Superstition of the Week - Happy New Years Food

Lucky Food for the New Year (adapted from myrecipes.com)

Japanese tradition calls for eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve to ensure a long life.

It is customary in Spain to eat twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.

Juicy pork is the lucky food of choice for Germans.

Brazilians associate red lentils with wealth, so it's common to feast on these satisfying seeds at New Year's celebrations in Brazil.

In China, Chinese potstickers or fried dumplings symbolize wealth since they resemble coins.

Happy Holidays

Wishing you a Ravenous Holiday!

Superstition of the Week - Mistletoe

Mistletoe, also known as Celtic-All-Heal was popular by the 19th century. Since the times of druids, it was associated with fertility and kissing.

Luck favors those who kiss under the mistletoe but turn against those who avoid it.

Unmarried girls used to steal sprigs of mistletoe from church decorations and hid them under their pillows as a charm to dream of their future husbands.

Burning old mistletoe was said to predict marriage prospects of an unmarried girl. Steady flames ensured happy marital life while the spluttering flames predicted bad tempered and cross husbands.

The Bean Plant Studio Holiday Art Sale

For those you live in Northern Colorado we would love for you to stop by and take part in a festival of eye candy created by local artist this Friday from 5-8pm and Saturday from 10-4pm.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - More Ravenous Music

The Darkest Pieces of Classical Music, MP3 Download from Amazon $1.99

Superstition of the Week - Black Friday

Here is a good luck ritual to prevent one from being trampled in the Black Friday Shopping Crowds:

• Get out of the bed on the left side
  
• Turn around 3 times
• Pat your stomach twice
• Hop on your right foot 5 times
• Hop on your left foot 6 times
• Count backwards from 20 to 1
• Twitch your nose 7 times
• Take 3 deep breaths
• Get back into bed and sleep until Saturday morning

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Turkey Jerky

Raven Brand Products & Deli Turkey Jerkey

Superstition of the Week - Hearses

It is considered bad luck to unexpectedly meet a hearse coming towards you and even worse, if the hearse is empty.

Superstition of the Week - Spider Webs

Continuing with the spider theme from last week...Spider Webs.

It is believed that spider webs are an omen of future prosperity. Unless it is absolutely necessary, it is best to leave spider webs whee they are because removing them also removes the potential wealth.

Well I was destined to be poor with the spider superstitions, but looking at my bookcases right now, this one may cancel the bad luck out.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Amazing Origin Cafe

Okay, not really a raven, but the little guy is sporting a pretty awesome feather cap. Actually this is from a coffee label that we designed for Amazing Origins Cafe at Isis Books & Gifts Store. Like its name, this cafe serves the most amazing roasts. You also won't meet a nicer guy than the owner Jeff Miles. If you live in the Denver area, please stop by for a pour over or latte, enjoy Barista Jesse's cool artwork on the special's board and then soak in the positive energy as you browse the bookstore. Before you leave be sure to get yourself a bag of those great freshly roasted organic fair-trade coffee beans...with that feather-cap-wearing dragon. It truly is AMAZING!

Superstition of the Week - Spiders

SPIDERS

Believe it or not, supposedly seeing a spider is a lucky sign and a lot of times indicates money. This association dates back to the Roman times, when people wore spider amulets to attract success in business.

In England it indicated you will be coming into money. However that is only if the spider is found in a proper place. If it is found on places such as the kitchen table, it needs to be picked up and moved outside. If the spider dies during transport, all the money will be lost.

Small spiders were frequently called “money spiders” and it was considered extremely bad luck to kill one.

Sadly, I maybe destined to be poor....

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Ale

Alaskan Brewing Company's Double Black IPA

Superstition of the Week - Halloween

HALLOWEEN

First a little history...

The Celtic Druids celebrated their year end on 10/31 with a festival called Samhain, which means summer’s end. They would praise Baal, the sun god who helped provide their harvest and asked the god for support to make it through the upcoming winter. On this day the Celts believed that the souls of the dead could return to visit the living. Some of these spirits would amuse themselves by playing tricks on the people.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, they also added their autumn festivals to the culture. One of these gatherings honored Pomona, the goddess of fruits and trees. Some believe this is why apples are included in some of our present-day Halloween celebrations.

