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Spill the salt, dear? You know what to do. . .

There is a particular one that every newcomer is told about: Never Never Never say the M play by Shakespeare backstage. Never.

To do so would unleash a torrent of foul luck. Storms would rage, mountains fall – at the very least, the show would be under a black cloud, and probably close opening night.

I never had the guts to invoke the curse, but I was the horrified witness when some smartass decided it was all a big joke.

I have never seen a group of people move so fast.

They forced him to turn in a circle, counterclockwise (3 or 5 times, depending on your source), then promptly booted him out of the theatre. For good. Yep – they take their superstitions seriously.

These come in all forms, from the throwing salt over one shoulder after spilling to ward off the devil behind you, to the ever popular seven years of bad luck for breaking a mirror. I haven’t tested that one, either.

But I have walked under a ladder, with no ill effects.

Have had a black cat cross my path, with no change in luck for better or worse.

Superstitions are a colorful part of our history, reaching back centuries. They are often amusing, sometimes absurd, but they stem from a deeply held belief in the supernatural among us.

In our techno-centric society, it is easy to overlook the magic as we text, tweet, and hug our iphones in anticipation. Next time you are outside, tear your eyes away from the screen, and take a look around. Stop, listen, and you just may hear your grandmother warning you not to take your holiday on a Friday, dear, don’t you know it will bring misfortune?

What are your favorite superstitions? Which ones have you ignored, to your peril? Feel free to unburden yourself here.

Until next time – keep looking over your shoulder. And throw some salt, just for good measure.

~Cate