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yorbcbud
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 17 Feb 2006
Posts: 4903
Location: Ñîððåíòî, Áðèòàíñêàÿ Êîëóìáèÿ, Êàíàäà
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 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:34 am Post subject: Russian Superstitions |
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| Quote: | Knock on Wood!
Janet Kriel
You’re in the middle of discussing the effects of global warming with your Russian friends when you introduce some conjecture into the conversation: “Imagine what would happen if the Moscow river overflowed its banks…”
“Imagine what would happen if the Moscow river overflowed its banks…”
You stand back, eagerly waiting for someone to seize upon this new titbit. Yes, you’re feeling rather proud of yourself for making the topic so relevant. But, instead of the expected vigorous discussion of the topic, there is a sudden commotion around you. Your Russian friends bend to the parquet floor or stretch for the nearest wooden surface. Quickly they rap on it a few times and then resume the conversation, carefully avoiding your comment. Some disapproving glances are cast in your direction.
You are baffled. And you were just beginning to feel a little more comfortable about negotiating those sometimes tricky Russian social occasions! If it’s any consolation, you’re not the first. Many foreigners before you have discovered with astonishment the source of the commotion: Russians are superstitious – far, far beyond the scope of common distrust of Friday the 13th.
With their keen sense of bad luck, your statement is one that most Russians will not appreciate. Why not? Because it treads precariously close to inviting bad luck into their lives and they feel compelled to knock on wood (or spit) to counter that bad luck.
But most Russians belong to the Christian faith, you argue. This is true, but before Christianity came to Russia in the late 9th century, Russians, like other Europeans, were pagans. They worshipped nature – water, fire, plants, and mother earth as a living entity — and the remnants of this paganism are still detectable today in their countless beliefs and traditions.
In 988 Duke Vladimir decided that Russia needed a more official religion, and after considering the major religions of the civilised world, he opted for Christianity. Despite Vladimir’s orders that the depictions of pagan gods be destroyed, paganism could not be eradicated completely and it started to form a peculiar blend with Christianity. As an example of this dual faith, it is interesting to note that Christian saints were adopted particularly well if they had something in common with their pagan predecessors — the prophet Elijah, for example, replaced Perun, the god of thunderstorms, because of his own judgment by fire on Mount Carmel and, ultimately, because of his fiery and thunderous ascension to heaven. |
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Markus
VIP
Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 542
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | But most Russians belong to the Christian faith, you argue. This is true, but before Christianity came to Russia in the late 9th century, Russians, like other Europeans, were pagans. They worshipped nature – water, fire, plants, and mother earth as a living entity — and the remnants of this paganism are still detectable today in their countless beliefs and traditions. |
This is particularly true, among other things, in russian folklore and old russian songs (where it gives depictions to inanimate objects as having personalities or great powers, etc.) |
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yorbcbud
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 17 Feb 2006
Posts: 4903
Location: Ñîððåíòî, Áðèòàíñêàÿ Êîëóìáèÿ, Êàíàäà
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:33 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Who is the true master of your house?
Apart from the major gods like Perun, who were perceived to live far away from normal people, Russian pagans believed in the existence of master spirits for all things built by man. These spirits lived side by side with them and had to be accommodated accordingly. Man strove to be on friendly terms with these master spirits and consequently kept certain rituals to do so. There were spirits for the shed (Dvorovoy), banya (Bannik), woodlands (Leshiy), water (Vodyanoy) and, most importantly, for the house. He was called the Domovoy.
