Bacon’s Tales of Terror

Welcome back my friends to Bacon’s Tales of Terror on this 13th of the month.

Today, I want to talk about superstitions – that’s great for a 13th posting isn’t it?  Snorts.

Did you know that back in the day, breathing ‘in’ was interpreted as breathing in life while sneezing was interpreted as a swift exit of your essence or soul.  If your soul left your body through a sneeze then you would die without your soul.  This was the basis for further superstitions about sneezing throughout the centuries.

Do you tell people that sneeze, “God Bless You?”  This is actually a practice that is practiced all over the world and dates back to February 16, 590 AD.  Pope Gregory the Great decreed that prayers must be said to fight against a deadly plague in Italy at that time.  The plague was associated to be fatal by those who sneezed.  Telling someone, “God Bless You”, after they sneezed would protect people from the effects of the plague.

Saying, “God Bless You” can also be linked to around 1665 during the black plague in Europe.  Violent sneezing with the black plague was the sign of the end of the disease and death was certain to follow.  The pope made it a law so those that sneezed would be blessed due to their soon-to-be death.  It was also during this time that cover one’s mouth with their hand or cloth was put into place in order to stop the spread of further diseases.

In 17th century England if someone sneezed, people around them would remove their hats, curtsy or bow and wish them, “God Bless You”.  In the 1800’s in England, this poem came out:

Sneeze on Monday – sneeze for danger.  

Sneeze on Tuesday – kiss a stranger.  

Sneeze on Wednesday – sneeze for a letter.  

Sneeze on Thursday – something better.  

Sneeze on Friday – sneeze for woe.  

Sneeze on Saturday – a journey to go.  

Sneeze on Sunday – your safety seek – for Satan will have you for the rest of the week!

There is good luck also associated with sneezing:  if you sneeze between noon and midnight; if the family cat sneezes; if two people sneeze at the same time; if you sneeze twice in a row; or if you turn your head right when you sneezed.

But there’s also bad luck associated with sneezing:  if you sneeze in the morning while getting dressed; if you turn your head left while sneezing; if you sneeze three times in a row and someone is talking bad about you while sneezing four times is the sign of a cold.

 

Contributions to the Psychic Library on this information on sneezing superstitious.