Good Luck on Friday the 13th

It's Friday the 13th, which had me thinking about luck and superstitions.

Are you into all that?

I have to admit, even while I know I shouldn't I find myself avoiding walking under ladders or crossing the path of a black cat. Probably not very sane but better to be safe rather than sorry is the thought process, I guess.

Kristen Stewart famously wore a saint bracelet
while filming Twilight [via]

And while, as a Catholic, I shouldn't have too much of a belief in luck it's hard to shake that kind of superstitious thinking. Not that there aren't Catholic symbols and saints--from crosses to St. Benedict and St. Christopher medallions--used as a means of protection. One pet peeve of mine? Rosaries worn as fashion statements. I just don't get it.

There are a ton of symbols from different cultures meant to bring good luck or ward off the evil eye. Like the horn (corno) for instance, which many Italians wear to prevent the latter as well as, apparently, infertility. I can't tell you how many people I know pin little gold horns to their baby's undershirts to ensure they don't get malocchio. The symbol is an ancient one, first linked to the moon goddess, and these symbols are often fashioned out of gold, silver or coral. Necklace from ShopRhubarb.

Of course, an actual evil eye is one of the best known symbols for warding it off. Also known as Nazars, these symbols are huge in countries like Turkey where you often find them on floors or over doors. Evil eye bracelet from Classic Designs.

The Hamsa or Hand of Fatima is an amulet that is shaped in a palm that has recently found popularity in North America after being big in the Middle East and North Africa for centuries with each finger representing an attribute like faith and prayer. From what I've read the symbol originated with Muslims but has become popular in Jewish communities where it is often referred to as the Hand of Miriam. Not only does the hand supposedly work to deflect the evil eye but it has also become known as a symbol of power and strength. Hamsa necklace from Petra Collection.

The horseshoe is one of the most instantly recognizable good luck symbols. Used to protect houses and barns as well as people "horsehoes are thought to protect and bring good luck...[and] is used as a protective talisman against not only the devil, but also against curses in general. And folklore claims that horseshoes can also protect one from malevolent faeries, since iron supposedly repels faeries." [1]

Leather wraparound horseshoe bracelet from Charlie and Marcelle.

More uncommon than its three-cloved brother the four leaf clover is said to bring luck to anyone who finds one growing in the wild. Legend has it that each leaf represents something--faith, hope, love and luck.

Four leaf clover necklace from Iris Jewelry Design.

Celtic knots began appearing around 450 AD and, as their design suggests, came to represent beginnings and endings, the endless cycle of life and the spirit. Over time the knots have come to be used as good luck symbols of protection and longevity and  are used to ward off sickness and the like. Celtic knot earrings from Lunar Belle.

There are a ton of other symbols and amulets that people also wear and use. I wonder where you stand on the issue of luck, these kinds of symbols and superstition.

Happy Weekend!

 Photo 1 - weheartit.com