Do you believe in luck? Many experts will tell you that it’s possible to create your own luck by being open to new experiences and meeting new people.
The desire for good luck is something that people are all over the world share. So if you’d like to draw more of it into your life, you can also take a cue from other countries. Check out these good luck rituals from around the globe.
1. Ireland: Kissing the Blarney Stone
Ireland’s most famous good luck ritual is kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle. A sign there declares that “according to legend, whoever kisses the Blarney Stone is gifted with eloquence and persuasiveness.”
But you have to be comfortable with heights to pucker up with this famous rock. First, you must climb to the top of the castle. Then you have to lie on your back and hold onto two railings while you lean back and kiss the stone upside down.
Did we mention that there’s a drop beneath your upper body while doing so? The castle now has bars installed so you can’t fall through, and a castle staff member holds onto visitors for extra security. Still, this good luck ritual may only be for the strongest of heart.
2. Japan: Owning a Cat
The Japanese are among the world’s greatest cat lovers, for it’s believed their beloved feline friends bring good luck. This belief is traced to a story revolving around a figurine called Maneki Neko, which is Japanese for beckoning cat. Legend says a monk’s cat saved a nobleman’s life one day by beckoning him away from a tree that was later struck by lightning and could have killed him.
The nobleman donated money to the monk’s temple as a thank you. Today it’s common to see statues of Maneki Neko outside Japanese businesses as a way of inviting customers in. But it’s considered good luck as well to own a real cat and let them live in the shop or other places of business in Japan.
3. Spain: Eating Grapes To Ring In The New Year
In Spain, it’s considered good luck if you can eat 12 green grapes as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. But you have to be fast: you need to chew and swallow each grape with each clock chime, then polish them off with a glass of Spanish wine called cava.
4. Poland: Getting Married During Certain Months
In Poland, it’s believed you’ll have a long and happy marriage if you plan your big day so it occurs during a month that contains the letter “r” (in its Polish name.) These include the months of March, June, August, September, October, and December.
Supposedly the French believe in this superstition, too, although their list of acceptable wedding months are different to reflect the French names.
5. United Kingdom: Saying The Word Rabbit On The First Day Of The Month
In the UK, waking up on the first day of a new month and immediately saying the word rabbit (or saying it twice or three times in a row) is believed to bring good luck. No one knows exactly where this ritual stemmed from, but it has been mentioned in books dating back to the 1920s. President Franklin Roosevelt was said to believe in the superstition as well.
The children’s cable network Nickelodeon also helped popularize the good luck ritual during the 1990s. Perhaps the belief has a connection to the rabbit’s foot as a good luck symbol.
6. Russia: Welcoming Bird Droppings On You
It may sound icky, but Russians believe that when a bird poops on you, your car, or your home, that it’s a sign of good things to come. In fact, if you’re the target of multiple birds, it may mean more money is on the way.
7. China: Cleaning Your Front Doorway
We know that the Chinese value eastern astrology and calendars to determine their luck for a new year. In China it’s believed that good luck enters through your front door which is why the Chinese thoroughly clean and declutter their home before the start of a new year. This ritual is meant to say goodbye to all of the bad stuff that may have accumulated during the year.
However, the trash must exit the home’s back entrance, never the front—or bad luck may return. And after all that cleaning is done, the Chinese take a break from it during the first two days of the new year so no good luck can be literally swept away.
8. Portugal: Keeping a Barcelos Rooster In Your Home
Visit Portugal, and you’re likely to see colorful painted roosters in souvenir shops. This is the Barcelos rooster, which is considered a symbol of good luck in the country and is believed to bring love and good fortune to anyone who receives one.
The rooster’s origins are found in a legend that says a cooked rooster came back and crowed to life to save the life of a pilgrim who was about to be hanged for a crime he didn’t commit.
Today the painted ceramic and metal roosters are said to embody the Portuguese tradition of loving life.
Welcome Abundance Into Your Life With These Good Luck Rituals
As you can see, good luck rituals have been practiced all over earth for centuries. Whether there’s any truth to any of them no one actually knows, but it doesn’t hurt to at least give them a try!
Want to know if good luck is headed your way? Find a trusted psychic using our Psychics Directory, and learn what the new year has in store for you.
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