When the Christian church tried to take over, they set out to abolish the old pagan celebrations. In many cases they did this by superimposing their own festivals on days of the pagan celebrations. Because of this, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints’ Day from May to the beginning of November. A century later, Pope Gregory IV declared that All Hallows’ Eve would be held on 10/31, All Saints’ Day on 11/2 and All Souls’ Day on 11/2.

In the 19th century immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought Halloween to the United States as a secular fun celebration incorporating bats, cats, ghosts, witches, jack-o'-lanterns, fortune telling and bobbing for apples.

Then in the 20th century the notion of trick-or-treating came about in the United States, though it is thought it does have roots to old world’s rituals. On the eve of All Saints’ Day, poor people in England carrying jack-o'-lanterns made from mangel-wurzel (a variety of beet) went door to door begging for soul cakes.

Okay now on to the superstitions...

If you hear somebody walking behind you on Halloween, do not turn around. This is from the belief that it is likely to be the dead following you and it would be fatal to look any of them in the face.

It was also believed that if you go to a crossroads on Halloween and stop to listen to the wind, you will hear your future for the following year.

Another superstition is if at midnight on Halloween a girl stands in front of a mirror while eating an apple and combing her hair, she will see a reflection of her future husband.

Also see our Apple Superstition Posts

Apples

Apples Part 2

Apples and True Love

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Candle Stickers

And if anybody knows where we could score some of these, please let us know...

Superstition of the Week - Werewolf

WEREWOLF

The werewolf superstition dates back to the Greco-Roman times and was particularly popular in the medieval era. During these times it was believed that people were turned into wolves by a magical enchantment. It was also thought that the folks most vulnerable to this enchantment were those born on Christmas Eve or born out of wedlock.

The most popular belief to kill a werewolf, is by a silver bullet; however, it was also believed you could cure a werewolf if you knew their first name. You need to call out that person’s name 3 times while they are in wolf form. But be careful, because if you get the name wrong, the curse will also come after you to transform you into the wolf.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens - Raven Tarot

Raven's Tarot Site

Superstition of the Week - Pumpkin

PUMPKIN

Though the pumpkin was a harvest symbol, it was also believed to scare away evil spirits. Folks would carve hideous faces into them and illuminate with a candle on Halloween to scare away the evil spirits that would come out on that special night.

These pumpkin lanterns were eventually called jack-o'-lanterns from an old Irish story. An Irishman named jack cleverly tricked the devil out of stealing his soul, but because of the disreputable life he had led was not allowed to enter into heaven. He was condemned to wander the world in darkness, but the devil eased his burden by giving him a piece of coal from hell to light his lantern.

There is a superstition that says Good Friday is best day to plant pumpkins. This is because of the belief that pumpkins ward off evil.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - More Music

Down - Diary of a mad band

Superstition of the Week - Witch

WITCH

The word “witch” comes from the Saxon wica, which means “wise one.”

The ancient Assyrians, Babylonians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans all mention witches in their writings. In Greco-Roman times, they were renowned for their healing skills using herbs and potions. Unfortunately, even back then, not everyone approved of this practice. Pliny, Ovid, and Plutarch all wrote negatively about witches.

Sadly, over time witches began to be viewed as entities that cast evil spells to hurt others. Persecution of witches began when the Christian Church started fostering the belief that witches were associated with the devil. They told stories that witches copulated with demons, conducted wild orgies, and indulged in sinful behavior.

This unjustified belief led to horrific injustices and the torture and death of many innocent men and women by hanging, drowning or being burned at the stake. This unbelievable craze lasted for almost 250 years.

During this time several myths came about. Witches were thought not to have a soul and thus made no reflection in the mirror. They would recite the lord’s prayer backwards and were thwarted by anything made iron. People also believed that witches possessed “devil’s marks,” which were warts, moles or other birthmarks, usually in the area of the armpits.

If anything bad happened in the community, it would be blamed on a witch such as a calf dying, crops failing, or if a baby was stillborn. Even storms and murders were blames on witchcraft.

A wide variety of amulets and other form of protection were used to protect people and their homes from witches. It was also believed that witches could hurt you if they had a small piece of you to work with. Thus, some folks thought one needed to be extremely careful to dispose of nail clippings, cut hair, blood, urine and saliva in order to prevent a witch from getting their hands on it.

