10 Worldwide Superstitions Associated with Bad Luck

Everyone has days where everything seems to go wrong, often prompting the question, "Whose face did I see first this morning?" This speaks to a broader belief in bad luck and the practice of avoiding certain activities to steer clear of misfortune. Superstition thrives because, rather than dismissing potential risks, many decide not to test their luck. Here are some peculiar superstitions related to bad luck from various parts of the world according to GeekforGeeks.

1. Unlucky Black Cats

While some see cats, particularly black cats, as cute companions, their path crossing yours can mean bad luck in cultures like India. You may need to alter your path or wait for someone else to walk by first. Conversely, in Western cultures, black cats have been historically linked to witchcraft, and both the cats and alleged witches were targeted during events like the Salem Witch Trials.

2. Sneezing Before Important Work

Medically, sneezing expels irritants from the body. However, sneezing could mean someone is talking about you in China, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. Sneezing before embarking on a task in India signals impending obstacles or, more broadly, bad luck.

3. Cheers With Water

It's common to toast with drinks, yet in Germany, cheering with water can be seen as a death wish for those you're drinking with. It's a superstition tied to wishing death upon someone, so remember not to drink up with water cheers while in Germany.

4. Whistling Indoors Invites Evil

Whistling indoors can be relaxing, but in Lithuania, it’s believed to summon evil spirits or demons. Therefore, this seemingly simple act of leisure is avoided due to its negative implications.

5. Keep Shoes Always Off the Table

In the UK, placing shoes on a table symbolizes presenting someone's death. Historically, this act signified someone's passing to their family, associating it strongly with misfortune.

6. 'Unlucky' Numbers

Cultural beliefs assign bad luck to certain numbers. Commonly feared numbers include:

• 4: In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures, it sounds like the word for "death." 
• 9: In Japanese culture, it sounds like the word for "suffering."

• 13: Widely feared and linked to bad luck, known as Triskaidekaphobia.
• 17: Dreaded in Italian cultures.
• 39: In Afghan culture, associated with the curse of 39.
• 43: In Japanese cultures, especially taboo in maternity wards as the word can mean "stillbirth."
• 666: Called the "Number of the Beast," signifies the devil or Antichrist in Biblical terms.

7. Don’t Head Straight Home After Funeral

In the Philippines, "Pagpag" dictates that one should make a stop before heading home after a funeral service to ensure the spirit of the departed doesn’t follow you home.

8. No Knocking on the Wood

A widespread superstition involves not knocking on wood, which is tied to the ancient practice of touching wood believed to have spirits. Primitive Churchgoers would touch what they believed were pieces of Christ’s cross, and knocking on wood continues that tradition of ensuring good fortune and warding off bad luck.

9. Right Sleeping Direction

Which way should you sleep? While good sleep is universally important, in Africa, sleeping facing west stirs superstitious concerns of bad luck. In India, facing north while sleeping is believed to invite negative energy and evil spirits.

10. Don’t Play With Scissors

In many cultures, improper handling of scissors invokes bad luck. Egyptian superstition warns of impending misfortune, and in India, it's unlucky to recklessly pass scissors or improperly handle them, pointing bladed ends can invite unfortunate events.

These global superstitions persist, transcending boundaries because they provide a feeling of control in an unpredictable world – better to heed and avoid testing their veracity.

Earlier, SSP wrote about 5 fascinating Polish superstitions.