Not Just The Luck Of The Draw

BY AMANDA VAGNINI

Knocking on wood so we don’t jinx ourselves, making a wish when the clock hits 11:11, jumping over cracks on the sidewalk so we don’t break our mothers’ backs, waiting until we are fully outside to open an umbrella — we all have superstitions that we have grown up to swear by. Whether it be the haunted number 13, broken mirrors or black cats, what do these superstitions really mean, and why do we believe these strange warnings?

So, what even is a superstition? Everyone may have their own definition of what it means to them, but they all generally follow the idea that supernatural forces influence things that are found to be uncertain in life. Superstitions can be used to help you stay calm and in control of your life.

Why do we still believe these superstitions to be true and helpful in our lives? We all want to be in control of our lives and to carve out the path that will make us happy and comforted as we grow older. We make decisions, sometimes tough ones, and it is believed that these small superstitions are always around to influence the next step we take in our lives. There is comfort in being able to plan out our lives and making sure that nothing unexpected comes at us.

Superstitions are everywhere, even sporting events. It could be a lucky charm an athlete needs in order to perform to the best of their ability, a specific hairstyle or color elastic for a game. It’s even the idea behind dressing for success the day of a match.

Professional tennis player Rafael Nadal swears by his prematch rituals, which he says help him to, “find focus, flow and perform well.” He has to place his water bottles in a specific manner and must turn his shower knob to the coldest possible setting. NBA player Michael Jordan also has some pre-game rituals, including concealing his North Carolina shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform, as a lucky piece for his practices and games.

Shih-In Ma, a spiritual leader who grew up in State College, touched on the idea of superstitions and the role they play in our lives.

“A lot can be labeled as superstitious because it’s outside of my belief system,” Ma says. She brings up the example of when Christopher Columbus sailed in 1492, saying, “most of the Native Americans didn’t even see the ships because it was not in their world view.”

Ma discussed the role that fear plays when it comes to believing in superstitions.

“Fear is just an underlying current of the human condition,” and in the Buddhist tradition, “fear is in direct proportion to how separate we feel,” Ma says.

A lot of the superstitions we follow come from our ancestors directly influencing us to follow in their traditions. Fear is always one step ahead of us, and although we may try, we can’t control everything.

While a lot of these superstitions have remained a part of our lives, we have to question whether they are helping in guiding our lives or controlling how our life plays out. While we may think that these beliefs are harmless, they could potentially have negative impacts. By making a habit out of solely following superstitions, it can deter us from making mistakes and learning from them. When we go against these ideas, the fear of whether or not these superstitions can actually have an impact on our lives can cause anxiety.

The unknown is scary, and no one wants to leave behind the comfortable. It is important to realize that you will never know what life can be like if you leave behind the subconscious fear of not following superstitions. So step on that crack, open an umbrella indoors, make a wish at 11:12 and see what happens. Expand the circle that you’re comfortable in and see where those new decisions take you.