Because of the way movies and children’s books portray witches, the stereotypical image of a witch is a hideous hag with a warty nose, pointed chin who lives alone with a black cat and casts evil spells. In reality, witches today practice a pagan religion that honors the Goddess and believe in the sanctity of all life.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Music CD

Nox Arcana - Shadow of the Raven

Superstition of the Week - October

A superstition says that a warm October will lead to a frigid February. Also if the leaves wither on the trees versus falling to the ground, a frosty winter with much white stuff is on its way.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Apples

1920's Label for Bird Valley Apples

Superstition of the Week - Vampires

VAMPIRE

The older belief (before the invasion of teenage vampire angst) was vampires were living dead that came out only at night, could transform themselves into bats, and would suck blood from the living. A victim of a vampire bite ultimately would become a vampire themselves. They could not survive in sunlight and could be warded away by garlic, crosses or holy water. Also it was initially thought there were only 3 ways to kill a vampire: burn it, decapitate it, or thrust a wooden stake through its heart. Sometimes all 3 just to be safe.

Then a bit of trivia...F.W. Murnau, the German filmmaker, was the first person to depict a vampire on screen, in Nosferatu in 1922. Also, Bram Stoker’s famous Novel Dracula has been filmed 30 times in 50 years.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Table Runner

Raven Table Runner from Gailsong (be sure to also check out those placemats).

Superstition of the Week - Doggies

DOG

An old superstition says that if a dog howls near a door it is a sign of misfortune.

Another superstition says that if a dog howls at the moon, it is a sign that death is coming.

It was also thought that if a dog whines when a baby is being born, the child will most likely lead a hard life.

Some say it is good luck for a strange dog to follow you home.

Cool Stuff We Found Named Raven - A Kitty

Raven from Entry Kitten Diary #9 on The Cats Tripe Blog

Superstion of the Week - Football

The Madden Curse

Some believe if an NFL player graces the covers of Madden NFL video games they are doomed by a curse to injury or subsequent obscurity. Here is the curse’s toll so far...

2000 – Barry Sanders: This running back shocked the Lions by abruptly announcing his retirement and did not play a single down that season. Since Barry Sanders quit before the start of the season he was replaced by Dorsey Levens who was bothered by a bad knee through out the season and was released in 2001 from the Green Bay Packers.

2001 – Eddie George: This Tennessee Titan running back bobbled a pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown and the team suffered a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Playoffs. The following season hampered with injuries, his rushing averaged was at an all-time low.

2002 - Daunte Culpepper: The Minnesota Vikings quarterback suffered a knee injury and missed the last five games of the year.

2003 - Marshall Faulk: Plagued by an ankle injury from the prior year, this St. Louis Rams running back's rushing yards dropped to under a 1000 and the Rams missed the playoffs.

2004 – Michael Vick: The Atlanta Falcons quarterback suffered a fractured right fibula in a pre-season game one day after Madden NFL 2004 hit store shelves.

2005 - Ray Lewis: Suffered a torn right hamstring in the 6th game causing this Baltimore Raven running back to miss the rest of the season.

2006 - Donovan McNabb: The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback flouted the curse by saying that the injuries associated with it "might be a trend, but I don't believe in the curse at all." True to form, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season. He played on for another eight games despite the painful injury, but after being re-injured in a game against the Dallas Cowboys, he finally opted for surgery and missed the final seven games of the season as the Eagles finished last in the NFC East.

2007: Shaun Alexander: This Seattle Seahawks running back, with a 5.1 yards per carry  rushing average, spurred his team to their best season ever and first Super Bowl appearance in the prior season. Then three weeks in to the new season, he broke his left foot in a game against the New York Giants and missed his team's next six games.

2008: Vince Young: The Tennessee Titans quarterback hurt the quadriceps in his right leg during the Titans' fifth game of the season and didn't participate in Tennessee's game against the Houston Texans the following week, marking the first time in his career (including middle school, high school, college, and the NFL) that an injury kept him from playing.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Suncatcher

Raven Pewter Suncatcher from Gryphon's Moon

Superstion of the Week - Dice

Dice

It is considered good luck to carry dice in your pocket. If you happen to find a die somewhere, take not of the number of spots on the side facing up:

One Spot – Good news is on the way.