The Domovoy is a kind of patron of the home and family – admittedly a temperamental one who does not tolerate laziness. Sometimes he is called “Grandfather” or simply “he” or “that one”. The Domovoy is believed to live in the doorway to the house, and this is also the source of one of the most common superstitions of today: one should not shake hands or kiss through the doorway. Firstly, it would be an invasion of the Domovoy’s space and may offend him, but is also believed to bring separation and bad luck. While many modern Russians regard stories about the Domovoy as funny, there are still those who consider him to be very important – so much so that he can be taken with the family when they move house. Sometimes concerted efforts will be made to invite or lure the Domovoy into the house of newlyweds to ensure happiness. Instead of carrying a new bride over the threshold, some will rather let a cat or a cock into a house first to attract the Domovoy (apparently only cats can communicate with the Domovoy). If it is a person who enters the new home first, it is believed that he will soon die. |
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jo-jo-7
Just Starting
Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject: m |
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| I have always heard Russians are superstitious, especially about their homes, but that is okay. I am. Best advice to anybody, don't build your new home over an Indian burial ground. You are sure to see things that you never thought existed. Spirits everywhere. Take my word for it and my friends and family will tell you the same. I lived in a nightmare for 7 years. |
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gomer
WayToRussified
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: m |
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| jo jo 7 wrote: | | Best advice to anybody, don't build your new home over an Indian burial ground. You are sure to see things that you never thought existed. Spirits everywhere. Take my word for it and my friends and family will tell you the same. I lived in a nightmare for 7 years. |
Should I think of the Movie " Poltergeist " ? |
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5_Zvehzda
Just Starting
Joined: 30 Mar 2010
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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| jo jo 7 wrote: | | I have always heard Russians are superstitious, especially about their homes, but that is okay. I am. Best advice to anybody, don't build your new home over an Indian burial ground. You are sure to see things that you never thought existed. Spirits everywhere. Take my word for it and my friends and family will tell you the same. I lived in a nightmare for 7 years. |
Now that's really spooky. If I am superstitious about anything, then it's definitely imposing on an Indian burial ground. I won't even touch artifacts and there's plenty of that around here. I'd like to hear more details of your story. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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| 5_Zvehzda wrote: | | jo jo 7 wrote: | | I have always heard Russians are superstitious, especially about their homes, but that is okay. I am. Best advice to anybody, don't build your new home over an Indian burial ground. You are sure to see things that you never thought existed. Spirits everywhere. Take my word for it and my friends and family will tell you the same. I lived in a nightmare for 7 years. |
Now that's really spooky. If I am superstitious about anything, then it's definitely imposing on an Indian burial ground. I won't even touch artifacts and there's plenty of that around here. I'd like to hear more details of your story. |
or near a pet cemetary |
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Fire_Goddess
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:52 am Post subject: |
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| I dont believe in ghosts, because I dont believe in the whole "limbo" thing. I do however believe that Demons enjoy inhabiting areas where bad things have occured, and like to give people the false impression that you can contact your dead loved ones as if thats written anywhere in the bible. I agree those places are best avoided though. |
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yorbcbud
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 17 Feb 2006
Posts: 4903
Location: Ñîððåíòî, Áðèòàíñêàÿ Êîëóìáèÿ, Êàíàäà
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:15 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | More knocking, spitting and generally keeping the evil spirits at bay.
Russians are not only knockers – they spit too, actually mostly men, and often just in jest – three times over the left shoulder preferably. The left shoulder is traditionally the place where the devil or evil spirits hovered, always ready to pounce… Beware, however – eruptions of spitting and knocking do not follow only after statements containing a hint of disaster. No, it could even be caused by an innocent remark complimenting their appearance or that of their child - because what if your compliment puts the evil eye on them, or what if their luck turns…?
Often Russians claim that they are not superstitious, but the spitting and knocking continue — just in case… One of the most common of these just-in-case habits is the reluctance to return home once you’ve set off on a journey and suddenly realized you’ve forgotten something at home. It is believed that you are followed by a guardian angel when you leave your home. If you unexpectedly decide to return, the confused angel will be waiting alone on the side of the road and will be powerless to protect you. Consequently you will invite danger to your journey if you do go back home… unless of course you look in the mirror where the evil spirits lurk, or even stick out your tongue to scare them away before leaving the house again…
Mirrors feature in other superstitions too. Like in certain other cultures, mirrors are often covered when someone dies. This is to avoid seeing the spirit of the dead still floating in the house; and to free it to go to heaven. Breaking a mirror will bring alienation between you and a close friend, but looking into a broken mirror almost certainly brings bad luck.
Fortunately there are less overt ways of ensuring safety from those boisterous spirits. Before a long trip, everyone in the household should sit in silence for a few minutes. Some believe this creates the illusion that nothing important is about to happen and the evil spirits will get bored and wander off. Others think it gives your soul the chance to re-enter your body since it may be wandering around the house (although most of us would hope our souls are a little more attached to our bodies). |
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jo-jo-7
Just Starting
Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:29 am Post subject: Re: m |
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| gomer wrote: | | jo jo 7 wrote: | | Best advice to anybody, don't build your new home over an Indian burial ground. You are sure to see things that you never thought existed. Spirits everywhere. Take my word for it and my friends and family will tell you the same. I lived in a nightmare for 7 years. |
Should I think of the Movie " Poltergeist " ? |
Worse! More like "Poltergeist Meets the Beast". |
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jo-jo-7
Just Starting
Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:45 am Post subject: |
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| Fire_Goddess wrote: | | I dont believe in ghosts, because I dont believe in the whole "limbo" thing. I do however believe that Demons enjoy inhabiting areas where bad things have occured, and like to give people the false impression that you can contact your dead loved ones as if thats written anywhere in the bible. I agree those places are best avoided though. |
Go stay one niiiiiight Fire-G and you will change your mind. I did not believe in ghost either until we moved in. I seen things that look like black jello shaking as it was flew through the air. This will make your hair stand on end, but one day I was in the basement in one of the bedrooms and my sister got mad at me so I was lying on the bed and she turned off my TV and shut the lights off and slammed the door closed, there are no windows, well it was pitch black in the room, next thing I felt like someone was there and the I could feel hot air breathing on my neck as I layed on my side and I then it made a horrible evil growl and I felt the hot air again, I thought I was going to piss. I jumped up off that bed and fled the room. I didn't go down there for a week and then not by myself. My sister got a kick out of it. Oh there is more but it would take me awhile to tell you these stories.
