Knock -
In Ireland if a knocking sound is heard three nights running on or about midnight then it is said to be a death omen for someone in the house. Similarly in Scotland, three knocks at regular intervals of one or two minutes foretells the same thing. Any knocking noise near the bed of a sick person is also said to be a death omen throughout the British Isles. In Virginia in the United States there is a quaint superstition that if you knock on the door of a house and receive no answer it is a sign of death, though a more likely explanation is that there is no one at home!
From the book: A Dictionary of Omens & Superstitions By: Philippa Waring
SAINT ADRIAN
A native of Africa, Adrian became a monk in Italy in the seventh century. After refusing an offer to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, he went to England to found a boys school there. After his death, many miracles were attributed to him, particularly influencing the lives of his students. Today he is said to bring luck to boys who get in trouble with their teachers.
Taken from “The Good Luck Book” (An A-to Z to Charms and Symbols) by Bill Harris
AMULET
An amulet is almost any natural object that brings luck, such as a rabbits foot, a four leaf clover or a birthstone, used in a necklace, a bracelet or other form of jewelry. In general, it is intended as a protective device that wards off illness, evil or harm, and secures good fortune. Although in modern times the word is synonymous with talismans or charms, it’s original meaning referred to things that occur in nature rather than something man-made, such as horseshoes and lucky coins.
Taken from “The Good Luck Book” (An A-to Z to Charms and Symbols) by Bill Harris
ANCHOR
Among the early Christians, the anchor was a symbol of hope and salvation. It is also an obvious lucky charm for sailors, who regard the anchor as a promise of safe return from their voyages.
ANGEL
As a symbol of the invisible forces between heaven and earth, an angel is the most perfect of protectors and bringers of good luck. The ancient Hebrews believed that there were seven archangels and that their names, written in red on parchment, became a lucky talisman. They also believed in the special protection of twelve more angels, known as the massolith, each of whom commanded thirty generals with thirty angelic legions. Each legion consisted of thirty leaders with their captains under them, each in turn with thirty angels to command. These angels, the Hebrews believed, were the guardians of the land of Israel. In our time, many believe that every one of us has our own personal guardian angel to guide us away from evil and into God’s holy ways.
ARROWHEAD
The ancients carved arrowheads from flint, and over the centuries, long after their hunts were forgotten, other people found them and believed that these triangular bits of stone had been fashioned by gods and must have supernatural powers. As luck charms, these flints were believed to have special power to attract love and to repel the effects of the evil eye. The arrow itself has become a lucky charm for lovers when it pierces two hearts and binds them together.
BLACK CAT
As superstitions go, the idea that black cats are unlucky is of fairly recent vintage. It dates back to the Middle Ages, when just about everybody believed in witches. They also believed a witch had the power to become a cat and that black was always the color of choice. It followed that if a black cat should cross your path, it just might be a witch in disguise and that could bring nothing but bad luck.
In ancient Egypt, however, all cats were sacred to the goddess Isis. Her daughter Bast, quite powerful in her own right, was represented as a cat. And among real felines, black ones were considered closed to the incarnation of the goddess herself. Anyone who killed one, accidentally or otherwise, usually paid for the transgression with his own life.
Some times a black cat can bring good luck. They are regarded as very lucky in Japan. American folk wisdom has it that if one comes to your door, it brings good fortune to the household. Sailors have long believed that a black cat aboard ship will ensure a safe voyage, and for generations sailors wives have adopted black cats to help guarantee that their husbands will come home safe and sound.
ASH
In most of Europe, the ashes from consecrated palms burned on Easter are mixed with seeds to insure healthy crops. In India, ashes from sacred fires are kept in houses to ward off devils and evil spirits. The Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest prepared for battle by burning wasps and rubbing the resulting ashes on warriors bodies to bring them luck.
BURNING EAR
In times past, as well as today, people believed that when the ear is burning, someone is talking or gossiping about the sufferer. This idea originated from the belief that even when people were at great distances they could still be heard. The older superstition specified that if your right ear was burning someone was speaking of you in a spiteful manner, and if your left ear was burning, someone was speaking of you in a loving manner.
Vengeance could be exacted on the gossiper, too. When the right ear was burning, you could pinch your own ear, and the person who was speaking ill of you would bite his tongue and stop speaking.
BAT
In Western cultures, where bats have been associated with witches since the Middle Ages, these flying mammals are generally considered bad luck, or at least no fun to have around. In many parts of Europe, people believe that ghosts take the form of bats and that the places they inhabit are haunted. But in China, bats are a symbol of long life, and representations of them worn as lucky charms are guaranteed to bring happiness.
