Moving to a New Home? Here are Superstitions You May Want to Follow
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Packing up and moving to a new house will always be stressful. You also have to worry about bad luck, evil spirits, and negative energy when moving into a new home.
This is why many engage in age-old traditions like burning sage or scattering salt in the new to ward off bad elements.
To keep bad luck and negative energy at bay, people around the world perform various rituals. Here are some of them
Staying Away from Number 4 or 13
Number 4 in Chinese typically means bad luck, which is why some prefer to stay away from moving into a house or floor with this number. The number 13 is also considered bad luck in other cultures. There are, however, some cultures that believe that 4 and 13 are lucky numbers.
Picking A Move Day
Carefully picking a moving day is crucial in avoiding bad luck. According to superstitions, rainy days should be avoided. Likewise, Fridays and Saturdays are unlucky days for moving into a new home, while the best day is Thursday.
Using the Right Foot First
In Indian culture, many people would use their right foot first when stepping inside their new home. Supposedly, one must always use one’s right side when starting something new to attract good luck, as the right side is the spiritual side.
Painting the Porch Blue
South Americans believe that painting the front part of the house blue increases its value as well as repels ghosts.
Scattering Coins
Many gather loose coins before moving into a new home. In Filipino culture, movers scatter loose coins around the new house to bring good luck and prosperity to their new home.
Sprinkling Salt
It is widely believed that salt can drive away evil spirits. To keep bad spirits away, many cultures sprinkle pinches of salt in every corner of their new houses. However, it’s bad luck to spill salt, so it needs to be done intentionally.
Stuffing Fennel in the Keyhole
Fennel seems to be a potent weapon against witches. This is why many who move into a new house would stuff fennel in their keyhole or leave them hanging on the front door.
Bringing Uncooked Rice
Pagan superstition says that sprinkling uncooked rice all over the new house will possibly aid in inviting abundance and prosperity.
Other cultures take this a step further, requiring those newly moved in to cook both milk and rice in a pot. By cooking these two ingredients together, the new home will be blessed with an overflowing amount of blessings. The pot also symbolizes long life and purity.
Bring Salt and Bread
Salt and bread are associated with hospitality based on Russian Jewish tradition. As such, these two are the first two items new homeowners must bring to their property. Doing so will help in preventing the owners from starving and guarantees a flavorful life
Burning Sage
Smudging or the act of burning sage is a spiritual ritual of Native America. It is meant to take away bad energy. Many new homeowners burn sage to keep bad energy at bay. These days, burning sage is also done to gain clarity, and wisdom as well as to promote healing.
Getting an Orange Tree
In Chinese tradition, tangerine or orange trees bring good luck to a new home. Additionally, in the Chinese language the words good luck and orange sound alike which is why many bring an orange tree upon moving into their new home.
Ringing A Tibetan Bell
Feng Shui tradition says that ringing a Tibetan bell after moving to your new home will bring positive energy and clear the space from bad spirits.
Lighting Corners
An ancient Chinese tradition says that lighting up each corner of all rooms of your new home will guide the spirits out of your home.
Lighting Candles
Around the world, many believe that lighting a candle will drive away darkness and cast out evil spirits. Candles have a calming and relaxing effect and can create a sense of comfort in your home, regardless of the superstitious beliefs.
Adding East-Facing Windows
East-facing windows are necessary to keep bad luck away. Feng Shui tradition says that bad luck is driven away by east-facing windows because sunrise hits them.
No Nailing After Sunset
It’s not uncommon to want a new art or frame in your new home. But according to ancient beliefs, putting a nail on the walls should only be done before sunset. Otherwise, the occupant of the house could end up waking the tree gods, which is bad in itself.
Refusing Sharp Items As Gifts
Many people receive gifts from family and friends when moving to a new home. However, it is widely believed that one should refrain from accepting sharp objects like scissors and knives as home gifts as the giver would end up becoming an enemy. This belief is rooted in Italian folklore.
There is, however, a workaround. If, for whatever reason, you must receive the gift, make sure to give a penny to the giver as a way of reversing the curse.
Using the Same Door for Entry and Exit the First Time
An Old Irish Tradition says that you must use the same door to enter and exit the new house the first time you move in. In other words, the first time you enter and leave, you must use the same door. Once you exit, you can use any other door. Otherwise, bad luck can be expected.
Leaving Behind Old Brooms
According to superstition, old sweepers or brooms are carriers of the negative elements of one’s life at the old home. As such, you must leave behind an old broom or sweeper and bring a new one to the new home.
The new broom is associated with the positive vibes and experiences that will befall you after moving to your new house.
Bringing Food First
According to superstition, you should bring food to the new house so that you’ll never go hungry. Similarly, the very first guest to visit you at your new house should bring a cake to ensure that your life will be sweet in the new home.
There are, however, some beliefs that would contradict this. For example, others would say that one must carry a Bible as the first item of the house. Indians believe that you should carry statues of the gods the first time you enter your home as a way of inviting their blessings into the home.
Bringing Soil from the Old Home
According to Ancient Indian beliefs, you must take soil from your old home and bring it to your new dwelling. This is to make your transition to your new home more comfortable. Taking a piece of your old dwelling will take any uneasiness you may have as you settle into your new environment
Wrapping Up
There are plenty of superstitions practiced around the world when moving into a new home.
However, following every superstition you’ve heard of maybe tedious, if not impossible. Many also tend to contradict each other.
When such a situation arises, you may follow superstitions that your family has followed or you may choose those that are actually feasible or practical. Or you can opt to ignore them altogether.
