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Are you superstitious about Friday the 13th? ~ Learn the History behind Friday the 13th

☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾ 2011/05/13 12:35:22
Yes I am
Maybe a little bit
No I am not
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Friday the 13th

The urban legend of friday the 13th has been with mankind for Centuries

13 is considered an unlucky number

Many buildings don't have a 13th floor; some airplanes don't have a 13th row.

Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue

If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names)

dahmer theodore bundy albert salvo 13 letters names nbsp nbsp

Primitive man had only his 10 fingers and two feet to represent units," this explanation goes, "so he could count no higher than 12. What lay beyond that — 13 — was an impenetrable mystery to our prehistoric forbearers, hence an object of superstition

Thirteen became feared because it represented femininity. Some believe priests vilified the number because it "corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year

one of the earliest concrete taboos associated with the number 13 — a taboo still observed by some superstitious folks today, apparently — is said to have originated in the East with the Hindus, who believed, for reasons I haven't been able to ascertain, that it is always unlucky for 13 people to gather in one place — say, at dinner

If 13 people sit down to dinner together, one will die within the year

ancient Vikings thought 13 was a bad omen


Twelve Viking gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla. Loki, the Evil One, god of mischief, had been left off the guest list but crashed the party, bringing the total number of attendees to 13. True to character, Loki raised hell by inciting Hod, the blind god of winter, to attack Balder the Good, who was a favorite of the gods. Hod took a spear of mistletoe offered by Loki and obediently hurled it at Balder, killing him instantly. All Valhalla grieved. And although one might take the moral of this story to be "Beware of uninvited guests bearing mistletoe," the Norse themselves apparently concluded that 13 people at a dinner party is just plain bad luck.

As if to prove the point, the Bible tells us there were exactly 13 present at the Last Supper. One of the dinner guests — er, disciples — betrayed Jesus Christ, setting the stage for the Crucifixion.

Did I mention the Crucifixion took place on a Friday?

The name "Friday" was derived from a Norse deity worshipped on the sixth day, known either as Frigg (goddess of marriage and fertility), or Freya (goddess of sex and fertility), or both, the two figures having become intertwined in the handing down of myths over time (the etymology of "Friday" has been given both ways). Frigg/Freya corresponded to Venus, the goddess of love of the Romans, who named the sixth day of the week in her honor "dies Veneris."

Friday was actually considered quite lucky by pre-Christian Teutonic peoples, we are told — especially as a day to get married — because of its traditional association with love and fertility. All that changed when Christianity came along. The goddess of the sixth day — most likely Freya in this context, given that the cat was her sacred animal — was recast in post-pagan folklore as a witch, and her day became associated with evil doings.

context cat sacred animal recast post-pagan folklore witch evil nbsp

Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck – as in the tale of H.M.S. Friday ... One hundred years ago, the British government sought to quell once and for all the widespread superstition among seamen that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned, named "H.M.S. Friday." They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. To top it off, H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage on a Friday, and was never seen or heard from again.

The modern basis for the aura that surrounds Friday the 13th stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant Against "the Knights Templar". The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified

power grand master jacques demolay arrested killed tortured crucified nbsp

The last remaining knights from the nights Templar who protected the holy grail (people think there were only 5 left at that time((1307))) were killed on Friday the 13

not all Ancient civilizations dreaded of 13. The Chinese regarded the number as lucky, as did the Egyptians in the time of the pharaohs.

To the ancient Egyptians, these sources tell us, life was a quest for spiritual ascension which unfolded in stages — twelve in this life and a thirteenth beyond, thought to be the eternal afterlife. The number 13 therefore symbolized death, not in terms of dust and decay but as a glorious and desirable transformation. Though Egyptian civilization perished, the symbolism conferred on the number 13 by its priesthood survived, we may speculate, only to be corrupted by subsequent cultures who came to associate 13 with a fear of death instead of a reverence for the afterlife.

Prehaps these as well as other reasons are why we fear friday the 13th



Lachenmeyer, Nathaniel. 13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition. New York: Avalon, 2004.
Lawson, Thomas W. Friday, the Thirteenth. New York: Doubleday, 1907.
Opie, Iona and Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.

