Why do people
say “bless you” when a person sneezes? One reason
may be the person who sneezes is expelling evil from
the body and the words act as a celebration.
Another explanation is that when a person sneezed
during the time of the plague, it meant that person
may have caught the disease. With that in mind, the
Pope passed a law to bless the sneezer, who might
soon after die, to save the soul. Others believe
that when a person sneezes, the soul is expelled and
saying the words helps to retrieve the soul and
prevent the devil from stealing it. Similarly, some
believe that a sneeze attracts the evil spirits and
saying the words wards them away. Then, there is
the scientific-based belief that the heart stops or
skips a beat when the sneeze occurs, granting the
possibility that the person is momentarily dead or
could die if the heart does not reactivate. “Bless
you” is a thank you to God for allowing the person’s
heart to continue beating. Yet, even with all of
these originations of this benediction, most people
nowadays have no idea why they say the words when a
person sneezes.
Many
superstitions have conflicting interpretations. The
symbolism attached to a black cat, a raven’s caw, an
albatross, rain, or sleeping with the feet toward
the door—all are signs of good luck or ill-fortune,
depending on the situation and the interpreter. Or,
certain signs can be interpreted in several ways—an
itchy nose can mean anything from being about to
kiss a fool, being thought of, receiving an
unexpected visitor, getting into a fight, meeting a
stranger, having it rain, or having allergies (all
right, I made the last one up).
People try to
make sense of the world they live in by labeling
events. They attempt to create order among chaos.
Rituals also play a large part
within our society. Athletes are notorious for
ritualistically preparing for each game by wearing
the same socks, not shaving while on a winning
streak, taking five minutes to complete his
preparations to hit a ball while at bat, eating the
same food before each game—the lists goes on and
on. Why?
Most believe such actions give
them an edge, a feeling that is most certainly
subjective and self-manifested. These rituals help
the person return to a certain rhythm they have felt
when in the same situation; they get into the zone.
They are totally present and in the moment—in tune
with their desires, all the variables connecting to
them and affecting them, and how they feel while
completing the rituals. They feel the anticipation
of the next moment, the familiarity of the present
actions, and the comfort of past success.
While I was in law school, I
would engage in ritualistic behavior before each law
school exam. At those times, I would eat the same
meal at the same restaurant. The one time I did not,
my grade suffered. Is this due to some cosmic order
that I’d created and then disrupted? No. The short
answer is that I created my reality and the rituals
that I needed to manifest it. When I did not
complete the ritual, I gave myself an excuse, a
reason to not reach the goal I desired.
How is it that viewing a rainbow,
a bird or some other animal, hearing a favorite
song, or seeing one’s alma mater symbol—how is it
that at that perfect time, when asking that crucial
question, a sign manifests? We create them, of
course. We create them in our reality. After all,
we are multi-dimensional beings.
When we are unable or unwilling
to listen to our instincts, our “knowings” given to
us by other aspects of ourselves, we create signs to
contact our conscious minds and to bridge the gap
between the mental and spiritual bodies.
We use them to answer our
questions, to reflect our hopes and fears, to
support or destroy our reality, to affirm or deny
our fledgling desires. We try to understand our
realities. We attempt to categorize, simplify, and
organize our lives, but we cannot, at least not to
the extent that we seek.
Even mythology and folklore serve
the purpose of explaining events. An earthquake,
lightning, thunder—all are now created by angered
gods; a cave indentation is the birthplace of a god;
a sudden earth formation such as a lake, a tree, or
an island are forever memorialized mortals turned
into them as punishment for crossing the gods.
I saw a double rainbow one day,
as, I am sure, did others. Was that sign for me?
For them? For all of us? What did it signify? Or,
was it only what it appeared to be, independent of
any meaning I could attach to it? It is all—a sign
I and others use to answer our questions, as well as
just a rainbow. It all depends on our
perspectives. Was I seeking a sign? If so, I
received one. Yet, it is also just a manifestation
of refracted and reflected light caused by the
mixture of the sun’s rays with water molecules to
create different vibratory levels—seen as the
various colors of the rainbow. If I were asking for
confirmation that my present set of actions was the
best for me at this time, the rainbow might act as a
positive sign. If, on the other hand, I asked no
such questions, had no such doubts and needed no
such confirmation, then the rainbow is a beautiful
reflection of nature—nothing more.
I choose my own interpretation
based on my situation, my desire, and my perspective
of my reality.
Symbolism is used in literature,
theater, and the arts to function as a signpost for
concepts the artist wishes to express. A dove
symbolizes peace, the red rose means true love, the
lion reflects strength and courage, and winter
represents decay, death or an ending.
In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The
Raven,” the raven represents eternal sadness through
the loss of a love he will see nevermore, creating
everlasting sorrow. The raven leads the narrator
down the road of shadow and blackness, a reflection
of his empty heart. Along with the inhuman cawing
the raven projects, the raven represents a messenger
from the Plutonian shore of death, darkness, and
earthly hell. The narrator interprets the ebony
bird’s bearing and single utterance, “Nevermore” as
an affirmation of his worst fears—that his broken
heart will never mend and he will never be reunited
with his true love, Lenore.
Signs are
opportunities manifested by the observer to perceive
and analyze the details of one’s world. Ignoring
signs or misinterpreting them usually occurs when a
person is not entirely present or in tune with the
spirit—the Higher Self. The subconscious mind may
be trying to guide the person, yet that person’s
fears blind him or her to the reality of the world.
The bottom line is that we create our own signs to
support our thoughts, whether they are positive or
negative.
We follow
superstitions to comfort ourselves in times of
fear. We indulge in ritualistic behavior to help
ourselves refocus on the moment at hand and to feel
comfort with past successful efforts while engaging
in similar situations. And, we use symbolism in
mythology, folklore, and the arts in an attempt to
explain and understand past events and behavior. In
the end, these are all tools we use to help us
navigate in an uncertain world. As long as these
techniques can help us feel more comfortable with
the unknown, unexpected, and unwanted events of
life, they will continue.
To contact Jodi directly, please email her at
jzerambyesq@aol.com.
