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Lots of superstitious people, when they spill salt, will take a pinch of it in their right hand and throw it backwards over their left shoulder.
Superstition has it that, at all times, a devil waits over your left shoulder, and also that spilling salt is bad luck (perhaps because it used to be rare and precious). Hence, you can mitigate your bad luck by throwing salt into the eyes of the devil. There's also a belief that your guardian angel (who can be found over your right shoulder) spills salt to warn you of evil nearby. Either you throw the salt to hurt the devil or, as salt was valuable, as an offering to placate him.
Like lots of other superstitions in a Christianized culture, it has a Christianized explanation: spilling salt is bad luck, because Judas spilled salt at the Last Supper. This is somewhat equivalent to the Christianized explanation for not sitting down thirteen at the table, and almost certainly a red herring.
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Is it bad luck when you throw salt over your shoulder?
Of course not. It's all superstition. In fact, according to the superstition, throwing salt over your shoulder counteracts other things that bring bad luck supposedly, like breaking a mirror or spilling salt.
What is the origin of salt over shoulder superstition?
It is believed the "devil" stands over the left shoulder of a person. As salt was once considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity, spilling it is thought of as wasteful and a means to tempt the "devil" into taking it from you. Throwing salt over your left shoulder is supposed to "blind the devil" into not seeing the opportunity to reduce your material wealth.
What is the origin of superstition?
Ignorance.
Salt over the shoulder?
The superstition of Throwing salt over your left shoulder after spilling some applies to, apparently a devil is sitting on your left shoulder, and the force of the tiny salt particles knocks him off and he lands in a little heap on the floor. Then you should stamp on him. Do not throw it over your right shoulder as this is where your guardian angel is supposed to sit. This superstition is believed to come from the middle ages.
Which shoulder do you throw salt after spilling it?
left
Why do you have to throw salt after spilling it and what would happen if you did not?
To throw salt over your shoulder has the same meaning as to say: " Bless You " after somebody has sneezed to ward off the evil spirits. Why...? because when somebody spills a salt (salt used to be considered highly valued commodity thus to waste salt was seen almost like a blasphemy) he/she is vulnerable to devil's machinations. :-))) superstition.... or???? :-)))
What is the origin of the acorn superstition?
There is a superstition that carrying an acorn can give you long life, which started with the Druids.
What shoulder do you throw salt after spilling it?
the left shoulder
What is the origin of throwing salt over your shoulder?
The superstition of throwing salt over your (left) shoulder came about because people once believed the Devil stood behind your left shoulder waiting for you to make a mistake or to influence you into making a mistake. Spilling salt, which was once used as part of a Roman soldier's salary and hence as money was believed to not only be wasteful, but bad luck. Throwing some of the spilled salt over your left shoulder would be throwing it into the Devil's eyes, thus blinding him to your mistake.
If one is superstitious over which shoulder should one throw salt after spilling salt?
your left shoulder
What is superstitions scientific explanation?
Many skeptic scientists simply believe that superstitions are just fear through folklore. Psychology has studied the effects of superstitions and have discovered that if the belief in the superstition is strong enough the person can suffer the effects of the result of that superstition. The explanation of the superstition is easier explained on a case by case basis. I would consider asking about a specific superstition. It seems with many superstitions they derived from an action / reaction scenario. For example: A person spilled some salt and may have had an accident and blamed the spilling of salt on the accident. The next time they spilled the salt they threw some over their shoulder and didn't have an accident that day. Thus a superstition is born. Sports athletes often have a very strong and varied form of superstitions such as never washing their socks, or a pregame ritual that they do, thinking that it will help them win.
Why is passing salt bad luck?
Passing salt was not bad luck. Spilling salt was bad luck because in Roman days, salt was very expensive.
