Luck is inevitably down to chance. With that being said, there are superstitions that date back hundreds of years.
If you’re interested in finding out more then simply take a look below.
Rocking Chairs
Imagine a creaking rocking chair that’s slowly rocking back and forth. It’s enough for you to understand why people who are superstitious like their chairs to be still.
Irish legend states that an empty rocking chair is an invitation for an evil spirit to come and sit down. If you see a chair moving on its own, then superstition states that a specter has already taken up residence in your home. Some paranormal experts believe that this could also be a sign that your home is haunted. Of course, rocking chairs aren’t commonly seen anymore in homes, and a lot of the reason for this is because they can be seen as being dated, rather than being an invitation for spirits and bad luck.
Green Paint
At one point in history, green dye was lethal. Synthetic green dye, in the 18th century, contained hydrogen arsenic. Green walls, whether they were painted or papered, could release toxic gas when they were damp. Some believe that green walls are a bad omen to this day, as at the time, it wasn’t known that it was the arsenic that was causing people to become sick. Although you'd have to be very unlucky to find a home with arsenic walls in this day and age, it was a huge deal in the 18th century.
Even though superstitious beliefs like this now have a solid explanation, some events still go unexplained, and people find themselves down on their luck with no explanation at all. This includes Roy Sullivan. He was hit seven times by lightning. He survived the ordeal, and became known as the Human Lightning Rod. Although he was very lucky, superstitions regarding lightning are still very common to this day, and it's still unknown as to why some people attract lightning more than others.
Cacti
Even though cacti are seen as being Feng Shui, principles state that plants that have thorny exteriors attract bad vibes. The prickly surfaces and spiky plants can bring tension to your home, according to legend. Roses are the exception here, as apparently the thorns aren’t enough to hinder the positive energy in a room. Now, green plants of any kind are said to bring positive energy into a home, so it’s interesting to see how over time superstitions like this are no longer thought of as being major problems for homeowners.
Open Umbrella
In Ancient Egypt, it was thought that if you brought any item meant to protect you outside into your home, it would bring you bad luck. Some even said that it was disrespectful to guardian spirits as they would watch over your dwelling. If you did bring an open umbrella into your home then it was almost like saying that the spirit of the guardian’s protection wasn’t enough, and this would cause insult to them. Of course, now bringing an open umbrella into your home is just an inconvenience but in ancient times, it was an invitation for bad luck and you would feel the full wrath of the spirits.
So as you can see, there are some items that are seen as being bad luck, but with that being said, we now know that none of them are true, and simply based on ancient superstitions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Olivia Poglianich
Content Strategist
Olivia Poglianich is a nomadic brand strategist and copywriter in the wooden crafts and 3D product design space who has worked with brands such as Visa, Disney and Grey Goose. Her writing has taken her all over the world, from a Serbian music festival to a Malaysian art and culture event. Olivia is a graduate of Cornell University and is often writing or reading about travel, hospitality, the start-up ecosystem or career coaching. Her latest interests are at the intersection of web3 and communal living, both on and offline.
