To
understand Russian people, one must appreciate that they have effectively
survived two revolutions, two World Wars and a Civil War in the 20th century.
They have also experienced significant socioeconomic and political upheaval in
recent decades.
It might
strike you as odd that you are expected to return the favor if somebody
accidentally stepped on your foot, but knowing the countless superstitions and
adhering to them is guaranteed to make your life in Russia easier.
However
irrational those might appear at first sight, sometimes there is stern logic
behind which might explain why various superstitions survive here are ever
present.
- Growing up
in an environment where superstitions are continuously enforced might be one of
the reasons younger generations of Russians are not immune to believing in the
irrational.
- Some have
noticed that the belief in superstitions among the Russians goes hand in hand
with the spread of faith.
The Levada
poll says deep religiosity may be a cause of widespread acceptance of superstitions
in Russia, as religious people are said to tend to take superstitions at face
value.
- Most of
Russian superstitions are difficult to explain because they date back to the
pre-Christian era.
- Knowing
the most common superstitions might make life easier for a newcomer trying to
assimilate into the country.
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Bad omens in Russian culture:
1- Don’t
whistle in the house: People believe that if you do it, there’ll be no money in
the house.
2- Don't
shake hands or kiss over a Threshold: People believe that shaking hands or
kissing over a threshold might lead to a quarrel.
3- Don't put
the empty bottle on the table: It’s bad luck. While drinking, Russians always
place empty bottles on the floor.
4- Don't sit
at a table Corner if you are single: Tradition has it that a single person
should never sit at a table corner. Otherwise, he or she might never get
married.
5- Don't say
happy birthday before the date: People have long been sure that congratulating
a person on his birthday in advance is a bad omen.
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Good
omens in Russian culture:
1- Make a
wish if you are between two people with the same name.
This
tradition gives you tremendous “good luck’ opportunities as you can encounter
many people having the same name in Russia. Don’t tell anyone, or your wish
might never come true!
2- Knock on the wood
If you hear
or say something positive, people often knock on the wooden object three times.
In general, Russians are scared to frighten fate and tend not to talk about the
future in a very positive or optimistic way.
3- Quiet
time before you go on a Journey.
All family
members need to sit for a moment and stay in silence for a minute or at least a
few seconds. They say this tradition goes back to ancient times when such
moments of silence was a tribute to home spirits.
At last, many
young Russians don’t believe in these superstitions nowadays. Above all, among
young people they are just like a cultural heritage, but there are still people
who will look at you in a suspicious way if you act in the wrong way in these
situations.
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