AXE
Axes are lucky charms that can bring success. Archeologists have unearthed talismans in the shape of axe heads in all parts of the world. They invariably have holes in them, indicating that they were worn around the neck. Ancient art from the Far East, pre-Colombian America, the Mediterranean, and Africa frequently depicts a double-bladed axe to indicate power.
BABY'S HAIR
When a mother cuts a lock of her baby's hair and puts it away for safekeeping, she is creating a lucky charm. From ancient times in cultures around the world such mementos were intended to ensure a long and healthy life, as long as the lock of hair was kept in a safe place.
BROOMSTICK
Although it is hard for us to think of a witch without a broomstick, the Gypsies say that if a witch is seen near your house, you can protect yourself by placing a broomstick across the threshold, forming the shape of a cross. No witch, or any other form of evil, will be able to pass over it.
BEE
In a bee flies through your window, that’s a sign of good luck. It is also a sign that a stranger will come to your door. But if the bee dies in your house, that means bad luck. So watch out for that stranger.
CAT'S EYE
The stone known as a cat's eye, sometimes the luckiest shoot in a youngster's bag of marbles, was once believed effective in preventing all diseases of the chest and throat. In India, it is common wisdom that if one carries a cat's eye stone, fortune will never diminish. Among gamblers, it is a charm of choice to bring luck in games of chance.
CHAMPAGNE
The wine is often used in rituals to ensure good luck on a voyage or in the initial stages of a new endeavor. Champagne is considered a very lucky wine that is used in the celebrations of childbirth baptism, marriage, and the launching of a ship.
Today the champagne bottle smashed against the side of a ship as it sets sail on its maiden voyage is a substitution for the earlier tradition of making a human or animal sacrifice to appease the sea gods. Also, the name that the ship is given during the champagne christening must never be changed or it will bring extremely bad luck.
CHEATING FATE
Beliefs in an unalterable fate can sometimes make a person miserable. The natives of Madagascar believe that anyone born in November during the rainy season is doomed to a life of sorrow. To prevent this, they simply remove the cover from a pot of boiling water and sprinkle the drops of condensed moisture onto the child's cheeks. These symbolic tears will, it is hoped, be enough to prevent real tears from falling during the baby's lifetime.
BADGER TOOTH
Serious gamblers believe that the tooth of a badger can bring good luck when sewn into their right-hand pockets.
COLOR
Colors can influence more than your mood. Each color has a special significance in attracting or repelling the power of the planets.
BLACK
Saturn is attracted by black, and because Saturn has a negative effect on children, youngster's are cautioned never to wear black clothing. It is a good color, however, for persons born under the signs of Libra, Aquarius or Capricorn.
BLUE
The color associated with Venus as well as the color of the sky, blue has been sacred in religions dating back to prehistoric times. Today it is associated with the Virgin Mary. We sometimes say we are "blue" when we are less than happy. Still, blue is a happy, even lucky color for most of us. And when we have unexpected good luck, we often say it came "out of the blue." It is an especially lucky color for people born under the signs of Aquarius, Libra, and Taurus.
Blue neckbands have been worn for centuries by nursing mothers in parts of Europe. They believe the color protects their babies from fevers. And what bring would tempt fate by walking down the aisle without "something borrowed, something blue"?
COLOR GREEN
One of the most common theatrical superstitions is that green should be avoided at all costs. The tradition began in the days when stages were lit by limelight’s, which burned lime, producing a greenish light that made anything green nearly invisible. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that green was the color of fairies and other "little people" who didn't like the idea of sharing it with mere mortals. In Ireland, leprechauns notwithstanding, green is considered the luckiest of colors. It is also a lucky color for those born under the signs of Aquarius and Capricorn.
COLOR PURPLE
Considered the color of royalty since the ancient Phoenicians extracted purple dye from sea creatures and sold it around the world at incredibly high prices, purple is an exceptionally god color for anyone who wants to get lucky especially people born under the sign of Pisces or Sagittarius.
COLOR RED
People born under the sign of Libra and Taurus may find red an unlucky color, but those whose birth date falls in Aries or Scorpio should wear red for good luck. The ancients belied that talisman written in red was doubly powerful. In China and other parts of the East, no other color has as much power to bring good luck.
