Thread: Russian superstitions

The spitting 3x thing is also a Greek custom.

Do you guys also have the tradition of tossing salt over the shoulder?

The number 13 is a bad number.
I think it comes from the 13th apostle of Jesus named Judas. Judas betrayed Jesus and had him crucified. (Don't quote me on this one)

Anyway,
Friday the 13th is a bad day. Damn! Today is Friday the 13th.
Never buy 13 of anything pens, pencils, apples, potatoes, etc., always buy 12 or 14.
Never stack 13 of anything plates, books, trays etc.
Never put 13 cups in the cupboard.
Never stay on the 13th floor of any building. All the buildings here in Las Vegas skip the 13th floor and go from the 12th floor to the 14th floor.
In general, just avoid the number 13.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Do you guys also have the tradition of tossing salt over the shoulder?

No, not salt, chimney soot and rabbit entrails.

I thought that there were only 12 Apostles, kwatts.

Back in Australia, at the end of the evening I sometimes would toss a shiela over my shoulder but never salt.

Never heard about tossing salt or anything over the shoulder. What's it about?

The widespread superstition that spilling salt brings bad luck is believed to have originated with the overturned salt cellar in front of Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper, an incident immortalized in Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting.

Throwing salt over ones shoulder is supposed to bring luck.

Here are the facts and history of salt.
http://www.alohatherapy.com/new/salt_101.htm

Another Slavic superstition: Never wear a garment inside out or else somebody will hit you.

Legend says Jesus was the one who overturned the salt cellar before Judas. Salt was considered very valuable in ancient times, and a symbol of wealth and protection, thus it couldn't be wasted.

If you want to overcome bad luck when spilling salt on the table you should throw some grains over your left shoulder to blind the evil spirits.

Superstitions are very ancient, and imbedded in the subconscious collective mind of cultures.

Originally Posted by kwatts59

Never stay on the 13th floor of any building. All the buildings here in Las Vegas skip the 13th floor and go from the 12th floor to the 14th floor.
In general, just avoid the number 13.

So do supersticious people leave a blank space between floors?
Anyway when counting from the top or bottom you certainly have this accursed 13th floor. So why tricking themselves?

By the bye, it is hard to live knowing everything listed above. You'd better be unborn, after all.

Originally Posted by DDT

I thought that there were only 12 Apostles, kwatts.

Back in Australia, at the end of the evening I sometimes would toss a shiela over my shoulder but never salt.

There are thirteen names listed here.
Judas was a traitor so he got canned.
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/apostles.htm

Simon. More generally known as Peter.
Andrew
James
John
Philip
Bartholomew
Thomas
Matthew
James
Thaddaeus
Simon the Zealot
Judas Iscariot
Matthias

Matthias was only a replacement for Judas and could not have been picked by Jesus.

Originally Posted by DDT

Here are the facts and history of salt.
http://www.alohatherapy.com/new/salt_101.htm

Not every day alohatherapy.com is used as a source of facts!! LOL!

In fact, the original point of tossing salt over the shoulder was to keep the devil at bay. And it was originally done when one sneezes, because that is when one is at one's weakest moment. Isn't the russian three times tfu over one's shoulder also to keep the devil away?

So why is 13 considered a bad number?

Anyway, another superstition. If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck. I must have broken a lifetime of mirrors by now so I guess I am doomed for the rest of my life.

Edit: Here is a link I found on the number 13
http://www.numerologie-numerology.com/bad-luck-13.html
http://www.csicop.org/superstition/libr ... rteen.html

Oh!....I just now realized that it is Friday the 13th today.

Originally Posted by DDT

Oh!....I just now realized that it is Friday the 13th today.

Beware of Jason knocking on your door with a big ax.

Originally Posted by kwatts59

So why is 13 considered a bad number?

Anyway, another superstition. If you break a mirror, you will have 7 years of bad luck. I must have broken a lifetime of mirrors by now so I guess I am doomed for the rest of my life.

Edit: Here is a link I found on the number 13
http://www.numerologie-numerology.com/bad-luck-13.html
http://www.csicop.org/superstition/libr ... rteen.html

It's the sheer evidence of the democracy of mind. Believe in everything you want.

In fact, if you really believe in something it inevitably happens some time after. That's proved by the life experience.

In fact, if you really believe in something it inevitably happens some time after. That's proved by the life experience.

That's because if you believe in something you're most likely working towards it.

interesting I learned today 13 in Russia is also known as the devils dozen....here in America 13=bakers dozen...I dunno why bakers....I like the devils dozen better!

Страшной приметой считается, если черный кот разобьет зеркало пустым ведром.

Originally Posted by Indra

Страшной приметой считается, если черный кот разобьет зеркало пустым ведром.

только черному коту и невезёт

All superstitions can be explained, for example some russian people are afraid to drop the salt because as people say there will be a quarrel. It was so in times when salt was a rare thing, it was like a delicacy and of course if you had dropped it everywone would have shouted at you. As you can see there s nothing to be afraid of, the same goes for all superstitions, in most cases superstitions are like self hypnosis, this scares.