Living with Superstition
To what extent is your life influenced by superstition?
Sort out each item if it is based on science, a known fact, or just merely a belief or thought. Add on to the list your own experiences, and those you may have observed or heard in the place where you live, and places you may have visited. Better still, make it a kind of hobby, or study, to have a running collection - it might turn out to become into a book, or an encyclopedia of sort. - avr
Dr Abe V Rotor
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1. Forego your trip when a black cat crosses your path – it is bad luck.
2. Don’t clean the house at night, more so, if you sweep the dirt out of the door. You drive good luck away, (Lalabas ang suwerte.)
3. If you get lost in the wilderness, reverse your shirt, so that you will be able find your way back.
4. Tikbalang (Filipino version of a centaur) comes out when it is raining while the sun is out.
5. Three persons in a picture means the one at the middle will die.
6. A mole (taling) on the sole indicates the person is a wanderer (gala’).
7. A mole (taling) located along the path of tears means the person is going to be widowed.
8. Bride must never try her bridal gown before the wedding; the ceremony might not push through.
9. Don’t hang on the window; you court bad luck.
10. Itchy palm means you are going to have money.
11. Keep your fingers close together and if light seeps through between them, it means you are not frugal.
12. Singing while cooking means you are going to remain a bachelor or spinster – or marry someone much older than you.
13. A victim of maternal impression (paglilihi) loses pep (sigla) and may even get sick.
14. If a pregnant woman is in labor, never sit at the center of the stair.
15. A comet in the sky means war is coming.
16. Eat raw eggs to enhance easy delivery of your baby.
17. A pregnant mother should not eat eggplant, else her baby will have dark complexion.
18. One who cries every time she cuts onions means she does not love her father- and mother-in-law (biyanan).
19. Taking a bath immediately after ironing clothes will make you sick of leprosy.
20. If a pregnant woman eats eggs, her child will be born blind.
21. Full moon causes abnormal behavior. People who are affected by this belief are called lunatics.
22. Beware of Friday the 13th, you might meet an accident.
23. No two siblings should marry within the same year, otherwise their marriages will not be successful.
24. When someone gives you a footwear as a gift, be sure to pay him any amount in order to break the omen that you will be “kicked” or pushed around.
25. When the pregnant wife skips or walks over (laktawan) her husband, the husband will bear the burden of paglilihi (maternal impression).
26. If you want a person to be sad and to cry often, give him or her a handkerchief as a gift.
27. One who is about to be wed must remain at home to avoid accident.
28. Avoid having your feet pointed at the door while sleeping.
29. Prepare rice cake like suman and tikoy on New Year so that good luck will stick around.
30. When planting be sure your stomach is full, so that you will get good harvest.
31. If you accidentally break a glass or china, get a similar one and break it, otherwise bad luck will haunt you.
32. Breaking a mirror means “seven years itch.”
33. If you dream you lost a tooth, it means is bad luck. To break the omen, silently go to a tree and tell your dream so that it will be the tree that will suffer.
Breaking a mirror means "a seven-year itch life." Seven-year itch is a term that describes feeling restless or dissatisfied in a relationship, typically around the seven-year mark.
34. Needle bought in the afternoon is likely to rust.
35. A birthday celebrant must take extra precaution against accident, so with a new graduate.
36. The bride should not look behind while marching the aisle, otherwise the wedding will not be disrupted.
37. The number of steps of a stair is based on the alternate oro (gold)-plata (silver) formula. Aim for oro in the last or highest step.
38. Wearing bright clothes, especially red, on your birthday makes the day happy.
39. After the wedding the man must exit first from the church so that he will not become a henpeck husband.
40. Don’t give your loved one a necklace, otherwise your relationship will not last.
41. Don’t allow your friend to remove your ring, otherwise you will quarrel.
42. Kill a chicken for a new born baby as an offering.
43. Sweeping or cleaning the house while a dead relative is in wake will lead to the death of another member of the family.
