Dark Omens and Superstitions

1. Breaking a Mirror
Curse:
Our ancestors began this superstition, because they thought the image in a mirror, contained our actual soul. Thus, a broken mirror, represented the soul being pulled from your body and being trapped in all the shattered pieces.

- The reason the bad luck lasted for seven years, was because the Romans believed that after seven years, the body was physically renewed and the soul could once again return whole.

Cure:
To break the spell of misfortune from a broken mirror, you must wait seven hours, (one for each year of bad luck), before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside, in the moonlight.

2. The Number Thirteen
Curse:
There are many different theories about the origin of 13 being considered an unlucky number. The earliest come from ancient religious beliefs.

- At Valhalla, the home of the Gods, if you had twelve guests at a feast, and a thirteenth, turned up uninvited; he was thought to be "The God of Deceit".

- Many Christians believed it started with witches' covens having 12 members, making 13 only when the devil appeared at satanic ceremonies (although, prior to Christianity, 13 was considered a sacred number, representing the 13 moons of the year.)

- For Christians, 13 was also the number at the Last Supper, when Judas betrayed Jesus.

TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA is the fear of the number 13.

Friday the 13th
- It is claimed that Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden on a Friday, Noah's flood started on a Friday and Christ was crucified on a Friday, so it is likely these days and numbers combined were given the signal of bad luck.

- There is the belief that stems from the order given by King Philip IV, on Friday, October 13, 1307, to round up the Knights Templar and kill or torture them. (VERY bad luck for the Knights indeed!)

PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIA is the fear of Friday 13th.

3. Walking Under a Ladder
Curse:
- If you walk under a ladder you supposedly break a spiritual triangle (the Holy Trinity) that will leave you vulnerable to the devil.

- In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Thus, to walk beneath an open ladder, was to pass through the triangle of evil ghosts and spirits.

Cure:
If you should unwittingly wander under a ladder, you can save yourself by crossing your fingers and spitting three times through the ladder's rungs.

4. "Step on a Crack; Break your Mother's Back"
Curse:
Cracks and fear of stepping on them, comes from an ancient fear of letting the soul out of the Square. The four corners are an ancient symbol of balance and perfection.

5. Spilling Salt
At one time salt was a rare commodity and thought to have magical powers. It has long been useful as a preservative, in medicine, and is also used in magic, ritual, and superstition to purify, bless things, and drive away evil.
Curse:
It was unfortunate to spill salt and was said to predict future family troubles and death.

Cure:
To ward off any bad luck, throw a pinch over your shoulder and all will be well.

6. Black Cats
Curse:
Black cats have long been believed to be a supernatural omen, since the witch hunts of the middle ages, when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it is considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.

Ironically, a black cat walking towards you is considered lucky, while one walking away is said to be stealing your luck.

Sources: Originsnetwork.net, Katharine Kurtz, Tales of the Knights Templar, Warner Books, 1995. http://www.trivialibrary.com/a/origin-of-common-superstitions-breaking-a-mirror.htm