Signs & Omens
An itchy palm, ringing ears, a feather on the path, a penny on the floor: how traditions read everyday signs — and how to read them without fear.
17 stories in this topic
Spilled Salt Meaning: Why Over the Left Shoulder?
By folk belief, spilled salt means bad luck; in German and Russian tradition it specifically means a quarrel. The superstition is on record in print in England since...
Broken Mirror Meaning: 7 Years Bad Luck & What to Do
According to folk belief, a broken mirror means seven years of bad luck. The superstition is documented surprisingly late: in 1777 John Brand called breaking a mirror an...
Mole Meaning: Face, Body and Old Superstitions
In spiritual tradition a mole is read by its location: the forehead for willpower, the corner of the eye for passion, the mouth for pleasure, the shoulder for...
Ears Burning Meaning: Left Ear, Right Ear, Superstition
What a burning right or left ear means in folk belief, where the saying comes from, why ears really get hot, and when hot ears belong with a...
Eye Twitching Meaning: Left Eye, Right Eye, Superstition
What a twitching left or right eye means in folk belief around the world, what actually causes eyelid twitching, and when it belongs with a doctor.
Sneezing Meaning: Is Someone Talking About You?
Sneeze and someone is talking about you, at least according to folk belief from Japan to old Europe. What the number of sneezes means, and why we say...
Hiccups Meaning: Is Someone Thinking of You?
Hiccups out of nowhere, and someone says a person is thinking of you. Where that belief comes from, the name game, Plato's advice, and when to see a...
Finding Pennies Meaning: Pennies From Heaven, Lucky Pennies and What It Means Now the Penny Is Gone
What finding a penny means in American folk belief, from pennies from heaven to heads-up luck and meaningful dates, what grief research says, and what changes now the...
Itchy Feet Meaning: Right Foot, Left Foot & Travel
An itchy sole is said to announce a journey. What the right and left foot mean in folk belief, where right-foot-first comes from, and when the itch belongs...
Itchy Nose Meaning: Superstitions, Left and Right
If your nose itches, you are about to get company, hear news, get into an argument, or be kissed. Hardly any body omen has as many meanings as...
Friday the 13th, November 2026: Where the Superstition Comes From and Why Many Witches Treat It as a Lucky Day
Friday the 13th falls on November 13, 2026. Where the superstition really comes from, why the Templar story does not hold, and why many witches treat the day...
Itchy Palm Meaning: Left Hand, Right Hand & Money
An itchy palm is one of the oldest body omens still in everyday use. Say "my palm is itching" at an American kitchen table and someone will answer...
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