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International Folklore (769 hits)

I've decided to post little tidbits of information starting with House lore..... Your home is a temple that shields against spirits and unseen forces. Your household not only guards from negative forces; it is where people and positive energy are invited in. In China, homes were built according to Feng Shui traditions. The Chinese believed along with five gods of wealth to guard the five directions (north, south, east, west, and center), there are three house gods that dwell within every home:
1. God of the Door; the door is the mouth. A bag of salt or small bell hung from the doorknob is said to frighten demons. Garlic or dill was suspended over the door to repel enemies. To get rid of ghost, people would slam several doors in order to snare or torment them.
2. God of the windows; the windows are doors without keys; they function as the eyes of the house.
3. God of the Fireplace and Kitchen stove; the stove was thought to represent the unity of the family.

Pennsylvania Dutch hex symbols were used by those who settled in America from Germany and served as a guard for both the home and barns against the spirits that rode the wind. The hex signs were also used within the home, hung over the bed to attract love, health, and wealth.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/cosmos/prb/e...

Posted By: Helen Lofton
Thursday, May 8th 2014 at 5:13PM
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Can you remember any house lore superstitions
1. Never walk under a ladder. This is believed to be the devil’s territory. If there’s no way around it, protect yourself by crossing your fingers or making the fig sign with your hand — closed fist, with the thumb between your index and middle fingers.
2. When you move out of a house, leave the broom behind. Along with the dust and dirt of your old home, old brooms also carry the negative aspects of your life. A new broom signifies a fresh start in your new home.
3. Carry bread and salt with you when you first enter a new home (along with your new broom). After crossing the threshold, sprinkle salt in front of the door to keep evil spirits away.
4. It’s bad luck to carry a hoe into the house. If you do it by mistake, carry it out by walking backwards through the same door — it’ll reverse the bad luck.
5. Stuff fennel, an herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves, into your keyhole or hang it over the door to protect your home from witches.
6. Paint your front porch blue to ward off ghosts. This superstition, which originated in Southern plantation homes, tells us that “haints,” or ghosts, can’t cross water. Painting the porch “haint blue” would confuse ghosts into thinking the porch was made of water, so they wouldn’t enter the home.
7. Never put shoes on a dresser or table. Bad luck will ensue, according to a Jewish superstition.
8. In fung shui architecture, there should be windows on a house’s east side to face the sunrise. A 27-story home in Mumbai, valued at $1 billion, currently sits empty because its owner believes the lack of windows on the east side will bring him bad luck.
On Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated on Feb. 10 this year, you should clean your home thoroughly to get rid of bad luck and accept new luck into your home. Also decorate your doors and windows with posters featuring the word “fu,” which means good luck and happiness.

10. According to a Norse superstition, placing an acorn on a windowsill will protect a house from being struck by lightning. Window blind pulls decorated like acorns are still popular.

11. Never open an umbrella inside. Doing so would be an insult to the sun god, as umbrellas are commonly used for protection against the sun.

12. Don’t move into a new place on a Friday, Saturday, or rainy day. These days are unlucky and may prevent you from ever truly settling into your new home. According to Indian superstition, Thursday is the luckiest day to move in.

13. Never pound a nail after sunset, or you’ll wake the tree gods.
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Saturday, May 10th 2014 at 12:40PM
Helen Lofton

The Winchester Mystery House
Sarah L. Winchester determines to confuse ghost because she felt that her family was cursed by the spirits of all the people who had been killed by the Winchester rifle. Her husband was the son of Oliver Fisher Winchester, the rifle magnate. She built a 160-room Victorian mansion with stairway that leads nowhere, windows that open to reveal only a wall and doorways that lead to nothing.

Wednesday, May 14th 2014 at 12:45PM
Helen Lofton