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Top Opinion

  • Casy 2011/05/13 16:51:22 (edited)
    No I am not
    Casy
    +4
    GREAT post sweets! Love all the info!
    Come by and see mine also on Friday the 13th......I have a post too :) But yours is really good! ;)
    post sweetslove info friday 13th adimated happy friday the 13th

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  • Truth 2012/07/16 08:47:20
    No I am not
    Truth
    I was married on this day July 13th 1990 TRUTH!!!
  • Pam 2012/07/14 01:56:37
    Maybe a little bit
    Pam
    When I was younger, at least one station would play the Friday the 13th movies on that day and it was always fun to sit and watch them all at one time
  • raschell97 2012/07/14 00:06:26
    No I am not
    raschell97
    my mother and father were married on Friday the 13 in December about 25 years ago and they are still together and love each other very much so no I'm not superstitious
  • SilveryRow 2012/07/13 20:31:12
    No I am not
    SilveryRow
    I would find thirteen more of a 'lucky' number, were I that superstitious (http://www.gather.com/viewAr...
    Friday is just another day.
  • Greenbay 2012/07/13 16:26:00
    No I am not
    Greenbay
    Its just a day
  • BIG BAD JOHN R. 2012/07/13 16:21:07
    Yes I am
    BIG BAD JOHN R.
    BLAME MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE HAD A SIXTH SENSE ABOUT THINGS!!
  • D.C. Willis 2012/07/13 15:19:59
    No I am not
    D.C. Willis
    +1
    It is just another day to me, but the blog is informative.

    Thank You my friend and have a great day!!
  • Hope 2012/07/13 14:47:30
    No I am not
    Hope
    To me its just another day, i dont believe in superstitious and luck
  • finlandforever 2012/07/13 14:24:14 (edited)
    No I am not
    finlandforever
    I love the number 13 and live for Friday the 13th! 13 members in a Coven. 13 Full Moons each year. It is a wonderful number !!! :)

    Proud Pagan
  • John Hall 2012/07/13 14:12:43
    No I am not
    John Hall
    just another day in paradice.
  • classic 2012/07/13 13:46:35
    No I am not
    classic
    13 is the official number for the United States...

    It will be found that the Great Seal of the United States contains ten features of thirteen.

    13 official number united seal united features thirteen
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... classic 2012/07/13 14:11:29
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    13 original colonies and 13 biggest native Tribes of north America and 13 steps of the Great pyramid
  • BritPunk 2012/07/13 12:48:20
    No I am not
    BritPunk
  • BritPunk BritPunk 2012/07/13 12:52:19
    BritPunk
    Oh and I have heard that some restaurants keep a dummy to make a table of 13 up to 14 !!
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... BritPunk 2012/07/13 12:59:12
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    +1
    alot of them do that its silly i actually have good luck on friday the 13th
  • HAlex1972 2012/04/15 07:47:48
    No I am not
    HAlex1972
    I call it a lucky day.
  • Yosyp 2012/04/13 19:01:39
    No I am not
    Yosyp
    just another day for me
  • MRS_LAUTNER_18 2012/04/13 15:59:02
    Yes I am
    MRS_LAUTNER_18
    i really dont like it i think bad things will happen to me but they never do but im still very supitious
  • Someone Else 2012/04/13 13:13:25
    No I am not
    Someone Else
    13 is a good number
  • sfxd 2011/05/22 00:38:22
    No I am not
    sfxd
    No, I'm not... but this is excellent info.

    (13th Street in Newark, New Jersey was a truly nasty part of town, even 40 years ago)

    The menstrual/Lunar cycle info was taught in my college comparative religion class of all places.

    And, crap... Never counted it before but I have 13 letters in my name... C'est La Vie!

    Great post!
  • Skittles 2011/05/18 20:38:03
    No I am not
    Skittles
    I have never had a bad mishap on asny Friday the 13th, yet (knock on wood) I would hate to have that run my life
  • sm123 2011/05/18 06:23:56
    No I am not
    sm123
    i love friday the 13th. i was born on that day. and every time a friday the 13th rolls around i have a great day. everyone else has a horrible day. it seems im the only one that benefits from this day. lucky 13 baby. all the way.
  • Ramon 2011/05/16 07:21:13
    No I am not
    Ramon
    It's just another day.
  • Redskin 2011/05/15 17:54:03
    Maybe a little bit
    Redskin
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Redskin 2011/05/16 01:21:49
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    Crows or ravens are actually a Good luck sign
  • Redskin ☥☽✪☾DAW... 2011/05/16 04:29:21
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Redskin 2011/05/16 10:29:26
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    +1
    Crows or Ravens are protector spirit animals usually of Odin the Norse God or Morriagan the Celt Goddess or Egyptian God Amen
    they are protector Animals not Evil or bad luck

    Think of the movie The Crow with brandon lee
  • Redskin ☥☽✪☾DAW... 2011/05/16 13:29:37
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Redskin 2011/05/16 13:31:09
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    +1
    Crow is the left-handed guardian. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. There are several species of crow. Raven is one of these and magpies are another. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion. Do not try to figure crow out. It is the power of the unknown at work, and something special is about to happen.

    Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. In any healing circle, Crow is present. Crow guides the magic of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. You can rest assure when ever crows are around, magic is near by and you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Crow can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that is not yet in form.

    They are territorial and won't give up an area without a fight. They are loners, seeming to like to spend time to themselves.

    If you have a crow as a totem, you need to be willing to walk your talk and speak your truth. You must put aside your fear of being a voice in the wilderness and "caw" the shots as you see them. Crow is an omen of change. If he keeps appearing to you he may be telling you that you have a powerful voice when addressing issues that you do...






    Crow is the left-handed guardian. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. There are several species of crow. Raven is one of these and magpies are another. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion. Do not try to figure crow out. It is the power of the unknown at work, and something special is about to happen.

    Crow is also the guardian of ceremonial magic and healing. In any healing circle, Crow is present. Crow guides the magic of healing and the change in consciousness that will bring about a new reality and dispel "dis-ease" or illness. You can rest assure when ever crows are around, magic is near by and you are about to experience a change in consciousness. Crow can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the void, which is the home of all that is not yet in form.

    They are territorial and won't give up an area without a fight. They are loners, seeming to like to spend time to themselves.

    If you have a crow as a totem, you need to be willing to walk your talk and speak your truth. You must put aside your fear of being a voice in the wilderness and "caw" the shots as you see them. Crow is an omen of change. If he keeps appearing to you he may be telling you that you have a powerful voice when addressing issues that you do not quite understand or feel that they are out of balance.

    Crows are the bringer of messages from the spirit world, and is thought to dwell beyond the realm of time and space.
    When you meet crow, he could be telling you that there will be changes in your life and that possibly you should step by the usual way you view reality and look into the inner realms …walk your talk…be prepared to let go of your old thinking and embrace a new way of viewing yourself and the world.

    Crow is the sacred keeper of the law. Crow medicine signifies a firsthand knowledge of a higher order of right and wrong than that indicated by the laws created in human culture. With Crow medicine, you speak in a powerful voice when addressing issues that for you seem out of harmony, out of balance, out of whack, or unjust.

    When you learn to allow your personal integrity to be your guide, your sense of feeling alone will vanish. Your personal will can then emerge so that you will stand in your truth. The prime path of true Crow people says to be mindful of your opinions and actions. Be willing to walk your talk, speak your truth, know your life’s mission, and balance past, present, and future in the now. Shape shift that old reality and become your future self. Allow the bending of physical laws to aid in creating the shape shifted world of peace.
    (more)
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Redskin 2011/05/16 13:31:44
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    +1
    Element
    Air
    Lesson
    Crow is the keeper of sacred law and knows the mystery. She teaches us that there are not one two or three worlds but many.
    The laws of Sacredness
    To balance our need for partnership with other areas of our life
    To be at peace with our own company as well as within a group
    Psychic protection
    To value ourselves giving ourselves the best
    The joy in exploration
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Redskin 2011/05/16 13:32:31
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    +2
    Many cultures consider crows to be the keepers of the Sacred Law, for nothing escapes their keen sight. To have a Crow as a power animal is extremely powerful stuff. When we meditate on the crow and align with it, we are instilled with the wisdom to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. We are taught to appreciate the many dimensions of both reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity.

    Crows often appear in groups, and though there seems to be no variation in their caw-ing to each other, each caw actually has a different meaning. Their complex vocabulary is one sign of their intelligence, and is also a sign of their significance as power animals. When a crow explores something new, others watch closely to see what happens and then learn from it. They often make great noise when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. Crows recognise potential danger and hence always post lookouts when feeding. This is their most vulnerable time. This helps us understand that we must watch what we believe, to test our habitual ideas about reality against a more universal standard.

    Without paying careful attention, we are unable to understand the language of crows, this signifies the fact that we can't always s...