COLOR WHITE
The classic color of purity, white (or silver) is especially lucky for people born under the sign of Cancer, Gemini or Virgo. Though in some cultures, a white horse, a white cat or a white mouse are all considered very unlucky, in general, white can bring you good luck.
COLOR YELLOW
As the color associated with the sun, yellow or gold is lucky for just about everyone. People born under the sign of Virgo or Taurus might disagree. It can bring them misfortune, some say. But it is the lucky color of Leo.
COLOR BROWN
Not generally considered a lucky color except in very light shades. Those born under the sign of Cancer are advised to avoid brown altogether.
CARBUNCLE
"Carbuncle" is an old term for a large red gemstone, most frequently a garnet, that has been cut with a convex or flat back and a smooth domed surface. The ancients referred to the carbuncle as the "luminous stone," and believe it had the power to collect light by day and release it by night. One tradition holds that Noah took a carbuncle with him to light his way on his famous voyage. Muslims believe that wearing one into battle will protect a soldier from wounds. In many parts of Europe, the stone is still regarded as protection against infection as well as wounds. and many believe that a charm containing a carbuncle will dispel evil thoughts, lift your spirits, discourage arguments, bring success in business, and even settle indigestion.
CARNELIAN
In India, where this red, translucent, hard stone related to quartz is most abundant, it is believed that carnelian in rings or seals has the power to ward off almost any evil. it is especially effective in preventing fevers.
DAISY
Little girls everywhere pull away the petals of daisies, reciting “he loves me, he loves me not” with each one. The luckiest of them has chosen a daisy with an odd number of petals so that the last one will be the affirmation of love. Gypsies believe that a girl can recover an absent lover by sleeping with daisy root under her pillow.
DAVID, SAINT
The patron saint of Wales, Saint David is also affectionately known as “Taffy”, for his name in the Welsh language. “Dafydd” it is considered a wish for good luck when a Welshman is addressed by this name. Nearly everyone in Wales believes that they will have luck in the coming year if they wear either a leek or a daffodil on his feast day, March 1.
DAY/SUNDAY - Born on the first day of the week, you probably have an optimistic outlook on life. It is said that your luck, generally good, will be even better if you wear gold. Sunday is also a lucky day for people born under the sign of Leo.
DAY/MONDAY - Silver charms, especially crescents, will bring you luck if you were born on a Monday. You are likely to have an active imagination, and people will find you attractive.
DAY/TUESDAY - You’ll find luck in wearing red if your birth date was on Tuesday. You are enthusiastic about life and have a great influence over others. If you were born under the signs of Aries or Scorpio, Tuesday is your lucky day.
DAY/WEDNESDAY - If you were born in the middle of the week, blue is your lucky color and jewelry with blue stones should always be set in silver. You get along extremely well with all kinds of people. If your birth date is in the sign of Aquarius, Gemini, or Virgo, Wednesday is your lucky day.
DAY/THURSDAY - A Thursday baby will grow up with an overpowering love of travel and the adventure of discovering new places. When you go, be sure to wear a charm representing an ankh or cross of some kind for good luck on your journey. People born under the sign of Sagittarius can expect good luck to come their way on Thursday.
DAY/FRIDAY - If you were born on a Friday, you’ll be very luck in love. Diamonds are your best friend and they are sure to bring you luck in everything you do. Friday is among the luckiest of all days, considered auspicious for people born under four different astrological signs. Cancer, Libra, Pisces and Taurus. Possibly that is why so many agree with the expression, “Thank God it’s Friday!”
DAY/SATURDAY - Born on a Saturday, you are likely to be a workaholic. But you don’t mind. You know that hard work pays off. You can increase your luck at work by wearing a charm in the form of an hourglass. But you’ll also find a gold watch a luck-bringer, unlikely as that may seem. It is a lucky day for Capricorns.
DEATH OMENS - In the world of luck, nothing is quite as unlucky as death itself. Although it is obviously unavoidable, every culture around the world has its own unique omens that predict death is just around the corner.
In many places, these omens occur in nature, such as unusual cloud formations or uncommon storms. In England, it is believed that coffin-shaped cinders on the family’s hearth mean that death will visit the family soon. Certain animals, insects and birds’ are also associated with impending death. Blackbirds and those that fly by night, such as owls, rooks, ravens and crows, are among them. Dogs, which in ancient mythology were the guardians of the underworld, predict death through long unexplained barking, especially in the dead of night. In parts of Europe, it is believed that if the first born lamb in the spring is black, the shepherd will experience a death in the family before the following spring.
