symbols of BAD luck...from around the world!

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[twisted-sister]

K...I already did this for good luck....so lets turn the tables and do one for bad luck! I'll start us off.

the number 13: considered bad luck in America (other countries...?)
the number 4: bad luck in Japan, because one of the Japanese words for '4' is 'shi', meaning 'death'. the other word for 4, yon, is used more commonly for this reason.
writing a persons name in red: bad luck in Japan, considered a death omen (red is the color of blood)
breaking a mirror: seven years of bad luck (this ones kinda universal, ne? but does anyone know where it started?)


bring on the bad omens, people. enlighten me.

but dont forget to have fun!

[Noctuary]

writing a persons name in red: bad luck in Japan, considered a death omen (red is the color of blood)

you know I have a Japanese hex spell where you write a person's name on a door and they can't come in. Anywho....
five in any tarot deck is not a good card.
The first cut ends of a cucumber have poison and are bad.(you rub those first cut ends to ward it off)

[Roknrol]

Walking under ladders is supposed to be bad luck.
Opening umbrellas indoors.
Saying "MacBeth" on stage when you're not performing the play (I've found this to be complete BS...our *best* improv show was one whereing we said "MacBeth" about 80 times during the intro...)

[catsraven]

the number 13: considered bad luck in America

Depends on what part of the US you are from. The number 13 is considerd lucky in parts of the south.

[Qit el-Remel]

The Tower card in tarot is an inauspicious sign.  If reversed, it's even more so.  Certain cards in the suit of Air (usually represented by swords) are similarly ugly.

In some cultures, the number 6 is unlucky.  In others, hearing or seeing an owl is a jinx.

According to certain astrologers, it's bad luck to wear opals unless you're a Scorpio (in which case, it's good luck).

-Qit

[SeaMyst]

link

The above article contains superstitions about the numbers 1 through 13. Things like:

It is unlucky to get married on the first of August or January.
Finding an egg with two yolks means there will be a death in the family.
If you dream about the number three, you will lose your lover.

[Qit el-Remel]

Finding an egg with two yolks means there will be a death in the family.

Well, I know that one's booshwah.  The first time I found one of those, there weren't any deaths in the family for some time afterwards.  (Two relatives, however, had died within the preceding year.)

-Qit

[stormchylde]

I've heard that a sledge-hammer wound to the head means bad luck.....

[twisted-sister]

I've heard that a sledge-hammer wound to the head means bad luck.....

lol. i bet.

[Roknrol]

Truth be told, I'd be willing to suggest that ALL of them are booshwah....most of them I've experienced personally and never had anything major happen following.

I will say that if there's something that I want really really badly and things keep "getting in the way" that if I persevere and shove my way to my goal, it generally turns out poorly.

For example, if I'm looking for an upgrade to my computer and I can't find it anywhere, and then I start searching online and I finally find one but it's twice the price, and then I finally find one in town for the right price, but the store is closed that day, and then I finally get up there when they're open but I get a flat tire along the way...you get the point...

Well...that's usually when I find out two days later that whatever it is I bought is worthless, that I paid too much, or that had I waited 3 days I'd find a better piece of whatever for cheaper.

This tends to work with big decisions more...stuff that happens *huge* in my life.  There have been times where I've heeded the "warnings" and found out later that if I hadn't I would have completely been screwed.

<shrug> it's hard to explain, and it's probably just my brain making connections that don't exist, but there you have it

(incidentally, I open umbrellas in my home regularly and have a jar of Peacock feathers (very bad luck) sitting on my desk...life is going very well )

[Lone Walker]

Seeing a magpie/s is considered bad luck. It goes something like:
1 for sorrow
2For joy
3 for a Girl
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told

Ive never found this to be true though ......

Apparently if you dream of a man riding the back of a monkey (or baboon i think)  it means your gonna die.

[twisted-sister]

Seeing a magpie/s is considered bad luck. It goes something like:
1 for sorrow
2For joy
3 for a Girl
4 for a boy
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told

Ive never found this to be true though ......

Apparently if you dream of a man riding the back of a monkey (or baboon i think)  it means your gonna die.

Thats one Ive never heard of...although Ive never dreamt of a man riding the back of a baboon, so I guess I wouldnt know. LoL.

[picaboo]

http://www.paganforum.com/index.php?topic=7122.0

[Noctuary]

You know what's bad luck? When you see those red lights behind you.

[twisted-sister]

yeah...you know what else is bad luck? the semi-truck a car in front of you blowing its back tire...and you hitting it...head on...like its cool or something...lol. no...seriously...it sucked.

