important to know when to laugh at our own quirks.

So, whether you knock on wood, avoid mirrors at midnight, or just enjoy a good ghost story—remember, a little belief never hurt anyone.

Just don’t break a mirror while reading this. You know… just in case.

Read: Rising through Rumi’s Wisdom

_________________

Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.