44. Eating jackfruit during menstruation is prohibited otherwise the woman will get sick and even die.
45. When planting sitao (string bean), place a comb on your hair to induce the production of abundant long fruits.
46. Eating chicken cooked with squash will cause leprosy.
47. A woman on her menstrual period should not visit a garden or orchard otherwise the plants will become sick or die.
48. To know if it is true jade, it remains cool even if the body is warm.
49. Beware of the werewolf. Man can turn into a wolf, and vice versa.
50. Eight (8) is a lucky number; 8 is infinity. It means money will circulate.
51. Four (4) means in Chinese C or death. Every time you reach an age with the number 9 or 4, take precaution; you are prone to accident.
52. Don’t cut fingernails at night; it’s bad luck.
53. In Chinese marriage, the woman walks backward led by a relative to be delivered to the bridegroom.
54. If a child keeps spitting, it will rain.
55. If you point at the moon your will suffer a cut.
56. Babies smile at angels we don’t see.
57. Fixed marriage at birth is good luck.
58. Chinese calendar is late by two months – New Year is in February.
Chinese age starts one year at birth.
59. Palm lines may change, so with our lives.
60. Blessed palm on Easter Sunday is hang at the door for good luck.
61. First cut hair and fingernails of a baby must be kept in a book so that he will be intelligent.
62. Wearing black is symbol of mourning; to the Chinese it is wearing all white.
Lady luck is on your side
if you find a four-leaf clover.
63. Among the Chinese, miniaturized house, car and the like, go with the departed to assure him of a happy afterlife.
64. In a Chinese temple, you offer food to the gods, and then eat it after. This is not the case in Filipino custom; just leave the food offering (atang).
65. To the Chinese, paper money goes with the dead; it will be converted into real money in afterlife.
66. Light candles outside of the house during All Saints Day in deference to of the souls of the dead and the unseen.
67. When you happen to encounter a funeral entourage, throw some coins in respect of the dead.
68. Don’t stand in front of a gate if you are pregnant.
69. If by mistake it’s the bride that hands over the arras to the bridegroom, expect that she will be the breadwinner.
70. Diamond studded wedding rings do not make a perfect relationship.
71. When blessing a new vehicle, sprinkler fresh blood of chicken in tires and engine to bad omen of accident.
72. Place some coins in the foundation of buildings and other structures during ground breaking ceremony to make them strong and withstand time.
73. Children are sacrificed in making bridges and other infrastructure.
74. Bury placenta with rosary and pencil so that the child will be both intelligent and God-fearing.
75. Palms with crisscross lines (rapas Ilk) means the person is cruel.
76. Palms with netted lines means the person has an unorganized life (magulong buhay).
77. Shake (pagpagin) the items such as clothes after a customer had left without buying any, to break bad luck.
78. Place money in a bed pan (arinola), so that it becomes plentiful.
79. Babies that fall from their cradle do not suffer injury, thanks to their guardian angels.
80. When you give a wallet as gift be sure you put a coin or a money bill in it so that the wallet won’t run out of money.
81. When transferring to a new house carry with you 24 oranges, salt, water, and rice.
82. Jade stones around the wrist of a baby indicate his condition. If they turn light in color the baby is not well.
83. When transferring a dead person into the house, be sure it is head first; when taking him out, it is feet first.
Beware! It's Friday, the 13.
100. Bed must not face the door, otherwise the sleeping person will become a victim of bangongot.
101. Don’t bump the coffin while carrying it; it is bad luck.
102. Pour water at the doorway once the coffin has been taken out.
103. Wash face and hands after the dead has been laid to rest.
104. When coming from a wake have a stopover somewhere and do not directly go home, otherwise the spirit of the dead will follow you.
105. The wishbone of a chicken makes a wholesome game for two. Wish comes true to the one who gets the common stem of the Y-shape bone.
106. One can determine the sex of the baby by the poise and shape of the pregnant woman. If rotund, it’s going to be a girl; if pointed, it’s going to be a boy.
107. During labor, if the pain is bearable and continuous, it’s going to be a girl; if labor pain is intermittent and intense, it’s going to be a boy.
