WattMag: Spooky November Issue

Believe it or Don't

Title: Believe it or Don't

Topic: Superstitous Beliefs

By: TilapiangWriter

Superstition or pamahiin is the belief in supernatural causality—that one event causes another without any natural process linking the two events—such as astrology, religion, omens, witchcraft, prophecies, etc., that contradicts natural science.

We Filipinos are very superstitous lalo na 'yung mga mas nakakatanda sa atin. Ang mga pamahiin'g ito ay may malaking impluwensya sa ating pamumuhay, kung paano nito tayo matutulungang harapin ang ating pang araw-araw na pamumuhay lalo na sa mahahalagang okasyon o kaganapan tulad ng kasal, lamay at libing, paglipat ng bahay, pagbubuntis at maging paghahanap ng trabaho. Many people nowadays despite of the ultra modern generation, still believes in this superstitions although many younger people aren't that much affected and considering it only part of the older days. Still many Filipino are crucial in following these pamahiins.

Here are some list of Superstitious Beliefs and you are freely to believe it or don't.

1. Breaking a mirror will bring you bad luck for seven years.

Well seven years is a very, very long time to be experiencing a series of bad luck. Ang sabi daw kasi  noong unang panahon, ay kinukuha ng mga salamin ang kaluluwa ng kung sino mang tititig sa sarili nito ng napakatagal. So breaking it means you are setting free the souls trapped inside. These souls will turn into evil spirits and they will deliver misfortune to you.. for the next seven years.

2. If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family.

Tip: Just don't keep clocks that aren't working anymore. Kasi ang spooky naman talaga kapag bigla na lang nagchime 'yung isang orasan na hindi na gumagana ng matagal di ba? Lalo na kung tumunog tapos wala naman palang battery.

3. It was considered bad luck among soldiers to light three cigarettes with one match. 

Magkaka-TB daw kasi 'yung pangatlong magyoyosi. De joke! Well it is said that the third one who smoke the third cigerette that was lit will die on the battle field.

4. The spouse who goes to sleep first on the wedding day will be the first to die.

Tip: H'wag na lang kayong matulog para walang mamatay sa inyo! O pwede rin'g pagurin mo na lang siya ng todo para siya 'yung mauna. LOL.

5. If 13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before the year is over.

This superstition is derived from The Last Supper. Jesus Christ together with his 12 apostles were all 13. It is said that the 13th person isn't Jesus Christ but Judas Iscariot, because even if Christ died within that year, nabuhay naman ulit siya unlike Judas who hung himself.

6. To cure a cough: take a hair from the coughing person's head, put it between two slices of buttered bread, feed it to a dog, and say, "Eat well you hound, may you be sick and I be sound."

I've never tried this before. But it does sound funny.

7. Oro Plata Mata

It is important to count the number of stair-steps in a series of threes called Oro, Plata and Mata or Gold, Silver and Death. The counting should start from the bottom rung up to the topmost rung. If the topmost rung ends with oro or plata, it will attract good luck but if ends with mata, it will bring bad luck to the family, no peace and prosperity, and family members will often get sick.

8. Some birds carry the souls of the dead; it's unlucky to kill one.

They say killing it will interrupt the deliverance of the soul and as a replacement, your soul will be taken away instead. So let the bird fly or you will die.

9. Tossing Salt

 

The belief of tossing a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to get rid of bad luck come from the legend that the devil is always standing behind you, and throwing salt in his eye distracts him from causing trouble. 

10. If a bird enters your house it means someone in the family will die.

This superstition is connected to #8 where the bird serves as the sundo of the person who'll die.

11. Opening an umbrella indoors.

If you open an umbrella indoors you are literally asking bad luck to rain on you. This superstition came from the days where people use umbrellas as protection from the sun; opening one inside will serve as an insult to the sun God and he will curse bad luck on you.

12. Seeing a black cat or if it crosses your path.

Now this superstition is one of the famous pamahiin in our country. Naaalala ko pa when I was about third grade, my friends and I would do the sign of the cross whenever we see a black cat para hindi kami malasin. But this superstition came way back the older period where witch craft was widespread throughout the world. They say that those witches transform themselves into a black cat. Thus a black cat crossing your path could actually be a witch.

14. Good luck Horseshoes keep the nightmares away.

You must hang a horseshoe in the bedroom or on a doorknob with its ends pointing upwards. This belief sprouted from the fact that horsehoes have seven holes which is believed  to the lucky number. And horseshoes are also made of iron that wards off evil spirits that may haunt you in your dreams. Hmmm, I hope these are better than those dream catchers.

15. The cursed number 13.

Number 13 is believed to be an unlucky number in almost all countries including our's. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid the number. Many hotels and tall buildings have no Thirteenth floor and room. It is also mostly linked with the Friday the 13th superstitions. Though there are still no proofs or evidence that 13 is really an unlucky number. And did you know that there is a phobia called Triskaidekaphobia. It is the fear of the number 13. 

Superstitions play a very huge role on our lives. Even if many people do not consider these pamahiin anymore, marami pa rin ang sensitibo pagdating sa usapin'g ito. Well I think it will always be a part of us Filipinos being very superstistious. Kasi it's already a tradition and it will keep on passing and passing to the next generations to come.

Wala rin naman kasing masama sa pagsunod sa mga pamahiin dahil nagsisilbi pa nga itong mga "warnings". But depending every desicion and everything you do in superstitions is already wrong. Masama na 'yun. We can consider but not always depend. Tutal wala naman talagang malas o swerte. Nasa utak lang naman kasi natin ang mga ito at tayo lang din ang gumagawa.