Super powers of Superstitions…Oh Men what an omen!

One mynah sorrow…two mynah joy….three mynah letter….four mynah boy…five mynah silver…six mynah gold…seven mynah secret never to be told….!

Well this might resonate with some of our early childhood days which we could associate the rhyme with. The Indian Mynah or Magpie is a commonly found bird, busy minding its own business, sometimes having that chirping gossip with his friends or just nodding his head in disagreement or whatsoever. He manages to stay aloof perhaps after his argument and a human spots him and says “Oh God, it is a single mynah …that means sorrow or bad luck”. Now little does that small guy even know what bad luck he is to bring to others, while he himself is having a tough time.

I remember an incident as a child, my uncle was heading toward the door to attend some urgent work and then he suddenly stopped. He sighed as though hell broke loose and gave me a glare. Well, I really did not do anything except that I sneezed!. Now, I was the focus of attention and had all the others in the house staring at me, so I asked them “what”? And the chorus replied saying “ Sneeze again”. Hmm…you can guess what must have happened next. The sneeze did not come and rest was a big drama, I will skip that as of now.

However much highly educated or modernized one could call themselves, yet when they spot anything related to the age old superstitions, they fall prey for it. It definitely would be wrong to say that we don’t actually care about all this stuff and this is just some hanky panky. The truth behind remains that, Some of us believe that the mysticism associated with the power in inanimate things have considerable influence over one’s life. Some of these have been handed down generations from our ancestors, who are revered to be wise. This is the reason why we can’t seem to let go of many age-old beliefs.

Here are some of the most commonly held Indian superstitions. You can observe at least one of them being practiced almost every day in most areas. Here’s a closer look at some superstitions in India. However, some of these superstitions do have some scientific reasons that come attached to them. There is a logic to it and some have no logic, alas we take them with a pinch of salt!

Warding Off Evil With Lemon And Chillies

When we talk about hanging lemons and chillies, the first thing that comes to mind is a vehicle that carries a lemon and seven chillies strung together. This is also placed in the house at the front door to protect against an evil eye and spirits is one of the most common superstitious beliefs in India.

Science behind it….

It is believed that lemon and chillies work as effective natural pesticides and natural antibacterials, thus protecting the home or whichever environment it is hung in. (may be in kind of wards away the evil pests which threaten to contaminate the environment)

The one rupee coin shagun

A one rupee coin is added to the total amount, for it’s considered auspicious. This Indian superstition is especially relevant when it comes to gifting cash as a wedding gift.

The fundoo behind this…..

In some parts of India, it is believed that if you give round figures like INR 500/1000 it signifies an end, but the added 1 rupee signifies that you wish the person to continue to get wealthy.

Eating curd and sugar

In india it is considered good luck to have a spoonful of curd with a little sugar before going out or embarking on a new journey

The explanation to this …….where eating curd has a cooling effect on your digestive system, while the sugar adds energy.

All about the mynahs

Seeing one common mynah bird is believed to bring bad luck, but seeing a couple of them is supposed to bring good luck.  

Well, yet to get the scientific explanation to the reality behind the bird watch.

No Cleaning The House After Sunset

Cleaning or sweeping the house after sunset is believed to scare off the Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi.

Reason..There is some simple logic behind this Indian superstition. When it originated, there was no electricity, so it was a matter of practicality to have finished all the housework in daylight when everything was visible.

Hair and nails

If you cut your nails and hair on Thursdays and Saturdays it is said to bring bad luck or misfortune. In some parts of India, cutting your nails after sunset is also considered bad luck.

Well, our elders warned us not to cut nails and hair after sunset due to the lack of light perhaps.

Itchy Palms Can Mean Different Futures

an itchy palm indicates some internal energy moving to your palms. The reason for this is that the right palm is supposed to be dynamic or active, while the left hand is receptive or inactive. So when your right palm itches, it’s believed money will come in, but when your left palm itches, it will flow out.

Upside Down Slipper

In some Indian households, it is believed that leaving your flip flops turned upside down will bring bad luck.

Maybe, this could have an explanation of keeping the footwear arranged properly.

Black Cat Crossing The Road

A black cat crossing your path is meant to signal that tasks get delayed or postponed. Some even wait till others walk by so that they are saved, the logic behind this is that the others will bear the brunt of the ‘curse’.

Really? And what about humans crossing the cat’s path? Poor cat must be wondering now, “will i find a decent meal?”.

Black cats remind me of “Bagheera” from the Jungle Book….adorable, friendly, and protective.

Don’t Step Out During An Eclipse

According to Indian superstitions, observing the sun during a solar eclipse should be avoided. Doing so may cause retinal burns or eclipse blindness. It is also suggested to not consume anything during the celestial event. Pregnant women are advised to remain indoors during the entire time as well.

Don’t Go Near A Peepal Tree At Night

Peepal trees are quite notorious in Indian society. Our ancestors believed that peepal trees are where ghosts reside and it is considered a dangerous place at night. There are many who believe that if you sleep around this tree at night, the ghosts will kill you.

Breaking A Mirror

According to this superstition, if a mirror breaks, it means seven years of bad luck. The curse can only be nullified if one takes the pieces outside and buries them under the moonlight.

Which Of These Bizarre Indian Superstitions Do You Follow?...

What are the causes of superstition?

The main causes of superstitions can be cultural traditions and individual experiences. The superstitions can be even carried subconsciously. Sometimes it is that, holding on to the belief feels better than letting it go! Some superstitions can purely be seen as a placebo effect, still this doesn’t deter people from believing in superstitions.

Even according to the American Psychological Association people do know that the superstitions are different from the reality, yet they refuse to let go of the belief,

One study in 2016 strongly suggests that superstitions are powerful intuitions that our brains don’t want to correct. While the logical part of us may know that our superstitious behaviors don’t affect outcomes, holding on to them is still a way of “playing it safe.”

Superstitions and Mental Health

Usually people do know that superstitions are harmless, however, at times superstitions do get in the way of their life as an obstacle.

People with OCD may feel unable to be dismissive of superstitious behaviors or beliefs. This can trigger obsessive thoughts or anxiety, among other OCD symptoms. This is sometimes referred to as “magical thinking” OCD.

People with mental health conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder, can also be negatively impacted by superstitions.

When superstitions become a strong motivator for participating in or avoiding certain activities, it’s an indication that an underlying mental health condition may be present.

Treatment and help to tackle superstitions

If superstitions pose an obstacle then it’s important to reach out to a mental health specialist.

Cognitive behaviour therapy, exposure therapy and habit reversal therapy can help as treatment options.

Medication as prescribed by the specialist.

When being controlled or afraid of superstitions, or going through  Symptoms of anxiety, depression, fear, and avoidance behavior then it is a sign to seek help. Do reach out to a therapist or talk to us on the number listed below.

Conclusion

In most cases, superstitions are harmless. In fact, it’s possible that you hold superstitions that you’re so used to that you aren’t even aware of them and they don’t impact your life much.

So then don’t worry about the black cats, mynahs or broken mirror superstitions, just remember that they do exist like the way you do. And the next time you come across the cat crossing your path make sure you give it way to go ahead and not wrestle with him. Possibly you will find him saying “Thank you” to you and just let the magic transform happily.

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Sources:

Did You Know About These 16 Superstitions In India? | Travel.Earth

‍Superstitions: What They Mean for Your Mental Health (healthline.com)