What are some superstitions that Greeks have?

Question

You know, some traditional beliefs and customs they follow, that arent really rational... some superstitious habits u can find in their culture... stuff like that.

Answer 1

Let me clear some things up about the "bad eye". It is mainly believed to be caused by the negative feelings of someone towards another, that they can be expressed by many ways, such as words, an envious look towards you (from the envy look, it took it's name "Bad eye") etc. In a way it is a combination of paganism and Christian believes, since the belief is that the negative feelings of someone, are carried by evil spirits(demons) to "torture" in a way the one who caught the "bad eye" and bring him bad luck or even health problems (such as headaches, nausea, inability to concentrate, etc.). Then they do a paganistic ritual with christianic elements, like various crosses, to sent the demons away of the one who caught the bad eye. In a way the bad eye today represents the importance that the Greeks give for someone to have confidence in what he is doing no matter what others do or say and of a positive attitude towards life (the glass is half full and not half empty) in order to move forward in life and be healthy.

Many bodily symptoms can come due to bad psychology as you know and it is scientifically proved today. You can have a stress attack, headaches due to bad circulation caused by tension, nausea due to stress, higher chance of illnesses such as cancer due to sadness etc. So the bad eye represents what low confidence and bad psychology can do to you.

Answer 2

Yes, Greeks have many superstitions, like any nation around the world.

Tuesday, the 13th is considered unlucky day.

Knock wood to deter the evil spirits

Make the sound of spitting when someone is extremely handsome, especially small children (for the same reason)

Never hand someone a bar of soap, you will have a fight for that person

If someone sneezes, people are talking about him.

A rabbit's foot is considered to bring luck (not to the rabbit though)

Salt is used to rid of an unwanted guest

Overturned shoes bring bad luck

Good luck charms (filahta) pinned in children's clothes to keep away evil eye

Touch red: When 2 people have the same thought or say the same words together, they touch red in order to avoid a fight

Answer 3

They believe in eye catch or as they prefer to call it ''Το μάτιασμα'' it is when someone says something bad about someone else like ''You will never win'' and it happens

Answer 4

spitting (not really spittal more of the ffftou sound) on newborns to keep evil at bay ..... This is also done after giving a compliment to keep away evil spirits! Also carrying a a garlic in the pocket as you are just too d**n good looking!

It always  makes me laugh when someone close to my Mother in law feels they have been given the bad eye ... they feel unwell etc - she then performs some strange moves, etc - getting them to do things ... really strange ... and what's even more strange they believe in it!

Answer 5

Question: Do you have to say this while looking someone in the eye?

Answer 6

Me matiase...YOU would hear some say...the equivaliant of she jinksed me.....(me matiase or the  evil eye ) as it its also know..not just in greece but in most of the balkans..even the russians and nordics have a version of it..but it goes back to pagan beliefs as ..LINK said...and it has intermigngled with the christian beliefs even a priest would say to you  enai matasiemenous..as they belive its the work of the devil..no diffrent from pagan belief. but with that as ASEMINA said you do have a mixture of personal incantations that have been handed down from mother to daughter or father to son ..from groups of peoples like the vlachs.romany,gypsies.and toher miniority ethinc groups who assimilated in greece..and they blended in tot he greek societys as sooth sayers ..easpecialy in remote villages when a sick person was in grave situation and a doctor could not be found.. supprisingly enough some remieds doen by these soth sayes where simple thigns like cleaning wounds fresh water  or freah air..or a particualr diet..which is not to far from what a doctor may describe. off course they are  diffrent type of MATASMIA..like a death,or love or hate or wealth or poverty or sickness.one riciculous one i heard once ..was the soap one...if a (sooth sayer ) does the soap thign on you she shapes the soap  in to a male member and throws it in the ocean by the time its shrinks down to nothing a man can lose his masculine capabalities... but if you want to belive in any thing hard enough i guess any thign is possible..i say belive in you self and be strong then nothign can hurt you..fear is a sing of accepting a belief that you may think is working for you beacuse you lost the belief in you  you let the belif of some thing else controll you..But the main superstions would be  MATAISMA..