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:35 am Post subject: |
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| jo jo 7 wrote: | | Fire_Goddess wrote: | | I dont believe in ghosts, because I dont believe in the whole "limbo" thing. I do however believe that Demons enjoy inhabiting areas where bad things have occured, and like to give people the false impression that you can contact your dead loved ones as if thats written anywhere in the bible. I agree those places are best avoided though. |
Go stay one niiiiiight Fire-G and you will change your mind. I did not believe in ghost either until we moved in. I seen things that look like black jello shaking as it was flew through the air. This will make your hair stand on end, but one day I was in the basement in one of the bedrooms and my sister got mad at me so I was lying on the bed and she turned off my TV and shut the lights off and slammed the door closed, there are no windows, well it was pitch black in the room, next thing I felt like someone was there and the I could feel hot air breathing on my neck as I layed on my side and I then it made a horrible evil growl and I felt the hot air again, I thought I was going to piss. I jumped up off that bed and fled the room. I didn't go down there for a week and then not by myself. My sister got a kick out of it. Oh there is more but it would take me awhile to tell you these stories.
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What did you eat that night?   |
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jo-jo-7
Just Starting
Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:50 am Post subject: |
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| surfguy wrote: | | jo jo 7 wrote: | | Fire_Goddess wrote: | | I dont believe in ghosts, because I dont believe in the whole "limbo" thing. I do however believe that Demons enjoy inhabiting areas where bad things have occured, and like to give people the false impression that you can contact your dead loved ones as if thats written anywhere in the bible. I agree those places are best avoided though. |
Go stay one niiiiiight Fire-G and you will change your mind. I did not believe in ghost either until we moved in. I seen things that look like black jello shaking as it was flew through the air. This will make your hair stand on end, but one day I was in the basement in one of the bedrooms and my sister got mad at me so I was lying on the bed and she turned off my TV and shut the lights off and slammed the door closed, there are no windows, well it was pitch black in the room, next thing I felt like someone was there and the I could feel hot air breathing on my neck as I layed on my side and I then it made a horrible evil growl and I felt the hot air again, I thought I was going to piss. I jumped up off that bed and fled the room. I didn't go down there for a week and then not by myself. My sister got a kick out of it. Oh there is more but it would take me awhile to tell you these stories.
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What did you eat that night? |
I am being serious. No one has ever stayed as long as we did in that house. The realtors had to tell people who come to see the house that it was built on top of a indian burial ground. People said noway, and got back in their cars when they were told this. Anyone who has bought the house moved out within the year and it was back on the market. This house is now listed as one of America's most haunted houses. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:14 am Post subject: |
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well that's because I wasn't there...had I been we would have been partying with all the other gobblins  |
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yorbcbud
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 17 Feb 2006
Posts: 4903
Location: Ñîððåíòî, Áðèòàíñêàÿ Êîëóìáèÿ, Êàíàäà
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:52 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Only in Russia…
There are many quaint one-liners, some of which are worth mentioning:
If your right eye is itching, you’ll be laughing; if it’s the left, you’ll be crying; but if it’s your nose, you’ll soon be drinking. (This means that all Russian men have a permanent nose itch, right?)
If an eyelash comes out, you’ll receive a gift.
If you sneeze while saying something, you’re telling the truth.
If your right palm is itching, you’ll receive money; but if the left itches, you’ll have to give some away.
If you have hiccups, someone is talking about you or cursing you.
If it rains at a wedding, the couple will be rich.
Try to avoid being a witness at a wedding more than once, otherwise you will end up single.
Unmarried people shouldn’t sit at the corner of the table – otherwise they will never marry.
Don’t show your newborn baby to a stranger until it is 40 days old.
Black cats are signs of bad luck and some older Russians will even refuse to continue their journey if they see a black cat cross the street.
On examination day, don’t make your bed, don’t wear anything new; and don’t cut your fingernails.
If you put your shirt on inside out, take it off, throw it on the floor and step on it before putting it on again.
For the truly superstitious, there are more elaborate signs, signals and omens. According to one of these, you shouldn’t cut your hair when a member of your family is in danger. There is a story that Yeltsin’s wife signalled to the nation that he was fine after bypass surgery by having a haircut – it implied that there was nothing to worry about.
If you’ve had a bad dream and you want to guarantee it doesn’t come true, you can discard it first thing in the morning by retelling it to running water from the faucet so that it goes down the drain…(hmm, one can see that one working, can’t you?)
Some Russians study their bus tickets carefully. If the first three numbers add up to the sum of the three numbers on the right, they spit or knock on it or… yes, even eat the ticket for good luck!
Desperately Chasing Fortune |
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