[AzazelEblis]

I heard a dirty rumor that the "peace sign" was actually a protection rune, only inverted.  That might explain a bit about how many hippies got arrested.

"May you live in interesting times." - Ancient Japanese curse


Oh, and on the nature of luck:

The Taoist Farmer
One day, the Taoist Farmer's horse got out, and ran away.
His neighbor made it a point to tell him "You have horrible luck!"
The Taoist Farmer replied, "We'll see."

The next day, the horse returned with a whole pack of wild horses.
The neighbor made it a point to congratulate him on his "great luck."
The Taoist Farmer replied "We'll see."

A week later, the Taoist Farmer's only son falls and breaks his leg while breaking in the wild horses.
The neighbor made it a point to offer condolences for the "horrible luck."
Once again, the Taoist Farmer replied, "We'll see."

The next day, the Chinese Army marches through, enlisting every able bodied man.  They took all but the injured, the elderly, and they young. 
When they came by the Taoist Farmer's house, they did not take the son because of his injury, and the Farmer was too old for the service. 
The Neighbor comes by and congratulates the Taoist Farmer, for he still has his son, and he must have amazing luck.

The Taoist Farmer replies, "We'll see."

[twisted-sister]

definitely interesting....

[SariaNephthys]

I have a weird story relating to the Macbeth superstition...

It was backstage on opening night of my first school show, "Bye Bye Birdie" (we have plays too I just happened to get into the musical), and I was in the dressing room at the very crowded girls' makeup mirror, when somehow the Reduced Shakespeare Company came up into normal conversation (WTF?), and I mentioned Macbeth, and everyone quickly shushed me and was like "It's bad luck!" to which I replied "Well how the hell was I supposed to know that, THIS IS MY FIRST SHOW!" (We were all a little tense... especially after all the late rehearsals) Anyway a few seconds later I spilled my loose powder all over the place, and all the girls were like "See? SEE?" 

Of course they've adapted it to fit our particular theater, saying it ticks off the resident ghost (long story there, but someone really did die on stage), and ALWAYS proceed to tell the story about how Nate said "Macbeth" backstage and then during the performance a (theater set) pillar fell on him. I personally think the powder spilling had more to do with a combination of all the girls fighting for space and my inherent clumsiness.

Well I don't want to be accused of derailing this thread so...

It's also considered bad luck to spill salt. And I think the mirror thing started back in Roman times when mirrors were expensive and the servants were told it was bad luck so they'd be extra careful... or something.

It's also considered bad luck amongst "Legend of Zelda" gamers to talk about finding the Temple of Light/Triforce in "Ocarina of Time" because ha ha, it isn't there! That's right, the thing you spend the whole game looking for is not even in the game! Muahahaha!

[twisted-sister]

hmm....lol. yeah, i know what you mean about ocarina of time. lol.

[SariaNephthys]

hmm....lol. yeah, i know what you mean about ocarina of time. lol.

Word.

[MoonBunny]

According to certain astrologers, it's bad luck to wear opals unless you're a Scorpio (in which case, it's good luck).

-Qit

I've been told that its unless its ur birthstone... and its October's birthstone... and thats my birthmonth...

Supposedly if your right hand itches that means your going to recieve money... if your left hand itches that means money is leaving you...

[twisted-sister]

According to certain astrologers, it's bad luck to wear opals unless you're a Scorpio (in which case, it's good luck).

-Qit

I've been told that its unless its ur birthstone... and its October's birthstone... and thats my birthmonth...

Supposedly if your right hand itches that means your going to recieve money... if your left hand itches that means money is leaving you...

hmm...maybe thats why Im broke? XD

[MoonBunny]

^^^ thats funny... the superstition is that u scratch your right hand, make it into a fist, kiss the fist and then put it in your right pocket... the left hand you just scratch away 'cuz your gonna lose money... LOL

[Purple Thyme]

My son is the 13th grandchild and also the last.  My father in law wanted to name him Lucky but I wasn't into that but agreed to nickname him Lucky.  When he plays his video games he always names himself Lucky and picks 13 for his number.  The number 13 seems to be a lucky number for alot of my husband's family. Our address is 13 too.

[twisted-sister]

My son is the 13th grandchild and also the last.  My father in law wanted to name him Lucky but I wasn't into that but agreed to nickname him Lucky.  When he plays his video games he always names himself Lucky and picks 13 for his number.  The number 13 seems to be a lucky number for alot of my husband's family. Our address is 13 too.

lol. cool! my birthday is october 13.