At last Fall is here. I welcome the change of season. In fact, I’m almost giddy as the autumn months bring brisk mornings and the colorful beauty of changing leaves. But for some this is a scary time of year.
With the death of summer and the approaching night of hallows eve, even those who aren’t superstitious can experience a higher level of anxiety.
I fall into this category and often find myself skipping over cracks in the pavement, walking under ladders and avoiding anything to do with the number 13.
Silly, I know, but it did get me thinking. So, just exactly where do these unfounded beliefs come from anyway?
After doing a little research, I came up with a few interesting tidbits. Most of these superstitions stem back as far as the Middle Ages.
For instance, black cats, once seen as demons and a witch’s companion, were unfairly targeted. Most believed if the animal crossed your path, the action would block your connection to god and the entrance to heaven.
The number 13? One theory is that Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th member to be seated at the Last Supper. This belief is so strong, that still to this day, many hotels an apartment buildings don’t have a 13th floor.
What about the old saying, “find a penny, pick it up. All day long, you’ll have good luck”? This came about from a superstition that metals warded off evil spirits.
And the theory about ladders? This started as far back as the medieval era and one of the bases was merely a bad omen with an odd connection to the gallows.
After a hanging, the dead body had to be removed by climbing up one to cut the rope. It was thought that if you walked underneath the ladder, you would face the same demise.
Needless to say, I found all of this information fascinating, and my writers mind began spiraling into a frenzy of stories needing to be written.
With the death of summer and the approaching night of hallows eve, even those who aren’t superstitious can experience a higher level of anxiety.
I fall into this category and often find myself skipping over cracks in the pavement, walking under ladders and avoiding anything to do with the number 13.
Silly, I know, but it did get me thinking. So, just exactly where do these unfounded beliefs come from anyway?
After doing a little research, I came up with a few interesting tidbits. Most of these superstitions stem back as far as the Middle Ages.
For instance, black cats, once seen as demons and a witch’s companion, were unfairly targeted. Most believed if the animal crossed your path, the action would block your connection to god and the entrance to heaven.
The number 13? One theory is that Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th member to be seated at the Last Supper. This belief is so strong, that still to this day, many hotels an apartment buildings don’t have a 13th floor.
What about the old saying, “find a penny, pick it up. All day long, you’ll have good luck”? This came about from a superstition that metals warded off evil spirits.
And the theory about ladders? This started as far back as the medieval era and one of the bases was merely a bad omen with an odd connection to the gallows.
After a hanging, the dead body had to be removed by climbing up one to cut the rope. It was thought that if you walked underneath the ladder, you would face the same demise.
Needless to say, I found all of this information fascinating, and my writers mind began spiraling into a frenzy of stories needing to be written.