Lost in Translation: Superstition
When the season of superstition haunts us all, everywhere
Since the eighth century, Halloween has been exposed to innumerous changes in its celebration. Yet, originating as the ancient Celtic practice of Samhain to ward off evil spirits and ghosts, Halloween still stands as the time to stand wary of our surroundings. Here are four cultural superstitions to stay cautious of this spooky season.
Avneet Kaur: Mirrors and Energy in India
If you have ever rearranged your room furniture for better “energy”, you are not alone. Across India and among the diaspora, there is a long-standing superstition that claims a mirror facing your bed can bring forth bad energy, restless nights, or even unwanted negative tension. Intriguing, isn’t it? Yet, one can’t help but wonder: where did this belief originate, and is there any truth behind it?
Amongst many Indian households, mirrors aren’t just for selfies or outfit checks—they are seen as powerful objects. Some traditional people still believe that mirrors reflect more than our image. They believe mirrors draw out our prana—our life force—even while we sleep. Others warn that mirrors can attract wandering spirits or double conflicts in a relationship, symbolically amplifying disruption.
The logic may sound mystical, but for those who have grown up around the superstition, it all feels real. However, science reflects a different picture: the real culprit is light. When moonlight or streetlights hit a mirror, it can directly reflect into your eyes and interrupt the melatonin production. This makes it more difficult to fall and remain asleep.
Additionally, this superstition is also contradicted by psychological factors like waking up and seeing your own image, which can be surprising or arouse feelings of self-consciousness, especially if you are half asleep. If you also tend to believe in such a superstition then that thought alone can cause severe anxiety, and can indeed be labelled as a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Although superstition and science appear to be diametrically opposed, they still hold common points of interest: sleep is intensely personal. For some, turning a mirror away provides peace of mind, for others, it is simply smart home designing. In any case, a pair of blackout curtains or even a trusted sleep mask might simply be a better solution.
Maryam Raheel: Yoghurt and Sugar in South Asia
Before any exam, interview, or journey, my grandmother would hand me a spoonful of yogurt mixed with sugar. For good luck, she’d say. I never questioned her insistence, instead consuming the sweet, cooling combination and somehow feeling calmer than before.
In Pakistan and India, the ritual of eating yogurt and sugar, known as dahi-cheeni, before an important event is a way of securing good fortune. Some believe it can bring success. On the surface, it’s a simple superstition. However, there’s a deeper meaning behind it.
From a scientific perspective, yogurt is a superfood that provides various health benefits. Offering a soothing touch to the stomach, yogurt is rich in nutrients like calcium and protein and has probiotics that aid in digestion and strengthen immunity. Sugar, on the other hand, provides a quick boost of energy for our brains and bodies. The combination of yogurt and sugar, thus, creates a powerful mix that supports the body in times of stress or anxiety.
Beyond the science, the real comfort lies in the gesture. My grandmother feeding me a spoonful of dahi-cheeni as I rushed out the door wasn’t just about luck; it was an act of love. It was a way of saying: you’ll be okay, a belief that transcended words.
Whether or not this superstition actually brings good luck is unknown to me, but the tradition born from it is just as valuable. Sometimes, before dealing with uncertainty, a small spoonful of sweetness is all we need.
Michaela Dimitrov: Doorways and Bodies in Jamaica
In Jamaica, there are superstitions that most people believe to be fact. For example, I’ve heard of the doorway myth. It is said that if you sit in the doorway of your house, ghosts will step over you. Take the case that you live in a home that has been passed down through generations—one that your great-great-grandparents once lived in. As the generations pass, they turn into ghosts; but, they still enter and leave the house. So, if you sit in the doorway, it blocks their entrance. This leaves them no choice but to step over you.
Another popular superstition claims that if your right hand itches and you scratch it, money will find its way to you the next day. You may wander the streets one day, in search of a job, seeking rent money for tomorrow—you think long and hard about how you will get the money, but no ideas come to mind. Suddenly, your right hand itches and you scratch it. The next day, expecting defeat, you realize that somehow and out of nowhere, you got the money you needed for the day.
Another body-related superstition has become so popular in Jamaica, that a song was created for it: Left Eye a Jump by Johnny P. It is said that if your left eye twitches, then you’ll encounter someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Say you haven’t seen friends or a family member in years—and randomly, your left eye twitches. It would be assumed that not longer than that, perhaps walking down the street, you’d encounter them.
So, beware of doorways and itches and twitches.
Rebecca Christopher: Birth and Isolation in India
I am not really the culturally superstitious type mainly because my parents didn’t raise me with them and partially because I spent a great portion of my life completely unaware of them. However, their new insights always have something to teach us—like, a religious one from the state of Uttarakhand in India
I learned about this superstition in an article written by Swati Thapa in the women-led journalist organisation the BehanBox. In this superstition, mothers who have given birth are to be isolated from the rest of their family and community, because they were considered impure for 22 days after childbirth. This belief led to various postnatal purification processes as well—although they are not upheld with equal rigidity all over the state. While this is a traditional practice associated with rural communities, the writers of the BehanBox article discovered that this practice continues to persist.
On one hand, the focus on hygiene after birth and in the days following is important for the health of the mother and the child to keep them healthy from dangerous contaminations. On the other hand, it can also be a harmful superstition because the enforced isolation bestows so much shame on mothers and can worsen their mental health through isolation. It also is arduous when female sexuality is associated with pollution under religious mandates.
So, while superstitions can be beneficial, they can equally tear people down.
