We were having coffee at our favourite coffee/book shop over the weekend and I came across this little book by Reader’s Digest, called ‘Superstitions and old wives’ tales’.
As we sat down to enjoy the coffee and the live music, I started reading the book.
It was fascinating to read all the different ‘traditional pearls of wisdom’ found in different parts of the world and the similarities they shared, with certain variations.
As people travelled away from the country of origin, they took a piece of their culture along with them and adapted it to the needs of the local areas.
The book talks about the progress of medical science and how the remedies and other tales came to be looked upon as superstition.
Even if the tales, remedies and tips passed on over generations are not true, they still are invaluable as “They represent a fascinating slice of social history.”
I am sharing some of the old wives’ tales here.
This rhyme predicts baby’s fate according to the day of the week it is born.
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for it’s living,
And a child born on the Sabbath day
Is fair and wise and good and gay 🙂
Continuing with the children theme…
“Parents were advised to take their baby up the road, not down, for it’s first outing, so that the child would go upwards in life”
Do you have aches and pain? If you do, you might want to try this one out 🙂
“Here is a recipe for Australians suffering from aches and pains. They were advised to boil finely cut-up pieces of gum tree leaves, in fat or water, for a few minutes. Then pour it on a woollen sock or a cotton handkerchief, and apply it to the area where the pain was”.
We all know this one…
“To break a mirror brought seven years’ bad luck; mirrors were thought to reflect the soul, which would be lost if the mirror broke.”
This one is interesting and is apparently still in use in some cultures.
“Move house on a Saturday and you would not live there long, but it was a wise precaution to take embers from the old fireplace to the new home, to kindle the new fire so that the family ties would not be broken.”
I wonder what they would do now, with gas or electric heaters more prevalent in most homes?
I like this one as it comes with a remedy 😉
“It was considered unlucky to walk under a ladder… but the ill luck could be avoided by crossing the fingers first”
That’s awesome.
Now you know what to do if you happen to walk under a ladder 😉
This old wives’ tale seems to have originated from China, as Feng Shui talks about it too.
“Giving a pin, a knife, a pair of scissors or any object with a point or cutting edge, was risky as it was liable to cut or pierce a friendship. If, however, the recipient gave a small coin in return, this symbolised that the circle of friendship had not been severed”
And this one seems to have originated from China too…
“Putting a small coin in a purse given as a gift, ensured that the purse would never be empty nor the owner in need.”
There are so many other old wives’ tales in this little book. It is a very interesting read especially because a lot of them link back to the rituals or remedies used by Feng Shui.
I personally try and not get too hung up about the tales foreboding a negative outcome.
But, I do use a lot of symbols, which most people already have in their homes, like flowers, birds, elephants etc. and place them in the directions recommended by old Feng Shui Masters.
If you already have these objects and you do not want to move them around, that is fine too. Just having them in your home will bring the kind of luck that they are associated with.
Just keep a few basic things in mind.
Avoid having objects that signify harm, like guns, swords etc.
If you do have them, then try and place them in a cupboard and keep them under lock and key.
Every object that you have in your personal space will effect you.
So, if you have beautiful flowers and healthy plants in your home, they will bring growth energy and happiness with them.
And if you have displayed weapons and swords in your home, they will sadly bring bad news over time.
Be very mindful of the objects you use to decorate your home.
And be very mindful of what you might have sitting on your table or lying around the house too.
Toy guns etc. will bring the same kind of energy as the real thing.
Get your children in the habit of putting away all the toys every night, to avoid creating the negative energy accidentally.
Before I go, I would like to share a story of a beautiful family who suffered a lot of misfortune and I really wish I could have helped them sooner.
I met them after they had lost their father to suicide.
When I visited their home, I could see a few things which could have added to their problems.
They had a missing Northwest.
Their house was an L-shaped house.
As you all know by now, a missing corner means missing luck.
And depending on where the missing corner is, that aspiration would be missing from their lives.
There were a lot of swords and knives on display in their home.
And sadly there was a lot of violence in their home too.
I don’t want you to get paranoid after reading this post. Just remember that,
There is always a way to fix any problem your house may have, by using Feng Shui ~ Shelly Singh
I have shared tips on how to fix a missing corner in one of my earlier posts and you can follow the tips and start improving your luck straight away.
Feng Shui starts working as soon as you apply it.
And that is why one of my favourite quotes is –
“Don’t wait for your luck to change, change it today by using Feng Shui”
I hope you enjoyed reading the old wives’ tales.
Do you have any superstitions or old wives’ tales passed on to you from your mother or grand-mother?
If you do, then I would like to hear about them. Feel free to send me a message or just post it on my Facebook page or on Instagram.
Stay safe and well.
Much love.
Shelly Singh ?
Feng Shui Master Consultant
Australia and Worldwide ?
Phone: +61 448 468 968
Email: shellysingh168@gmail.com
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