Показаны сообщения с ярлыком russian superstitions. Показать все сообщения
Показаны сообщения с ярлыком russian superstitions. Показать все сообщения

пятница, 16 марта 2018 г.

DON’T GO BACK HOME IF YOU FORGOT SOMETHING!


Russians are really superstitious, they believe in lots of different signs, and omens. Today, we’ll tell you one.

Why you shouldn’t turn back if you are halfway there

All Russians know since childhood that if on your way somewhere you realize that you’ve forgotten something at home, you shouldn’t go back. If you do, bad things will happen.

What’s the origin of this superstition?

Since long ago, crossing a threshold of a house was considered a sacred act, because people used to bury their ancestors’ ashes under the threshold of their house. When a person crosses the border between his home, and “strange”, not a home space, he/she is looses protection of his ancestors’ spirits. Also a threshold is a border between world, a doorway through some evil spirits might come into our world.
The spirits might get angry if you cross the threshold without fulfilling your plans. If so, they will confuse all your thoughts, and interfere negatively in the upcoming affairs. In addition, the guardian angel after returning can stay at home and not go with you on a second journey.

What to do?

Many people believe that it is possible to neutralize the effect of the omen if you look in a mirror or sit for a while, when you return home. They say that when you leave the house you are always “blessed” by a brownie (house spirit), and he does it only if you sit down before leaving. As for the mirror, looking at it, you “reflect” the evil spirits standing behind you, and at the same time multiplying your strength and energy.
But speaking the truth, not so many people believe in this omen, because is you forget something it only means that you are absent-minded:)
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вторник, 13 февраля 2018 г.

Russian superstitions: DON’T SIT AT A TABLE CORNER OR YOU’LL NEVER GET MaRRIED!

Russians have so many superstitions!Which one is more bizarre? You tell us!







In this post you’ll find out about an interesting superstition, which mostly concerns young people, who are not married.
In Russian culture, corners have always played an important role. Traditional Orthodox Russian homes had a special icon corner, called the “red corner”, because the word “red” (КРАСНЫЙ) also means beautiful in Russian.  The Red Corner was a home altar, where the family stood in prayer each  morning and each evening.  The icon area was draped with a cloth with embroidered ornaments.  A candle glowed. Upon entering the house, visitors first acknowledged the icons as representatives of God’s presence in the family.  They gave a respectful bow, making the sign of the cross, and sometimes offering a short blessing or prayer, before going on to greet the members of the household. Nowadays, there are still “red corners” with icons in some houses, though it’s not as widespread as it was before.
Slavic people believed in mystical properties of corners, for example, they claimed that a place inside of a corner absorbs any energy. That’s why a usual punishment for a naughty child was to stand in a corner – the child calms down more quickly there.
Outstanding corners create, the so-called “energy vortex”, which can “blow away” the energy of a person. That’s why unmarried people should avoid sitting at the corner of a table otherwise they will never get married, according to Russian superstition. Others believe that this will only hold true for seven years, making it possible for younger children to sit at the table corner.
Some modern girls ignore this superstition, and say that if you sit at a corner, your husband will be “with a corner” (МУЖ БУДЕТ С УГЛОМ), which means that the husband will have his own place (house or apartment).

But we all know that any superstition has a reasonable explanation

They say that this superstition comes from the time, when there was a division into honorable and not so honorable guests at a table. The most not important guests, like old maidens, used to sit at the corners (in places where it is not so convenient to sit). Old maidens didn’t have so many chances to get marriend unfortunately. That’s where this believe took its origin from.
But no matter what, if you are young, single, and like to sit at corners, don’t be surprised if you hear from Russians “НЕЛЬЗЯ СИДЕТЬ НА УГЛУ!”. It means you should urgently move to some other place save, where no bad energy is flowing around;)
Find out more about Russian culture, and learn Russian in Petrozavodsk!