    Many cultures consider crows to be the keepers of the Sacred Law, for nothing escapes their keen sight. To have a Crow as a power animal is extremely powerful stuff. When we meditate on the crow and align with it, we are instilled with the wisdom to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. We are taught to appreciate the many dimensions of both reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity.

    Crows often appear in groups, and though there seems to be no variation in their caw-ing to each other, each caw actually has a different meaning. Their complex vocabulary is one sign of their intelligence, and is also a sign of their significance as power animals. When a crow explores something new, others watch closely to see what happens and then learn from it. They often make great noise when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. Crows recognise potential danger and hence always post lookouts when feeding. This is their most vulnerable time. This helps us understand that we must watch what we believe, to test our habitual ideas about reality against a more universal standard.

    Without paying careful attention, we are unable to understand the language of crows, this signifies the fact that we can't always see beyond our own cultural limitations. These limitations include certain moral codes of right and wrong, along with 'rules' that accompany these codes.

    Throughout history there have been many (unnecessary) conflicts and wars between humans due to differing moral and religious beliefs. To truly create a new age of love, peace and harmony it is of high importance for us to be able to transcend our particular cultural limitations and to hold in our hearts and souls what we share as spiritual beings in human form. We are all connected, infinitely and composed of the same 'stuff'. We need to realise that hurting others only hurts ourselves. Crow is the bird which represents this transcendence.

    Crow can also teach us to be mindful about judging people automatically. Be mindful of your opinions and actions. You need to walk your talk, to speak your truth and to know your life's mission. Again, trust your intuition and personal integrity, to create your own standards, whether or not they match those of the world around you. Be an individual, think for yourself, don't necessarily follow the crowd!

    In the courting process the male crow's voice takes on a singing quality. This lets us see what the basis of sacred law is, unconditional love, the one unfailing principle by which we can test our own principles.

    Crow is an omen of change. Crows live in the void and have no sense of time, therefore being able to see past, present and future simultaneously. They unite both the light and the dark, both the inner and the outer. Crow is the totem of the Great Spirit and must be held with utmost respected. They are representations of creation and spiritual strength.

    Crows are messengers, telling us about the creation and magic all around us, that is available to us just for the asking. Look for opportunities to bring into being the magic of life. The striking black colour of the crow represents the colour of creation. It is the womb out of which the new comes into existence. Black is the colour of the night, giving birth to the light of a new day.

    Crows are sly and can be deceptive in their actions. They have been known to build false nests high in treetops to confuse predators. Their nests are built very high up, giving them the chance to watch everything that is going on around them.

    As crows are adaptable to all environments and will eat almost anything, they can survive in almost any situation. Crow is surrounded by magic, unseen forces and spiritual strength. If crow enters your life, get out of your familiar nest, look beyond your present range of vision, listen to the message(s) in its caw and act accordingly
    (more)
  • Redskin ☥☽✪☾DAW... 2011/05/16 20:11:14
  • Kyra 2011/05/14 19:33:14
    No I am not
    Kyra
    BUt it is one of my favorite days. Big Diamond tattoo always has tattoos for only $13.
  • Markie 2011/05/14 19:00:34
    No I am not
    Markie
    Unless I do not have my rabbits foot and I am planning on walking under ladders
  • Rar 2011/05/14 11:19:16
    No I am not
    Rar
    Nah I like when friday the 13th comes around.
    Funny I have 13 letters in my name so I have devil's luck
  • CTF 2011/05/14 06:03:57
    No I am not
    CTF
    Although my truck did break down today.
  • igillum 2011/05/14 05:48:45
    Maybe a little bit
    igillum
    It was certainly an unlucky day for the Templers and the Cathers in the South of France. The Catholic Pope was a ruthless sucker.
  • Euphrosyne 2011/05/14 04:35:36
    No I am not
    Euphrosyne
    Friday the 13th is the luckiest day ever for me since my lucky number happens to be 13.
  • Mustachio57 2011/05/14 04:26:32
    Maybe a little bit
    Mustachio57
    i dont think its bad luck...because everything is backwards wth me....on st. patricks day..somthing horrible always happens to me....and on all friday the 13th's...i have incredibly good luck.....is there any way to explain that...does that mean im the devils daughter or something??
  • ☥☽✪☾DAW... Mustach... 2011/05/14 04:28:48
    ☥☽✪☾DAW ☽✪☾
    no it just means if you think of bad luck and say oh crap today is going to be a bad day 9 times out of 10 you will have a bad day

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