If a black cat crosses your path, do you worry for days on end for what catastrophe might befall you?
If a Feng Shui master tells you that in order to attract wealth and happiness the main door of your house should face East, rather than South, the direction it currently is facing, do you quickly get a contractor to shift your thick oak door to face East? (Mind you this is not a permanent solution as later in the year, or a couple of years down the road, the same or another master would tell you that your front door should in fact face North!).
If in the West the number 13 is considered unlucky, number 4 or 44 is a no-no in this part of the world. So we have houses and apartments numbering 41, 42, 43, then suddenly 43A, or 45, with number 44 nowhere to be seen.
There have been reported cases where a husband or wife left the family and home because some fortune teller told them it was not safe to stay home.
And some will not make any business or other decisions without consulting their fortune tellers first. These poor souls (who are both naive and gullible) will be very bold with their ventures if told that lots of $$$$$$$$ are coming.
It is no exaggeration to say that some people actually treat their Feng Shui masters or fortune tellers like god.
So how superstitious are you?
24 comments:
hi Grandpa! I'm not very superstitious.. I have a couple of black cats and they are always crossing my path - so far so good.
;-)
Good to see you out and about, dear friend!
I don't think I'm superstitious at all, though I do knock on wood sometimes - an old habit, rather than a superstition, I think ;)
But, talking about feng shui, did you hear of families sending away a child because he/she would bring bad luck? It happened to a friend's brother - he was sent away to Singapore, to be looked after by an aunt. And I know of two other cases as well. Don't you think that totally sucks?!
Ohiofarmgirl, that ought to prove something about superstition...
Thank you, with all your kind wishes I'm back on my feet again.
Hi Pat, me too out of habit will say "touch wood"...
And I read in the Star recently about a man who left his wife and children as advised by his fortune teller...
Hey Grandpa. I'm not superstitious at all (touch wood)! :)
Perhaps it's time for a career change for me - I'd make a fortune by the sounds of it! :)
Hugs,
Rach
I wouldn't say I'm superstitious (fingers crossed). :)
I think it’s bad luck to be superstitious. I tend to have a feeling of fatality about most things. What will be, will be, with any luck.
As Salam Grandpa,
I hope I am not superstitious.. they were times an inner voices of sort whispering some superstitious things to me.. I normally neglect them so far everything is still OK :=)).
Sometime "was-was" remains there.. remembering/reciting chapter 113 of Al-Quran helps..
I'm not particularly superstitious though I once changed the position of my writing desk from something I read on feng shui and it did seem to help.
(although it could have been I was more inspired now that I had a better view.) LOL.
Sorry I've been absent of late. I hope things are better for you.
Rach, I don't think you are. Give it a thought, it's big money you know - the trick is to gain confidence of your clients and develop a following;
Akelamalu, I don't think you are either...
The Blogger Formerly Known As...
Agreed. I think it is foolish.
Salam Wan, actually some of the practices are nothing less than syirik. Yes, Chapter 113 Surah Al Falak - "..we seek refuge from the mischief of those who practise Secret Arts.."
Maria, good to see you. I'm much better thanks.
Changing desk position at work place is a very common practice e.g when sitting at your desk your back shouldn't be against the window, most believe.
I don't think I am especially superstitious since a black cat in one country is good luck and in another it's bad! :O)
Madeleine, yes, there would be country and cultural variations. I suppose black cats, keeping fingers crossed, and the like are quite harmless beliefs. It is only when you have total reliance on and your whole life come under the control of such 'powers' that consequences can be quite tragic.
Hi Grandpa- long time lurker, first time commenter. I'm not very superstitious. I think we make our own luck in some cases, so if I walk around thinking I'm cursed, I'll probably see nothing but bad luck. Positive thinking beats superstition every time.
Hi Kari, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your comment.
I truly believe in what you say that we make our own luck, and in positive thinking. Both will help us out of the most depressing situations.
I am a little bit superstitious, but I wouldn't let it run my life! I really believe seven is my lucky number. And I like believing in it!
weeeeeellllll hi Grandpa!
I only believe in superstitions when it is convinient for me, so if my feng shui master says I should get a koi pond I will totally do it
Not at all. I find some superstitions interesting, though. I pick four-leafed clovers when I find them and also pick up pennies. As for fortune cookies - I love them. But if I get a negative or silly one I toss it away and if I get one I like I hang on to it for a while. But don't actually believe in any of it.
Your Highness, thanks for being here, even on your 'break'. Seven is a good number - hope it brings you all the luck.
Hi Joanna! 'Long time no see' as we say it over here, so good to see you again. He will also tell you to keep eight or nine kois, but never four.
Btw I enjoyed your Corsica romantic adventure;
secret agent woman - I don't think you would! Blogger friend Mask did say to me she'll be over with four-leaved clovers. You can always exchange fortune cookies you don't fancy with the person sitting next to you, I suppose.
Hello Grandpa,
Ah yes, fortune cookies:-)
Of course, I'm not in the least superstitious. Although, I had to stare at the ceiling three times, count to ten and sing 'Superstition' by Stevie Wonder, before I could even contemplate leaving a comment. It's my ritual:-) Me superstitious? Of course not.
Here's wishing you a peaceful and pleasant day.
In kindness, Gary
Hi Grandpa, I take everything I hear or read with a double pinch of salt.
I have had many so called fortune tellers tell me I will have 2 wives, be a millionaire, you name it....
Including that roadside Indian fellow with the bird that picks out our fortune....
If listen to these people, either get stressed out or leave the house like the couple you mentioned.
But I listen for fun, and for laughs....
Never believed anything myself, unless I can feel or see....failing which, take a pinch of salt, ha ha.
Have a nice day.
Lee.
Hello Gary, you made me laugh, this one! You've added a new twist to it! You have a good day, my friend.
Lee, I thought you would be actually. How else do you explain being surrounded by those pretty ladies and syt's if not because of some pointers from your psychics, I was thinking. Since you say you are not, it must be your natural charm then! Take care Lee.
I think fortune telling is a bit different from superstition, and I don't go in for either. But sometimes, when things just seem to fall into place, it can be hard not to feel that there's something bigger going on.
I'm not superstitious at all. But I do giggle when I see a building with no 13th floor.
hi Grandpa! just popping in to see the sunshine, the birds, and all those buzzy beez!
:-)
Alison, you are right, may be I shouldn't have lumped them together, but I think you have to be a little superstitious to believe in the other. And like most things there are genuine ones (fortune tellers - for those who believe in them) and there are scams. The difficulty is in distinguishing them.
Su, you probably belong to the majority of the people.
OFG, always a pleasure to have you around... :))
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