108. When leaving the dining table ahead, those who are still eating must rotate their plates, otherwise they will remain bachelors or spinsters. (The belief is silent on the fate of the married ones.)
109. Couple to be married the following day must not see each other the night before.
110. When Friday comes don’t talk about the supernatural, such as kapre, dwende, and the like.
111. Never buy a cat; it will not be a good mouse catcher.112. If a cat sneezes it’s going to rain. But if it sneezes three times, everyone in the family will catch cold.
113. A cat that has its back towards the fire means a typhoon in coming.
114. Unfortunate events usually happen on full moon.
115. Whenever you go to a church for the first time make three wishes.
116. If you buy a stuffed or figurine elephant, choose one with its trunk turned upward. It means good luck.
Kapre, a hairy black monster, lives in this old balete tree
117. Don’t open the umbrella inside the house; vermin will come out.
118. When planting beans, place a comb on your hair to induce the production of abundant long fruits.
119. Orange clouds are bad omen; they are signs of either drought or poor harvest.
120. If you accidentally bite your tongue it means someone is speaking about you.
121. Knock only twice – not thrice, else you court the attention of the devil.
122. Sleep with your head toward the east or north to prevent nightmares.
123. To keep luck for yourself and the family hang a horseshoe with its tips up. If you want your luck to be shared with those who enter your house, hang it the opposite way.
124. If your nose itches, someone is thinking about you.
126. Never take home flowers from the cemetery, otherwise someone is going to die.
127. Eating sour fruits during menstruation will cause menstruation to stop.
128. Girls on their very first day of menstruation are asked to jump down from the third step of the stairs in order to limit their monthly period to three days only.
129. A girl on her very first day of menstruation is asked to wipe her face with her stained underwear so that she will have a beautiful, fair and acne-free face.
130. Peanuts eaten raw will make one intelligent.
131. A cogon grass tied around the one’s head or waistline is a protection against lightning, especially in the open field.
132. If the money spent on wedding was borrowed, the couple will always be in debt.
133. A pregnant woman should not scratch her tummy, otherwise she will develop stretch marks.
134. Bite the tip of your new shoes to avoid developing blister (paltos or kapuyo Ilk).
135. A conceiving mother who enjoys looking at the corn hair will give birth to a brown-haired baby.
136. Calachuche or frangipani growing in the front of a house brings bad luck.
137. Pomelo (Citrus maxima) growing in front of, or bear a house, brings bad luck.
138. Katuray (Sesbania grandiflora) planted in front of a house might bring about a broken home or the disruption of good family relationships.
139. A woman should not be the first to gather sweet potato (kamote), otherwise the roots will crack.
140. Bury a big coconut shell along with the first potato yam seedling in order that the plant with produce big roots.
141. One must not spit in the fields while planting because it brings bad luck.
142. Offering native cakes under the tree will please the spirits (anitos).
143. Eating malunggay (Moringa oleracea) when somebody dies will cause another death to follow.
144. Certain seasons during which children become suddenly fond of playing games like sungka, marbles, jackstone. And the like, are expected to bring good harvest.
145. Playing sungka is bad because of the nature of the game to “kill” your opponent.
146. Do not plant on Tuesdays and Fridays because they are unlucky days.
147. Bury some pieces of beeswax along with squash seeds when planting so that the fruits produced will be glutinous (malagkit).
148. A person who eats any ripe fruit that is partly eaten by a mouse will develop twinkling eyes.
149. Do not eat leafy vegetables on New Year’s Day else you will be sickly the whole year.
151. Don’t harm the señora, the matron rat; otherwise it will destroy more things in the house. In India rats are believed to be the re-incarnation of dead ancestors. Sometimes rats are called kabas, meaning little children, so that they are often treated with favor.
151. Papaya with fruits borne on elongated stem (peduncle) is said to be bisexual (bakla). The male papaya bears only staminate flowers, never any fruit; while the female produces the typical fruits we are familiar with.