Two Spots – Fun travel is in the future.

Three Spots – A pleasant surprise is coming.

Four Spots – Beware of problems arising in the near future.

Five Spots – Your mate will be untrue.

Six Spots – Great fortune in the form of unexpected money.

Cool Stuff We Found Out About Ravens - The Existance of Sea Ravens

Image from gma.org

SEA RAVENS

Sea Ravens live in the cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. They can be found on rocky bottoms with sand or mud, or among seaweeds, occasionally swimming up to the surface waters. Sea ravens vary in color from blood red to reddish purple, chocolate, or to yellowish brown and are covered in small spines. Most are a foot long but some do grow up to two feet. They are voracious feeders and are said to eat bait as well as whatever invertebrates it finds on the bottom, such as mollusks, various crustaceans, sea urchins, and worms.

Superstition of the Week - Crossroads

Crossroads

According to one of our favorite Supernatural episodes, this is where you can go to conjure up demons to bargain your soul with the devil for fame, fortune, love or to protect your younger sibling from going to hell, as it tends to happen.

The reason crossroads make such a good story line is their history goes back thousands of years to Greek and Roman mythology. Artemis, a Greek goddess, and Diana, a Roman goddess, were associated with the moon, but often they were mistaken for Hecate, goddess of the night and protector of witches and Hades, who was associated with sorcery and witchcraft.

Hecate was regularly used in invoking magical rites and statues of her and Artemis were placed at crossroads. Some of these statues had 3 faces, Artemis, Demeter, and Hecate, depicting the three stages of the Triple Goddess, maiden, mother, and crone. Also because of the three heads, they could look in 3 directions simultaneously, which was thought to be handy when at a crossroads. Because of this, it was believed that witches and the dead would gathered there. Of course on the other hand, Christians considered crossroads to be evil places and avoided them if at all possible.

After time though, the original reasons for this belief were gradually forgotten and new superstitions surfaced. An interesting one was that people felt the crossroads would confuse the soul of anyone buried there, making it impossible for the spirit to find its way back home. Thus if folks did not wanted to be haunted by the individual they would bury them at the crossroads. To further prevent the soul from wandering back home, a stake would be driven through their hearts to ensure no part of them could ever leave the crossroads.

Hmmm, a little Robert Johnson’s Cross Road Blues anyone?

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Textile Designer

Okay technically not a Raven, but we love crows too and cool wallpaper.
Black Crow Studios.

Superstition of the Week - Silverware

Silverware

• If two teaspoons are accidentally put in the same cup it is believed that a forth coming marriage is in the making.
• If two knives get crossed it is a sign there will be an argument and some even see it as an omen of death. To avoid this, the bottom knife should be removed before the top one.
• Finally, if you don’t want company be careful not to drop your silverware. A dropped knife indicates a man will soon be visiting, a drop fork means a women and a spoon means a baby will soon be arriving.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Posters

It gets even better because all posters are 40% off through this Friday at the

All Us All the Time Zazzle Store,

Code: BTSRULEPRINT.

Superstition of the Week - Friday the 13th

TGIF!!! Oh no wait a minute, it is Friday the 13th. Well darn, now I am torn. Should I be elated the weekend is almost here, or paralyzed in infinite fear of the dark sinister forces lurking around every corner seeking out prey (perhaps me, okay, probably me) to wreck their devious havoc on? How does one of the most looked forward to days of the week turn to doomsday when if falls on that particular number?

It turns out that both Friday and the number 13 have gotten a bad wrap throughout history. Unfortunately for 13, it is partly due to the fact that we humans tend to tire after 12. In school they tend to stop at 12 in their multiplication tables, there are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus. Adding 1 to 12, please, scary stuff.

There is also a Norse myth attached to the superstition of the number 13. Twelve gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla, their heaven. The god of mischief, Loki, was excluded from the guest list, but came anyway, bringing the dinner party to a total of 13. Loki then proceeded to provoke Hoder, the blind god of winter, to shoot Balder, god of joy and gladness. Balder died instantly cloaking the earth in darkness. Don’t you hate it when that happens at your dinner parties? The Hindus also believed the gathering of 13 people in one place was unlucky and in ancient Rome it was said that witches gathered in groups of 12 with the devil. Then later in history the superstition associated itself with the Last Supper of Jesus and the 12 disciples.