BIRD OMENS
Bird omens are some of the easiest to identify because birds are common no matter where you live. Ravens and crows especially foretell the future. Alexander the Great was supposedly guided across the desert by two ravens sent from the heavens. Ravens have been housed in the Tower of London for over nine hundred years, and it is said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, England will fall. In Wales, if a Raven perches on a house, it is good luck. Seeing two ravens is also a sign of good luck. Seeing a single crow perched on a house, however is very bad luck. Finding a dead crow is good luck.
A rhyme for crows goes:
One for sorrow.
Two for joy.
Three for a girl.
Four for a boy.
Five for silver.
Six for gold.
Seven for a secret, never told.
Eight for a wish.
Nine for a kiss.
Ten for a time, of joyous bliss.
ANIMALS
Seeing three white dogs together or seeing a spotted dog (such as a Dalmatian) will bring good luck.
While in America a black cat crossing your path is bad luck, in Britain it is good luck.
Keeping a chameleon as a pet wards off evil.
If you are bitten by a fox, you will not live more than seven more years.
Seeing a rabbit running down the street foretells of a fire.
Rats leaving a house for no reason forewarns the collapse of the house.
PHYSICAL TRAITS
A person whose second toe is longer than the first has a bad temper.
A person whose eyebrows meet in the middle is untrustworthy and will bring you bad luck.
A man with a hairy chest or arms is lucky and will be wealthy.
WEATHER OMENS
If a cat sneezes, rain will follow (also a sign of good luck).
Rain is also imminent if you see a duck flapping its wings while swimming in the water, mosquitoes and gnats are flying near the ground, or a cat is washing behind its ears.
If you see a cat acting restless, or sitting with its back to a fire, a storm is coming.
A storm will also follow if you see a dog hiding under the table.
BAD LUCK
You will have bad luck if you put your shirt on backward, get out of bed on the left side, meet a cat first thing when you leave the house in the morning, or find a spider first thing in the morning.
A person will have bad luck if his chair falls over when he stands up.
Killing a swallow will bring very bad luck.
Pointing at a person brings her bad luck.
Spilling pepper portends and argument.
In England, sitting on a kitchen table will cause a woman to never be wed.
Dropping a piece of bread buttered side down is an ill omen.
HOUSEHOLD OMENS
MONEY
If bubbles appear in a cup of coffee, you accidentally know over a sugar bowl, or tea leaves float on the top of the cup, money will soon come your way.
VISITORS
You will receive visitors if a broom falls over, someone drops silverware, a bee enters your home, or your eyebrow itches.
DEATH
Death is coming if a clock stops or falls to the floor, a pictures frame falls to the floor, or an own screeches near a home.
GOOD LUCK
You will have good luck if you find a button, dream of a dove, or find a spider in the evening.
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Flowers:
Apart from the pleasure it brings, the custom of giving flowers to people is also a good luck token, and folk as far back as the ancient Egyptians have believed that such gifts are harbingers of fortune. Many country people, however, claim that it is unlucky to take flowers which have bloomed out of season into the house, as plants that should flower in the summer but bloom in the winter will bring misfortune on all who come in contact with them. When giving flowers to someone who is ill, it is well to remember the superstitions attached to flower colors which hold good throughout much of the world. White flowers are absolutely taboo for any sick person, while red, ( and roses in particular ), denote blood and life and are very acceptable. Never, though, give a bunch of the two mixed together, especially to a hospital patient. Violet shows goodwill on the part of the giver, and yellow and orange as the color of the sun will please anyone whatever their state of health. It is unlucky for a sick person to place flowers on their bed, and never pick a flower from a grave and throw it away lest the place where it falls become haunted. These grim superstitions are perhaps lightened by a German belief that if you take a flower to the dining table with you, wipe your lips with it after you have drunk some wine, and then give it to your lover you can be sure of his or her undying love. Rather more serious is the claim flowers planted during the time of the new moon will bloom best and that sunflowers bring good luck to a whole garden. According to the month of your birth, these are your lucky flowers according to a very general superstition.
January - carnations and snowdrops
February - primroses
March - daffodils
April - daisies
May - lilies of the valley
June - roses
July - water lilies
August - gladioli
September - asters
October - dahlias
November - chrysanthemums
December - holly
Finally, in Britain there is an old saying that if you imagine you can smell flowers, it is an omen of death.
From: A Dictionary of Omens and Superstitions by: Philippa Waring
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