HOW DID DIFFERENT SUPERSTITIONS BEGIN?

SUPERSTITIONS -

Superstitions have played a unique role in the human life right from the beginning of civilization. Even today, we may find many people who are superstitious about different things. Do you know how different superstitions began?

Ancient man could not explain various natural phenomena like thunder, lightning, and climatic changes. He knew little about the sun, moon, comets, and meteors. So he formulated his own theories about these phenomena, thus leading to the first kind of superstitious beliefs.

A superstition is usually born out of fear, which is contrary to reason and cannot be proved by experience. For instance, a comet was a mysterious phenomenon and was considered unlucky - a sign of imminent plague or war. People also believed that if one looked at the moon for a long time, he would get 'Moonstruck'. In fact, the word 'lunatic' has been derived from the Latin word 'Luna' which means moon. Similarly, farmers used to think that growing moon encouraged the growth of crops.

Superstitions were also built up around animals. In Egypt, cats were worshipped as sacred animals. In Europe, it is thought very lucky to have a black cat walk across one's path. In North America, the reverse is true. In India, a black cat crossing your path is considered as a sign of bad luck. The hooting of an owl is a sign of approaching death, and so on.

Over the centuries, superstitions about 'lucky' and 'unlucky' numbers also developed. For example, 13 is considered to be an unlucky number throughout the world.

Ancient people in Scandinavian countries believed that thunder and lightning were caused when their god 'Thor' threw His hammer at His enemies.

Sneezing is considered a bad omen. When someone sneezes, people often say 'God bless you'. With the advance in science, man has come to understand more about the world around him. But somehow the old beliefs continue to have their hold on people.