Now interestingly, in ancient goddess-worshipping cultures 13 was considered a lucky number because it corresponded to the number of lunar cycles in a year. However, according to some historians, 13 got a bad rep among early Christian patriarchs because it represented femininity. Hmmm....

Friday also ended up on the wrong side of Christianity, mainly because it is believed that Jesus was crucified on that day. But some historians have dated the superstition back to yet again Norse mythology and the sacrifices made to the goddess Frigg, goddess of marriage and fertility, or Freya, goddess of sex and fertility. Their emblem was the fish, which was associated with worship of love that was offered by the Scandinavians to their goddess on the sixth day of the week, Friday. With Christianity this act was considered indecent and Freya was recast as a witch in folklore. During the Middle Ages, Friday was known as the Witches’ Sabbath.

Then it appeared that early Christians started attributing about everything bad to Friday such as Eve offering Adam the apple, Abel killing Cain, the stoning of St. Stephen and the Great Flood. Oh, another little interesting tidbit, it is said that in Britain Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and how many steps supposedly led up to the noose, yep, 13.

Thus when you put the two together, Friday the 13th, you can see why it is not exactly seen as your sunshiny day. The Knights of Templar found this out on Friday, October 13, 1307, when King Philip IV of France ordered their torture and execution.

But really, I am sure there is nothing to worry about today, it is just a superstition, right? Now did I just see something peaking around the corner...?

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Hood Ornament

Hood Ornament from A & L Home

Retro Superstition of the Week - Bees

BEES

• If a bee enters your home, it's a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant.
  

• A swarm of bees settling on a roof is an omen that the house will burn down.

Previously posted 3/20/09

Cool Stuff We Found Ravens On - Photoshop Brushes

PHOTOSHOP BRUSHES

Crow and Raven Brushes by dollieflesh-stock from Deviant Art

Raven Brushes by flodelys-stock from Brush Pattern

Superstition of the Week - Cradles

CRADLES

There is an old superstition that says if you rock an empty cradle it will be occupied within a year, though in some parts of Europe it is believed that rocking an empty cradle puts in danger the life of the child who last slept in it.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Web Banner

The Magical Omaha web banner....not only a cool banner, but also a very cool store.

Superstition of the Week - Cows

Cows

There was a time that it was believed that cows knew the way to heaven. Because of this, it was not uncommon in older times for cows to be included in funeral processions in Scandinavia and Germany.


However, on the other hand, it was also thought that if a cow licked the forehead of another cow it meant their owner is about to die. Also if a cow entered upon your property a death will soon follow in your family. Three cows means three deaths.

On a lighter note, it was said that you should wash your hands immediately after milking a cow or you will receive no milk on the following day.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Bulletin Board

A notice posted to the bulletin board at the Barking Dog Cafe in Lyons, CO.

Superstition of the Week - Corn

If you find an ear of red corn it is considered to be good luck and should be kept in your pocket until next harvest.

Happy Bastille Day!

HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

Superstition of The Week - Circles

The circle is considered a symbol of good fortune, signifying completeness, wholeness and perfection. This may have originated from the sun's apparent circle around the earth. It was also believed that evil spirits could not cross a circle and as a result, rings, wreaths, and other circular decorations and adornments were created. Believe it or not, accordingly lipstick was invented because of the circle. People thought evil spirits could enter the body through the mouth, thus started painted a red circle around the mouth so evil spirits could not pass through into the body.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Pendant

Raven Star Pendant at Isis Bookstore

Superstition of the Week - Fireworks

Fireworks were originally invented in ancient China in the 12th century to scare away evil spirits.

Cool Stuff We Found With Ravens On It - Meditations

Shamanic Meditations CD at Isis Bookstore

Superstion of the Week - Chairs

CHAIRS

It is a sign of bad luck for a chair to fall over.

If the chair was knocked over by a single girl, it will delay her finding a mate by several months.

If the chair is tipped over while someone is getting up from the table, it is a sign they have been lying.

It is said that gamblers can change their luck by either walking around or turning the chair around three times; however, this should only be done if they are losing.

It is bad luck to have an empty chair at a formal dinner. The chair should be removed to avert the bad luck.