152. Avoid mending clothes at night; it might cause blindness.
153. Avoid taking home food in a wake; otherwise a close relative is going to die.
154. Cat purring means it is comfortable in your company and care.
155. During funeral never look back, otherwise somebody is going to die.
156. Walking under a ladder brings bad luck.
157. If ants transfer to another place, the rainy season is near.
158. You will increase in height if you jump at exactly 12 o’clock noon.
159. Never buy needle at night, it will rust, so with the rest of the needles.
160. If you keep a cactus, you will remain single forever.
161. If a butterfly lands on you it means you are visited by the soul of a close relative.
162. Loves me, loves me not, is a favorite wish game, plucking petals of a flower one by one until you reach the last.
163. If a bee enters your house, it’s a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee you will have bad luck or the visitor is unpleasing one.
164. A swarm of bees settling on the roof is an omen the house will burn down.
166. If you blow all the candles out with a single puff, you will get your birthday wish.
167. The elevator does not open on the 13th floor.
168. It’s bad to expose a pregnant woman’s belly to photo flash – she will give birth to a baby with physical defect.
169. It’s bad luck to cut nails on Fridays and Saturdays.
170. Our shadow is our soul. A person who thinks he does not have any shadow will be mistaken to be a devil.
171. When a pencil suspended with string is placed over the wrist of a pregnant woman, and swings along the length of the arm, the baby in the womb is a likely a boy. If it swings across the arm the baby is a girl.
172. Banana with freckles and discolorations means it is sweet.
173. Water the plants with hugas bigas (rice washing), and they will grow fast and healthy.
174. Don’t take a bath during the wake of an immediate family member.
175. Put salt on the lower corners of the door jamb before going out of the house.
176. Egg shells induce flowering of orchids.
177. Place charcoal inside a refrigerator to remove bad odor. Vinegar does the trick, too.
178. Wipe kitchen and dining tables with mild solution of natural vinegar to repel ants and other vermin.
179. If the first butterfly you see on New Year is white, you will have good luck throughout the year.
180. If a lighted candled during a ceremony dies out, it means evil spirits are around.
181. If a black cat walks towards you, you will have good fortune; if it walks away from you, it takes away good luck.
182. Keep cats away from babies because they will suck out their breaths.
183. If a clock that has not been working suddenly chimes, it means there will be death in the family.
184. It is bad luck to pick up a coin with the tail side up; good luck when its head up.
185. Cows lifting their tails mean it’s going to rain.
186. A cricket in the house brings good luck.
187. If an eyelash falls out, put it on the back of you hand, make a wish and throw it over your shoulder. If it flies off the hand, the wish will be granted.
188. Fingernails cuttings should be saved, burned or buried.
189. If the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take a trip.
190. Pulling out a gray or while hair will cause ten more to grow in its place.
191. If the palm of your right hand itches, it means you will soon be getting money. If the palm of your left hand itches, it means you will soon be paying out money.
193. An onion cut in half and placed under the bed of a sick person will draw off fever and poison.
194. Wishes on shooting stars come true.
195. Tail of house lizards is cure for asthma.
196. Ones saliva can relieve itchiness caused by mosquito bite.
197. Poultice of gumamela flowers hastens “ripening” of boil (pigsa).
198. Turtles as pet bring bad luck.
199. Snakes have good memory, never spare their lives because they can take revenge.
200. Refrain from talking while planting so the chicken will not destroy your plants.
201. When cockroaches are flying about, there’s plenty of fish to catch.
It is called the "padugo" ritual or "blood-spilling," wherein the blood of a sacrificed animal—usually a chicken or pig, is sprinkled on the construction site and functions as an offering meant to appease spirits residing in the land to prevent the spilling of human blood, such as through accidents during construction. Internet
202. Don’t sleep with your head pointed to the north. Blood is drawn to your head due to magnetism, similar to a compass needle.
203. Whenever you give birth, plant a tree because a tree grows fast and means good health - so with your baby.
204. There are times you have to turn back because you have forgotten something. Before you start again alight from your vehicle, or take a few steps, to break the bad omen.
205. To get good grades place your review notes or book under your pillow and sleep on it.
Acknowledgement: Internet, Living with Nature Series, Living with Folk Wisdom by AVRotor, UST 2008-23
